Tuesday I traveled 250 miles south, returning to my hometown of Petal, Miss., to cast my ballot in the 2016 Mississippi presidential primary. Public records will indicate that I voted for Hillary Rodham Clinton; however, I feel compelled to publicly reckon with the lingering ambivalence that has accompanied that decision.
Why Clinton?
Hillary Clinton has a complicated, oft-problematic public policy record. As First Lady, she was a public advocate for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a law that contributed significantly to mass incarceration and disproportionately affected black Americans. She used racially coded language to garner support for the bill, describing black youth as “super-predators” with “no conscience, no empathy” that must be brought “to heel” (last month, she expressed regret for her remarks). Representing New York in the U.S. Senate, Clinton was a prominent supporter of military action in Afghanistan and Iraq (she continues to support U.S. military activity in Afghanistan, but has apologized for her Iraq War vote). Serving as Secretary of State during the 2012 Benghazi attack, she shares a degree of responsibility for the tragic and potentially avoidable deaths of four Americans.
A Quinnipiac poll released last month indicated that 67 percent of Americans view Clinton as “not honest and trustworthy.” I cannot disagree. The ongoing controversy surrounding her use of a private email during her service as Secretary of State indicates a lack of accountability and transparency – if not gross negligence. Her ties to Wall Street are troubling, as is her reluctance to release transcripts of her paid speeches given to major corporations (including Goldman Sachs and UBS). Her fluctuating positions on a variety of issues – marriage equality, free trade, Keystone XL – are questionable and contrast with the political consistency touted by her opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Bernie Sanders is a compelling progressive candidate. As a U.S. Representative and Senator, he has persistently championed income equality, universal healthcare, LGBT rights and campaign finance reform. His populist campaign promotes a vision of an equitable American society.
Yet I am a pragmatic voter. I have willingly prioritized political intelligence, domestic and foreign policy experience and practical policy proposals above accountability, transparency and idealism. Over the course of nearly three decades, Clinton has fought (albeit unsuccessfully) for universal healthcare, defended women’s rights as human rights, restored international relationships damaged by the Bush administration’s foreign policies and created diplomatic conditions that culminated in the Iran Nuclear Deal. She has demonstrated the ability to navigate the present partisan political climate and has presented sensible policy solutions, whereas many liberal economists argue Sanders’ policies would add $2-3 trillion annually to federal spending. And despite polling data that suggests otherwise, I fear that the average American voter would rather elect a xenophobic, racist demagogue (Donald Drumpf ) than a Jewish self-proclaimed socialist.
Voting is a duty. We as Americans have an obligation to educate ourselves on the issues, the candidates, the policy proposals, and make difficult, deliberate decisions regarding the future of our country. Our democracy demands it.
#ImWithHer, reluctantly.
Allen Coon is a sophomore public policy leadership and African-American studies major from Petal, MS
