tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post115164301057640154..comments2023-09-29T06:57:06.991-07:00Comments on Anglachel's Journal: Entitlement and the Deserving Middle ClassAnglachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01110546252851760414noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-1151875220997154352006-07-02T14:20:00.000-07:002006-07-02T14:20:00.000-07:00Anonymous,Cut it out. It's bad enough we have to f...Anonymous,<BR/><BR/>Cut it out. It's bad enough we have to fight off the Rethuglicans trashing our candidates. We don't need to have the left forming up a circular firing squad and doing in our own people. <BR/><BR/>While you're right that Edwards does not have the strength in international policy and diplomacy that Wes Clark does, he has a solid focus on domestic policy and a great track record of defending citizens against corporate greed. We need leaders like Edwards just as much as we need those like Clark.<BR/><BR/>It's not either/or. It's and/both. Yeah, they're competitive guys and they both want to be at the top of the ticket. Now, we can have scorched earth campaigns, where everyone trashes everyone else, or we can try to give the nation hope and confidence, and focus on doing right by the country. We need both these men for different reasons.<BR/><BR/>A valid criticism is always acceptable, but calling someone a flash in the pan or a showboater lowers the quality of the discussion and turns people off. Promote your guy without dissing the other one. Otherwise, you're just doing Karl Rove's work for him.<BR/><BR/>AngachelAnglachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01110546252851760414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-1151873589417517442006-07-02T13:53:00.000-07:002006-07-02T13:53:00.000-07:00Zeitgeistrover,Chill out, dude. You're not doing J...Zeitgeistrover,<BR/><BR/>Chill out, dude. You're not doing John Edwards any good by getting defensive this way. Start practicing some more persuasive rhetorical moves, like, "Hey, interesting points here. Maybe you didn't see John Edwards' position papers where he *did* address this. Here's the link."<BR/><BR/>Also, you need to get a better handle on how to put things into the news. What Kuttner has done is lobbed a really easy serve over into Edwards' court, practically begging the senator to return with one of his typically smart, interesting and informative replies. Half of winning over the undecideds is getting exposure for your guy. One of the best ways to do this is through critical, but sympathetic, back and forth.<BR/><BR/>Don't assume that all criticisms are the same. Some are invitations to expand on the topic.Anglachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01110546252851760414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-1151793737341929842006-07-01T15:42:00.000-07:002006-07-01T15:42:00.000-07:00The problem I see is that Edwards is all flash and...The problem I see is that Edwards is all flash and no substance. The fact of the matter is that there is NO WAY anyone can address domestic social programs like poverty or whatnot without first overcoming the foreign policy issues. Where's he going to find the money?<BR/><BR/>The only way we can move forward to solve poverty and everything else is to first untie the gordian knot that binds our resources in an ill-conceived war in Iraq. That's where the funds are currently diverted. And until we have someone like Clark or Gore who has the gravitas to take on those issues and free up funds, we won't be able to solve any of these domestic social ills.<BR/><BR/>Only Nixon could go to China. Only Clark can take on the pentagon pork and free up funds to save social programs. If I recall correctly, Wes Clark's tax proposal in 2004 was judged to be the most progressive of all by experts.<BR/><BR/>We need desperately to fight for the domestic issues and social programs dear to us -- but the road to that lies through the morass of foreign policy. And I just don't see Edwards with any chance of going there. So in the final analysis, Edwards does not have the political ability to deliver what he promises, reducing his efforts to showboating for campaign purposes, though I think his heart is in the right place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com