Hillary Clinton Announces Plan to Boost Small Businesses

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton announced a plan she would introduce as president to boost small businesses. She introduced her plan in an article for LinkedIn followed by a teleconference with members of the press and several small business owners. Clinton warned of Donald Trump’s past business practices with small businesses arguing that a Trump presidency would not be good for small business owners. The comprehensive plan builds on her overall economic plan which would create millions of jobs by investing in infrastructure upgrades and clean energy. Small businesses play into her overall plan as they will provide American workers and products. An outline of the plan is below and the full plan is available on The Briefing.

1. Make it easier to start a business and become profitable
   • Push states to make it faster and cheaper to start a business
   • Working with states to standardize licensing requirements
   • Making technical assistance and resources available to states
   • Provide incubators, mentoring, and training to 50,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners in underserved communities
2. Make it easier to get financing and find investors
   • Streamline regulation and cut red tape for community banks and credit unions
   • Harness the potential of online lending platforms
   • Reduce the burden of student debt by allowing entrepreneurs to defer student loan payment
   • Promote the 100% tax exclusion on capital gains for long-term small business investments
   • Expand and streamline the SBA’s Small Business Investment Company program
   • Support new innovative ways to assess creditworthiness for small business owners
   • Expand access to credit in underserved communities
   • Give the SBA administrator the authority to continue providing 7(a) loan guarantees to small businesses
   • Expand access to working capital by expanding the SBA’s working capital guarantee programs
3. Make it cheaper and faster to file taxes and pay for tax relief
   • Work to create a new standard deduction for small businesses
   • Allow 4 million small businesses with gross receipts under $1 million to take advantage of “checkbook accounting”
   • Allow small businesses to immediately expense up to $1 million in new investments
   • Quadruple the start-up tax deduction to significantly lower the cost of starting a business
4. Make it easier to offer health care and other benefits to employees
   • Simplify and expand the healthcare tax credit
   • Allow more small businesses pool together to offer retirement plans
5. Make it easier to work with the federal government
   • Work to completely revamp the digital experience for small businesses
   • Use the leverage of more than $400 billion in federal government contracting to encourage businesses to pay their suppliers in full and on time
   • Guarantee a 24-hour response time to small businesses with questions about federal regulations and access to capital programs
   • Ensure that Small Business Development Centers are placed in the highest-need communities with staff that speaks the language of local residents
   • Work to ensure that federal regulations aren’t unnecessarily holding small businesses and our economy back
   • Increase federal contracting opportunities for women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses
   • Defend and strengthen the Export-Import Bank
   • Encourage small business exports by expanding SBA funding for export development
6. Make it easier to fight back when you’re getting stiffed

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: LinkedIn, The Briefing, Bloomberg, Forbes

Clinton Campaign’s Answer to Trump’s Question to the African American Community

Hillary for America responded to a speech given today by Donald Trump in Michigan. Their full response is below.

Clinton Campaign’s Answer to Trump’s Question to the African American Community

Today during a rally in Michigan, Donald Trump asked the African American community “What do you have to lose? You’re living in poverty. Your Schools are no good. You have no jobs.” Hillary for America Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement Marlon Marshall has an answer for Trump:

“Donald Trump asks what the African American community has to lose by voting for him. The answer is everything from a man who questions the citizenship of the first African American President, courts white supremacists, and has been sued for housing discrimination against communities of color.

“Trump painting the entire community as living in poverty with no jobs continues to show he is completely out of touch with the African American community.”

BACKGROUND:

TRUMP WAS TWICE SUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR DISCRIMINATING IN HOUSING

October 1973: The Justice Department Filed A Civil Rights Case Against Trump Management Inc. For Discriminating Against Blacks And Puerto Ricans. “The employees allegedly directed blacks and Puerto Ricans away from buildings with mostly white tenants, and steered them toward properties that had many minorities, the government filings alleged. In October 1973, the Justice Department filed a civil rights case that accused the Trump firm, whose complexes contained 14,000 apartments, of violating the Fair Housing Act of 1968.” [Washington Post, 1/23/16]

• According To Federal Investigators, Trump Employees Marked Applications From Minorities With “C” For “Colored.” “Federal investigators also gathered evidence. Trump employees had secretly marked the applications of minorities with codes, such as ‘No. 9’ and ‘C’ for ‘colored,’ according to government interview accounts filed in federal court.” [Washington Post, 1/23/16]

