Dammit, John...

The news about John Edwards is extremely disappointing... I'm suddenly relieved he's not our candidate this year.

I don't have a lot to say about it, but I'll link you to some people who do.

Labels: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Democratic Party, John Edwards

posted by jbrzoska @ 9:17 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

We've Missed You, John

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, John Edwards, Politics

posted by jbrzoska @ 12:37 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Voting

So, I did vote for Obama (though I flirted briefly with casting my vote for Edwards). It was easy, of course -- two minutes, in and out.

Not as much luck for K-hole, who had to deal with his first caucus, having recently moved to Colorado. He texted me: "This is the dumbest worst thought out process ever."

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, Barack Obama, Democratic Party, John Edwards, Politics

posted by jbrzoska @ 10:46 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

The Candidates on Iraq and Iran

Barack's a bit better than Hillary on the war; Barack's website says, "Obama has a plan to immediately begin withdrawing our troops engaged in combat operations at a pace of one or two brigades every month, to be completed by the end of next year." Meanwhile, Clinton's simply says her Cabinet would, "draw up a clear, viable plan to bring our troops home starting with the first 60 days of her Administration."

Unlike most people, I don't give Obama any extra points over Hillary for having opposed the war in 2002. Nearly all of the Democrats in the Senate supported the authorization of force against Iraq, and it was less because they believed in it and more because if they didn't, they would be branded as traitors, which was the kiss of death to any national politician that soon after 9/11. Edwards supported it too, and I can't really give Obama the benefit of the doubt that he wouldn't have voted the same way had he actually been in the Senate at the time. Heck, I'm not sure I wouldn't have had to vote for it at the time. I am a little uneasy, however, that unlike Edwards, Hillary hasn't really backed off that vote.

All three candidates rattled sabers towards Iran, which is just plain stupid. Iran's a toothless (like me!) third-world nation that bears no threat towards us, and it's time we ignored them.

Slight advantage on the wars to Obama.

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, Barack Obama, Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Politics

posted by jbrzoska @ 3:41 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Edwards Out? (Updated: Edwards Out!)

I didn't see this coming, at all:

Democrat John Edwards is exiting the presidential race Wednesday, ending a scrappy underdog bid in which he steered his rivals toward progressive ideals while grappling with family hardship that roused voters' sympathies, The Associated Press has learned.

I have no idea who I'm voting for on Tuesday...

Update: It's true.

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, Democratic Party, John Edwards

posted by jbrzoska @ 9:47 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Obama Still Doesn't Get It

I read several blog posts this morning touting Obama's victory speech, and then a friend called me up and told me that Obama incorporated some of Edwards's populist rhetoric last night. So, I watched it to see if there was anything for me to grab on to.

He did sprinkle in some populist-sounding phrases, and then came to a point where he said:

"There are people all across this great nation who can't afford four more years without health care..."

Good line.

"They can't afford another four years without good schools..."

Another good, very important line.

"They can't afford another four years without decent wages..."

Excellent.

"... because our leaders couldn't come together and get it done."

Wha??? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but once again, Obama shows he just doesn't get it. He makes it sound like there are procedural, bureaucratic issues, like the politicians in Washington just aren't talented enough.

But that's just not it. There's a side here that doesn't care about other people; one that is actively trying to keep us from having health care, that is dismantling our public schools brick by brick, that is trying to keep our wages down. The same side believes that we should be able to torture people, start whatever damn wars we'd like, spy on whomever we want to, keep our women in their places, and a whole spate of other things that are just plain wrong and harmful to tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of people in this country.

We need to convince those who can be convinced that our side is right, and not try to compromise with the other side to come up with expensive "solutions" that make corporations rich and don't fix the problems. We need to repudiate them and rid Washington of the other side, not unite with them. Sure, I believe in two-party politics, but the other party is just SO wrong. We don't need to be more reasonable, they do.

The issue, unlike Obama seems to believe, is not that people can't get things done, it's that roughly half the people want to get the opposite done!

And thus, I'm still not on board with Obama, because he just doesn't get it.

And, despite the fact that I'm liking Hillary's tactics less and less, I'm leaning towards her more than Obama if it comes down to the two of them, because she at least understands what she's dealing with when it comes to the other side.

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, Barack Obama, Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Republican Party

posted by jbrzoska @ 1:01 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Still Riding the Edwards Train

Yup, after his expected third-place showing in New Hampshire (not a state that would be inclined to favor his big-government populist message), I'm still on board. Daily Kos poster Felagund makes the case better than I have the desire to do in an insomniac state at 3:15 AM:

I can see that [Obama]'s charismatic, and maybe if I were in my early 20s that might be enough. But I'm forty, and extremely bitter and cynical about what's happened in American politics since the Clinton healthcare débacle, and at this point, I find his obvious charisma and rhetorical talents more of a turnoff than anything. I think he's an excellent salesperson, but I learned a long time ago that it's more important to check out the actual product.

