Drudge Hit Piece on Edwards

[Joe the Revelator]

Its seems to be a non-story. Drudge is grasping at straws. He said he had BIG news on Edwards and this was all he could bring up. Watch some in America eat it right up.

http://www.drudgereport.com/mattje.htm

[Jack_Dawson]

1. Edwards Scares People

Reminds them of Clinton II. Deal with it pukes!

[The Democrats Cometh]

2. Hi, Jack_Dawson!

I actually want Clark/Edwards...

[eek]

3. please tell us the gist so we don't give drudge

any "hits"

Thanks!

[Joe the Revelator]

4. Basically he "flip flops" on SS

//snip//

Iowa darling and Dem presidential hopeful John Edwards easily flips and flops on major issues, a DRUDGE REPORT investigation can reveal.

First up:

The senator from North Carolina "strongly opposes investing Social Security in the stock market," according to his campaign website.

In a page titled "seniors," Edwards takes a stand on the controversial issue, declaring how he "strongly opposes recent efforts to privatize Social Security, which would jeopardize benefits by risking our Social Security funds in the stock market."

But before he decided he was going to seek the Democratic presidential nomination, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal, Edwards supported investing Social Security funds in the stock market!

In a speech on October 6, 1998 in Raleigh, Senator Edwards told a group of senior citizens that Social Security surpluses - money not needed immediately to pay benefits - should be invested and kept separate. A portion of the money, up to 10 percent, could be invested in the stock market and the remainder put in secure investments such as treasury bills, Edwards explained.

On September 27, 1998, Edwards told a gathering at Elon College how a small part of the Social Security fund should be invested in stocks and bonds "to see the kind of returns it would produce."

Investment brokers and not Washington bureaucrats should decide how the money should be invested, Edwards said.
//snip//

http://www.drudgereport.com/mattje.htm

[Hawkeye-X]

9. He also is anti-ADA

Edwards voted for that Brooks guy who wants to water down the ADA.

[AP]

11. Brooks was from PA. The Pittsburgh papers were so pro-Brooks. The debate

at that time was over whether Brooks resigned from a men-only gun club soon enough.

To oppose him on the ADA issue -- which was on NOBODY's radar at the time -- and to encourage the wrath of Pittsburgh papers which had already layed down the gauntlet on this nomination before an election in which Pittsburgh and Philadelphia voters could be the difference between winning and losing would have been STUPID!!

Furthermore, psst, you know what this guy did for a living until '98? He has to apologize for nothing in terms of helping people with disabilities.

[AP]

10. Edwards also wants to expand shareholder rights so that corporations are

more democrat. He says state mutual funds, for example, never would have invested in Enron on the way down if shareholders in the funds had more say over how their money was invested. Same for equity ownership in corporations traded on public exchanges.

I'm not sure where the big flip-flop is between saying that up to 10% could go to public investments -- that it's worth thinking about -- in '98, and then, since the Enron BS, saying that maybe that's not a good idea, and then foucusing hard on shareholders rights to make sure the markets aren't used to rip off people and transfer wealth to the wealthy.

[maddezmom]

5. here's an earlier discussion on DU

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=163260&mesg_id=163260

[Joe the Revelator]

6. ah missed that one

[TLM]

7. Edwards flip flopped on privatizing social security...

he is against it now but back in 98 said he was for it.

[cthrumatrix]

8. drudge is a "tool"...to be called on by "powers that be"... and he

will continue to do this...notice not many bush "hits"...shocking