Left-Turn Hillary Dragging House Democrats Down (and Left) with Her

Lurching further and further to the left, Hillary Clinton and her declining poll numbers are dragging down House Democrats, and have them wondering what happened to 2008 Hillary.

Being a Democrat in the 2016 cycle means moving further to the left more than ever before, as evidenced by Hillary Clinton’s recent shift to keep up with socialist Bernie Sanders and appease her party’s base. As if vulnerable House Democrats didn’t have enough to worry about with defending their years of support of the Pelosi-led, Obama-backed agenda, now these members are being pulled so far to the left it’s putting them more out of touch with the issues voters care about. Compared to Clinton’s 2008 run, the 2016 Hillary Clinton has embraced several positions that is scaring off moderates, and voters (including Democrats) are taking note.

That leaves us with one question: Will these House Democrats embrace Clinton’s left-wing positions just as enthusiastically as she has, or will they put their constituents over politics and buck their party’s leaders? The first Democrat debate tonight should make House Democrats and candidates worried about how far to the left she’s going to drag them.

HRC ’08 vs. HRC ‘16

• The Hill headline: “Centrist Dems wary of Hillary’s move to the left.” “Centrist Dems wary of Hillary’s move to the left.” (Alexander Bolton, “Centrist Dems wary of Hillary’s move to the left,” The Hill, 6/11/15)
• “After positioning herself as a centrist… in the 2008 Democratic primary, Clinton has shifted.” “After positioning herself as a centrist and steely potential commander in chief in the 2008 Democratic primary, Clinton has shifted.” (Alexander Bolton, “Centrist Dems wary of Hillary’s move to the left,” The Hill, 6/11/15)
• “Moderate Democrats are worried about Hillary Clinton’s recent embrace of liberal policies.”“Moderate Democrats are worried about Hillary Clinton’s recent embrace of liberal policies.”(Alexander Bolton, “Centrist Dems wary of Hillary’s move to the left,” The Hill, 6/11/15)
• New York Post: “This is not the Hillary we saw in 2007 and 2008.” “This is not the Hillary we saw in 2007 and 2008 (and for good reason, since that Hillary lost to Barack Obama).” (John Podhoretz, “Hillary Clinton’s betting that America is moving left,” New York Post, 5/6/15)
• “The Democratic Party has changed since Hillary Clinton last ran for president,” and she’s “play[ing] catch up on a number of issues that are important to her party’s liberal base.”“The Democratic Party has changed since Hillary Clinton last ran for president, forcing the 2016 favorite to play catch up on a number of issues that are important to her party’s liberal base.” (Dan Merica and Jeff Zeleny, “5 ways 2008 Hillary Clinton clashes with modern Democratic Party, CNN, 4/20/15)

