Daughter of Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton stopped by Building 12 last Thursday for the “Women for Hillary Round Table” campaign event. Clinton addressed a mostly female audience on the subject of her mother’s policy platforms on higher education, paid parental leave, affordable childcare and equal pay for equal work.
Hillary Clinton is the most qualified candidate in history to run for office, according to Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley who introduced Clinton to the conference room filled with some few hundred people. The crowd was energized after Whaley’s speech, and with flags on the stage and a banner touting the Clinton campaign slogan “Stronger Together,” Clinton took the stage.
“Stronger Together” to Clinton is more than a slogan. Clinton took questions from the audience on her mother’s maternity and paternity leave policy, which proposes 12 weeks of paid leave to new parents of either sex. The leave, Clinton pointed out, is double that of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s and would not “raid” unemployment funds—where Trump’s leave-pay is awarded.
The expansion of maternity and paternity leave would also apply to the diverse family makeups that “look like our families in 2016” according to Clinton. This means that foster families and adoptive families would also qualify.
Clinton discussed the push back to reproductive rights post 2008 briefly and said that under her mother’s policy, reproductive rights would be furthered—reassuring a voter in the audience who asked about health policy.
Clinton, a Stanford graduate, stressed the importance of free community college and loan forgiveness opportunities. Clinton detailed the story of her mother’s financing through college using student debt and working in the public’s interest, stating the importance of a community to invest in its graduates, not disinvest.
“[Hillary Clinton] believes that anyone should be able to go to Sinclair,” Clinton said. “Or any community college, tuition free, regardless of family income.” The campaign event was targeted to millennials.
Clinton stressed the importance of a figure in the race for the highest office in the nation to have a plan of what they are to do when they get there, specifically. Clinton said that this election felt even more personal to her, as it was truly about the next generations.
“As proud as I am and as grateful I am that my mom is running, Clinton said, “this election is about my children.” Clinton urged that this election more than ever America had to make a choice.
Barton Kleen
Executive Editor