Nepotism: Kushner Is Nothing Compared to Hillary Clinton

Critics may be correct to call nepotism on Jared Kushner. But the same must also be said for Hillary Clinton. If she hadn’t been married to the President, no one would know who she is.

Nepotism is a word that has been thrown around a lot lately on the left to criticize the Trump administration. Concern over the issue is not unwarranted when both Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump could certainly be considered products of nepotism. Very little qualifies Kushner to be a senior advisor, and, though she does not have an official position, Ivanka’s influence over her father and her role in this administration have been significant thus far. Trump said himself that the way pictures of Assad’s victims affected Ivanka was a reason for launching missile strikes on the Syrian government. Democrats might be able to make a case for nepotism in the current administration, but before they do, they should take a quick look in the mirror.

When the Clintons became prominent figures in the public eye, their marriage immediately became a topic of question. The Clintons’ marriage is a perfect example of nepotism: “The practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.” At the time Bill Clinton was elected president, Hillary had little to no experience with the issues she would try to tackle. She received power directly from the President of the United States, her husband, without the relevant experience to be qualified for the responsibilities bestowed upon her.

Before Bill and Hillary, the role of First Lady had traditionally been hostess of the White House, carrying only ceremonial duties. Hillary, for better or worse, was the most powerful First Lady in American history. She was tasked with revamping a health-care system responsible for fifteen percent of the economy. Her proposal was coined “Hillarycare” and was so unpopular it could not get a floor vote in the House or the Senate, even when Democrats controlled both chambers.