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Senator Hillary Clinton – Democrat (New York) - Campaign Website

Hillary Rodham Clinton, born October 26, 1947, in Illinois.

On Abortion -

Strongly Favors: A Woman's Right to Choose.
Favors lifting the ban on stem cell research to cure devastating diseases. (Jun 2007)
Feels that "abortion is a sad, tragic choice to many women." (May 2007)
Supports Roe v. Wade, but wants to make adoptions easier too. (Nov 2006)
Encourages alternatives to pro-choice like forced pregnancy in Romania. (Nov 2003)
Believes we must safeguard constitutional rights, including choice. (Oct 2000)
Opposed to late term abortion unless life or health are at risk. (Oct 2000)
Plans to remain vigilant on a woman’s right to chose. (Jan 2000)
Favors Keeping abortion safe, legal and rare. (Jan 1999)
Believes that being pro-choice "is not being pro-abortion." (Jan 1999)
Favors reaching out to teens to reduce teen sex problems. (Jan 1999)
Favors parental notice & family planning. (Feb 1997)

Voting Record

Voted liberal line on partial birth & harm to fetus. (Oct 2005)
Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
Recommended by EMILY's List of pro-choice women. (Apr 2001)
Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003)
Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)

*Clinton has expressed that she is personally opposed to abortion, but she does not believe it should be illegal.
Clinton has been a staunch supporter of the legal right of a woman to end her pregnancy by abortion as determined in the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973. Clinton believes that the acceptance and availability of birth control and sex education will reduce unwanted pregnancies and the number of abortions.
In a speech on January 24, 2005, to the New York State Family Planning Providers, Senator Clinton outlined her stance on abortion. "When I spoke to the conference on women in Beijing in 1995 — ten years ago this year — I spoke out against any government interfering with the reproductive rights and decisions of women and families. So we have a lot of experience from around the world that is a cautionary tale about what happens when a government substitutes its opinion for an individual's. There is no reason why government cannot do more to educate and inform and provide assistance so that the choice guaranteed under our constitution either does not ever have to be exercised or only in very rare circumstances." She emphasized that, "I believe we can all recognize that abortion in many ways represents a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women." She praised the role of moral values in preventing unwanted pregnancies while supporting continued research into the most effective means of preventing these pregnancies. "Research shows that the primary reason that teenage girls abstain is because of their religious and moral values. We should embrace this — and support programs that reinforce the idea that abstinence at a young age is not just the smart thing to do, it is the right thing to do. But we should also recognize what works and what doesn't work, and to be fair, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of abstinence-only programs. I don't think this debate should be about ideology, it should be about facts and evidence."

* A July 13, 2005 New York Times article titled "The Evolution of Hillary Clinton" characterizes Clinton as seeking to find middle ground between voters with various views on the criminalization of abortion. In April 2007 Clinton expressed dismay at the Supreme Court's Gonzales v. Carhart ruling that upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. The National Abortion Rights Action League gave Clinton a score of "100%". She votes in favor of maintaining the legality of abortion with every vote on the subject.

On Budget & Economy -

Favors: Requiring the hiring of more women & minorities
Helping people facing foreclosure; not just bailing out banks. (Aug 2007)
Replacing the balanced budget with rising costs & falling wages. (Jun 2007)
Using tax dollars to upgrade infrastructure, not for stadiums. (Oct 2000)
Paying down debt & cutting taxes within balanced budget. (Sep 2000)
Stimulating upstate economy by more local decision-making. (Sep 2000)
Protecting the next generation by paying off national debt. (Aug 2000)
She says the economy creates consumers but "cannot create citizens." (Jun 1999)
Clinton states that the last six years were challenging; "let's try a new direction." (Oct 2006)
She co-sponsored bills totaling $502B in spending through 2005. (Oct 2006)
Clinton supports the Niagara casino, but prefers job creation strategy. (Sep 2000)
Voted NO on paying down federal debt by rating programs' effectiveness. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on $40B in reduced federal overall spending. (Dec 2005)

* In her address to the 2000 Democratic National Convention on August 14, 2000, she stressed her support for the social programs, Social Security and Medicare, that were established during the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt. "We’ll never accomplish what we need to do for our children if we burden them with a debt they didn’t create. Franklin Roosevelt said that Americans of his generation had a rendezvous with destiny. It’s time to protect the next generation by using our budget surplus to pay down the national debt, save Social Security, modernize Medicare with a prescription drug benefit, and provide targeted tax cuts to the families who need them most." In a 2004 fund-raising speech in San Francisco, she was highly critical of George W. Bush's tax cuts, saying that "Many of you are well enough off that ... the tax cuts may have helped you. We're saying that for America to get back on track, we're probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." Clinton has sponsored legislation designed to reduce the deficit by reinstating some taxes that had been cut. She has co-sponsored legislation related to debt and deficit reduction. Clinton has not signed the tax cut pledge from Americans for Tax Reform, which pledges not to create new taxes or raise existing ones while in office.

Economy - Stimulus Plan - (From the South Carolina Democrat Debate of January 2008)
"I have a package of $110 billion . . . My original plan was $70 billion in spending with a $40 billion contingency that was part of the original plan, in order to have that money available for tax rebates. I hope that we could do it through spending, and here's why: I don't want to necessarily open up the tax code while we've got Republicans in the Senate who are going to try to come back and open up making Bush's tax cuts permanent.
I would have a moratorium on home foreclosures for 90 days. I want to have an interest rate freeze for five years; I think we need to give people about $650, if they qualify."

Shared Prosperity for Ohio Families - Hillary’s Agenda to Fight Special Interests and Restore Fairness to Our Economy (Statement issued from Sen Clinton's campaign - February 19, 2008)
"Hillary’s plan to reign in the special interests will take back at least $55 billion per year from drug companies, oil companies, and firms that ship jobs overseas and invest those resources to improve the lives of Ohio families:

Hillary will end tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas and enact a bipartisan Corporate Subsidy Commission to eliminate corporate giveaways. This will raise at least $15 billion per year. Hillary will invest these resources in creating good high-paying jobs in the U.S., including by revitalizing the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and extending broadband to every corner of Ohio.
Hillary will create a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund by ending tax breaks and subsidies for the oil and gas industry and imposing a windfall profit tax on big oil companies. Hillary will invest these resources in clean energy technologies and creating green collar jobs. Hillary’s plan to weatherize homes and retrofit buildings alone will create at least 20,000 green collar jobs each year here in Ohio.
Hillary will end giveaways to private student loan companies and create a Student Borrowers Bill of Rights to protect against predatory lending practices that are bankrupting students and mortgaging their futures. This will raise about $4 billion per year. Hillary will invest these resources in her College Affordability Agenda, which will provide a new tax credit to 615,000 students in Ohio. In 2006, Sixty-five percent of Ohio students graduated with debt - an average of more than $20,000 each.
Hillary will force the drug companies to provide lower costs to consumers and reign in excessive payments to HMOs. She will end health insurance discrimination, so that no American is denied coverage or charged excessive insurance premiums. This will raise more than $20 billion per year. Hillary will invest these resources in providing quality affordable healthcare to every American, including the 1.1 million uninsured in Ohio
Hillary will crack down on unscrupulous mortgage lenders to ensure that families are not lured into mortgages they can’t afford. This is part of Hillary’s comprehensive plan to end the housing crisis, with a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures and a 5-year rate freeze on subprime mortgages, and a $30 billion fund to states and cities to help at-risk homeowners and address the impact of concentrated foreclosures. This fund will be particularly important for Cleveland, which has the 6th highest foreclosure rate of any metropolitan area and approximately 15,000 foreclosed, and now vacant, homes.
Hillary will enact a Fair Credit for Families Agenda to protect American families from abusive credit card practices like excessive fees and sudden rate hikes. She will impose a 30 percent cap on annual interest rates and work toward a lower cap that is linked to a standard benchmark. Average household credit card debt is nearly $10,000 in Ohio."

