Why is HRC Stooping So Low?

I'm becoming increasingly concerned about the stridency and inaccuracy of charges in Iowa -- especially coming from my old friend. While I'm as hard-boiled as they come about what's said in campaigns, I just don't think Dems should stoop to this. First, HRC attacked O's plan for keep Social Security solvent. Social Security doesn't need a whole lot to keep it going -- it's in far better shape than Medicare -- but everyone who's looked at it agrees it will need bolstering (I was a trustee of the Social Security Trust Fund 10 years ago, and I can vouch for this). Obama wants to do it by lifting the cap on the percent of income subject to Social Security payroll taxes, which strikes me as sensible. That cap is now close to $98,000 (it's indexed), and the result is highly regressive. (Bill Gates satisfies his yearly Social Security obligations a few minutes past midnight on January 1 every year.) The cap doesn't have to be lifted all that much to keep Social Security solvent -- maybe to $115,00. That's a progressive solution to the problem. HRC wants to refer Social Security to a commission. That's avoiding the issue, and it's irresponsible: a commission will likely call either for raising the retirement age (that's what Greenspan's Social Security commission came up with in the 1980s) or increasing the payroll tax on all Americans. So when HRC charges that Obama's plan would "raise taxes" and her plan wouldn't, she's simply not telling the truth.

I'm equally concerned about her attack on his health care plan. She says his would insure fewer people than hers. I've compared the two plans in detail. Both of them are big advances over what we have now. But in my view Obama's would insure more people, not fewer, than HRC's. That's because Obama's puts more money up front and contains sufficient subsidies to insure everyone who's likely to need help -- including all children and young adults up to 25 years old. Hers requires that everyone insure themselves. Yet we know from experience with mandated auto insurance -- and we're learning from what's happening in Massachusetts where health insurance is now being mandated -- that mandates still leave out a lot of people at the lower end who can't afford to insure themselves even when they're required to do so. HRC doesn't indicate how she'd enforce her mandate, and I can't find enough money in HRC's plan to help all those who won't be able to afford to buy it. I'm also impressed by the up-front investments in information technology in O's plan, and the reinsurance mechanism for coping with the costs of catastrophic illness. HRC is far less specific on both counts. In short: They're both advances, but O's is the better of the two. HRC has no grounds for alleging that O's would leave out 15 million people.

Yesterday, HRC suggested O lacks courage. "There's a big difference between our courage and our convictions, what we believe and what we're willing to fight for," she told reporters in Iowa, saying Iowa voters will have a choice "between someone who talks the talk, and somebody who's walked the walk." Then asked whether she intended to raise questions about O's character, she said: "It's beginning to look a lot like that."

I just don't get it. If there's anyone in the race whose history shows unique courage and character, it's Barack Obama. HRC's campaign, by contrast, is singularly lacking in conviction about anything. Her pollster, Mark Penn, has advised her to take no bold positions and continuously seek the political center, which is exactly what she's been doing.

All is fair in love, war, and politics. But this series of slurs doesn't serve HRC well. It will turn off voters in Iowa, as in the rest of the country. If she's worried her polls are dropping, this is not the way to build them back up.

This post first appeared on Robert Reich's blog.

Comments

[JimPivonka]

It's good to have some straight information about the compareison of the Clinton and Obama health plans. I knew the reports floating were wrong, but did not have the analysis RR provides.

I was not even aware of the problem with HC's OASDI nonproposal - RR is righ about where that would lead, and how bad it is. Obama scores there too.

This "courage" business just confuses me - when has HC ever shown, or had t he occasion to show courage? In her vote on the Iraq War resolution? In here vote on the Iran War Resolution? Obama missed that one because Reid pulled a fast one, and called a vote after indicating hw would delay it - not because Obama did notwan to vote against it - hed did and said so.

So Obama still leads HC, but trails Richardson and Edwards on my list.

[noapologies]

who needs Karl Rove when you've got the Obamas and Reich's of the Democratic Party around to knock down their best chance at beating the GOP next year? here's a thought: rallying around the candidate who is leading in every state and national poll, save one? pointing out all the ways that candidate is a better choice for all voters than anyone the Bush party will nominate. simpering Dems fretting about "electablility" (once again) just plays into the Rove meme that our party is weak, indecisive, and can't compete on the playing field of ideas. i'm proud to say that whomever the Dems nominate in 2008 will win the general election, including Hillary if that's who it ultimately turns out to be. every time a Bushie says they pray for a Hillary candidacy cause it will fire up their base, we should only have one response: BRING EM ON!