HILLARY IS PUSHING FOR MORE CRUSHING TAXES, REGULATIONS THAN BEFORE

• After her husband declared “the era of big government is over” 20 years ago, Hillary Clinton is “proposing muscular federal policies that would requires hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending.” “Nearly 20 years after President Bill Clinton declared that “the era of big government is over,” Hillary Rodham Clinton is proposing muscular federal policies that would require hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending and markedly expand Washington’s influence in a host of areas, from universal prekindergarten to Alzheimer’s disease research.” (Patrick Healy and Maggie Haberman, “Hillary Clinton’s Economic Agenda Aims at a Party Shifting Left,” New York Times, 7/9/15)
• “In 2008, Clinton didn’t want to be cast as a class warrior or a tax-and-spender,” but has now “embraced the language of… the pitchfork left.” “In 2008, Clinton didn’t want to be cast as a class warrior or a tax-and-spender – and those fears still linger in terms of the general election. But she has embraced the language of grievance, if not the specific policies of the pitchfork left.” (Glenn Thrush, “5 takeaways from Clinton’s relaunch rally,” Politico, 6/13/15)
• Over the summer, Clinton “took a giant step toward letting Democratic voters know she’s representing the progressive agenda… while making a play for a liberal base gravitating toward Sen. Bernie Sanders.” “Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton on Monday took a giant step toward letting Democratic voters know she’s representing the progressive agenda, calling for tax increases and more regulation on Wall Street — while making a play for a liberal base that has been gravitating toward Sen. Bernie Sanders.” (Joseph Weber and Ed Henry, “Clinton vows to raise taxes, reform Wall Street in effort to recapture progressive base,” FoxNews.com, 7/13/15)
• She called “for tax increases and more regulation on Wall Street … while making a play for a liberal base that has been gravitating toward Sen. Bernie Sanders.” “Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton on Monday took a giant step toward letting Democratic voters know she’s representing the progressive agenda, calling for tax increases and more regulation on Wall Street — while making a play for a liberal base that has been gravitating toward Sen. Bernie Sanders.”(Joseph Weber and Ed Henry, “Clinton vows to raise taxes, reform Wall Street in effort to recapture progressive base,” FoxNews.com, 7/13/15)
• As part of “an apparent effort to recapture her party’s progressive base,” she “also vowed to increase taxes on large corporations and the country’s highest wage-earners.” “Clinton also vowed to increase taxes on large corporations and the country’s highest wage-earners, an apparent effort to recapture her party’s progressive base now captivated by surging primary challenger Sanders and the reformer agenda of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is not a 2016 candidate.” (Joseph Weber and Ed Henry, “Clinton vows to raise taxes, reform Wall Street in effort to recapture progressive base,” FoxNews.com, 7/13/15)
• New York Post headline: “Hillary Clinton’s tax plan would be ‘devastating’: critics.” “Hillary Clinton’s tax plan would be ‘devastating’: critics.” (Gregory Bresiger, ““Hillary Clinton’s tax plan would be ‘devastating’: critics,” New York Post, 8/1/15)
• Clinton’s tax plan “would hurt the economy because investment taxes are already excessive.” “Almost doubling short-term capital-gains tax rates — recently proposed by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — would hurt the economy because investment taxes are already excessive, critics say.” (Gregory Bresiger, ““Hillary Clinton’s tax plan would be ‘devastating’: critics,” New York Post, 8/1/15)

HILLARY OPPOSES CONSTRUCTION OF THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE

• After dodging the issue for months, Clinton came out in opposition of the pipeline’s construction last month to appeal to environmentalists on the Left.
• By opposing the Keystone XL pipeline, she is “taking sides with progressive.” “Hillary Clinton said Tuesday she opposes the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, taking sides with progressives who are fighting the 1,179-mile project over environmental concerns.” (Eric Bradner, Dan Merica, and Brianna Keilar, “Hillary Clinton opposes Keystone XL pipeline,” CNN, 9/22/15)
• Her decision “immediately drew praise from liberals and environmental groups.” “The announcement, which comes after months of Clinton remaining mum over the hot-button 2016 issue, immediately drew praise from liberals and environmental groups but was criticized by Republican presidential candidates.” (Eric Bradner, Dan Merica, and Brianna Keilar, “Hillary Clinton opposes Keystone XL pipeline,” CNN, 9/22/15)
• Politico headline: “Hillary’s Keystone pivot draws greens’ cheers.” “Hillary’s Keystone pivot draws greens’ cheers.” (Elana Schor and Annie Karni, “Hillary’s Keystone pivot draws greens’ cheers,”Politico, 9/22/15)
• Clinton’s opposition “stands in contrast” to 2010 comments when she told an audience she was “inclined” to approve the pipeline’s construction. “Mrs. Clinton’s stated opposition stands in contrast to comments she made several years ago as secretary of state. Speaking to a crowd in San Francisco in October 2010, in the early years of the Keystone review, Mrs. Clinton said she was ‘inclined’ to approve the project.” (Peter Nicholas and Amy Harder, “Hillary Clinton Opposes Keystone XL Pipeline,”Wall Street Journal, 9/22/15)
• “Clinton may have had little political choice” to oppose the pipeline since “she’s being tugged to the left on a variety of issues.” “Clinton may have had little political choice in the matter: Democratic primary voters don’t like the pipeline, and with Bernie Sanders running unexpectedly well against her, she’s being tugged to the left on a variety of issues.” (David A. Graham, “Hillary Clinton Opposes Keystone XL,” The Atlantic, 9/22/15)
• Her decision “is a great symbolic victory for climate change campaigners.” “In short, this is a great symbolic victory for climate change campaigners and a clear demonstration of their growing political power, but in terms of larger political dynamics, it probably won’t change much.”(David Roberts, “Hillary Clinton’s opposition to the Keystone XL is a huge victory for climate activists,”Vox, 9/22/15)

