Addressing
the United Kingdom’s “Brexit” vote to leave the European Union for the
first time today, Hillary Clinton said that while many middle-class
Americans are frustrated, they “don’t want empty promises, they want
solutions”–and she is the one who can deliver those solutions as
President. Clinton promised she would work to create more good-paying
jobs by building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at
the top.
Speaking at the U.S. Conference of Mayors conference in
Indianapolis, Clinton also addressed Donald Trump’s response to the
“Brexit” vote, saying “steady, experienced leadership is so important at
times like these” and that “bombastic comments in turbulent times can
actually cause more turbulence.”
In her remarks, Clinton also reaffirmed her commitment to addressing the scourge of gun violence in our country. Clinton’s remarks, as transcribed, are below:
“Good
afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much. I am absolutely delighted to
be here with all of you, among so many friends. A lot of the mayors
here have been laboring in the vineyards of your cities and your states
and working to provide better lives for the people you represent, and
only America’s mayors could find a way to put Lady Gaga and the Dalai
Lama on the same program. I’m really impressed by that.
I want to
thank your president, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, for her
leadership of this organization. It’s always great seeing a woman
serving as president. And I want to – I want to add a special word of
greeting. Stephanie told me that her mother, Dr. Rawlings, is here.
And I’m kind of partial to mothers showing up to see their even grownup
sons and daughters perform official functions with such grace and
dignity. So, Dr. Rawlings, congratulations to you as well.
And I
want to acknowledge your next president, Mayor Mick Cornett. And I have
followed with great interest a lot of your creative ideas in Oklahoma
City, and I really look forward to your leadership of this organization,
Mayor. And thanks to a longtime friend, the mayor of Indianapolis,
hosting us here. Thank you so much, Mayor Joe Hogsett. And Joe, as I’m
sure you have already realized, even though he is a relatively new
mayor, comes in with so much energy and ideas, and I thank you for your
leadership of this great American city.
Before I begin addressing
some of our common issues and challenges, I want to say a few words
about what we have seen happening in Britain. A lot of Americans woke
up on Friday to alarming headlines from across the Atlantic, and they are wondering what this decision in Britain means for us.
I’m
sure everyone in this room with retirement savings asked the same
question. In the day after the vote, Americans lost $100 billion from
our 401(k)s. Now, we are resilient, and we will bounce back from this
and from all of the other shocks that are in the system. But it is a
reminder that what happens around the world has consequences that can
hit home quickly and affect our lives and our livelihoods.
Our
priority now must be to protect American families and businesses from
the negative effects of this kind of tumult and uncertainty. And that’s
why steady, experienced leadership is so important at times like these.
We
need leaders like yourselves at the local and state and federal level,
who understand how to work with other leaders to manage risks; who
understand that bombastic comments in turbulent times can actually cause
more turbulence; and who put the interests of the American people ahead
of their personal business interests. And we need leaders who recognize
that our alliances and partnerships are among our greatest national
assets, now more than ever.
Working with our allies has been a
cornerstone of American foreign policy under Democrats and Republicans
alike, because it makes America safer and more prosperous. And it
should continue to guide us now. And we’ve got to be clear about this.
No one should be confused about America’s commitment to Europe – not an
autocrat in the Kremlin, not a presidential candidate on a Scottish
golf course.
We have to reaffirm that the United States and the
United Kingdom are different countries in many important ways –
economically, politically, demographically. But we still have a lot of
common interests and values. Just as we have seen there are many
frustrated people in Britain, we know there are frustrated people here
at home too. I’ve seen it, I’ve heard it, I know it. That’s why I’ve
worked hard to find solutions to the economic challenges we face. It’s
why I’ve put forward real plans to create good-paying jobs, raise wages,
reduce student debt, bring down costs for college and prescription
drugs, and so much else. People across America know that they don’t
want empty promises, they want solutions. And that is what, working
with you, I hope to offer to them.
Now, a big reason why our
economy isn’t working for everyone the way it should is because of
political dysfunction. We’ve got to get Washington working again. And
just as I’ve heard so many mayors over the years say, there’s not a
Republican or Democratic way to fix the streets or plow the snow or
create more economic opportunities. We do what works. We do what we
need to serve our people.
And that means the work you are doing
and in many ways the solutions you are pioneering in America’s cities
are even more important. We are all, and especially me, counting on
you, our mayors, to get stuff done. And that’s one of the reasons I
wanted to be here today.
It is a special personal honor to follow
to the podium a man who has shown extraordinary leadership in recent
weeks, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. And like so many of you, I watched
those press conferences coming from Orlando, and I watched the mayor
being very collected, very clear about what was happening, what he knew,
what he didn’t know, but with an overriding message that his city, the
city that he loves and serves, would persevere. So Mayor Dyer, please
know that all of our hearts are with you, and with the LGBT and Latino
communities, the people of your city.
