2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhy Hillary will get my vote....
Seasons greetings to all my DU friends!
I wanted to share why I will be casting my vote for Hillary soon.
I think she is the most qualified presidential candidate that I have seen in my lifetime. I think she is someone who has been working her entire life towards becoming our first woman President.
From her early years at Wellsley where she was the first ever student to be a commencement speaker, to her days as the first lady of Arkansas where she became a pioneering advocate for children and familes, to her tireless work to get Bill Clinton elected President....she showed even then that she was somebody different.
As First Lady she introduced the idea of Health-care for all to the nation's consciousness. It took over two decades to get there in the end, but I don't for a moment believe we could have achieved the ACA if Hillary hadn't paved the path for it to be part of American lives. It isn't perfect, but a damned lot more Americans have healthcare today than they did a few years ago. I believe Hillary is the person to help us improve the ACA regarding several areas like the cost of prescription drugs, etc. I think she will approach each obstacle thrown in the path of those seeking to improve the ACA with the fight and determination she has always shown us.
Hillary and I have not always agreed on the issues. I was very much against the Iraq war and I was sorely disappointed when she and so many other Democrats voted for the war....but I believe she has sincerely owned up to her mistake in voting for that war since and I know she objected to the many duplicitous acts of the Bush regime and the way they mislead congress and the American public regarding that war since then. I have moved on ..... so should we all. I realize this is just my opinion on her vote, everyone is entitled to their own opinion that may be contrary to my own and I accept that, but I realized a long time ago that 'we don't always get what we want' in life and I have let it go.
I think Hillary Clinton was a pretty damned good United States Senator. She was well known for her ability to reach across the aisle and accomplish the impossible ....compromises between Republicans and Democrats to actually get things done. I could bring in quotes here of how many of her colleagues on both sides of the aisle respect and admire her and her accomplishments, but by now we have all seen them....despite many Republicans and even a Democrat or two trying to revise history and pretend such accolades from them never happened or existed. I know they were said and so do most of us here.
When Hillary first ran for President in 2008, I was sure she was going to win. I had waited all my life to see a woman break that final glass ceiling and become President of the United States. Ultimately, I was heartbroken to see her lose the nomination to Barack Obama, who later became President Barack Obama. Not only was I heartbroken, I was so angry. I thought at the time, in the heat and the passion of the political season that she had been robbed. Who was this guy that snatched victory from my hero Hillary? I would NEVER vote for him!
Well friends....let me tell you I was wrong! When it came down to casting my vote for president, I did indeed vote for him. There was no way in hell I was going to have a Republican back in the White House after 8 years of George Bush. And guess what? I wound up really liking and admiring President Obama! He inherited one hell of a mess from Bush.
Obama inherited a world economy on the brink of the abyss. The economy had already crashed, but it almost slid off the deep end into another great depression and he lead the way to snatch it back. Now some of you would argue that he hasn't done enough. I would disagree with that. I would say that given the circumstances and the obstructionist Tea Party trying to block his every move, it's amazing what he has managed to accomplish.
One thing I really approved of with President Obama was his appointment of Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State. She was relentless and tireless in her pursuit of restoring American credibility and it's reputation abroad. The Bush Administration had virtually destroyed it, but in the next four years, Hillary travelled nearly a million miles to get it back. She accomplished in four years what many of us thought would take decades to do.
During Hillary's tenure as SOS she not only restored America's reputation around the world, she advocated relentlessly for women's and children's rights as she has her entire life. She made a difference.
Also during her term, there was a horrible terrorist attack in which one of our Ambassadors was killed. Rather than trying to take steps to ensure that such a tragedy never happened again....the Republicans in congress saw their opportunity and took it and ran. What ensued was a monumental witch hunt financed by the American tax payers to take down Hillary Clinton at all costs. For months upon months we listened and watched slimey Republicans like Trey Gowdy et al smear her and slander and libel her and drag her through a mountain of mud. They spent millions of the taxpayers dollars to try and accomplish her political death.
I am here to tell you all that they GOT NOTHING! Hillary went before Howdy Gowdy and his committee of Republican buffoons and she nailed their asses to the floor of congress and proved to the world what scumbags they really are! She took on the best the GOP had to offer and she decimated them. She did it with her honor and integrity intact and her head held high. So whenever I now hear people continuing to try and smear her with innuendo, conspiracy theories, lies and whatever else they care to throw at her...I just think of her brushing that speck of dust off her shoulder and I smile.
