The Westword Editorial Board endorses Hillary Clinton for president.
Throughout our nation’s history, the position of the president has played a critical role in the direction of the country and its impact on the people and the world. Unarguably, as the characteristic of “good judgement” continues to get thrown around, it is a general consensus that the future president of the United States must exhibit the ability to make difficult and wise decisions when tasked to do so. When we look for someone who may be a good fit for presidency, we look for someone who has integrity and can be accountable for their actions. One who has demonstrated numerous times to be able to effectively communicate with others, especially when working with Congress. A person who stands for the rights of all Americans, not just the wealthy, cares for the wellbeing of those less fortunate, and empowers instead of diminishes. Most importantly, the future president of the United States must have transparency and strong policies in their vision for the country’s future, and an understanding of their impact in the world.
Secretary Hillary Clinton embodies all these characteristics, and more, making her the only qualified candidate running for the United States presidency. Her overwhelming list of qualifications and experience demonstrates her leadership skills, in every aspect of her life, including her profound impact on the people as Secretary of State.
In her former role as First Lady, Secretary Clinton was the head of the Task Force on National Health Reform, pushed for the passage of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, helped create the Office on Violence Against Women, and was the founding chair of Save America’s Treasures program.
As a U.S. Senator from New York, Secretary Clinton served on the Committee on Budget, the committee on Armed Services, the committee of Environment and Public Works, the committee of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and the Special Committee on Aging.
As President Obama’s Secretary of State, Clinton traveled around the country as a champion for women, worked on the agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and prioritized gender equality of U.S. foreign policy. She has worked hard on the Global Health Initiative, introduced in 2010, according to the Blue Nation Review. This project was created to implement strategies that would “improve medical facilities, reduce the spread of HIV, and lower infant and maternal mortality rates.”
Throughout her many roles in politics, she has shown a strong stance for the many causes she supports and continues to display her ability to communicate with others and initiative to fight for the people, not just in the United States, but around the world.
Clinton has always taken a stand for the equal rights of minorities, women, and the idea that “gay rights are human rights.” She supports gun control, and believes that the cost of tuition needs to go down. She has released official plans on how she is going to lower the cost of tuition through her tax plan, and has also detailed the steps she will take to decrease gun violence.
We, on Editorial Board, thoroughly believe that these important issues need to be addressed by the future president of the United States.
When met with an opposing candidate that is the very antithesis of the many characteristics that is vital for a president, it is clearly evident that not only is Secretary Clinton the right choice but she is the only choice.
Republican nominee, Donald Trump, continues to make headline news for denouncing women and minorities, exhibiting vulgar behavior, and promoting violence. When a video surfaced of Trump making crude remarks about women, he played down its issue of promoting sexual assault by claiming it as “locker room talk.” As the possible future president of the United States, Trump lacks basic judgement skills, integrity, and accountability for his actions.
It is evident that Secretary Clinton has flaws, for instance the email scandal that could have potentially exposed sensitive and even classified documents to hostile governments. In response, Clinton has publicly apologized in numerous occasions stating “As I look back at it now, even though it was allowed, I should have used two accounts. That was a mistake. I’m sorry about that. I take responsibility,” in an interview with NBC News. She demonstrates, once again, her courage to be held accountable and admit fault. Though an incredibly careless act on her part, this incident does not discredit her for the change she was able to influence as the First Lady, New York Senator, and Secretary of State.
For these reasons, The Westword is endorsing Secretary Hillary Clinton for president. We hope come November 8 that the American people, including the Westhill community, will find it in within themselves to vote for the candidate who embodies important moral values and will ensure that this country is in safe hands.
