Hillary - Experts are elitists (w/Video)

by proseandpromise, Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:01:50 AM EST

Here's a great quote form Clinton on the Gas Tax Holiday.

Many economists oppose the plan and Clinton, during an interview on ABC's "This Week," demurred when asked to name one who supports it. "I'm not going to put my lot in with economists because I know if we did it right ... it would be implemented effectively," she said.

I initially followed this up with snark, but have since decided that this is too serious for that. I am really bothered by this style of argument. Writing off "experts" wholesale is scary. She is essentially saying, "Despite evidence, despite analysis, I know that I am right." Check out both videos beyond the fold for a discomforting comparison.

VIDEO - Here is Hillary talking about the opinions of experts who disagree with her. She calls their analysis "elite opinions" that disadvantage the working class.

And for contrast, here is some of Cheney on dissenters and the war.

Go ahead, flame this one. But you know it's true. You know that precisely that mentality is what we've put up with for 8 years.




Tags: Clinton, Elitism, Gas Tax (all tags)

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Re: Hillary - Experts Schmexperts (2.00 / 1)

Obliterate Iran!!!  Screw the experts!!!  Bring e'm on!!!  Mission Accomplished!!!  HILLARY 2008.


I like baked beans.
by SpideyDem on Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:20:04 AM EST

Re: Hillary - Experts Schmexperts (2.00 / 2)

The lessons she has learned from the people who have attacked her for 16 years are a little disconcerting. That's for sure.
John McCain isn't evil. He's just wrong about a lot of things. Vote Obama!
by proseandpromise on Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:34:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hillary - Experts Schmexperts (2.00 / 1)

Seriously Clinton supporters, this one is hard for me to swollow. All along I have been determined to support Clinton come November. I still will because she is a lot better than McCain. But doesn't it make you the least bit uncomfortable the way she is addressing this issue. She is attacking Obama from the right on this one, and she is throwing "experts" under the bus. I'm not saying you should ditch your candidate, but I want to know. Does this bother you?
John McCain isn't evil. He's just wrong about a lot of things. Vote Obama!
by proseandpromise on Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:24:38 AM EST

Obama attacks Clinton from the right (none / 0)

and his supporters just eat it up! Classic, and they ask why he can't get a majority of Dems who make less than $75,000?


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:08:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Economists? (2.00 / 1)

The biggest group of jump-on-the-bandwagon jack-offs ever invented.


by dhonig on Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:43:08 AM EST

Re: Economists? (2.00 / 1)

Unless, of course, they are agreeing with Clinton on Health Care.
John McCain isn't evil. He's just wrong about a lot of things. Vote Obama!
by proseandpromise on Mon May 05, 2008 at 10:44:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Health care policy experts agree with her (none / 0)

that her health care plan would work better, by preventing freeloaders. Obama, once again, takes the 'market uber alles' approach which sometimes doesn't work very well.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:10:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Economists? (none / 0)

Which was well before they made such complete asses of themselves over companies like "Freezedriedoysters.com" and other absurdities.  That was back when economists had an iota of credibility, and were more than shills for every now IPO or theory.

Even now, economists cling to their holy writ while ignoring reality. I will give you one simple example from the present folderol - the idea that reducing gas prices would increase demand.  Simply stated, bullshit. Sure, if you reduce gas prices to $0.66/gallon for "one week only," you would have lines across the state.  But the reality is even a $0.19/gallon reduction still puts the price of gas well over people's "I only buy it because I have to" line, so dropping it from $3.79 to $3.60 is not going to create lines at the pump.  How do I know this? Easy.  Small car sales increased, and SUV sales plummeted, at prices more than nineteen cents below today's prices.  However, economists are so married to simple and trite "rules" like "lower prices increase demand" that they do not even bother to think them through.


by dhonig on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:13:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Economists? (none / 0)

I started to write a reply, debunking your theory, but after a paragraph, I did the math. We would need at least a .75 per gallon reduction to see any significant change in driving habits. .19 equals about 3.75 per tank which is nothing. .75 equals a price reduction of 12.35 per tankful which might incraese consumption.I don't know what would help.


John McCain: Everyones nowhere man
by johnny sexton on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:39:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Economists? (none / 0)

You fail to include OTHER costs to the economy from increased fuel costs.  You might not see huge savings at the pump, but small incremental savings start to add up when you include the pump, the grocery store (transportations costs of goods), and every other part of the economy that travels on behind a diesel engine.


by dhonig on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:47:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Economists? (none / 0)

But to "Joe Average" what he actually sees is the money out of pocket into his tank. A lot of people don't want to understand the cost of shipping.For example we're using our old wheat fields to grow corn, so the cost of wheat is sky high. The average person doesn't look at this, they see that bread is up 1.00 per loaf.They don't want to understand why.People are most concerned with "out of pocket at once".


John McCain: Everyones nowhere man
by johnny sexton on Mon May 05, 2008 at 01:49:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I definitely want a president (none / 0)

who never listens to experts.  I want another eight years of another president who ignores all the experts and forges forward with guns blazing.

Wait...no I don't.


No Way, No How, No McCain!
by GFORD on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:30:02 AM EST

The Economy is a Complicated Machine (none / 0)

The whole reason we HAVE economists is that we know this.  It takes a lifetime of study to actually figure out what the levers and buttons do, and as Alan Greenspan proved even THEN you still mess up a lot.

It is unfortunate then that Hillary responds to their criticisms with such overt defensiveness and almost goes to the point of ad hominem attacks (elitist, etc) instead of accepting the criticism and suggesting why it won't work out that way.

"If I do it it will be done right," is breathtakingly arrogant and too simple to be meaningful.  WHAT will she do to prevent the oil companies from passing the added cost on.  If gas prices go down, WHAT will she do to prevent that from increasing demand (and thus raising prices to cancel out the gains).  They are GOOD questions, and "I know better than some elite-y economist," isn't a good answer.  Maybe there IS a good answer, but tell us.


by TooFolkGR on Mon May 05, 2008 at 11:32:52 AM EST


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