Hillary Rodham Clinton. Bring on whatever the Republicans or anyone else has to offer. She's got my vote and my heart!
mcar
(42,489 posts)randys1
(16,286 posts)Having to say MS PRESIDENT HILLARY CLINTON
will
RoccoR5955
(12,471 posts)MineralMan
(146,364 posts)about everything you said. Ignore them and stick to your position.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)MineralMan
(146,364 posts)I have no idea where your head is. I don't remember ever discussing anything with you before.
The original poster of this thread wrote at length about the reasons for making a decision on a candidate to support. I haven't heard your reasoning yet. You're welcome to explain, though, and I'll read every word.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)I will get my own post up on my reasons for voting for Bernie Sanders in the primary, and reluctantly voting for Hillary should she win. My "head in the sand" comment was in regards to your advice to the OP to ignore any reasons she was given for being wrong rather than engage in discussion in a topic she started. Sorry if that wasn't clear enough.
Marty McGraw
(1,024 posts)MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)Cause a smilie is worth a thousand words!
Response to BooScout (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
BlueCheese
(2,522 posts)aikoaiko
(34,186 posts)MineralMan
(146,364 posts)She will work toward progressive goals. If she has a decent Congress, she'll get some of those goals accomplished.
Any Democratic President will do that.
aikoaiko
(34,186 posts)It highlights how HRC supporters are really status quo supporters. Sure, maybe there will be some gains to the left, but at the expense of supporting Wall Street and going to war again if there is another significant terrorist attack.
Any Democratic President will work toward some progressive goals, but some will work harder on more progressive goals than others.
Nonhlanhla
(2,074 posts)For the simple reason that the American people are leaning more and more to the left. My impression of Hillary has always been that she is actually quite progressive, but she's been in politics for a long time, and her husband became president after 12 years of the Reagan/PoppyBush era when the country as a whole was still somewhat enamored of Reaganomics, at a time when the GOP controlled congress, and I think they both learned to compromise in order to get things done. Did they always do it right? No. But I don't think it's simply a matter of her being a real conservative. She is not as far to the left as Bernie, but my impression is (and I admit I could be wrong) is that her instincts are generally progressive, and with the country now becoming more progressive as a whole there will be more room for her to follow those progressive instincts.
Bernie is certainly more progressive on some issues than she is, but not all (guns, and women's issues). But he will not necessarily get more done than Hillary, especially since he does not have the network that she does.
And yes, a good leader does not just follow the will of the people - but s/he would be attuned to the historical moment and listen to the will of the people.
MADem
(135,425 posts)That's a shame. There are times when "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" is a good move to employ.
I'd say moving the direction of the Supreme Court from wingnuts like Scalia and Thomas to a "more choice and equality friendly" crew is "leading from the left." I'd say working for affordable (as opposed to won't happen/pie-in-the-sky "free) college is "leading from the left."
Anyone can propose ideas that Congress will reject out of hand. Politics is the art of the possible, and HRC has mastered that.
aikoaiko
(34,186 posts)Both Bernie and HRC will nominate excellent candidates for the Supreme court and I would expect Bernie to take more risks with those nominations.
If you don't believe in a more liberal vision of the US than the one HRC provides, then she's your candidate. I want more. With a limited idea of what is possible, anyone can be successful.
MADem
(135,425 posts)This is not a "Let's discuss the differences between candidates" thread. It's not framed that way at all.
This is a thread that is a very personal affirmation, that lists positive reasons why this voter has chosen a particular candidate.
In that CONTEXT--positive, candidate-boosting thread--the appropriate, dare I say CIVIL, response is to reply with a positive affirmation about why you like your candidate, if you do not support Clinton, or, if you are a Clinton supporter, to add to the litany of reasons -- again, in a positive way.
Going straight for the negative, in this CONTEXT, is a failure of civility.
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)pro Clinton comments is what you expect? Isn't that your safe place?
BlueStateLib
(937 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)Hillary could be a strong President (and I like the idea that people will have to say "Ms. President" but why is the first women President so hyped on war? Promoting regime change shows we're just going to keep killing to control the Middle East.
Hillary should end the wars and put those tax dollars to helping people in need. How can we continue to screw up the Middle East while we have veterans living on the street?
In all these years, have there been any successes in the Middle East? It seems to me that it's only gotten worse and we are more scared than ever. We know a lot of people are dead, wounded and homeless.
Hillary. She could change that to the benefit of billions of people. How are our wars benefiting anyone except profiteers.
If Hillary wants to know how to end the wars, bring back sacrifice in the name of war. Make profiting from war illegal and they will end immediately.
