Endorsement for Clinton

[nontacitare]

For a multitude of reasons (the biggest one being that Richardson dropped out of the race), I support Clinton. When it's not so late, I'll type up some of my reasons, but for now, here's an excellent editorial on Clinton, the media, and the role of women in this country (courtesy of chryslin):

feminism, politics

Comments

[the_shampoo]

I think I'm going with Obama, because while he and Clinton agree on many topics, he is more attractive to independents and even republicans, and therefore in my estimation, more likely to get things moved through legislation. While I don't plan on voting for Clinton or Obama based on their minority or gender status, I must admit that I am excited to see either one take office.
I also have to say on Universal Healthcare, I would love to see everyone who wants healthcare (which is most people) to have it. But, I don't agree with forcing people who don't want it, to have to pay for it. Some people just never go to the Doctor, hardly ever get sick, and don't want to pay for something they don't want or wont use. I don't think its right to force them. I favor Obama's health plan. I also don't like how Clinton says that she doesn't agree with Obama's health plan because she thinks that "everone is worthy of healthcare", but Obama's plan doesn't leave people out based on worthiness, it covers everyone who wants it, and I don't like the spin.
I also agree with Obama that all parties of the world should be engaged in talks, whether assumed "ally" or "enemy".
I also felt that until after the Iowa votes didn't go Clinton's way, she was very inaccessible, and difficult to ask questions and engage. Now that she sees that people don't want a candidate that is totally closed off from the public, she is doing town hall style meetings, but that is basically only in the last few weeks.
Anyhow, that's all I can think of right now. Its quite early for me.

[wishesofastar]

But, I don't agree with forcing people who don't want it, to have to pay for it. Some people just never go to the Doctor, hardly ever get sick, and don't want to pay for something they don't want or wont use. I don't think its right to force them.

I disagree on this point. In all the countries that have a national medical plan that covers everyone, *everyone* has to pay. That's the only way such a program can work. If only the people who feel they need the care pay in (i.e., people who are already sick), the program will never be able to pay for itself. Also, healthy people can get cancer and diseases; I imagine they'd change their feelings on coverage then. The point is, it's insurance. You have it in the hopes that you won't have to use it, but if you DO need it, damn it's nice to have.

It's like any government program. I don't have children, but part of my taxes go to fund public schools, because that's a social concern of the highest import. I can't stand the way our military spends money, but a huge chunk of my taxes go to fund that. It's all part of living in a society. And I think that universal health care is important enough to be assured to all citizens and taxed to cover it.

[nontacitare]

Well said.

[wishesofastar]

Thanks.

mandatory health insurance

[rfunk]

The trouble is that mandating people to buy private health insurance, without doing anything to control costs first, is political suicide. Not to mention that it's already quite hated in Massachusetts where they're doing it.

It's important not to confuse mandated private health insurance with "universal health care" or single-payer health insurance. For one thing, people hate being mandated to add to insurance company profits. For another, many people simply won't be able to afford health insurance -- what do you do to them?

Also, what you'll end up with is health plans that exist just to say you have one, which will have high deductibles and low coverage, leaving us right back where we started.

If it were a universal government-run program paid out of taxes, it would be easier for people to swallow. At least for those who don't hate all government programs and taxes on principle, which I believe are a smaller group.

Re: mandatory health insurance

[the_shampoo]

These are good points.

Re: mandatory health insurance

[wishesofastar]

I totally agree that private for-profit insurance does suck. My post was in response to the generalized comment that making people pay for things they don't want is undesirable. But yes, universal government run health care would be much preferred.

Re: mandatory health insurance

[nontacitare]

Not to mention that it's already quite hated in Massachusetts where they're doing it.

I'm not familiar with the Massachusetts policy (is that Romney's?), but part of Clinton's plan does address the affordability issue, in a number of ways. That's the driving force behind it. Basically, Clinton is saying that if you like your current health care, you can keep it, and if you don't, or you don't have insurance, an affordable opportunity will be given to you.

[nontacitare]

I'm also excited that we could end up with the first woman, African-American, or Mormon president, and might have had the first Latino president.

Healthcare is one of the very few areas where Clinton and Obama disagree, and I'm rooting for Clinton's plan. As I understand it, Obama wants to make healthcare more accessible than it is now, while Clinton wants universal coverage. The number 1 reason people "choose" not to get healthcare is because they can't afford it. I think it makes sense to treat it like social security and garnish it directly from people's paychecks. But then again, I'm a socialist. ;-)

[the_shampoo]

I don't mind paying more taxes, I would think of my self as a socialist, and it would be cool if everyone felt that way. But, Brian for example is really annoyed by the idea of socialism (and taxes in general), and I can't reconcile making other people do something that they don't want to do.

[wishesofastar]

Going back to my above post, any time taxes are collected you are forcing some people to fund things they don't want to. I know of plenty of folks without kids who don't want to pay for public schooling. However, certain things do need to be publicly funded to run a society, and almost every other developed nation thinks health care is important enough to fall under that category.