On Civil Rights -

Same-Sex Couples – Same-Sex marriage should not be allowed, but same-sex couples should be able to enter into civil unions with the same rights as marriage. Each state should decide whether to allow same-sex marriage. (Dec 2007)
Strongly Favors: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits
Positive about civil unions, with full equality of benefits. (Aug 2007)
Believes states should decide gay marriage; they're ahead of feds. (Aug 2007)
Recognizes GLBT progress since 2000, when she marched in gay pride parade. (Aug 2007)
Clinton says, "We've come a long way on race, but we have a long way to go." (Jun 2007)
Believes gays deserve domestic partnership benefits. (Feb 2000)
Believes "Don't ask don't tell" was an important transition step. (Jun 2007)
In 2004, she defended traditional marriage; In 2006,voted for same-sex. (May 2007)
Believes in a privacy bill of rights. (Jun 2006)
Clinton says, "Gay soldiers need to shoot straight, not be straight." (Nov 2003)
Believes military service based on conduct, not sexual orientation. (Dec 1999)
Believes the tragedy of race must be made right. (Jun 2007)
In 1972, she worked with Edelman on school desegregation in South. (Nov 2003)
Apologizes for slavery, but wants to concentrate on civil rights now. (Oct 2000)
Supports rebuilding trust between police and communities. (Oct 2000)
Strives to end hate crimes and other intolerance. (Sep 2000)
Wants a crack down on sex trafficking of women and girls. (Jan 2000)
Believes human rights are women’s rights. (Jan 2000)
Believes Women’s rights are human rights. (Dec 1999)

Voting Record

Op-ed: Voted no on flag-burning to build centrist credential. (May 2006)
Voted NO on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
Rated 60% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)

LGBT issues *

On December 7, 2003, in an interview with John Roberts of CBS News, Senator Clinton expressed her opposition to same-sex marriage while affirming her support for some form of civil unions for gay couples: "I think that the vast majority of Americans find [gay marriage] to be something they can't agree with. But I think most Americans are fair. And if they believe that people in committed relationships want to share their lives and, not only that, have the same rights that I do in my marriage, to decide who I want to inherit my property or visit me in a hospital, I think that most Americans would think that that's fair and that should be done."
In the same interview with Roberts, Clinton expressed opposition to the Federal Marriage Amendment, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, implicitly banning same-sex marriage. "I think that would be a terrible step backwards. It would be the first time we've ever amended the Constitution to deny rights to people. And I think that should be left to the states. You know, I find it hard to believe in one program [health care] I'm agreeing with Newt Gingrich, now I'm about to agree with Dick Cheney. But I think Vice President Cheney's position on gay marriage is the right one."
Following a 2006 New York State Appeals Court ruling that denied any state constitutional right to same-sex marriage, Clinton reiterated her support for "full equality" under the civil unions mechanism.
In a March 2007 interview with ABC News correspondent Jake Tapper, Clinton said that the U.S. military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy was not working and that openly gay people should be allowed to serve: "We are being deprived of thousands of patriotic men and women who want to serve their country who are bringing skills into the armed services that we desperately need, like translation skills." In the same interview, when asked if homosexuality is "immoral", she declined to respond: "Well I'm going to leave that to others to conclude." However, later that day, Clinton released a statement regarding US General Peter Pace's comment that homosexual acts are "immoral". She stated: "I disagree with what he said and do not share his view, plain and simple." She went further the following day, stating that "what I believe" is that "homosexuality is not immoral." In August 2007, Clinton participated in a forum hosted by the Human Rights Campaign and Logo. When responding to questions regarding same-sex marriage, Clinton said she would move to repeal the third section of the Defense of Marriage Act, which federally defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Prayer in public schools*

Clinton supports students' individual right to pray at public schools, but on his or her own time and not during class. She does not, however, wish to inhibit students from free expression of their religious beliefs in school assignments. Clinton also affirms schools' right to teach religion and moral values, but only for appropriate educational purposes.

Stem cell research*

Clinton supports embryonic stem cell research and voted in favor of the 2005 Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act that passed Congress but was vetoed by President Bush. She also voted for the 2007 bill with the same name that passed in Congress.

Anti-terrorism and domestic surveillance *

Clinton voted for the USA PATRIOT Act in October 2001 when it was first enacted. In December 2005, when a political battle ensued over its renewal, Clinton supported a general filibuster against it, on the grounds that the renewal legislation did not apportion enough money to New York for anti-terrorism efforts. During the renewal debate she also worked to address some of the civil liberties concerns with it. She then voted in favor of a compromise renewed act in March 2006 that passed by an 89 - 10 margin. Regarding the December 2005 NSA warrantless surveillance controversy, Clinton stated that she was "troubled" by President Bush's 2002 actions. In a statement, she said: "The balance between the urgent goal of combating terrorism and the safeguarding of our most fundamental constitutional freedoms is not always an easy one to draw. However, they are not incompatible, and unbridled and unchecked executive power is not the answer." Clinton has not signed the American Freedom Agenda's pledge to end the use of military commissions to prosecute war crimes, restore habeas corpus, end torture of captives, end domestic wiretapping without a warrant, and end presidential signing statements.

Habeas Corpus *

Clinton spoke against and voted "no" on the Military Commissions Act, which changed pre-existing law to explicitly forbid the invocation of the Geneva Conventions when executing the writ of habeas corpus or in other civil actions. As of June 23, 2007, Clinton has not said whether she supports the Senate bill 576, which would repeal portions of the Military Commissions Act. She has signed on as a co-sponsor of the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act in 2007.

Flag burning *

On Corporations

Favors ending bankruptcies to get rid of pension responsibilities. (Aug 2007)
Wants to end corporate welfare; enough with golden parachutes. (Jun 2007)
Favors closing lobbyists' revolving door; ending no-bid contracts. (Jun 2007)
Clinton was a corporate lawyer at Rose Law while Bill was Attorney General. (Jun 2007)
Believes the orporate elite treat working-class America as invisible. (Apr 2007)
Believes companies get rewarded with hard-working people left hanging. (Mar 2007)
Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. (Mar 2005)
Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy. (Jul 2001)
Rated 35% by the US COC, indicating a mixed business voting record. (Dec 2003)

On Crime -

Opposes: Death Penalty
Opposes: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws
Believes mandatory sentences have been too widely used. (Jun 2007)
Wants to tap into churches to avoid more Louima & Diallo cases. (Mar 2000)
Supports “Three Strikes” and more prison. (Aug 1994)
Voted YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program. (Mar 2007)
Favors more funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. (Apr 2001)
Wants to require DNA testing for all federal executions. (Mar 2001)

Crime *

In 2000, during a Senate debate in Manhattan, Clinton voiced her support for drug courts to address drug abuse problems when she stated, "We need more treatment [for drug addicts]. It is unfair to urge people to get rid of their addiction and not have the treatment facilities when people finally make up their minds to get treatment." In 1994, during a National Center For Women and Policing conference, Clinton voiced her support for three-strikes laws when she stated "We need more police, we need more and tougher prison sentences for repeat offenders. The three strikes and you’re out for violent offenders has to be part of the plan."

Death penalty *

Clinton supports the death penalty, and made note of this support for it during her 2000 senate campaign.
Senator Clinton sponsored the Innocence Protection Act, which requires DNA testing before administering federal executions.