Hekate
(91,181 posts)...but what a big chunk of the American people want is tough talk and the GOP is giving them that. All Americans want to feel "safe," and terrorist attacks terrorize. Both Obama and Clinton are cool cerebral types, which I personally like, and as I pointed out, they are open to negotiation.
But saying that is not "sexy" the way calling for carpet bombing is. The Yahoos are cheering Trump because he calls for blood (but not the draft). Establishment GOP have a monster on their hands, and I think they will try for a brokered convention. If they manage to nominate Cruz we are all in the deepest Shinola, because he looks sane next to Trump and yet is extremely RW. Our biggest piece of luck would only be if Trump got his feelings hurt and ran third party.
Not all GOPers are Trumplicans, but that sentiment of fear and anger is widespread enough among all Americans to sway a national election. With the recent terrorist attacks on US soil and in Paris, this has turned into a foreign-policy campaign. That is just a fact. Candidates have to address it. Trump is: he wants to close our borders and kill a lot of people outside them.
Given that, what exactly do you want to hear from Democratic candidates about what they are going to do when negotiations fail?
riversedge
(70,589 posts)Kelly and 1 other Retweeted
Nick Marroletti ?@NickMarroletti Nov 13
And you're going to hear her ROAR! #HInTheWild #SomewhatLiterally @HillaryforIA
aikoaiko
(34,186 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)That is unfortunate because it reflects on you, far more than I think you realize.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Dawgs
(14,755 posts)It won't be close.
and who will win?
Dawgs
(14,755 posts)So you think that democrats are going to vote for Trump, Cruz, or even Cristy or Carson over Clinton?
Dawgs
(14,755 posts)She will get zero votes from Indys and republicans.
I also think there will be enough stupid Americans to vote for the Republican nominee.
riversedge
(70,589 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)Old Codger
(4,205 posts)she may be able to beat out most of the ones running now but as it settles out they will bring in someone who is not in the running right now, like Rmoney or some real outsider that is not anywhere near as controversial as the clown car crew, if they do that she will have even less of a chance than she does now. When we see comparisons like they have out there now where it is close call or she loses to one of them it won;t take much better than what they are running right now to beat her.
Nonhlanhla
(2,074 posts)I preferred Obama in 2008 and actually did not like Hillary much at all. But where she really got my respect for the first time was at the 2008 Democratic Convention when she so graciously nominated Obama. As an Obama supporter it was a great moment for me, but at that moment I saw, truly saw, the woman who had fought so hard and had to give up her dream to this newcomer. I could only imagine how much pain that must have caused her. But she was gracious, and she won me over.
I support her now. I like Bernie too, but I think Hillary is the better candidate, and I think she will make an excellent president.
And 8 years ago I did not have a daughter. Now I do, and I would love for her to see a woman sitting in the Oval Office during her formative years. Gender itself would not decide my vote, but it is a nice bonus!
Amimnoch
(4,558 posts)MisterP
(23,730 posts)"relentlessly for women's and children's rights"
she made a difference aright
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)I always think about how the women and children of Libya now live in a nightmarish hellscape.
coyote
(1,561 posts)Making it more difficult for families to write off their debts. Yes she is working hard for women and children alright.
stupidicus
(2,570 posts)pro/con lists are infinitely easier when you deliberately leave the "con" side empty, and fail to consider and compare the many deleterious effects/ramifications of them to the things on the "pro" side.
SunSeeker
(51,898 posts)riversedge
(70,589 posts)Happy Holidays to you and your family/friends..
MADem
(135,425 posts)Great essay--positive, uplifting, and focused. Wish we had more of these here!
Juicy_Bellows
(2,427 posts)Algernon Moncrieff
(5,798 posts)HRC gets my vote.
nxylas
(6,440 posts)It makes a change from "She's inevitable" or "I want a woman, any woman, as president". And at least it treats Hillary as a candidate who has to actually earn the nomination, rather than a medieval monarch ordained by God to rule over us.
Alfresco
(1,698 posts)Bradical79
(4,490 posts)I agree, her handling of the Republicans' Benghazi witch hunt at the hearings was rather brilliant and did as much to make her look presidential as anything. She does have a great mind for politics, and usually handles her rivals well. I also agree that being the first woman president would be a very important step for this country, and far better it's her than any of the clowns the GOP is putting up there.
As for negatives, I can't look past her own flip-flopping and dishonesty particularly on free trade and healthcare for all. She didn't hesitate to shoot down real universal healthcare on the debate stage with right wing lies, and I still don't know where she really stands with the TPP. Why was she for it before being against it? And how conditional is her position? Will she change her mind again?
I also don't understand how she "restored America's reputation", could you explain that further?
