Quoting politicians? Is that wise? - The best quote from Edwards's speech
last night is hands down the one when he refers to the men and woman who have been injured in the securing of freedom (obviously my choice of words and not his choice of words) for Afghanistan and Iraq and securing of safety for America. Oddly he left out those who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives, an oversight I'm not comfortable with. Here are the two lines I am referring too:
"The stars and stripes wave for them. The word hero was made for them."
That is on it's own an awesome statement.
Now the worst is a difficult choice for me. There are roughly three choices I have in mind.
In order they are:
Because the truth is, we still live in two different Americas: one for people who have lived the American Dream and don’t have to worry, and another for most Americans who work hard and still struggle to make ends meet.
Why do the Democratic leaders continue to drive this wedge of envy between the people of America? The people who live the American Dream do so because they have struggled, sacrificed, faced hardships, and succeeded. Why is that continually portrayed as a negative by the Democratic leaders?
The second:
So now you ask how are we going to pay for this? Well, here’s how we’re going to pay for it. Let me be very clear, for 98 percent of Americans, you will keep your tax cut—that’s 98 percent. But we’ll roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, close corporate loopholes, and cut government contractors and wasteful spending.
I couldn't help but think of the cliche, "Steal from the rich and give to the poor?" In fact, Edwards would probably look the part in green tights toting a bow. Of course the only problem (well okay not the only problem) is that the monies will necessarily flow through greedy government hands first and they will take their choice lump sum before doling it out to the poor so that they can say, 'See you need us to get the money for you.'
The other thing that bothered me was the "cut government contractors and wasteful spending" comment.
First off, "government contractors" are important to the government, because they do a better job than the government most of the time and the government can't manufacture products like weapons, or the like, without private contractors. Unless your willing to put them out of business and go to a monopoly which will of course lead to higher costs and in the end inferior products.
Secondly, "wasteful spending." For Pete's sake, I'm sick and tired of hearing politicians on the left and the right talk about that subject and do nothing but increase it. And when it comes to Kerry/Edwards, I get the impression for their service in the Senate that wasteful spending has more to do with Intelligence Gathering and Military Pay/Equipment cuts.
The third and final quote considered by me to be one of the worst:
...hope is on the way.
Now that I read it again, I think it is the worst quote.
Why?
I think it was the lead in. Edwards made the argument that some woman was somewhere sitting, depressed and fighting with bills she couldn't pay because her husband was called into service for his country - something for which he volunteered. So somehow John and John are going to solve that woman's problems and bring help when they get into office.
Therefore because of John and John, all that the people around her need to do is simply say, "Hope is on the way."
Good grief, that's enough to make a preacher's son swear.
Hello! The people around that woman - the friends, family, community, church - should not be offering her empty platitudes but should be helping that woman and her family right this minute in a physical way be it money, food, baby sitting or any other obvious need she has.
And the truth is they are, they do, and they will continue to do so.
That whole "hope is on the way" thing implies that the second half of the two Americas can't get through their day without reliance upon government to see them through and that is an implication I flatly reject.
