Chelsea Clinton: Three Reasons to Vote for Hillary

Earlier this week, US Weekly published an article by Chelsea Clinton entitled “3 Reasons to Vote for My Mom.” The magazine asked the daughters of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to write a short article explaining why voters should support their parent, and only Chelsea responded. What Chelsea wrote is below:

1. She cares about children — not just her own (me!).

Growing up, I never doubted I was my mom’s first priority. My mom’s first questions over dinner always focused on what I’d learned that day and what I hoped to learn and do tomorrow. She would then share what she’d worked on as a lawyer and an advocate. I loved knowing what legal aid was in first grade and about health-care reform in eighth grade. I remember being so proud of what my mom was doing to achieve more and better opportunities for all kids, including her efforts to improve public schools in Arkansas.

I have so many memories as a kid of tagging along with my mom to work some Saturdays after my Brownie troop meeting or soccer game — a trade-off she made so she could be at those family dinners, those meetings and those games — and looking up to her (figuratively and literally!) as she worked so hard as a lawyer and champion for kids. My mom ensured I knew how lucky I was. Ensuring that every child has the chance to live up to their God-given potential is the driving motivation of my mom’s life. It’s why she’s still working on paid family and medical leave, early childhood education and health-care reform — and why she’ll combat climate change, make college actually affordable and so much more. She knows the future is at stake for all our kids.

2. She keeps fighting — and never forgets who she is fighting for.

I have seen my mom do some pretty remarkable things — and, yes, I am biased — including helping to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program [or CHIP, which offers low-cost health coverage to children]. In 1994, when I was 14, my mom’s efforts on universal health care were unsuccessful. It was hard to watch, but I wasn’t surprised when my mom didn’t give up. She dusted herself off and got right back out on the front lines to advocate for kids. A few years later [in 1997], CHIP was created. I don’t think it ever occurred to her to stop fighting, because she never forgot what’s at stake. Today, CHIP provides more than 8 million children with the health care they need.

3. She’s an example to girls.

Politics has taken on a new urgency for me since becoming a parent. Politics now feels more personal than ever before because I know who we elect both shapes the legislation that gets passed and sets an example for our children.

So, while I am unabashedly and unapologetically biased toward my mom, I couldn’t imagine a better president for our children and grandchildren. I am going to vote for the candidate whose actions and words tell my daughter, Charlotte, and my son, Aidan — and all children — that a girl can grow up to be president. And that would be true whether or not Hillary was my mom. I can’t wait to cast my vote for her on November 8 and hope you will too.

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: US Weekly

President Obama Campaigns for Hillary in Orlando

On Friday, President Barack Obama campaigned for Hillary Clinton in Orlando, Florida. Speaking to a crowd of supporters on the campus of the University of Central Florida, Obama spoke about Hillary Clinton a number of her platform points including her plans to create jobs, make college more affordable, and continue working to ensure that Americans have health insurance. He said that while he has make a lot of progress in the last eight year, a lot of work still needs to be done and Clinton is the right person for the job. “All the progress we’ve made goes out the window if we don’t win this election,” Obama said. He urged voters to not only vote for Clinton on election day, but to also support down ballot Democrats such as U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Murphy. A video of the President’s speech is below.

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: WESH, News 13

Bill Clinton Kicks off Bus Tour in Florida

On Friday, Bill Clinton kicked off a campaign bus tour in Florida. He began in Orlando with a speech at the Florida Education Association Delegate Assembly. During the event, he spoke about the importance of the election and its potential impact on education. Bill spoke about Hillary Clinton’s plans to expand access to early childhood education and her plan to ensure that students graduate from college debt-free. He said that Hillary will be better than Donald Trump on education, jobs, and everything else. Bill said, “You can’t build a wall around yourself or the world in this world of social media. You’ve got to build bridges to empowerment. We are close to being able to rise together again. America needs a ‘What are we going to do about it?’ President.” Watch a video from the event below.

Bil then traveled to Jacksonville where he spoke to a crowd of supporters at a local library. Bill went after Trump for his proposals to scrap the Affordable Care Act saying that we cannot end a law that helped more than 20 million Americans access to health insurance. He also outlined a number of Hillary’s other policies including her plans to invest in the country’s infrastructure, clean energy, and the manufacturing sector. Bill explained that these investments would all lead to new jobs. He wrapped up his speech talking about the importance of voting and ensuring that everyone votes on, or before in the case of Florida, November 8th. A video of Bill’s speech is below.