The attack in Orlando was
the worst mass shooting in American history. Sadly, several mayors here
today have had to respond to similar tragedies that included mass
shootings or, in your case, Mayor Cornett, a horrific bomb explosion.
When I was last with the mayors at the conference last year, it was just
days after the massacre in Charleston. There are more mass shootings
in the United States than in any other country in the world. It is not
even close. I do not think Americans are more violent, are worse human
beings. I believe we cannot accept this, not now and not ever.
As
Congressman John Lewis said a few days ago, ‘How many more mothers, how
many more fathers, need to shed tears of grief before we do something?’
No person should be gunned down while learning, teaching, praying, or
dancing. It is time for us to come together to strengthen our gun laws
and keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people. And
here is what I know.
I know we can respect the Second Amendment
and make common-sense reforms. Yet Congress is paralyzed. Not a
filibuster in the Senate, not a sit-in in the House, could convince the
leadership to move forward. I really believe the American people
deserve better. In fact, every survey I’ve looked at shows that there
is a very big majority of Americans who favor this path, and a
considerable majority of gun owners who agree.
Now, of course it
is not just about guns. Leaders in Congress refuse to act on a wide
range of issues that really matter to American working families. Last
week’s split Supreme Court ruling on immigration could lead to the
tearing apart and deporting of millions of people, breaking up
families. It would not have happened, I don’t believe, if Congress had
done its job and passed comprehensive immigration reform. Remember, we
had a bipartisan bill that passed the Senate. The House leadership
would not let it come to the floor for a vote. I think it’s fair to say
they did not because they were playing to the loudest voices instead of
the most people because I believe it would have passed the House if
there had been a chance to vote on it.
We also know that in this
Senate, Senators have not done their job and held a hearing for Judge
Merrick Garland, President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court. And I
have no way of knowing how Judge Garland, who is highly qualified and,
before he was nominated for the Supreme Court, respected on both sides
of the aisle – I have no way of knowing how he would have voted. I
would not pretend to presume that. But we’ve never had a situation like
this where we lose a justice of the Supreme Court, where the President,
in my view, is obligated under our constitution to nominate a
successor, and where the Senate flat-out refuses even to hold a hearing
to consider. They could vote down Judge Garland. But instead, they
refuse to act.
I think that is part of what it driving the
frustration on the part of so many Americans. Let’s have a vote. We’re
a democracy. Either vote somebody up or vote somebody down. Either
vote on guns or vote them down. And contrast that with what you do every
day. Mayors show up. You do your job. The American people show up
and do their job. We should expect nothing less from the United States
Congress.
And I’m sure that many of you, regardless of party
affiliation – I know some are Republican, some are Democrats, and some
in your systems are nonpartisan, nonaffiliated – I’m sure many of you
are running out of patience. When you look to Washington from
predictability, for decisions, maybe smart investments in affordable
housing, schools, and transportation, you don’t get the help you seek.
Instead, like other Americans, you see grandstanding. You hear threats
to default on our nation’s debt or to shut down our government. Instead
of solving problems, Washington is too often making them worse.
Now,
make no mistake. There are still many passionate, committed people in
Congress fighting the good fight every day on both sides of the aisle. I
was providing to serve in the Senate for eight years. Some of that
time I was in the majority and some of that time I was in the minority.
But I got up every day looking for ways to work with my colleagues to
make something happen for the people I represented, and that was
especially important after 9/11, where I needed to make the case about
rebuilding New York, helping the families whose loved ones had been
murdered on that terrible day.
So I know that we can build
relationships and we can find common ground. I take inspiration from
those who get up every day in the Congress and keep working to solve
problems. They don’t get cynical and they don’t give up, just like
you. You’re on the front lines every day as well. And the people you
serve are more than just your voters. They’re your neighbors. You see
them in the supermarket. You see them when you worship. You see them
at your kids’ games. You see them. They tell you their problems and
their ideas, and they count on you to help move your city forward. You
can’t respond with a snarky tweet. You’ve actually got to deliver
results because you know you’re going to see them at the supermarket and
at your kids’ ball games and everywhere else in the city.
That’s
why more and more cities are where things are happening and getting
done, and I want to thank you. You are taking the lead in investing in
early childhood education, cutting carbon emissions to tackle climate
change, ending veteran homelessness, implementing innovative
transportation projects that connect affordable housing to job
opportunities, and so much more.
