Hillary Clinton Archives

Glenn Beck Basically Endorsed Hillary Clinton

By Staff Report

Glenn Beck is one weird dude.

If you don’t already know that, then you best spend a few minutes Googling before continuing to read this.

Despite his weirdness, which often masquerades as bizarre conspiracy theory worship, Beck has been pretty consistent in his principled opposition to Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for President.

Beck, who had been a strong supporter of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the GOP primary has since turned on Cruz due to the his shocking decision to announce that he would fall in line and vote for Trump.

But it is now in the aftermath of mass GOP defections from the Trump train after the release of a 2005 videotape that shows Trump using sexist language that actively condones sexual assault, that Beck has really started to feel the heat from Conservatives.

Breitbart is roasting him due to a statement he posted on his Facebook page that pretty clearly says that the election of Hillary Clinton would be an acceptable alternative to the ushering in of President Trump.

Yes, this is the same guy that once did this on national tv.

We can’t believe it either.

Anyway, here is Beck’s full post he made to Facebook that has Trumpers up in arms:

“Every person, each of us must decide what is a bridge too far.

Mike Lee has obviously reached that point, where the moral compromise his party is asking him to make is simply beyond what is acceptable.

It is not acceptable to ask a moral, dignified man to cast his vote to help elect an immoral man who is absent decency or dignity.

If the consequence of standing against Trump and for principles is indeed the election of Hillary Clinton, so be it. At least it is a moral, ethical choice.

If she is elected, the world does not end…. Once elected, Hillary can be fought. Her tactics are blatant and juvenile, and battling her by means of political and procedural maneuvering or through the media , through public marches and online articles, all of that will be moral, worthy of man of principal.

Her nominees can be blocked, her proposed laws voted down.

The alternative does not offer a moral person the same opportunity. If one helps to elect an immoral man to the highest office, then one is merely validating his immorality, lewdness, and depravity.

But it’s OK, at least it is not her! Right??

No.

Lee’s call for Trump to step down and withdraw from the race is respectful to him and to the process.

Trump stepping down does not guarantee a Clinton win, but it does guarantee that the Republican party still stands for something, still allows its members to maintain thier own self respect and that it still has a future.”

Somebody give Beck a round of applause.

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.

Cover Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

The One Thing Clinton and Trump Need During the Next Debate According To Business School Professors

By Contributor

By Mario Moussa and Derek Newberry

As we get ready to watch the second presidential debate, you might be scratching your head about a tale of two countries.

In Trump’s telling, America is a nation in decline that needs a turnaround.

Clinton sees a leading world power that should continue on the positive trajectory created under the Obama administration.

As business school professors who specialize in the human side of organizations, there is one thing – that many may find surprising – each candidate needs during this next debate: a story.

At this point, you might be thinking that elections are really all about pocketbook issues and politicians’ stories are just a bunch of fluff.

We have a different point of view: hard-nosed policies and strategies are worthless without a good story. Whether people realize it or not, they think in stories. The best communicators know this and make the most of it.

Storytelling: The Crucial Leadership Skill

A famous experiment by two psychologists in the 1940s showed subjects a short clip of two triangles and a circle moving around, and asked them to describe what they saw.

Where some described a bully terrorizing two children and a jealous father protecting his daughter, others saw different dramas.

The imagined scenarios differed, but what they had in common was that nearly all of the subjects told a story about the shapes without any prompting.

Why are stories so pervasive?

Because they are how people make sense of their environment and get along with co-workers or fellow citizens.

The most brilliant policy can fall flat if it is not communicated with a strong narrative that makes it real and compelling for the people who are supposed to implement it.

Far from fluff, good story-telling is a crucial leadership skill for motivating commitment and moving a strategy from abstract idea to action.

Hence the importance of the two recent political conventions.

Like an annual corporate retreat, their purpose is not only to explain a specific policy platform but also to tell a story that motivates and guides those who need to carry it out.

In this respect, we think Clinton right now is in a stronger position as she goes into his next debate.

She does three things especially well.

And the next time you need to get your point across, you should remember them:

Create Empathy

In any good story, the audience should empathize with the main characters.

