The 2016 election will soon be upon us. By now, we know that there are many hopeful candidates trying to win over the people of America. As we have seen in the past, there are many men running for president, but this year, there are two women getting a lot of attention.

The two most prominent women in the race for presidency are Hillary R. Clinton, Democrat, and Carly Fiorina, Republican, who will both try their best to give a strong voice to the citizens of the United States.

Clinton’s campaign slogan states, “This starts with you.” She is counting on the American people to vote for her so she can continue to help the nation through foreign policy, domestic issues, and help mold the United States to be the best country it can be.

Fiorina uses a slogan that hints toward a communal effort between the people and the government. Her slogan states, “We must once again become a nation of limitless possibilities.” Fiorina is seeking Americans to step forward as she will advocate for economic growth, entrepreneurship, innovative and effective leadership.

There are many topics being discussed and argued between all the presidential candidates. Below are four key issues– immigration, equality rights, health care, and the environment– that both Clinton and Fiorina address.

Immigration

On the topic of immigration, Fiorina and Clinton share some of the same views.

Both of the women support the DREAM Act which allows selected youths to earn citizenship through military service or college education. While Clinton and Fiorina share this same view, Clinton’s hopeful policy will go farther to allow a smoother pathway to citizenship.

Fiorina would like to see border security heightened in the future, whereas Clinton would like to keep it the same as it is now or even lessen the amount of guards.

Hillary Clinton would like to see that every person is treated with dignity. She believes that every single person deserves the right to become a citizen in our great nation, which is a nation that was built on immigrants.

Human Rights

Fiorina’s stance on human rights differs greatly from Clinton’s.

Clinton wants to make human rights a reality. Clinton said, “I reflect our deep commitment to the cause of making human rights a reality for millions of oppressed people around the world.” Clinton strongly advocates for making human rights a foreign policy priority. She strongly supports freedom of speech and expression as well and religious protection and tolerance. Clinton also wants to give a voice to those who are vulnerable and marginalized.

Clinton outlines her vision for human rights and said,  “I would go back to being a voice for the voiceless, standing up against conditions that just leech the life out of children and oppress women and prevent people from fulfilling their God-given potential.”

Fiorina, on the other hand, stance on human rights is not as clearly defined. In the past, Fiorina has criticized Clinton’s handling of human rights in China, Russia, and Iran.

Although Fiorina agrees that professional women do not get the same rights and men commenting on the firing of NY Times Managing Editor Jill Abramson in 2014,  “She’s been a distinguished reporter for The New York Times, an editor for three years. There is not a single word in her departure announcement about her contribution, about her record, about her time at The New York Times. Not a word. That is disrespectful.”

Fiorina has been evasive about her stance on other human rights issues. She does oppose marriage equality and is a proponent for religious liberty bills that have recently passed in states such as Indiana.

Health Care

Hillary Clinton, previously the Secretary of State for Obama, is a strong supporter of “ObamaCare,” or the Affordable Care Act. She believes that health care should be provided for people of all social classes because it is a human right to be healthy and safe. To do this, she plans to lower co-pays, lower deductibles, and reduce the cost of prescription drugs.

Since 1979, Clinton has been working to make health care more affordable for all. She chaired the Arkansas Rural Health Advisory Committee to expand health care and its benefits to isolated rural areas around America. She is also credited with creating the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides insurance and care to children who are in need.

On the other hand, Fiorina is opposed to the Affordable Care Act. She believes that the root of medical problems is malpractice in the field. She plans to encourage competition in the health insurance market so prices can be reduced without reducing the quality of care that can be received.

Fiorina makes understandable points, but her background in health care does not compare to Clinton’s resume.

Environment

Fiorina feels that there will be no impact on climate change if only one country takes the initiative to find cleaner energy sources.

The main energy source that she is examining is coal. She feels that the outlawing of coal would be destructive to America’s economy because many people have jobs based on and rely on coal. She said, in a interview with Katie Couric, that she believes climate change is an issue that must be looked at, but it is not a major issue that she, as a presidential hopeful, should worry about.

Clinton stands on the other side of the spectrum with the problem of energy sources. She believes that pollution and climate change are pressing and urgent crises.

Hillary has laid out two goals for her presidency on the energy matter. The first one states, “Have more than half a billion solar panels installed across the country by the end of Hillary’s first term.”

The second one states, “Generate enough renewable energy to power every home in America within 10 years of Hillary taking office.” By having two defined goals, Clinton is showing that she can be counted as responsible for her actions on the problem.

My pick:

Just looking at these few issues, Hillary Clinton seems to be taking greater strides toward a successful presidency. The former Secretary of State shows more confidence than the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard in her abilities to change the nation for the better. Clinton stands beside the people of America and understands their core values, while Fiorina cannot connect to the real problems that the American people face daily.