Bush Three Is Wrong -- Is Clinton Three Any Better?
I had once considered John McCain an ultimately acceptable choice for president.
I thought that, compared to the other Republicans in the field earlier, McCain was a man who had lived a serious life. He had faced serious problems and offered respected solutions to issues such as campaign finance reform. McCain was a war hero, a US Senator and maverick in a party that often didn't know what to make of people like John McCain.
But mavericks don't make it to the highest echelons of the GOP. That is how we got stuck with this Bush. In order to ascend to the highest ranks of the Republican Party, you have got to realize that the current size and scope of the budget of the federal government is the greatest opportunity for the personal enrichment of the upper class in this country since the turn of the previous century or the period around World War II. As much as any industry that brings its products to market, selling your goods and services to the US government, and particularly the military, is a chance to make staggering and heretofore unseen profits. The current budget of the US Defense Department is the most shameful misappropriation of American tax dollars in our nation's history.
There are cycles in American history wherein the richest and most powerful people who actually own and run this country make there greatest effort to elect a true corporatocracy candidate. They literally steal the election, if need be. They install their witless, pliant factotums and they start skimming. They order even more expensive things we don't need. They relax regulations to the point where there are essentially no regulations at all. They might even start a war, if the can get away with it. If questionable people happen to be in the country taking flying lessons without learning how to land and you don't bother to investigate them, you increase the chances you may get away with it.
There are periods in American history when the haves just knock the have-nots to the ground and say,"Enough." They push the government into greater debt. They sign unconscionable mortgages for future generations. They lie and tell the American people that to get out of the convoluted military quagmire would only threaten us more. Threaten our children. Their future.
When their friends run into trouble, they bail them out. No, I mean we bail them out. They decide. We simply do the paying. Bill Clinton killed welfare as we knew it. Maybe its time had come. I was hoping that both Clintons would have condemned the Bear Stearns deal in the harshest terms. No such luck.
John McCain has changed. He drank the Kool-Aid, the one they served as baby formula in the Bush home all those years ago. McCain will be Bush Three. I was wrong about him. He has velcroed his lips to the ass of the elephant and he's gonna keep kissing until a second term would end.
But, if Bush Three is wrong, terrifyingly wrong, then is Clinton Three any better? Who do you think really has the guts to stand against the most potent special interests who truly care more about the dollar than the flag? We don't have a draft in this country in order keep politics out of military policy. For too many Americans, the truth is that, "My child isn't over there. That's all I care about." The fact that there has not been one great, national day of protest against this war will surely come back to haunt us all.
Who will end this war?
Obama will end this war.
I encourage the Democrats of the state of Pennsylvania to cast their vote tomorrow for Barack Obama.
I sweated this a lot. I admire both Bill and Hillary. But the shame and disgrace of how we have treated our own fighting men, not to mention many innocent people in Iraq, weighs more heavily on me now.
This country is in deep trouble. We not only need something effective, we need something new. I believe Obama will bring that more that Mrs. Clinton.
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Alec. It is about time you recognize that the Clintons are whores for the Corpotocracy in America. Ashley Dupree before Hillary!
Wasn't he going to leave the country when Bush was elected for the first time? Why is he still here?
Backatcha.
But, Barack voted for every war funding bill the same as Clinton. He just was not there for the initial vote so its easy for him to NOW say he was against it. What if he was actually there IN the Senate during that vote? He probably would have not been there, as he has a worse track record for attendance in the Senate for voting than Hillary. Sorry, but I think Bill Clinton did wonders for this country and our economy, why wouldn't Hillary Clinton do the same?
I think of Obama who smokes his health away to support big Tobacco industries. He cannot even be wise about his own health. How will he take care of ours?
If they had not voted for the funding bill, the GIs and Mercs would not have received their salaries or supplies. I would have not voted for the bill because I would have been curious to see what the troops would do if they had to fight a war for free and with diminishing supplies. You'd have to go back to the Revolution to see that kind of patriotism! Would they have a) hopped onto their vehicles and split for Kuwait while they still had gas or b) remained at their posts until they were reduced to cannibalism and urine drinking?
Bill rode on the economy and at the end of his term, we had a market crash in 2000; so would be take credit for it too?
