Why Clinton?

This article is one half of the two piece opinion page. To read the alternate viewpoint, please click here.

If I had been old enough to vote, I would have voted for Hillary Clinton because I believe strongly in social norms and unwritten rules like kindness, respect, and generosity. There are no laws dictating that people must be kind, respectful, or generous, but these qualities serve as the basis for our society. I also believe that the president should be held account-able for adhering to these norms because he or she is the face of our nation; his or her actions and decisions are a reflection on the entire country and dictate how the rest of the world views us.

Donald Trump branded all Mexican immigrants as “rapists,” he mocked a disabled reporter, and he bragged about sexual assault in the Access Hollywood tape that was released in October. After Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly repeatedly asked Trump about sexist and misogynistic comments during a Republican primary debate, he accused her of having “blood coming out of her wherever.” In these comments, Donald Trump has ignored the social norms of kindness and respect, and he has shown reluctance to apologize or admit wrongdoing.

Donald Trump has shown a disregard for everyday Americans in his business practices and his campaign. USA Today reported that workers and small businesses have filed “at least 60 lawsuits, along with hundreds of liens, judgments, and other government filings” against Trump, claiming that the president-elect never paid them. This shows a concerning pattern of selfishness and corruption and proves that Trump easily disregards what is fair or right in favor of enhancing his own personal wealth. Under Trump’s tax plan, 51 percent of single parents would see a tax increase, according to Politifact, and the wealthiest people in the U.S. would have their income taxes cut by over 7 percent. The estate tax – something that only the wealthiest 0.2 percent of Americans have to pay – would be eliminated.

Trump shows little understanding of how government and the presidency work. He blamed Clinton for the U.S.’s trade deficit, when in reality, the trade deficit has more to do with businesses and consumers than with the Secretary of State. He seems to not understand diplomacy. He threatened to end the U.S.’s longstanding “One China” policy, in which the U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, by speaking with Tsai Ing-wen and referring to her as the president of Taiwan. He questioned the legitimacy of our election, undermining everyone else’s confidence in our elections and showing that he has little regard for democracy. He has refused to place his assets in a blind trust, meaning that he could make decisions as president that would profit his own interests and those of his family. This is an obvious conflict of interest, and recent presidents have easily avoided this by placing their assets into blind trusts.

When Hillary Clinton worked as a lawyer for the Children’s Defense Fund, Donald Trump was being sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination. When Clinton worked for women, Donald Trump objectified and allegedly assaulted them. When Clinton visited troops and secured funding for 9/11 first responders, Donald Trump received five draft deferments to avoid fighting in Vietnam. When Clinton was setting the record for most countries visited as Secretary of State, Trump was praising oppressive rulers and dictators like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Bashar Al Assad, Saddam Hussein, and Muammar Gaddafi, according to ABC. When Clinton was working to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Donald Trump was propagating lies about the illegitimacy of America’s first black president. If I could have voted, I would have eagerly voted for Hillary Clinton because she has both the experience and knowledge that is necessary to be the leader of the free world. For the past 40 years, Clinton has dedicated her life to public service. She has proven herself to be intelligent, capable, and generous with her time, efforts, and resources. Yes, Hillary Clinton was a flawed candidate. Every candidate to ever run for president has been a flawed candidate. I supported Hillary because I believe that her strengths outweigh her weaknesses, and I knew, based on her record, that she would have fought for the rights of everyday Americans.