On Drugs

Does not favor legalizing marijuana.
Favors diverting non-violent drug offenders away from prison. (Jun 2007)
Believes in addressing drug problem with treatment and special drug courts. (Oct 2000)

On Education -

Opposes: Teacher-led prayer in public schools.
Strongly Opposes: Parents choose schools via vouchers.
Incentive pay for school wide performance. (Aug 2007)
Universal pre-kindergarten; and make family the best school. (Aug 2007)
Total change in No Child Left Behind. (Aug 2007)
Sent Chelsea to public schools in Arkansas, but not DC. (Jul 2007)
It takes a village; American village has failed our children. (Jun 2007)
Establish right to education from pre-school thru college. (Jun 2007)
Transfer tax cuts from rich & corporations to student aid. (Jun 2006)
Teacher testing only for new teachers. (Oct 2000)
Testing only new teachers respects professionalism. (Oct 2000)
Reforms: teacher corps; more federal funding; modernize. (Sep 2000)
Buffalo teacher’s strike inappropriate; hope for negotiation. (Sep 2000)
Opposes merit pay for individual teachers. (Apr 2000)
Supports merit pay for entire schools. (Apr 2000)
Scholarships for teachers who go to urban schools. (Mar 2000)
Increase resources to meet increased standards. (Mar 2000)
Hold kids to high standards, starting at home. (Jul 1999)
Address teacher shortage with salary increases. (Jul 1999)
Teachers need more peer consulting & more recognition. (Jul 1999)
Social promotion cheats our children. (Jul 1999)
More after-school; smaller classes. (Jul 1999)
Read to young kids 20-30 minutes daily. (Jul 1999)
Entire school staff should focus on school safety. (Jul 1999)
Metal detectors at school are not much of an intrusion. (Jun 1999)

Arkansas Ed Reform

AR Reform plan pushed mandatory teacher testing. (Nov 2003)
Arkansas education: improvement against great odds. (Oct 2000)
Pushed teacher testing in Arkansas. (Dec 1999)
AR ed reform: mandate kindergarten, no social promotion. (Dec 1999)

School Choice

More teachers, smaller classes, no vouchers. (Oct 2000)
Vouchers would take money from public schools. (Oct 2000)
Vouchers drain money from public schools. (Sep 2000)
Fight with Gore for public schools; no voucher “gimmicks”. (Mar 2000)
Vouchers will not improve our public schools. (Jul 1999)

Voting Record

Solemn vow never to abandon our public schools. (Jul 1999)
Voted YES on $52M for "21st century community learning centers". (Oct 2005)
Voted YES on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005)
Voted YES on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)
Voted YES on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
Rated 82% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes. (Dec 2003)

* Senator Clinton voted for President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 and still supports it today according to her Senate page on education, while believing that President Bush has not provided enough funding, cutting the program's budget by $12 billion. However, in June 2007, with the Act up for renewal by Congress, she criticized the program, saying that its emphasis on testing has caused American children to narrow their studies and lose their creative edge. Clinton is against education vouchers for use at private schools. On September 13, 2000, she said, " I do not support vouchers. And the reason I don’t is because I don’t think we can afford to siphon dollars away from our underfunded public schools." Outlining a different objection, on February 21, 2006, she said: "First family that comes and says 'I want to send my daughter to St. Peter's Roman Catholic School' and you say 'Great, wonderful school, here's your voucher.' Next parent that comes and says, 'I want to send my child to the school of the Church of the White Supremacist ...' The parent says, 'The way that I read Genesis, Cain was marked, therefore I believe in white supremacy. ... You gave it to a Catholic parent, you gave it to a Jewish parent, under the Constitution, you can't discriminate against me.' So what if the next parent comes and says, 'I want to send my child to the School of the Jihad'? ... I won't stand for it."
Clinton sent her own daughter to public school from kindergarten through eighth grade when they lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, and then to private school in Washington, D.C. while they lived in the White House.

On Energy & Oil

Invest in alternative energy; jobs that won't be outsourced. (Aug 2007)
End Big Oil tax break; $50 billion for strategic energy fund. (Jul 2007)
Agnostic about nuclear power until waste & cost issue solved. (Jul 2007)
Energy Independence 2020: $50B for Strategic Energy Fund. (Jun 2007)
Will make big oil fund alternative energy research. (Feb 2007)
$50B strategic energy fund from taxing oil companies. (Oct 2006)
Remove energy dependence on countries who would harm us. (Jun 2006)
Supports oil reserve release & fund conservation. (Oct 2000)
Ratify Kyoto; more mass tranist. (Sep 2000)
Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on making oil-producing and exporting cartels illegal. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning. (May 2007)
Voted YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR. (Nov 2005)
Voted YES on $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for hurricane-hit areas. (Oct 2005)
Voted YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%). (Jun 2005)
Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Mar 2005)
Voted NO on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill. (Mar 2003)
Voted NO on drilling ANWR on national security grounds. (Apr 2002)
Voted NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months. (Mar 2002)
Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy. (Mar 2004)

* Clinton supports energy conservation, releasing oil reserves, increasing the number of hydrogen-powered vehicles, and ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. She opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Bush administration's energy policy.

On Environment

Global Warming - Believes we should create a cap-and-trade system that limits carbon emissions companies are allowed to produce. Companies that emit below the limits earn credits to be sold to companies that don't meet the limits. (Dec 2007)
Support green-collar job training. (Aug 2007)
Put someone in charge of Katrina recovery who actually cares. (Aug 2007)
Overcome almost criminal indifference to Katrina rebuilding. (Jun 2007)
Stands for clean air and funding the EPA. (Sep 2000)
Reduce air pollution to improve children’s health. (Jun 1998)
Voted YES on including oil & gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. (Sep 2005)
Voted NO on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
Remove PCBs from Hudson River by dredging 200 miles. (Apr 2001)
Rated 89% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004)

* Clinton is currently serving on the Committee on Environment and Public Works in the Senate. Clinton believes the scientific consensus on global warming is increasingly clear, and that global warming is caused by the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In a speech to the AFL-CIO, she stated that she supports a green building fund and green-collar job training.
The United States needs to protect its environmental treasures, Clinton believes. She supports the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and would not allow drilling there. She co-sponsored the Roadless Area Conservation Act.

On Families & Children

Support new parents to promote healthy child development. (Sep 2007)
Struggling families are invisible to Bush administration. (Aug 2007)
Hillary's "village" criticized as Big Government. (May 2007)
Leave no child behind; it still takes a village. (Aug 2000)
Leave politics out of Elian decision. (Apr 2000)
Caution in treating preschoolers with psychiatric drugs. (Mar 2000)
Parents’ dedication improves kids’ lives. (Jan 2000)
Community support is key to valuing families. (Dec 1999)
Boycott violent media and products. (Aug 1999)
Send message: It is the job of children to learn. (Jul 1999)
Society is responsible for alienation that causes violence. (Jun 1999)
Help “sandwiched” parents care for elderly plus kids. (Jan 1999)
More funds for after-school programs. (Nov 1998)
Keep kids busy from 2PM to 8 PM to avoid trouble. (Nov 1998)
Spend more time with kids to prevent violence. (Apr 1998)
Change what kids see in the media. (Jun 1995)
Men should be full participants in child-raising. (May 1994)

Child Law

1974 article: put abused children into state care. (Nov 2003)
Governments can’t love child; but it can help families. (Apr 2000)
Treat kids as “child citizens” not “minors” under the law. (Dec 1999)
No dividing line between government vs. parents & children. (Dec 1999)
Early-warning hotlines for homicidal & suicidal students. (Jul 1999)
Expand Family and Medical Leave Act. (Aug 1998)

Children *

In September 2007, Clinton proposed that every baby receive $5,000 upon reaching their 18th birthday. Clinton said that with this money, "they will be able to access it to go to college or maybe they will be able to make that downpayment on their first home".

