Author Topic: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama answer your questions (Remember their promises in 2008?)  (Read 635 times)

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Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama answer your questions

Posted on March 2, 2008  |  By Richard Dunham   


The Democratic candidates answer your questions. (AP photos)

We solicited questions from readers in Houston, San Antonio and Beaumont to pose to the presidential candidates. Here are responses from Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Q – Everyone watches the first 100 days of a presidency, but what can we expect from you in the first 100 hours? – Gwen Parker, San Antonio.

Clinton:

One of my first official actions as president will be to convene the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council and direct them to draw up a clear, viable plan to bring our troops home from Iraq, starting within 60 days. I will immediately review President Bush’s executive orders that impact executive authority, and I will rescind those that undermine the Constitution and betray the rule of law.

I will ask Congress to send me bills the president has vetoed, like the expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program and funding for ethical stem cell research. I will begin a timeout from new agreements in order to review the existing ones and to formulate a comprehensive trade policy for the 21st century. I will issue an executive order ending President Bush’s war on science and restoring scientific integrity to government decision-making by, among other things, banning political appointees from interfering with scientific conclusions. And I will send out diplomats and prominent Americans from both parties to help restore American leadership in the world.

Obama:

In my first 100 hours as president, I will call in the Joint Chiefs of Staff and give them the goal of responsibly ending this war in Iraq. I will have my new attorney general review every executive order that this president has issued and overturn those that are unconstitutional. And I will launch the most sweeping White House ethics reform in history to close the revolving door between the White House and the lobbying firms and begin restoring trust in our government.

Q – From signing statements to asserting that Congress cannot withhold funding for Iraq to an attorney general who says that the president isn’t breaking any laws unless he says so, President Bush has aggressively pursued a policy of expanding the powers of the executive branch of the federal government. What do you plan to do about this? – Charles Kuffner, Houston.

Clinton:

As president, I will end the administration’s abuse of executive power by restoring the traditional right of habeas corpus and closing the detention center at Guantanamo….I will also work to modernize our wiretapping laws so that we can protect Americans from another terrorist attack while respecting the privacy rights of our citizens. And I believe very strongly and have said unequivocally that torture cannot be American policy, under any circumstances.

I would not use signing statements to disagree on policy grounds with legislation passed by Congress or as an end run around the veto. I will appoint an attorney general who understands and endorses our Founding Fathers’ constitutional framework of checks and balances.

Obama:

The separation of powers works. It has for more than two centuries. As president, I will respect that separation as laid out in the Constitution, and I will end the current administration’s use of signing statements as an end-run around Congress’ legislative intent.

Unlike Alberto Gonzales, my attorney general will understand that his or her job is to be the people’s lawyer, not the president’s lawyer….And we’ll end illegal wiretaps, close Guantanamo, restore habeas corpus and reject torture without exception.

Q – With the Vietnam generation getting older and the scandal at Walter Reed still fresh in the minds of veterans, what do you plan on doing for the vets and their health care? And what do you plan on doing for the new vets coming home from Iraq? – Emilio Arriola, San Antonio.

For the answer to this question and eight more questions and answers, follow the link below…


Q – With the Vietnam generation getting older and the scandal at Walter Reed still fresh in the minds of veterans, what do you plan on doing for the vets and their health care? And what do you plan on doing for the new vets coming home from Iraq? – Emilio Arriola, San Antonio.

Clinton:

I will restore the (Bill) Clinton-era policy that opened the VA’s excellent and cost-effective health care system to all veterans who seek to enroll. I will make a long-term commitment to the VA system to ensure it is adequately funded and has the capacity to avoid backlogs and to handle greater enrollments. And I will provide coverage through my American Health Choices Plan to all veterans who choose not to use the VA system.

I will commit to getting a fair, accurate and timely decision for every veteran filing a disability claim. I will increase the number of qualified VA evaluators to reduce the backlog of claims. I will provide fast-track training for new claims specialists and expand the Benefits at Discharge Program to smooth the transition from service to discharge for all those who serve their country.

