btownmeggy wrote:If you've paid incredibly close attention to every last one of my posts over the last year or so, you know I'm a long-time Bill Richardson supporter. Richardson is a hardcore technocrat, with flair. I love him. And he's no longer running for President, so I've been posed with a quite a dilemma. With U.S. politics as they currently stand, I would only ever vote Democrat. Period. People who think that is confining and short-sighted--well, I won't say they're stoopid, but they don't have very nuanced understandings of U.S. American politics.
So, I'm left with the question, "Obama" or "Hillary"?
They are very similar on nearly all issues of import to me. I favor Hillary's health care model, but not incredibly so, since I think they're both in folly. If you want universal health coverage, single-payer health care is the only way to go. Ultimately, in my internal debate over Hillary and Obama, with their nearly all-encompassing policy similarities, it will come down to political style. Obama has a much, much more attractive political style. I'm not a Hillary-hater, BY ANY MEANS, but I am totally willing to admit that she's not incredibly likeable. Secondarily, I think there certainly is something to say for an opposition to the "oligarchy" that Hillary may represent. It reflects badly on the U.S., and as a hegemon in crisis, the U.S. needs to be very concerned about its image. With that in mind, I'm willing to bring race into the picture. A black President would reflect very well on the U.S., both in terms of domestic and international politics.
So, who will I vote for on March 4th? Barack Obama.
I don't totally agree where you take your views, but at least you understand how it feels for those us to lose Bill Richardson out of this race. I already voted for Obama because I really don't like the way Hillary acts towards anyone opposing her. Her husband has leveled cheap shots at Sen. Obama, but Obama has taken it with class and risen above their level in my opinion.