FDR ; Hillary talking to US about how her husband followed in his footsteps

[JDPriestly]

112. This speech reflects some of the values that Bernie Sanders has expressed and lived so well.

It encourages me to know that both Hillary and Bernie agree on some of the basic values and changes that we need to make real.

I like this part of Hillary's speech when she talks about her mother's advice.

"I can still hear her saying: “Life’s not about what happens to you, it’s about what you do with what happens to you – so get back out there.”

That may be an attitude common among Methodists, a religion that was founded on preaching to the poor and lifting up the poor.

My mother said it this way: "It isn't what you have that matters but what you do with what you have."

As Hillary said, she needs to flesh out her program. Bernie is explicit and quick to explain precisely how he would find funds to realize the programs he believes are important. Hillary needs to be explicit and provide those details in her turn.

One difference I notice between Hillary's and Bernie's approaches is this.

Hillary says:

"Our next President must work with Congress and every other willing partner across our entire country. And I will do just that -- to turn the tide so these currents start working for us more than against us."

She calls on people to volunteer for her campaign.

In contrast, Bernie is pointing out that what is needed is not just a president who works with Congress but a huuuge movement of Americans demanding that Congress support the changes that Bernie (and to some extent Hillary) are advocating for. I like Bernie's approach on this better. Hillary needs to be more clear on this. I do not think that a president alone, and especially not someone like Hillary who is such an insider with so many friends in top positions in business as well as government, can confront our corrupt Congress and represent the American people forcefully enough on her or his own. I agree with Bernie. It isn't just going to take a village or even a well organized election campaign. It is going to take a well organized ongoing movement, a mass of awakened citizens to push the D.C. establishment to change government and our social and economic structure to meet the needs of Americans in the 21st century.

I note that Hillary says nothing about single payer healthcare insurance. She did not mention a public option. It will be interesting to know what she says about that and how she proposes (if she does) to lower the costs of health care. (Cutting some of the profits of our health insurance companies and of pharmaceutical company investors would be a good starting place.)

Hillary is weak on the Citizens United issues. She hedges and avoids calling outright for the kinds of strong changes we need in campaign finance. I don't trust her on that issue after reading her cautious language on it in this speech. It is easy to call for change. We need very definite prohibitions on certain kinds of campaign financing. And above all, we need to change corporation law in this country. We have sort of accepted Delaware's very pro-corporate rules on this, and we need to change some of our definitions and laws in that area.

I don't recall that she said anything about Glass-Steagall or about the Telecommunications Act or the welfare reform bills that her husband signed and that have harmed our society.

Also, Hillary's comments about funding college are vague. What is her plan on that?

But there is time for her to clarify her stances on these issues.

I support Bernie, but I want to be fair to Hillary.

I'm glad she didn't sing for her audience. I know voices. She has a bit of a problem there. Your voice is all in your breathing and then in the mechanics of producing sound. But your voice reflects who you are and how integrated your outer persona and your inner feelings are. Hillary's voice is a bit harsh. And her stances on military issues also seem a bit hard. That's rather personal criticism, but let it be understood by those who can hear and know about voice production. It isn't a mean or snide remark. It is my ears working. I'm not so good at commenting on how people look. But I do hear personalities in voices.
It's how I relate to the world. Bernie's New York accent tells a lot about him too.

This is going to be an interesting campaign. I will be interested in hearing and watching how Hillary fleshes out her proposals and moves from this list of goals, very general as it is, to proposals for means to achieving her ends.

Most important. Where does she propose to obtain the money for the programs she proposes? Who is going to be called upon to pay and how much will they be required to pay? Bernie is very clear on each proposal as to just how he plans to fund it.