And as for the economic great recession, President Obama may have inherited that problem, but Clinton also played a part in its coming about through support of the repeal of Glass Steagal. Her dinners list is somewhat concerning too when faced with the only politician not paid off by massive corporate interests.
It's a lot to overlook. I don't think I can overlook the Iraq War vote either, though admittedly I did give her a pass on that with the exact same excuse you did in when I voted for her in the primary.
As time goes on, I increasingly see it as a great act of political cowardice by the majority of the Democratic party though.
postatomic
(1,771 posts)What you said.
treestar
(82,383 posts)And positive!
Politicub
(12,165 posts)hamsterjill
(15,225 posts)Thanks for your post. No doubt there will be the detractors. But as mentioned elsewhere, stick to your guns.
I'm voting for her because I believe she is the best choice. I have opted out of most of the arguments on DU, and have been pleased with having done that.
asjr
(10,479 posts)read and delivered to other Democrats and nasty Republicans.
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)She has my vote too. The more she's attacked, the more determined her supporters are.
people
(636 posts)I admire work that Hillary has done for women and children, but I do not admire her reticence to state a principled position on many other things. I don't like it that she had to wait until most Republicans were OK with gay marriage before she was "for" it, I don't like it that she will totally continue the way things work in this country in terms of economics and war. Yes, I do understand that Bernie would have a very difficult time getting many things he espouses passed into law but, if you don't work for change and and build a case for the change you want to see, nothing will EVER change. Because I believe 100% that Hillary will not do ANYTHING about the giant income divide except work around the VERY VERY VERY edges of the problem, that she will compromise with Republicans and raise the ss retirement age to 70 and that she will do other things that I'm too upset about to think about right now, I will vote for her if she gets the democratic nomination, but not otherwise. Bernie is a smart brave man and a breath of fresh air. It's a pleasure to see him in action. Hillary is totally polished and smart, but she's definitely always weighing and dicing what's acceptable and then stating whatever she thinks and perceives is acceptable to the powers that be and the public. There will be no change with Hillary. With Republicans, yes, there would be changes but they would be awful ones.
Roland99
(53,342 posts)#FeelTheBern
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)including the paragraph of wanting to see Hillary win in 2008, and then being very pleasantly surprised at Obama's 2 terms
One thing I have learned about me during Obama's tenure and spending time on DU, and Hillary's campaign. I'm not now, and likely will never be a purist. So will never chose or reject a candidate because of a single issue. The world is too complex and there are a broad spectrum of people pulling and tugging. I am not upset by or reject the compromises that come from negotiations.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)You are supposed to see to it they support actual issues that are important.
DFW
(54,589 posts)I haven't yet "given" my vote, though the Texas primary is not imminent either.
At any rate, my vote will not be decided by posts on DU or any other board. However, I did want to say that it was nice to see a post free of the acrimony and negativity that has so permeated this board of late. I notice some just couldn't help themselves and had to get in the usual nasty digs, but some Bernie supporters (real ones, it would appear) did take the trouble to say they disagree, but kept the tone civil ("That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh I LIKE it" .
There is hope yet.
nyabingi
(1,145 posts)"Also during her term, there was a horrible terrorist attack in which one of our Ambassadors was killed."
I think the wrong questions were asked of Hillary about the whole Benghazi affair. The first question I would've asked her if I had the opportunity was "What was our exact diplomatic mission in Libya at the time and what were your people working to achieve there?" This is a question the neither Republican nor Democrat really wanted to investigate because it would have displayed US regime plans to the US public and the world.
Hillary's role is Gaddafi's murder and the destabilization of what was formerly the African continent's most stable and prosperous countries should have been on the table during the congressional hearings. Her advocacy to remove Gaddafi (and her gloating, disgusting remarks on TV later suggesting her pleasure at his brutal death) led to mass chaos, thousands of Libyans boarding rafts and drowning at sea trying to escape, and the looting of Libya's weapon stores (which ended up in the hands of radical jihadists trying to overthrow Assad in Syria). This is what she should have been asked, but like I said, both parties believe in regime change so this was ignored.
I guarantee you she wouldn't have been able to brush these questions off her shoulder.
one_voice
(20,043 posts)I'm an O'Malley person. But I've said many times before that I will vote for our nominee. I think we have 3 excellent candidates.
Here's why it's so important for me to continue with a Democrat in the White House.
Currently there is a war on a women's right to choice. Last year, my niece was pregnant. She decided it would be better to try and end her pregnancy instead of having a safe abortion. Not because one wasn't available to her or because anyone in her family would judge her but because of what she'd heard. The rhetoric of 'killing babies' the intimidation that goes on outside places that perform abortions. She was in the hospital for a while.
