In an article released Monday, Nate Silver wrote that Hillary Clinton would have only a 42 percent likelihood of capturing the White House if the election were held that day—a shocking number to most. But, if her primary challenger, Senator Sanders, has shown us anything during the Democratic contest, it is that polling is not only inaccurate but also shouldn’t be trusted this far out (his win in Michigan is a perfect example of this). The reason for this low rate of success for Clinton is simple: since Sanders conceded, Clinton has had fewer prime-time exposures, whereas Trump’s acceptance of his party’s nomination for President was aired and streamed on every major news outlet. I’d wager that Silver’s 42 percent chance goes up after Clinton accepts her party’s nomination on Thursday. And no matter what, the election is not being held any time soon.
The question then becomes, if we cannot trust polling, what do we trust? The answer is quite simple, you trust what you see. Not numbers of how other people MIGHT vote, but what you actually experience for yourself. I urge all Americans to listen to the message that Secretary Clinton is conveying and make a choice based on what you take away from it. The message that I’ve heard from the Secretary is quite straightforward: that we are all stronger when we are united. Clinton’s message is the antithesis of Trump’s, who has pitted religions and races against one another since he entered this contest.
While I have been an avid Clinton supporter since before she announced her candidacy, I greatly appreciated Senator Sanders’ presence in the contest, as he has forced the Secretary to the left on specific issues as well as prevented our party from simply appointing a nominee as our “leader-by-default.” But now that Trump is officially the Republican nominee, Clinton still has a lot of work to do. The long and sometimes bloody battle with Sanders made her a stronger candidate, but it also delayed her ability to pivot to the general election. Trump realizes this and even reached out to Sanders’ supporters in his acceptance speech last week claiming that they will join with his coalition in preventing a Clinton presidency. This notion is not only outlandish, but demeaning.
Sanders’ supporters will not back a xenophobic fascist, obsessed with erecting walls, when then they can cast their vote for a woman who has torn down every barrier in her path to ensure that Americans are better off. The Clinton platform is one of unity that should excite liberals, progressives, and moderates alike. As Senator Sanders himself put it while addressing the Convention, the Democratic platform is the most progressive in history and he is excited to see Clinton champion our goals and ideals in the coming election.
Perhaps the biggest split between Sanders and Clinton this primary season was the implementation of healthcare. Now I stress the implementation aspect because they both have the same goal, which is universal coverage. Whereas Sanders wants a single-payer system, the Secretary supports a public option, which would be available to all Americans who make below a certain threshold amount. That proposal is now a part of our Party’s platform and is an important step towards not only universal coverage but perhaps, one day, Senator Sanders’ dream of a single payer system. I stand with her on this issue because Secretary Clinton realizes the practicality of implementing national health policies and the direct consequences it has on not only the patients, but also the doctors that treat them.
When it comes to our crumbling infrastructure, it was quite amusing to watch Sanders and Clinton go at it. They both strongly believe in investing in our decaying roads, bridges, and waterways. The only difference is the actual dollar amount that each candidate wants to invest; a number that Congress will ultimately end up deciding. The exact same can be said for the hilarious debate segment when the two argued over how high they would each increase the minimum wage. At least they both want it raised, while the GOP nominee (and every other candidate from the Party of Hate) wants to gouge it to pre New Deal lows.
When it comes to guns there is perhaps no better person to lead the fight than Clinton. An undisputed champion of gun control, she understands that if you are too dangerous to fly, you are too dangerous to buy. Assault weapons and concealable handguns have no place in daily life as the only purpose for those items is to cause massive bodily trauma. Each year we witness 30,000 Americans killed by these weapons and do nothing. An additional 100,000 are mangled from their use, many of them children. The Secretary also believes in repealing the tort liability shield that gun manufacturers currently possess, the only industry to have one of this nature. If your product is designed to inflict bodily harm, you should be liable when it does. Currently it is easier to sue a toy gun company for injury than it is a real one.
On the environment, Clinton has repeatedly called for an investment in green alternatives, and wants to reduce our dependence on oil and natural gas as president. She has correctly opposed the Keystone XL Pipeline, and as Secretary of State she was a pivotal player in bringing nations such as Russia and China to the table ensure our planet will still be livable for future generations. As our President, she will continue to champion alternative forms of energy such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, and nuclear (yes, nuclear) when she sits in the Oval Office.
But perhaps most importantly, Clinton realizes the need to reform our criminal justice system while still respecting those who enforce the law. She recognizes, unlike her opponent, that a young African American is exponentially more likely than a white individual to end up in jail or shot, simply because of the color of his or her skin. She realizes that a young Latino is more likely to be viewed with scrutiny not only by our law enforcement but by our court system because of their national origin. These are forces of evil that we fought a Civil War to erase, passed a series of Amendments to prevent, and followed Dr. King on his march to silence. These are ideas that no American should stand for, yet the Republican Party seems determined to maintain the status quo. With a Clinton presidency, no American will be ignored. The needs of all will be heard as she will fight to root out systemic racism and injustice in our courts.
On the issue of the judicial branch, perhaps no job our next President will have is more important than the nomination of potentially three Supreme Court Justices. The Supreme Court, which interprets the law of the land, is too important to be left in the hands of Trump. To the ‘Bernie Or Bust’ crowd, I would refer you to Mr. Trump’s acceptance speech when he declared that he would appoint nominees with the same ideals as the late Justice Scalia. These principles are at odds with social progress and have no room in our nation. Furthermore they are the ideals that would keep Citizens United in place, preventing any hope of any meaningful economic or political change. The fate of the Court and the way our laws are read is in the hands of the electorate this November and there is only one candidate who will ensure that future Americans will all have Due Process under the law.
I was with her when she was the First Lady of the United States, looking out for the best interest of children across the nation. I was with her when she represented my home state of New York, opposing every Bush-era tax cut and attempts to deregulate our economy that came her way. I was with her when she was our Secretary of State, mending relationships that the previous administration broke with such ease. I’m still with her because she believes in making our public schools second to none. I’m still with her because she believes in a green future. I’m still with her because she believes in raising the standard of living for all Americans regardless of race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. I’m still with her, and this country should be too.