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

Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia and Bridgeport on Sunday

Today, Hillary Clinton was in Pennsylvania and Connecticut where she met with church goers and potential voters in Tuesday’s primaries. She began in Philadelphia where she spoke at church services at Triumph Baptist Church and African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. At both churches, Clinton spoke about her plans to seek criminal justice reform and fight the gun lobby by introducing stronger gun regulations. She said, “We as a people have to start showing each other more respect, more kindness more love.” She spoke briefly about the importance of the 2016 election and asked for the support of voters in Tuesday’s primary.

Clinton then traveled to Bridgeport, Connecticut, the largest city in the state. Speaking at the University of Bridgeport, she talked about continuing the progress of the administration of President Barack Obama. She then covered a number of platform topics including health care, gun control, raising the minimum wage, and reducing the cost of higher education. She believes that America’s best day are still ahead of it saying, “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure America’s best years are ahead of us. You should feel that your country has your back.” This evening, Clinton also attended a fundraiser in Stamford. Videos from today’s events will be posted when/if available.

Bill Clinton was in Baltimore, Maryland where he attended Sunday morning services at three local churches. At each, he spoke about Hillary’s platform and her plans to move America forward. Today, Bill also attended a fundraiser in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. The event was hosted by Barbara and Richard Schiffrin.

Other Hillary for America fundraisers were held across the country today. In Bry Mawr, Pennsylvania, a fundraiser was held featuring New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. Meanwhile, in Seattle, Washington, a fundraiser was hosted by John and Nancy Sabol, Daniel James Brown, Pam Eakes, and Jeanne Kohl-Welles. The event featured a conversation with Daniel James Brown, the author of The Boys in the Boat.

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

News Source: The Baltimore Sun, ABC News, NBC Connecticut, The Hour

Hillary Clinton Strong in Fourth Debate

CHARLESTON, SC – JANUARY 17: Democratic presidential candidates Martin OMalley (L), Hillary Clinton (C) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) participate in the Democratic Candidates Debate hosted by NBC News and YouTube on January 17, 2016 in Charleston, South Carolina. This is the final debate for the Democratic candidates before the Iowa caucuses. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

In tonight’s Democratic Debate on NBC, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders spent the evening debating three primary points of contention: gun control, heath care, and Wall Street. Clinton hit Sanders hard on his record on health care and gun control while she defended her plan to reign in Wall Street. While Clinton and Sanders debated, Martin O’Malley seemed hard pressed to get any time from the moderators, NBC News’ Lester Holt and Andrea Mitchell.

Where Clinton was clearly strongest was foreign policy. As former Secretary of State, Clinton understands the ins and outs of the global conflicts, including the civil war in Syria and the rise of ISIS. All three candidates made solid points tonight, and it was great to hear a real debate of ideas! But Clinton appears to be the most informed candidate on a variety of issues with her strong background in heath care, foreign policy, gun control, women’s issues, and a number of other domestic issues.

The candidates will return to the campaign trail, as this was the last debate before the primaries begin with the Iowa caucus on February 1. The next debate is scheduled for February 11 on PBS. Tonight’s debate was co-sponsored by YouTube, and the full debate can be watched on YouTube below.

Tomorrow, Clinton will remain in South Carolina and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the “King Day at the Dome”rally in Columbia. For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Time, ABC News

Clinton Endorsed by Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly

Yesterday, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly for her plans to increase gun control and gun safety. In an op-ed published on Medium, Giffords and Kelly praised Clinton for her “common sense” plan to reign in gun violence and hold gun manufacturers accountable. Giffords and Kelly founded Americans for Responsible Solutions in an effort to lobby Congress to enact common sense gun regulations. The full text of their op-ed is below:

Why Mark & I Are Supporting Hillary Clinton for President

To Mark and me, our principles are what have always mattered most.
As a Navy fighter pilot, NASA astronaut, and registered Independent, Mark never spent much time caring about the ‘who’s up, who’s down’ of partisan politics.

A registered Republican when I was younger, I was always committed to Southern Arizona values: independence, freedom, and common sense.

When the Republican party began to veer away from its core values, I ran for office as a proud Democrat. When I served my community in the Arizona legislature and later in Congress, I joined other like-minded Democrats and Republicans to work for energy independence, military readiness, a better life for our military families and returning soldiers, a woman’s right to have freedom over her own health choices, and a more secure border.

Today, during our second chance at service, Mark and I continue to fight for what we’ve always fought for: independence, freedom, and common sense. That’s why we’re fighting for a Congress and White House that stand up to the corporate gun lobby’s intimidation and bullying. And that’s why, today, we are endorsing Hillary Clinton for president.