According to screenwriter Robert McKee, the key to creating empathy is to portray a character who is overcoming a struggle.

This can make even an unsympathetic person relatable.

Steve Jobs wasn’t known for his humility, but his story about returning to Apple after having been pushed out is one we can all root for.

Trump has been focused on communicating his greatness, but not on talking about overcoming hardships to get there.

Just recently, he stumbled again by referring to the jobs he has created as one of his “sacrifices.”

Clinton creates empathy by acknowledging that she struggles with the “public” part of public service – that is, the aspect of it that involves public speaking.

She deftly turns this weakness into a strength by recounting how she pushes through it because she cares deeply about the service part.

Paint a Picture

If you boil any rom-com movie down to its most basic elements, they are all pretty much the same: beginning, middle, and end.

In other words, every story starts with a typical everyday situation, which is then disrupted by some new or unusual event, which sets in motion of series of actions that lead to a resolution and a return to normalcy.

So what separates a classic like Annie Hall from a flop like Gigli? The difference is in the detail.

Good stories use vivid imagery to make abstract ideas feel real and bring the audience along.

On this count, Trump misses the mark. When his family talks, their speeches provide a great opportunity to show the candidate’s lighter side.

While the Trump clan mentions plenty of great qualities, their speeches are light on anecdotes that would help us visualize how he lives these values in his everyday life.

By giving details about Hillary’s personal life, such as how she met Bill or how she stays connected to Chelsea while on the road, the Clintons paint a more compelling picture of the Democratic candidate’s values.

Make the Audience Your Hero

As speaking coach Nick Morgan reminds us, every story has a hero and when you need other people to help you get things done, you are likely to get more buy-in if you put them in the starring role.

Think of how rockstar Bono has driven support for his ONE campaign by imploring: “We can be the generation that ends poverty.”

This is why Trump’s declaration that “I alone can fix” the political system is perhaps the weakest moment of his debate.

Clinton, by contrast, hits on the theme of becoming “stronger together,” making voters the heroes of her campaign’s story.

Far from fluff, stories are a critical execution tool.

On the campaign trail, they help leaders communicate strategy, rally support and guide implementation.

Republican strategist Mark McKinnon, who headed up communications for the George W. Bush campaigns, once said that the successful candidate is the one who tells the better story.

So far, by this measure, we think Clinton is pulling away from her opponent.

Dr. Mario Moussa and Dr. Derek Newberry are the authors of Committed Teams: Three Steps to Inspiring Passion and Performance. Dr. Moussa teaches in the Executive Programs at Wharton School of Executive Education. Dr. Newberry is a lecturer at the Wharton School. Connect with Dr. Moussa at www.moussaconsulting.com, and with Dr. Newberry via Twitter, @derekonewberry.

Exactly How Often Did Trump Interrupt Clinton During The Debate?

By Kelsey D'Auben

Last night the entire nation turned on their TV’s to watch the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Or, to more accurately describe it, viewers watched an hour and a half of Donald Trump spouting incoherent half-sentences, flailing his arms, and interrupting Hillary Clinton nearly every time she tried to speak.

To be frank, no one was expecting Trump to do well.

He doesn’t exactly have an track record for being the most comprehensible speaker to ever run for public office. (Cicero, he is not.)

But the blatant amount of unprofessionalism displayed by Trump, toward both Clinton and debate moderator Lester Holt, was shocking even for him.

Throughout the entire debate, Trump constantly disrespected his opponent and the moderator by talking over and interrupting them countless times.

Well not exactly countless, because we were keeping track.

28 times he interrupted, to be exact. (Some outlets, put the number as high as 51 times.)

People watch the first Presidential debate of 2016 at the LBJ Library in Texas. Photo Credit: LBJ Library/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

28 separate times during Hillary’s allotted speaking time Trump felt the overwhelming need to blurt out whatever immature and asinine comment he thought of rather than respectfully allowing his opponent finish her 2 minutes or give her rebuttal before speaking.

Not every one of these 28 times was an intrusive or rude full comment.

Actually, he mostly interrupted with audible sighs into the microphone while she was speaking, or just plainly yelling “wrong” at her midsentence.

