THIS IS THE SECOND IN VOICES4HILLARY'S POSTS OF VOICES FROM DNCinPHL 2016. The speaker is the Junior Senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand.
I was honored to speak at the Democratic National Convention last week about why Hillary Clinton is the clear choice for President, both for our families and for our nation. You can read and watch my speech below. - Kirsten
Many of you know me as a United States senator from New York.
But during school drop off and pick up, I'm better known as Theo and Henry's mom.
Like most working parents, my husband and I juggle a lot. We're fortunate to have flexibility. But some days, we still barely keep it together.
The vast majority of working parents have it much tougher. They're struggling with too little time, too little money, and too little support.
And Washington hasn't caught up to their reality. Families today look almost nothing like they did a generation ago.
Today, eight in 10 moms work outside the home; four in 10 moms are the primary or sole breadwinners, and many are single.
Thanks to marriage equality, more children grow up with two moms or two dads.
Yet our policies are still stuck in the Mad Men era.
We are the only industrialized nation that doesn't guarantee workers paid family leave. Many women can't even get a paid day off to give birth.
Most parents work outside the home, yet child care can cost as much as college tuition.
Families rely on women's income but we still don't have equal pay for equal work.
This makes no sense. We know that when families are strong, America is strong.
Hillary Clinton gets it, not just because she's a working mom and Charlotte and Aiden's grandmother, but because for her, it's about her core values — the idea that we have a responsibility to one another. It's about who we are as a nation.
It's why, after law school, she could have gone to a fancy law firm, but she chose to work at the Children's Defense Fund where she advocated for children with disabilities.
It's why, as America's First Lady, she helped create a heath insurance program for children so that eight million kids could get the care they need.
And it's why, as Secretary of State, she helped women and children to escape violence and poverty, to attend schools, support their families, and reinvest in their communities.
And it's why, as president of the United States, she will bring our workplace policies out of the Dark Ages and always — always — put families first.
You see, Hillary Clinton's life's work has been defined by one question, "How can we help those who need it the most?"
Donald Trump has been defined by a very different question, "How can I help myself the most?"
Donald Trump actually stood on a debate stage and said that wages are "too high."
Hillary knows that in the richest country in the world, it is unacceptable that a mom with two kids working full-time still lives in poverty.
Donald Trump says that when it comes to paid family leave, you have to "be careful" of it. Hillary knows that it's long past time to have guaranteed paid family leave.
Donald Trump thinks that women should "just work harder" because, and I'm quoting, "You're going to make the same if you as good of a job." Every woman in American knows that is not true.
Hillary believes women deserve equal pay for equal work.
The choice in this election could not be clearer.
If you believe in the values that have always made us great, if you believe in keeping America great, then support Hillary Clinton.
Thank you and God bless this great nation.
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JULY 2016