For far too long, the gun lobby has had a stranglehold on Washington. Members of Congress and even some of our presidents have been intimidated into inaction. Bipartisan action has been blocked. Loopholes in our laws that let dangerous people get guns have been fiercely protected. Lies have been spread, fears have been stoked, and a dangerous, unacceptable status quo has been furthered all while gun sales have skyrocketed.”

Throughout all of this, the corporate gun lobby has moved further and further away from the gun owners they claim to represent.
Most of the people running for president talk a lot about how tough they are. But most of them have shown they aren’t tough enough to stand up to the gun lobbyists.

Take it from me: Talk is cheap.

In fact, a lot of the people running for president seem downright terrified to even have a rational conversation about the problem of gun violence in America. We’ve listened closely to all of them, and we’ve looked at all of their records.

Only one candidate for president has the determination and toughness to stand up to the corporate gun lobby — and the record to prove it. That candidate is Hillary Clinton.

Time and time again, Hillary has done and said what is right, not what is politically expedient. That’s why Mark and I are supporting her for President of the United States.

As a United States Senator, Hillary voted for laws that keep guns out of the wrong hands and make our communities safer places to live. She voted against protecting gun manufacturers at all costs and insisted on putting the safety of our communities over manufacturers’ bottom lines. And we believe that as president she will continue working to respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners like us while working to achieve practical solutions like a reliable background check system that prevents dangerous people from getting guns, closing loopholes to protect women and families by keeping guns out of the hands of abusers and stalkers, and cracking down on the illegal gun trade.

Hillary and I share a proud tradition of women leading on issues that impact all Americans and getting things done. We have taken on tough races, relied on other strong women to have our backs — and we have never, ever shied away from a tough fight or a tough vote.

Today, Mark and I are proud to have Hillary’s back, and to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her to, once and for all, break the stranglehold the corporate gun lobby has had on American politics — and American families — for too long.

Speaking is still physically difficult for me. I do hours and hours of speech therapy. And in January, I hope to call my friend Hillary ‘Madam President.’

Today, Clinton responded to the endorsement with the following statement:

“As an admirer of their courage in the face of incredible odds, their service to the country that they love, and their commitment to ending the epidemic of gun violence, I am humbled to receive the endorsement of these American heroes.

“Gabby and Mark know too well what is at stake in this debate and in this election. Three Americans die every hour we don’t act. 90 die every day. 33,000 die every year. We cannot accept this as normal. Gabby and Mark certainly do not. Since being shot and partially paralyzed five year ago, Gabby has worked tirelessly for progress—founding Americans for Responsible Solutions, traveling across the country to tell her story and promote commonsense gun safety laws, launching a bipartisan coalition in New Hampshire to prevent gun violence, and fighting in support of President Obama’s recent executive actions. Through it all, Mark has been by her side—as her partner, her champion, and her biggest fan. I am honored to join them in their fight for common sense gun reform.

“As President Obama said last week, we must hold our leaders accountable for continuing to put the interests of the gun lobby ahead of the safety of American families. And that starts with electing a president. We need a president who would never vote against common sense background checks. We need a president who will hold gun makers and sellers accountable, not provide them with sweeping immunity from lawsuits. We need a president who will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous felons, not create loopholes that allow shooters like the one in Charleston to buy guns. We owe that to the countless families who have lost loved ones. We owe that to all America’s children. We owe that to Gabby and Mark.”

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

News Source: Medium, The Briefing

Clinton Outlines Manufacturing Plan

Clinton hold a roundtable discussion in Las Vegas on May 5, 2015

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton’s campaign released her outline to boost the United States’ manufacturing sector and assist communities that once had a strong manufacturing economy. Her plan includes a series of tax credits for communities that have lost manufacturing jobs, expanding access to grants and capital for smaller startups and manufacturers, stricter regulations for companies, and added emphasis on training and education. In the plan, Clinton argues that manufacturing is key to our economy because it provides higher paying jobs and boosts innovation. Losing these jobs not only hurts the economy, but diminishes America’s status as the leader in advanced manufacturing. Details of the full plan are available on The Briefing and are outlined below.

