Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Perhaps she can take her carpetbag to Europe

I'm not going to make any grand statements like I'd move to Europe if Hillary Clinton ever was elected president. No, unlike Alec Baldwin who made a similar proposal back when George W. Bush was on the brink of victory, I tend to try and make promises I can keep.

Every now and again, I hear some quote from Hillary that makes me cringe. Not because it necessarily represents something I'm adamantly opposed to, but more because it sounds so scripted and cements her place as probably the worst panderer on Capitol Hill. Case in point, a sound byte on NPR this morning pertaining to the upcoming confirmation hearings for Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, who's up for the FDA commissioner job. His confirmation is likely to be held up due to ongoing controversies regarding Plan B emergency contraception and the FDA's reluctance to make it available over the counter until today. Hillary is one of the senators holding up a vote on Dr. Eschenbach's confirmation, using this as a leverage tool to get Plan B approved.

“Like so much of this government in the past five and a half years, it has been turned into a political football, and you’re on the field. This is not just about Plan B. Once we start politicizing the F.D.A. there is no stopping. It is essential that we draw a line, and we are drawing a line right here.”
She goes on to say something to the effect that not making Plan B available over the counter has been made on completely moral grounds, and if she doesn't stop the cycle now, the FDA will soon be able to call obesity immoral and limit availability of fat drugs. Huh? Now that's a big stretch.

By holding up the nomination of someone who is "eminently qualified" for the sole purpose of getting a drug that's not vital to anyone's health onto over-the-counter shelves, she and the rest of these Senators have essentially hijacked the FDA and done exactly what they say shouldn't be done--politicizing the Food and Drug Administration.

Whether you agree or disagree that Plan B should be available over the counter, this isn't the way to get this accomplished. Ah, politics at its best...

1 comment:

Dutch said...

My photoshop-fu is better than yours.

If what this planet needs is someone more interested in making history as the first woman president than actually doing something worthwhile with her office, then I agree.

The Pimp is right. Hillary is a panderer. I was a big supporter of B.J. Bill and voted for him twice. I think he did a great job, although I do have some criticism of his foreign policies. Hillary on the other hand has shown to basically jump at every opportunity to get her herself in the minds of minority and disaffected voters.

I mean, c'mon, Plantation politics? I'm surprised that she didn't bust out into a rap afterwards.