"It's The Economy, Stupid"... (Or Health Care...)
I know the week isn't over yet... But I felt compelled to write about this before the Weekly Poll has ended. I feel compelled to point out to those of you who voted that "Iraq" is going to be the most critical thing to you when you vote in the presidential primary.
We are headed into a recession people. We are. It's not official yet... But it will be in a few months.
Perhaps this posting is intended to focus really on those of you voting in the Democratic presidential primary. If you look at each of the top three candidates' views and action plans on Iraq, they're pretty much the same. So, in my opinion, if you are voting in the Democratic presidential primary, Iraq can not possibly be your defining criteria on how you vote.
In my opinion (and I do recognize it is wrong to attempt to sway you in what is supposed to be my "un-biased" poll), the better and more unique criteria that distinguish each of the Democratic candidates are health care and the economy.
Here's where each of the three candidates stand on these issues (listed alphabetically)...
Hillary Clinton
We are headed into a recession people. We are. It's not official yet... But it will be in a few months.
Perhaps this posting is intended to focus really on those of you voting in the Democratic presidential primary. If you look at each of the top three candidates' views and action plans on Iraq, they're pretty much the same. So, in my opinion, if you are voting in the Democratic presidential primary, Iraq can not possibly be your defining criteria on how you vote.
In my opinion (and I do recognize it is wrong to attempt to sway you in what is supposed to be my "un-biased" poll), the better and more unique criteria that distinguish each of the Democratic candidates are health care and the economy.
Here's where each of the three candidates stand on these issues (listed alphabetically)...
Hillary Clinton
- Economy - Wants to increase the minimum wage. Has outlined an economic stimulus plan to give the economy a boost. (She believes that for middle-income families, a recession has already been hit, despite economist's hesitancy to declare that.) She wants to see a $30 billion Emergency Housing Crisis Fund mitigate foreclosures. She wants to see $25 billion go to families needing energy (heating) assistance. Wants $5 billion to jump start "green collar" job growth. Pump $10 billion to extending unemployment insurance to those struggling to find work. Wants to see a $40 billion direct-tax rebate for working and middle class families
- Health care - Supports Universal Health Care, and intends to make it happen by the time she leaves office. She wants to expand the Medical Leave Act and the use of electronic records. And, she wants to bar insurers from rejecting patients who have pre-existing conditions. (Which, FYI, insurers are pretty sneaking and include everything under the sun as a pre-existing condition.)
- Economy - Wants to increase the minimum wage. Supports legislation to make it easier for workers to organize (unionize?). He wants to triple the Earned Income Tax Credit. And wants to create a commission to protect low-income families from "predatory lending."
- Health care - Also wants Universal Health care coverage for all Americans, regardless of condition. Wants to take G.W. Bush's tax cuts from the wealthy (people who make over $200,000 a year) and use that to pay for Universal Health care.
- Economy - Wants to raise the minimum wage. Wants to spends $1 billion developing a program to help low-income workers discover career paths. Wants to spend $250 million on private and public "business incubators" to help entrepreneurs start up companies.
- Health care - Wants to reform the private insurance market competition. Wants a national health care plan that would cover people without private or workplace insurance access. Would require that all children have insurance.
Comments
And remember: you never get any of the truly ideological stuff from an administration! The hard work of turning the party’s platform into policy is usually left to Supreme Court nominees. And the most stridently pro-life types would tell you that’s not always a guarantee either.
Which is why (again, not to inject opinion into this poll - but it happens anyway) people need to also take a look at each candidate's history when it comes to policy.
Edwards, as nice a guy as he is, will definitely be "former Presidential candidate" in just a few weeks. Maybe in two weeks?
('Letdown Wednesday' I guess?) and then call it quits.
I would think his support splits fairly even, but Hillary might end up with the bulk of his boosters the longer this thing goes. Her base is looking more and more like the working class of the party. (Who knew their were any poor Democrats left? Maybe I've just lived in Massachusetts too long not to realize this.)
Like all of you. I know that health care is the most critical, and important issue facing the American people. Now, and in the coming elections. And like the vast majority of the American people, I want HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law NOW! "Single payer, Tax Supported, Not For Profit, True Universal Health Care" free for all as a right. Like every other developed country in the world has. See: http://www.house.gov/conyers/news_hr676.htm
“HR 676:
For church goers: less money to insur. companies and more to the church- lots more.
Srs on Medicare: save way over $100/wk. Because no more medigap, long term care & dental insur. needed. No more drug bills.”
But if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our current politicians to get HR 676 passed into law before the elections. We will have to identify, and replace all the politicians standing in the way of passage of HR 676. And, I think the best first place to start is with the politicians that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bills for the kids. Passed by congress twice.
But what about the President. It was Bush after all that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bill passed by congress to assure more health coverage for Americas kids. So which of the presidential hopefuls do I think will be most supportive of implementing the demand of the majority of the American people to have HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law immediately!
We have some very fine presidential candidates who would make good presidents. But none of the top Presidential candidates directly support HR 676, the only true Universal Health Care plan. So I am supporting Hillary Clinton. She is the only top candidate that has ever actually fought for universal health care before.
I have enormous admiration, and respect for Hillary Clinton. She fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds back in 1993. To prevent this disastrous health care crisis that is now devastating the American people, and America. She fought so hard for the American people that she risk almost completely destroying her husbands presidency. I haven't forgotten her heroic effort. If any Presidential hopeful for universal health care deserves my support, it's her.
Also, if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our government to give us HR 676 which we all so desperately need NOW! Then we will need the most skilled politician we can get on our side to broker the best health care plan for the American people that we can get. Though it will be less than we need, and less than we deserve. The politician I think to best do this is Hillary Clinton. The Clinton's are probably the most skilled politicians in American history.
The insurance industry, and medical industry that has been ripping you off, and killing you has given Hillary Clinton so much money because they fear her. They have also given Barack Obama so much money because they fear Hillary Clinton. They think they can manipulate Barack Obama against the best interest of the American people better than they can manipulate Hillary Clinton. There is no race issue with Hillary Clinton. The Clinton's are the poster family for how African Americans want white people to be towards African Americans.
My fellow Americans, you are dieing needlessly at an astounding rate. In higher numbers than any other people in the developed world. Rich, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies. And we the American people must stop it. And fix it NOW! Keep Fighting!!! Never! give up hope. There are millions of lives at stake. Bless you all... You are doing great!
Really?
Um, okay.
I must have left that memo behind during our last ‘National African-American Convention Ratifying Acceptable Ethnic-Based Behavior From Non African American’s’.
Was that Article 8 or 5? I forget.
I’d love for anyone with a billionaire buddy—even The Misses—to compare me to Sydney Poitier…unless they’re making a reference to his work in ‘Uptown Saturday Night’**.
(**Any comparison to the Sydney that was in ‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ is grounds for a riot, per Article 2).
CT... You're polite, just like Mr. Poitier. I also always (cuz I've never met him) imagined Sydney being very witty. You're sometimes witty.
But only sometimes.