• Revitalize the hardest-hit manufacturing communities
  • Provide tax relief by introducing the “Manufacturing Renaissance Tax Credit”
  • Prevent hard hit areas from becoming worse
• Create Incentives for companies to bring jobs back to the United States
  • Provide tax relief for research and innovation
  • End inversions and other tax loopholes that reward companies for shifting earnings overseas
  • Double support for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
  • Expand access to capital for smaller manufacturers
• Level the global playing field for American workers, businesses, and manufacturers and aggressively combat trade violations
  • Crack down on currency manipulation
  • Vigorously and consistently prosecute trade violations
  • Enter trade agreement that benefit American jobs
• Strengthen long-term investment in America’s “industrial commons” through regional innovation, infrastructure, and R&D.
  • Build upon the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation
  • Prevent abuse of labor rights by supporting workers’ right to unionize and collectively bargain
  • Enhance links between university researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry
  • Insist on strong domestic sourcing requirements that make being “Made in the USA” a priority throughout investments in manufacturing and infrastructure
  • Provide more Americans with access to tools for innovative design, prototyping, and engineering projects
• Support skills and training for America’s workforce
  • Encourage proven, high-quality training and apprenticeships
  • Provide a $1,500 tax credit for every apprentice hired through a bona fide apprenticeship program
  • Expand nationwide credentialing with strong industry input
  • Build on models that allow federal student aid to be used toward high-quality career and technical training programs with promising or proven records
  • Provide tuition-free community college, and reduce student debt by allowing students to refinance their loans

Tonight, Clinton is scheduled to attend a town hall in Salem, New Hampshire. For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Time, The Briefing

Clinton Repeats Call for Tougher Gun Measures

On Thursday, Hillary Clinton called for tougher gun laws following a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California that left 14 people dead and 21 injured. Clinton called for stricter requirements at three separate events in New Hampshire. The first was during a visit to a small business in Nashua, and the second event was the Women’s Economic Opportunity Summit in Manchester, and the final event was a town hall in Dover. She said that the shooting was beginning to look like an act of terrorism, but she is waiting for the investigation. She also cautioned against the growing distrust of Islam saying, “It’s important to remember, the vast majority of Muslim Americans are just as concerned and heartbroken about this as anyone else.” At the events in Manchester and Dover, Clinton took questions from the audience on a wide variety of topics and platform issues. Full videos from today’s events will be posted when/if available.

Following her trip to New Hampshire, Clinton headed to Boston, Massachusetts where she attended a private fundraiser hosted by Elaine and Bobby Sager. As with all private fundraisers, the event was closed to the public.

News Source: The New York Times, CBS News

Clinton Goes to Iowa – Day 2

On her second day in Iowa, Hillary Rodham Clinton continued to meet with potential voters and took part in a roundtable with small business owners from across central Iowa. The event, which took place at Capital City Fruit Company in Norwalk, focused on America’s reliance on small businesses, and the difficulty many small business owners face to start their business and to keep their doors open. Clinton said, “We need to be, we have to be, No. 1 again. Slowly over time it’s become more difficult — more expensive, more red tape, unnecessary regulations that have really put a damper.”

During the roundtable, one of the business owners referred to increasing costs in health care and Clinton spoke about health care and the Affordable Care Act. She acknowledged that was a problem, and said that she was interested in updating aspects of the law. This isn’t new for Clinton, however. In several speeches before announcing her candidacy, Clinton hinted that was open to changes to the ACA.

Thanks a Latte, Marshalltown! #HillaryInIA pic.twitter.com/lp9RcXWjuP

— Hillary for Iowa (@HillaryforIA) April 15, 2015

Other business owners brought up the difficulty of hiring immigrants and having to turn down able works because of the their immigrant status. Because immigration reform is currently stalled in Congress, businesses are stuck in the middle. Clinton blamed the lack of comprehensive immigration reform on political ideologies. She went on to say, “We are really missing out on economic opportunities because we haven’t been able to agree on comprehensive immigration reform.”

The event was a listening session where she encouraged the small business owners to talk openly. Clinton shied away from answering questions about her platform and plan for small businesses saying that she was still in the building phase and wanted to hear what people have to say before her platform is complete.

Hillary: ”The deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top, and we need to shuffle the cards. We need to play a different hand."

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 15, 2015

Today wrapped up Clinton’s visit to Iowa, where she also visited Des Moines and Marshalltown, but she promised that she would be back soon. She is expected to head to New Hampshire next where she will likely hold similar listening sessions with different groups of voters.

UPDATE: Hillary for America created a video highlighting Clinton’s trip to Iowa.

You can see pictures from Iowa on the Hillary for America Flickr page. Also, be sure to follow Clinton’s Twitter account and Facebook page. And don’t forget to donate to the campaign.

New Source: Politico, The Des Moines Register