When the elections first started, I really wasn't sure for whom I should vote this time around. After all, I was under the impression that I was a Republican before I found out what that really seems to mean these days as many have...
So, my first question was, "Why do so many people seem to hate Hillary Clinton?"
This was my quest to find out what the deal was with her - after all, everyone with whom I spoke would respond with, "Because she's a b*tch!"
Well, that wasn't good enough for me since I prefer concrete facts... and after all of my digging for reasons to dislike the woman, she became my hero... I think the clincher was seeing that she actually received the "Mother Teresa Award" for her humanitarian efforts following the Kosovo War and worldwide.
More Awards and Honors can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton_awards_and_honors
After seeing all of this, how could I not vote for her? How could I not encourage all women and men for that matter, to be more like her?
Here is a list of some reasons to support her. As you will see, this is one amazing woman, and I am so proud to be in a country where most of us can see how much she has done and will continue to do to help those around the world.
Education Reform
In Arkansas she was instrumental in straightening out their school system - taking it from one of the worst systems to a role model used by other troubled schools on how to improve public education.
Ending Discrimination
In 2006, she led the fight to kill the anti-gay Republican constitutional amendment that for the first time would have added laws to the Constitution that would INCREASE discrimination.
Health Insurance for Children
After being pummeled by the public for trying to pass Universal Health care while she was First Lady, she dusted herself off and in 1997, led a federal effort that provided insurance support for children whose parents were unable to provide them with health coverage.
Prostate Cancer and Childhood Asthma Funding
She was able to secure a raise in research funding for prostate cancer and childhood asthma at the National Institutes of Health.
Adoption and Safe Families Act
Initiated the Adoption and Safe Families Act was to correct problems that were inherent in the foster care system that deterred the adoption of children with special needs.
Benefits for our Veterans
Hillary has authored a great deal of legislation during her years on the Armed Services Committee that have passed regarding increased and improved benefits for our returning veterans, including but not limited to Iraq veterans.
Fought for Military Benefits and Raises
She was one of the key Senators who fought to give our military badly needed raises and increase in benefits. For being such flag wavers, it was the Republicans and Bush who resisted these attempts to show our military how much we value and appreciate them.
Women's Rights
Since 1974 she has been fighting for a woman's right to choose.
Stem Cell Research
She is fighting to lift the ban on stem cell research to cure devastating diseases.
Teen Pregnancy Reduction
Voted YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
Rated by NARAL
Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003)
Paying off National Debt - again
Vows to protect next generation by paying off national debt.
Helping People Keep their Homes
Fought in Congress to "Help people facing foreclosure; don't just bail-out banks." (Aug 2007)
Equal Rights for ALL
In 1962 she met MLK Jr. preaching a sermon in Chicago and learned from him the importance of equal rights for all.
Fought Racism in her Church
In 1965 she brought black classmates to her until-then all-white church.
Human Rights Abuses in China
Since 1995 has criticized China's human rights abuses.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEFDF133DF935A3575AC0A963958260
Gender Diversity Report Card
In 1988 instituted gender diversity Report Card within the American Bar Association, which sets standards for lawyers in the U.S.
Fought Segregation in the South
In 1972 worked as a lawyer suing white-only schools, working with Marian Wright Edelman on enforcing school desegregation in the South.
Civil Rights
In October, 2000 she said it's not enough for America just to apologize for slavery and move on; we need to concentrate on civil rights now.
Privacy Bill of Rights
Has been pushing for a "Privacy Bill of Rights" for all Americans since 2000.
End "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Will end don't ask, don't tell in the military, "Gay soldiers need to shoot straight, not be straight." November 2003.
Supports Civil Unions
Supports civil unions, with full equality of federal benefits.
Hate Crimes
Voted YES on adding violent crimes based on victim's sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes.
NAACP Support
Rated 96% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance.
Likes Freedom of Speech
Voted NO on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration.
Get rid of Tax Subsidy for Job Outsourcing
(A.K.A "Whoopi Goldberg's reason to support Hillary")
Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. (Mar 2005)
Tough on Hate Crimes
Voted more funding and stricter sentencing for prosecution of hate crimes. (Apr 2001)
DNA Testing before Killing Innocent People
Voted to Require DNA testing for all federal executions. (Mar 2001)
http://www.aclu.org/capital/index.html
Civil Rights instead of Partying and Drugs
Although she was in college during the height of the drug culture in the late 1960s, she was devoted to work on civil rights instead of partying and taking drugs.
Universal Pre-K
She is fighting for Universal pre-kindergarten.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=1743
Right to Education from Pre-school thru College
Wants to establish an education "Bill of Rights" - Establish right to education from pre-school thru college.
http://clinton.senate.gov/issues/education/index.cfm?topic=higher
http://hillaryclinton.com/issues/education/
Art and Music Programs in Schools
Since 1998 has fought publicly to keep art and music programs in public schools. "Arts education is needed in our schools."
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Hillary_Clinton_Education.htm
Scholarships for Teachers
"Government should pay off all student loans for teachers who go to urban schools." March, 2000
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Hillary_Clinton_Education.htm
No Child Left Behind - GONE
Wants a complete re-write, a total change in No Child Left Behind. (August, 2007)
National Education Association
Rated 82% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes.
Education Spending & Debt Reduction
Voted YES on spending $448B on education & debt reduction instead of Bush's tax cut for the rich. (Apr 2001)
Energy Dependence
Wants to "Remove energy dependence on countries who would harm us." (Jun 2006)
http://hillaryclinton.com/issues/energy/
Energy Research
Wants to build a "$50B strategic energy research fund from taxing oil companies." (Oct 2006)
http://hillaryclinton.com/files/pdf/poweringamericasfuture.pdf
Invest in Alternative Energy Jobs
Wants to invest in alternative energy; jobs that won't be outsourced.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=5909
Mass Transit Funding
Called on U.S. to Ratify Kyoto; and fund more mass transit. (Sep 2000)
Perfect Record for Support of Energy Independence
Received a 100% rating from the CAF(Campaign for America's Future) indicating a perfect record for support of energy independence - and John McCain received a 17%, indicating a lack of support for energy independence.