And these 28 times don’t even include the numerous times he spoke over or made rude comments to the moderator.

“You asked me a question, did you not?” was a phrase said by Trump more than once when Holt attempted to stop Trump’s incoherent rambling and move on to the next segment of the debate, even when Holt hadn’t even really asked him anything at all.

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.

Cover Photo Credit: Lws & Clrk/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

What It Really Means To Be A Woman During This Election

By Michele Weindling

On January 20^th, 2009, many Americans wept with joy that we had elected our very first African American President.

And when Obama was actually inaugurated on that day, America’s ideals changed for the better, and history was made.

Thunderous applause exploded in the streets of our cities as we all looked at one another smiling and discussing how far we had come.

For every individual who is dedicated to equality and the teachings of the Civil Rights Movement, Obama’s presidency was more than gratification for electing a smart, center-left Democrat into office.

That moment also stood for the thousands of advocates who fought for liberty and democracy for all around the country.

This was for the legs that carried scores of brave Americans from Selma to Montgomery, for the students in Little Rock, and for all of us that grew up knowing the “I Have A Dream” speech backwards and forwards while having the privilege of never knowing what it felt like to dream of our own freedom and opportunity.

Photo Credit: Mike Norton/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

Now, Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee for President, and we are less enthused.

But failing to acknowledge this momentous piece of American history would be a disservice to the women who fought for suffrage and equal rights.

In a now famous DNC video montage of all the past male presidents, the glass shatters and Hillary appears, “I can’t believe we just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet”.

In 1919 women were granted the right to vote, second wave feminism fought for women’s sexual, familial, and economic freedom, and today, women’s rights fight for equal pay, respect, the right to choose, and racial and sexual liberty for all.

This is the time in history that America has been struggling towards, and we are taking it for granted.

To be a woman at this time in history means to be a woman who can vote, who can work, use birth control, and maybe even be president.

Hillary might not be the woman that we have all been waiting for, but she represents the moment that we have all been waiting for and that cannot be disregarded.

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

Her nomination is even more important and profound when you compare her to the Republican nominee.

While Donald Trump attempts to throw America back in history, to a time when fascists ruled with impunity around the world, when your race and religion separated you in your own country, when fear drove people to commit unforgivable acts of hatred and violence, Hillary represents something grander and more fundamentally American.

She is the first woman to be nominated as a major party nominee for President, but she is also a socially empathetic, driven, and passionate leader that cares about people.

The stark difference between her and Trump makes this election an important choice for the kind of America we want to be.

Are we the kind that allows such an unqualified and odious meathead of a man to become commander-in-chief, or are we the kind that is ready to Elect a woman?

This choice goes beyond four years of a single presidency. Like Obama, Hillary Clinton will become a historic model of America.

This is what our children will know about.

They too will learn the “I Have A Dream” speech, and now they will learn the story of the first Black President’s election, and maybe, they will even learn about the first female president.

This is big, and it shouldn’t be overlooked.

Photo Credit: DVIDSHUB/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

Of course, people have their complaints about Hillary, and that should be recognized, but this is about so much more than the individual candidate, and this is about avoiding our children learning about the rude and racist 45^th president, Adolf- I mean Donald Hitler- sorry, Trump.

We might have our very first female president, and that in it of itself is something to extol.

Like Cory Booker said in his speech at the Democratic National Convention, “Generations of heroic Americans have made our nation more inclusive, more expansive, and more just”. Whatever your feelings of Hillary Clinton may be you cannot disagree that she is far more likely to uphold this ideal than Trump.

Martin Luther King Jr. once explained that, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”.

There is controversy surrounding Hillary Clinton, but there is so much to appreciate and afford to this woman.

It may feel different than how we dreamt it would, but it is still so incredible, and we should feel proud.

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.

Cover Photo Credit: Lorie Shaull

Trump Continues His Alienation Of His Support Base

By James Kardys

A few weeks back I posted an article talking about Trump potentially alienating his own base of support through his endorsement of a congressional candidate whose positions on immigration were virtually the polar opposite of his own.

Now, he has made a statement that could have a similar effect, as it can easily be construed as insulting soldiers who participated in the Iraq War.

