For me, this election is about picking the least awful of the two remaining candidates. I’m not a huge fan of either, but in 2016, I will be voting for Hillary Clinton.
The United States is at a crossroad. We, much like Britain, are faced with an election that will define the next generation of American leadership and policy. People are bitterly divided on issues ranging from ISIS to gay marriage. Our next President will be tasked with leading the country forward into an ever more uncertain world. Unlike the British, we must get this vote right because there is no going back.
I choose Hillary to lead us forward.
The first arrow in the Republican quiver are character questions. They don’t think she’s honest. They don’t think she told the FBI the truth. They think she got four Americans killed in Benghazi. My heart and my head both tell me that something happened that fateful night, but I doubt that the American people will ever know the full truth of that story. I’m sure of this though: I trust the Benghazi committee about as much as I like the IRS. I think that this investigation was partisan from the beginning, conducted by people who had clear benefits if Clinton was indicted. As such, I cannot be sure that she received a fair hearing or that a fair investigation was conducted.
The next arrow in the Republican quiver is…. Oh wait, that’s it. Have you noticed that the only consistent ammunition that Republicans have against Clinton are two highly partisan investigations? They can’t land a blow on any of her policies. Why? Because, while imperfect, Hillary’s ideas are supported by the majority of the American people, and her rhetoric is flawless, unlike the scraps of paper and the loose cannon Republicans have decided to fling up on stage.
If you go to Trump’s website, donaldjtrump.com, and look at his positions, you see that he has 7 sub-categories. Compare that to Hillary’s, hillaryclinton.com, which has 32 sub-categories. It’s an incredibly imperfect measurement, I admit, but the sheer disparity suggests that Clinton knows what she is doing and knows how she intends to do it. Trump, by comparison, is unprepared and unfit for office, seeking instead to bolster his TV ratings and brand value.
I choose to vote for Hillary because she seeks to form a coalition, not just win a majority. Hillary is reaching out to the minority groups (African-Americans, Hispanics, LGBT, millennials, etc.). She has won endorsements from the Black Lives Matter movement, from Planned Parenthood and from the Human Rights Campaign. From the beginning, Clinton has sought to build an open, inclusive society that welcomes people of all nationalities and beliefs. That is the America I believe in. That is the America I was born in. That is the America I will vote for.
Finally, I believe that Clinton has the upper hand on the two biggest challenges America will face moving forward: the national debt and education.
Our education system is failing America's children at every turn, ruining the prospects for the next generation of leaders. Minority children go to under-funded, poorly-staffed and poorly-equipped school systems while the rich white kids enjoy the luxury of their private schools. This division is a microcosm of American society: the aristocracy act like nothing is wrong while the rest suffer. I believe that Clinton has what it takes to start the process of reforming our education and renewing the future of America.
The national debt. Last I checked it was 17 trillion dollars. That’s trillion with a T. As a nation, we need to make a commitment towards fiscal responsibility, enacting policies that allow the government to begin to pay our debts. You might say Hillary has no plans that will reach that goal. You’d be right. But I think Trump is worse. His tax cuts alone, according to The Fiscal Times, will, “increase deficits by more than $10 trillion.” That, in case you were wondering, is trillion with a T. If you doubt the credibility of those who do this for a living, I would point you to Brexit. After the vote, the value of the pound immediately crashed to lows not seen since the 1980's. Investors pulled the plugs on projects in Britain and the aftershocks continue to reverberate through the British economy. Guess who predicted that? The same people that tell you Trump’s policies are horrible for the United States. I implore you, listen to them. Put aside your anti-establishment, anti-media fervor and trust those who know.
The United States is going to look drastically different in 2020. Our next President will greatly influence the direction the country takes, and will have the opportunity to implement their vision for the future. I choose hope, instead of fear. I choose diversity, instead of exclusion. I choose to build bridges, instead of walls. I choose moving forward, instead of moving backward. I choose fighting for equality, instead of actively discriminating. I choose the status quo, instead of destabilizing change.
I choose Hillary. God Bless the USA.
P.S. This hurts to be so critical of conservatives. I know and love many people who truly care about America, and want nothing more than to enjoy their freedoms and live their lives in peace. However, I cannot support Donald Trump in good conscience. Christ didn’t build walls. Instead he welcomed all with open arms.
