12.17.07
I go with Edwards
I’ve decided that I simply do not like the votes and the vast sums in earmarks that Hillary Clinton has contributed—her support for Kyl-Lieberman was about the last straw. And I have to agree with Paul Krugman that Barack Obama simply is too naïve to be president: if he thinks he can sit down at a table with the health insurance and pharmaceutical drug companies and get their help in creating a national health insurance plan, then he simply has not been paying attention. These are exactly the groups that have fought and will fight any national health insurance tooth and nail and do everything in their considerable monied power to destroy such plans. Barack is, at best, ignorant.
So it’s John Edwards or Chris Dodd, and I think I have to say that John Edwards has a better chance. Perhaps an Edwards-Dodd ticket would work.
Barack Obama needs to spend a little more time gaining experience and knowledge. Hillary is, I think, at heart corrupt.
Ben Overmyer said,
17 December 2007 at 12:14 pm
Why Edwards? Also, if rumors are true and Edwards drops out to be Obama’s running-mate, who would you support?
Chris Dodd is a non-entity; he can’t possibly garner enough votes to win.
LeisureGuy said,
17 December 2007 at 12:34 pm
I wouldn’t say Chris Dodd is a non-entity—that’s pretty harsh. I agree that he can’t win the nomination, though in running against any of the current crop of GOP candidates, I think he could win the election.
I like that Edwards proposed a national health insurance plan early and that he sees clearly the foe he must fight for progressive reform: big business in addition to the GOP. He’s smart, he’s been around the block enough to know what’s what (which Obama has not and thus does not), and he doesn’t seem so likely as Clinton to snuggle up to conservative positions.
Ben Overmyer said,
17 December 2007 at 12:47 pm
Aye, that may be true, but Edwards doesn’t seem to have the sheer charismatic force of Obama or the downright ruthless streak of other candidates that shall remain nameless. Can he generate enough popular appeal to carry the nomination?
I have strong doubts about that. He’s not leading in any polls, or even close to it.
Personally, I’m not overfond of any candidates this time around….no matter whether they’re red or blue. My support will be at best half-hearted when it comes time to vote, I’m afraid, unless some new and exciting information comes to light.
T-Bone said,
17 December 2007 at 8:32 pm
The workings of industries are complicated. Obama or anyone can’t be expected to craft a plan without some sort of input from drug and insurance companies. That doesn’t mean their claims can’t then be verified, and that their demands can’t be rejected.
When Obama says he wants to bring everyone to the table, it doesn’t mean he’s inviting the lobbyists to write legislation to screw everyone else. I think it means that he wants to lay things out on the table, open for everyone to see and comment on, rather than having backroom private deals and political jockeying and backscratching.
If the lobbyists don’t want to cooperate, and instead insist on something that is clearly only good for them and not the public, Obama wants to inform the nation through television. Krugman sarcasticly questions whether that would leave the lobbyists fearful. Well I think informing the public of the policy issue in question, clearly and honestly, and why he disagrees with the lobbyists would certainly help sway public opinion to his favor.
We need the public to be educated on the issues. But the lobbyists need us to be uninformed, finnicky, and swayed by the nice-sounding soundbites. They need the truth to be unclear so that politicians are forced to compromise good policy away into the policy that has been pushed by various groups into being politically popular policy.
LeisureGuy said,
17 December 2007 at 8:37 pm
Good points, T-Bone, and well-made.
BTW, Ben, Dodd did quite well for a “non-entity”: he more or less single-handedly held off action on the telecom immunity and expanded domestic surveillance, at least for now. I think we can thank him for that.
JewishAtheist said,
18 December 2007 at 7:04 am
if he thinks he can sit down at a table with the health insurance and pharmaceutical drug companies and get their help in creating a national health insurance plan, then he simply has not been paying attention.
There’s no evidence that Obama thinks they’re going to be helpful of their own volition.
Ben Overmyer said,
18 December 2007 at 7:06 am
I didn’t know that about Dodd, LG. I’ll have to do some research on him. Thanks for pointing that out.