Clintons spun that Obama voted for war funding bills just like Clinton did. So once Clinton supported the war and our army is in there, do you think we should just let the men fence for themselves there? The same with withdrawal from Iraq, it's easy to say than to do it. Clinton said she will do it within 6 months because she doesn't know what will happen after the withdrawal but she does know what if we stay. Wow, that is irresponsible to say the least when you are there and just order the withdrawal without opinion of the general on the ground. This is why 250,000 Serbians died when Hillary "advised" Bill to delay for 4 years his pledge to help them. Now, about Obama's smoking habit, do you think Clintons have no bad health habits of their own? Bill "supports" cigars industries for sure.
There is a difference between voting for sending our troops to war and voting to keep them safe and taken care of. Voting against funding our troops before you get them out of harms way is stupid. It is not going to force Bush to end the war. He would just let the troops suffer and blame the democrats.
Hillary Clinton lacked the courage to stand with her 21 fellow Senators against the war and chose not to read the Intelligence estimate. She put her political career before our troops and the good of our country. That alone is enough to disqualify her
Nobody is going to elect Bill Clinton to his 3rd term (along with his co-President). Obama is the only hope of the Dems. Hillary energizes the opposition WAY too much. People will rise from wheelchairs (and the grave) to vote for anybody but her.
Wait till you get a load of what they'll do to beat Obama. Have you just arrived on Earth or something? Welcome to the U.S. political system. You're fired!
Not this time. The Republicans are in for a well deserved ass kicking. Why do you think we are so powerless against them? PEOPLE ARE MAD! Things are so bad in this country now- people do not care about the wedge issues like gay marriage, stem cell research and school prayer.
Congratulations, Alec. This piece is real progress in your political analysis and you have broken through to very serious discussion of the real issues. Keep up the good work.
If unsupported assertions and frantic hand-waving passes for "political analysis" in your opinion, I guess you would be correct.
The only thing I think Alec was correct about was his statement "I was wrong . . .", although I don't think he goes far enough. Instead of finishing that statement "about [McCain]", I think it should end "abou pretty much everything".
Hey, as long as we are swallowing sweeping generalities, why not?
Alec, this is easily the best post you've ever written. It comes at a good time. Thank you!
. Bill Clinton increased the military budget. Hillary has accepted more money from defense contractors than any other candidate. After this latest round of Middle East saber rattling by Hillary Clinton, the choice couldn't be clearer. A new way or the old way.
I'm going to quote a noted liberal now:
"This world in arms in not spending money alone.
It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities.
It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population.
It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals.
It is some 50 miles of concrete highway.
We pay for a single fighter with a half million bushels of wheat.
We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.
This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking.
This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is
humanity hanging from a cross of iron."
Hey Alec, what took you so long? But welcome to the O camp anyway. Your timing seems curious for the Penn. primary... Its kinda the 12th hour isnt it?
He had to wait to see which one would really win THEN fit his analysis to that candidate. He likes to back a winner.
At first, I was just furious with Hillary's Rovian tactics--now I'm terrified of her " umbrella of deterrance
Great post, as usual.
Oh yes. Someone actually proposes a solution that uses our strength to help those that can't fight for themselves against a NUCLEAR ATTACK is so irresponsible.
Obama's idea of sitting down and talking with Iran's leader, who blatently says that the holocost is a myth, sounds like a better idea.
It's dangerous to be reasonable with unreasonable people.
Are you suggesting that Israel can't fight for themselves? Even a cursory look at the past 50 years in the Middle East throws that right out the window. And furthermore, yes Obama's idea of sitting down and talking with Iran's leader does sound like a much better idea than the wholesale destruction of thousands of innocent lives. Last I checked not believing in something didn't kill anyone... but I may well be proven wrong with the climate change that we have not believed in for the past few decades.
Actually, it is pretty clear the average informed person that Israel has nuclear weapons of its own. So, the US saying that it will use its nuclear weapons to protect Israel is both reckless and stupid. Please see http://en.
Look, mom! Another wingnut with scream caps, poor spelling, and a xenophobic hysteria boiling out of his/her eyeballs! Can I tayk a pitcher?
No, honey, don't waste the film.
But Mom, it's a digital camera!
Still, honey, don't waste the pixel. Children are starving in Detroit.
Mom, it's just a pixel.
Hush, sweetheart, we'll be late to the stoning.
Check out these maps. According to the geeks that crunch the numbers for these maps, Clinton is a better bet that Obama to beat McCain. 270 electoral votes is a win. And when you look at the map, you will see that Florida, with 27 electoral votes, is critical.
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I think it's high time for a woman to be president.
Just not THIS woman!!!!!