I want to enact a new GI Bill of Rights for the 21st century that will resurrect the spirit of the original 1944 GI Bill and offer service members, veterans and their families with expanded education, housing and entrepreneurial benefits.

Obama:

We’ll build a 21st century VA and fully fund the VA medical center. The VA will also be at the cutting edge of my plan for universal health care, with better preventive care, more research and specialty treatment, and more vet centers, particularly in places like the Valley, where our veterans have to travel hours just to get basic care.

I will revamp an overburdened benefits system by hiring additional workers and creating an electronic system that is fully linked up to military records and the VA’s health network.

I’ll expand housing vouchers, and I’ll launch a new supportive services housing program to prevent at-risk veterans and their families from sliding into homelessness….We need a GI Bill for the 21st century. An Obama administration will expand access to education for our veterans and increase benefits to keep pace with rising costs.

Q – How can you credibly argue that America can end its reliance on foreign sources of oil given America’s massive energy consumption and current sources of oil? – Neil Aquino, Houston.

Clinton:

For our national security and for our environment, we need to develop alternatives to oil….And though domestic production is important, we’re not going to drill our way out of this problem….I have proposed a Strategic Energy Fund that gives oil companies a choice: either invest in biofuels and other clean energy technologies or pay a fee out of your profits into a fund. We also need to take back tax breaks that the oil companies don’t need. And we will put those funds towards the development and deployment of clean energy technologies like solar, wind, biofuels and advanced vehicles.

Obama:

I am under no illusion that breaking our dependence on foreign oil will be easy….(But) there are a couple of things we can and should do right away. The fastest, easiest and cheapest thing we can do is change the way we consume energy. If, for example, every home in America replaced just five incandescent light bulbs with five compact fluorescent bulbs, it would eliminate the need for 21 power plants. As president, I will call on businesses, government and the American people to make America 50 percent more energy efficient by 2030.

I have also proposed measures to raise our fuel efficiency standards and implement a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard – reforms that would reduce our consumption by 2.5 million barrels of oil per day….We also need to invest in researching and developing clean energy technology. That means the next generation of biofuels, it means pursuing alternate sources like wind and solar and it also means finding a way to make nuclear energy safe and coal energy clean.

Q – Many of us believe the federal government has grown to large in regulation and spending and taxation. Putting regulation aside, what reductions in spending and taxation would you support in order to ease government’s fiscal burden on the private sector? – James Reynolds, Houston.

Clinton:

I support reducing the tax burden on middle- and working-class families, cutting wasteful and inefficient government spending and providing new incentives for research, job creation and clean energy technology. I will also offer tax cuts to small businesses, helping them to offer health care and retirement benefits to their employees.

My first major policy address in this campaign focused on reforming our government to increase efficiency and cut out waste. Specifically, I called for cutting the number of federal contractors by 500,000 over the next 10 years and ending the process of no-bid government contracts – steps that would save American taxpayers between $10 and $18 billion annually. Also, I will reduce federal spending by tracking and eliminating wasteful corporate subsidies and fighting the influence of special interests, taking back at least $55 billion per year.

Obama:

Among the many broken promises of this (Bush) administration has been a commitment to fiscal responsibility. By giving tax cuts to the wealthy while waging a half trillion dollar war, George Bush’s Washington has saddled our country with a crippling debt.

Reversing that fiscal damage starts with ending this war in Iraq – a war that should have never been authorized and never been waged….We’ll cut taxes for the middle class by up to $1,000 per working family. We’ll ease the burden on middle class homeowners by providing a universal homeowner’s tax credit. And if you’re a senior citizen making less than $50,000 per year, under my plan, you won’t have to pay any income tax at all. We’ll pay for those tax cuts by closing corporate loopholes, cracking down on international tax havens and reversing the tax windfalls George Bush gave to the wealthiest Americans.

Q – How will you remove our troops from Iraq and protect them in the process? – Sandy Jordan, San Antonio.

