After years of teasing and speculation, Hillary Clinton yesterday announced her bid for the White House. Barack Obama was the first black president, will Hillary be the first female?
On the face of it the omens look good. Demographic changes of an increasing Hispanic vote mean many Republicans fear they may never reclaim the White House. Hillary has an impressive CV – from First Lady to New York Senator, to Secretary of State.
On the negative side it really does seem like the US Presidency is turning into some kind of Monarchy. With Jeb Bush also tipped to run, the choice might be between a second Clinton in the White House or a third Bush. Roll On Chelsea Clinton for 2024…
It is a damning indictment of the US electoral system that with a country of over 300 million you get so little choice of Presidential candidates.
Also a factor is age. Hillary will be 69 next year. At a time when most people are retired is she capable of the most demanding job in the World? You can see how the job has aged Obama – his hair is now a shock of grey. Hillary has been in the public eye for 25 years. Might the electorate want a new face? The photogenic Senator Marco Rubio is expected to run for the Republican nomination. Might the Hispanic vote jump from the Democrats to the son of Cuban immigrants?
The cynical may argue that is does not matter who gets in. It costs over a billion dollars to run for President, so whoever gets elected will serve the needs of their wealthy donors first. It is the best democracy money can buy…
I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily politics, preferring to write about big ideas in society. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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