Edwards cites economic 'inequality'

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Edwards+cites+economic+'inequality'&articleId=d6a963a1-090e-471e-9a25-adde887f3b8a

Edwards cites economic 'inequality'

By JENNIFER DEPAUL
Sunday News Correspondent

EPPING – Sounding a populist mantra during lawn-party campaign stop here yesterday, John Edwards yesterday called the economic divide in America its greatest since the Great Depression.

"My view is that Washington is broken. I think this system is rigged and I think it is rigged against you," he said. "I feel very strongly that we need change, big change."

More than 100 supporters gathered on the lawn outside the home of Jim and Susan McGeough for an informal question-and-answer session with the Democratic presidential hopeful. The afternoon rain held off just long enough time for Edwards to address a range of topics, including immigration and his proposal for universal health care.

But it was on the topic of poverty -- which he called a moral, rather than political, issue -- that he was most passionate, as he continued to emphasize the theme of a recently completed tour of the nation.

"We have the greatest inequality since the Great Depression. It's not an accident," he said. "People say to me, 'I don't understand why you do a poverty tour. This is not going to help your campaign.' It's not intended to help my campaign; it's intended to do what's right and moral and just."

Edwards praised Congress for approving a raise in the minimum wage last week to $7.25 by 2009, but said the hike wasn't enough, that the figure should be at least $9.50 per hour.

FULL story at link.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

1. Thanks for posting. Edwards continues to run a campaign focused on real issues nt

[Milo_Bloom]

7. And no real solutions. nt

[draft_mario_cuomo]

8. He has offered realistic solutions. He lives in the real world, not fantasy-land nt

[Milo_Bloom]

10. Nice defeatest attitude.

He has offered NOTHING but status quo solutions that don't solve ANY actual problems.

I guess he doesn't think that a good, bold plan will get the support necessary to win in congress as well or he doesn't think that his own party (if in control of Congress and the Senate) would support his plans.

As a result, he offers NOTHING, disguised as something and the apologists drink it all up and try to explain it away.

[slick8790]

17. What has YOUR candidate offered on this issue?

Or have they just ignored it?

[Milo_Bloom]

18. I don't have a candidate.

I am analyzing the positions of the candidates.

Edwards position is seriously lacking, offers no real solutions and actually supports the status quo of keeping the poor, poor.

[slick8790]

19. Then another question.

What other candidate has put out a more satisfactory solution? What other candidate has put out ANY solution, for that matter?

[Milo_Bloom]

20. And now you know why I don't have a candidate!

I have issue with the subtext of your question... which is... Since Edwards is the only detailed plan being offered right now, how dare you critique it.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

21. Yes, but your criticisms are limited to Edwards. Why don't you criticize the others for avoiding...

...issues? One top-tier candidate--according to his top strategist--is running a campaign focused on personality and biography, not issues. Where are you? It seems your position is that it is better for candidates to avoid the issues if they cannot come up with an unrealistic plan that meets your specifications that could never get through Congress...

[Milo_Bloom]

24. Its the hypocrisy for me.

It is VERY early in the cycle, so candidates don't NEED full plans yet.

Here are my specific problems with Edwards' plan (which for me further shows overall problems with Edwards).

#1) It doesn't solve the problems he CLAIMS it does. He focuses on poverty and talks about two Americas, but then offers a plan that does little to nothing to solve these problems.

#2) As a trained negotiator, he should understand that the art of politics and negotiation is to ask for more and have a fall back position. What is his fallback position if his initial position isn't even CLOSE to sufficient?

#3) It is mostly show and little substance. Edwards has presented his full plan and declared it as such and then what few details he gives don't measure up to the hype... in the more important areas, where he really needs to give details, he glosses over them with rhetoric (I am going to close the tax shelters.. which is meaningless unless you explain how you propose to do it.)

#4) All of the above sums up what Edwards campaigning since 2003 has been about. He offers rhetoric equal to what he THINKS people want to hear, but then offers actions that don't back up the rhetoric. This has been a long history of his, from voting for China Free Trade, Bankrupcy, the IWR and then (when these things became unpopular) declaring "I was wrong". He SAYS what he needs to SAY, but his ACTIONS do not backup his words.

If Edwards wants to speak out against poverty and two Americas, offer a tax plan that actually could SOLVE the problem... you can always address political realities and fall back to what is NECESSARY at a later date, but to speak out against it and then propose something that has 0 chance of solving the very problems you claim it does... that's just hypocritical and he should be called out for it!

[Mojambo]

2. Filthy Class War Criminal! n/t

[Omaha Steve]

3. please expand on your reply

In these days of the "dirty 18", Billionaires that pay less in taxes than the working poor, etc... a little Class War seems ok to me :-)

[Mojambo]

4. Sorry, I never use the sarcasm tag.

I probably should start.

[Omaha Steve]

5. My fault

I should have figured the sarcasm on my own.

[MethuenProgressive]

6. What did he do/say about poverty when he was a Senator?

What did he do/say about poverty when he was a VP candidate?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

9. How many times will you ask a question that has been answered numerous times?

Why not be direct and call Edwards a hypocrite? ;)

[MethuenProgressive]

13. Link to those "numerous" answers, please?

I only log on to DU 6-7 times a week, I must've missed them.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

14. Do a search nt

[MethuenProgressive]

16. He did/said nothing according to a search. You got anything else?

:boring:

[jgraz]

12. Funny that Edwards is the only candidate held to these standards

While other candidates who ignore the problem of class inequality and poverty are given a free ride, the only candidate actually addressing the issue is expected to prove his bona fides in order to have credibility. Are any of the other candidates criticized for having large bank accounts? Are any of them ask to whip out their anti-poverty CV after every public appearance?

The fact is that Edwards is the only candidate who is directly addressing this core issue. Maybe we should be asking the other candidates why THEY aren't doing a poverty tour. Perhaps they're too busy courting Wall Street hedge fund managers...

[MethuenProgressive]

15. So, you have no answer either?

It looks to me like he was a United States Senator and did/said nothing about poverty, and was a Vice Presidential candidate and did/said nothing bout poverty. But now that's he trying to raise donations, garner endorsements, and solicit the sympathy vote, he's discovered that there are poor people. "I'm the son of a white collar mill supervisor," might be the truth, but it doesn't get the play "I'm the som of a mill worker," does. He's good at what he's doing, I'll give him that.

[jgraz]

22. No, I'm saying it's a bullshit question

The guy made a career (and a fortune) suing corporations for malfeasance. That's a helluva lot more honorable in my book than, say, sitting on the board of Walmart (just to pick one example at random).

[1932]

23. What did he say about it in '04? Uh, "Two Americas". It was his theme then.

As for his senate record, I pasted it into the other thread about this that's floating around.

[goodhue]

11. big change rocks!

Go, Edwards, Go