Hillary's Fiscal Restraint

Here's the big quote from a recent Boston Globe interview with Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), still the frontrunner to be the next president of the U.S. of A.:

"I have a million ideas. The country can't afford them all."

Here's the fuller context:

Clinton recently floated the idea of issuing a $5,000 bond to each baby born in the United States to help pay for college and a first home, but it immediately inspired Republican ridicule and she quickly said she would not implement the proposal.

She defended that decision yesterday, saying she is focusing on proposals with more political support and she is not formally proposing anything she can't fund without increasing the deficit: "I have a million ideas. The country can't afford them all."

Elsewhere in the Q&A, she called for restoring "checks and balances" to the executive branch, called Bush's Russia policy "incoherent," and dissed Dick Cheney as a power-hungry hungry hippo (not exactly in those words).

The whole thing is here.

Earlier this year, reason looked at Hillary's foreign policy and blanched.

Comments

Warren | October 11, 2007, 9:46am | #

Well that shoots that good mood thing a had going.

chancelikely | October 11, 2007, 10:11am | #

Well, that explains in her own words why I will never, ever vote for her.

VM | October 11, 2007, 10:16am | #

"I have a million ideas. The country can't afford them all."

good. Now why don't you go over there and make a very important phone call for me. Run along. shoo shoo.

*leans back with self-satisfied smile. Turns up the Double Duran. oh yeah. Wild boys

DangerMan | October 11, 2007, 10:18am | #

I had to listen to here while I was going to work today. She is here in NH, and was on NHPR.

Ad Hominum attack of the day.

"Why can't Hillary run for President?"

"You need ankles to run."

Number 6 | October 11, 2007, 10:38am | #

Remember those "problem solving" classes in elementary schools? The ones where kids would suggest that we end pollution by putting big balloons on smokestacks, or end war by taking the leaders of belligerent nations to dinner together? That proposal is equally stupid, but comes from an adult who really should know better.

stephen the goldberger | October 11, 2007, 10:50am | #

Ugh. At least she realizes the fact that the country can't afford them. Republicans better toughen up when she takes office.

Hugh Akston | October 11, 2007, 11:05am | #

Hillary seems to operate under the premise that any good idea, in this case saving money, becomes a doubly good idea when federalized.

thoreau | October 11, 2007, 11:05am | #

Ugh. At least she realizes the fact that the country can't afford them.

After 6 years of W, that sadly counts as an improvement in Presidential cognition.

Sad.

Remember that W has a million ideas as well, and he doesn't see any reason why he shouldn't be allowed to try all of them.

VM | October 11, 2007, 11:20am | #

Number 6:

kinda like this dinner hier?

who is who, tho?

:)

Doktor T: indeed.... sigh.

Pro Libertate | October 11, 2007, 11:58am | #

thoreau,

Clinton is the perfect follow up to Bush. She'll be equally divisive and imperial, just in different ways than the current occupant. A couple more dynastically selected presidents, and we should be completely screwed up.

I still think she's going to flop in the primaries, but I question the sense of anyone who plans to vote for her. The same logic that's making her a front runner right now is what gave us President Bush. Just like I did when I saw Bush '00 stickers, I can't believe that people are actively supporting her candidacy. Egad.

Rattlesnake Jake | October 11, 2007, 12:30pm | #

"I still think she's going to flop in the primaries"

It might be Gore that knocks her out. I hope the SOB does it.

sage | October 11, 2007, 12:40pm | #

Hugo Chavez in a pant-suit.

(Sorry I'm late; I was away from my workstation.)

creech | October 11, 2007, 1:06pm | #

Good for Hillary. Maybe she isn't Santa Claus in a pants suit. Now she can be added to the list of pols who "hate children." Bush sure got his share of attacks in the "letters to the editor" section of the local paper when he vetoes the increase in SCHIP funds. Seems like the government could offer every child $100,000 at birth and some yahoo would be claiming so-an- so hates the children because they didn't make it a million bucks. For them, Santa's gift bag is always too small.

TiredElf | October 11, 2007, 2:17pm | #

For them, Santa's gift bag is always too small.

F#ckin' tell me about it.

R C Dean | October 11, 2007, 4:38pm | #

I have a million ideas. The country can't afford them all.

The implication is that she's going to jam her ideas down our throats until we gag.

Pro Libertate | October 11, 2007, 4:46pm | #

The country could afford more if the rich would pay their fair share! Damned rich people and their stylish top hats.