Team Hillary is at the starting line just waiting for their leader to say the word "GO"! Together we are about to embark on an intense 18-month hard fought race for the Presidency of the United States. As campaign staff is hired, millions of volunteers are ready to work to elect the most competent person and the first woman as our nation's 45th President. Those volunteers will have her back throughout the campaign.
Everywhere I go, people are talking about the chance to not only make history but to change the world for the better. At a recent panel discussion at the Center for American Progress (CAP) titled, Time to Deliver on Global Commitments to Women and Girls, there was agreement from everyone the best way to accomplish that goal was electing Hillary in 2016. At a recent Washington, D.C. Ready for Hillary event there was a diverse crowd of over four hundred committed to Team Hillary. They are part of nearly 4 million supporters of the Ready for Hillary PAC just waiting for the starting bell to ring. They and the over 120,000 donors to the PAC aren't bothered by the partisan attacks on Hillary because they are prepared for them, and know they will continue until she is elected.
Hillary Clinton is moving beyond the made-up "email scandal" begun by Republicans and trumpeted by the press because she knows this is only the beginning. Republicans will make up anything they can to distract the American people from the real issues in this campaign and unfortunately many in the media will glom onto anything they say. But this isn't new for Hillary and she knows to win she will have to keep her eye on the prize as will all of those who are ready to support her. The prize being the chance to spend four years working for the people of the United States using all her energies, intellectual capacity, experience and knowledge to make the world a better and safer place for this generation and those that follow.
We just need to read the Washington Post to know the campaign is staffing up in New Hampshire and Iowa, or watch KWCH12 to know it's also happening in South Carolina. The campaign press operation is being built to handle all that will be thrown at the candidate. The work of Team Hillary will be to keep the focus on what is really important -- what Hillary has already accomplished in her life and what she will be able to accomplish for people once she is President.
We live in a complex world and it's one Clinton knows well. There are no easy answers on how to deal with ISIS, the Iranians, the Israeli/Palestinian question, race relations, or even how to remove the root causes of poverty both here in the U.S. and around the world. Anyone who suggests there are easy answers to these and other thorny issues should be regarded as a fool.
America is involved in the world and as the only remaining super-power we must continue to be. There is no one better prepared to deal with the global situation than Hillary. Here at home, Hillary will address issues such as income inequality and how to rebuild our society so once again people can aspire to become part of the middle class and know their children can hope to have better lives than they have. Doing this will mean striking the right balance between Wall Street and Main Street which doesn't exist today as the rich get richer and the poor and middle class continue to struggle. Hillary will be working to bring together those segments of our society who are still working toward equality including women, Latinos, the LGBT community and African Americans. She will move to strengthen and enforce our laws. These are the issues Hillary has always talked about and worked on and the campaign will give her the opportunity to share her plans for the future with the American people. The answer to these problems surely won't be found in the latest Republican budget which eviscerates Medicare and Medicaid, ends the Affordable Care Act, cuts food stamps and puts the entire burden of erasing our national debt on those still suffering the most from the policies of the last Republican President.
As the Democratic candidate in 2016, Hillary will lead the fight for the heart and soul of America. The question the American people will have to answer is whether we will elect a Republican President who believes the old shibboleth of trickle-down economics; we already know that has proven a failed policy because making the rich richer doesn't mean they share the wealth. A Republican President who believes a woman's body is not her own to control. A Republican President who believes cutting funds for infrastructure, education, assistance to seniors and children's health is the right thing to do. Or a Republican President who represents the Party that doesn't believe science and research should help determine policy and climate change is something made up.
Or will the American people elect as President Hillary Rodham Clinton who understands if women, immigrants, African Americans and members of the LGBT community are given a chance to participate fully in the economy everyone benefits? A President Clinton who will fight to strengthen our civil rights laws, ensure they are enforced, and speak out to the change needed in our culture that will make them real. A President Clinton who will propose programs based on those she has always supported such as the one at the Clinton Foundation "Too small to fail" working to give every child in America the opportunity to succeed in life because research tells us their chance for success improves exponentially if their parents have the tools to focus on their well-being from birth to age five.
With the election of Hillary Rodham Clinton, we will make history. But her election will do so much more. It will set the United States on a trajectory to fulfill that elusive promise of creating a "more perfect union". A trajectory for America in which every person has the chance to succeed; every person has their full civil and human rights; and where America will truly be able to share her best qualities with the world. Those qualities which stand us apart and can help improve the lives of people across the globe.