On Foreign Policy

Should not telegraph our adversaries about preconditions. (Aug 2007)
Our fiscal responsibility undercuts Chinese power over us. (Aug 2007)
US support & no-fly zone, but UN troops on ground in Darfur. (Jul 2007)
Arabic and Muslim countries take women leaders seriously. (Jul 2007)
Diplomacy yes; propaganda no; when meeting enemy leaders. (Jul 2007)
NATO-enforced no-fly zone to end Darfur genocide. (Jun 2007)
Supported Palestine in 1998, before Bill officially did. (May 2007)
Dems believe in fighting terror with cooperation. (Jun 2006)
Engage in world affairs, including human rights. (Oct 2000)
Human rights are central to our objectives abroad. (Oct 2000)
Keep Cuban embargo; pay UN bills. (Oct 2000)
Smartest strategic choice is peace. (Nov 1999)
Puerto Rico: Stop using live ammo at Vieques. (Oct 1999)
China: criticized authoritarianism with women & children. (Dec 1999)
Voted YES on enlarging NATO to include Eastern Europe. (May 2002)

Arab-Israeli conflict *

Regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict in general, Clinton has stated that she is "an emphatic, unwavering supporter of Israel's safety and security."At a pro-Israel rally in New York in front of the United Nations on July 18, 2006, Clinton spoke in support of Israel's efforts in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict: "We are here to show solidarity and support for Israel. We will stand with Israel, because Israel is standing for American values as well as Israeli ones." On November 13, 2005, Clinton said that she supports the creation of the West Bank barrier, stating: "This is not against the Palestinian people. This is against the terrorists. The Palestinian people have to help to prevent terrorism. They have to change the attitudes about terrorism." She has also requested that Palestinian leaders "change all textbooks in all grades" from the current ones, which are "hate-filled, violent and radical."

Homeland security *

In a speech on December 8, 2004, regarding the passage of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004, Senator Clinton delivered remarks on her approach to homeland security. "[This] legislation calls for dramatic improvements in the security of our nation's transportation infrastructure, including aviation security, air cargo security, and port security. Through this legislation, the security of the Northern Border will also be improved, a goal I have worked toward since 2001. Among many key provisions, the legislation calls for an increase of at least 10,000 border patrol agents from Fiscal Years 2006 through 2010, many of whom will be dedicated specifically to our Northern Border. There will also be an increase of at least 4,000 full-time immigration and customs enforcement officers in the next 5 years." Later in the speech, Clinton described her satisfaction with the way in which IRTPA tackles what she views as the root causes of terrorism by improving education around the world and establishing schools in Muslim countries that will replace the current madrassas. "I am also pleased that the legislation addresses the root causes of terrorism in a proactive manner. This is an issue that I have spent a good deal of time on in the past year because I believe so strongly that we are all more secure when children and adults around the world are taught math and science instead of hate. The bill we are voting on today includes authorization for an International Youth Opportunity Fund, which will provide resources to build schools in Muslim countries. The legislation also acknowledges that the U.S. has a vested interest in committing to a long-term, sustainable investment in education around the globe. Some of this language is modeled on legislation that I introduced in September, The Education for All Act of 2004, and I believe it takes us a small step towards eliminating madrassas and replacing them with schools that provide a real education to all children. Clinton has sponsored and co-sponsored several bills relating to protecting Americans from acts of terrorism, as well as providing assistance to the victims of such acts."

Humanitarian intervention abroad *

In a February 2005 speech at the annual Munich Conference on Security Policy, Clinton expressed regret that the international community had failed to effectively intervene in the 1990s during the Rwandan Genocide and early in Bosnian War, and praised the United Nations and NATO interventions that did occur, later in the Bosnian War (leading to the Dayton Agreement), in the Kosovo War, and in East Timor. Regarding the ongoing large-scale killing in Darfur, Sudan, she then advocated "at least a limited NATO role in logistics, communication and transportation in Darfur in support of the African Union."

Immigration *

On March 8, 2006, she strongly criticized H.R. 4437, a bill passed by the House of Representatives in December 2005 and sent to the Senate, that would impose harsher penalties for undocumented workers. Clinton called the measure "a rebuke to what America stands for" and said it would be "an unworkable scheme to try to deport 11 million people, which you have to have a police state to try to do." She believed the solution to the illegal immigration problem was to make "a path to earned citizenship for those who are here, working hard, paying taxes, respecting the law, and willing to meet a high bar for becoming a citizen." On March 27, Clinton again vowed to block the bill. Speaking to a New York group of open-border advocates, she said: "[The bill] is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself." On April 5, speaking to the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Clinton said her work for her New York constituents could fall afoul of the bill since some of her constituents are undocumented immigrants. "I realize I would be a criminal, too. My staff would be criminal. We help people with all kinds of problems." In September 2006, Clinton voted for the Secure Fence Act, authorizing the construction of 700 miles of fencing along the United States–Mexico border. In May and June 2007, Clinton cast preliminary votes (in terms of amendments and cloture) in support of the high-profile, compromise-based but very controversial, comprehensive immigration reform bill known as the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007.

Iran *

Clinton supports UN sanctions on Iran, and has said that Iran should not be allowed possession of a nuclear weapon. She has said that all options remain on the table, including military action, when dealing with the country. She has said in a speech at Princeton that a nuclear Iran would be a threat to Israel.
In the Princeton speech, Clinton said the US "cannot take any option off the table in sending a clear message to the current leadership of Iran – that they will not be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons." On September 26, 2007, Clinton voted for a symbolic non-binding amendment to label the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution as a "foreign terrorist organization," and to use diplomatic economic, intelligence economic, and U.S. military "instruments" to enforce U.S. policy against the Iran and "its proxies" within Iraq.

Iraq War *

On October 11, 2002, Clinton voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, commonly known as the Iraq War Resolution, to give President Bush authority for the Iraq War. By February 2007, Clinton made a point of refusing to admit that her October 2002 Iraq War Resolution vote was a mistake, or to apologize for it, as anti-war Democrats demanded. "If the most important thing to any of you is choosing someone who did not cast that vote or has said his vote was a mistake, then there are others to choose from," Clinton told an audience in Dover, New Hampshire. In the second Democratic debate of the 2008 presidential race, Clinton said that she voted for the resolution under the impression that Bush would allow more time for UN inspectors to find proof of weapons of mass destruction before proceeding. However, reporter Carl Bernstein and others have questioned why Clinton would have voted against the Levin Amendment, which would have required President Bush to allow more time to UN weapons inspectors and also would have required a separate Congressional authorization to allow a unilateral invasion of Iraq, if her vote was simply a vote for strong diplomacy. During an April 20, 2004 interview on Larry King Live, Clinton was asked about her October 2002 vote in favor of the Iraq war resolution. Obviously, I've thought about that a lot in the months since. No, I don't regret giving the president authority because at the time it was in the context of weapons of mass destruction, grave threats to the United States, and clearly, Saddam Hussein had been a real problem for the international community for more than a decade.... The consensus was the same, from the Clinton administration to the Bush administration. It was the same intelligence belief that our allies and friends around the world shared. But, she said, the Bush Administration "really believed it. They really thought they were right, but they didn't let enough sunlight into their thinking process to really have the kind of debate that needs to take place when a serious decision occurs like that." In a November 29, 2005 letter to her constituents, Senator Clinton said, "There are no quick and easy solutions to the long and drawn out conflict [the Bush] Administration triggered ... I do not believe that we should allow this to be an open-ended commitment without limits or end. Nor do I believe that we can or should pull out of Iraq immediately." On June 8, 2006, Clinton said of the US airstrike that killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi: "I saw firsthand the terrible consequences of Zarqawi's terrorist network when Bill, Chelsea and I visited the hotel ballroom in Amman, Jordan last November where Zarqawi's followers had detonated a bomb at a wedding, killing and wounding innocent people. We owe our thanks to our men and women in uniform and others in Iraq who have been fighting Zarqawi and other insurgents and who are responsible for today's success." On June 15, 2006, Clinton charged that President Bush "rushed to war" and "refused to let the UN inspectors conduct and complete their mission ... We need to be building alliances instead of isolation around the world ... There must be a plan that will begin to bring our troops home." But she also said, "I do not think it is a smart strategy either for the president to continue with his open-ended commitment which I think does not put enough pressure on the Iraqi government, nor do I think it is a smart policy to set a date certain." On February 5, 2007, Clinton said: "Believe me, I understand the frustration and the outrage ... You have to have 60 votes to cap troops, to limit funding to do anything. If we in Congress don't end this war before January 2009, as president, I will." On February 17, 2007, Hillary Clinton announced the Iraq Troop Protection and Reduction Act of 2007. This act would compel President Bush to begin relegating troops from Iraq within 90 days of remote passage, or, according to Clinton, Congress would have to dismantle their authorization for the war. The Act would also end the blank check to the Iraqi government and submit them to harsh consequences if boundaries are violated. Lastly, the Act would require the Secretary of Defense to verify the condition, in terms of supplies and in terms of their training, of all Iraqi troops before they are sent. In May 2007, Clinton was one of only 14 senators to vote against a compromise war funding bill that removed previously vetoed withdrawal deadlines but tied funding to progress benchmarks for the Iraqi government. She said, "I fully support our troops [but this measure] fails to compel the president to give our troops a new strategy in Iraq." While calling for "ending the war" in Iraq, Clinton also advocates keeping U.S. troops in Iraq for the foreseeable future because "we cannot lose sight of our very real strategic national interests in this region." She favors deploying U.S. forces to protect the Kurdish region in the north, to engage in targeted operations against al-Qaeda, and to train and equip Iraqi forces. In supporting significant U.S. troop levels in Iraq for the indefinite future, Clinton's position is quite close to that of the Iraq Study Group convened by President Bush.
On August 22, 2007, Clinton, following the lead of Senate Armed Services Committee chair Carl Levin, called on the Iraqi Parliament to replace Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister of Iraq with "a less divisive and more unifying figure," saying that Maliki had failed to make progress in bridging differences between the hostile factions within Iraq: "Iraqi leaders have not met their own political benchmarks to share power, modify the de-Baathification laws, pass an oil law, schedule provincial elections, and amend their constitution." (Four days later, Maliki responded angrily to the suggestion, saying, "There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin. This is severe interference in our domestic affairs. Carl Levin and Hillary Clinton are from the Democratic Party and they must demonstrate democracy. I ask them to come to their senses and to talk in a respectful way about Iraq.")