Bill’s final event of the day was in Quincy. He focused on a number of Hillary’s platform points including her plans to create new jobs, pass comprehensive immigration reform, and pass sensible gun control that requires background checks and closes a number of loopholes. Bill spoke about the importance of voting and the work that will have to be done after the election to bring the country together for the common good. “That’s what ‘Stronger Together’ means. So you’ve got anger on one side and answers on the other. You’ve got resentment on one side and empowerment on the other. You’ve got endless political conflict and name-calling on one side and the promise of real cooperation on the other. You’ve got walls on one side and bridges on the other,” he said. A video from the event is below.

Meanwhile, in London, a fundraiser was held for Hillary for America. The event was only open to American citizens and included a conversation with John Podesta, Campaign Chair and Wendy Sherman, Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

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: WFTV, The Orlando Political Observer, Tallahassee Democrat, The Florida Times-Union

Clinton, Trump Clash on Policy at Final Debate

On Wednesday night, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump faced off for their final debate before the election on November 8th. The debate was moderated by Fox News’ Chris Wallace, who did a pretty good job of keeping the candidates on topic. The topics covered at the debate included debt, entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and “fitness to be president.” While each candidate took shots at each other, Clinton outlined a number of her proposals. Each candidate wrapped up the final debate with a one-minute closing statement. Clinton asked for America’s vote saying:

“Well, I would like to say to everyone watching tonight that I’m reaching out to all Americans — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Because we need everybody to help make our country what it should be. To grow the economy, to make it fairer, to make it work for everyone. We need your talents, your skills, your commitment, your energy, your ambition. You know, I’ve been privileged to see the presidency up close and I know the awesome responsibility of protecting our country and the incredible opportunity of working to try to make life better for all of you. I have made the cause of children and families really my life’s work — that’s what my mission will be in the presidency. I will stand up for families against powerful interests, against corporations. I will do everything I can to make sure you have good jobs with rising incomes, that your kids have good educations from preschool through college. I hope you will give me a chance to serve as your president.”

While pundits will argue who won and who lost last night’s debate, what is important is who you feel will best represent you. This political cycle has become more about personality and less about the issues at stake. Both candidates have outlined a series of policies they believe are important to them and that says a lot about their beliefs. What is key is that on November 8, you have a choice. You have a voice at the ballot box and make sure it is heard. Vote.

Watch a video replay of the debate below. And more importantly, VOTE on November 8th.

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: The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News, CNN, Las Vegas Sun, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, ABC News, PBS, The Washington Post, Politico, Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Romper

Hillary for America Releases New Campaign Ads

Hillary for America has released a series of new campaign ads focused on Republican Donald Trump and the importance of the 2016 election. The first ad was posted on Twitter and is titled “America’s Bully.” The video outlines Trump’s bully tactics and features Tomas Wilson, who played Biff Tannen in Back to the Future and other movies bullies. The second video features Khizr Khan, father of Captain Humayun Khan, who tragically lost his life in Iraq while saving every member of his unit. The next video is the story of Ryan and his friendship with Hillary Clinton. The two met during a Congressional hearing on health care in 1994. Next is a video about Martha and Sara, a mother and daughter who were affected by Clinton’s efforts to pass the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Then, HFA released a video titled “A Place for Everyone” that features a voice over by Clinton explaining that the United States is still a place where everyone can prosper. Next, is a video from The Briefing reviewing Trump’s dangerous policies before Wednesday’s debate, then a video urging Americans to Google Trump’s claims. The next video features The Good Wife actor Josh Charles and encourages lawyers and law students to get involved in the campaign. The final video is a Spanish language video outlining the importance of the election to those in the Latino community.

There are a lot of bullies in this world. The last thing we need is one in the White House. pic.twitter.com/M0owOglPjy

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 17, 2016

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.

HFA Highlights Hillary Clinton’s 30 Year Career

Donald Trump is eager to talk about the last 30 years and Hillary Clinton, too, is eager to discuss her three decades of experience and public service. Clinton has dedicated her life to serving others, while Trump has spent decades trying to get ahead at the expense of others. Today, Hillary for America is launch a new website offering a side-by-side comparison of what they were each doing at various times in their lives.  Their records show that there’s only one candidate in this race who truly puts the American people first: Hillary Clinton.

In the 1970s and 80s:

• Clinton’s first job out of law school was with the Children’s Defense Fund, and one of her first tasks was going door to door to figure out why so many children were missing school. The evidence she helped gather was presented to Congress to build the case for the passage of the law that ensures all children with disabilities have access quality education. Later, while a law professor at the University of Arkansas, Clinton founded a legal aid clinic to help low-income children and families in need of legal representation. And as First Lady of Arkansas, she chaired the state’s Education Standards Committee, working to improve the quality of schools and give every child a chance to succeed.