My brother is bi-polar and needs medication. He was able to get affordable health care through ACA and is able to stay on his meds until he went full time at his job.
I have two kids that just finished college and have student debt--no Republican gives a shit about them.
I didn't like Hillary's Iraq vote either. That being said I'm pretty damn sure I'm going to like the continuing war(s) that the repukes are so anxious to get us into even less.
There are so many more reasons I could list, but Christmas is in two days and people have things to do.
So I will skip right into that voting booth on election day and vote for our eventual nominee while flipping off the repukes. But that's just me.
Happy Holidays!
BooScout
(10,406 posts)I hope you have a wonderful and peaceful holiday as well!
Hekate
(91,181 posts)Way too much ugliness here of late, and repeating of RW smears.
Thank you.
BooScout
(10,406 posts)The Second Stone
(2,900 posts)and know that she is a real liberal. I was disappointed when she lost to Obama, but happy enough to cry with joy when Obama won. Obama is an okay President. He makes very good judicial appointments, which is the main way that liberals can win every day. He very much does not fight for liberal causes and tried for six years to get along with Republicans and did not help get Democrats other than himself elected. I'm still delighted that he beat McCain, but would have rather had Clinton in 08. On balance he has been a net positive. But he wasted 6 years not fighting for people.
Clinton will not waste that time. She already knows that Republicans cannot be reasoned with. You bet she knows. She is deeply prepared.
I will be deeply disappointed if Sanders gets the nomination, but I will support him even stronger than I would Clinton. I do not think he has the insider connections and network to be a successful Democratic president. Yeah, he's got a lot of fight in him, and yes, he understands the issues. But I see no indication that we will be able to weather the onslaught and fight the Republicans will bring to him without a network and support group of seasoned insiders. If he wins, he will be a good man president like Jimmy Carter, but one term, with all the media, inside crowd and corporate America against him. Clinton knows this minefield and how to manipulate all of them. Witness the Benghazi hearings and the debates. She shone at every opportunity. Sanders did well, but he has a narrower appeal and always has. I wish him the best, but it will be a very tough row to hoe. I'd love to see him head a cabinet department of his choosing.
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)PatrickforO
(14,614 posts)this is a very nice and well written post.
Have a nice holiday!
BooScout
(10,406 posts)Happy Holidays to you as well!
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)Many of your reasons are my own. Thanks for posting this, and happy holidays!
BooScout
(10,406 posts)Vinca
(50,347 posts)I'll be voting Bernie.
Skittles
(153,428 posts)I have not supported her since the IWR vote which in my mind is inexcusable and for which she has really never explained. However, I am not a rabid Hilary hater like so many assholes on DU (and yes, if you only EVER trash her YOU SUCK) and I do recognize and admire her many accomplishments. I also would trust her selections for the Supreme Court.
Rose Siding
(32,623 posts)Such a lovely uplifting thing to read
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Goodwill towards everyone, and happy happy holidays!
Enjoy the holidays and remember love conquers hate!
Bleacher Creature
(11,258 posts)And compared to what we've seen lately, it's about as perfect as it gets.
Thank you.
BooScout
(10,406 posts)That is an incredibly nice compliment.
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)Cha
(298,313 posts)oasis
(49,551 posts)the nom to Obama. It was no problem for me to get on board to defeat McCain/Palin.
By the time Hillary announced her second run, she had added a slew of accomplisments to her resumé.
I was overcome with excitement to have another opportunity to work and to vote for a most remarkable individual.
Your OP has reinvigorated me for the battle ahead after many weeks of poll watching and refuting misinformation.
thanks.
Spazito
(50,709 posts)A very positive thread, very refreshing!
Thanks for posting this.
Cha
(298,313 posts)him.
I'm that way, too.. If we had lost in 2008 I would, of course, voted for Hillary and no doubt come to like her since I did.
I had a similar experience with Kerry in 2004.. I was a Dean supporter and when he lost we were mad! but, I came on board for Kerry not too long after. I was at a rally of his on Nov4, 2004 in Manchester, NH. No way was I going to not work for a Dem running against bush2.
More of us look at the big picture and don't make it about us and our fees.. thankfully! We are capable of seeing beyond that and doing everything we can for our Healthy Planet and so future generations can enjoy it, too.
There is no Plan B.
BooScout
(10,406 posts)Cha
(298,313 posts)Alfresco
(1,698 posts)Happy Holidays!
Amimnoch
(4,558 posts)I couldn't agree more.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)...and not a single ISSUE or POLICY mentioned.
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.