The United Nations *

On February 13, 2005, at the Munich Conference on Security Policy, Senator Clinton outlined her support for a strong United Nations:
My first observation is simple but it must govern all that we do: The United Nations is an indispensable organization to all of us — despite its flaws and inefficiencies. This means quite simply, that everyone here today, and governments everywhere, must decide that our global interests are best served by strengthening the UN, by reforming it, by cleaning up its obvious bureaucratic and managerial shortcomings, and by improving its responsiveness to crises, from humanitarian to political. At its founding in San Francisco sixty years ago, fifty members signed the Charter. Today, the UN has 191 members, and, quite frankly, many of them sometimes act against the interests of a stronger UN, whether consciously or not, with alarming regularity. Since the UN is not, in the final analysis, an independent hierarchical organization, like for example a sports team or a corporation, but no more — or less — than a collection of its members, the UN becomes progressively weakened by such action. Ironically, 'the UN' — an abstraction that everyone from journalists to those of us in this room use in common discussions — is often blamed for the actions (or inactions) of its members. Clinton has co-sponsored a Senate resolution "expressing the sense of the Senate on the importance of membership of the United States on the United Nations Human Rights Commission."

On Free Trade -

Opposes: Support & expand free trade
Export from big agribusiness, but also from small farmers. (Aug 2007)
Smart, pro-American trade: NAFTA has hurt workers. (Aug 2007)
No fast-track authority for this president. (Aug 2007)
Better approach: real trade adjustment assistance. (Aug 2007)
End tax breaks for outsourcing jobs. (Jun 2007)
Globalization should not substitute for humanization. (Jun 1999)
Supports MFN for China, despite concerns over human rights. (Oct 2000)

Voting Record

Voted against CAFTA despite Bill Clinton's pushing NAFTA. (Oct 2005)
Voted YES on free trade agreement with Oman. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade. (Jul 2005)
Voted YES on establishing free trade between US & Singapore. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on establishing free trade between the US and Chile. (Jul 2003)
Voted NO on extending free trade to Andean nations. (May 2002)
Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam. (Oct 2001)
Voted YES on removing common goods from national security export rules. (Sep 2001)
Rated 17% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record. (Dec 2002)

* Clinton, together with fellow New York Senator Charles Schumer, welcomed a decision by the United States Commerce Department that called for a 108.3% duty on imports from Chinese candlemakers, as the imports sought to circumvent an Anti-dumping Duty Order. Clinton stated that: "This is a real victory for the Syracuse candle-making industry. Our manufacturers deserve a level playing field and we owe it to them to make sure that others do not unfairly circumvent our fair trade practices. Syracuse has a proud history of candle production but attempts by importers to undercut our producers have put that tradition at risk. I am pleased that the Department of Commerce heeded our call to take action against these unfair practices and recognized the importance of this decision to local producers, especially here in Syracuse. We will continue to make the case on behalf of Syracuse candle-makers as the Commerce Department considers its final determination." Free trade proponents at the Cato Institute made a connection to Frédéric Bastiat's Candlemakers' petition, a satire of protectionism.

February 19, 2008 from "Hillary for President"
Hillary Clinton’s Trade Agenda - Making Trade Work for Working Families

With the middle class squeezed and the economy slipping into recession, American families need a President who will fight for their economic interests from day one. Americans need a President who will fight for fair, pro-American trade policies that will not trap them in a race to the bottom. Low wages in other countries are costing America jobs and putting pressure on wages here at home. With approximately one quarter of our gross domestic product linked to international trade, we need trade policies that better manage globalization. As President, Hillary will make trade work for working families.

Fixing NAFTA. NAFTA was negotiated more than 14 years ago under President Bill Clinton, and Hillary believes it has not lived up to its promises. Hillary claims to have a detailed plan to fix NAFTA - one that addresses its shortcomings and brings the agreement up to date.
As President, her plan to work with our trade partners:

Dramatically strengthen NAFTA’s labor and environmental provisions. Strengthening these provisions will elevate labor and environmental standards around the world, protecting our workers from a race to the bottom. It will also make it harder for companies to move jobs to countries where workers have fewer protections than in America. NAFTA’s labor and environmental provisions are now in a side agreement rather than in the core text. Hillary proposes to bring NAFTA’s labor and environmental protections up to date. She will make the standards far tougher and absolutely binding, and she will place them in the core agreement so that we are working to raise living standards around the world.
Change NAFTA’s investment provisions that grant special rights to foreign companies. Under NAFTA, foreign companies can challenge American laws before special tribunals and outside of our court system. The laws that foreign companies can challenge include regulations intended to protect workers and protect the environment. Hillary believes that trade agreements must elevate standards of living around the world, not empower corporations to hold them down.
Strengthen NAFTA’s enforcement mechanisms. Stronger enforcement mechanisms will ensure strict compliance with the agreement and it will help remove trade barriers our companies may still encounter. Hillary will apply the stronger enforcement mechanisms not only to NAFTA’s commercial provisions, but to its labor and environmental provisions as well.
Review NAFTA regularly. Regular reviews will enable us to measure whether our workers and communities are reaping benefits, will ensure that labor and environmental standards are improving, and will allow us to assess whether the agreement requires additional changes going forward.

Strong Labor and Environmental Provisions in All Trade Agreements.

A Trade "Timeout."

Regular Review of Trade Agreements.

A New Trade "Prosecutor."

Cracking Down on China’s Currency Manipulation.

Strengthening Support for Workers Adversely Affected by Trade.

Opposing Trade Agreements That Harm American Workers.