• Trump was President of his dad’s real estate company and the family business when it was sued by the Justice Department for refusing to rent apartments to African Americans in New York City and Virginia. The lawsuit unearthed a disturbing pattern among employees of Trump’s real estate company, who appeared to systematically deny applications to aspiring black renters.  Trump borrowed at least $14 million from his father for his real estate empire.

In the 1990s:

• Clinton worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which insures more than 8 million American kids today. She traveled to China to give a bold, landmark address affirming women’s rights.

• Trump refused to pay contractors on some of his biggest projects and was sued for fraud repeatedly– like Marty Rosenberg, whose family business was paid less than half for its work at Trump’s casino. No business person or contractor proved too small for Trump to stiff. Trump claimed such large losses on his tax returns that he possibly avoided paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years. Trump insulted women for their appearances, calling a former Miss Universe an “eating machine.”

In the 2000s:

• After 9/11, Clinton immediately got to work fighting for first responders and emergency workers. She introduced a bill to speed up the payment of benefits to families of public safety officers who died in the line of duty on 9/11 and it became law a few days later. In 2006, she introduced the Heroes at Home Act to aid veterans with post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injuries.

• In the Senate, Clinton also worked on improving access to health care and making it more affordable. She fought for Medicare to be able to negotiate for fair drug prices, supported getting generic drugs to market faster, and consistently backed safe prescription drug importation from other countries. She co-authored and worked to pass the Pediatric Research Equity Act, which forced drug companies to conduct pediatric tests on products prescribed for kids. “She also worked on economic issues for New York State, co-founding the bipartisan Senate manufacturing caucus and fighting for New York’s strong manufacturing base and steel industry.

• At the same time, Trump took $150,000 from a program designed to help small businesses in the aftermath of 9/11 and spent years lying about both his personal attachment to 9/11 and his commitment to helping New York recover. Trump also spent his time cheating more than 5,000 students at his scam Trump University and running a sham charitable foundation that spent money on non-charitable expenses like a portrait of himself and personal legal fees, and failed to properly register to raise money in the State of New York. It was reported that Trump repeatedly demeaned a crew member working on The Apprentice and used misogynistic language about female contestants.

In the 2010s:

• Clinton served as Secretary of State. She built the toughest sanctions regime in history on Iran, twisting arms in China, Russia, and dozens of other countries, to force Iran to the negotiating table. And when pressure started working, she sent her closest aides to explore a diplomatic opening that led to a  deal cutting off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon. She personally negotiated an end to Hamas rockets raining down on Israel in 2012 and worked to build stronger defense programs for Israel, including upgrading the Iron Dome rocket defense system. She worked to ensure ratification of the New START treaty, which will make the world safer by reducing the number of deployed U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons. She fought to make women’s rights a priority in international relations, stood up against sex trafficking of women and children, and led the fight for a UN Security Council resolution to combat sexual violence against women and children around the world that passed unanimously. She advised President Obama on the decision to bring Osama bin Laden to justice — and on May 1, 2011, she was in the Situation Room as the operation unfolded.

The same night as Clinton advised President Obama on the Osama bin Laden raid, Trump was busy appearing on an episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. Trump has spent this decade peddling shameful lies about President Obama’s nationality as the leader of the birther movement; making a deal with Gaddafi to set up a tent on Trump’s property; filing for bankruptcy at Trump Plaza; fighting fraud suits over Trump University; and doling out illegal campaign donations from his sham charitable foundation.

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.

Hillary Clinton Outlines Plan for Helping America’s Poor

In an op-ed published in The New York Times on Wednesday, Hillary Clinton outlined her proposals to help America’s poor and ensuring that they have equal access to resources. Recalling her time at the Children’s Defense Fund, Clinton says that she considers ensuring children are not raised in poverty as a top priority should she be elected president. Clinton outlines her plan which includes a series of tax credits, community investments, and a series of reforms. A copy of Clinton’s editorial is below.

Hillary Clinton: My Plan for Helping America’s Poor

By: Hillary Clinton

September 21, 2016

The true measure of any society is how we take care of our children. With all of our country’s resources, no child should ever have to grow up in poverty. Yet every single night, all across America, kids go to sleep hungry or without a place to call home.

We have to do better. Advocating for children and families has been the cause of my life, starting with my first job as a young attorney at the Children’s Defense Fund, and if I have the honor of serving as president, it will be the driving mission of my administration.

