Global Opinions on the New Hampshire Primary

More truth about what happened in New Hampshire. Original blog found here:

What I see is that the only level-headed blog responses I find on this event come from articulate and calm-minded objective bloggers who blog from outside of the US. This one is from Malaysia. The last I posted came from Nigeria.

America is so wound up in the media hype it is hard to take a step back. Most people are not looking at the most important issues. They are highlighted in this wonderful Blog by Dan-Yel:

"Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Hillary won New Hampshire

Having just read an article comparing Hillary Clinton's healthcare plan with Obama's and Edward's, I'm relieved that she won the New Hampshire primary. International Herald Tribune report here.




Why Hillary, and not Obama? I think she has the experience and that of her husband's (remember the Oslo Accords?). Obama has the charisma and drive, but politics in Washington needs more than a heart and soul. In Washington, where it's hard to tell which is which, where clouds of gray enshrouds the usually-clean-clear city, sometimes simply what you believe and your heavily-driven persistence might work against you.

Politics works better in striking a deal with the devil, not launching a fiery crusade against it, but at the same time not compromising principles. It is here where being driven by the right goal and being realistic play central role, but it's not the sole prerequisite. Politics is an art, you cannot get to hard in the head or you end up like George W Bush with his Axis of Evil and War on Terror labelling. It's an art of brokering and consensus-reaching, as well as numbers that works, not just words.

Looking beyond rhetorics, Obama's strategy seems more like "gather the votes first, work out a way later". Comparing their healthcare plans best explains what I mean, both their plans aim for universal coverage, but Obama avoided compelling all individuals to buy insurance cover, only the children so he won't displease the middle-class. She had to work out the nmaths, making sure the plan is most likely to succeed and not creating paralyzing cost burden on the nation by compelling all to purchase insurance, with subsidies for the poor of course. That, together with plans to compel small firms to offer insurance coverage (with subsidies) appears to me more workable (though not popular), contrary to the more likable Obama's exclusion of these firms.

Her healthcare plan has been praised by many expertss as politically clever and substantively good. Edward's and Obama's, on the other hand, may serve only well to please more voters, aware of how unpopular the reform could be like what happened to Democrats losing both the Senate and the Congress after a spoiled attempt by Hillary in 1993."