Hillary Clinton, after recent debates, is undeniably one of the strongest candidates for the Democratic Party in the upcoming 2008 election. With both the reminder of her husband, Bill Clinton’s success as president as well as her own political successes, Hillary Clinton will no doubt, give her main competition, Barack Obama and John Edwards a run for their money. The following provides an outline of Clinton’s platform for her campaign for the 2008 presidency.
Abortion
1. Respect the rulings of Roe vs. Wade, but make adoptions to the ruling possible
2. The right to choice must constitutionally be safeguarded.
3. Late term abortions should be legal only when the mother’s life or health is at risk.
4. Support for parental notice of teen pregnancy and family planning programs.
5. Supports expansion of embryonic stem cell research.
6. Believes in reaching out to teens in order to reduce teen pregnancy through funding of sexual education and providing contraceptives.
7. In summation, abortion should be kept legal, safe and rare.
Budget & Economy
1. Protection of the next generation through paying off the United States debt.
2. Reduction of outsourcing-bring more jobs back home.
3. Reduction of taxes within a balanced budget.
4. No history of support for reduction of federal spending.
Civil Rights
1. Supports rights being provided to gays in domestic partnerships.
2. Military service should be based on conduct, not sexual orientation. (Pro-Gay rights)
3. Reduction of prostitution is a major concern.
4. Emphasis on women’s rights being interchangeable with human rights.
5. An apology for slavery is due, but there should be more focus on changes to civil rights in the present.
Crime
1. Supports the “Three Strikes” rule and the construction of more prisons.
2. Supports increased funding and stricter sentences for hate crimes.
3. Supports requiring DNA testing for federal executions.
Education
1. Opposes merit pay for individual teachers.
2. Address the shortage of teachers by providing a salary increase.
3. Create smaller class sizes and increase the number of after-school programs available to reduce gang membership.
4. Metal detectors at schools are highly valuable to safety and should not be seen as an intrusion.
5. Increase of arts education in our schools.
6. Does not support school vouchers because they take money from public schools. Pro-public education voting record.
7. Charter schools are good in providing options within the public school system.
Foreign Policy
1. Fight terrorism with cooperation.
2. The smartest strategic choice is maintaining peace.
3. Supports becoming more engaged in world affairs involving human rights; we must lead by staying engaged with the rest of the world.
Gun Control
1. Supports limiting access to guns by looking for early warning signs of violent intentions among purchasers
2. Supports licensing and registering all handguns.
3. Increased control on guns will keep them out of the wrong hands.
Health Care
1. Support for universal coverage through affordable health care options for all citizens.
2. Increase the commitment to the Global AIDS crisis.
3. Regulation of tobacco by implementing high penalties for underage smoking.
4. Supports strengthening the Medicare program.
Homeland Security
1. Supports a nuclear test ban treaty
2. Supported reauthorizing the Patriot Act (excluding the wiretap provision).
Immigration
1. Supports a guest worker program and enabling guest workers to gain citizenship.
Social Security
1. Believes social security protects both families and retirees.
2. Social security is one of the greatest inventions of American democracy. Pro-senior voting record
War & Peace
1. Supports re-deployment out of Iraq in 90 days; critic of the Iraq war under Bush’s lead though she voted in favor of it in 2002.
2. Does not support construction of permanent bases in Iraq but does support continual residual force.
3. Restrict the number of troops in Iraq and limit war funding.
4. Improve relations between Israel and the United States
5. Condemns bigotry against Muslims as a form of anti-terrorism.
Welfare & Poverty
1. AmeriCorps should be fully funded.
2. The homeless should not be criminalized, rather they should be aided.
3. Establish a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund for the United States.
4. Provide equal access to capital and jobs for all.
Though Clinton has refused to recant her 2002 vote for the war in Iraq, she has since then expressed some regret for the action and abundant disapproval of George W. Bush’s conduct and leadership throughout the war. Clinton’s focus on such crucial topics as health care, social security, abortion, and civil rights are strongly liberal and will appeal to the majority of Democratic Party voters. It would be unwise to underestimate Clinton’s strength, influence, and potential as she may very well be the first female president, leading the United States towards a truly more equal society.
