My message to those who have a problem with the Clinton "dynasty"

[antiimperialist]

To me, voting for a politician based on how many of his/her ancestors or spouses have been president is unreasonable.
Why the hell should poor people care about the last name of the person who wants to provide them with affordable health care?
Why should people with cancer waste their time comparing the last names of those candidates who support funding for embryonic stem cell research that can speed up cures for their ailment?

Should the parents of children whose health insurance is threatened by Bush opposed him because he's George Bush senior's son? Or because he only cares about the rich?

In the United States, if you do not want to vote for a candidate because, despite being awesome, his/her daddy, husband or granddaddy were presidents, then you have this thingy called elections that are held every 4 years, that gives you the opportunity to select a different one.

I know Tim Russert is not the only one who thinks this is a big deal. There are Democrats who share his views, and this message is for you.

[mark414]

1. America is not a playground for 2 royal families

does this look like a democracy to you??

1981 - Bush (VP)
1982 - Bush (VP)
1983 - Bush (VP)
1984 - Bush (VP)
1985 - Bush (VP)
1986 - Bush (VP)
1987 - Bush (VP)
1988 - Bush (VP)
1989 - Bush
1990 - Bush
1991 - Bush
1992 - Bush
1993 - Clinton
1994 - Clinton
1995 - Clinton
1996 - Clinton
1997 - Clinton
1998 - Clinton
1999 - Clinton
2000 - Clinton
2001 - Bush
2002 - Bush
2003 - Bush
2004 - Bush
2005 - Bush
2006 - Bush
2007 - Bush
2008 - Bush

2009 - Clinton?
2010 - Clinton?
2011 - Clinton?
2012 - Clinton?
2013 - Clinton?
2014 - Clinton?
2015 - Clinton?
2016 - Clinton?

[ElizabethDC]

2. If they're fairly elected (and I realize that hasn't always been the case)

then it's still a democracy.

[durrrty libby]

3. The Clinton part looks fabulous

[Joe the Revelator]

5. If you're for corruption!

[emilyg]

18. It does!!!!

[BootinUp]

6. Looks like we need to even it up a little. lol. nt

[antiimperialist]

8. Royal families?

For a moment I thought we had presidents, not kings.

[William769]

17. We do, but some people are that stupid.

[Bucky]

20. And then what happens?

2017 - Jeb
2018 - Jeb
2019 - Jeb
2020 - Jeb
2021 - Jeb
2022 - Jeb
2023 - Jeb
2024 - Jeb
2025 - Chelsea
2026 - Chelsea
2027 - Chelsea
2028 - Chelsea
2029 - Chelsea
2030 - Chelsea
2031 - Chelsea
2032 - Chelsea

Who's got next?

[Rageneau]

30. And when you add in Tricky Dick...

1952 Nixon (VP)
1956 Nixon (VP)
1960 Nixon (candidate)
1968 Nixon (Pres)
1972 Nixon (Pres)

And remember Bob Dole, too
1976 (VP nominee)
1980 (primary candidate)
1988 (primary candidate)
1992 (primary candidate)
1996 (GOP pres nominee)

[Joe the Revelator]

4. I just refuse to believe that I should spend my life under the rule of two families....

... America is about so much more then that. There HAS to be fresh blood, or the entire system grows stagnate and corrupt.

[flordehinojos]

9. the way i think about the rule of two families is ...

the clintons at least allow for democracy to take place. they honor the constitution, they believe in check and balances and they believe in three separate branches of government, and ... they keep separation of church and state, separate ...

The bushes, well, that is a different story... the wipe their behinds with the constitution. there is only one power under their dictatorship so forget about three separate branches of government under them, and ... separation of church and state? Just like free speech and democracy, it does not exist anymore.

[Joe the Revelator]

11. You say "the clinton's at least"....

....like you're resigned to your fate of homogeneous rule. I'm don't want to look for a silver lining to the equivalent to royal families in a democracy.