New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof: The Government Amassed “Overwhelming Evidence” The Trumps Discriminated Against Blacks And The Trumps Were Forced To Settle, But The Government Sued Them Again Three Years Later When They Continued To Discriminate. “I’ve waded through 1,021 pages of documents from that legal battle, and they are devastating. Donald Trump was then president of the family real estate firm, and the government amassed overwhelming evidence that the company had a policy of discriminating against blacks, including those serving in the military… Donald Trump furiously fought the civil rights suit in the courts and the media, but the Trumps eventually settled on terms that were widely regarded as a victory for the government. Three years later, the government sued the Trumps again, for continuing to discriminate.” [Nicholas Kristof, New York Times, 7/23/16]

TRUMP’S DEFENSE WHEN ACCUSED OF DISCRIMINATING IN HOUSING WAS THAT HE JUST DID NOT WANT TO “RENT TO WELFARE CASES”

Donald Trump Argued That The Company Had Wanted To Avoid Renting Apartments To Welfare Recipients, But Had Not Discriminated By Race. “The younger Trump demonstrated the brash, combative style that would make him famous, holding forth at a news conference in a Manhattan hotel to decry the government’s arguments as ‘such outrageous lies.’ He would also say that the company wanted to avoid renting apartments to welfare recipients of any color but never discriminated based on race.” [Washington Post, 1/23/16]

• Trump: “What We Didn’t Do Was Rent To Welfare Cases, White Or Black.” “‘What we didn’t do was rent to welfare cases, white or black,’ Trump wrote in his 1987 autobiography.” [Washington Post, 1/23/16]

TRUMP QUESTIONED PRESIDENT OBAMA’S RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS BORN IN THE UNITED STATES

Trump On President Obama: “He Doesn’t Have A Birth Certificate. He May Have One But There’s Something On That Maybe Religion, Maybe It Says He Is A Muslim… Or He May Not Have One.” O’REILLY: “Do you think it’s an important subject?” TRUMP: “Listen, I have a birth certificate. I have my birth certificate. And in fact, they said the one I gave yesterday wasn’t good enough. So I actually got the one from the Health Department which is a perfect one. Because they were saying the one I gave yesterday wasn’t good enough so I got the other. People have birth certificates. He doesn’t have a birth certificate. He may have one but there’s something on that maybe religion, maybe it says he is a Muslim. Maybe he doesn’t want that. Or he may not have one. But I will tell you this. If he wasn’t born in this country it’s one of the great scams of all time.” [O’Reilly Factor, Fox News, 3/30/11]

WHITE SUPREMACISTS ARE USING TRUMP’S CANDIDACY AS A RECRUITING TOOL

HEADLINE: “White Nationalists See Advancement Through Donald Trump’s Candidacy.” [Wall Street Journal, 5/17/16]

Politico: “Stormfront, The Most Prominent American White Supremacist Website, Is Upgrading Its Servers In Part To Cope With A Trump Traffic Spike.” [Politico, 12/10/15]

HEADLINE: “Virginia KKK Leader Endorses Trump: ‘What He Believes In, We Believe In’” [Talking Points Memo, 4/30/16]

TRUMP REFUSED TO DISAVOW DAVID DUKE AND THE KLAN FOUR TIMES IN ONE INTERVIEW

Trump Refused To Condemn David Duke And The KKK Four Times In One Interview, Claiming He Did Not “Know Anything About David Duke.” “On the Sunday morning talk shows, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump refused to condemn endorsements from a prominent white supremacist and former KKK leader, and said he retweeted a Mussolini quote because ‘it’s a very good quote.’… Trump refused to condemn that endorsement or say he didn’t want the support of white supremacists — four times. ‘I don’t know anything about David Duke. I don’t know what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacist. I don’t know. I don’t know, did he endorse me, or what’s going on?’ he said.” [NPR, 2/28/16]

• Trump Claimed He Could Not Condemn The KKK Because He Knew “Nothing” And It Would Be Unfair To Condemn Groups That Were “Totally Fine.”  TRUMP: “You wouldn’t want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I would have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them. And, certainly, I would disavow if I thought there was something wrong.” TAPPER: “The Ku Klux Klan?” TRUMP: “But you may have groups in there that are totally fine, and it would be very unfair. So, give me a list of the groups, and I will let you know.” [State Of The Union, CNN, 2/28/16]

TRUMP ON BEING SUPPORTED BY WHITE SUPREMACISTS: “A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE ME”

Trump On Being Supported By White Supremacist Groups: “A Lot Of People Like Me.” HEILEMANN: “But if you read this story and read a lot of people who are white, and organized white supremacist groups talking ebulliently about you, talking why they about — why they like you so much, would that trouble you at all? Does that give you pause, make you wonder about your message?” TRUMP: “Honestly, John, I would have to read the story. A lot of people like me.” [Bloomberg TV, 8/26/15]

