Primary day here... my view

[jay]

(reposted from a comment I made elsewhere)

After 7 years of George ("I'm a uniter, not a divider") Bush, I think the country needs competence first and foremost. While Clinton is tagged as the less-cool candidate, I think she has vastly more of a notion as to how to actually make the levers work.

I came to that orientation fairly recently, having swung from supporting Obama a month ago, to Edwards (after not seeing much substance in Obama's proposals, and becoming uncomfortable with the cult-like air around his campaign). And both Edwards and Clinton had reasonable space policy proposals, while Obama has promised to kill the lunar/Mars program and use the funds on other domestic spending. [My Saturday LJ post has a much longer discussion with links to each candidate's space policy.]

Once Edwards dropped out, it was clear that I'd be voting for Clinton. To me, too many feel-good platitudes from Obama and not much else there leave me seeing him as a left-wing version of GWB... albeit with better elocution. I prefer a more-hard-nosed, capable, less flashy candidate, myself. As well as believing that Clinton has much better space policy and a somewhat better healthcare plan. My 0.05. :)

Comments

[entheo.livejournal.com]

your up nice and late, and the American electoral process gives me a headache. Although I suppose the Australian system would be confusing for you.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

I'd be totally happy to see a Clinton/Obama ticket, but have no say.

[anaisdjuna.livejournal.com]

I would too. Let Hill show Obama the ropes as VP; so he can get good at maneuvering the levers and step in as Prez. after Hill.

That ticket would be a sociology geek's wet dream. Not to mention, it would bring the voters out in droves.... The more evil conservatives would be freakingout to keep the power in the hands of white men and not set precedent that "those" demographics get on more equal footing. My father would implode. He hates Hillary & is a racist. I'd love to see he & his ilk have to love it or shove it in this arena.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

Yes!

Exactly!

Of course, I'm an aAustralian and don't *really* know how things play out when voting isn't comulsory...but McCain is old, old old and a backflipper.

Grassroots organising, particularly using the 'net, had a decisive effect in the Australian Federal election last year.

It will affect the policy decisions of the new government, too. GetUp is still around, and has around a quarter of a million members, around 1% of the nation's population and more than all political parties combined :-)

The right wingers just don't get it, and I think won't do so for another generation.

I hope it works over there!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

As long as it doesn't devolve to rockstar "OMG!OMG!" online fandom, instances of which I've seen in the Obama camp.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

:-/

That would be silly.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Demographically, it would unite most groups apart from well-off white males. ;)

Her focus and attention to detail might give him useful grounding; his communication skills could give a ticket useful framing. But I think the other way around wouldn't work well -- she'd be constantly frustrated, watching him make novice mistakes while her own strengths were largely untapped.

[anaisdjuna.livejournal.com]

Demographically, I agree. Would be great to see!

I like your analysis of Hill vs. Obama's roles. I'm sure that's how she felt when Bill was in office too ;-)

[madameblue.livejournal.com]

I do not think a first-term senator is Qualified to understand the logistics of Foreign Policy.

Hillary has more background knowledge, having been first Lady and at the end of Bill's adminstration, the economy was good. Those days are long gone, mind you, but one can only hope.

[radven.livejournal.com]

One thing I found interesting was learning that Hillary did not have a full security clearance and was thus not even privy to all the foreign policy details and diplomacy under Bill's administration. The way she pitches herself now, she pretends like she spent eight years as co-president. But in that time she never was part of any of the national security briefings.

Obama's real world cross-cultural life experience for me counts nearly as much as Hillary's pretend "time in office".

- Chris

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

YMMV, granted, but she undoubtedly has had more exposure to the *process* of how the Executive Branch is steered and managed, regardless of whether she read every classified brief on {country name}.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Barely even a first-term senator... he spent one year in Washington, then arguably spent most of 2007 out campaigning.

[geekchick]

Last time we elected a one-term U.S. Congressman from Illinois as president, he ended up doing a pretty decent job. ;)

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Er... he was a uniter, too, but only after fumbling through six hundred thousand dead Americans or so... and considering the large advantages the North held in people, transport and industry, there may have been naivety and OJT with that guy, too.

[miss-spooky.livejournal.com]

I think that the classified briefs were probably great pillow talk for the Clinton's.Its amazing the things you blab about in the sack.As much as I dislike the person Hilary is, she shares the most of my views out of any of the candidates.The economy was in a good place during her husband's term, much better than it is now and I think her plans for the space program will create much needed jobs.Things can only get better, not worse.