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[ Hillary Clinton ] [ Barack Obama ] [ Jill Long Thompson ] [ Brad Ellsworth ] [ Russ Stilwell ] [ Dennis Avery ] [ Gail Riecken ] [ Pete Rapp ] [ Warrick Judge ] [ Jennifer Collins Gober ] [ Connie Littlepage ] [ Shannon Weisheit ] [ Darrel Healy ] [ Todd Hudson ] [ Tim Mosbey ] [ Don Lee ] [ Tiger Williams ] [ Joseph E. Brown ] [ Kelly C. Mitchell ]
President of the
United States
Senator Hillary Clinton
jumpstart the economy and
rebuild the middle class
Candidate Bio
- Hillary's Story
- Hillary Clinton was raised in a
middle-class family in the middle of America. From that classic suburban
childhood in Park Ridge, Illinois, Hillary went on to become one of
America's foremost advocates for children and families; an attorney
twice voted one of the most influential in America; a First Lady of
Arkansas who helped transform the schools; a bestselling author; a First
Lady for America who helped transform that role, becoming a champion for
health care and families at home and a champion of women's rights and
human rights around the world.
Since her path-breaking election to the United States Senate, Hillary
has been a steadfast advocate for middle-class families, working to help
create jobs, expand children's health care and protect Social Security
from privatization. As the Senator representing New York after 9/11,
Hillary has fought to strengthen our approach to homeland security and
to improve our communications and intelligence operations. As the first
New Yorker ever named to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hillary
has been a tough critic of the administration's bungling of Iraq and a
fierce advocate for proper equipment, health benefits, and treatment for
military families.
-
- Growing Up In Illinois
- The promise of America was very real
as Hillary was growing up. She learned that no matter who you are or
where you're from, if you worked hard and played by the rules, you could
provide a good life for your family.
Hillary's father, Hugh Rodham, was the son of a factory worker from
Scranton, Pennsylvania. He trained sailors in the Navy during World War
II and then returned to Illinois to start a small business selling
draperies. He taught Hillary both a deep sense of patriotism and a
strong belief in fiscal responsibility. He never took a dime of credit
and was so frugal that he used to turn the heat off overnight during the
winter to save money, waking up early to turn it back on so the house
would be warm when everyone woke up.
Hillary's mother, Dorothy, the daughter of a firefighter, had a tough
childhood. Her parents were young and felt unable to care for their
children. So when Dorothy was just eight, she and her three-year-old
sister traveled alone on a four-day train ride to Los Angeles. There
they were raised by a strict grandmother. It was not until Dorothy was a
teenager and worked as a helper to another family that she finally knew
what a loving family could be. The stories of her mother's difficult
childhood imbued in Hillary a fierce sense of justice and a belief that
no child should be mistreated and that every child deserves to be loved.
The life that Hugh and Dorothy created for Hillary and her two brothers
was a classic 1950s middle-class suburban childhood. Park Ridge in those
days was the kind of place where everyone left their doors unlocked and
the neighborhood kids all played on the block together. Hillary was a
Brownie and then a Girl Scout. She started her political life as a
Republican, like her father. She even volunteered as a Goldwater girl!
Faith was central to her family. Her mother taught Sunday school, and
Hillary was a regular in her church youth group. She was deeply
influenced by her youth minister who taught her about "faith in action."
There were trips to the inner city, babysitting for the children of
migrant farm workers, and an extraordinary night when Hillary was
fourteen and her youth group went to hear a speech by Martin Luther King
Jr.
- Mother & Advocate
- Hillary went to Wellesley College,
where she was chosen by her classmates to be the first-ever student
commencement speaker. She talked about the tumultuous times that her
generation was living through and said, "The challenge now is to
practice politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible,
possible."
Next came Yale Law School, where Hillary focused on questions about how
the law affected children and began her decades of work as an advocate
for children and families. As a law student, Hillary represented foster
children and parents in family court and worked on some of the earliest
studies creating legal standards for identifying and protecting abused
children. Following graduation, she became a staff attorney for the
Children's Defense Fund.
After serving as only one of two women lawyers on the staff of the House
Judiciary Committee considering the impeachment of Richard Nixon,
Hillary chose not to pursue offers from major law firms. Instead she
followed her heart and a man named Bill Clinton to Arkansas. They
married in 1975 and their daughter Chelsea was born in 1980.
Hillary ran a legal aid clinic for the poor when she first got to
Arkansas and handled cases of foster care and child abuse. Years later,
she organized a group called Arkansas Advocates for Children and
Families. When she was just 30, President Carter appointed her to the
board of the United States Legal Services Corporation, a federal
nonprofit program that funds legal assistance for the poor.