On Government Reform

Move to public election financing, not banning lobbyists. (Aug 2007)
End no-bid contracts, end revolving door in government. (Aug 2007)
Create a public service academy, like military academy. (Jun 2007)
Count Every Vote Act: end voting discrimination by race. (Jun 2007)
Cut gov't contractors and end privatization of government. (Feb 2007)
Verified paper ballot for every electronic voting machines. (Nov 2006)
$5M in New York state "pork barrel" bills thru 2004. (Oct 2006)
Called for ban on all soft money in 2000 campaign. (Nov 2003)
Lazio received $1M donation from housing industry. (Oct 2000)
Can we trust as a senator someone who broke an agreement? (Oct 2000)
Whitewater investigation ends; Hillary questions $52M spent. (Sep 2000)
Agrees to soft-money ban if it includes independent ads. (Sep 2000)
Soft money ban & independent ad ban for Senate campaign. (Feb 2000)
New Democrat: Government is not the solution to all problems. (Feb 2000)
Government should help people, not support bureaucracy. (Feb 1997)
Voted NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006)
Voted NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity. (Mar 2006)
Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads. (Mar 2002)
Voted NO on require photo ID (not just signature) for voter registration. (Feb 2002)
Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations. (Apr 2001)

* Regarding campaign finance reform, in 2002 Clinton voted in favor of the McCain-Feingold Act that imposed restrictions on soft money and political campaign advertising.
In 2007 Clinton spoke in favor of public financing of some campaigns: "I believe we have to move, eventually in our country, toward a system of public financing that really works for candidates running for federal office. I will support that as president." Ironically, she said this at the same time that her own prodigious fundraising allowed her to opt out of the public financing scheme for presidential elections, the first campaign in 30 years to completely do so. Clinton later reiterated her support for public financing of elections in the wake of the Norman Hsu affair.

On Gun Control -

Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership
Background check system could prevent Virginia Tech massacre. (Apr 2007)
FactCheck: VA Tech shooter not declared a danger to others. (Apr 2007)
Congress' failure at Littleton response inspired Senate run. (Nov 2003)
Keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them. (Sep 2000)
Limit access to weapons; look for early warning signs. (Sep 2000)
License and register all handgun sales. (Jun 2000)
Tough gun control keeps guns out of wrong hands. (Jul 1999)
Gun control protects our children. (Jul 1999)
Don’t water down sensible gun control legislation. (Jul 1999)
Lock up guns; store ammo separately. (Jun 1999)
Ban kids’ unsupervised access to guns. (Jun 1999)
Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)

* In 1992 Hillary Clinton supported a federal ban on semi-automatic firearms before the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act was passed in 1993 and signed by President Clinton.
During a 1999 press conference at the White House, First Lady Hillary Clinton stated, "And since the crime bill was enacted, 19 of the deadliest assault weapons are harder to find on our streets. We will never know how many tragedies we've avoided because of these efforts."
In the 1999 Proposition B in Missouri campaign, Robin Carnahan's Safe Schools and Workplaces Committee, on the weekend prior to voting day, coordinated a taped phone message from Hillary Clinton that automatically dialed 75,000 homes statewide with the message, "Just too dangerous for Missouri families."
Hillary Clinton favors "sensible gun control legislation" and not limiting gun control lawsuits. She made gun control issues part of her 2000 Senate campaign.
Hillary Clinton was one of 16 Senators who voted against the 2006 Vitter Amendment, which prohibits the funding of the confiscation of lawfully-held firearms during a disaster.

On Health Care -

On Reducing Health Care – Provide incentives for healthy living and reduce chronic care costs. (Dec 2007)
Favors: More federal funding for health coverage
Outcry if AIDS were leading disease of young whites. (Jun 2007)
FactCheck: Yes, AIDS is leading disease of young black women. (Jun 2007)
Lower costs and improve quality and cover everybody. (Jun 2007)
Electronic medical records save $120 billion in health care. (Jun 2007)
Insurers must fund prevention without preexisting conditions. (Mar 2007)
Require electronic medical record for all federal healthcare. (Mar 2007)
Universal health care coverage by the end of my second term. (Feb 2007)
I have the expertise to achieve universal healthcare for all. (Feb 2007)
Increase America's commitment against Global AIDS. (Nov 2006)
We need a uniquely American solution to health care. (Oct 2006)
Supply more medical needs of families, & insure all children. (Jun 2006)
Fought for pediatric rule: new drugs tested for child safety. (Oct 2005)
Health goal is affordable coverage for all. (Oct 2000)
Fund teaching hospitals federally because market fails. (Sep 2000)
Regulate tobacco; fine of $3000 for every underage smoker. (Apr 2000)
Be prepared with defenses against infectious disease. (Oct 1999)
Medicare should be strengthened today. (Sep 1999)
Work toward affordable universal health care. (Jun 1998)
Smaller steps to progress on health care. (Jan 2000)

1990s Hillarycare

1990s plan failed after big pharma & insurance worked on it. (Apr 2007)
1990s healthcare reforms laid groundwork for today's reforms. (Mar 2007)
Still scarred from 1990s reform, but now doing it better. (Feb 2007)
1990s reform called "secretive" but had 600 in working group. (Nov 2003)
Learned lessons on health care; but hasn’t given up goal. (Aug 2000)

Voting Record

Health care initiatives are her first priority in Senate. (Feb 2001)
Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Apr 2007)
Voted NO on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000. (May 2006)
Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006)
Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics. (Nov 2005)
Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug. (Mar 2005)
Voted NO on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada. (Jul 2002)
Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)
Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001)
Invest funds to alleviate the nursing shortage. (Apr 2001)
Let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations. (May 2003)
Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record. (Dec 2003)
End government propaganda on Medicare bill. (Mar 2004)

Health Care - (From the South Carolina Democrat Debate of January 2008)
"My health care program will cover everyone. I don't leave anybody out. It is a universal system. It will build on the congressional plan that provides health care for members of Congress, their staffs, government employees, and therefore it is not a new system.
It is not government-run. It has the advantage of being proven, so that we can withstand what will be obviously the attacks coming from the Republicans, and the right, and the drug companies, and the health insurance companies. It also will give comprehensive health care to everyone. It's especially important we do that with chronic diseases. And . . . HIV/AIDS has become a chronic disease.
But we need a universal health care system where we manage chronic diseases, where we get prices down because we can bargain with the drug companies, where we say to the health insurance companies that they must cover everyone; they have to do it at an affordable rate. And for people who might have some financial challenges, I am proposing health care tax credits that will make health care for everyone affordable."

* Clinton supports incremental reforms that would provide federally-accessed universal health care by subsidizing insurance premiums for those unable to pay, but not single-payer health care. In a speech to Harvard Medical School on June 4, 1998, Clinton outlined general support for federal universal affordable health care for Americans. "There are 41 million people without health insurance. Who will take care of these people in the future? How will we pay for their care? How will we pay for the extra costs that come when someone is not treated for a chronic disease or turned away from the emergency room? The job of health care reform cannot be done when access to care depends on skin color or the neighborhood they live in or the amount of money in their wallet. Let’s continue to work toward universal affordable, quality health care." Clinton later said that health care coverage improvements need to be made incrementally over time, in contrast to the more ambitious, wide-ranging plan that failed in 1993 to 1994. Clinton has collaborated with former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich on joint proposals for federal incremental health care improvements that would involve both private insurers and government.
But Clinton has always said that a Canadian-style single-payer plan was politically unrealistic, from the 1993 Clinton health care plan to the present.
Clinton supports proposals currently in Congress to expand SCHIP to include taxpayer-funded coverage to the children of middle class families, some making over $100,000, cover three out of four US children, and quadruple SCHIP spending with an allocation of $75 billion over five years.
In September 2007, as part of her presidential campaign, Clinton revealed her new American Health Choices Plan, an "individual mandate" universal health care plan that would require health care coverage for all individuals. Clinton explained individuals can keep their current employer-based coverage, or choose an expanded version of Medicare or federal employee health plans. The projected cost of the plan is $110 billion annually and will require all employers to cover their employees' health insurance or contribute to the costs of their employees' health insurance coverage; tax credits will be provided to companies with fewer than 25 employees to help cover costs.