Dude, you don't see that Hillary is no longer running for the nomination as the democratic candidate for president. She's running as the republican candidate for president. The Iran threat is so over the top that you have to wonder what happened in her campaign to sanction this? This is not a national security idea. This is a pander to the warmongers. Her slam against Moveon has now been doubled down. She simply does not care who is against the war. She is a WARRIOR and will prove it. Reminds me of a moment Margaret Thatcher had years ago during the Falklands war where a caller accused her of spilling the guts of British soldiers to prove she had guts. As for Obama, what makes you think he'll be able to stop the war?
WOW! Alec, I know you a true Democrat making the best decision your conscious will allow. People who aren’t familiar with your dedicated work on behalf of the Party may scoff and snort and that’s OK. People will question your intent but I believe your political integrity is resolute. So, I will unvelcro my lips from your ass now. ‘-)
Found an article from the Guardian UK on the custom of paying out ‘street money’ to guarantee votes. Really, it’s no guarantee at all, just a thinly veiled promise of intent. I am happy to read Obama is not bending to the will of the machine and why should he? He’s already conceded that Hilary will win Penn so not point is wasting the money. Hillary’s mishandling of her own campaign money machine leads me to conclude she won’t have any respect for the proper appropriation my tax dollars and will happily distribute to those willing to help her win at any cost, whether on the streets or in the boardroom.
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As an Obama supporter, I welcome you Alec to our side of the fence.
To me, and to all democrat voters, the decision to support Obama should be simple. No matter that maybe a couple of Clinton's policy ideas, such as for healthcare, are a tad better, the plain and simple fact that she has been proved time and again to be unashamed LIAR and prevaricator has to make you wonder if she will suddenly become any different, any more truthful, any more transparent, if she wins the presidency. My common sense, and so should yours, says no. Leopards do NOT change their spots, at least not in the universe. Obama ain't the greatest, but he's the best we can hope for this time around.
A tad better? Do you know these plans? It is by far superior to Obama's plan. I know you think she lies, but when I get sick and need health care I WANT THE BEST PLAN. I don't care to nit-pick about any of the crap that people hold against her. She is not all things to all people. I want good policy. That's all.
Thanks Alec. I hope you got permission from Tina Fey. I'll never understand people like her who are supporting Hillary mainly because she's a woman. Does that mean if Obama were a woman and Hillary was a man, Fey would be supporting Obama?
As a Clinton supporter, I am fairly impressed by Alex's post. It is a fairly reasonable point of view, if a rather shallow one and a big improvement on the other Obama supporters. The reason it is shallow is that it deals only with one area for the most part. Both Clinton and Obama are in favor of withdrawal from Iraq. He offers no reason Clinton's plan is worse than Obama's though other than a hope. I was an Edwards supporter and looked at both Clinton and Obama's web sites and proposals.
My decision was very easy to make since Obama at that time had very little on the issues and it was rather hard to find his positions. When found, his proposals were far to the RIGHT of Clinton. Even now I see no mention by Obama about what he would do about high gas prices. Clinton has specifics on how to drive down the price NOW. Given the fact that speculation is the main reason for high prices, a big Clinton win in PA would have a salutory effect on our gas prices. Want to get your high gas prices started down? VOTE FOR HILLARY!
Yay, an exercise in missing the point!
Spoken truly like someone with no skin in the military conflict. How easy it must be to concern yourselves with gas prices while soldiers are fighting and dying in a war your candidate voted for. Most of us that protested the war at its inception (and now for myself, fighting it) found it extremely disheartening that Clinton voted in support of it. What credibility could she possibly have on her plan to withdraw the troops?
If that's shallow, then I call you a fool. While myself and other members of the PA Guard are over there next year, I'm glad you'll have the luxury to worry merely about gas prices.
In the meantime, I guess it must be easier to vote for a candidate when it's not your kids who could end up fatherless due to her vote.
randyjet, I totally agree. I was an Edwards supporter too, and I would now prefer Clinton to Obama as president. Clinton pisses a lot of people off, but that's because she's a hard scrapper. She's not a quitter, and she's not afraid of criticism.
I have not seen leadership qualities in Obama. His senate votes or lack thereof worry me. His tendency to think that he can somehow elicit cooperation from repubs shows an extreme naivete.
He lacks the appropriate experience for presidential preparation.
Clinton has an excellent record on environmental protection, and she's tough as nails. I think she would be an effective president.
If you think a President can affect free market forces to change energy prices in a reliable way, you're in for a lot of disappointment. I don't think Hillary is going to discover a vast new reserve of oil in her backyard ... even if Bill is back there a-shootin' for some food.
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