Protecting Wildlife
Voted NO on drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve on national security grounds. (Apr 2002)
Hydrogen-powered Vehicles
Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010. (Jun 2003)
No to Bush "Energy Policy"
Voted NO on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003)
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2001/06/04/usint196.htm
More Drilling Bans to Protect the Wildlife
Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Mar 2005)
Emergency Oil Assistance for Hurricane-hit Areas (listen up Louisiana!)
Voted YES on $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for hurricane-hit areas. (Oct 2005)
Global Warming
Voted YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning. (May 2007)
Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Illegal
Voted YES on making oil-producing and exporting cartels illegal. (Jun 2007)
League of Conservation Voters
Rated 89% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes.
http://www.lcv.org/
No on Confirming Gale Norton
Voted NO on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
http://www.opensecrets.org/bush/cabinet/cabinet.norton.asp
Katrina Help
Called on Bush to "Put someone in charge of Katrina recovery who actually cares." (Aug 2007)
Green-collar Job Training
Her Support for green-collar job training
http://hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=4073
Children's Toy Safety
Introduced bill to better track kids' products for exposures to toxic materials coming from China.
Child Citizens not Minors
Calls for the government to treat kids as "child citizens" not "minors" under the law. (Since Dec 1999)
Doesn't Tout Bigotry and Prejudice as "Family Values"
Rated 0% by the Christian Coalition – as opposed to Larry Craig, who has 100%... http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Larry_Craig.htm
Enlarge NATO to include Poor Eastern European Nations
Voted YES on enlarging NATO to include poor Eastern Europe nations. (May 2002
Peace
"Smartest strategic choice is peace." (Nov 1999)
Darfur Genocide
Calling for a NATO-enforced no-fly zone to end Darfur genocide. (June, 2007)
Young People Votes
In the 1970s worked to pass Constitutional Amendment to allow young people aged 18, 19, 20 to vote.
No on Lobbyist Gifts
Voted NO on allowing lobbyist gifts to Congress
AIDS Relief
Pledges to support $50B for AIDS relief in US and world
American Public Health Association
Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record.
Medicare Prescription Drugs
Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001)
Suing HMO's and Collecting Punitive Damages
Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)
Says No to Torture
Says, "Torture cannot be American policy, period." (Sep 2007)
Not Creepy
She would never say anything as creepy and cult-like as "We are the ones we have been waiting for."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYKJ6CqcvSk
100% SANE
Rated 100% by SANE (now Peace Action Education Fund), indicating a pro-peace voting record.
http://www.peace-action.org/
Likes the Constitution – No Wiretapping
Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)
Reports on Detainees & Interrogation
Voted YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)
Habeas Corpus
Voted YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus
Limiting Soldiers' Deployment
Voted YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007)
Guest Workers with a Path to Citizenship
Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)
Immigration Reform
Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)
Minimum Wage
Voted: No salary increase for Congress until minimum wage increased.
Minimum Wage as President
Would accept minimum wage as President. (Jul 2007)
Pro-Union
Rated 85% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record.
http://www.aflcio.org/
Protecting Workers
Voted NO on repealing Clinton administration's regulations that set new workplace ergonomic rules to combat repetitive stress injuries.
Increasing Minimum Wage
Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25.
Restricting Employer Interference in Union Organizing
Voted YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing
Can Admit Mistakes – and try to fix them
Admits she made mistake in believing in WMDs in Iraq after being mislead by the Bush Administration.
Crosses Party Lines to Get the Job Done
Reaches out to conservatives but voting record is progressive.
Lol…
"Karl Rove is obsessed with me because I take Republicans on & beat them." (Aug 2007)
Helped get Nixon
Served as a Staff attorney on Watergate/Nixon impeachment investigation.
Experience Across the Board
1976: Organized Indiana for Carter-Mondale campaign. She knows what it is like to work on a democrat campaign in RED STATES!
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Rated 100% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation.
http://www.au.org/
No to John Roberts
Voted NO on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
http://www.democrats.com/roberts-iran-contra
No to Samuel Alito
Voted NO on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice.
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/31/samuel-alitos-america/
Active Retirement Association
Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record.
Tax Deductions for College Tuition
Voted YES on increasing tax deductions for college tuition.
Corporate Tax Loopholes shift to Education
Voted YES on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)
Daycare
1980s: Led her church to found the largest daycare in Arkansas.
Legal Aid
1978: chaired Legal Services Corp. in President Carter's Administration - allowing Poor Families access to legal aid
9/11 Commission
Voted YES on implementing the 9/11 Commission report to get us out of Iraq in a fast, safe manner.
First Responders
Voted YES on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders eliminated by the Bush Administration.
Democratic Party Rejuvenation
Worked with Evan Bayh, Al Gore, Bill Clinton and others in the 1980s to rejuvenate the Democratic Party from within.
"Vehicle for Social Change"
In 1969, she entered law school as "vehicle for social change."
Wants us to Read
Calls to Increase spending for libraries.
Wants our Soldiers Back - Safe
In October, 2006 - called for "Phased redeployment out of Iraq, beginning immediately."
A great deal of this information was from the following… and from what I can see, many other sources have them, as well. I have simply reorganized and added a couple of references and clarification.
100 reasons to support Hillary Clinton
By David Speakman
http://www.davodd.com/2008/100-reasons-to-support-hillary-clinton
and
http://taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27120
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