According to Politico, Trump made the following statement (reconstructed using both the video and the text on the article):`

“When we got out, we should’ve taken the oil. I’ll never forget some of the pundits — most of them don’t have the brains they were born with — they said: ‘They’re talking about a sovereign country.’ Iraq, crooked as hell. How about bringing baskets of money — millions and millions of dollars — and handing it out?,” Trump said at an evening rally. “I want to know who were the soldiers that had that job, because I think they’re living very well right now, whoever they may be.”

Now, as previously stated, this statement could easily be construed as insulting American soldiers, but it is not a guarantee.

This is because after reading the statement and listening to the audio over and over again, I came to two conclusions:

1) It was a jarbled mess. This is especially evident if you listen to the audio, where it is difficult to tell when he is beginning or ending a sentence because he is rushing to get to whatever point he is trying to make. It is difficult to tell if he is talking about US soldiers or someone else (possibly Iraqi soldiers, as Trump has claimed in a subsequent statement without providing hard evidence) for this reason.

2) If you thought Trump’s statement was properly structured, then it sounds like he is saying that the soldiers did have the job of bringing money and handing it out, but didn’t do that job.

Only time will tell whether or not Trump’s statement, along with his endorsement of pro-amnesty North Carolina representative Renee Ellmers in her failed bid to win the Republican nomination in her bid for re-election, will hurt his numbers in the general election.

After all, what else would you expect when you make statements contrary to the beliefs of the GOP base, which is unabashedly pro-military?

If you support Trump, you should be very worried right now, as you probably don’t want to take time to make sure he doesn’t stray from your positions after all this time.

If you oppose him, you should be crossing your fingers and hoping that the Trump supporters don’t take action even if they are very worried.

Regardless, the Trump Saga continues…

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.

Cover Photo Credit: IoSonoUnaFotoCamera/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

New Numbers Show Why Bernie Sanders Really Could Swing The Election To Trump

By James Kardys

Back in May, I posted an article here on RISE NEWS discussing whether or nor Bernie Sanders could spoil the election for Hillary Clinton.

But things have changed from May to now.

In the May article, I stated the following:

“According to a poll jointly conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News that was published on Tuesday, 31% of Sanders supporters say they may not or will not support Clinton in the general election. 64.5% of that 31% (or 20% of all Sanders supporters) say that they will vote for Trump.

When you take into account that 43.4% of all Democrats support Sanders (according to the latest RealClearPolitics average), this translates into 13.5% of all Democrats refusing to vote for Clinton, and 8.7% of all Democrats voting for Trump.

And remember, this poll was taken before the convention, whose outcome is now going to be determined by superdelegates, because of how close the race has been.”

The above information was posted prior to a series of developments that have since taken place, and are likely to make Clinton’s problems with Sanders supporters worse, despite the fact that all the primaries are finished and Sanders is reportedly expected to endorse Clinton prior to the convention despite being within range of clinching the nomination through superdelegates.

There are three developments in particular that stand out for me.

It is still an open question as to whether young voters who supported Sanders will come around to Clinton. Photo Credit: Phil Roeder/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

The first is the leak of a memo from the servers of the Democratic National Committee by a hacker called “Gufficer 2.0,” which points to the idea that the DNC had been secretly backing Clinton all along, as Sanders has previously claimed.

Since this leak took place, Clinton’s standing among Sanders supporters have only worsened.

As of June 22, the percentage of Sanders supporters that may not or will not support Clinton has shot up from 31% to 45%. 48.9% of that 45% (or 22% of all Sanders supporters) say that they will vote for Donald Trump.

40% of that 45% (or 18% of all Sanders supporters) say that they will vote for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

When you take into account that 41.4% of all Democrats support Sanders (according to the latest RealClearPolitics average), this translates into 18.6% of all Democrats refusing to vote for Clinton, 9.1% of all Democrats voting for Trump, and 7.5% of all Democrats voting for Johnson.

The second development is the recent decisions by the FBI and the Department of Justice to not indict Hillary Clinton over her alleged mishandling of government emails while serving as Secretary of State.

