Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is about to become the first female President of the United States of America. After a long political career, Clinton seems to have proven that she has got all it takes to lead the country. She is familiar with worldwide politics and cares about the American people: at the age of 16, Hillary volunteered to babysit for migrant workers who could not afford childcare. In 1968 she supported the anti-war movement on campus. Clinton graduated from Yale Law School and started working at the Children’s Defense Fund. In 1975 she married Bill Clinton and three years after that became first lady of Arkansas, and later on of the whole country. As first lady of the United States she tried to reform the current health care system of the country, and spoke about women rights at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. She later became senator of the state New York and already aspired the presidency when she competed for the Democratic candidature against Barack Obama. Obama asked Clinton as Secretary of the State after his triumph, so she gained a lot of experience on the political world stage, while visiting 112 different countries. Altogether, Hillary – with all of her experience and involvement in women rights, health care and social and economic inequality – appears to be Obama’s dignified successor. However, due to the fuss concerning e-mails, health problems, and Hillary’s much discussed opponent Trump, we are often distracted by the media and would almost forget what Clinton’s vision for the United States actually is. What are Clinton’s plans for the States when she becomes the first female president?
Stronger together First of all, it is important to know what Hillary’s main vision is. Her guiding principle is something that has been visible throughout her whole life and is for instance reflected by the voluntary work during her youth. Clinton attaches much value to social cohesion and charity. She always stresses that no one can fix the American problems alone; and therefore the whole nation has to work together: one should help another, since we are stronger together. The problems she identifies in the country with respect to inequality, unemployment, disunity, and fear, are to be solved by a president who cares about the people, what she states to do.
The biggest problem in the country regarding to Clinton is the fear arising from uncertainty about jobs, income, and safety. Due to the economic crisis, the unemployment rate of America in 2008 increased dramatically. Although the unemployment rate now is at pre-crisis level, the nation is still recovering from the shock. Because of this, a lot of Americans cannot make ends meet. Families rely on hard-working relatives who still have a job. Clinton notices that Americans have always been willing to work hard, and now are unable to do so. There are hardly any possibilities to work part-time, or to find jobs that match the capacities of all the job applicants. This results in inequality, since the middle and lower classes are not provided the same opportunities as the upper classes. For example, college is not as accessible for children from the lower classes as it is for children with a wealthy background, and because of such income related opportunities the inequality remains or will substantially grow.
Apart from the growing concern of economic inequality, social inequality is still striking the country as well. Women are not given the same opportunities or wages as men; the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement as a reaction on the Ferguson incidents shows that ‘black people’ are still being discriminated; the fear for immigrants stealing jobs and changing the American society divides the country into supporters and opponents of immigrants, especially towards undocumented Mexican workers; and the debate about gender neutral bathrooms in North Carolina is an example of incomprehension concerning the LGBT minority. The fact that Clinton is now running for president can be seen as a first step towards more mutual respect according to the first female presidential candidate herself. Clinton will therefore not ‘build a wall. Instead, she will build an economy where everyone who wants a good job can get one.’ A strong economy is the key to more equality in both economic and social respect.
Hillary’s proposal But how is Hillary going to create more jobs and provide security to the people? First of all, she will set up a plan during her first 100 days of president for the biggest investment in infrastructure in decades: she will rebuild the infrastructure by repairing and expanding roads and bridges, and connecting every American to Internet. Besides of that, she wants to build world-class airports and lower transportation costs, to unlock ‘economic opportunity’. This will lead to more employment in the short run, and more mobility in the future. Furthermore, she will make it easier for small companies to start by lowering the requirements for credits. Clinton also states that innovations in the energy grid are necessary to create a sustainable economy. She acknowledges the climate change and therefore emphasizes that scientific research is of great importance. According to Hillary, the state should invest in this kind of science as well. To provide more security, Clinton will raise the minimum wages and make health care affordable for everyone. In cooperation with Bernie Sanders, college tuition fees will be made free for middle class and debt-free for all. In this way, opportunities are more equally divided and all Americans can have dreams within reach. This will lead to more security, which in turn will lead to more opportunities and equality.
The question rises whether this plan is financially possible. The liberal United States of America are no fond of an intervening government. The resistance to Obamacare is a good representation of the classical liberal statements valued by most Americans. However, Clinton plans on raising taxes for the wealthy, in order to let them pay their fair share to the country. She also wants companies to share their profits with shareholders instead of paying disproportional high executive bonuses. Furthermore, the growing economy itself will yield more money to finance the investments. The Democratic proposal for investments is a good example of the Keynesian model: by raising government expenditures, the growth in the economy as a whole will have a greater return than the amount of original investments due to the multiplier-effect.
Another – not yet mentioned – concern of the American nation is the war against terrorism. Hillary reassures the people that together with all the allies of America, terrorism can be defeated. She will extend the military force wherever needed, and asks Americans not to fear. Because – as she quoted Franklin Delano Roosevelt during her presidential nomination acceptance speech – ‘the only thing we have to fear is fear itself’.
A president for all Americans All in all, Hillary Clinton wants to become the first female president and promises to be ‘president for Democrats, Republicans, independents, for the struggling, the striving, the successful, for all those who vote for me and for those who don’t.’ By creating a stronger community in which all people have equal opportunities, she believes that there is nothing that can bring the United States of America down. The most important pillar has to be a growing economy which will lead to equal opportunities for everyone and therefore solve inequality as a logical consequence. As she wants to convince the people that she is the perfect candidate over Donald Trump, she relies on her experience and has the tendency to sum it up. During the presidential debates, she kept calm, although not much content was discussed. Merely 11 days before the elections, the FBI re-opened the investigation into Hillary’s emails, and some people believe that Hillary has serious health problems and is therefore not able to rule. However, supported by Barack and Michelle Obama, the Democratic Party, her husband and former president Bill Clinton, her daughter Chelsea, hundreds of famous people and celebrities, and a significant part of American society, Hillary Clinton’s proposal seems to be the best one offered to the Americans. Although she is often accused being cold, I believe she has good intentions and a warm heart, and for now is the only person suitable for the job.
The world awaits for America’s decision the 8th of November…
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