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hillary clinton

Go Hillary Go

First, let me tell you a bit about me. I like to think I'm in the center of a lot of issues. I identify as a democrat, and a fiscally responsible one at that. I don't like programs on any level (city, state, federal) that don't have a means to pay for it; I certainly am not the 'never met a tax increase that he didn't like' democrat; yet I certainly believe that many things society should chip in and pay for - to help common good. I have issues where I find myself in lock-step with many in the Democratic party: I support single-payer health care, a high minimum wage, strong environmental protections, and full civil rights for everyone. I stand on the outside of where some of my other self-identified Democrats are at: I think the death penalty is just fine. I think government assistance should have a cap. I think taxes are too high for many small businesses. I identify as a DLC Democrat more than I do a Progressive Democrat; what I like to call a Centrist Democrat. The economy is my number 1 issue in this election, and in every election.

I grew up and came of voting age in 1995 - so my first vote was for Bill Clinton (an easy call vs Perot and Dole). But still, I didn't vote for Bill Clinton just because he was the Democrat on the ticket, I voted for Bill Clinton because he made a difference in my life. I grew up in an area of Seattle called White Center, a place where low income housing projects dominated the region and depressed the housing values. The longer people sat in these projects, the longer they grew accustomed to the government doing for them what many of them should be doing for themselves. Many took no pride in themselves or their efforts to improve their conditions - as long as the government kept paying, they kept on with their own personal status quo. Bill Clinton helped our area with the 1996 Welfare Reform Act that motivated our neighbors to do what they needed to do when they could: Go to work. The first President Clinton's committment to the American working family made me have so much pride in . My dad was a welder, and my mom was a secretary. Without things like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Family and Medical Leave Act, my growing up would have been quite a bit different. I won't go into why, since this isn't about Bill Clinton, but I wanted some back story there to show that I trust Hillary Clinton when she says she's out there looking out for American families. While it was Bill in the Whitehouse with the executive pen, their last name has earned my respect and trust to accomplish goals of the middle and working class families, much to the same degree 'Kennedy' has it's reputation in Democratic circles and elicits respect.

When I found out that Hillary Clinton had jumped in the race for 2008, I immediately went to do research to look at her stance on issues.

I already knew Clinton had the tenacity in a candidate that I wanted. I can't imagine getting up day in and day out to be attacked on a personal level. To be called a bitch. To be told to drop out of the race and iron my shirt. To be called a monster. To be told that you're unlikable. The determination of any person under that sort of bombardment, both from the Republicans on the other side, but also from people that bring the phrase to mind: "With friends like these, who need enemies?" makes me particularly enthusiastic in supporting her. I can see that sort of grit as being an asset when negotiating with foreign leaders. Yet I can also see the side of Senator Clinton that a lot of people say she lacks - her April Fools day speech made me laugh, her New Hampshire tears were genuine and showed me that she's just like you and me and I could empathize when in a similar situation. If you really want to look at something that gets lost on a lot of people in this age of quickie divorce and las vegas weddings, she had all the reason to leave, and yet she chose to honor her vows: "For better or for worse, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part." She's someone who will do what they say and demonstrates it in how she lives her life.

I love that she's a policy wonk. I want a President who is very knowledgeable on a wide array of issues. I think that's a strong asset. I particularly liked her ideas and policy in four key areas. So much so that I gave money to a political candidate for the first time in my life.

Middle Class Economics

Senator Clinton has called for extending the middle class tax cuts including the EITC child tax credit. I love that she recognizes the inequity that someone making $50,000 a year pays a 25% tax bracket, yet a Wall Street investment managers making $50 million a year could pay just 15%. She supports a 90 day moratorium on Housing Foreclosures to keep Americans in their home. Ben Bernanke just yesterday said that unless we take immediate steps to do exactly this - keep Americans in their homes now, we are going to face a financial crisis. Further, she supports a 5 year freeze on Adjustable Rate Mortgages from adjusting higher to keep Americans in their homes. She voted to cap credit card interest rates. I have one credit card where my payment arrived 3 days late and they adjusted it to the default 37.99% APR from my 12% I had. They said I had to keep it for 6 months with on-time payments before it would be reduced. Her plan to fix Social Security involves rolling back the tax cuts (both income and capital gains) for the rich, and to use that money to keep Social Security solvent. There are all things I rabidly support.