And I don't see much of an actual product there. Sure, he had a good record as a state senator, and that's all great and everything, but I haven't seen him take any kind of a risk to stand up for anything progressive since he became a US senator. Other than coming out against the war long before it was fashionable, for which he deserves kudos, it's been careful, cautious centrism the whole way. I might be inclined to think there was a there there if the guy had stood up and opposed the Supreme Court nominations, or torture, or wiretapping... or anything. But it's just bland words about hope and unity.

And that's what turns me off the most about the guy. I don't want reconciliation, unity and bipartisanship. I want the next President to investigate, indict, prosecute and convict the living shit out of the thieves and murderers that have despoiled our beautiful country over the last seven years and well before. I want a President who's going to put on some boots and stomp on the throats of the Republicans, tear away the media lies and the layers of obfuscation and show everyone in America just what was done in our name. I don't want warm and fuzzy: I want thunder and lightning. I want a perp walk every night on the news.

I think Obama's just too cozy with his corporate donors to be willing to do that. If he really had that kind of fire in him, he'd have been doing it for years now. He'd have made his claim to the Presidency on the basis of real change, not just the rhetoric of change. I think Obama wants to be liked too much to take risks to do good.

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Having Edwards in the race until the end not only enables us all to vote for someone who actually has battled with, and defeated, the corporate monsters that control us, but moves the race in a more progressive direction...



Read more

I don't dislike Obama as much as Felagund does, I just feel that Edwards has done something extremely important in coming out against corporate American on behalf of the middle and working classes, and not only is that maybe the most important thing a candidate can do in my eyes (and not something I've really seen wholeheartedly done before on a national level), but it also takes massive cojones. Bigger than Obama's. And hell, it's not like Edwards isn't a great speaker in his own right -- I find it impressive how on top of his game he is at all times (like tonight after losing in NH), and his speaking is a lot less abstract to me than Obama's (who admittedly made a great speech tonight in NH himself).

So, yes, until further notice, Edwards is my man in this race, as long as he's in it. But I'll happily pull the lever for either Obama or Hillary in the general if it comes to that. It's a good year to be a Democrat, and I'm happy that I don't have to support one of these clowns.

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, Barack Obama, Democratic Party, John Edwards, Republican Party

posted by jbrzoska @ 3:13 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Yonkers, NY -- On the Road Again

I don't even think I mentioned it here, but I've been sick in bed with mono for most of the last month... but I'm back in commission now and on my way to NYC for the week.

Mono sucked, by the way, and it's good to feel healthy again. I think I may start blogging a bit more now. We'll see...

And yes, I'm following the primaries, and yes, I'm still supporting Edwards. His second-place showing in Iowa was pretty impressive, given that the media doesn't want to pay attention to him at all. I also think that Obama is just too conciliatory and fluffy... who the hell wants to make nice with the Republicans after what they've done the last 30 years? Not me.

Regardless, don't count any of the top 3 Dems out yet. Not at all.

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, John Edwards, Travel

posted by jbrzoska @ 11:57 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Take the Highway To...

The Great Divide (just for Phish fans)... Bob Herbert's latest piece in the NYTimes is about the growing gap in U.S. cities between the rich and the poor. The meat:

A lot of New Yorkers are doing awfully well. There are 8 million residents of New York City, and roughly 700,000 are worth a million dollars or more. The average price of a Manhattan apartment is $1.3 million. The annual earnings of the average hedge fund manager is $363 million.

The estimated worth of the mayor, Michael Bloomberg, ranges from $5.5 billion to upwards of $20 billion.

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Now the flip side, which is the side those public school students are on. One of the city's five counties, the Bronx, is the poorest urban county in the nation. The number of families in the city's homeless shelters is the highest it has been in a quarter of a century. Twenty-five percent of all families with children in New York City - that's 1.5 million New Yorkers - are trying to make it on incomes that are below the poverty threshold established by the federal government.

But which Presidential candidate cares about the poor? According to Larry Mandell, the president of the United Way of New York City, "John Edwards is the one candidate who seems concerned about it..."

And that's why I support him in 2008.




(hat tip to John Fowler)

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, Democratic Party, John Edwards, Politics

posted by jbrzoska @ 4:53 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Elizabeth Edwards

I just received the following from the John Edwards campaign:

Dear Jason,

Elizabeth and I are so grateful for your prayers and wishes. Your support means a great deal to us during this difficult time.

As you may have heard, yesterday we found out that Elizabeth's breast cancer is back, but confined mainly to her bones. Although this isn't the news we wanted to hear, we are very optimistic. Having been through many struggles together in the past, we know that the key is to keep your head up, keep moving and be strong. And that's exactly what we intend to do.

Elizabeth and I have been married for nearly 30 years and we will be in this every step of the way together. We will keep a positive attitude and always look for the silver lining - that's what we do.

Although the cancer is no longer curable, it is treatable, and many patients in similar circumstances have lived full, energetic lives. We expect nothing less for Elizabeth. She expects to do all the things next week that she did last week.

Our campaign goes on and it goes on strongly. We are so proud of the campaign we are running - a campaign based on ideas and reaching out to people. This campaign is not about me or Elizabeth - it's about all the people we have met these past few years and people like them all across America and the world-people worried about feeding and clothing their kids; people without health care; people facing hardships overseas.

