Over the course of the first half of tonight’s debate, Hillary Clinton laid out a clear and cohesive progressive agenda for America’s future. Though Clinton has long acknowledged that the Democratic field would be competitive, it’s clear so far that her policy ideas, her passion for the American people, and her experience getting big things done, distinguish her from the pack.
On her core values:
“I’m the granddaughter of a factory worker and the grandmother of a wonderful 1-year-old child. And every day, I think about what we need to do to make sure that opportunity is available, not just for her but for all of our children.”
“I have spent a very long time, my entire adult life looking for ways to even the odds to help people have a chance to get ahead. And in particular, to find the ways for each child to live up to his or her God-given potential.”
“I am a progressive. But I am a progressive who likes to get things done, and I know how to find common ground and I know how to stand my ground. And I have proved that in every position I have had. Even dealing with Republicans who never had a good thing to say about me, honestly.”
On fighting for the middle class:
“We are the United States of America and it is our job to reign in the excesses of capitalism so it doesn’t run amok and doesn’t cause the kind of inequities we are seeing in our economic system, but we would be making a grave mistake to turn our backs on what built the greatest middle class in the history of the world.”
“We have to figure out how we’re going to make the tax system a fairer one. Right now, the wealthy pay too little and the middle class pays too much. So I have specific recommendations about how we’re going to close those loopholes, make it clear that the wealthy will have to pay their fair share and have a series of tax cuts for middle class families.”
“At the center of my campaign is how we’re going to raise wages. Yes, of course, raise the minimum wage, but we have to do so much more, including finding ways so that companies share profits with the workers who helped to make them.”
On equality:
“I want to do more to help us balance family and work. I believe in equal pay for equal work for women, but I also believe it’s about time we have paid family leave for American families and join the rest of the world.”
“I will do everything i can to heal the divides, the divides economically—because there’s too much inequality—the racial divides, the continuing discrimination against the LGBT community so that we will work together and yes, finally, fathers will be able to say to their daughters, you too can grow up to be president.”
On tackling climate change:
“I’ve put forward specific plans about how we’re going to create more good paying jobs by investing in infrastructure and clean energy, by making it possible once again to invest in science and research and taking the opportunity posed by climate change to grow our economy.”
On eliminating gun violence:
“This has gone on too long and it is time the entire country stood up against the NRA. The majority of our country supports background checks and even the majority of gun owners do.”
On maintaining America’s strength abroad:
“I recall very well being on a debate stage, I think about 25 times, with then-Senator Obama debating this very issue [of the war in Iraq]. After the election he asked me to become Secretary of State. He valued my judgment, and I spent a lot of time with him in the situation room going over some very difficult issues. […] So I think you’re talking about the tough decision that President Obama had to make about Osama bin Laden, where I was one of his few advisers, or putting together that coalition to impose sanctions on Iran, I think I have a lot of evidence about what I would do as president”