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: CNN

Hillary Clinton Continues to Focus on Jobs During Florida Campaign Events

Hillary Clinton continued to speak in Florida today about her plans to help small businesses, bolster manufacturing, and create new jobs. She began in St. Petersburg where she toured the local 3 Daughters Brewery. She briefly spoke to employees and the press before heading to The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg. There she spoke to a crowd of 2,000 about her plans to ensure the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes, repair the country’s infrastructure, invest in clean energy, and create new jobs by investing in American made products. Clinton criticized Donald Trump’s economic speech, delivered earlier in the day. She said, “It’s really outrageous to me that somebody who claims to be so successful  has done it by stiffing hard working Americans.” During the event, Clinton advised the crowd, “Don’t let a friend vote Trump.” A combined video from both events is below.

Clinton then spoke at a rally in Kissimmee where she continued to go after Trump’s economic speech. She criticized his plan saying that he “hasn’t offered any plans on infrastructure besides building a wall and having Mexico pay for it.” Clinton continued to focus on her broad plan to upgrade the country’s infrastructure, focus on small businesses, and bolster American made manufacturing. A plan that many economists have said will create millions of jobs nationwide. She made it clear that her plan is intended to help everyone whereas; Trump is focused on helping the one percent. A video from the rally is below.

In New York City, a fundraising event was held on behalf of Hillary for America. The event featured a conversation with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and actor Audra McDonald.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: WJXT, The Tampa Bay Times, WFLA,

Tim Kaine Campaigns in Wisconsin and Michigan

Tim Kaine wrapped up the work week with stops in Wisconsin and Michigan. He began in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he spoke to a crowd at supporters at the Lakefront Brewery. During his speech, he focused on American made products and Hillary Clinton’s jobs plan. He criticized Donald Trump for his campaigns focus on him and less on the American people saying, “We’re talking about jobs, and Donald Trump is basically shadowboxing with every enemy he can think of.” Kaine also praised a Wisconsin court for striking down a law passed by Republicans to limit early voting. A video from Kaine’s speech is below.

In Michigan, Kaine spoke at the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids. He continued to speak about job creation and Clinton’s plans to upgrade the country’s infrastructure. He continued his attacks on Trump by contrasting the two campaigns and the policies proposed by both candidates. “This is the guy who wants to be commander in chief, but during his entire life Donald Trump has bragged about figuring out every trick to avoid paying taxes,” he said. Kaine also spoke about the significance of Clinton’s nomination as a historical event. A video from the event is below.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, California, a fundraiser was held on behalf of Hillary for America. The event included a conversation with Campaign Chair John Podesta and Darren Criss.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Detroit Free Press, Michigan Live, Wisconsin State Journal

Clinton, Kaine Wrap Up Bus Tour in Ohio

On Sunday, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine wrapped up their jobs focused bus tour in Ohio. Although it was initially reported that Clinton would not appear in Cleveland, Clinton did make a stop in the city and spoke during Sunday services at Imani Temple Ministry. During her brief remarks, Clinton spoke about the promise of America and her plans to defend the American dream. A video of her address is below (I apologize for the poor audio).

Clinton and Kaine’s final event of the bus tour was a rally in Columbus. Kaine and Clinton both continued to focus their remarks on her jobs plan and improvements to the infrastructure; however, Clinton did address comments made by Donald Trump about retired General John Allen and Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of a Muslim American solder killed in 2004. Clinton said that she was disgusted by Trump’s divisive language saying, “It’s going to be up to all of us to repudiate the hatefulness, attacks on distinguished military leaders … or insulting the family of a fallen soldier, Captain Khan, an American Muslim who sacrificed his life to protect his unit and other soldiers.” A video from the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Fox 8, The Columbus Dispatch

DNC Wrap-Up: Day 1

Last night was night one of the Democratic National Convention, and it was a packed event! The night was filled with speeches from  Representative Nancy Pelosi, Representative Elijah Cummings, Hillary for America Campaign Manager John Podesta, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Bob Casey, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Al Franken, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Senator Cory Booker, and many more. The headliner of the night was First Lady Michelle Obama who delivered an impassioned speech supporting Hillary Clinton, and she firmly said, “I’m with her.”

Senator Sanders, Clinton’s rival for the party’s nomination, spoke in an attempt to unify the party behind Clinton. Sanders said that while he understands the disappointment of his supporters, it is important that the party unites and defeats Republican Donald Trump in November. He said that Clinton understands “the real problems facing this country and has offered real solutions – not just bombast, fear-mongering, name-calling and divisiveness.” Videos from a number of key speeches are below and all videos from the event are available on the DNC YouTube channel.

