I’ve made no secret here of my opposition to the idea of Hillary Clinton as president. Is more reason necessary than that I simply don’t want to listen to her lecture me for the next four or eight years? Here Matt Stoller makes his case against Hillary Clinton, citing as grounds that Sen. Clinton is too ready to use force, that Sen. Clinton is too Fordist, and that she’s driven by personal gain. His conclusion from this edifice is that Sen. Clinton’s high negatives in polling are an accurate reflection of how the electorate views her.
To his credit Oliver Willis takes Matt to task for his implication that there’s something wrong or dishonorable in Chelsea Clinton’s working in the financial sector. However, I think that Matt is probably not alone in his view.
That Sen. Clinton is too Fordist can hardly be a surprise. If there’s one thing today’s Democratic Party stands for it isn’t greater reliance on international institutions, standing up for the little guy, or interest group politics. It’s Fordism: the idea that wise government bureaucrats, working with leaders in Big Business and Big Labor can handle the reins of our economy and our society. Unfortunately, as Alan Greenspan noted not too long ago in regard to his own banking sector, the old tools don’t work anymore in a globalized world. The government can’t manage the economy any more let alone fine tune it.
Unfortunately, Sen. Clniton isn’t alone in her views in the Democratic field. The entire primary campaign is suffused with the idea that the U. S. government, prudently managed (by Democrats, of course) can fine-tune our economy, trade, and international relations.
The “elites” that Matt is concerned about are those looking for jobs as philosopher-kings in the upcoming Fordist parousia. Unfortunately, they’ll prove to be as limited, short-sighted, human, and fallible as the rest of us poor mortals.
I do agree with Matt’s conclusion: I don’t think Hillary Clinton is the Democratic Party’s most electable candidate. I think that electability is a self-fulfilling prophecy—you’re electable if you can get the most votes and I don’t really believe that of all of the prospective Democratic candidates Sen. Clinton will garner the most votes.
I’m lovin’ this process…Go Hiilary, go girl!!
Hey, many people I know are talking about the fact that Hillary Clinton lost the lead in Iowa… most of them think she will lose the election. Myself, I’m not sure. But I don’t believe her message that “only the former first lady has the experience to bring about change”! Surely experience has more to do with political experience and knowledge, rather than merely being married to the ex-president. Anyway, I guess they keep their campaign messages fairly simple to appeal to people.