Here we are, just two weeks away from the United States’ most historic and tumultuous presidential election. As the world watches in horror, as the world always does, at the events in the Middle East and North Africa, the fate of the most iconic nation in the world may well be decided by just a few short days on November 8th.
Donald Trump is the favorite to win the presidency, according to mainstream media and betting odds. But he’s not my favorite. Not by a long shot.
Why?
Well, as the world’s most famous real estate mogul put it, I’m “still betting big” on Hillary Clinton. Yes, despite the fact that she was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and is currently recovering, I think Hillary has what it takes to become the next president of the United States.
Here’s why.
The Economy
If there’s one area where Hillary Clinton has a serious advantage over Donald Trump, it’s that she’s been a trusted steward of the American economy for years. As a senator, she fought to make sure that the country’s wealthiest citizens paid their fair share of taxes. She also pushed for legislation that benefited the middle class, including the Working Families Flexible Spending Account (FSOA), which allows American workers to save up to $5,000 per year in transit compensation. While on the campaign trail, she repeatedly hammered home the need to protect Medicare and Social Security, two vital programs that are set to go bankrupt in the next two decades if nothing is done.
In contrast, Trump has openly stated that he thinks the government is too intrusive in the economy and should not micromanage it. For years, he has been supportive of free trade, which has largely benefited the wealthy. During the campaign, he has also promised to protect America’s collective bargaining rights, which are under threat from both corporate and trade partners alike.
In other words, Hillary Clinton has a record to run on, and it’s a record that resonates with voters across the country. According to a recent NBC/WSJ poll, 68% of Americans approve of the way that Hillary is handling the economy, compared to just 32% who disapprove. That’s a resounding 55-point net gain in favorability.
Foreign Policy
On the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton has repeatedly spoken out against the Iraq War and the 2003 and 2011 wars in general. She’s also championed the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris Climate Agreement. While it’s not clear what Donald Trump thinks about these issues, he did say at a recent debate that he might have intervened in the Syrian Civil War if he’d been president at the time. But it wasn’t his call. It was Hillary’s.
As secretary of state, Clinton made global diplomacy a priority. During her four years in office, she visited 112 countries and held more than 300 meetings. In a time of heightened tension with Russia, China, and North Korea, she pushed for stronger sanctions against those three countries, which led to the creation of the J.S.T. Partnership, an executive office within the State Department that focuses on North Korea. In the meantime, she also helped broker the Iran Nuclear Deal and led the charge for normalized relations with Cuba.
In contrast, Trump seems to have a complicated relationship with the rest of the world. He’s called Mexico a “crime-ridden hellhole” and questioned why the United States should be doing business there. He’s also backed Russia’s Vladimir Putin and asked if he’s “ever considered” a run for the presidency in the past.
But it’s not just about foreign policy. While Hillary has been on the opposite end of the spectrum, Donald Trump has been a wild card when it comes to international affairs. From supporting the Iraq War to wanting to keep the United States out of Syria and Libya, it’s hard to know exactly what Trump believes in. Or if he even believes in anything at all.
The Military
If there’s one area where Donald Trump has proved to be reliable, it’s that he has a long history of supporting our military and fighting for veterans. During his presidency, he’s pledged to end the Purple Heart Tradition, which he argues gives “battlefield” awards to people who’ve never actually fought in a war. Trump has also promised to bring back U.S. troops from abroad and use the military for internal security, a stance that Hillary has rejected. (She thinks that using the military for law enforcement is “fraught with peril,” as she wrote in her 2007 book, “Hard Choices.”)
On the campaign trail, Trump has also pledged to massively increase defense spending and give military personnel the training and resources they need to stay effective. While this may be enough for many war-weary veterans, it’s not for me. I’m still betting big on Hillary Clinton because she’s supported our troops and has the experience running a large organization with numerous employees who are dedicated to national security.
Social And Civil Rights
This is a topic that I think about a lot, especially as someone who is both a veteran and the father of a United States Marine. I worry about the treatment of men and women in the armed forces who may face discrimination based on their gender or sexuality. This is one of the reasons why, even though I think Trump has done a lot of good for our veterans, I still can’t bring myself to support him wholeheartedly. I would like to see him acknowledge that some of our bravest veterans may need special consideration because of the way they were brought up, and not just because they served our country bravely.
On the other hand, Hillary Clinton is dedicated to equal rights for all Americans, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. In her 2007 book, “Hard Choices,” she writes:
“Some of the issues I will focus on are those that touch upon the rights of women and gays, as well as the fight for fair wages and workplace equality. As president, I will use every element of my power to advance those rights: the authority of my office, the full power of the American government, and the full force of American diplomacy.”
So, for now, while we wait to find out who will win the 2016 presidential election, I’m still betting big on Hillary Clinton. I simply cannot bring myself to support Trump, even though I respect and appreciate what he’s done for our country.