Sen. Clinton's Statement on Bankruptcy Bill

[journalist3072]

She gets so much flack here on DU for so-called "conservative" positions, so I thought everyone should read her statement on the bankruptcy bill, and why she could not vote for it:

http://clinton.senate.gov/~clinton/news/2005/2005311418.html

[n2mark]

1. What is she going to do to improve health care?

What is she going to do about the bankcruptcy bill?

[TomClash]

6. She's in the minority - what is she supposed to do?

[coloradodem2005]

2. Well. THere may be hope for her after all.

:)

[ruggerson]

3. But she's polarizing dammit! Polarizing, I tell you!

;)

[journalist3072]

5. LOL! I hate it when the "mainstream" media calls her that!

[ruggerson]

7. The media has said it so often, half of DU parrots it constantly

[journalist3072]

9. Exactly, and it's really annoying.

And I think any good Democrat needs to stop feeding into that "polarizing" label.

[conflictgirl]

12. I referred to her that way in an earlier thread

And I don't watch mainstream media.

Maybe it's just my personal experience that I don't know anyone who's neutral about her. The people I know either really like her or really hate her. And for whatever its worth, while she's more of a centrist than I personally would prefer, things like what she said regarding the bankruptcy bill are really cool.

That still doesn't change the fact that I know a LOT of people who think she's Satan's mistress incarnate. I thought when someone elicited strong feelings of love and hate in different people, that was the very definition of polarizing. I had no idea "polarization" meant something akin to "suckered by the media". :eyes:

[Toucano]

30. I know a lot of people who think Bush is Satan himself.

He now serving his second term as president.

It's the electorate that's polarized, not the candidates. The media has been responsible for making Sen. Clinton the focal point of the electorate's frustrations and hopes without much real analysis of her positions and accomplishments.

Strong feelings, however, are exactly what we need.

Regarding the people you know who think Hillary is "Satan's mistress", did A LOT of them vote for Kerry? Would A LOT of them vote for Dean? Would A LOT of them vote for any Democratic candidate?

[still_one]

15. she was right about one thing

she warned us about the right wing conspiracy, and she was right

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[still_one]

8. There is enough other issues to critisize Sen Clinton for

Most people should have known that Bill Clinton was being operated on the day of the vote which is why she didn't vote

My main gripe with the Senator along with certain other DLC democrats is that they believe that winning is more important than principle

An example is the anti-abortion candidate they are putting up against santorium. They have even pressured the other pro-choice Democrat to drop out

The patriot act is another example

One of the reasons Kerry lost is because he was viewed as someone who doesn't have strong convictions.

If you look at Kerry's voting record now, it shows tremendous convictions. It is too bad that wasn't expressed during the campaign

The Democrats MUST distinguish themselves from the republicans or they will never win.

1. Woman's right to choose
2. Social Security
3. The bankrucpy bill, (NOTE, NOT ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR VOTED AGAINST IT, but we had our share of democrats who voted for it, especially good old joe biden.
4. Medicare
5. An energy policy. What are the democrats waiting for? 5 years * hasn't done anything, this is a perfect issue for the democrats to take the lead
6. civil rights. Repeal the patriot act. Due process, and the right to counsel is guareented by the Constitution.

Very few Democrats had the courage to vote against giving * the authority to go into war, Barbara Boxer was one who did vote against it. Congress should have never given up their Contitutional responsiblity

If we don't stand on principles, than we don't stand for anything

There is no doubt in anyones mind where the republicans stand on most issues. There is very real doubt where the democrats stand on the issues. They are all over the spectrum

[Pepperbelly]

10. "they", huh?

Casey stands a very good chance to take Santorum's seat. No one is "putting" him up. He is a natural for it and has been in the public eye since forever. Also, Casey isn't as vehemently and in-your-face anti-choice as his Dad. I don't know how deeply held those convictions are except he goes months and months without even mentioning it to anyone.

[still_one]

14. What bothers me is the DLC is "telling" the pro-choice guy to step aside

[Pepperbelly]

19. how do you know that was done?

Seriously. I have heard that alleged but have seen nothing to indicate it in fact outside of speculation. Do you have a source to which you could refer me? That sort of hubris deserves to be exposed.

[still_one]

22. Air America

I heard Ed Rendell on unfiltered tell Rachel Maddow. I believe it was Friday's show, but it might have been Thursdays

[blogbear]

11. Hats Off To Senator Clinton Because..

She Tells It Like It Is!!

[Southsideirish]

13. Didn't she vote "yea" on it in its last incarnation? I believe she did.

[susanna]

16. IIRC, the last incarnation had some of the

amendments that were disallowed on the bill this time around. Anyone remember for sure?

[shance]

17. In truth, she could vote no because the bill was going to pass anyway.

Let's give credit when its really due, not when she 'supposedly' did the right thing and Americans are still being assaulted by such horrific legislation.

Senator Clinton as with almost all other Democratic senators deserve nothing but our outrage from this passage. She certainly deserves no kudos and no accolades for doing what she and ALL other Democrats should have done to begin with.

[jazzjunkysue]

18. The coward could have voted no, if she meant what she says.

But it's always empty words, without the action to back them up. '


She's never getting my vote back.

[Toucano]

24. That's hill-arious!

Save your precious vote for some loser if you want.

Go ahead and put so much VALUE on symbolism that you lose the battle and the war. But walk away with your symbolism unsullied.

I hope you find your empty symbolism sufficiently nutritious.

[OneBlueSky]

20. easy to say now . . . but how would she have really voted? . . .

and even if she voted no, it would have been with the knowledge that the thing was going to pass anyhow . . . what she DIDN'T mention is abuse by the credit card companies, which is the real disgrace here . . . when she starts talking about that, maybe I'll believe her . . .

[Gloria]

21. Didn't they vote the day Bill was having his surgery??? (Thurs)

I guess she was with him rather than voting???

Yup, here's the DU thread on the vote...Thursday.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1301091

[Toucano]

23. She addresses that in her statement.

"I was unable to cast my vote on this bill because of a medical situation in my own family."

Her vote wouldn't have made a difference, and I would have fulfilled my obligation to my spouse, too.

The symbolism of being with a family member when they're having surgery outweights the symbolism of casting a vote that can't possibly make a difference.

[Jacobin]

25. More claptrap and "having it both ways" for the senator from Hell

I followed this closely in the last few weeks. Her earlier web site position was that she supported it. I don't see anywhere in the current piece where she said she voted against it. If she didn't vote, now she can claim it was 'unfair' and not have done anything but NOT VOTE.

How conveeeeenient.

:puke:

The senator is relying on dems NOT paying attention. I AM paying attention and she should NOT get away with this crap.

[Toucano]

26. Do you have a link

to her earlier website position?

[B Calm]

27. Did she vote for Rice?

[realFedUp]

28. good statement

wish the Senate Dems who had voted
aye on the bill had the same perspective.

[Tactical Progressive]

29. I still think this was the bill that should have been filibustered

Besides just being ugly and wrong on moral grounds, the bankruptcy bill, as Bill Maher put it, has no constituency.

Filibustering it would have been a big political win all across America. Democrats would have 'stood for something' too.