I have angered some of my fellow progressives because I support Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2016. They think I should be supporting Bernie Sanders. I understand that. Bernie is a true progressive, and I don't blame any of my friends for supporting him. I think everyone should support and vote for the person of their choice -- the person that their conscience tells tham to vote for.
For me, that is Hillary Clinton. I admired the graceful way she accepted defeat in 2008, and I admired her for agreeing to serve as Secretary of State for President Obama (who I supported in 2008) -- and I think she did well in that position. She has done everything her party has asked of her, and I just think 2016 is her time. I also believe she is the only Democrat that can beat the well-financed GOP candidate (whoever that is) -- and for the good of this country, I think it is essential that the GOP be kept out of the White House in 2016.
I have also been told that Hillary Clinton is not a progressive. That's just silly. She may not be perfect, but neither is Bernie Sanders (as much as I do love him) or any other politician. I have yet to see the politician that I agree with on everything. Clinton is progressive on many things that are important to me. For example:
* She supports raising the minimum wage to lift millions of hard-working Americans out of poverty.
* She supports putting more regulations on Wall Street and the giant financial institutions.
* She supports equal rights for all Americans.
* She supports equal pay for women.
* She supports affordable child care for all working parents.
* She supports strengthening the right of unions to organize to protect American workers.
* She supports the Affordable Care Act (and in fact, showed a willingness to go even further with her proposal during her husband's presidency).
* She supports the overturning of the misguided Supreme Court Citizens United decision.
* She supports taxing the rich more, and shrinking the huge income and wealth gap in this country.
* She supports defending and enhancing Social Security.
* She supports making college affordable and attainable for all who wish to attend.
* She supports companies sharing gains in productivity with workers.
Like it or not, that is a progressive agenda -- and while I believe we should all vote our conscience, it is progressive enough for me. As a progressive, I am proud to support Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Democratic nomination.
I'm a Sanders supporter. But last month, I wrote, Yes, Hillary Clinton Is a Real Liberal. As I think I commented here a while back, if Sanders becomes a real threat to Clinton, I will have to give my Sanders support some thought. He is more consistent with my views, but not that much more consistent.
ReplyDeleteI want a Democrat in the white house and I think Hillary can win. It is important to me because we will have several SCOTUS judges retiring or dying and we need a president that will put "fair and balanced" people in their places. A Republican president would ask the Koch brothers who they would want. Also, Hillary was the first person to really push for getting medical coverage for all Americans way back in Bill's administration and took her lumps for proposing "Hillarycare". I also want her to be the first "woman" POTUS. Republican women are "too crazy conservative" just like their male counterparts. I am "center-left, like most Americans. Hillary is just fine by me.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little worried about his love for the nra.
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