Given that the announcements were made just after former President Bill Clinton met with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, accusations of a rigged system have increased.

Notable and influential Sanders supporters such as Rosario Dawson, Shaun King, and Mark Ruffalo have openly denounced the outcome of the FBI’s investigation of Clinton on Twitter, and I have seen friends of mine do the same on social media.

Photo Credit: Phil Roeder/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

This development actually took place after the most recent poll on Sanders supporters was released, so expect the percentage of supporters who are disillusioned to go up further.

The third development is the alleged report that presumptive Green Party nominee Jill Stein is considering allowing Sanders to take her place and continuing his run after the Democratic National Convention.

Although it is not yet known how much such a move (Sanders still hasn’t endorsed Clinton yet, so anything can still happen until he does) would affect Clinton’s presidential chances, it would be wise for Clinton to make sure she doesn’t find out, especially given other recent events.

At the end of my May article, I stated that an opportunity awaits for both Clinton and Trump to make something out of a scenario that could make or break them. I reaffirm that belief, and say that it is now more apparent than ever.

If you are politically active, I suggest that you work to make sure the best is made out of this situation for your candidate.

After all, good candidates listen to their bases!

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.

Cover Photo Credit: Phil Roeder/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

Fuck You Gawker. Hillary’s Plan For Start Up Founder Debt Forgiveness Is A Good One

By Rich Robinson

Gawker. Ugh.

I am a defender of you and your trashy ways most of the time. But sometimes you folks just suck.

This is one of those sucky times.

Enter this snarky headline: Hillary Clinton Offers Student Debt Deferral to Those Who Need it Most: Startup-Launching Americans

Gawker seems to find fault in a new policy proposal rolled out by Hillary Clinton to give start-up founders and entrepreneurs a leg up by offering them three years of student debt deferral while they work to build their businesses.

Their article offers little in the way of substance other than just hating on start up culture and making fun of failed companies.

The plan by the Democratic frontrunner also calls for the same deferrals to apply to the first 10 to 20 employees at a start-up company.

As the Clinton campaign notes, many young people want to be entrepreneurs: “more than half of America’s millennials say they want to start a business—but barriers like student debt and a lack of access to credit are holding young people back.”

The government should do everything it can to encourage small business development and to help young people get the space to build great things. The economy is rapidly shifting and the jobs of tomorrow will be created by the young minds of today.

Gone are the days of straight line career paths and ladders that go only up.

Clinton’s plan is a good one for a number of reasons.

First, it recognizes that the economy is changing faster than we can even imagine and creates a real solution to a problem facing many young entrepreneurs.

Secondly, it seeks to level the playing field for the heavily white, male dominated start up culture (that is largely centered around one geographic location in California).

From the Clinton plan: “Additionally, for young innovators who decide to launch either new businesses that operate in distressed communities, or social enterprises that provide measurable social impact and benefit, she will offer forgiveness of up to $17,500 of their student loans after five years.”

As a young start up founder with a whole bunch of student loans, I totally understand why this is important.

Would it really do the economy a long term benefit for all young people with an entrepreneurial sense to be forced to work for companies that may not exist in five years just because of the burden of their student loans? How does that really do anything to help?

The reality is that many young people out of college are basically free of most costs.

They can afford to live very cheaply, typically have few real responsibilities (like children or a mortgage, for example) and are therefore perfectly positioned to take risks.

Those risks can help diversity the economy and move the country forward.

I’m not a defender of traditional start up culture but Clinton’s plan will actually help diversity what that culture is like in America by allowing more people to participate in it.

It will act as both an economic and social policy.

Of course, the way Gawker looks at things, you would think Clinton is trying to put a foosball table in every home.

From Gawker: “Student debt forgiveness is an essential piece of the puzzle for getting Americans who dropped out after watching The Social Network sophomore year back on their feet, and Clinton should be applauded for embracing it.”

Frankly it is much less risky starting your own business than drawing a paycheck from such a risky endeavor such as Gawker.

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.

#ImNotWithHer: Why Hillary Clinton Doesn’t Speak For All Women

By Alexandra Van Erven

Much ado has been given to Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for President after her giant June 7 primary win in California.

