I can't believe Edwards isn't doing better. Of course the media is doing their best to downplay him because of Edwards outspokenness on corporate corruption. Wolf Blitzer asked Lou Dobbs a few days ago which candidate he thought would help the middle class the most and he said Edwards.
Judes,
I agree with you. And thanks for sharing the Lou Dobbs information. I hadn't heard Dobbs say that, but it makes perfect sense based on Dobbs on views.
I just wish Edwards had started a little sooner speaking out about Corporate corruption, Corporate power, job loss, and bad trade deals.
As of late, Edwards sounds like the best of the Dems on immigration as well. He's really stressed employer prosecution for hiring illegal immigrants—a position that Clinton & Obama have both avoided like the plague. Edwards is not completely against a fence either. (My own view is that we need to devote 99% of our efforts into prosecuting employers for illegal hiring.)
With the exception of Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter—the Republican Presidential campaign has devolved into nothing but a stupidity contest. They're all vying to see who can concoct the most idiotic and illogical policies possible. Earlier on, the stupidity leader was Rudy Ghouliani, though McCain was running a close 2nd with his "jobs-no-Americans-will-do" policy on illegal immigration. But now Romney seems to leading the stupidity pack.
Huckabee is hard to peg. He has moments when he sounds reasonable on economics, illegal immigration, and outsourcing. But his very next moment may be one of temporary insanity—like when he espouses the regressive "fair" tax proposal. He apparently shares most of the
Republican "the-rich-shouldn't-pay-taxes" idiotology.
He's not quite as bad as the other warmongers & fearmongers on Iraq and the phony "war-on-terror." (But he's real close.) He's not quite as bad on torture. He's not quite as adamant about repealing the entire Constitution.
If I was in Michigan, without any Democrats to vote for, Ron Paul would be an easy choice for me. If nothing else, Ron Paul wants to reduce Presidential power, and give it back to Congress, the states, and the people. I don't agree with Paul's tax ideas, nor his support for some of the pseudo-Christian wingnuts' positions. But his voting record overall is 2nd to none. He's voted "NO" 100% of the time on Free Trade, Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants, against 100% of every un-Constitutional civil liberty infringement (e.g., the
Patriot Dictator Act, etc.). Paul has also sponsored legislation to give doctor's the right to collectively bargain. (i.e., to remove the current ban on collective bargaining.)
Paul has also sponsored legislation to allow any citizen to run for Congress if they can get 1,000 signatures—regardless of party affiliation. (In my district in California, a Democrat or Republican needs only 45 signatures from registered voters in their district and party. A non-party candidate needs a whopping
9,000 signatures. What a nice way to guarantee a 2-party duopoly.)
I have an additional concern, however, about both John McCain and Hilary Clinton (both of whom I strongly dislike.) My concern is that either might get re-elected a 2nd time, and we'd be stuck with one of them for 8 years. It's even worse in the case of Clinton, because it means she'd be the only Democratic Presidential candidate in 2012. Both have enough power, and enough Corporate backing, to give them an insurmountable advantage as incumbents in a re-election campaign. To my point of view, a vote for Clinton is a vote for 8 years of her as president.
For that reason, I'd probably vote for Huckabee if the election was between hime and Clinton. I'd definitely vote for Clinton over McCain, and almost certainly for Clinton over Ghouliani, and probably over Romney as well. But Ghouliani, Romney, and Huckabee will completely sink our declining economy. As a result, their chances of getting elected for a 2nd term are approximately 0.
Due to Edwards latest populist re-awakening, I'd put him even with Ron Paul as to who I'd vote for. Both Paul and Edwards represent the people over special interests.
That's what I want in a President—one who represents the people—not special interests.