HER SUPPORT OF CLOSING DOWN GITMO PUTS AMERICAN FAMILIES IN DANGER

• Just before leaving the Obama administration, Clinton sent “a two-page confidential memo to Obama about Guantánamo.” “One recent plea, two sources told Newsweek, came from Hillary Clinton, who, just before she left office in January 2013, sent a two-page confidential memo to Obama about Guantánamo.” (Daniel Klaidman, “How Gitmo Imprisoned Obama,” Newsweek, 5/15/13)
• She worried the administration was “throwing the president’s commitment to close Guantánamo into the trash bin” and “doing him a disservice by not working harder on this.” “‘We are throwing the president’s commitment to close Guantánamo into the trash bin,’ she chastised White House aides, according to three participants in the meeting. ‘We are doing him a disservice by not working harder on this.’” (Daniel Klaidman, “How Gitmo Imprisoned Obama,”Newsweek, 5/15/13)
• In fact, “Clinton argued that Obama could start transferring the 86 detainees who’d already been cleared for release.” “Further, Clinton argued that Obama could start transferring the 86 detainees who’d already been cleared for release.” (Daniel Klaidman, “How Gitmo Imprisoned Obama,” Newsweek, 5/15/13)
• The administration’s lack of movement on closing Guantánamo “was noteworthy, because it suggested the degree to which Guantánamo… remained an irritant for her.” “But whether or not the memo played a role in changing the president’s thinking, the mere fact that Clinton felt the need to write it was noteworthy, because it suggested the degree to which Guantánamo, four years into the Obama presidency, remained an irritant for her—and for many other high-level administration officials as well.” (Daniel Klaidman, “How Gitmo Imprisoned Obama,” Newsweek, 5/15/13)

HILLARY’S SUPPORT OF IRAN DEAL ALSO PUTS FAMILIES AT RISK

• “During their 2008 battle for the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton argued bitterly about Iran.” “During their 2008 battle for the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton argued bitterly about Iran.” (Michael Crowley, “Hillary endorses nuclear deal,” Politico, 7/14/15)
• At the time, Clinton called Obama “‘naive’ for believing he could directly negotiate with Iran’s theocratic regime.” “In the 2008 presidential campaign, she called Mr. Obama ‘naive’ for believing he could directly negotiate with Iran’s theocratic regime.” (Jay Solomon and Laura Meckler, “Hillary Clinton Opened Door to Key U.S. Shift Toward Iran Nuclear Deal,” Wall Street Journal, 9/8/15)
• “The two tangled” as she called “Obama’s talk of overtures to Iran irresponsible and, frankly, naive.” “That is an ironic turn, given how the two tangled over Iran during the 2008 race for the Democratic nomination, with Clinton dismissing Obama’s talk of overtures to Iran as ‘irresponsible and, frankly, naive.’” (Karen Tumulty and Paul Kane, “By embracing Iran deal, Hillary Clinton puts herself in a sales role,”Washington Post, 7/14/15)
• But now the two are “inextricably linked” after she “helped to launch the historic diplomacy with Iran,” resulting in the deal reached earlier this year. “But now, Clinton and Obama are inextricably linked on the subject, thanks to the nuclear deal reached in Vienna on Tuesday. As her former rival’s secretary of state, Clinton helped to launch the historic diplomacy with Iran.” (Michael Crowley, “Hillary endorses nuclear deal,” Politico, 7/14/15)
• “Having embraced the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by President Obama, [Clinton] is now helping to lead the sales effort for it – both with her own party and the electorate at large.”“Former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, having embraced the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by President Obama, is now helping to lead the sales effort for it — both with her own party and the electorate at large.” (Karen Tumulty and Paul Kane, “By embracing Iran deal, Hillary Clinton puts herself in a sales role,” Washington Post, 7/14/15)
• Clinton “took credit” for “‘having been part of building the coalition that brought us to the point of this agreement.’” “But after serving as Obama’s chief diplomat during his first term, Clinton took credit Tuesday for ‘having been part of building the coalition that brought us to the point of this agreement.’” (Karen Tumulty and Paul Kane, “By embracing Iran deal, Hillary Clinton puts herself in a sales role,” Washington Post, 7/14/15)
• Added that she was ‘very proud of the role I’ve played in building the coalition and the sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table.” “‘I’m very proud of the role I’ve played in building the coalition and the sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table,’ she said during a recent appearance in New Hampshire.” (Michael Crowley, “Hillary endorses nuclear deal,” Politico, 7/14/15)

