Village Voice: Edwards is DLC candidate

[ima_sinnic]

. . . The pundits say Iowa proved people are more interested in domestic issues—unemployment, health care, insurance, et cetera—and not the Iraq war. Democratic ideas on these subjects are overwhelmed and blocked out by Bush's own proposals, reportedly including one will push Medicare farther toward privatization by inflating the already costly system with higher than usual payments. This in turn will persuade private insurance companies to return to the program.

The conservatives want a national system modeled along the private-insurance system offered all federal government workers. This is an idea long advocated within the conservative and very influential Heritage Foundation, and embraced by the Democratic Leadership Council's Republican look-alike John Edwards, as well as General Wesley Clark. In the eyes of the DLC, Edwards carries the torch for the Clinton centrist middle-class cause. The DLC people always like to position themselves ever so slightly to the left of Attila the Hun. . . .

from Bush Overshadows the Primaries: Pundits Continue Their Attack on Howard Dean
by James Ridgeway, Village Voice, January 20, 2004

As far as I am concerned, Edwards is bland, insipid and "safe," politics as usual. I have to admit I'm surprised at the number of bandwagon-jumper-onners here at DU. I thought people had a little more fire in their bellies is all.

[rumguy]

1. As a plaintiff's lawyer Edwards was the scourge of greedy insurance cos.

A trial lawyer spends his/her days and nights going up against insurance cos. and their armies of well-funded lawyers.

He figured out how to beat them in the courtroom, and he will beat them on Capital Hill.

[Cheswick2.0]

2. I agree with your assesment of Edwards

The DLC has too much control right now and they proved it by the way the controlled IA.
2004 may look very much like 2002 if we are not careful.

[rumguy]

3. The voters in IA freely chose their candidates

The DLC doesn't have mind-control powers....

[ClintonTyree]

4. However............

they have nearly unlimited resources and through media bombardment can steer the agenda in their direction.
We always remark about the 'mindless sheeple on the right', well it works on both sides of the fence.
We can be lead and manipulated just like they are, we're not immune to it.
We fancy ourselves to be free and independent thinkers, when actually there is very little free and independent thought left in this country, in this world.
Our tack to the right worries me, so much that I fear we'll become what we've always fought against in the name of centrism.
We rail against the right yet we're approaching their ideology in so many ways, just to 'win elections'.
We may gain the world, but we're losing our souls in the process.
Maybe I'm just getting old and cynical, but I don't like the course the DLC is plotting.

[spooky3]

5. I have a friend who is very much in with the DLC crowd and less than

two weeks ago when I told him I liked Edwards, his response was that Edwards did not have a chance; he seemed like a nice fellow but was too young; etc. etc. Does that sound as though Edwards was the candidate of the insiders? And why would they not have chosen Kerry, Gephardt, or Lieberman, who have been in Washington much longer?

[spooky3]

6. How much do you know about Edwards' proposals?

Your comments are pretty inconsistent with them.

[blondeatlast]

17. Yep--I was thinking the same thing.

There is no way he'd get my support if he didn't have a reasonable health care plan (my choice is universal single-payer, but I'm a pragmatist).

But he has gotten my support.

[cryofan]

7. Please give us some details about how Edwards is so conservative

I am not an Edwards supporters, per se. I do not know who I am going to support. But I do know that they Village Voice has a large gay readership. That aint rocket science. I know Edwards does not support gay marriage. I saw him say that. To put 2 and 2 together aint too hard.

Now he did say he could support civil unions. WHat about that? Is that good enough?

As far as I am concerned gay marriages is a minor issue. Sorry.

Far, far, FAR more important is our eroding progressive tax structure. I cannot even believe that the Village Voice -- a supposed STRONGLY LIBERAL publication -- could put gay marriage before progressive taxation. Or is it just one goddamn issue and faction that it supports?

Now unless you can show me how Edwards is less liberal/more conservative than Dean, Kerry, and Clark on progressive taxation, then I am just going to ignore these comments.

When are Democrats going to prioritize their goddamn issues?! This is IMPORTANT stuff....

[ima_sinnic]

11. how about the Patriot Act?

I have never heard Edwards condemn it and expose it for the piece of crap unconstitutional legislation that it is. Instead, he praises it. I'm not from the South so I guess I just don't "get it" about him.

on edit: and, since you asked, according to Political Compass, Edwards is just to the left of Bush--more to the right than any of the other candidates:

[flpoljunkie]

15. Check out the PIRG Congressional scorecard for Edwards. Then Kerry.

http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:nwbtw1_di2cJ:www.pirg.org/score2002/+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

U.S. PIRG is the national lobbying office for state PIRGs across the country. With a combination of professional expertise, citizen power, and dogged persistence, the state PIRGs and U.S. PIRG work to preserve the environment, protect consumers, and promote good government.