The DNC also featured several videos highlighting Clinton’s career and attacking Trump’s divisive attitude. With the two videos below, the DNC highlights Clinton’s commitment to combating substance abuse while the other video highlights Trump’s use of outsourcing as a business strategy despite his call for American made products.

You can follow the convention live on most television news stations or watch it live online. Be sure to follow along on Facebook, Twitter (follow #DemsInPhilly), Instagram, and check out the full schedule of events on the Convention’s website. Each day, we will post a schedule of the day and the speakers scheduled for that night.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today

Hillary Clinton Speaks at AFSCME Convention

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton was in Las Vegas where she addressed members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union. Clinton spoke about her platform and support for unions and American workers. She also commented on the Republican Convention taking place this week in Cleveland saying it was nothing more than a show. “Lots of sound and fury. Even a fog machine. But when you pulled back the curtain, there was just Donald Trump, with nothing to offer the American people,” she said. A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

Following her speech, Clinton spoke at a voter registration event in Las Vegas. During her brief remarks, she stressed the importance of voting in the November election and sending a clear message to Donald Trump that his divisive rhetoric is not what America stands for. She thanked volunteers for helping with the registration process and urged the to continue working to get as many eligible Americans registered to vote as possible. A video of her remarks is below.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, California, a fundraiser was held on behalf of Hillary for America. The event included a conversation with Former Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis and featured the art work of Nora Ligorano and Mashall Reese.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: NBC News, Chicago Tribune, News 3, Los Angeles Times

Hillary Clinton Addresses American Federation of Teachers

On Monday evening, Hillary Clinton spoke during the annual convention of the American Federation of Teachers. Clinton spoke about her dedication to education and teachers saying that she would support efforts to modernize teaching, expand computer science and STEM education, ensure that testing assists teaching, and oppose vouchers and for-profit schools. Clinton also attacked Republican Donald Trump for his divisive policies and Republicans attitude toward education. A video from the event is below.

Two Hillary for America fundraisers were held today. The first was in Portland, Oregon and included a conversation with Senior Policy Advisor Ann O’Leary. The event took place at the home of Leanne Littrell DiLorenzo and John DiLorenzo Jr. The second event was in Atlanta, Georgia. The event featured former Congressman Barney Frank and was held for LGBTQ and Allies for Hillary. The event was hosted by Alan Brewer and Michael Goltzman.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Education Week, Twin Cities Pioneer Press

Hillary Clinton Statement on Terrorist Attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Twenty hostages were killed, including one American citizen, during a standoff in a Bangladesh restaurant between seven Islamist militants and authorities. Thirteen of the hostages survived. All but one of the terrorists were killed in the raid by local police, and the surviving shooter was arrested. The terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, which lasted eleven hours. Hillary Clinton released a statement extending her sympathies to the families of the victims. She condemned the event and vowed to work with our allies to defeat ISIS and radical jihadism. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below:

“The terrorist assault on a bakery and restaurant in Dhaka is a reminder that an attack halfway around the world is still an attack on all of us, in the everyday places we hold dear.  The victims in Dhaka came from all over–from Italy, from Japan, from India, and, of course, from Bangladesh. We have learned that at least three attended college here in the United States, including one American citizen. Today, we say with one voice: this campaign of fear and hatred and violence will not succeed. We will not retreat. We will not turn our backs on each other. The United States stands firmly with our friends and allies in the fight to defeat ISIS and radical jihadism around the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of Bangladesh.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The New York Times

Hillary Clinton Statement on Juneteenth

On Sunday, Hillary Clinton released a statement celebrating the Juneteenth Independence Day. The day celebrates the abolition of slavery in Texas in June 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In the statement, Clinton acknowledges the long struggle that came after the end of slavery for the African American community and their fight to earn equal rights and the right to vote. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below:

“One hundred and fifty-three years ago, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It took two more years for the men, women, and children who lived their lives in bondage in Galveston, Texas, to learn that the Civil War was over—and they were free at last. Today, we celebrate and honor those who fought to end the grotesque institution of slavery, and we recommit ourselves to the work that remains.

Our country’s long struggle with racism is far from over. More than half a century after Rosa Parks sat and Dr. King marched and John Lewis bled—more than a century and a half after slavery was outlawed—race still plays a significant role in determining who gets ahead in America and who gets left behind. We need to face that reality, and fix it.

America is stronger together. When all people can share in the promise of our country. When every child has the chance to live up to his or her God-given potential. When we lift each other up. And when we all come together to build a more perfect union.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.