Some experts have actually said
this could be the decade of the city because our urban areas are growing
twice as fast as they were in the last decade. Cities are the major
reason why our country has come back from the worst financial crisis
since the Great Depression, with more than 14 million private sector
jobs created over the last six and a half years. So you know what we
have accomplished, and you know how much more we have to do.
Your
constituents are already working harder and longer just to keep their
heads above water. Too many of our urban neighborhoods are plagued by
poverty that persists from generation to generation. Communities of
color still face barriers of systemic racism. Wages are still too low,
and inequality is too great. Jobs in many parts of our country are
booming, and in other parts they are still too hard to come by. So
these challenges are serious, but you give me hope that together we can
overcome them. I believe with all my heart that our nation is at our
best when we are rising together, when those who have been left out and
left behind get a fair chance to lift themselves up. And that’s when
communities, cities, and regions grow stronger, and our entire country
is better off.
Last week in North Carolina I laid out a five-step
plan to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the
top. First, within my first 100 days as president, I will work with
both parties to pass the biggest investment in job creation since World
War II. This will be particularly important for America’s cities.
Second, let’s make college debt-free for all and transform the way we
prepare Americans for the jobs for the future. Third, let’s rewrite the
rules so more companies share profits with employees and fewer ship
profits and jobs overseas. And fourth, let’s make sure Wall Street
corporations and the super-rich pay their fair share of taxes. And
fifth, let’s put families first and match our policies to how families
actually live and work in the 21st century.
Focusing for a minute
on jobs, I have this old-fashioned belief: Anyone willing to work hard
in America should be able to find a good job that pays enough to support
a middle class life, and a job that provides dignity and pride. So the
heart of my plan will be a big commitment to infrastructure. And the
public investment will be aided by a new National Infrastructure Bank
that will bring private sector dollars off the sidelines and be put to
work in rebuilding America. We’re going to set some big, ambitious
goals.
I have to say when I was growing up, one of the things that
my parents just drilled in me was not only loving my country, but that
we could do anything we set our minds to. Anything, because we were
Americans. Well, let’s set some goals again, and let’s hold each other
accountable for achieving them, like connecting every household to
broadband by the year 2020. If you have, like I have, traveled across
our country, you know there is a digital divide. You know there’s even a
cell telephone divide. You know that there are kids going to school
and small businesses struggling to succeed who do not have a fast
connection to broadband, and they are being shut out of the global
marketplace.
Let’s set a goal to build a cleaner, more resilient
power grid with enough renewable energy to power every home in America.
And I feel strongly about this because some country will be the 21st
century clean energy superpower. We invent most of the technologies and
products, but if we don’t have a plan and set these goals, it’s more
likely to be China or Germany than […] It needs to be us. We need to
have a public-private partnership to succeed.
We’re also going to
invest in public transit; fix failing water systems like the one that
poisoned children in Flint – renovate our public schools so every child
in every community has access to safe, high-tech classrooms,
laboratories, and libraries.
I used to have the ‘Chelsea test’
when I was First Lady of Arkansas, and then when I was First Lady of the
United States. And I would go into schools around our country and the
first thing I would think is, ‘Is this a school,’ just by looking at it
and meeting the staff, ‘that I would send Chelsea to?’ Now I’ve got the
Charlotte and Aidan test. My new – my granddaughter and grandson. And
I’m asking the same question: Is this a school that I would send – and
you know, a lot of public schools, the answer was a resounding yes; in a
lot of them, no. Schools that were literally falling down, filled with
mold, no books in the library – which I actually saw myself.
So
when we want to live up to what we all say about our next generation,
our children are really the treasure of our country, we need to pay
attention to where they spend most of their waking hours, and what kind
of message that sends to them and their families.
Now, investments
like these will help your cities unlock more economic potential and
compete in the increasingly competitive global marketplace. So our goal
should be full employment in a full-potential economy. And that means
we have to make sure the good new jobs of the future reach the
neighborhoods that need them the most – from urban cities to rural
areas.
We’re going to have to target billions of dollars to help
young people in underserved communities find a job, maybe a first job,
because in the absence of that first job, getting them into the
workplace is really difficult. They need the attitudes of what goes
with a good work ethic as well as the skills and the preparation, so
that they can start to build financial stability, gain those skills, the
confidence, and the experience to build and pursue their own career.
We
need to direct billions of dollars to support small businesses in
hard-hit communities where investment is scarce, so entrepreneurs have a
real chance to turn their ideas into growing enterprises that will put
people to work. After all, most of the new jobs – two-thirds of them –
will come from small businesses. And right now, we are falling backward
in the creation of small businesses because we don’t have the credit,
the access to credit, that we used to. It hasn’t come back after the
Great Recession. And we need to do more to help people start those
businesses and succeed.
And we need to focus on second chance
reentry programs so that people returning from prison have a fair chance
to reestablish their lives and strengthen their communities.
