Hillary's Only Hope To Tame Worst Habits: A Real Primary Challenge - Preferably From Elizabeth Warren

[nashville_brook]

8. Segami, here's my thing on Hillary...

and the Clintons in toto.

When they came along in 92, after 12 years of Reagan/Bush that style of "new democrat" win at all costs felt like, well, WINNING! holy crap that felt good. So what if some businesses prosper? A rising tide floats all boats, amirite? YAY Clintonian optimism! Bring on the Globalism. Bring on NAFTA! It's a "New Age" for Democrats I thought.

Remember the "peace dividend" that was going to fund homeless and healthcare and the fucking "bridge to the 21st Century" after the Cold War and after all the covert Reagan/Bush wars? This was supposed to be the trade-off. We were entering a new era when all our spending on nukes and military excursions could be repurposed to NATION BUILDING at home. I was on board in a big way.

Then, like some kind of magic, the investigations started and that's all we heard about -- and of course good democrats like myself turned our attention AWAY FROM policy and toward protecting the personalities who were supposed to protect our policy. Thing is, we held up our part of the bargain, and what did get in return? The repeal of Glass-Stegall, the deregulation of telecommunications -- death by the thousand TRIANGULATIONS. All of the energy that was supposed to go to building that confounded bridge to the 21st Century was spent on transactions with the right-wing to keep the investigations at bay...or keep new ones from emerging. By the time the blue dress and the definition of what "is is" came along, I'd just had it. Seriously? This is how we're repaid for all the blood sweat and tears we put into this? Is it any wonder that the WORST policy that came of the administration came after the embarrassment of Monica Lewinsky?

It's not difficult to figure out that the problem here is that the Clintons make themselves a target with the way they do business, and the Clinton Foundation combined with the latest public records scandal is just a reminder of what that's like.

I would love nothing more than to have a *slam dunk* democratic nominee who will get into the White House and fight like hell for the policy that matters to working families. But we have to be realistic about BOTH. Can Hillary actually beat a strong GOP challenger? and WOULD Hillary actually fight for our policy? If she's dogged by typical Clinton scandal, there's little she's going to get done. The time will be spend horse-trading and triangulating...and that means Americans who are suffering will get nothing but excuses: "well, if it weren't for the nasty Republicans dragging her into investigations..." blah blah blah.

I'm sick of it. Give us a straight arrow. Give us someone with a few tons less baggage. Give us someone who can actually get something done.