Photo Credit

This morning I got the chance of a lifetime. I live in a very Republican state. So for a Democratic presidential contender to make a stop here, I jumped on the chance to show my support. Hillary Clinton, in the flesh. Even better, she was being accompanied by local billionaire Warren Buffett.

To be honest, I knew nothing of this event before this morning. I happened to be paying attention to a morning radio show and they made a slight mention of it. I hadn’t previously seen anything in the news, nor my social media outlets. Talk about bad publicity.

I stood in line, in the blistering cold, sandwiched between many more older people than I could have possibly imagined, I waited. A local Fox News host (who will be unnamed) was doing interviews with the people in line. I thought to myself “Please don’t ask me. I’d rather die than be spliced up and edited on Fox News.” The pain in my face must have been obvious because it was almost as if he gravitated towards me. He didn’t waste time either. His first question was along the lines of how the Democratic party generally harps on the 1%, and yet the event I was coming out to support was being put on by 1 percenters (literally, like the 2nd richest man in the country). I told him I wanted to see up close and personal what they had to say. There is so much more you can tell about the authenticity of a person live and in the flesh, as opposed to on the media, where their words are so easily spliced and edited and misconstrued. His second question, had I previously decided who I was voting for. Honestly, I had. But I didn’t tell him that. I didn’t want to give him the illusion that Hillary was just preaching to the choir of her already massive amount of supporters. Also, I felt bad because my decision was with another candidate. But hey, it was a Dem in a red state. You can’t not attend that.

But anyways, on to the event. I get inside, some creep cutting in line behind me talking to himself about how he had already been kicked out because he wasn’t allowed to bring his knife in (seriously dude?). I dealt with the makeshift metal detectors and found a seat. I’d guess roughly 500 people minimum were in attendance. Young, old, black, white, even a few babies (gotta start them yound, right?). And then the first speaker comes out.

Now I like feeling like the most political of my friends. I usually inform them of what is going on and how they should vote based on their personal beliefs. I’m like one of the Facebook quizzes, telling them how their beliefs align with different candidates. But when on of my states Senator’s took the stage I felt completely unprepared. I felt like I knew nothing of the world around me. I live in a red state that just so happens to have a Black, female senator. When did that happen?

She went on to explain why she supports Secretary Clinton. Equal pay, better healthcare, and her experience as Secretary of State. This experience was training ground in preparation to run the free world.

Up next was the token overly dedicated volunteer. Now, nothing against the girl, but whatever idiot, who also happened to be seated on stage, that CATCALLED her as she walked to the podium, apparently was in the wrong place. Seriously dude, you were in a female positive environment. You can’t catcall a girl and think it won’t be noticed.

Now around this time I remembered I was in such a hurry to get out of the house last minute that I forgot to eat breakfast. The hunger was starting to kick in. But let’s get serious, I was way too excited to eat even if I’d tried.

The next couple speakers were no one of importance, just spouting off random facts and crowd building tactics. Actually, I’ll just let you know how it went down in my thought process.

-labor unions rebuild the middle class

-we must work to protect the planet

-it’s so entertaining that the unnamed Fox host has to hold his own video camera

-this state is built on honesty. hard work and humility

-there is more to the ballot than just the President. Encourage friends, family and relatives to get informed and fill out the rest of the ballot.

After a few other, less important things, the main event began. My thought… Holy shit, I’m in the same room as Hillary Clinton. I am breathing the same air as Hillary Clinton. The instant chills that coursed through my body were intense.

But of course she was not the first to speak. Warren Buffett, a man from my own town. A man who’s granddaughter I went to school with. I had heard so much about him throughout the years, yet this was my first time seeing him face to face. He spoke facts and numbers. He told us about the rapid growth of the 1%. In 1992, the average net worth of the richest 400 people in America was $46.8 billion. The most recent number is $336 million. In 1992, those 400 people paid roughly 26.3% in payroll taxes. And now, that number is down to 16.7%. I actually find both of those numbers to be irritating, because in my life of lower middle class I pay out roughly 33%. At this point, I am paying out roughly DOUBLE in my income as people who have more money than God. He added on that in those recent numbers, 32 of those 400 people pay less than 10% payroll tax. Even more irritating. Buffett disagreed with that. He let us know that he pays very little in taxes. And he thinks that is wrong. And this, this was his segue into introducing the speaker of the hour, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Photo by Steve Pope/Getty Images

Hillary picked up where Buffett ended. She stated millionaires should be paying 30% in taxes, and the middle class needs a break. She then went into how the Republican’s are running an evidence-free campaign. She stated that the facts and numbers Buffett shared with the crowd are numbers the other side would never whisper a hint about.