Clinton:

I have a three-point plan to end the war in Iraq: bring our troops home safely, work to bring stability to the region and replace military force with a new diplomatic initiative to engage countries around the world in securing Iraq’s future….One of my first official actions as president will be to convene the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council and direct them to draw up a clear, viable plan to bring our troops home. I will begin bringing troops home within 60 days, and I believe that we can move them out at a pace of one to two brigades a month. I hope to have the vast majority of troops out within a year. But a limited force will remain to carry out focused missions, including protecting our embassy and fighting al Qaeda in Iraq.

We also need to do what we can to promote stability in Iraq as we withdraw. That means ensuring humanitarian and other aid is being used properly by the Iraqi government towards bringing stability and building political reconciliation. If it is not, I will redirect aid to provincial governments and reliable non-governmental organizations. I also will begin intensive regional and international diplomacy, including convening a regional stabilization group composed of key allies, other global powers and all the states bordering Iraq.

Obama:

We need to be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. As president, I will begin to get our troops out of Iraq immediately at a pace of one to two combat brigades a month – the fastest that military experts say we can safely do without compromising their security or leaving equipment behind. At that pace, we can have all of our combat troops out of Iraq within 16 months. As commander-in-chief, I will set policy – and the buck will always stop with me – but I will rely on military commanders to execute that policy as safely and prudently as possible.

Q – Many hard-working, productive families now fall below the poverty level. The middle class is fast shrinking away. It appears we are headed to becoming just two classes, poor and rich, with less and less means to break through the barrier. What do you see as the single most important thing to be done to help these struggling families help themselves? – Barbara Hollyfield, Silsbee.

Clinton:

One of the greatest drains on our nation’s economy, and on the budgets of middle- and working-class American families, is the spiraling cost of health care. I am committed to achieving truly universal health care that not only covers everyone but brings costs down for overburdened families. In addition, my economic plan will provide new tax cuts to reduce the burden of college costs and to help struggling middle-class families save.

These steps will be part of my effort to restore fairness and balance to our tax code and help to reverse the growing inequality we have seen under the Bush administration. I will close the loophole that lets a Wall Street investment manager making $50 million a year pay a lower tax rate than a nurse making $50,000 a year. I will let the Bush tax cuts expire for those making over $250,000 a year, and I will end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. (I will) invest those resources in creating good, high-paying jobs here at home.

Obama:

There are a host of policy prescriptions we need to support working families. When I am president, we’ll make sure that our tax code rewards work, not wealth. We’ll pass a universal health care bill that ensures access for every American and cuts costs for working families. And we’ll create a tax credit to help pay for childcare.

(But) we haven’t failed to provide working families with the support they need for lack of policy proposals. We’ve failed to lack of leadership. We’ve failed because a cynical, divisive politics has driven the American people out of the process and allowed special interests to hijack the system in their absence. So the single most important thing we can do is come together to reject that failed politics, take on the special interests and take back our government for working folks.

Q – Would you agree to close our southern and northern borders? If so, how? If not, why not?- Ree-C Murphey Houston.

Clinton:

We need more personnel and technology, and we need smart strategies to secure our borders….As president, I will have a coordinated approach that involves a beefed-up border patrol, cutting-edge technology and physical barriers where they make sense and where we have worked with local communities.

In imposing new restrictions at the border, we must remain aware of the profound economic and social impact these efforts will have on our border communities….We need to promote public and private efforts to create jobs and economic opportunities in countries of origin so that people don’t risk their lives crossing dangerous deserts. We should be leveraging the billions of dollars in remittances that come from the U.S. each year and finding new ways to support stronger civil societies throughout Latin America.

We need to develop a sensible and effective method of sanctioning employers who exploit undocumented workers. We need to help our local communities deal with the costs of immigration. And we also need to provide a path to citizenship to those who are here, working hard, respecting the law and willing to meet a high bar for becoming a citizen.

