
It is safe to say that Hillary Clinton has had her fair share of the political spotlight. With Secretary of State and First Lady on her resume, she has been deeply entrenched in the national political scene for a while.
Because of this, pretty much everyone has an opinion on her. If you mention her name to a coworker, it is likely that that person will either love or hate Clinton. The problem is that she has been around so long that people on both sides of the spectrum don’t necessarily know why they even feel that way.
It is likely that you also have an opinion on Hillary Clinton, reader, and I have no desire or way to change your mind. But whether you are reading this wrapped in a Hillary 2016 sweatshirt or you stopped wearing pantsuits because Hillary wears pantsuits, let’s learn a little more about this candidate. If you hate Clinton, your fiery anger will be justified with white hot facts. If you love Clinton, you will go into the world with some shiny new defenses for your hero.
Read on.
Let’s talk about social issues. Clinton has been very upfront about her support for a woman’s right to have an abortion. This past November, CNN quoted her as saying,”I am pro-choice and I am because I have over many years thought that it’s best to leave this very difficult decision to an individual woman, her faith, her family, her physician.” She supports gay marriage both personally and legally, believes that we should stop imprisoning marijuana users and has stated that universal health care is a core Democratic principle. She also thinks that we should reverse gun manufacturer immunity, which currently provides immunity for gun manufacturers when crimes have been committed with their products.
Next up is foreign policy. Clinton believes that the United States should accept 65,000 Syrian refugees, vetted and screened. Clinton backed the Iran Nuclear deal, though she has clarified that she “will not hesitate to take military action if Iran attempts to obtain a nuclear weapon.” She calls for more allied planes, more airstrikes, and a “broader target set” against ISIS, but does not agree with putting American boots on the ground.
What about immigration? Clinton has stated that she thinks immigrants keep America “young and dynamic.” She thinks that the United States should consider stopping certain raids on illegal immigrant families and she is not in support of creating a new border fence. She thinks that the country should include benefits for undocumented illegal immigrant children for in-state college tuition and healthcare coverage.
Finally, let’s talk finances. Clinton believes that we should raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. She is very pro union and has voted for restricting employer interference in union organizing. She has stated that the U.S. should (repeal?) Bush tax cuts and that it is permissible to take things away from rich for common good. She thinks we should raise short-term capital gains taxes for those earning $400,000 or more a year, which represents the top 0.5% of taxpayers.
Now that you have a basic understanding of her policies…love/hate on.