On Homeland Security -

Strongly Favors: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties
Wants to repeal don't-ask-don't-tell, but not until 2009. (Aug 2007)
Should have criticized JCC for calling homosexuality immoral. (Aug 2007)
Opposed to draft, but register women for draft. (Jul 2007)
Forgive student loans for universal national service. (Jul 2007)
Administration secrecy shreds the Constitution. (Jun 2007)
9/11: Got $20B to rebuild lower Manhattan. (Jun 2007)
Big disconnect between rhetoric and reality on security. (Apr 2007)
Fund first responders with extra $1.7 billion. (Mar 2007)
Change our Secretary of Defense: he's not credible. (Oct 2006)
Consistently supported tough anti-terrorism measures. (Oct 2005)
I despise terrorism and the nihilism it represents. (Nov 2003)
Supports funding research on missile defense. (Oct 2000)
Nixon should have been impeached for bombing Cambodia. (Dec 1999)
A safe world needs the nuclear test ban treaty. (Sep 1999)
Voted YES on implementing the 9/11 Commission report. (Mar 2007)
Voted YES on preserving habeus corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)
Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)
Voted YES on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (Jul 2005)
Voted YES on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders. (Mar 2005)
Federalize aviation security. (Nov 2001)
Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record. (Dec 2003)

On Immigration

On dealing with illegal immigration - Believes the federal government should beef up overall border security. (Dec 2007)
Strongly Favors: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship
Opposes illegal immigration, but doesn't vote to follow up. (Jun 2007)
Making English official imperils crises needing translators. (Jun 2007)
Comprehensive reform to get 12 million out of shadows. (Apr 2007)
Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)
Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program. (May 2007)
Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)
Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)
Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)

Immigration issues *

Sen. Clinton supported the interests of the American Immigration Lawyers Association 88 percent in 2006. She supported the interests of the U.S. Border Control 8 percent in 2005-2006. She supported the interests of the Federation for American Immigration Reform 0 percent in 2005.
Sen. Clinton supports amnesty/permanent legalization for illegal aliens and temporary legalization for illegal aiens as guestworkers.

On Jobs

No salary increase for Congress until minimum wage increased. (Jul 2007)
Would accept minimum wage as president. (Jul 2007)
Stand up for unions; organize for fair wages. (Jun 2007)
Get tough with China and bring jobs back home. (Feb 2007)
Minimum wage should be tied to congressional salaries. (Jun 2006)
The working poor deserve a living wage. (Oct 1999)
America can afford to raise the minimum wage. (Sep 1999)
Voted YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Feb 2007)
Voted YES on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25. (Mar 2005)
Voted NO on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress. (Mar 2001)
Protect overtime pay protections. (Jun 2003)
Rated 85% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record. (Dec 2003)

On Principles & Values

Rove is obsessed with me because I take them on & beat them. (Aug 2007)
Owes opportunity for presidency to generations of women. (Aug 2007)
Bring your brooms & vacuum cleaners; we got to clean up DC. (Aug 2007)
If you want a winner to take on right wing, I'm your girl. (Aug 2007)
After 35 years of experience, ready to lead on day one. (Jul 2007)
I consider myself a modern American progressive. (Jul 2007)
Maybe, finally, break that hardest of all glass ceilings. (Jul 2007)
New progressive vision for the 21st century. (Jun 2007)
Secret "20-Year Project" with Bill to revolutionize Dems. (Jun 2007)
1986: Attacked for accepting state fee with Bill as governor. (Jun 2007)
1998: "Conspiracy" infuriated Starr; resonated with public. (Jun 2007)
A mind conservative and a heart liberal. (Jun 2007)
Critics call it "extreme makeover" but admit its success. (May 2007)
Reaches out to conservatives but voting record is liberal. (May 2007)
Prefers role as knowledgeable expert to role of visionary. (May 2007)
At her core, Hillary is an idealistic activist. (May 2007)
Replay of "2 for price of 1" has big pluses & big minuses. (May 2007)
Biggest mistakes: mishandling healthcare; believing in WMDs. (Apr 2007)
HILLPAC donated to 30 Senate & Governor candidates. (Nov 2006)
HILLPAC focus: electing Congressional Democratic majority. (Nov 2006)
Running for re-election with no promise to serve a full term. (Oct 2006)
Fined $35,000 for under-reporting expenses in 2000. (Oct 2006)
Opposed numerous Bush cabinet & court appointees. (Oct 2006)
Poll: support among women 13% higher than among men. (May 2006)
Early frontrunner based on name recognition and money. (Apr 2006)
House of Representatives has been run like a plantation. (Jan 2006)
Campaigning on strong coalition of women & minorities. (Oct 2005)
Supported teacher tests & China women despite unpopularity. (Oct 2000)
Get New York a fair share of budget surplus & Medicaid. (Oct 2000)
New Yorkers are diverse, big dreamers. (Oct 2000)
Support minimum wage & more teachers, in Senate or out. (May 2000)
New Democrat: individual responsibility and community. (Apr 2000)
New to the neighborhood, but not new to NY issues. (Feb 2000)
End divisional politics. (Feb 2000)
“Vast right wing conspiracy”. (Dec 1999)
Decried 1980s materialism & excesses of corporate America. (Dec 1999)

Bill Clinton

Judge me on my merits, not as Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton. (Jul 2007)
Tolerating Bill's foibles echoes mom's Methodist forgiveness. (Jun 2007)
Proud of Bill Clinton's record as president. (Feb 2007)
Case for Bill's impeachment was unjustified constitutionally. (Nov 2003)
Monica investigation abused process to undermine presidency. (Nov 2003)
Hillaryland meant active & influential First Lady staff. (Nov 2003)

Election 2000

No problems with presidential transition; resolved by Xmas. (Nov 2000)
Rejected Independence Party; they include Pat Buchanan. (Oct 2000)
Lazio’s a nice young man, but it’s about policy differences. (Oct 2000)
Experience and choices as a woman will make me good senator. (Oct 2000)
Hillary: Lazio has chutzpah to call himself “mainstream”. (Sep 2000)
National experience & ability to get along will serve NY. (Feb 2000)

Personal Background

I believe in prayer; I'm dependent on my faith. (Aug 2007)
As Goldwater Girl in 1960s, canvassed Chicago slums. (Jun 2007)
Childhood of parsimonious parents; favored equal opportunity. (Jun 2007)
Father a rock-ribbed Republican but ran for office as Dem. (Jun 2007)
Has a Jewish step-grandfather. (Jun 2007)
Staff attorney on Watergate/Nixon impeachment investigation. (Jun 2007)
Taught at AR Law School using "all business" style. (Jun 2007)
Family myth: named after Everest's Sir Edmund Hillary. (May 2007)
My mom could not live my life; father could not imagine it. (Nov 2003)
Mother, Dorothy, offended by mistreatment of any human being. (Nov 2003)
Father, Hugh, focused on self-reliance & personal initiative. (Nov 2003)
AuH2O: Supported Goldwater on basis of individual rights. (Nov 2003)
1976: Organized Indiana for Carter-Mondale campaign. (Nov 2003)
1980: Bill practiced Lamaze, but Chelsea delivered Caesarian. (Nov 2003)

Voting Record

Hillary's paradox: she's not as liberal as people think. (May 2006)
Voted NO on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice. (Jan 2006)
Voted NO on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (Sep 2005)

On Social Security -

Strongly Opposes: Privatize Social Security
Make sure nobody ever tries to privatize Social Security. (Aug 2007)
Soc.Sec. one of greatest inventions in American democracy. (Oct 2006)
Social Security protects families, not just retirees. (Feb 1999)
All should join the debate now to preserve future solvency. (Feb 1999)
Voted NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security. (Mar 2007)
Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)

