In an effort to promote his global humanitarian causes, former President Bill Clinton held a phone news conference with student reporters across the nation Wednesday.
Speaking from the Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting in Miami, Clinton discussed topics ranging from health care to education and current events.
He also encouraged people to participate in public service.
“The point is that everyone can make a difference,” said Clinton, who called service an essential ingredient to being a good American citizen. “You don’t need a lot of money to do good.”
According to Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative has assisted in improving the quality of life for 220 million people in more than 170 countries.
Calling his work as equally rewarding as his eight-year tenure in the White House, he said his humanitarian efforts allow him the opportunity to go to remote places and interact with more people than he could while serving as president.
“I’m very happy to be doing this,” he said.
When speaking on political issues, he praised President Obama’s efforts to get health care reform passed, something Clinton failed to do while in office.
He attributed the passage to a “better” Congress and the dire urgency within the country to have expanded health coverage.
“If you want to change things, you have to be willing to pay the price of time,” he said.
Clinton also spent time discussing education and calling for efforts to curb rising higher education costs.
He said the costs of education are rising faster than the costs of inflation.
“The one thing that nobody disputes is that we have the best education system in the world, “ he said, calling it the crowning jewel of American society.
However, he said the opportunity for education is being priced out of students’ hands.
Although he praised the efforts of the Clinton Global Initiative, especially those in the earthquake-ravaged nation of Haiti, Clinton stressed the need to expand commitment to public service.
In doing so, he does not want to lose what he called a sense of personal intimacy with those whom the program is helping.
He remains optimistic for the program’s future.
“We’ll find an answer to keep this thing going,” he said.
