WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered a glimpse of her possible campaign platform during a speech on Monday, arguing that there needs to be a renewed focus on expanding the middle class in cities.
Clinton made the comments during a panel at the Center for American Progress on Monday, flanked by CAP President Neera Tanden, President of the American Federation of Teachers Union President Randi Weingarten, and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. Much of Clinton’s comments focused on inequality in urban areas.
“It used to be that jobs were moving out of cities and suburbs and into rural areas. That trend is reversing,” Clinton said. “A lot of our cities are divided. They have a lot of inequality that has only gotten worse, they have some of the most dynamic, most well-educated people, affluent people in the world and people who are trapped in generational poverty and whose skills are not keeping up with what the jobs of today and tomorrow demand.”
Clinton argued that there needs to be more done to incentivize families, especially those with young children, to stay in cities, including providing more affordable housing.
“What do we do to better equip the people to take the jobs, and how do we keep the middle class in cities where they want to stay?” Clinton asked. “They don’t want to leave. They’re being priced out.”
In her comments, Clinton lauded New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s work on expanding pre-kindergarten education in the city. “I’m very much a supporter of what Mayor de Blasio did in New York to create Pre-K access for every young child in New York, regardless of who that young child is or who his parents are.”
Clinton’s comments on Monday echo ones she made twenty days ago at an EMILY’s List event where she bashed Republicans’ emphasis on inequality as insincere.
I think a lot of people who see Hillary as a triangulating corporate stooge will be surprised if she does run. Because she has a lot to offer in the way of ideas, and she keeps her eyes and ears open. It’s not the 1990s any more.
Ideas? Everybody walking down the street has ideas.
No, not everyone. Some are just content with tearing others down.
Just asking Randy. When you put this out there what do you expect? It’s not about ideas and keeping “her eyes and ears open”. It’s about having the political will and courage to implement your ‘ideas’.
Next you’re going to say Hillary also has great questions. Fuck the questions, just give me the answers and then implement them. Ideas and questions. We all have them in spades.
By that I meant that she is aware of what people are saying and what they are going through.
Yes, a good politician has to have ideas of their own, but they must also be able to listen.