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1. She Is Looking Toward The Future, Not The Past
“I’m running for president to build an America for tomorrow, not yesterday, an America built on growth and fairness, an America where if you do your part, you will reap the rewards, where we don’t leave anyone behind.” –Hillary Clinton

As President, Hillary will bring this country forward, into a brighter future that doesn’t leave anyone behind. Her vision for a 21st century America is about knocking down barriers, ensuring that all Americans everywhere have access to opportunities, and respecting the dignity of every human being. Hillary wants to build the America of tomorrow, the country that we want our children and grandchildren to inherit. In contrast, the Republicans want to bring our country backwards—with failed economic policies that privilege the wealthy and big corporations and with social policies that resemble the rules of the 1950’s and promote intolerance and even hatred. The choice in this election is about what Americans want their country to look like in the 21st century, and whether we want to move our country forward into the future or backwards into the past.
The core of Hillary’s vision involves creating an economy for tomorrow. Thanks to President Obama, our country has made tremendous progress toward economic recovery, but we’re not at the point where families can get ahead, and stay ahead. From day one, Hillary’s priority will be to raise incomes for American families. Her plan is to build an economy that is strong, fair, and sustainable for long-term. Hillary opposes the economic plans espoused by Republicans, including those who want to lower taxes for the wealthy and big corporations and rollback consumer protections that hold Wall Street accountable. Their economic proposals cling to ideas that have already been tried and failed, yet Republicans keep insisting that we go back to the past. As Hillary explains the difference between her economic vision and the vision of Republicans: “Fundamentally, they reject what it takes to build an inclusive economy. It takes an inclusive society. What I once called “a village” that has a place for everyone.”
Hillary will also bring America forward in the social policy realm as well. The Republicans want to roll back the incredible progress our country has made in advancing the rights of women, LGBT people, and people of color—they want to go back to the days when women did not have the right to make their own reproductive health decisions, when marriage was defined as only between a man and a woman, and when racist rhetoric was tolerated. Hillary wants to build a different America, one that is built on the values of opportunity, fairness, freedom, and respect for the human dignity of all people.

Hillary’s America will be one where every American has an equal chance to succeed in our great country, where the economy works for American families, not just billionaires and CEOs, where all Americans can live their lives without fear of discrimination, gun violence, or a terrorist attack, and where women, LGBT individuals, immigrants, and people of color are afforded the respect they deserve. This is the country of the future, and Hillary will be the leader who takes us there. It’s about time.

[Tweet: Republicans want to move the country backwards, but Hillary will bring us forward into the 21st century. #TomorrowNotYesterday #52Reasons]

2. She Is a Woman
“It is past time for women to take their rightful place, side by side with men, in the rooms where the fates of peoples, where their children's and grandchildren's fates, are decided.”
– Hillary Clinton

The election of Hillary Rodham Clinton to the highest office in our country will be a game-changer for America. Not only will the election of the first woman president be a historic signal of equality, but it will also have profound effects on American society, including increased attention to issues that affect working families and tens of millions of Americans.

The visibility of women leaders—especially at the executive level—has a significant “role model” effect on younger women and girls. Simply put, seeing a woman occupy the highest position of power in the United States sends the message that they too can be President of the United States, or anything else for that matter. Visible women leaders empower women and can encourage more women to seek leadership roles.

More women at all levels of office—from the Presidency to City Councils—is good for our country. Of course, it’s not just having different body parts that make women act differently from men as leaders, it’s gender, and how women and men are socialized in our society. On average, women have different life experiences than men—for example, they are still more likely to be the primary caregivers to children and elderly relatives , have different health needs and concerns , are more likely to live in poverty, and make up the vast majority of rape survivors. Different experiences mean different perspectives—and in today’s political world new voices at the table are desperately needed.

Research provides evidence that women leaders do indeed act differently from men. For one, the way in which they govern is different: they are more likely to build consensus and collaborate, leadership styles that might actually help fix the gridlock and dysfunction that characterize our broken political system. Women are also more likely to follow through and are 31% more effective than men at advancing legislation. In 2013, when the government was on the verge of shutting down, women Senators of both parties came together to work out a compromise that both parties could get behind. In fact, the 20 women Senators who brokered the deal were widely credited for saving the government from shutdown—even John McCain (R-AZ) lauded them: “I am very proud that these women are stepping forward. Imagine what they could do if there were 50 of them.” Indeed, imagine if the leader of the free world were one of them.

Secondly, women tend to have different policy priorities and put a greater focus on issues that help families, women, and children. Again, it is not just being born a woman that makes women act differently as leaders, but the personal experiences that they bring to their work. As North Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp says of working with her women colleagues: “It is about getting people in a room with different life experiences who will look at things a little differently because they’re moms, because they’re daughters who’ve been taking care of senior moms, because they have a different life experience than a lot of senior guys in the room.” This means that the needs of everyday American families—better wages, affordable healthcare, and improved school systems for our children—are more likely to be elevated when more women are in charge.

Hillary’s election to the presidency will be a game-changer, not only because of the symbolic aspects of her election, but because of the resounding effects it will have on women’s representation across the country. American families and our country will be stronger with more women in elected office.

[Tweet: More women in elected office means getting things done and addressing the needs of American families #ShatterTheGlassCeiling #52Reasons]