Obama:

The first thing we need to do is to secure our borders. That means more personnel, more infrastructure and more technology on the border. Second, we have to reduce the incentives to enter this country illegally by cracking down on employers that hire undocumented workers. Once we’ve done these things, we need to bring the 12 million undocumented workers who are already here out of the shadows and put them on a pathway to citizenship. They’ll have to pay a fine, learn English, pay back-taxes and go to the back of the line so that they are not getting citizenship before those who applied legally.

And finally, we need to fix our legal immigration system because right now we have a backlog that means years for the people who apply, and it only serves to encourage folks to skirt the rules.

Q – According to the 2000 census, there are more than 1 million households headed by same-sex couples in the United States. Given that stable households benefit society, particularly when there are children in those households, would you support some kind of legal recognition of the rights and responsibilities of same-sex couples? If not, what is the specific social cost of stable same-sex households that outweighs the societal benefits? – John Whiteside, Houston.

Clinton:

I believe gay and lesbian couples should have the same rights and responsibilities as all Americans and that civil unions are the best way to achieve this goal. As president, I will work to ensure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal benefits – from health insurance and life insurance, property rights and more. The question of marriage is one that historically has been left to the states. I opposed the so-called “Family Marriage Amendment” because this issue has no place in the Constitution.

Obama:

I am a strong supporter of full civil unions that give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as married couples, including the right to assist their loved ones in times of emergency as well as equal health insurance, employment benefits and property and adoption rights. I also believe we need to fully repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the more than 1,100 federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally recognized unions.

Q – Convicts in the United States have access to health care at taxpayer expense. Can you guarantee that you will work towards a health care system that will provide at least the same level of health care to all Americans, regardless of age? – Dan Minjarez, San Antonio.

Clinton:

As president, I will fix our health care system and provide high-quality, affordable health care to all Americans. My health care plan builds on the current system and is based on the principles of shared responsibility and choice. People who like their plans can keep them. Those who do not have coverage or are not satisfied with their coverage will be able to choose from the same plans available to members of Congress or opt into a public plan option like Medicare in a new national insurance pool. I will prohibit insurance companies from cherry picking and discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions….Under my plan, people will not lose their coverage if they change or lose their jobs. People who can’t afford health care will receive a generous refundable tax credit so that their premiums never exceed a certain percentage of their income. And small business owners will receive a tax credit for providing health care to their employees.

Obama:

My plan covers everyone and cuts the cost for the typical family by $2,500 per year. If you don’t have coverage, or don’t like the coverage you have, you’ll be able to buy into a new plan that’s at least as good as the one I get as a member of Congress. You won’t be turned away or charged more if you have a pre-existing condition. And if you can’t afford it, you’ll get a subsidy to help.

If you have children, they’ll be covered. If you change jobs, your insurance will go with you. If you want more options, you can choose from a number of private plans that offer similar quality and coverage. And we’ll control costs across the health care system by investing in medical technology, emphasizing preventive care and chronic disease management and increasing competition.

Q – If you are NOT elected president, how will you attempt to continue to influence American policy, both foreign and domestic, and what would be your primary focus? – Laurie K. Anderson, Beaumont.

Clinton:

For the past 35 years, I have worked as an advocate, first lady and senator to deliver real change in the lives of children, and women, and veterans and working families. Whether or not I am elected president, I will continue to wake up every morning and do that. I will fight to deliver quality, affordable health care for every single American. I will fight to help build a stronger and more prosperous middle class. I will fight to reform our government and to restore American leadership around the world. And most fundamentally, I will fight to ensure that every child has a chance to live up to his or her God-given potential.

Obama:

Right now, I’m focused on winning this election, bringing the country together and delivering fundamental change in the White House. However, what I can tell you is this: regardless of what happens in this election, I will remain focused on the issues that drove me to run for president in the first place, issues like reducing the influence of special interests, an economic system that works for working Americans, universal health care and restoring our global leadership.

http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/03/hillary-clinton-and-barack-obama-answer-your-questions/
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