Here though, is where things got murky. Hillary touted about how Democrats in the White House lead to a better economy. She went on and on about the accomplishments of her husband, Bill Clinton, and her previous opponent turned colleague, Barak Obama. Sure, she spoke of her support and her presence, but not necessarily what separates her from other Democratic nominee’s.

Her lack of talking about herself gave me a moment to realize how creepy the secret service guys were. There was one literally hiding in the stage curtains. Weird.

Finally, she got back on track though. She transitioned into what makes her different by saying that she is NOT running a third term for her husband. She is also not running a third term for Obama. She is running a first term for herself. And though she will be using the tactics that she has seen work in the previous 16 years of Democratic reign, she will be making it her own.

She went on to speak about how we need to build in the technical skills and apprenticeships. She also went on to talk about how we must work more towards clean energy and climate change. Apparently, the state 30 seconds to my East is huge in renewable energy. In fact, one third of the energy used there is renewable. And most of that comes from wind power. Thanks Hillary, for again reminding me that I actually know nothing about the world around me.

Hillary stated that a time has come for presidents to set big goals again (ie Kennedy and the moon landing). And her big goal is in solar power and clean energy in EVERY home by the end of her first term.

In all that, she stated how important young people are to achieving these goals. In addition, doing more for small businesses. Especially those owned and ran by women and minorities. Equal pay for equal work, right? Yet, as much as we fight for this, it should not be out of necessity. People should have the option to choose between working, family or both. People should not be forced to work because they cannot survive on one income. I mean, remember when being a stay-at-home mom was the norm? And those families had more children! She said that her Republican opponents try to say she is “pulling the gender card.” Her response?

“If advocating for women is pulling the gender card than deal me in!”

You go girl!

Beyond this she went into education. Not only should we give children the best possible future from the start, by investing in early childhood education, but also by looking into college. She wants students to be able to afford college and not be burdened by debt. She also plans to refinance student loans.

Additionally, she wants to not only defend the Affordable Care Act, but improve it. She wants to bring down the coverage cost as well as the prescription drug cost. Medicare should also be able to negotiate with insurance companies for better rates. Until all of this happens, American’s should be able to buy prescriptions from other countries that happen to have a smaller price tag. Unbeknownst to be, drug companies get a tax benefit for advertising and she wants to put a stop to that.

One thing I did not expect to hear about was her support of caregivers. For example, people caring for ailing parents suffering from Alzheimer’s. She wants to give tax credits to those caregivers.

Hillary wants to prevent the privatization of social security. She wants to remove the stigma of mental health disorders, as well as do more for treatment and recovery of addiction.

Clinton is planning to defend a woman’s right to choose and Planned Parenthood. She defends the right to marry. She defends voter registration and supports automatic registration at the age of 18. Hillary plans to end Citizen’s United, create a clear path to citizenship, end long term incarceration. For all those gun freaks, she wants to work on gun reform, and require extensive background checks and close all gun related loopholes, online and otherwise.

In terms of foreign policy, she wants to help take back territories from Isis. In that, despite what other toupeed men are suggesting, banning all Muslims from entering America is dangerous and morally wrong. However, Hillary does promise to keep America safe, by way of going after and defeating Isis and any other terrorist threat we may encounter.

By the end I was super jazzed for Hillary. I finally got to hear her in all that she had to say, without the media making it look one way or the other. I hope that soon my other Democratic candidate can make a stop through my town so I can hear him as well.

Edit to add:

The Fox News Host I spoke with was Tom Becka. And he took what I said to him and edited, spliced down and misconstrued into bullshit. Thanks Fox News for your predictability.