When Bill was elected Governor of Arkansas, Hillary continued to
advocate for children, leading a task force to improve education in
Arkansas through higher standards for schools and serving on the board
of the Arkansas Children's Hospital, helping them expand and improve
their services. She also served on national boards for the Children's
Defense Fund, the Child Care Action Campaign, and the Children's
Television Workshop.
She also continued her legal career as a partner in a law firm. She led
the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession,
which played a pioneering role in raising awareness of issues like
sexual harassment and equal pay. Hillary was twice named one of the 100
most influential lawyers in America.
First Lady
- When her husband was elected
President in 1992, Hillary's work as a champion for women was recognized
and admired around the world. She traveled the globe speaking out
against the degradation and abuse of women and standing up for the
powerful idea that women's rights are human rights.
In the White House, Hillary led efforts to make adoption easier, to
expand early learning and child care, to increase funding for breast
cancer research, and to help veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome
who had too often been ignored in the past. She helped launch a national
campaign to prevent teen pregnancy and helped create the Adoption and
Safe Families Act of 1997, which moved children from foster care to
adoption more quickly. Thanks in part to her efforts, the number of
children who have moved out of foster care into adoption has increased
dramatically.
As everyone knows, Hillary's fight for universal health coverage did not
succeed. But her commitment to health care for every American has never
wavered. She was instrumental in designing and championing the State
Children's Health Insurance Program, which has provided millions of
children with health insurance. She battled the big drug companies to
force them to test their drugs for children and to make sure all kids
get the immunizations they need through the Vaccines for Children
Program. Immunization rates dramatically improved after the program
launched.
Hillary's 1995 book It Takes A Village, about the responsibility we all
have to help children succeed, became an international best seller.
Hillary has donated the proceeds -- more than a million dollars -- to
children's causes across the country.
Hillary's autobiography, Living History, was also a best seller. It has
been translated into 12 languages and sold over 1.3 million copies.
- United States Senator
In 2000, Hillary was elected to the United States Senate from New
York. As Senator, Hillary has continued her advocacy for children and
families and has been a national leader on homeland security and
national security issues.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Hillary worked with
her colleagues to secure the funds New York needed to recover and
rebuild. She fought to provide compensation to the families of the
victims, grants for hard-hit small businesses, and health care for front
line workers at Ground Zero. And she continues to work for resources
that enable New York to grow, to improve homeland security for New York
and other communities, and to protect all Americans from future attacks.
She is the first New Yorker ever to serve on the Senate Armed Services
Committee, working to see that America's military has the necessary
resources to protect our national security. She has visited troops in
Iraq and Afghanistan and at Fort Drum in New York, home of the 10th
Mountain Division and other New York bases, as well as at Walter Reed
Military Hospital. She has learned first-hand the challenges facing
American combat forces. Hillary passed legislation to track the health
status of our troops so that conditions like Gulf War Syndrome would no
longer be misdiagnosed. She is an original sponsor of legislation that
expanded health benefits to members of the National Guard and Reserves
and has been a strong critic of the Administration's handling of Iraq.
But Hillary has recognized that we can't ignore our problems at home
while we face challenges overseas. She has introduced legislation to tie
Congressional salary increases to an increase in the minimum wage,
because she believes if America's working people don't deserve a raise,
neither does Congress. She has supported a variety of middle-class tax
cuts, including marriage penalty relief, property tax relief, and
reduction in the Alternative Minimum Tax, and supports fiscally
responsible pay-as-you-go budget rules. She helped pass legislation that
encouraged investment to create jobs in struggling communities through
the Renewal Communities program. She has championed legislation to bring
broadband Internet access, which is so important in today's information
economy, to rural America.
In the Senate, Hillary has not wavered in her work to expand quality
affordable health care to more Americans. She worked to strengthen the
Children's Health Insurance Program, which increased coverage for
children in low income and working families. She authored legislation
that has been enacted to improve quality and lower the cost of
prescription drugs and to protect our food supply from bioterrorism. She
sponsored legislation to increase America's commitment to fighting the
global HIV/AIDS crisis, and is now leading the fight for expanded use of
information technology in the health care system to decrease
administrative costs, lower premiums, and reduce medical errors.
Her strong advocacy for children continues in the Senate. Some of
Hillary's proudest achievements have been her work to ensure the safety
of prescription drugs for children, with legislation now included in the
Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act, and her legislation to help
schools address environmental hazards. She has also proposed expanding
access to child care. She has passed legislation that will bring more
qualified teachers into classrooms and more outstanding principals to
lead our schools.
Hillary has been a powerful advocate for women in the Senate. Her
commitment to supporting the rights guaranteed in Roe v. Wade and to
reducing the number of abortions by reducing the number of unwanted
pregnancies was hailed by the New York Times as "frank talk...(and) a
promising path." Hillary is one of the original cosponsors of the
Prevention First Act to increase access to family planning. Her fight
with the Bush Administration ensured that Plan B, an emergency
contraceptive, will be available to millions of American women and will
reduce the need for abortions.
