Hillary Clinton Running for President

[StatGuy2000]

She certainly has some experience, but I don't think republicans and independents will agree that it is good experience. Experience is only a positive if people like the things you did when you got that experience!

Other than getting Bin Laden and implementing an afghan surge despite opposing Bush's Iraq surge (both were quite a while ago), are there any significant foreign policy wins for Obama/Clinton? Is the world a safer/better place than it was 6 years ago?

Yes, I'm aware that traditionally democrats have been seen as weak on foreign policy, so it should be good to get that on her resume, but I'm not sure that just getting her ticket punched is enough if the result of the experience doesn't look good.

I think that's a problem for democrats. Obama won largely because people zealously supported him, and he rode that wave. It's the republicans who win races between boring, old white guys. If Hillary wins it will be because she's Hillary -- a cult-of-personality, not a random/stock candidate (which the Republicans typicall put up). But if she loses, it will probably be because that cult-of-personality isn't fully positive as Obama's was - a lot of people hate her.

The Republican party that is currently in Congress has been increasingly dominated by conservatives of two types: (1) the neo-conservatives of the type represented by Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz, who have frequently taking unilateral actions on the world stage (particularly in military affairs) often showing contempt for and disregard towards multilateral, international diplomacy -- the 2nd Iraq War is a perfect example of this, and (2) the Tea Party activists who have taken an increasingly isolationist stance on foreign affairs.

I don't know about you, but IMO, neo-conservatives within the Republican party have brought a tremendous degree of damage to US standing in world affairs (of which Obama and Clinton have each done their part to try to repair), while the Tea Party have brought nothing to the table on foreign affairs that is of any use. So whatever natural advance on foreign affairs that the Republican party might have had has been squandered. So in that respect, I feel that Clinton's experience on foreign affairs has been positive.

As for significant foreign policy wins for Obama/Clinton? Here are a few I can name: (1) Getting Bin Laden (which you mentioned), (2) Repairing relations with the various European countries after the Bush years, (3) Coordinating with various countries to implement economic measures to prevent further damage caused by the Great Recession, (4) The preliminary deal with Iran (alongside the UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China) on the nuclear front, with the intent to prevent their ability to develop a nuclear weapon and imposing a tough inspection regime through the IAEA -- possibly one of the toughest in existence.

OK, (4) took place after Clinton left office as Secretary of State, but it is nonetheless a continuation of previous activity that the Obama administration was involved with of which Clinton had taken an important role.

 

[OmCheeto]

...
Here is a website for Wolf-PAC:

http://www.wolf-pac.com

(moderators: please let me know if I am allowed to include the link above).

Only one of my Facebook friends is a co-fan of Wolf PAC.
I'm a left wing commie democrat.
He's a libertarian.

It's one of the few things in the world we agree upon.

ps. Just a moment ago, I again unfollowed my sister on Facebook. She and her friends apparently all feed from the media trough.

 

[cellurl]

Saw Carly Fiorina speak once. Whomever you see speak, you instantly fall in love with. Its physics.

 

[montoyas7940]

Gary Johnson 2016! (I am a libertarian leaning toward anarchist.) The problem is he doesn't stand a chance. The "process" doesn't allow an outsider a voice in the debate.

 

[mheslep]

Gary Johnson 2016! (I am a libertarian leaning toward anarchist.) The problem is he doesn't stand a chance. The "process" doesn't allow an outsider a voice in the debate.

Johnson says that Paul is the next best thing in the current GOP field, "I mean, the most libertarian candidate that Republicans may end up fielding."

 

[montoyas7940]

I didn't read an endorsement in this though.

"Great, I mean terrific," Johnson said sarcastically. "I mean, the most libertarian candidate that Republicans may end up fielding."

Edit: Not that you said there was an endorsement.

 

[Dotini]

Ordinarily I would want a Democrat in the White House when both houses of congress are held by Republicans. But I think Hillary has too many millstones around her neck.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/21/the-dems-most-awkward-party-crasher.html

 

[Astronuc]

Clinton, Rubio lead in 2016 US election poll
http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-rubio-lead-2016-us-election-poll-110848806.html

But with 564 days until election day, isn't this too much already?Lincoln Chafee’s 2016 run might matter more than you think - another potential spoiler
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/lincoln-chafees-2016-run-might-matter-more-than-117110262201.html

 

[Evo]

Ordinarily I would want a Democrat in the White House when both houses of congress are held by Republicans. But I think Hillary has too many millstones around her neck.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/21/the-dems-most-awkward-party-crasher.html

Ewww, he looks creepy, I would never vote for him. He looks like a tele-evangelist.

