We all know that Sen. Hillary Clinton voted for the Iraq War and for the recent war-mongering resolution against Iran. But with the economy tanking, what exactly is her record on important economic issues?
Note: Since Hillary Clinton and her allies find it perfectly appropriate to discuss presidential candidate's records so as to best "educate" the voters, I decided to look at her economic record so as to educate Primary voters:
Free Trade
Sen. Clinton supported NAFTA and its devastating impact on manufacturing jobs, the enviroment and the global economy.
Four years after NAFTA passed and after it was largely criticized by labor and environmental groups, Clinton said this in 1998 during a keynote speech given at the Davos Economic Summit. Clinton praised business leaders for mounting "a very effective business effort in the US on behalf of NAFTA," adding later that "it is certainly clear that we have not by any means finished the job that has begun."
Just last year, on Feb. 1, 2007, despite all of the evidence about the destruction of the middle class through NAFTA, Sen. Clinton said this:
"I think NAFTA was, in principle, a good idea."
Sen. Clinton went on to vote for free trade agreements with Singapore, Oman, Chile and Vietnam.
Finally, in 2000, Sen. Clinton supported "most favored nation" trade status for China despite concerns about China’s human rights record.
Of course, now that she's in the heat of a presidential race, Sen. Clinton says we need a "time-out" on trade. No one knows when this time-out will end. Maybe after the election?
Bankruptcy
With foreclosures going through the roof across America, personal bankruptcy is becoming a hot-button issue for middle-class Americans. Unfortunately, in 2001, Sen. Clinton supported reforms backed by the credit card companies making it harder for individuals to file for bankruptcy.
This was from the recent debate on MSBNC:
RUSSERT: Senator Clinton, you voted for the same 2001 bankruptcy bill that Senator Edwards just said he was wrong about. After you did that, the Consumer Federation of America said that your reversal on that bill, voting for it, was the death knell for the opponents of the bill. Do you regret that vote?
CLINTON: Sure I do, but it never became law, as you know. It got tied up. It was a bill that had some things I agreed with and other things I didn't agree with, and I was happy that it never became law.
What?!? Most people who don't support a bill vote against it. What is going on here?
Well, President Clinton vetoed this legislation in 2000 because "it was unfair to ordinary debtors and working families who fall on hard times." Hillary Clinton supported her husband's position. So, she was against.
Then, during her US Senate campaign, Hillary Clinton received almost $210,000 in political contributions from Finance/Credit Companies, Credit Unions And Commercial Banks. Then, 2001 rolls around with these same groups pushing the bankruptcy bill and guess who votes for it?? You got it: Sen. Clinton! Here is Sen. Clinton's statement on the floor of the Senate on March 15 2001:
"Bankruptcy reform is important. I grew up with a father who worked hard to avoid having debts. In recent weeks, I have heard form many small credit unions throughout New York, hard working small lenders whose entire membership suffers when the credit union is faced with covering bankruptcy losses. […] Reform is needed. The right kind of reform is necessary. We're on our way toward that goal, and I hope we can achieve final passage of a good bankruptcy reform bill this year."
What were consumer groups saying about this bill?
"I’ve never seen a bill that was so one-sided," said former senator Howard M. Metzenbaum, head of the Consumer Federation of America, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group. "The cries, claims and concerns of vulnerable Americans who have suffered a financial emergency have been drowned out by the political might of the credit card industry."
I think I understand now. She was against it. Then for it. Then against it. Now, really against it. Sounds principled to me!
Economic Stimulus
Continuing on the subject of political interests trumping principles, it took five days for Sen. Clinton to amend her economic stimulus plan to include immediate tax relief for workers and seniors. Why five days? Because Barack Obama had proposed it. Five days later, the economy didn’t really change, but the politics apparently did.
The People's Bottom Line?
Working families want good paying jobs with health care and retirement benefits. Families need economic security to cultivate their own family and community life. And Sen. Clinton's record shows a stunning disregard for economic policies that really help working people. It just goes to show what all those years "of experience" in Washington can really do to someone's principles.