Wednesday, February 06, 2008

The Candidates: Hillary Clinton



* The illustration is from Mother Jones Magazine. Check out my earlier posts about Mitt Romney, John McCain, Barack Obama, John Edwards and Ron Paul.

Things I Agree With Hillary Clinton About:

• Wants a time-out for mortgage companies on march toward foreclosure.
• She believes that microcredit is an invaluable tool in alleviating poverty.
• Wants to establish a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
• Wants tax credits to promite home ownership in distressed areas.
• Considered idea of $5000 at birth to pay for future college.
• Voted YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008.
• Voted YES on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan.
• Voted YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding.
• She wants to continue diplomatic engagement with Iran.
• Wants to extend peace treaties to Palestinians, Syrians & Lebanese.
• She is OK with going after Al-Qaeda in Pakistan.
• She wants to cut alternative minimum tax, not billionaire tax cuts.
• She wants to expand child tax credit for child's first year.
• Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends.
• Voted YES on increasing tax deductions for college tuition.
• No salary increase for Congress until minimum wage increased.
• Get tough with China and bring jobs back home.
• Voted YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing.
• Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25.
• Voted NO on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress.
• Rated 85% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record.
• Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program.
• Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship.
• Voted NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad.
• Voted YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months.
• Voted YES on implementing the 9/11 Commission report.
• Voted YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees.
• Voted YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods.
• Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision.
• Voted YES on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism.
• Voted YES on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders.
• Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D.
• Voted NO on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000.
• Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D.
• Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics.
• Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug.
• Voted YES on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada.
• Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages.
• Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit.
• Wants to let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations.
• Voted against CAFTA despite Bill Clinton's pushing NAFTA.
• Voted NO on Bush Administration Energy Policy.
• Voted YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025.
• Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
• Rated 89% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes.
• Rated 82% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes.
• She wants to reduce sentencing disparity for crack, but not retroactively.
• She wants to divert non-violent drug offenders away from prison.
• She wants to address drug problem with treatment and special drug courts.
• Pushed to expand AMBER alerts & for stricter sex penalties.
• Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore.
• She wants to end no-bid contracts.
• Pushed Wal-Mart for women managers & environment.
• Voted NO on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration.

Things I Disagree With Hillary Clinton About:

• Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act.
• Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq.
• She's a critic of Iraq war, but won't recant 2002 vote in its favor.
• Voted YES on designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorists.
• Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007.
• Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border.
• Supports “Three Strikes” and more prison.
• Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy.
• Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping.
• A STRONGLY pro-choice record on abortion.

What It Boils Down To For Me About Hillary Clinton is that I'd be happy to cast my vote for her, BUT, my present feeling is best summed up by what Barack Obama had to say last night:

"As I've said before, [Senator Clinton] was a friend before this campaign. She'll be a friend after it's over. I respect her. I respect her as a colleague. I congratulate her on her victories tonight. She's been running an outstanding race.

But this fall, this fall we owe the American people a real choice. We have to choose between change and more of the same. We have to choose between looking backwards and looking forward. We have to choose between our future and our past.

It's a choice between going into this election with Republicans and independents already united against us or going against their nominee with a campaign that has united Americans of all parties, from all backgrounds, from all races, from all religions, around a common purpose. It's a choice between having a debate with the other party about who has the most experience in Washington or having one about who's most likely to change Washington, because that's a debate that we can win.

It's a choice between a candidate who's taken more money from Washington lobbyists than either Republican in this race and a campaign that has not taken a dime of their money because we have been funded by you. You have funded this campaign.

And if I am your nominee, my opponent will not be able to say that I voted for the war in Iraq, because I didn't, or that I gave George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran, because I haven't, or that I support the Bush-Cheney doctrine of not talking to leaders we don't like, because I profoundly disagree with that approach. And he will not be able to say that I wavered on something as fundamental as whether or not it's okay for America to use torture, because it's never okay. That is the choice in this election.

The Republicans running for president have already tied themselves to the past. They speak of a 100-year war in Iraq. They talk about billions more in tax breaks for the wealthiest few, who don't need them and didn't even ask for them, tax breaks that mortgage our children's future on a mountain of debt at a time when there are families who can't pay their medical bills and students who can't pay their tuition.Those Republicans are running on the politics of yesterday. And that is why our party must be the party of tomorrow. And that is the party that I intend to lead as president of the United States of America."

That settles it. GO, BARACK, GO! Interesting side-note: when McCain talked favorably about Romney last night, there was an awkward silence from his supporters followed by sparse clapping. When Obama praised Hilary, his crowd went nuts. Please, please, you two, PLEASE run together. And while I'm quoting speeches from last night, here was my favorite thing Hillary said:

"The Republicans want eight more years of the same. They see tax cuts for the wealthy and they say, 'Why not more?' They see $9 trillion in debt and say, 'Why not trillions more?' They see five years in Iraq and say, 'Why not 100 more?' Well, they've got until January 20th, 2009 and not one day more. Now, we know the Republicans won't give up the White House without a fight. Well, let me be clear -- I won't let anyone swift boat this country's future."

Hillary Clinton's website.
Barack Obama's website.

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