Call it comfy jeans politics, but the prospect of a Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Bush, (Clinton?) run stemming back to 1981 (counting Bush Sr.'s tenure as Ronald Reagan's VP) does not alarm Pennsylvania voters.
Luckily for Hillary Clinton, dynasties are just fine in the Keystone State, where political offices are often passed through generations of the same family. Clinton's name recognition is not a liability, but a durable asset. Pennsylvanians like tried and true candidates. Example? Former Governor Robert Casey Sr. ran for office three times, before he won.
While Pennsylvania Democrats may not warm up quickly to the new kid on the block, do you think Americans in general have dynasty fatigue? Perhaps Clinton should be judged solely as an individual, and not part of a Clinton dynasty. But that argument seems shaky since she invokes her husband's presidency so often.
Does it weaken democracy if the presidency remains with the same two families? Or, are Americans comfortable with ruling families they know so well?
Birkenstock
7 For All Mankind
Stila
Does it weaken democracy if the presidency remains with the same two families? Yes. I honestly think that the dynasty effect is more detrimental to our country than most people realize.
Or, are Americans comfortable with ruling families they know so well? Sadly, name dropping seems to be pretty beneficial to the candidates themselves. Sadly, yes, American's are comfortable with families they know well. Now, in some cases, this can go the other way if previous family members were morons, but in general, a lot of people don't really do a lot of digging and will go with the name they know better.
1Ummmm...might I just say that as a Pennsylvanian who knows many other Pennsylvanians who are not happy "keeping it all in the family". Of course, I can't speak for the state, but I for one shall be voting Obama in the upcoming primary election because I'm sick of Clintons and Bushs...
2Historically, PA voters went for Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004. So, I think it's safe to say that we are willing to break the dynastic mold. But also, PA - notably Western PA, where I live - has the second largest elderly population behind Florida. Statistically, older voters are going for Clinton.
As a "younger" voter I am going for Barack. I originally was going to vote for Ron Paul because I thought that he would bring real change, but now I decided to vote for someone who has a real chance of winning the White House.
In PA, the economy and the war are huge issues. We have a LOT of soldiers serving and our economy is always kind of rocky. I think people are thinking of the 90's with the better economy and less war mongering and thinking that Hillary could bring it back.
3I say we bring back the Hanoverian Dynasty of George III!
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