JOHN EDWARDS ANNOUNCES FOR PRESIDENCY
From CNN.COM (quoted in partial)
"It's absolutely crucial that America re-establish its moral authority
and leadership role in the world," Edward said on CBS "Early Show."
Edwards' campaign got a little ahead of itself Wednesday and announced
his intentions online a day early. His Web site briefly featured the
logo "John Edwards '08" and its slogan, "Tomorrow begins today" --
literally, in this case -- before aides quickly removed them.
In his message to supporters, Edwards listed five priorities to change
America. Among them: "Guaranteeing health care for every single
American, "Strengthening our middle class and ending the shame of poverty,"
"Leading the fight against global warming," and "Getting America and the
world to break our addiction to oil."
Xen: Here's my take on this.
The first statement (all of the above comes from the middle of the CNN
article) to me is exactly the wrong attitude to proport. Pronouncing
our "moral superiority" is part of the way we got where we are. I
understand what he probably MEANS, but I already am tired of this sort
of rhetoric.
The only way for us to "re-establish" moral authority and leadership is
to not act (nationally) as we have.
As a great philosopher said: "There is no try. Do."
The second thing I have about this is the last paragraph.
Thank you, Mr Edwards for making the obvious and trite you five
priorities for America. Excuse me, but NO SH*T.
How about alchemy? Any interest in that as number 6 on the priority list?
And your wording, since I am being a stickler here...."and ending the
shame of poverty". Are you saying the goal is to have people not
feeling SHAMED by their poverty (and not to necessarily end it)?
Or are you saying you wish to end poverty, which is something people should be ashamed of?
If you can't succinctly state your goals and priorities, dude....
I think that most people would have these among their own top
priorities - what about telling us that you are going to lay out your
plan for achieving these high and mighty things? Because as far as I
know, every one of those things is nearly unachievable unless the
Congress, the taxpayers and corporations of this (and other) countries
are 100% behind taking radical new initiatives....
I know it's your first day and all, John. But we've heard and seen you
a short 24 months ago - and you need more than stating the obvious,
poorly, I might add, to win the hearts and votes of America.
IMHO
Sassette:
I wondered the same thing.
Is he going to, as president, launch a PR campaign so that people are
proud to be poor?
And how is he going to strengthen the middle class, exactly?
Weight-lifting? Because between outsourcing and illegal immigration,
there won't be any middle class left to speak of very soon...
And health care for everyone. Does that mean government subsidized
healthcare for the poor and elderly, and outrageously expensive and
diminished healthcare options for those that work and pay taxes who
aren't lucky enough to be past the age of retirement?
Priorities don't butter the biscuits.
Platitudes don't feed the bulldog.
Empty promises don't shuck the corn.... :-)
Wait, Xen ... the great philosopher you are quoting is Yoda?
Xen:
Yeah ... what? What's your point?
Sassette:
I was just skimming along, and I did a double take: Like, Yoda?
Xen:
BWAH !! I love all your Sass-isms !!
Another one... "Rhetoric won't open the Pub" Hee!
You could run the "Proud to be Poor" campaign.... you have the talent.
...
and we all know what it's like to be relatively, though not disastrously, poor.
"We wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner ...."
"But we would !"
I WANT TO HEAR THE PLANS. I find it insulting that, after 8 years of
being told by this administration that "We don't need to know the
details" only to find out later that we were either lied to or there
WERE no details, I have to hear altruistic platitudes with not even the
hint of how one might choose to attain these lofty accomplishments.
Health care for everyone and strengthening the middle class ...
Talk to me JE ...Talk to me.
Sassette:
Seriously - everyone says that. Republicans and Democrats alike say the
same type of things. It is the "how" that is the difference. Don't talk
in broad strokes. You are 100% correct - after 8 years of living in the
dark this country needs details. We cannot afford to trust that our
leaders have our best interests at heart.
I wish that it could be deemed unconstitutional to campaign on
television.
Think about it: no mysterious, insinuating negative adds financed by
shadowy third-party organizations; no more crappy or nonexistent ideas
being distilled into a slick, 30 second sound-byte that grabs attention
if not imagination; no more "debates" where the questions and answers
are scripted and even the horribly overly dramatic mugging for the
camera seems rehearsed.
Imagine a world where candidates actually had to communicate their ideas
to the public by only the written word and the radio? Imagine a world
where the candidates weren't weeded out by who had the biggest war
chest, but who had the biggest grasp of what the country needed?
What? I can hope. I also still believe in the Tooth Fairy, Easter
Bunny, and the Sandman...
Xen:
"Imagine all the people, living life in peace"
Upon request - a Chloe Story by Sassette
