how many clintons does it take to screw in a light bulb?
by Ian Schuldt
Published: February 12, 2008
I’m 25 years old now and this up coming presidential election will be the 6th that I can remember. The previous five went something like this - Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Bush. I’m old enough now that my car insurance has finally gone down, and I still can’t remember a time when either a Clinton or a Bush wasn’t in the White House.
I watch these democratic primaries and it seems like every other word that comes out of these candidates mouth is “change.” If change is so important to us then why is it that yet another Clinton is still a serious contender coming down the back stretch of this primary?
One of the biggest issues that the Beta Clinton administration fought for the first time around was universal health care. I think it was third only to inventing the vibrating cigar and coming up with a better stain remover. For those of you not keeping score at home, the Clintons lost the battle for universal health care the first time around, which explains why it’s still one of the biggest issues in this election cycle.
I know this was a whole decade ago at this point, but apparently we’ve all forgotten why. It was because there were too many independents and conservatives that lined up against the Clintons to stop it. The same ones that are going to line up against them this time because Hillary Clinton has no idea how to reach out to them. These are the same independents that Barack Obama is bringing to his campaign in droves.
The biggest issue this time around is a little thing called the war in Iraq. Hillary Clinton has constantly tried to tout here experience as a reason to elect her. The idea being that someone who is more seasoned and has a better understanding of how things work would be better at making important decisions in a crisis situation.
I can think of no single decision made by our government in my lifetime that was more important than the decision to go to war in Iraq. In a decision that was made under the pressure of 9/11, many senators and representatives cracked and did something any sane democrat would have never done. They trusted President Bush with the power to make war.
Hillary Clinton can talk about her experience all she wants, but the fact of that matter is she cracked under the pressure and went with what was popular not what was right. I’ll take Obama’s decision-making ability over hers any day.
There is something in this election more important than plans and policies. Both democrats currently have similar plans for ending the war, stimulating the economy and bringing affordable health care. But I don’t care how much experience you have, you can’t get any of those things done unless you can unite this country. The only thing Hillary Clinton can unite is Republicans against her.
All through this campaign Barack Obama has reached out to people who many thought would never even vote. He’s reached out to people of all ages, races, sexes, religions, and economic classes. This is a choice between a “politician” and a “leader.” The question you must ask yourself is, do I want another 4 years of the same old politics that have consumed this country for the last 35 years, or do I want a leader to usher in a new era that can actually get something done?
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