You can find your state and see your Senator's scorecard on 20 pertinent votes taken in the 107th Congress.

Edwards voted for the below described bankruptcy bill, an egregious giveaway to the banks and credit card companies. Edwards's PIRG scorecard was 60% for the 107th Congress with his lifetime score at 72%. This contrasts with John Kerry's 95% PIRG scorecard for the 107th Congress with a lifetime score of 93%. John Kerry voted against this bankruptcy bill, which was heavily tilted to favor banks and credit card companies.

18. Consumer Protection/Oppose Weakening Consumer Bankruptcy Protections: Despite independent research showing that most bankruptcies are the result of job layoffs, divorce, or sudden illness, the Senate passed one-sided legislation backed forcefully by the credit card industry that will restrict the ability of financially strapped consumers to make a fresh start in bankruptcy. The bill imposes a rigid new means test on debtors seeking to file for Chapter 7 "fresh-start" bankruptcy, unfairly forcing many consumers into Chapter 13 "5-year repayment plans." The bill also creates onerous legal and paperwork burdens for debtors of modest means while continuing to allow affluent debtors in some states to file for bankruptcy protection and retain expensive homes. Furthermore, it does virtually nothing to rein in abusive creditor practices that help lead consumers into insupportable debt. On March 15, 2001, the Senate approved the bankruptcy bill by a vote of 83-15. (Roll Call #36) PUBLIC INTEREST VOTE: NO

[anti-bush]

8. Edwards is anything but bland

You obviously have not seen him speak. He is fiery, passionate, introspective, and connects to the people like nobody I've ever seen. If you don't believe me, there are plenty of people out there likening his speaking skills to Clinton's, and even James Carville (I know, a DLC'er) said Edwards gives the best stump speech he's ever seen.

I invite you to watch one of his campaign events (they're available on cspan.org) and think he is bland.

I know the anti-Edwards rhetoric is going to swell this week, but if the best people can come up with is that Edwards sounds like he's from the DLC, then I think he's a damn fine candidate.

[Zech Marquis]

9. more excuses trying to knock down Edwards

I've said it before, and I'll say it again--Edwards is someone even repubs like. No baggabe, no scandal, just an honest, dedicated man with a strong message and full of optimism. He has that spark that makes people forget about party lines and feel more than ready to say YES! :bounce:

But don't take my word for it--just wait until the SC and VA/other southern primaries.

[Awsi Dooger]

14. He has the spark but is still a work in progress

As an Edwards supporter I guess I'm expecting Bill Clinton and he just isn't of that caliber. Yet, I hope. He needs more than a single big-tent stump speech to best Kerry, let alone oust Bush.

Zech Marquis is absolutely insightful and correct. Policy specifics are outright crap, a pathetic yeah-but for a yawn-inspiring runnerup. The couple next to you at a 7 Eleven check out line next October is much more likely to be aware of and interested in a John Edwards than any of our other candidates. That wins.

Still, on Monday he struggled to provide Judy Woodruff a clear distinction between himself and John Kerry, other than background. Then he flubbed the regular Joe question about the price of unleaded gas, uncomfortably similar to not being able to isolate a favorite movie when Chris Matthews asked.

Don't these guys have competent advisors? Gore would be president now and beyond if supposed political brains like Paul Gebala had understood the 2000 debates were about likeability, and irritated sighing might be something to avoid.

[cryofan]

18. You do know that CLinton was the most conservative dem prez this century?

And he was a globalist nonpareil. We should renounce Clinton. Nixon was more of a Demcrat than Clinton in many ways.

[ima_sinnic]

10. I have heard him defend the Patriot Act

--that's enough to turn me off right there. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) he had a hand in writing the damn thing.

He handed Bush the ability to invade Iraq and makes no apologies for it. Therefore he must believe that preemptive attack of a defenseless nation that had no real connection to 9-11 must be all right.

He also attacked Dean for campaigning in "his" region of the South. Shall we attack Edwards for campaigning in "our" region of the Northeast?

I stand by what I said: very little will change with a President Edwards. Same s**t, different faces. And his accent is terribly annoying.

[anti-bush]

16. Actually

The only thing he wrote in the Patriot Act was the provision that made it expire, and called for review.

He supports some of the provisions in there that make our laws useful with 21st century technology, but has spoken out many times against the Patriot Act, and the need to remove the things in there that violate our civil rights.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. This is not news. The DLC has a taste for pablum.

Now they have 3 vats of it to choose from in Kerry, Edwards and Lieberman.

[CWebster]

13. Kucinich seems to like him...

so much for high principles.

[Frederic Bastiat]

19. Where ya been hidin' CWebster?

;)