The good news is that we’re making progress, thanks to the hard work of the American people and President Obama. The global poverty rate has been cut in half in recent decades. In the United States, a new report from the Census Bureau found that there were 3.5 million fewer people living in poverty in 2015 than just a year before.

Median incomes rose by 5.2 percent, the fastest growth on record. Households at all income levels saw gains, with the largest going to those struggling the most. The census report makes clear that when hard-working Americans get a small boost — like food stamps and health insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act — they can climb out of poverty.

But make no mistake: We still have work to do. Families across the country were devastated by the Great Recession.

Nearly 40 percent of Americans between the ages of 25 and 60 will experience a year in poverty at some point. The best way to help families lift themselves out of poverty is to make it easier to find good-paying jobs. As president, one of my top priorities will be increasing economic growth that’s strong, fair and lasting. I will work with Democrats and Republicans to make a historic investment in good-paying jobs — jobs in infrastructure and manufacturing, technology and innovation, small businesses and clean energy. And we need to make sure that hard work is rewarded by raising the minimum wage and finally guaranteeing equal pay for women.

If we want to get serious about poverty, we also need a national commitment to create more affordable housing. This issue doesn’t get much election-year coverage, but it’s a big deal to the 11.4 million American households that spend more than half their incomes on rent. Too many people are putting off saving for their children or retirement just to keep a roof over their families’ heads.

My plan would expand Low Income Housing Tax Credits in high-cost areas to increase our affordable housing supply, and fuel broader community development. So if you are a family living in an expensive city, you would be able to find an affordable place to call home and have access to the transportation you need to get to good jobs and quality schools.

We also need to ensure that our investments are reaching the communities suffering the most from decades of neglect. We have got to acknowledge that even though poverty overall has fallen, extreme poverty has increased. Tim Kaine and I will model our anti-poverty strategy on Congressman Jim Clyburn’s 10-20-30 plan, directing 10 percent of federal investments to communities where 20 percent of the population has been living below the poverty line for 30 years. And we’ll put special emphasis on minority communities that have been held back for too long by barriers of systemic racism.

As president, I will continue my life’s work focused on creating opportunities for children and fairness for families. We need to expand access to high-quality child care and guarantee paid leave so parents at all income levels can balance their jobs and lives. And we will work to double investments in Early Head Start and make preschool available to every 4-year-old because our children deserve the best possible start in life.

Donald J. Trump has a different approach. He divides America into winners and losers. And he doesn’t seem to spend much time worrying about people in poverty. In fact, his economic plans would overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest Americans, and would include an estimated $4 billion tax cut for his own family just by eliminating the estate tax. He has actually said that wages are too high. One independent economic analysis revealed that with Mr. Trump’s proposals in place, our economy would fall back into recession and inevitably push more families into poverty.

This November, the American people will have to choose between an economy that works for everyone and an economy that benefits the well off at the expense of everyone else. The choice couldn’t be clearer.

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: The New York Times

Clinton Unveils Comprehensive Agenda on Mental Health (Updated)

Hillary Clinton announced her comprehensive plan to better treat people living with a mental illness. The current mental health treatment policies have been criticized for not properly treating patients. Highlights of Clinton’s plan include the expansion of early intervention programs, a national suicide prevention initiative, increased training for police in dealing with the mentally ill, providing mental health care for those who commit non-violent crimes, expanding employment opportunities, and increasing investments in research for the brain and behavioral research. An outline of the plan is below, and the full plan can be read on The Briefing.