 

[Vanadium 50]

There are some issues involving foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation which might or might not be illegal, but certainly look unseemly. From the NYT:

As the Russians gradually assumed control of Uranium One in three separate transactions from 2009 to 2013, Canadian records show, a flow of cash made its way to the Clinton Foundation. Uranium One’s chairman used his family foundation to make four donations totaling $2.35 million. Those contributions were not publicly disclosed by the Clintons, despite an agreement Mrs. Clinton had struck with the Obama White House to publicly identify all donors. Other people with ties to the company made donations as well.

The backstory has to do with State Department recommendations on a Russian takeover of a Canadian uranium company: while the State department was preparing recommendations, principals were donating millions to the Clinton Foundation.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Ewww, he looks creepy, I would never vote for him. He looks like a tele-evangelist.

This is exactly how Americans actually vote and why we are doomed

 

[mheslep]

There are some issues involving foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation which might or might not be illegal, but certainly look unseemly. ...

Unless Clinton is actually caught driving a car with a body in trunk I'm not sure there's any real consequence to how her actions "look". Never mind, that won't do either as the chauffeur would take the fall.

 

[mheslep]

Ewww, he looks creepy, I would never vote for him. He looks like a tele-evangelist.

This is exactly how Americans actually vote and why we are doomed

I'm American and I voted for him once.

Tele-evangelist bio:

• Born 1946, Grew up across the US, military family.
• Naval Academy
• Lt USMC infantry in Vietnam, heavily decorated inc Navy Cross, wounded.
• Georgetown Law
• Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, 1987, age 41
• Journalist and author (nine books); Emmy Award, 1983, for on the ground PBS coverage of Marines in Beirut.
• US Senator (D-Va) 2006, beating incumbent. Retired after one term.
• Married, five children, one step-child.

 

[Evo]

This is exactly how Americans actually vote and why we are doomed

Well, in reality, I would take a look at what he's saying, but he needs a makeover.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Unless Clinton is actually caught driving a car with a body in trunk I'm not sure there's any real consequence to how her actions "look".

As a former Louisiana governor once said, "I have this election locked up unless I am caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy." It's nice to be inevitable. The New Yorker, which I guess is the newest member of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy has a nice summary by Amy Davidson. The most amusing turn of phrase was "Was there a quid pro quo?...There was certainly a lot of quid...and multiple quos."

But Ms. Davidson brings up a very interesting point. So what if laws were broken, ethics were violated, and required disclosures weren't made. The beneficiaries (besides the folks who put the deal together) were some of the world's poorest people.

 

[mheslep]

...But Ms. Davidson brings up a very interesting point. So what if laws were broken, ethics were violated, and required disclosures weren't made. The beneficiaries (besides the folks who put the deal together) were some of the world's poorest people.

A spokesman for Delta House the Clinton Foundation spoke along those lines some time ago with a many staffers in the audience.

"I don't think you can fully judge a [politician] without looking at the positive qualities of [their questionable donations]."

 

[Astronuc]

Democrats' 2016 field set to grow with O'Malley's entry
http://news.yahoo.com/omalley-readying-presidential-announcement-baltimore-072356782--election.html

Meanwhile - Vermont's Sanders kicks off 2016 bid from Clinton's left
http://news.yahoo.com/vermonts-sanders-kick-off-2016-bid-clintons-left-071146030--election.html

 

[hagar]

Unless Clinton is actually caught driving a car with a body in trunk I'm not sure there's any real consequence to how her actions "look". Never mind, that won't do either as the chauffeur would take the fall.

Right you are. Remember Vince Foster ?

 

[Astronuc]

Tis the season

2016 hopefuls parade on the Sunday morning shows
http://news.yahoo.com/2016-hopefuls-parade-sunday-morning-shows-173350096--election.html

 

[Astronuc]

Lincoln Chafee threw his hat into the presidential race on Wednesday, http://news.yahoo.com/chafee-unveil-presidential-run-puzzling-longtime-allies-072123057--election.html .
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/who-is-lincoln-chafee-120626621516.html

Sure, why not?

