Letters to the Editor
-
@maureenodonnell
Bill Clinton a "flawed genius?"
Well, you're half right anyway.
Sure the Democratic Party lost historic majorities in both houses, Dems had to endure the humiliation of presidential perjury over sex with a subordinate and the Republican Revolution gave us a movement that culminated in W himself, but at least he kept his finger off the launch button?
Forgive me, but those seem like awfully low standards for "what it takes."
-
Plain Wrong
@xufapemu: I realize that Obamatons are blinded by their fervor for the new messiah. But that does not exempt them from having to tell the truth. Obama was the FIRST to play the race card in South Carolina! The most venal and egregious part was using Martin Luther King's name to do it! That is unforgivable! And as for Bill Clinton using the race card by comparing Obama to Jesse Jackson: Obama is "black" and will invoke and compare himself to black icons when it suits him. For example, when his wife stated that black people will "come to their senses" and vote for him. Jesse Jackson has endorsed him and his son holds a very high position in his campaign. Jesse Sr. has made comparisons between his and Obama's campaigns for president. So just cut the crap! When the dust clears, no matter who wins the primary, Obama and his crazed supporters' liberal use of the race card to paint the Clintons as leaders of the KKK in America will be seen for exactly what it is and the damage won't be pretty. Frankly, that is one of the most surprising things about his campaign. Even though I feel his running for president w/o having spent even half of his first term in the U.S Senate was a bad idea, I expected him to be above these tactics when he spoke of "hope." But like Rev. Wright said on Bill Moyers, Obama is a politician doing what he has to do. How very true. And, btw, seeing Rev. Wright's interview shows how much of a politician Obama is. Instead of running away from the Rev., he could have used his golden tongue to make people better see that the man is not the incendiary figure those youtube bites portrayed. He's an educated and scholarly man who served his country as a Marine, something neither Bush nor Cheney did. Instead he kept dodging and joined the media in mischaracterizing what the Rev. said. I'm glad I saw that interview. It certainly changed my mind about Rev. Wright.
-
Excuse me dirtball, but
Sure the Democratic Party lost historic majorities in both houses, Dems had to endure the humiliation of presidential perjury over
You really are a vile moron oblivious to all reality aren't you.
The Democratic Party lost Congress in part because of the leftwing's long history of beating up on religious folks which allowed Newt Gingrich to continue Reagan's siphoning of populist Democrats from the fold. (the same way you are insisting on foisting a candidate way too far to the left for the electorate again now).
Clinton made the mistake of letting the radical fringe left push him into promoting gays in military as his first task in office. (as opposed to quietly doing something later after locking up much bigger margins in the House and Senate). It was a trainwreck and it cost us Congress. Destroyed long time southern Senators like Sam Nunn as GOPAC painted them in with Clinton as "radical gay agenda" friendly.
-
Now I miss that Benen guy.
200 postings about a speculative newspaper column.
-
@Shawn
Yep, I'm a vile moron oblivious to all reality. Boy, points for that one!
I don't, however, have amnesia. If your argument is that the Clintons' triangulation against their own party had nothing to do with the fate of their party, well, welcome to the morons oblivious to all reality club.
-
Clinton lost congress?
I have seen this claim a few times that Bill Clinton lost congress for the Dems as yet another way for Obama supporters to discredit the last Democratic president.
To lay that at his feet ignores the campaigns run by senators and house members and the complete lack of any coherent rebutal by the senate and house campaign committees. Further, it was Clinton's "liberal agenda" that was used by Gingrich et al to castigate Democrats.
It wasn't Clinton traingulating against his own party. That is absurd.
The history is quite clear on Bill Clinton's presidency -- it was one of the most successful tenures as messured by the prosperity and peace of the country BUT ALSO in his ability to move on very large and significant domestic agendas. The crime bill (which worked), the financial package (which worked) and welfare reform (which worked) are just a few examples.
And speaking of triangulating against the party -- what are you all doing by continually trying to deminish the Clinton administration for the sole benefit of Obama? And what is Obama doing by asking Democrats to assume equal blame for all that Republicans have done over the past twenty years? We are not all equally responsible for the level of partisanship in government.
-
@Michael B. English
There are a couple of very big questions about Clinton's health plan that get very little discussion:
1.) This goes for any and all plans. A plan isn't law five minutes after the next President is sworn in. It has to work its way through both houses. That means that any plan, Hillary's, Barack's or god forbid John's will have to go through the same process that any law has to. The Democrat who can bring the most Democrats back to D.C. with him will have the best chance of passing the best health plan.
2.) Clinton's plan is based on mandates. That is, a law that requires Americans pay a private company money for a service. That's unconstitutional on its face. The government can require that, say, a driver have car insurance if she or he operates a motor vehicle on public roads. But that is different from requiring someone to have health insurance to operate her or his body (i.e., "live") in the U.S. There is a very easy way to get around this. A true single-payer program paid for by taxes. It would have the added benefit of cutting out insurance companies from taking their profit and would be a lot cheaper than Hillary's plan. The downside is that all remaining Presidential candidates have taken money from the insurance industries.
If Clinton is really as concerned about healthcare as she is about American workers, I expect more and more Americans will be going to Inda for their surgeries. Enjoy the curry.