The Spelzer Chronicles

What's a President To Do?

Well, as I stated before, I was endorsing Governor Bill Richardson for the Democratic Party's nominee for President. That didn't work out so well. I really overestimated the American public. I thought they'd be sick of Clintbama and would look at the more substantive candidates. I was mistaken. Now we're down to Obamamama and Hillary.

I looked at both candidates very carefully. I read about their programs, platforms, and positions. I still think Richardson was better, but he's out and you have to take what the defense gives you.

So who do I endorse? Right now I'm going with Hillary. I don't like Obama's idea that nuclear energy is what will help us reduce greenhouse emissions. No one wants nuclear power plants built in their towns, and no one wants to have the waste buried in their backyards. I consider anyone advocating nuclear power while there is no way to render the waste inert, and thus make it safe, to be a complete idiot (that means you Senator O). I wondered how it could be that someone who seems to be relatively intelligent could advocate a non-starter solution like nuclear power. So I did a little research. I did not like what I found out.

Turns out that Barack Obama is in the pockets of the nuclear industry, specifically the Excelon Corp, the largest operators of nuclear power plants in the country. They've given him lots and lots of money. And one of their subsidiaries is a company based in Illinois. But the plot thickens.

You know how Senator Obama is always talking about hope and change, and how he's going to break the influence of lobbyists in Washington, and that he doesn't take money from federal registered lobbyists and pacs? Guess what? He's not going to do anything about the lobbyists and pacs...because he's taking their money.

That's right America, the Golden god of Change is a duplicitous liar and a fraud. In an article that appeared in the LA Times last year it was well documented that Obama is getting plenty of money bundled by federal lobbyists. He even has a few working on his campaign. How does he get away with this? They withdrew their registration as lobbyists. They work for the same people and companies, but since they are not registered he can tell you that he's not getting the money from Registered lobbyists. Unregistered lobbyists are fair game however. He gets plenty of money from the law firms and corporations they work for, and from corporations with multimillion dollar lobbying operations in Washington DC (even from companies that had pending issues in Washington while he sat in the Senate.

He takes money from the lobbyists's wives, and their firms, and law firms that guarantee access through their political action committees. He has faked out America, and with few exceptions like the LA Times, he has mostly gotten away with it. So if you like Obama and want to vote for him, go right ahead. But if you expect him to bring all this change, unify America, and break the corporate interests's control of Washington, then you better be prepared for a world of disappointment because it is NOT going to happen. Sorry to burst the bubble.

Then we looked at Senator Clinton. She is no girl scout. I think we can all agree on that. She's shrewd, cut throat, and fights to the death. A lot of people equate the Clinton name with scandal and corruption. But after all these years, after being investigated by the Republican sponsored witch hunt led by Grand Inquisitor Kenneth Starr, Senator Clinton was never implicated, indicted, or charged with any crimes. There are no skeletons left in her closet.

Now an argument can be made that she is not displaying a great level of transparency. Archivists at the Clinton Library are blocking the release of certain documents. And she has not released her tax returns (though her campaign has said they will be made public around April 15th). But in the end I can't say that I blame her for that. The press has been swooning all over Obama for months. When those documents are released the press won't be asking her about her platform or issues. They will be asking about her taxes and the money she made; whether there is a story or not. This would put her candidacy in jeopardy.

All that aside, I am pretty happy about a few things in her platform. She has successfully linked (under the tutelage of Richardson) climate change, the green economny, energy independence, and national security. I have contacted the Clinton campaign urging her to adopt the Richardson notion that we need an Apollo program style advance on these issues (language that she subsequently adopted). If we can put a man on the moon in less than 10 years we can stop burning fossil fuels in 10 years. Senator Obama is starting to talk about this, but he has no real plans that I've seen. His website is a vast pile of platitudes with very little in the way of working solutions. And a few of the plans he does have he ripped off from Senator Clinton. That's probably why one of his most used lines in the last debate was, "I agree with Senator Clinton."

Another thing I like about Hillary is that despite the fact that many people in government, and the media, were calling for her to drop out, she hung in there, fought hard and won three very important primaries. She didn't really move up much in the delegate hunt. But she has garnered almost as many votes as Obama; which, in a race where neither candidate will be able to get the 2024 delegates needed to secure the nomination, means a lot. I would put forward the notion that it is the candidate with the most popular votes, not delegates, that should get the nomination in August. The Super Delegates should support that candidate, not the one who gains the most delegates (especially when states have different ways of determining how many delegates are awarded from each county/precinct. I am also not very impressed with wins in caucus states since only relatively small numbers of people turn out for them. Primaries are much more precise in telling us who is the more successful candidate.

So, though she may be flawed, I am leaning toward supporting Hillary. But we are making plans to run if she doesn't get the nomination. My press secretary, Moo Cow, is gearing up for running in the general election. I have been thinking that i would rather take on an advisory role (it gives me more time for playing and belly rubbin'). But last night the Moo peed on Dad's very nice slippers that he got for his birthday. It is possible that he will, as our campaign manager, decide to run me again in which case I would accept.

We'll see.