Both of us are committed to this campaign. We're committed to this cause and we're committed to changing this country we love so much.

Thank you again for your support and for standing with us.

John Edwards


P.S. - Many of you have asked how to contact our family and the campaign. You can click here to send us a note. Quite a few supporters and friends have already e-mailed and blogged such kind messages. Thank you so much.

Labels: John Edwards

posted by jbrzoska @ 7:09 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Rhinecliff, NY -- 21 Months Out...

I can't believe how early the 2008 election cycle started -- it seems like it did before the 2006 one ended... Months ago, I decided I was leaning towards supporting John Edwards in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. He just seems to genuinely care about those who are less fortunate (he's spent the last few years running an anti-poverty think-tank), he's extremely well-spoken, and he's just so gosh-darn handsome! ;)

David Mizner, a diarist on Kos, wrote a thoughtful piece late last week on why he's supporting Edwards, and a lot of it rang true for me:

I can't ask you to share my instincts. But I want you to know a few things. That he's long identified with the unlucky classes and mistrusted corporations. That his oft-derided first career, personal injury lawyer, in fact serves an important political function, especially in the deregulated, government-gutted South. That a strain of populism runs through his life, from his years growing up working class to his career as an attorney to his Senate term to his presidential campaigns. That the moderates at the Democratic Leadership Council wanted to make him their Golden Boy and he said no.

What I want you know, above all, is that this time around he’s running as a bold progressive populist. He’s rejected neo-liberalism in favor of a neo-Keynesianism approach that makes programs that help people a higher priority than balanced budgets. The centerpiece of his domestic agenda is a comprehensive and politically viable universal health care plan, which could lead to a single-payer system. And Edwards is the first major presidential candidate in the era of globalization to question the preeminent religious faith of Washington DC and Corporate America: the belief in so-called free trade. Taken together, his agenda represents a direct challenge to the Corporatocracy.

Just last week, Edwards made many of us on the Democratic left proud by refusing to take part in a debate sponsored by the right-wing Fox News. Following his lead, other candidates declined as well, and the Democratic Party wisely pulled the plug on the debate. Fox's executives lashed out at Edwards, and Edwards's campaign immediately and impressively turned Fox's response into a fundraising push. From John's mailing list:

You may have heard by now that John Edwards was the first candidate to officially say no to the Fox News debate in Nevada - and because of the hard work of so many grassroots and netroots Democrats, news is breaking tonight that Fox is out.

Fox has already started striking back at John for saying no. (There's a surprise—Fox attacking a Democrat.) Last night, Roger Ailes-the life-long Republican operative who is now Chairman of Fox News Channel-said that any candidate "who believes he can blacklist any news organization is making a terrible mistake" and "runs a real risk of losing the voters."

And John's not their only target. Tonight Fox News Vice President David Rhodes is telling news organizations not to get involved in the Nevada Democratic Caucus because of "radical fringe" groups - meaning grassroots Democrats (that would be you) - who objected to Fox's long history of spreading Republican propaganda at the expense of Democratic leaders.

The whole right wing is getting in on the attack; the Drudge Report is blaring the headline: "War! Dems Pull Out of Fox News Debate."

Enough is enough. It's time to send a clear message to Fox News and their allies that their right-wing talking points and temper tantrums won't go unchallenged anymore—when it comes to what Democrats should do in the Democratic primary, we'll decide—no matter what they report:

http://johnedwards.com/r/7157/801725/

Fox News has already proven they have no intention of providing "fair and balanced" coverage of any Democrat in this election.

In recent weeks they have run blatant lies about Senator Obama's background. And Fox was only too happy to give Ann Coulter a platform to spew more hate a few days after her bigoted attack on Senator Edwards and the gay community.

Now it's time for Democrats to stand together and send a clear message to Roger Ailes, Fox News and all the rest of them: bias isn't balance, but turning tables is fair:

http://johnedwards.com/r/7159/801725/

The truth is, Fox News can "report" whatever they want. And when it works for us, we'll deal with them on our terms. But this campaign is about responsibility and accountability, and we need to send the message to Fox that if they want to be the corporate mouthpiece of the Republican Party more than they want to be an impartial news outlet, they shouldn't expect Democrats to play along.

You can send that message by contributing today, and remind Fox News that in this election, Democrats won't take their spin lying down:

http://johnedwards.com/r/7161/801725/

Thank you for standing up for what we believe in.

Jonathan Prince
Deputy Campaign Manager
John Edwards for President

P.S. -- If the folks at Fox wonder why nobody thinks they play it straight, they should take a look at what Roger Ailes said about debates in 1988 when he was a top Republican spinmaster for then Vice President Bush: He told the Washington Post, "I don't know that we need to do more than one [debate]. There's no reason to think we'd need more than one." And he told the New York Times, "I don't think you learn anything about the issues" from debates. So please send Roger Ailes a message: Hypocrisy isn't fair and it isn't balanced; it's just hypocrisy - and we've had enough of it from you.

Labels: 2008 Election, 2008 Primaries, Democratic Party, John Edwards

posted by jbrzoska @ 9:08 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post