Health Care

I love Hillary's Health Care plan because it's the plan that would cover me and everyone else. A 30 year old white guy who is working but doesn't get health insurance through his employer, I've been without health care for about 7 months now. Getting coverage for everyone saves everyone in the long haul against paying for the massive amounts of uninsured and underinsured people who can't pay at the hospital. It's a progressive plan, and is estimated (by a range of people who have analyzed her plan) to save Americans $662.5 billion dollars per year, the most of any plan put forward. I look at companies like the one I have now, and by lowering costs to all, I could possibly afford the health care plan here, or opt-in to a public plan option. I love that her plan guarantees that I will remain covered even if I lose my job.

Energy

Hillary took a courageous stand by voting against the Cheney Energy Bill that provided billions of tax breaks to oil companies. I think her plan to create an Energy Strategic Fund is a great idea. In it, she details that Big Oil would have the choice of either investing in alternative energy or contributing a portion of their earnings into the fund. Coupled with an immediate break on the federal gas tax this summer to people ($30 is something I'd rather have in my pocket) by putting the responsibility on the backs of the oil company's largess windfall profits, she shows both a committment now to do what she can to help lower prices, and also invest so that we'll be easing off middle east reliance and the OPEC cartel in the near future. Analysts expect oil to get to $200 per barrel this summer. She was right to oppose the tax breaks to Ethanol companies when the largest - Archer Daniels Midland, just reported a $517 million dollar profit. They are on target to earn $2 billion dollars this year. Hillary says no to tax breaks to big oil, and no to tax breaks to big ethanol. She does say yes to tax credits to those who least can afford it - the American consumer and the average gas station, by providing gas station owner a tax credit for installing E85 (ethanol) pumps. She does say yes to tax credits for promising alternate renewable sources that aren't raking in the dough, like tax credits for wind power and solar power. A Home Run for Hillary in my scorecard.

Iraq War

I was one of the 80% of Americans who though the Iraq War was a good idea back in 2003. I have no regrets about my initial support. However, I agreed with the action that Hillary Clinton outlined in her speech on the floor that day.

She outlined in her speech that she absolutely wanted the President to use this resolution as a last resort.

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A vote for it is not a vote to rush to war; it is a vote that puts awesome responsibility in the hands of our President and we say to him - use these powers wisely and as a last resort. And it is a vote that says clearly to Saddam Hussein - this is your last chance - disarm or be disarmed.

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She called on the president to go through the U.N.

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If we were to attack Iraq now, alone or with few allies, it would set a precedent that could come back to haunt us. In recent days, Russia has talked of an invasion of Georgia to attack Chechen rebels. India has mentioned the possibility of a pre-emptive strike on Pakistan. And what if China were to perceive a threat from Taiwan?

So Mr. President, for all its appeal, a unilateral attack, while it cannot be ruled out, on the present facts is not a good option.

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I do not blame Hillary Clinton for voting for her bottom line last-to-use imploring vote, quite the opposite, I think it was the right thing to do. Putting teeth behind your resolution to get action was something that was needed. I blame George Bush for being anxious in wanting to rush to war and his absolute disaster of managing it. I think Hillary can do best in applying her experience in getting us a true plan and action to bring needed stability and getting us out of Iraq in a secure manner.

Saddam Hussein had already proved he was a madman. The U.N. had proved he previously had weapons of mass destruction. The man had murdered upwards of 300,000 of his own people according to Human Rights Watch, and was continuing on a daily basis. I challenge that a vote against clear and convincing action to reign in this dictator this man was a vote to endorse his continued murder of his people.

I could continue on into other areas on why I support Hillary, including her bi-partisan accolades from her work in the Senate and what she's accomplished, National Security, and on and on, but for the sake of expediency and readability, I've chopped it off at the points above.