Reply #5: Candidates should take responsibility for their actions [View All]

[cjmastaw]

This is really a non-starter. I was for Hillary before I decided that she didn't foster the sense of responsibility on key votes.

She did two things that roiled me.

She voted for the war. She voted for the bankruptcy bill.

Both votes undermine her core principle of taking care of the less fortunate. In both of these instances she was using a political calculus to appeal to the general election.

I hold her responsible for her vote even though she doesn't want to take responsibility for a vote that has hurt this country. Your vote is important. Her vote is important. If you weren't in the senate to vote then you don't have to be responsible for that vote.

Obama was in the senate when the bankruptcy bill hit the floor. He voted against it.

If a Republican had cast that vote wouldn't you hold him or her responsible for it? If they tried to wiggle out of it, wouldn't you be outraged? Please look at this logically. Hillary didn't take care of the men and women who fought and died in Iraq. Her vote should have been no just like Kucinich, just like Richardson. Now she has to bare the brunt of the responsibility for her vote.

Obama clearly spoke out against the war. Yes, he did fund it. But that is an issue in it of itself. He has to take responsibility for that vote. Let's be clear though. Voting for a war is not the same as voting for the troops because you don't know what the president will do if you don't. In layman's terms. If you didn't start the war then there would be no war to fund. That first vote is catastrophic.

She lost my support because the sanctity of human life is the most important part of life. The republicans devalued it. Her vote helped as well. As Obama stated in the debate. The title was "Iraq War Authorization". IT doesn't get any clearer than that.

It's too bad because I like Hillary but I'm not going to give her or any other candidate a free pass on this one. MOve On voters did the right thing in endorsing Obama. I hope the rest of the country follows suit.