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Pamela Williams
Social Welfare Policy
Dr. Diane McMillan
2016 04 February
The Democratic Presidential Debate
The University of New Hampshire hosted the Democratic Presidential Debate on
Thursday, February 4, 2016 where moderators Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow directed
questions to Independent candidate Bernie Sanders from Vermont and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The format for this debate was different in that there were only two candidates for the
Democratic debate versus seven candidates for the Republican. The format allowed the viewing
audience to focus on the two candidates and their points of view and how as President they
would handle a variety of issues. What viewers hope to discover at the conclusion of the debate
is who is best qualified to take on the Republican frontrunner for the job of the President of the
United States of America.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I. Vermont) opened with the comment that Americans are giving
up on the political process, and that the economy is rigged. He added that the top percent of
wealth Americans are paying the least amount of taxes and as President he would take on the
corrupt campaign finance system. I agreed that the public is tired of the over taxing of the middle
class and the corporations and super packs dumping huge sums of money into political
campaigns to further their own agendas. Hillary Clinton stated that Americans are feeling lost

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and left behind. Social interest groups, racism, sexism and wages that reflect how hard a person
works, are part of her agenda that she will push as President. Both candidates were in favor of
universal healthcare, but seem to differ with respect to college education. Hillary Clinton
believed in affordable college while Bernie Sanders believed yes affordable but certainly not
free. Both candidates were pro small business.
Clinton and Sanders both agreed that the pharmaceutical companies are constantly
driving up the cost of prescription drugs and while Republicans want to repeal the current
national healthcare, the Democratic candidates differed on their approach to healthcare. Clinton
intends to improve the existing healthcare plan and through the years she has continued to be an
advocate for affordable healthcare. Sanders commented that he doesnt want to dismantle
healthcare because he was on the committee to help write the healthcare reform. Both candidates
agreed that healthcare must work for everyone and that basically it is inhumane for anyone to be
without it.
Further into the debate each candidate presented their proposals for change as President.
Sanders pointed out that the nation has had the worst voter turnout in years. He suggested he
would wage a revolution to demand that the government represent the people. He stated that he
would stand up to the big money interest. He also reminded America that he didnt have a super
pack in his pocket. He did admit to running against the Democrats as a third party Independent
but recently switched to the Democratic Party. He blasted Hillary Clinton for representing the
establishment for which I disagree. Clinton being a woman and a presidential candidate hardly
makes her a post child for the status quo. Sanders went on to state the Koch brothers and other
wealth individuals put huge amounts of money into the campaigns of the rich to drive public

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policy but Sanders favors instead public funding in campaigns. He went on to state that corporate
corruption and power are tearing up our country. He intimated that six of the largest financial
institutions today write most of the mortgages in America and he vowed to break them up.
Sanders slammed Wall Street saying the business model of Wall Street is fraud. He called the
regulatory system which governs banking weak. While complaining of the power of big business
he stated he is capable of working with corporations.
Hillary Clinton described herself as a progressive candidate, which is one who moves
forward. She stated that she would work with progressive Democrats and Republicans alike to
move the country forward. Clinton stated that she has fought against drug and insurance
companies and went to Wall Street before the crash and told them of the damage that would be
done. Her statement came after some said she was too close to Wall Street. She agreed that the
country is being torn up not just by Wall Street, but by drug and insurance companies.
The following topics: troops overseas, Foreign Policy Doctrine, potential foreign threats,
and veteran affairs, the Flint Water Crisis and NAFTA were covered by Clinton and Sanders.
When asked by one of the moderators about President Obamas decision to send more troops
overseas and whether it was a good idea, the candidates weighed in. Clinton stated that we
should keep the Iraqi army focused on ISIS, but she was against Americas troops being in Iraq
and Syria. Sanders replied that the combat on the ground must be done by Muslim troops and
America should not be leading the way but working in the background. When the discussion
moved to Veteran Affairs, regarding the notion of abolishing new parts of the VA, Clinton was
against privatizing the Veterans Affairs and that it needed to be fixed. Sanders stated that he
worked to put together a comprehensive policy on Veteran Affairs with very little support from

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the Republicans and that people like the Koch brothers want to destroy every government
agency. Regarding the Foreign Policy Doctrine, Sanders stated the United States cannot do it
alone and that America could not continue to police the rest of the world, and that we have to
work with other countries as a coalition. On potential foreign threats Sanders stated that pressure
must be put on China to reach North Korea as it related to nuclear bombs. Sanders also expressed
concern about Putin and his military forces. Hillary Clinton expressed that we have to get NATO
back working for the common defense. Clinton responded about the Flint water crisis in this
way, what is being done is not sufficientwe need to fix the pipes, guarantee health and
educational embellishments. Sanders stated I dont go around asking for governors to resign,
but I did ask for the resignation of Governor Snyder. He went on to state that the water in Flint
was poisoning children. He further intimated that if the same water situation was in a white
suburb would it have received the same response by the governor. Finally on NAFTA Clinton
supported the trade agreement in 1990 but by 2008 she chose not to vote for it. She commented
we have to trade with the other ninety-five percent of the world. We have not enforced a safety
net for American workers. Clinton believes in fair trade that works for middle class and working
families of the United States not just corporations. Bernie Sanders replied he was on the picket
lines against NAFTA and that the current trade agreements were written by corporate America
thirty years ago, to benefit corporate America.
In conclusion, after hearing the candidates, Bernie Sanders seemed to represent a portion
of America that is moving away from the status quo for a more socialist approach to running the
country, while Hillary Clintons approach towards the presidency takes a slight departure from
the Obama administration to focus on values that are at the forefront of American households. I

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am not entirely sure which candidate will have my vote until we are down to one Democratic and
one Republican candidate. What is important however is that this country make changes that
reflect and benefit the middle class and working people and not that of corporations. We must
continue to watch and listen to the candidates but above all we must get out and vote.