Much of the surrounding publicity is due to her gender and the historic nature of her victory.

But for some women, Clinton’s victory is more a nightmare than a victory.

While Clinton considers herself a candidate for women, by putting out items such as “Women Cards” designed to attract female voters and contribute to the supposed historical aspects of the presidential race, and while the media and the outside world make it seem like Clinton is ranking high amongst women and other voters, actual polls show us that the silent majority of females on both sides of political ideologies are not in favor of her possible presidency.

The disdain is of course heavy across swaths of conservative women, who view Hillary Clinton as an unqualified presidential candidate based on personal views on topics ranging from abortion to the tragedy in Benghazi.

Her numbers among conservative women are dramatically low for a candidate that prides herself for being a candidate for the women, with 90 percent of Republican women having an unfavorable view of her, compared to only 9 percent that view her in a favorable light, according to a recent poll.

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While the disdain among females who are Republicans and conservatives is to be expected, the flaky favorability also finds itself on the liberal and independent side, with 68 percent of liberal women supporting her, compared to 30 percent who are not.

Among Independent voting women, only 24 percent find her favorable; while 65 percent view her as unfavorable.

Even after her big win in California, the support among females in the United States was not at a high level, with the #GirlIGuessImWithHer hashtag beginning to trend among disheartened female voters including but not limited to Bernie Sanders fans, which adds even more female disdain towards Clinton and her nomination.

What could be the problem behind Clinton and her campaign that is making women seemingly run away in droves?

Could it be the Benghazi attacks, in which she seemingly gave no care to the way in which those four men died under her vigilance with her famous quote “What difference does it make?”

Could it have to do with the FBI e-mail scandal that just never seems to end? Could it have to do with her callous attitude during her time as a lawyer where she allegedly defended a child rapist that was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl, even though Clinton knew he was guilty of the crime?

For many women who do not support Clinton, it seems to be a combination of different sets of ideals and different ideas as to why they do not support her.

For me, the biggest things would bleed into her different opinions and ideas on important topics to me, such as the subject of abortion and her seemingly far-left political views.

But more than that is although she was the secretary of state for some time, and although she is the wife of the infamous former president Bill Clinton, she has not made enough of a positive impact and shown that she would be capable of running an entire country.

It is an inspirational goal to look up to, and a female presidency is something that is and should be welcomed in the 21st century.

However, we should not make the mistake of voting for somebody just because of a certain feature; i.e. race, gender, or even religion.

Just because a woman is a woman does not make her certified to run an entire country, especially with the giant mistrust that many American women and men have with Hillary Clinton.

If Americans cannot trust Clinton to tell the truth about her e-mail scandal, nor tell the truth about what happened in Benghazi, how can we have faith that just because she is the first woman president, she will guide America down the right path?

How can we be sure that Americans will be kept as safe as humanly possible, if Clinton is known for such evasive secrecy?

As a young woman voting in the 2016 election, I had hoped that we would see a woman that among other things showed prowess and ability to run this country smoothly.

Unfortunately I, and millions of other American women and men, do not see that ability in Hillary Clinton, and are looking for more than just a symbolic victory.

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.

Cover Photo Credit: Quinn Dombrowski/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

What Would Trump And Clinton’s Tax Plans Actually Mean For Your Wallet?

By Staff Report

Sometimes, the presidential election can seem like a fight happening in an alternative universe that doesn’t actually mean anything to regular people.

But luckily the folks at USTaxCenter have crunched the numbers and figured out something more concrete: what do the leading candidates for President tax plans mean for your bottom line?

Here’s what they found:

irs.com_presidential_taxes_x2_v03

Now, one note of caution when looking at this.

While Donald Trump’s plan looks good on paper, there are many reasons to think that it could actually do damage to the overall health of the economy. His plan would take out nearly $10 trillion in government revenue. Presumably, if he wanted to cut the deficit and debt, he would have to offset that loss of revenue with massive cuts. And it is not at all clear that he would actually be able to get his tax plan through Congress.

For Hillary Clinton, her plan is basically maintaining the status quo with some minor adjustments and some more tax credits for caregivers.

RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.

Photo Credit: USTaxCenter/ Submitted

So What Exactly Does The Libertarian Party Stand For Anyway?

By James Kardys

Let’s face it. Donald Trump is a very unpopular guy.

As of last week, 55% of Americans have a negative view of him. 40% of Republicans say they will not vote for him, and 19% would vote for Hillary Clinton.

However, what about the remaining 21% of Republicans who would not vote for Trump or Clinton? Would they vote at all? Some, if not many, will not.

Others, however, are contemplating third party options.

The same logic applies to the 31% of Bernie Sanders supporters who may or will not cote for Clinton, and the 20% who would vote for Trump.

Perhaps the most frequently discussed of those options is that of voting for the Libertarian Party, whose online search results have reportedly surged since Ted Cruz dropped out of the Republican primary on May 3.

On Sunday, the Libertarian Party nominated former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson for President, and former Governor of Massachusetts William Weld as his running mate.

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In an era where it seems that the Republican and Democratic parties are the only political parties around, and where dissatisfaction with them is near historical highs, it seems only fitting that additional options be shown to and discussed with the general public. Therefore, this article will be dedicated to doing so with the Libertarian Party.

Former Gov. Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Party nominee for President. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

Like all political parties, the Libertarian party determines its platform at its national convention. The result of this convention (aside from the nominees) are as follows:

-The Libertarian Party places emphasis over individual sovereignty over all else. It criticizes both the Democratic and Republican parties as being too regulating and authoritarian. It demands that the government not deny the right life, liberty, and property for the sake of itself or others.

-Under this philosophy, the following policy positions are advocated:

1. Individuals should be able do whatever they want to their bodies (appeals to liberals).
2. The government should not control the internet of mass media (appeals to elements of both sides).
3. The government should not spy on everybody (appeals to elements of both sides).
4. The government should not classify anybody by sexual preference (appeals to liberals).
5. The government should not regulate abortion (appeals to liberals).
6. Criminal laws should be limited to those involving person-to-person interaction (appeals to liberals).
7. The government should not regulate guns (appeals to conservatives).
8. The government should not interfere in property ownership (appeals to conservatives).
9. The government should not interfere in pollution regulation, for it is less trustworthy and effective than innovative civilians who seek to do the same (appeals to conservatives).
10. The government should not interfere with the energy market (appeals to conservatives).

11. The government should not rely on income taxes to produce a balanced budget, which should be mandatory (appeals to conservatives).

12. The government should not interfere in non-fraudulent banking practices (appeals to conservatives).

13. The government should not interfere in the free market (appeals to conservatives).

14. The government should not interfere in worker-employer relations (appeals to conservatives).

15. The government should not interfere in education, which should be determined by parents (appeals to conservatives).

16. The health care market should serve as any other market that operates across state lines, and not be subjected to government intervention (appeals to conservatives).

17. Social Security should be replaced with private retirement planning (appeals to conservatives).

18. Military service should be limited to voluntary defense of the country’s territory (appeals to elements of both sides)

19. Internal security should not trump individual liberty (appeals to elements of both sides).

20. All foreign aid should be ended (appeals to elements of both sides, but mostly to paleoconservatives).

21. Trade and immigration should not be restricted unless there is a threat to national security (appeals to elements of both sides, but mostly to liberals).

22. The government should not interfere in private practices of discrimination (appeals to conservatives).

23. The government should not try to rig electoral systems to create a party system with a limited number of parties (appeals to elements of both sides).

24. The people have the inherent right to self-determination (appeals to conservatives).

At the end of the day, this party is very socially liberal but very fiscally conservative.

This unique platform has the potential to either attract or repulse people on both sides of the political spectrum.

If the party wants a chance of growing to substantial polling numbers, it may have to target single issue voters.

Given that single-issue voters appear to be significant in numbers, as indicated by Gallup polls on the level of priority voters have on issues such as abortion and gun control, perhaps that may be all it needs to do, especially if it succeeds in attracting protest votes from disillusioned Republicans and Democrats.

Do you wish this party good luck in its quest? Feel free to comment and share your opinion below!

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Cover Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)