Growing up, I never felt a large influence from any political party in my life and my parents never pressured me into certain beliefs. My mother is liberal, and my father is conservative, but their policy was to let me discover the world, instead of them discovering it for me. However, as I am sure you can tell from the title of this article, I ended up standing farther to the left.

Why Hillary? Great question. I’ve been supporting Hillary for a long time. I voted for her in the primaries, and stood behind her campaign from the beginning (I even have her bumper sticker on my car). I support Clinton because I believe that she is the most qualified person for the job. In holding positions such as Secretary of State, Senator, and First Lady, she has had a lifelong career in politics which has prepared her to make informed decisions as our next Commander in Chief. She has proved to be someone that performs well under pressure, a trait I value in a presidential candidate.

Something that has always been extremely important to me is women’s rights, an issue that Hillary stands strongly by. By passing her bill, the Paycheck Fairness Act, women will be able to stand up to discrimination in the workplace. In 2015, it was reported that women made 80% of what men make. Donald Trump has claimed that he plans to fight to even the pay gap, but his sexist and discriminatory comments against women make it very hard to believe him. With Clinton, I can be reassured that she will fight for women because it is a battle she herself has faced.

The importance of Planned Parenthood in our country today is enormous as it provides healthcare to women who may otherwise not be able to get it. As a registered voter, I need a candidate who will advocate for it. Unfortunately, Republicans plan to defund it, but Clinton is going to fight to keep the essential health and reproductive care that Planned Parenthood provides. I firmly believe that a discussion on women’s health is one that should be between a woman and her doctor, not a politician. Clinton will protect this invaluable resource. She also plans to repeal the Hyde Amendment (a legislative provision that bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortion except for in cases that could save the mother), promote sexual education, and build upon Obama’s Affordable Care Act. As a female voter I am confident that Clinton will do all of these things as I have already seen her vote to prevent the overturn of Roe vs. Wade, sponsor the Freedom of Choice Act, and help the restriction of Plan B.  

Hillary plans to support poor women by closing the pay gap, but she also plans to help all Americans by changing the minimum wage to a “living wage.” Through easing the burdens of banks and credit unions, small businesses will flourish, creating a larger job market. As someone who will soon be entering the job market, I want to be able to find a career and work in an environment that will be able to support me. Trump built his empire by trampling small businesses, and exploiting small companies by not paying them on time. The American economy relies on small businesses, as they make up two thirds of our job market, and with new support and legal protection created by Clinton, small companies will thrive. I am in support of Clinton and her plan to close corporate tax loopholes, because I do not want to see companies moving profits overseas. Finally, with increased tax on larger companies, I am confident that Clinton will improve the job market and economy for average American.

Another reason I am voting for Clinton is her comprehensive plan for our nation’s security. Taking out ISIS’s stronghold through working with our allies to combat terrorists is a difficult challenge, but also one of the most important. Terrorism is an urgent and real threat that is affecting the entire world, and I want a Commander in Chief who has a detailed plan to combat it. Furthermore, Clinton wants to increase background checks when buying guns, which will make it more difficult for dangerous people to get access to firearms to further prevent shootings.

Finally, the last reason I am so inclined to vote for Clinton is her policy on climate change. Unlike Trump, Clinton actually believes in climate change and plans to make it one of her biggest priorities. By the end of her first term she plans to install half a billion solar panels that will create enough renewable energy to power every home in America. I want a president that hopes to invest in my future and future generations; I know Clinton will do just that.