Candidate Profile: Hilary Clinton

Hilary Clinton

Experience:

Time in the White House as the first lady, Senate work

Bonus points: Clinton attended a woman’s college, Wellesley.

Positions:

Health care: Clinton proposed a health care initiative that later failed, although she played an important role in developing the State Children’s Health Care Program. Clinton has played a continuous important role in the development of health care initiatives from her time as first lady through her Senate career.

Economy: Wants increased support for social programs and does not supporting cutting taxes that benefit only the well-off.

Environment: Clinton does not support drilling in ANWR or the Bush administrations energy program.

Foreclosures: Clinton recently called for a 90 day moratorium on foreclosures (pay attention, Midwestern readers: this increasing foreclosure rate among Michigan and Ohio is expected to continue)

Internvention: Clinton has supported the times in which the US has interevened in foreign conflict and is known for criticizing delayed reactions (Bosnia) and lack of involvement (Rwanda).

Immigration: Clinton at one time supported the drivers license plan that Spitzer proposed, although she changed her mind after Spitzer withdrew the plan.

Iraq: Although overall, like many Democratic candidates, she agrees we need to get out, she also feels that we have important interests in the area and that now is not the time to leave.

Abortion: She doesn’t believe it should be illegal, although she personally doesn’t support it.

Gay marriage/issues: Doesn’t support the federal definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, and she doesn’t think “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is working.

My thoughts: Clinton has experience- and I give her two thumbs up for her healthcare efforts and plans. The problem is that she’s too polarizing- you either love her or you hate her. I don’t think it’s necessarily that she’s a woman, but rather that she’s “Hilary Clinton” and that name carries around a lot of opinions with it. I think Americans are divided, and that if she were to win the Democratic nomination, the Democratic party will experience extreme challenges in this election.