Many Democrats, liberals, progressives, and independents are about to go to the polls and vote in the Democratic primary for President of the United States. Much has been said about one candidate that doesn’t fit the history of that candidate. People wonder out loud and argue even louder that Hillary Clinton is not a progressive, is a faux progressive, or is only saying she’s a progressive in order to win the nomination.
They’re wrong. Let me explain why. I welcome people to refute the facts with other facts. Let’s have an honest conversation.
Hillary Clinton has actually been fighting for the progressive agenda her entire professional and political career. She was the first female executive in Walmart who pushed to move women into management positions in the country. However, she was more successful in moving the company and the entire industry back in the 80s in more environmentally friendly policies. The policies she pushed through in Walmart eventually became industry standards. Secretary Clinton also fought for children, mothers, and families during her work with the Children’s Defense Fund as an attorney.
Of course, she worked tirelessly to revolutionize and modernize the country’s view of and what it means to be the First Lady, both at home and abroad. During her time in the White House, she championed women’s rights across the world, most notably in China and Asia. She also fought at home against the establishment in both parties and against the insurance industry for healthcare reform to move the country toward universal healthcare.
As you may not remember, she was the first sitting First Lady to ever have a multi-million dollar ad campaign ran to smear her for being such a tireless fighter for the progressive agenda. When universal healthcare failed, she did not give up. She fought for and advocated for the creation of CHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which has been vital for children receiving healthcare ever since.
And, then, as Senator from New York, she fought Wall Street leading up to the financial collapse to stop their disastrous and dangerous policies that ultimately led to the mortgage crisis and the Great Recession. This isn’t just something that is said, it’s been fact-checked. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/
Further, she had a six-point financial regulation plan that she put out BEFORE the collapse during her presidential run back in 2008. This is very comprehensive and attacked not only the risky Wall Street investments but acted to protect homeowners caught in the subprime mortgage nightmare. All of this before the primaries and before the Great Recession . . . check it out as it is amazingly comprehensive and specific. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/
And, here are Clinton’s own words at her commencement address all the way back in 1969 echoing her fighting spirit of connecting aspirations and ideals with actions and perseverance.
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