On Tax Reform -

Improving the Income Tax – Wants to allow President Bush’s tax cuts to expire for the wealthy and provide more tax breaks or credits for the middle class. (Dec 2007)
Favors: Repeal tax cuts on wealthy
Why cut off payroll contribution at $95,000? (Jun 2007)
Cut alternative minimum tax, not billionaire tax cuts. (Mar 2007)
End Bush tax cuts;take things away from rich for common good. (Oct 2006)
NY share of federal taxes is too high. (Feb 2000)
Just Say No to GOP tax plan. (Sep 1999)
GOP tax plan would hurt New York’s students. (Aug 1999)
Voted NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts. (Aug 2006)
Voted NO on permanently repealing the `death tax`. (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut. (Feb 2006)
Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Feb 2006)
Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends. (Nov 2005)
Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years. (May 2003)
Voted YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates. (May 2001)
Voted YES on increasing tax deductions for college tuition. (May 2001)
Rated 21% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)

On Technology

Infrastructure investment creates jobs AND improves security. (Aug 2007)
Fight for interoperable communications for first responders. (Mar 2007)
Balance Internet freedom of speech against defamation. (Oct 2006)
Against charging for e-mail. (Oct 2000)
Details of “Bill 602P” hoax. (Oct 2000)
Increase spending for libraries. (Mar 2000)
Equal opportunity will bridge the digital divide. (Jan 2000)
We can do more for New York’s biotechnology industry. (Nov 1999)
Train teachers to use technology in classrooms. (Jul 1999)
Voted NO on restoring $550M in funding for Amtrak for 2007. (Mar 2006)
Voted YES on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates. (Sep 2003)
Fund nanotechnology research & development. (Dec 2003)

Internet Neutrality *

Senator Clinton on May 18, 2006 released a statement outlining her intentions to be an original cosponsor of the Internet Freedom Preservation Act, also known as the Dorgan and Snowe bill, as an amendment to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, that protects network neutrality in the United States. The bill aims to protect internet consumers and small businesses from Internet service providers charging large companies different amounts for Internet access than smaller customers. She says that the Internet must continue to use an "open and non-discriminatory framework" so that it may be used as a forum where "views are discussed and debated in an open forum without fear of censorship or reprisal".
"I support net neutrality... [The Internet] does not decide who can enter its marketplace and it does not pick which views can be heard and which ones silenced. It is the embodiment of the fundamental democratic principles upon which our nation has thrived for hundreds of years."
Clinton reiterated her support for net neutrality on January 9, 2007, when the Internet Freedom Preservation Act was reintroduced: "As evidenced by the diverse coalition of the consumer, business and citizen groups that span the political and ideological spectrum, and who all strongly support the concept of network neutrality, it is critical that Congress take steps to preserve the principles enshrined therein."

Video game censorship *

On March 29, 2005, Clinton called the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas a "major threat" to morality. She said, "Children are playing a game that encourages them to have sex with prostitutes and then murder them. This is a silent epidemic of media desensitization that teaches kids it’s OK to diss people because they are a woman, they’re a different color or they’re from a different place." Clinton's main concern was over the sexual content in the Hot Coffee mod portion of the game. She warned that if the game's manufacturer didn't change the game's ESRB rating from M (Mature 17+) to AO (Adults Only 18+), she would introduce federal legislation to regulate the sexual content of video games. On December 16, 2005, Clinton introduced the Family Entertainment Protection Act, S.2126, a bill that would prohibit the sale of sexual or violent video games to anybody under the age of 18.

On War & Peace -

The US government should continue to fund the Iraq war but the United States should require Iraqi’s to meet political, economic and military benchmarks. (Dec 2007)
Believes we need to set a date for withdrawing most US combat troops. (Dec 2007)
Believes the United States never should have gone into Iraq because there were no weapons of mass destructions (WMD). (Dec 2007)
Strongly Favors: US out of Iraq. (Aug 2007)
Rule out nukes against Iran. (Aug 2007)
Push Pentagon to start planning for Iraq withdrawal. (Aug 2007)
After 9/11:Those helping terrorists would feel "wrath" of US. (Jun 2007)
At Wellesley in '68, steered anti-war movement within system. (Jun 2007)
I have seen firsthand terrorists' terrible damage. (Jun 2007)
Iran having a nuclear weapon is absolutely unacceptable. (Jun 2007)
Cut off US aid if Palestine declares a state unilaterally. (Oct 2000)
Focuses on increasing relationship between US and Israel. (Oct 2000)
Support Israel in finding a safe and secure peace. (May 2000)
Extend peace treaties to Palestinians, Syrians & Lebanese. (Nov 1999)
Strategizing about Pakistan destabilizes a nuclear power. (Aug 2007)

Iraq - (From the South Carolina Democrat Debate of January 2008)
"I'm looking to bring our troops home, starting within 60 days of my becoming president . . . I have the greatest admiration for the American military. I serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee. I've been to Iraq three times. I've met with the leaders of the various factions. But there is no military solution, and our young men and women should not remain as the referees of their conflict. I believe what you're seeing happen is twofold. Of course the surge, the so-called surge, was able to pacify certain parts of Iraq. If we put enough of our men and women and equipment in, we're going to be able to have some tactical military success.
But the whole purpose of the surge was to force the Iraqi government to move quickly towards the kind of resolution that only it can bring about."

Iraq War

Redeploy responsibly, with regional diplomatic effort. (Aug 2007)
Pentagon calls her unpatriotic for asking about exit plan. (Jul 2007)
FactCheck: Correct that DoD has no plan to remove all troops. (Jul 2007)
Deauthorize Iraq war, and don't grant new war authority. (Jun 2007)
Bush misused authorization for war. (Jun 2007)
The Iraq war is Bush's war. (Jun 2007)
Iraq war wouldn't have happened had the inspectors been sent. (Jun 2007)
It was a mistake to trust Bush on his judgment to wage war. (Jun 2007)
This war is up to Iraqi people to win or lose, not the US. (Apr 2007)
Begin re-deployment out of Iraq in 90 days. (Apr 2007)
America elected this Congress to bring our troops home. (Apr 2007)
No permanent bases, but continuing residual force in Iraq. (Apr 2007)
Online petition to pressure Bush & GOP for redeployment. (Apr 2007)
If Bush doesn't end Iraq war, when I'm president, I will. (Mar 2007)
Require Bush to redeploy or seek additional authority. (Feb 2007)
Takes responsibility for Iraq war vote, but not a mistake. (Feb 2007)
Cap troops in Iraq and no more blank check for war. (Feb 2007)
Cut off funds for Iraqi use, but not for troops. (Jan 2007)
Phased redeployment out of Iraq, beginning immediately. (Oct 2006)
Agrees with Newt Gingrich that Iraq policy is a mess. (Dec 2003)

Voting Record

Voted for Iraq war based on available info; now would not. (Apr 2007)
Critic of Iraq war, but won't recant 2002 vote in its favor. (Nov 2006)
Regrets Bush's handling of war, but not her war vote. (Oct 2006)
Voted YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Nov 2005)
Voted YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding. (Apr 2005)
Voted YES on $86 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)
Condemns anti-Muslim bigotry in name of anti-terrorism. (Oct 2001)

On Welfare & Poverty

Wellesley thesis: Saul Alinsky & people over bureaucrats. (Jun 2007)
Hedge funds incentivize risk, but need regulation. (Apr 2007)
Lazio weakened housing standards and limited public housing. (Oct 2000)
Lazio fought against FHA on low-interest housing loans. (Oct 2000)
Equal access to capital and jobs. (Jan 2000)
Working should mean no poverty. (Jan 2000)
Community involvement helps, but only in short term. (Dec 1999)
Don’t criminalize the homeless. (Dec 1999)
Link payments to good parenting behavior. (Feb 1997)
Establish a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund. (Jul 2003)
Tax credits to promite home ownership in distressed areas. (Apr 2003)
Fully fund AmeriCorps. (Jun 2003)

* Source: Wikipedia

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