1. Early Diagnosis and Intervention
   • Increase public awareness and take action to address maternal depression, infant mental health, and trauma and stress in the lives of young children
   • Scale up efforts to help pediatric practices and schools support children facing behavioral problems
   • Help providers share information and best practices
   • Ensure that college students have access to mental health services
2. Federal Support for Suicide Prevention
   • Create a national initiative around suicide prevention across the lifespan that is headed by the Surgeon General
   • Encourage evidence-based suicide prevention and mental health programs in high schools
   • Provide federal support for suicide prevention on college campuses
   • Partner with colleges and researchers to ensure that students of color and LGBT students are receiving adequate mental health coverage
3. Integrate our Healthcare Systems and Expand Community-Based Treatment
   • Foster integration between the medical and behavioral health care systems (including mental health and addiction services), so that high-quality treatment for behavioral health is widely available in general health care settings
   • Expand reimbursement systems for collaborative care models in Medicare and Medicaid
   • Promote the use of health information technology to foster coordination of care
   • Promote the use of peer support specialists
   • Encourage states to allow same-day billing
   • Support the creation of high-quality, comprehensive community health centers in every state
   • Launch a nationwide strategy to address the shortage of mental health providers
4. Improve Outcomes in the Criminal Justice System
   • Dedicate new resources to help train law enforcement officers in responding to encounters involving persons with mental illness, and increase support for law enforcement partnerships with mental health professionals
   • Prioritize treatment over punishment for low-level, non-violent offenders with mental illnesses
5. Enforcing Mental Health Parity
   • Launch randomized audits to detect parity violations, and increase federal enforcement
   • Enforce disclosure requirements so that insurers cannot conceal their practices for denying mental health care
   • Strengthen federal monitoring of health insurer compliance with network adequacy requirements
   • Create a simple process for patients, families, and providers to report parity violations and improve federal-state coordination on parity enforcement
6. Housing and Job Opportunities
   • Expand community-based housing opportunities for individuals with mental illness and other disabilities
   • Expand employment opportunities for people with mental illness
   • Expand protection and advocacy support for people with mental health conditions
7. Brain and Behavioral Science Research
   • Significantly increase research into brain and behavioral science research
   • Develop new links with the private and non-profit sectors
   • Commit to brain and behavioral science research based on open data

UPDATE (8/30/16): Hillary for America announced that Clinton and Tim Kaine spoke with the mental health policy community including patients, advocates, researchers, policy experts, physicians, counselors, and service providers. The conference call featured people from across the country and allowed Clinton to speak about her plan and hear feedback from experts.

Following the meeting, Clinton said, “I have heard heartbreaking stories for years about these incredible challenges, but during this campaign, it has seemed like a floodgate has opened from parents and students, from veterans, nurses, doctors, police officers. But I’ve also heard stories of hope and courage – people getting the help they needed, being able to lead happy, healthy, and thriving lives. And cities and states are deploying innovative programs, and that’s what we want to hear more of. We’ve got to break through and break down the stigma and shame. We’ve got to make clear that mental health is not a personal failing. Right now, it is our country which is failing people with mental health issues.”

Kaine said, “I am really happy that today when our campaign rolled out this proposal with respect to comprehensive mental health improvement, that we decided one group of people that we really want to talk to is college students. Most mental health challenges do first present themselves during adolescence or college. So, while even a mental health challenge of an adult later in life may become more manifest, there are early signs about it. One in four college students today do acknowledge that they are dealing with mental health challenges at some point along the way. And it is very important that we are aware of that and that we make clear that it’s normal, there is no stigma associated with it. And we want to make sure that there are appropriate resources, innovative resources, community-based resources so that people can access help, and that the response of society is treatment rather than judgment or pretending that it doesn’t exist.”

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: The Briefing, USA Today

Clinton Proposes Universal Health Care

On Saturday, Hillary Clinton and her campaign released an expansion to her health care plan that provides additional details on how, as president, she would achieve universal health care. Parts of the plan are suggestions from the campaign of former Democratic rival Senator Bernie Sanders. The expanded plan has three primary points:

1. Work with state governors to expand Medicaid in every state.
2. Reign in the cost of health care by ensuring low premiums, reforming the prescription drug industry to allow for price negotiations, and capping the maximum out of pocket expenses for a family per year.
3. Expand Medicare to all Americans 55 years old and older.

In the release, Clinton stresses the importance of insuring all Americans and ensuring that everyone has access to affordable health care, dental and vision care, and affordable prescription drugs. The full plan is available on The Briefing.

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

News Source: CBS News, The Briefing

Hillary Clinton Kicks Off Three Days of Campaigning in California

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton attended three events in California with the first being a discussion on foster care in Los Angeles. During the small discussion event, she toured a foster care facility with Representative Karen Bass. She also spoke with a number of families. Clinton then traveled to Commerce where she attended a discussion with working families. The event was held at a local union hall and she criticized Republican nominee Donald Trump during the event for rooting for the housing crisis saying, “He actually said he was hoping for the crash that caused hardworking families in California and across America to lose their homes. All because he thought he could take advantage of it and make some money for himself.”

Clinton’s final event of the day was an organizing event in Riverside. She continued to criticize Trump for a number of his proposals and explained that it is important for everyone to be working together and not incite fear and divisiveness. She spoke about a number of her platform points including continuing to create new jobs, continuing to grow the economy, raising the minimum wage, and expanding health care so 100% of Americans are covered. She concluded by asking for voters’ support during the primary on June 7.

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

News Source: KTLA, The Sacramento Bee, The Desert Sun