Ask Hillary, But Will Thou Receive??
Josh Harding
November 20, 2007
This week, our family received a mailing from Senator Clinton. She’s pulling out all the stops to win the Hawkeye state. Not content to just give away savings bonds, she is also offering us a free coffee mug, something we didn’t ask for, but why complain? She also outlined why Iowans should support her campaign. Accordingly, Senator Clinton says she will do the following:
End the war in Iraq
Even though she voted for the war authorization in 2002, and stated as recently as 2004 that she does not regret her vote on that authorization (1), now she is going to end it. When, Senator? You refuse to guarantee we’ll be out by 2013 (2). You’ve told a retired Pentagon official that, if elected for 2 terms, you'll still have troops in Iraq through 2017 (3). If that’s your plan, Senator, it’s time you were honest with the voters you’re courting and let them know more blood will be shed for the war you supposedly oppose. But that would require you telling the voters what you think, something you’ve made very clear you don't like doing (4).
Ensure quality, affordable health care for all Americans
By affordable health care, she means mandating people buy health insurance. I can’t think of a worse example of making health care affordable than mandating third-party health insurance get in between the health care decisions a person needs to make with their respective doctor. The government will have to set certain mandates in order for a certain health insurance plan to be acceptable. Mandates on health insurance bring costs up anywhere from 20 to 50 percent (5). And how did the HMO Act of 1973, mandating employers with at least 25 employees offer health insurance, do at bringing down costs? Let’s just say spending $840 per capita out-of-pocket (6) isn’t exactly an improvement. Mandating health insurance is pouring gasoline on the fire that is finding affordable health care.
Restore an economy that works for middle-class families
That would require a system of low taxes and limited spending. I won’t exactly hold my breath.
Guarantee universal pre-K so every child starts school ready to learn
This seems to go hand-in-hand with Hillary philosophy of a “village” playing a role in nurturing our children. Clearly she doesn’t believe that parents should be responsible for deciding what is best for the well-being of their own children. If parents decide to send their kids to preschool, that’s fine. If parents think it’s best for their child to spend those early years at home bonding with family, quite frankly that’s fine also. Considering the benefits of preschool appear to be overrated (7), there’s no reason to take important decision out of a parent’s hands and impose a one-size-fits-all federal solution.
Bring good paying jobs to every corner of America
Despite the short-comings of her husband, she’d be well-advised to follow the lead of President Clinton by embracing globalization. Trade is providing us with better paying jobs (8). Despite the protests, NAFTA raised our standard of living (9). On the other hand, protectionism lowers our standard of living by raising prices (10). The global economy is here to stay. Hopefully Senator Clinton realizes this is for the better.
Senator Clinton has not done enough answering the tough questions that lie ahead for us. Indeed, she only answers the questions she wants asked (11).
All our family gets to do is ask for a free coffee mug.
Sources:
1. http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/21/iraq.hillary/
2. http://ipol-2008.blogspot.com/2007/09/transcript-of-dartmouth-debate.html
3. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10947954
4. http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/07/obama.pakistan/index.html
5. http://www.cato.org/pubs/policy_report/v29n5/cpr29n5-1.html
6. http://www.chcf.org/documents/insurance/HealthCareCosts07.pdf
7. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5563
8. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8797
9. http://www.heritage.org/Research/TradeandForeignAid/BG1117.cfm
10. http://www.freetrade.org/pubs/articles/dg-freetrade.html
11. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,310316,00.html
End the war in Iraq
Even though she voted for the war authorization in 2002, and stated as recently as 2004 that she does not regret her vote on that authorization (1), now she is going to end it. When, Senator? You refuse to guarantee we’ll be out by 2013 (2). You’ve told a retired Pentagon official that, if elected for 2 terms, you'll still have troops in Iraq through 2017 (3). If that’s your plan, Senator, it’s time you were honest with the voters you’re courting and let them know more blood will be shed for the war you supposedly oppose. But that would require you telling the voters what you think, something you’ve made very clear you don't like doing (4).
Ensure quality, affordable health care for all Americans
By affordable health care, she means mandating people buy health insurance. I can’t think of a worse example of making health care affordable than mandating third-party health insurance get in between the health care decisions a person needs to make with their respective doctor. The government will have to set certain mandates in order for a certain health insurance plan to be acceptable. Mandates on health insurance bring costs up anywhere from 20 to 50 percent (5). And how did the HMO Act of 1973, mandating employers with at least 25 employees offer health insurance, do at bringing down costs? Let’s just say spending $840 per capita out-of-pocket (6) isn’t exactly an improvement. Mandating health insurance is pouring gasoline on the fire that is finding affordable health care.
Restore an economy that works for middle-class families
That would require a system of low taxes and limited spending. I won’t exactly hold my breath.
Guarantee universal pre-K so every child starts school ready to learn
This seems to go hand-in-hand with Hillary philosophy of a “village” playing a role in nurturing our children. Clearly she doesn’t believe that parents should be responsible for deciding what is best for the well-being of their own children. If parents decide to send their kids to preschool, that’s fine. If parents think it’s best for their child to spend those early years at home bonding with family, quite frankly that’s fine also. Considering the benefits of preschool appear to be overrated (7), there’s no reason to take important decision out of a parent’s hands and impose a one-size-fits-all federal solution.
Bring good paying jobs to every corner of America
Despite the short-comings of her husband, she’d be well-advised to follow the lead of President Clinton by embracing globalization. Trade is providing us with better paying jobs (8). Despite the protests, NAFTA raised our standard of living (9). On the other hand, protectionism lowers our standard of living by raising prices (10). The global economy is here to stay. Hopefully Senator Clinton realizes this is for the better.
Senator Clinton has not done enough answering the tough questions that lie ahead for us. Indeed, she only answers the questions she wants asked (11).
All our family gets to do is ask for a free coffee mug.
Sources:
1. http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/21/iraq.hillary/
2. http://ipol-2008.blogspot.com/2007/09/transcript-of-dartmouth-debate.html
3. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10947954
4. http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/07/obama.pakistan/index.html
5. http://www.cato.org/pubs/policy_report/v29n5/cpr29n5-1.html
6. http://www.chcf.org/documents/insurance/HealthCareCosts07.pdf
7. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5563
8. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8797
9. http://www.heritage.org/Research/TradeandForeignAid/BG1117.cfm
10. http://www.freetrade.org/pubs/articles/dg-freetrade.html
11. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,310316,00.html
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