[BootinUp]

13. I think I would make the argument a little differently

In the case of the Clinton's you have 2 superb intellectuals and professional politicians with the moxie and visions to win fair elections. It is not a dynasty where power is handed down due to birth right. Making that argument is clearly ludicrous.

edit for sp

[antiimperialist]

16. And just for the record, Hillary is my third choice

I like Edwards better because of his firm position on the Iraq war, having apologized for this 2002 vote, unlike Hillary, and because I like his health care plan better than hers. Obama would be my second choice.
But Hillary, who looks like the imminent Democratic nominee, will face either Giuliani, Thompson or Romney, who despite being sons of no president, are terrible choices who will sink America further into the abyss.

[Joe the Revelator]

23. Not true...

Hillary is running as a nostalgia act (at least outside of NY) to the mid 90's. The dynastic power and influence her Husband built on his own is most certainly being handed down to her.

[mark414]

27. well, the conventional wisdom seems to have already handed over the nomination

as some sort of destiny or birth right

the Clinton years in the 90's were great, but we don't need to go back in time, we need to move forward.

[LWolf]

7. My response:

I agree. We have this thingy called elections to make a selection about who should be representing us, and I fully intend to make sure that I vote for somebody who I think will best represent me.

It won't, btw, be HRC, who's claim to "awesomeness" is not exactly positive.

[calmblueocean]

10. Are you kidding? The point is that dynasties exclude new people from getting elected.

Hillary gets face time on the media because she was Bill's wife. Bush Jr. got his shot at being the nominee because he was the GHWB's son.

This is sick. It's the mark of an unheathy media, an unhealthy populace, and an unhealthy democracy.

[antiimperialist]

12. Interestingly, Bill was the media's #1 enemy

and Hillary has advocated radical changes in the way the media operates, i.e. implementing the Fairness Doctrine once again.

[BootinUp]

14. I guess I should bone up on her positions

I was unaware of that one.

[killbotfactory]

25. "i.e. implementing the Fairness Doctrine once again."

I'll believe that when I see it.

[Bitwit1234]

15. I seem to remember we had two presidents who were father and son

before any body heard of the crooked ass bush's. They happened to be Adam's. And our country was all the better for it. People from the same family are not the problem. The ACTIONS of the people from the same party are. The two bush's are dispicible...HOW IN THE HELL DO THE OBAMA LOVERS KNOW WHAT HILLARY CLINTON is going to do. She's not president yet.

IN FACT how in the hell do they know Obama is going to be a saint. It's all chance. YOu have to take a chance on the person who has the ability and the fortitude and the same ideas to bring America back to what it once was. Obama might be that person, Hillary might be that person. I don't know what each would do, I do know either one of the democrat candidates, would be 1000% better than the crap we have now. And it is frustrating to no end that the democrats who support one candidate over the other are spewing slime about Hillary Clinton. They are one hundred times worst than the republicans. THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

[emilyg]

19. Obama supporters have tunnel vision. You can't reason with them.

[Nedsdag]

21. Ah, a Clinton supporter.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

[William769]

22. And what a great person emilyg is.

[killbotfactory]

24. Her administration will be nearly identical to Bill's

We need a new start in the White House.

[monmouth]

26. It's too bad Hillary started campaigning so early. The more I get to know

about her the less I trust her....

[MadHound]

28. Frankly I don't give a damn about a politician's family ties.

What I care about are their positions, which is the reason I despise Hillary. A pro-war corporate whore, sorry, I wouldn't vote for her no matter who her family was.

[Rageneau]

29. How can a single- two-term president be considered a dynasty?

Clinton had a single presidency. So Hillary isn't part of any dynasty. At least not yet.

Wait until Hillary has been President for eight years and Chelsea is running for the job. THEN you can fret about dynasty.

[ncabot22]

31. Nah, it will be Bush's turn after Hillary

After eight years of another Bush, then it will be Chelsea's turn.

[illinoisprogressive]

32. Keep power in the family and the corruption grows. the clintons are example of that.

[Guaranteed]

33. Well, is there any other reason than the one you criticize to vote FOR Sen. Clinton? nt