HILLARY WANTS TO GO ‘FURTHER’ ON OBAMACARE

• In 2008 race, Clinton insisted her vision for health care reform “is not government-run. There will be no new bureaucracy.” “‘Today’s plan is simple yet doable,’ Clinton said. ‘. . . This is not government-run. There will be no new bureaucracy.’” (Perry Bacon Jr. and Anne Kornblut, “Clinton Presents Plan for Universal Coverage,” Washington Post, 9/18/07)
• Since the passage of Obamacare, Clinton has “made clear her embrace” of the law. “Hillary Clinton made clear her embrace of ObamaCare in a tweet on Monday marking the law’s fifth anniversary.” (Peter Sullivan, “Clinton tweets ‘embrace’ of ObamaCare,” The Hill, 3/23/15)
• Clinton urged Democrats “need to” run on Obamacare in the 2014 midterms. “Clinton, who in the past has said she is both supportive of Obamacare and of fixes to change the law, told PBS NewsHour’s Gwen Ifill in an interview taped Tuesday that Democrats ‘need to’ run on President Barack Obama’s sweeping healthcare law.” (Dan Merica, Hillary Clinton wants 2014 Democrats to run on Obamacare,” CNN, 6/25/14)
• Clinton has even signaled she’s willing to go further. Forbes headline: “Hillary Clinton’s Answer To Obamacare: More Government.” “Hillary Clinton’s Answer To Obamacare: More Government.” (Sally Pipes, “Hillary Clinton’s Answer To Obamacare: More Government,” Forbes, 10/5/15)
• Clinton is offering “little more than Obamacare on steroids.” “That vision is little more than Obamacare on steroids.” (Sally Pipes, “Hillary Clinton’s Answer To Obamacare: More Government,” Forbes, 10/5/15)
• Told an audience she will “defend” Obamacare, and “as president I want to go further.” “‘I will defend the Affordable Care Act, but as president I want to go further,’ the Democratic presidential hopeful said at a recent community forum in Iowa.” (Sally Pipes, “Hillary Clinton’s Answer To Obamacare: More Government,” Forbes, 10/5/15)

HILLARY WANTS TO GO BEYOND OBAMA ON CLIMATE CHANGE

• The Hill headline: “Clinton angling to Obama’s left on climate.” “Clinton angling to Obama’s left on climate.” (Devin Henry, “Clinton angling to Obama’s left on climate,” The Hill, 8/22/15)
• Clinton’s “break with President Obama” on recent energy and environmental issues “represented a public shift left for the Democrat.” “Hillary Clinton’s break with President Obama on Arctic drilling this week represented a public shift left for the Democrat, a move greens say could be the start of a push to shore up support among environmentalists ahead of primary season.” (Devin Henry, “Clinton angling to Obama’s left on climate,” The Hill, 8/22/15)
• Earlier this year, Clinton unveiled “far-reaching climate change plan.” “Hillary Clinton Unveils Far-Reaching Climate Change Plan.” (Trip Gabriel and Carol Davenport, “Hillary Clinton Unveils Far-Reaching Climate Change Plan,” New York Times, 7/26/15)
• “Clinton’s climate objectives are more ambitious than those set by President Barack Obama.” “Clinton’s climate objectives are more ambitious than those set by President Barack Obama.” (Noah Zuss, “In Move Left, Hillary Clinton Tackles Climate Change,” TheBlot, 7/29/15)
• Clinton’s plan was “praised” by billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, calling her “a strong leader” on the issue. “In a statment, Mr. Steyer praised Mrs. Clinton’s proposal without offering explicit financial support. ‘Today, Hillary Clinton emerged as a strong leader in solving the climate crisis and ensuring our country’s economic security,’ he said.” (Trip Gabriel and Carol Davenport, “Hillary Clinton Unveils Far-Reaching Climate Change Plan,” New York Times, 7/26/15)