Now,
there are some programs that I will shamelessly borrow from. For
example, we need to push for initiatives like an expanded New Markets
Tax Credit program – something that my husband introduced on a
bipartisan basis toward the end of his second term. And everywhere I go
across the country, I see projects, I see revitalization because of the
New Markets Tax Credits. I want us to explore Jim Clyburn’s,
Congressman Jim Clyburn’s 10-20-30 plan to direct more federal
investment into underserved areas – those neighborhoods where we have
generational poverty that need extra help to be able to get themselves
up and going. And I want us to be measured by how much incomes rise for
hardworking families, not how much higher CEO bonuses can go. We’ve
been on that path, and now we need to move toward really investing in
everybody again.
I want to see how many children climb out of
poverty, how many urban communities can give their residents a better
future. I think that’s what it means to have an economy that works for
everyone, not just those at the top.
Now, to make this happen,
there’s no question we’ve got to get Washington to work much better, and
that starts with getting unaccountable money out of politics. We’ve
got to take –we’ve got to take on Citizens United and get rid of the
secret money that is rigging the system.
Now, I think it’s fair to
say many of you in city and state elections run under tighter
regulations, or at least disclosures, than we now do on the federal
side. I don’t say this as a Democrat, I say this as an American: I
think we are really skating on thin ice. It’s getting to the point
where we have no idea where money is coming from. It’s not being
disclosed. It could be foreign government money. It could be criminal
cartel money. You don’t have to say; we’ll never know.
So this is
about how we make government work and restore confidence and trust in
it. And I think it will clear the way to actually get something done.
If you look around at the people here, both of the sides of the
political divide came together to create the bipartisan ‘Mayor’s Compact
for a Better America’ plan. That’s the kind of cooperation we want to
see more of, across the board.
And I can imagine that some of our
Republican friends here today may have questions about whether you can
really work with a Democrat or work with me personally. Now, we will
disagree. I disagree with some of my Democratic friends. But I think
there’s much more we can agree on. And for me, as someone who worked
across the aisle as First Lady, as Senator, as Secretary of State, I
know we can’t get big things done unless we work together.
So I
intend to push for an agenda that I think would really help the people
of this country – our cities – and create economic opportunity, bring us
back together. But I will also always listen. I think that is a lost
art.
I want to gather people together and figure out how we’re
going to solve problems. It’s what I’ve always done. I helped create
the Children’s Health Insurance Program when I was First Lady, working
with senators and members of Congress on both sides. It now covers 8
million kids a year.
When I worked with Republicans and Democrats
and Independents across New York State, I knew and I said no political
party has a monopoly on good ideas. And the federal government doesn’t
either.
I want to give you the tools you need to get things done.
At last year’s conference, I talked about an approach we’re calling
‘flexible federalism,’ recognizing that the needs and opportunities in
each city differ from others. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
We need to listen and respect one another.
That is why I will
never plan for you. I hope we will plan with you to respond to your
priorities to get more funding, whether it’s infrastructure or housing
or second chance programs, and then give you more flexibility, cutting
through all the silos in the federal government so you can make the most
use, as you see it, of these dollars.
So I have a very
old-fashioned idea that we do work better when we’re listening and
cooperating, and we do work better when we have the local level really
helping to lead the way, when we get a partnership not only between
federal, state and local governments, but between the private and the
not-for-profit sectors along with government.
So that is my hope.
That is what I am intent upon doing. It’s what I will talk about
during this election. It’s what I hope to do if I am so fortunate
enough to be your president. We are more effective when federal and
local governments see each other as allies, not adversaries. That’s why
I’m not just asking to be your president. I’m asking to be your
partner.
Now, I’ve heard there’s a running joke in this
organization, Tom, that my husband took office as a president but left
as a mayor, because he spent so much time with your predecessors and
actually some of you were there then. Well, I’m here to tell you I will
build on that.
Just like you have the backs of the people you
serve, I will have your backs every day. So be ready. I intend to be
calling you and asking you for advice, working with you nonstop,
visiting to see what you’ve done that works that we can bring to scale
and make available for others around our country.
And I want us
always to have an open line of communication. I’m excited by what we
can do together. Despite all of the griping and the gridlock, I’m
excited, because I think the time is ripe. I think people are tired of
the partisanship and the extreme scapegoating and finger-pointing. And I
think we all enter public service because we want to get things done.
That is my hope and that is my promise to you.
You deserve a
president who gets that – who recognizes all the good work you’re doing
in your cities and who sees our cities as proof that America’s best days
are still ahead of us. There is no challenge too great and no barrier
too high for us to overcome together.
Thank you all very, very much.”