Hillary is strongly committed to making sure that every American has the
right to vote in fair, accessible, and credible elections. She
introduced the Count Every Vote Act of 2005 to ensure better protection
of votes and to ensure that every vote is counted.
In 2006, New Yorkers reelected Hillary to the Senate with 67 percent of
the vote.
Goals
- Strengthening the Middle Class
America's middle class is under siege and ready for change. People
are working harder and longer for less and less. For six long years,
America's middle class and working families have been invisible to our
president. When Hillary is in the White House, no American will be
invisible to the president of the United States.
Providing Affordable and Accessible Health Care
Nearly 47 million Americans -- including 9 million children -- don't
have health insurance. America is ready for universal health care.
Hillary has the vision and the experience to make it a reality. This is
a battle Hillary has fought before -- and she has the scars to prove it.
She knows better than anyone how to fight and build the political
support to get the job done.
Ending the War in Iraq
America is ready for a leader who will end the war in Iraq.
Hillary's roadmap out of Iraq, the Iraq Troop Protection and Reduction
Act of 2007, is a plan to end the war before the next president takes
the oath of office. But if the Bush administration won't end the war, as
president and commander in chief, Hillary will.
Promoting Energy Independence and Fighting Global Warming
The choices we make about energy touch nearly every aspect of our
lives. Our economy, our national security, our health, and the future of
our planet are all at stake as we make a choice between energy
independence and dependence on foreign sources of oil. Hillary has
proposed an Apollo Project-like program dedicated to achieving energy
independence.
Improving Our Schools
Hillary has long been a passionate advocate for providing greater
educational opportunities to all children. She knows that parents are
our children's first teachers, and the early years have a tremendous
impact on their lives. She also knows that we have to improve our K-12
system in order to ensure that every child is prepared to compete, and
has a plan to make college affordable for all.
Fulfilling Our Promises to Veterans
Hillary will ensure that all those who sacrifice on behalf of our
country receive the help and care they need. They not only deserve our
country's gratitude and support; they deserve the gold standard in
health care and benefits when they return home. That is our most solemn
obligation to those who have put their lives on the line for our
country.
Supporting Parents and Caring for Children
America is ready for a president who fights for our children. From
her first job out of law school at the Children's Defense Fund to her
time as First Lady of Arkansas and of the United States to her service
in the Senate, helping children has been at the center of Hillary's
public life.
Restoring America's Standing in the World
The next president's most urgent task will be to restore America's
standing in the world to promote our interests, ensure our security, and
advance our values. America is stronger when we lead the world through
alliances. As president, Hillary will lead by the words of the
Declaration of Independence, which pledged "a decent respect to the
opinions of mankind."
A Champion for Women
Hillary's historic statement in 1995 that "women's rights are human
rights" still echoes worldwide. As a lawyer, advocate, First Lady, and
senator, Hillary has fought for issues important to women here at home
and around the world for decades. Hillary will continue her lifelong
fight to ensure that all Americans are treated with respect and dignity.
Comprehensive Government Reform
Americans are ready for a government that puts competency ahead of
cronyism. For the past six years, we've had an administration that has
contempt for government. And because they view it with contempt, they
treat it with contempt. We need a return to transparency and a system of
checks and balances, and a 21st century government to meet our 21st
century challenges.
Strengthening Our Democracy
Fair and honest elections are the bedrock of a successful democracy.
Yet we have seen abuses in national elections since 2000 that have
undermined our democracy and Americans' faith in our electoral system.
Hillary is a leading champion of election reform. She has introduced the
Count Every Vote Act to avoid repeating the problems of the past and
ensure the integrity of our elections.
Reforming Our Immigration System
Our immigration system is in crisis. The laws we currently have on
the books are inadequate and no longer serve our best interests. As a
nation, we place a premium on compassion, respect, and policies that
help families, but our immigration laws don't reflect that. Hillary has
consistently called for comprehensive immigration reform that respects
our immigrant heritage and honors the rule of law.
An Innovation Agenda
At a time when workers are anxious about the challenges of
globalization and there is growing concern that America is losing its
competitive edge, Hillary offered her views on how innovation can be the
key for creating new jobs, stimulating economic growth, and ensuring
American leadership of 21st century industries.
Creating Opportunity for Rural America
Hillary has a vision for rebuilding rural communities to ensure that
opportunities are available and people can still achieve the American
dream. At the core of Hillary's vision is her strong support for family
farms. She believes that there are many opportunities to create good
jobs and improve key services in rural areas.
- For more detailed information on any
of these subjects go to Hillary's website:
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/
To contact Hillary:
click
here
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