[Walterba]

Oh Dr. Reich. Did you really investigate this stuff. Maybe you should have mentioned the following about HRC's Health Plan and Soc Sec solution. Her health plan- requires that HMO's cover everyone. This is combined with the fact that her plan also provides a goverment run plan in competition with private HMO's.This element has been critisized as "socialist­." Her answer is great. "We believe in the free market and let's see if 'for profit' HMO's can compete with 'not for profit' Gov run plan", ala Medicare. I guess you forgot to point that out. ( Maybe single payer gov run by the back door?) Pretty clever don't you think? Social Security. Wants to do what her husband did. Create fiscal discipline so that the Soc Sec fund is no longer raided. Remember Greenspan was worried about what would Gov do with the Clinton era surplus? What's wrong with a commission? Tip ONeill did it with Reagan and it worked. But in refernce to raising the cap, O's plan punishes the middle class. HRC said, and I heard it as her reply in a town hall meeting,if you were going to do that that instead of just raising the cap to say $97 500 like O wants to do ( everyone below would pay, hitting the much beleaugered middle class,) she would give a $ 1000 credit to those earning under $ 20,000 and a donut hole above the current cap and then have FICA come in again at say $ 350,000.00 and above. What a great idea.Helps the middle class and the working poor. But you see O doesn't get it. I know details like this are boring. From the foregoing you can see that the article is a baseless polemic. I have heard that some people are threatened by smart , competent women like HRC. That can't be true?

[Evolin]

"If you haven't anything good to say about anyone just don't say anything".­....at least that's what my mother taught me, so I won't say anything derogatory about Mr. Reich.
HOWEVER I just sent Hillary another donation to help her cope with all the onslaughts on her.
I sure want her to be PRESIDENT.

[Waitaminute]

How can Hillary's plan work when the problem we have with health care, is the fact that even now, people can't afford to buy it. Its not like the cost of living is keeping up with inflation. It will be more difficult to afford in the future and Hillary want to mandate that we buy it?

[MRb1000]

Hillary is trying to smear people. Why don't someone bring up the Peter Paul case. He gave her 1.1 million dollars. Then she claims to never knowing him. Hmmmmmmmm. Something is going on here. Hey, check it out for yourself.

[JohnSmart]

how in the world had obama ever shown "courage" in his life? when he came out against the war as a state senator? whop dee do. when he beat alan keys? i could have beaten alan keys. when he was a community organizer? there are millions of community organizers in America. this does not make a president. being against an unpopular war in a democratic primary is not "courage" its obvious.
or maybe he was full of conviction when he skipped votes to be in new hampshire. for all the blather about one poll that shows obama with a tiny lead in iowa - there are 2 others that have clinton in first - one of which has obama in 3rd. funny how the huff post skipped those polls. she is still has huge leads in new hampshire california nevada and florida. regardless of what the DNC says florida matters. a lot. RR is jumping on a bandwagon - a bandwagon that is very low on gas.

[wonamini]

Mr. Reich, I think you should run for office! I'd have my shoelaces ready and my canvassing team in place!

[Hattie]

I wish I had the sterling values of followers of Obama or Kuckinich. As it is, I'm voting for Clinton.

[bklynsam]

Spot on, Mr. Reich! Thank you!!

[Pdubya]

Paul vs. Obama

it will be a good race.

[DontSpin]

Thank you Mr. Reich. What brings out a candidate's real character is how they behave when they think they may just lose, and everyone on the democratic side has shown character in those circumstances with the exception of Hillary Clinton.

[MRb1000]

I say he is not stooping, He is just to telling the truth. Some people have guilt stirring in the heart. I guest he just want to come clean about everything. Tell the truth is more important now days than anything. Just like it was the economy stupid. It is the truth stupid!!!!

[liveandlearn]

i like hillary, who is tough as nails and reflexively progressive. however, she, like those that have gone before her, acts muzzled in the face of all the opposition she has experienced.

give us kucinich, who walks and talks the same line. if enough progressives vote for kucinich in the michigan primary, he may have a victory to carry with him when he asks the eventual nominee for some political platform planks.

[cylindar]

It is obvious to most voter types that Hillary is not being honest about any issues. No one really knows where she stands on anything. She is also beginning to look sleazy in regard to ideals in general. Obama has problems in this area also, but no where near what Hillary does. I think he is going to win for the Dems.