Do you like the proposed plan to give every baby born in the U.S. $5,000?

[ecstatic]

(WASHINGTON) — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that every child born in the United States should get a $5,000 "baby bond" from the government to help pay for future costs of college or buying a home.

Clinton, her party's front-runner in the 2008 race, made the suggestion during a forum hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus.

"I like the idea of giving every baby born in America a $5,000 account that will grow over time, so that when that young person turns 18 if they have finished high school they will be able to access it to go to college or maybe they will be able to make that downpayment on their first home," she said.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1666592,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

[LeftyMom]

1. If Hillary wants to improve my child's future finances, she can end the goddamn war.

Until then she can piss off.

[ecstatic]

3. Would you like the idea if someone other than Clinton proposed it?

:shrug:

[LeftyMom]

5. No, our gov't is already deeply in debt.

And the bond thing strikes me as a bandaid slapped on the real problems of higher education costs and the lack of affordable starter housing.

[AdHocSolver]

20. N0! $5,000 times about 4,000,000 kids = $20 billion plus Medicare, Iraq war debt...

Where the hell is all this money going to come from? Factor in the Republican tax cuts for the wealthy, the off-shoring of family-supporting, and tax-paying jobs, and this offer is phony. It would make more sense to skip the education, and just give everyone a college diploma on his or her twenty-second birthday.

It would still be a caste system of education as this money wouldn't cover a law degree or a medical degree. Without wealthy parents, no young person who wants such an education could afford it anyway. The proposal is a scam.

[JVS]

22. Right on!

[Dr Fate]

2. Give ME $5K and you got yourself a deal. But seriously...

It sounds good on paper- seems like a decent proposal...

[BeatleBoot]

4. Every American Family Owes $ 551,000 to Pay Of Bush's Deficit Spending

So it's not really like getting $ 5,000 is it?

[Deja Q]

8. If Bush's constituents are the top 1%, surely only the top 1% owes?

Regardless of who owes what, none of it makes any sense anyway.

[acmavm]

6. Is the check gonna be drawn on the Bank of Peking?

We're broke. And the dollar ain't worth a damn.

[Deja Q]

9. Neither are China's products.

Apart from one whoopsie at Mattel (small magnets), everything being recalled is due to issues under China's responsibility.

[sandnsea]

7. When Edwards proposed it in 2003

Sure. I like health care and education for all even more.

[porphyrian]

10. I don't know enough about it to vote on it. - n/t

[jaysunb]

11. would that count for all these "born again" folks too?

:evilgrin:

[madfloridian]

12. I think things like this are a wedge....

to start privatizing things like Social Security, which the DLC surely wants to do.

I see no need for it, and it is opening the door to corporations. I think about Bush's ownership society.

I do not trust stuff like this.

[HeraldSquare212]

13. It's an abdication of govt functions

It just says, Hey, we can't figure any of this stuff out, here's $5K, good luck to you. Govt could bring the price of college lower. All the $5K does is allow colleges to raise tuition because they know people will have more money to pay for it.

[renie408]

18. I'll buy that. n/t

[ecstatic]

14. I must say I'm a little shocked at the results

Is it just a matter of Hillary hatred or are the no votes a reflection of something else?

I would support the measure with conditions:
1)The child must be born of an American citizen, who has been in the country at least 5 years
2)A maximum of 15K per family
3)The money is only accessible at the age of 18, to high school graduates who do not have a criminal record (incentive to act right)

[BlooInBloo]

15. Pure Clinton hate...

... And wow - the concept you'd like to enshrine - that some Americans are MORE American than others, is quite abominable.

[Raine]

16. In this over populated world

it's a totally idiotic idea. :silly:

[TygrBright]

17. Only if it's retroactive to a year before MY birthday. With interest. COMPOUND interest. n/t

[KamaAina]

19. It's nothing but a huge government giveaway to anchor babies!!!!

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Kelly Rupert]

21. I'd give even odds these numbers would be reversed if any other dem had proposed it. n/t

[toadzilla]

23. how much does it cost parents in medical bills right now to have a child in the first place

[Katherine Brengle]

24. It really depends on how that money will be handled. If it is given to the parents, or comes

in the form of a tax cred, then absolutely NO.

If it's a government regulated sort of youth social security, then maybe yes.

[Feron]

25. People would have more money for college...

if they weren't paying an arm and leg for health insurance.