Subject: Topper for tomorrow's SEIU event
From: Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>
To: John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Cc: Milia Fisher <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 19 May 2015 17:34:05 -0400

John, I wanted to be sure you got a chance to see this for tomorrow at SEIU:

*HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON*

*REMARKS AT SEIU CHILD CARE EVENT*

*CHICAGO, ILLINIOIS*

*WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015*

Thank you to everyone at New Horizons for welcoming us today.  And thank
you to all my friends at SEIU.

We’re here today to talk about childcare.  But I want to begin with what’s
happening more broadly with America’s economy and America’s families.

We’ve come back from very tough economic times.  Our economy and our
country are in much better shape today because families worked so hard.
They took extra jobs, skipped vacations, scrimped and saved and made it
work.

But the deck is still stacked for those at the top.

People aren’t getting a fair shake.  Something is wrong when top CEOs earn
300 times more than a typical American worker and some hedge fund managers
pay a lower tax rate than a truck driver or a nurse.

I’m running for President because everyday Americans and their families
need a champion and I want to be that champion.  I want families to do more
than just get by – I want you to get ahead and *stay* ahead.  I want to
make the words “middle class” *mean* something again.

Strong families have always been the backbone of America.  But our economy
is different than it was for previous generations, and our families are
different too. Most need two incomes to make ends meet.  Sixty-four percent
of moms with children under 6 are now working outside the home.  And 40
percent of moms are the sole or primary breadwinners in their household.

Back before I had Chelsea, I used to see many of the women I worked with
urgently whispering into their phones every afternoon around three
o’clock.  I realized they were checking that their children had gotten home
from school safely.  They had to whisper because it just wasn’t accepted
back then that you could be a good worker and a devoted parent at the same
time – especially for women.

Today that kind of juggling is a reality for most families.  Moms and Dads
alike are squeezing every minute out of a 24-hour day with barely enough
time to breathe, let alone relax.  And many can’t count on relatives to
pitch in because so many families now are scattered across the country.

That means that finding high quality, affordable, flexible childcare is
more important than ever.  But it’s also harder than ever.

Federal and state funding for childcare hasn’t kept up with changing times
and rising demand.  In fact, it’s lower today than it was a decade ago.

So it’s no surprise that out-of-pocket childcare costs for families have
soared by nearly 25 percent.

Our families and our economy need new solutions designed for today and
tomorrow, not yesterday.

First, to bring down out-of-control family costs, we need to make
investments in childcare a national priority.

What President Obama has proposed is a great start.  Universal Pre-K for
all 4 year-olds would give our kids support and enrichment at a crucial
period for brain development and would help meet childcare needs for their
families as well.  So would additional assistance to families in the first
three years.

I’ll look for responsible ways to go even further, whether its providing
grants to states targeted for infants and toddlers, or tax cuts to new
parents, or finally joining the rest of the developed world in providing
paid family leave.

And when Republicans try to slash funding for childcare, I’ll fight back.
Because investing in our kids means investing in our families and our
future.

Second, we have to focus on quality so all our kids have access to the best
possible care.  That means reducing overcrowding, providing more
information to parents, and increasing training and wages for providers.

You know better than anyone that we don’t give the people who care for our
kids the pay or respect they deserve.

That makes it harder to retain the best workers.  It makes it harder to
keep up high standards.  And it’s just plain wrong.

We have to defend the right of workers to organize and bargain for higher
wages that reflect the value of their work.  And it’s hard to imagine work
more valuable than caring for our youngest children.

SEIU’s leadership is so vital here.  When I see childcare workers out there
organizing and marching and advocating, I want to cheer.

As President, I’ll stand with you in the fight for fair wages.  And I’ll
stand against any attempts to roll back worker’s rights.  Those at the top
already have plenty of friends in Washington.  I want to be *your*
champion.

Ultimately, this is about how we work together to give every child the
chance to live up to his or her God-given potential.  There’s nothing more
important.  Because when we unlock the full potential of every American, we
can unlock the full potential and prosperity of America.

So I’m eager to hear your stories.  What more can we do to help families
get the childcare they need?  What more should we be doing to support our
kids and the professionals who care for them?

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