Friday, April 25, 2008

On Hil-rod

Hillary spoke recently in CollegeTown, IN (really, you've got two choices.  one sucks, one doesn't). 

Full disclosure, I'm an Obama fan.

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I liked it.  Left me feeling somewhat blah in places, but I especially liked the national service academy idea, and am intrigued by the Build America Bonds idea.  Still thinking through the various healthplans we hear about.

Not so much: divisive rhetoric, fake rhetoric, and statistics.  (There are lies, damned lies, and statistics") ~ someone famous.  Also, the first student who spoke as an example of the need for better aid for students.....was awful. 

Somehow this kid racked up $70k+ in debt for an undergraduate education, along with $17k in credit card debt.  He said, in effect, that 'you get these predatory credit card offers from day 1 and you know, I started with a $500 limit and it got increased to $5,000, now I owe $17k.  As a student, you know, you spend, you have to spend...'  WHAT?   Personally, either this kid is out-of-state or he's living the high life.   I believe in education and I believe the government should do more to make education affordable.  BUT, I don't think that people should be encouraged to drop ridiculous $$$$ at out-of-state schools and expect taxpayers to dime up for it.  There's better uses for that money.

The way he talked, I just heard 'me' generation written all over it.  <Sigh>.

Notes:

  • baron hill and hillary (hill and hil, get it, hehe) fulfilled that classic elementary school joke, 'did you two call each other last night to plan your outfits?'
  • baron hill gave some weird introduction about 'Tell me X is not good for Indiana!?' - repeat with Y, Z, etc
  • awkward comments to said CollegeTown.
  • too much bush-bashing.  boring, tired, annoying cheapshots.
  • contrast to Obama - HRC says 'my campaign', he says 'our campaign'
  • conciliatory mention of Obama - they both wouldn't have been able to do what they're doing 10, 20, x years ago (this is followed by the expected But....)
  • says she has specific things, she has always stood by them.  like NAFTA, right?
  • refers to Republicans as 'the other side' demeans them.  does it again.
  • thought: compared to obama, rhetoric seems divisive - the bush-bashing, demeaning the republicans...
  • more bush-bashing: he ruined the economy - look how great things were in the 90s - 22.7 million jobs created, $7000 income boost to middle-class.  POINT: hard to argue mr. clinton had anything to do with the internet revolution and subsequent dot com bubble.  those gains were coming anyway.  The income boost?  it's not clear if she adjusted for inflation.  since she's a politician, probably not.  ....adjusted for inflation, income would have risen 38% in nominal terms over that time period...
  • she repeats how the 90s were the decade of peace and prosperity....which one didn't the republicans like?  POINT: completely Amero-centric.  so, if that's her attitude, how will things change? 
  • so, bush ruined the economy, she promises to revisit trade agreements... in fact, time-out on all trade agreements.  what does this mean?
  • it's indiana, so she promises to help manufacturing.  tax subsidies or something.
  • Build America Bonds.  neat idea
  • proposes an 'energy space race' hmmmmm
  • promises 8 million jobs.  is that: eight million new jobs?  eight million more jobs?  eight million jobs saved?  if Random Dime Shop goes out of business and Random Shoe Shop replaces it in the strip mall, does that count?
  • healthcare:  notably forgets to mention patients when listing off hte parties to her coalition.  points out that insurance companies spent $50 billion avoiding covering people.  points out Obama's plan (according to Random Experts), will leave 15 million uncovered...hers makes it mandatory so all are covered.
  • students, student aid, education: one example is of young, middle-class, black girl, joined national guard to get through school, says she is training to go to iraq in 2014.  fuck that.  next example, Hillary introduces him as having $100k in student debt.  He says, I have 70k.  Oops.  Also: who in the !bleep! goes about racking up $70,000 in debt (+ $17,000 in credit cards) to get an undergraduate degree?????????  ??? ?????????????
  • no more FAFSA?  more Pell.  more Stafford. 
  • i like this: national service academy!
  • and stuff about mortgate criss, iraq, and viewing the election as a hiring decision.


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