 

[SteamKing]

Lincoln Chafee threw his hat into the presidential race on Wednesday, http://news.yahoo.com/chafee-unveil-presidential-run-puzzling-longtime-allies-072123057--election.html .
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/who-is-lincoln-chafee-120626621516.html

Sure, why not?

Say, did his staffers find those missing passwords to his FB pages?

One of Chafee’s Facebook pages is inaccessible:

His campaign has lost track of the log-in credentials to the Facebook page that staffers started and managed for Chafee as governor, Rich said, and that page seems to be attracting more attention than the page he has set up for 2016, so now they’d like to merge the two.

Good luck with that!

http://twitchy.com/2015/06/03/serio...ry-before-he-can-start-running-for-president/

 

[Astronuc]

Say, did his staffers find those missing passwords to his FB pages?

Hopefully, he'll hire competent staff.

I once had a chance to meet a NY state senator who mentioned that he knew nothing about computers, but his staff took care of that detail. Yet, he was supposed to make informed decisions on regulatory matters concerning transportation and technology. I think he was more interested in whether or not I had voted for him, and how much I had contributed to his campaign.

No surprise that NY is the mess it is.

 

[SteamKing]

Hopefully, he'll hire competent staff.

I once had a chance to meet a NY state senator who mentioned that he knew nothing about computers, but his staff took care of that detail. Yet, he was supposed to make informed decisions on regulatory matters concerning transportation and technology. I think he was more interested in whether or not I had voted for him, and how much I had contributed to his campaign.

No surprise that NY is the mess it is.

I'm not too sure we want politicians who are too familiar with technology. Just look at what happened when a certain former secretary of state decided to keep an e-mail server at home in her bedroom ...

 

[Digitalism]

I prefer Bernie Sanders

 

[mheslep]

I prefer Bernie Sanders

Me too, but not because I want Bernie to be Prez

 

[thankz]

go jeb bush!

 

[Digitalism]

Jeb needs all the help he can get

 

[thankz]

Donald trump just threw his hat in the ring, now I'm conflicted, him or jeb bush.

 

[Czcibor]

I find most policies and promises by Democratic members are great, popular, sound, scientifically concise. Why are there still voters for Republicans?

Technical question - are you making an ideologically loaded statement here? Or really don't get their ideology and just are curious?

[clarification about me: not-American, not fitting well right/left axis]

 

[Silicon Waffle]

Technical question - are you making an ideologically loaded statement here? Or really don't get their ideology and just are curious?
[clarification about me: not-American, not fitting well right/left axis]

Since early March, I became deeply in love with politics.

 

[Czcibor]

Since early March, I became deeply in love with politics.

Voting is not much about logic, but about emotions.

"popular" - among whom? (not a loaded question, just think for a while that you presumably deal with quite unrepresentative sample of your citizens)

"scientifically concise" - and you want to advertise that to right wing creationists or maybe to left wing members of anti-vax movements? ;)
(anyway, I'd wonder about some policies... like insisting on transporting oil through railways instead of using pipeline...)

 

[HallsofIvy]

Donald trump just threw his hat in the ring, now I'm conflicted, him or jeb bush.

I figure that this pretty much guarantees that whoever the Democrats put up will win. Trump is loose cannon who is already badmouthing all of the other Republican candidates but we know that he can't go a week without putting his foot in his mouth.

 

[StevieTNZ]

Ann Coulter on why women should not have the right to vote: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...ot-have-right-vote-they-can-still-write-books

This is not the first time Coulter voiced her support for female disenfranchisement. In 2007, Coulter said that “If we took away women’s right to vote, we’d never have to worry about another Democrat [sic] president.” Coulter described this as a “pipe dream” and a “personal fantasy” of hers that women, especially the single women who “are voting so stupidly,” will finally be silenced.

 

[lisab]

Ann Coulter on why women should not have the right to vote: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...ot-have-right-vote-they-can-still-write-books

Meh, she's such a gadfly. She found a formula that sells just enough books.

 

[WWGD]

Meh, she's such a gadfly. She found a formula that sells just enough books.

It is sad to see how many people on both sides make a living this way, with their over-the-top-titled books: " How so-and-so is destroying our Democracy" , or " How The (Conservatives/Liberals) are compromising our natural security" , etc. And sad to see so many people buy these books.