Edwards: THE Voice of the forgotten Middle Class | Obama: This isn't about rich vs poor

One is living in reality and the other is Hoping for Change.

*sigh*

in several sound bytes on CNN.

Again, taking an idea of 'uniting' needs a bit more thought and he with his wife who grew up in S. Chicago should know it IS about rich vs. poor and always will be, but it can be mitigated and overcome.

Dumb statement on his part. Not thought out. Kind of sounds like Karen Hughes or Karl wrote it for him.

He could have done well to leave this one out.

Which he also said in the SC speech. It is a direct quote as you can see here (within the first 35 seconds):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x88551

I hadn't heard the Kennedy announcement today as I was in the cube farm all day, so have been watching the video forum for the taping. This is all I have seen so far, but it is enough.

I can honestly say that I am VERY disappointed. He said it is about "the past vs the future". I know that is a shot at Clinton, and I understand -- but not for me, it isn't. I happen to think a modern day FDR would do wonders for this nation and remove the trend toward the next guilded age.

I think he is saying that he doesnt want to see sides pitted against each other.

Thats OK.

My interest is in economics, not the arts/music, so I tend to see things along mathmatical lines not hopes and dreams lines.

Why we were all made different as we end up complimenting each other in the great mosaic that is our country!

What does he intend to do about that?

;)

:)

eom

Still, I far prefer him to Hillary

For the last several decades, CEOs made 40x what line workers do. Today, that is 600x.

They are rewarded for running their companies into the ground, offshoring the work and divesting of acquisitions (See: Mitt Romney).

These people (and this country) needs an awakening, and they are not going to give an inch unless it is taken from them. That isn't collaborative -- that is a fight to the bone, and I think it is naive to think it will go down without such a fight.

Sleep on this thought tonight: In 2007, ExxonMobile made $75,000 a fucking MINUTE. A MINUTE!! We have people sleeping in the streets, people going with substandard healthcare, people with NO healthcare, and we are paying over $3 at the pump so that these bastards can make a $75,000 a MINUTE profit in 2007.

I am sorry, but that isn't going to change without a fight -- and Obama's message of Hoping for Change and "Reasoning" with the robber barons just does't resonate with me.

Thanks for hearing me out on my concerns/rant. :)

On Edit -- spelling

I agree that Obama's message is somewhat hollow and unduly friendly to wealthy international corporations. I've been excited by Edwards message of the last year and a half, enough so that I left my longstanding principled support of Kucinich behind in order to be part of the Edwards camp. But after the Iowa results I began a major rethink. And as of yesterday I'm fully on the Obama bandwagon. I think culturally, stylistically, and symbolically he is far superior to Hillary. I never ever voted for Bill Clinton because I felt he was a corporate hack, and I'm certainly not going to vote for a Clinton now unless I have no choice.

Great.

But your point is well taken. I could vote for Edwards and I fear enable Hillary. Or I could vote for change that some folks believe in. The thing is I don't think Edwards will crack 15% so I would likely vote for nothing more than principle and my ego. I'm also probably unduly influenced by my very progressive Mayor R.T. Rybak and my Congressman Keith Ellison who have been on board with Obama for many months. In contrast the old time party hacks are pushing Hillary. So it is a local battle between change and the past. Sadly Edwards is now a bystander.

:eyes:

I sincerely feel bad about not voting Edwards, but I would feel worse voting Clinton in November.
Plus I'm now excited about generational, cultural, and global dynamics of the Obama candidacy.
I have relatives in London, Paris, and Nairobi who all seem impressed with Obama's ascendancy.
I think the ripples of his presidency will be far and wide, and will be positive for the world.

I want this country back on solid footing -- and that is a MUCH greater priority to me than other nations applauding us for voting for a woman or minority.

The latter would be GREAT to have, but not at the sake of the former just to say we crossed some glass ceiling or divide.

Sure they will.

And as a Kooch supporter, I believe you understand where I am coming from.

Thanks!

That is Obama's message. That we ALL have a stake in restoring this nation.

and Wall Street robber barons are all going to wake up one day and decide to kick cash into the coffers while we all hold hands and sing the "Coke can bring the world together" song?

Get real -- these people are out for every penny they can steal from the widows in the streets. Hoping for Change may sound great on a campus, but it isn't reality. This will be the fight of our lives to wrest control of our country back from these leeches and legislation saying that "congressmen can only eat while standing" isn't the answer by a long shot.

Scary, no?

and are not going to give it up without a fight.

Obama is either being disingenuous to protect himself from their wrath or he is naif.

Not to dissuade the young from voting as I think that is VERY important, but I know that back when I was in college, I thought I knew everything.

Now that I am 40 and have had a good long drink out of the real world clue-hose for 20 years, I can see a rising guilded age when it is poking its manicured finger in my chest.

Can't believe I voted for a "centrist". :banghead:

that's for sure. These college kids today behave like they are fresh off the turnip truck.

needs to be "restored", or are they happy with how things are going now and want them to continue on as is?

Please answer honestly...

The robber barons RAPED the nation. Why on earth would they want to give up one red penny to restore something they have worked so hard to undo.

By the way - they are the wealthy elites, who own various corporations, and have the ear of government. They are the ones whom government goes to. They are the ones who shape the policies so they can maximize their profits.

They LIKE it the way it is now. Make no mistake. They are rolling in dough right now. Profits are sky high - and they will not give that up. They will not give up the influence or the power - for the good of everyone. That is just not the way the goose flies.

so - yeah.....there is a class war going on.

I remember in last night's SOTU Bush clearly making the point (joke) that the IRS will gladly accept checks from those who feel "they should be contributing more" in taxes. Do you think those CEOs will WILLFULLY be volunteering those checks? Seriously? Sorry, but I just don't agree with you...

Pitting two things against each other has gotten us nowhere in the last 8 years. Obama has figured out that you don't have to work with the two extremes and that the people who haven't made up their minds make up the majority of the country.

It's about the rich AND the poor working TOGETHER to make the country better. He wants to increase taxes on the rich and give tax breaks to the poor. He talks about his friend Buffet who said he wouldn't mind at ALL paying more in taxes. Don't you get it? Just like it's not against Black vs. White. He wants them to come together...and so on...

But they don't. Because they don't want to. And Obama won't persuade them to. I can't believe people are this naive.

Oh, and I have some bills coming due. Have Warren give me a call.

put a slightly higher burden on the rich.

Sorry, but those people are as cut throat as they come. They need to be taken down a notch, and I for one don't believe that talking "nice" to them is going to amount to a hill of beans.

"Congresspeople can't eat sitting down" -- yeah, that will stop the 37,000 lobbyists.

Unfortunately, I have ZERO confidence in Barack Obama. He talks a FABULOUS game, but just like eating Chinese food, 2 hours later, you are hungry again and searching to see if there was any there there.

And Obama isn't planning on talking "nice" to them but disagreeing without being disagreeable. You can say the same phrase with a snarl or with a smile. Obama's a rare breed who is able to get people to agree with him while sticking to his principles. Inspiring people into action is not something many people have the talent to do.

they spend too much time on the internet arguing instead of listening to people in the real world. The general atmosphere on DU is combative where in the real world people aren't interested in a verbal boxing match.

some irrational, emotional frenzy.

Your pick.

:hi:

apologizes for them or lies about them. Johnny-come-lately. :eyes:

let's face it most of us post on DU because we eat and breathe politics. Most people don't devour every bit of information they can get and if you come to them with the right tactics you can win them over.

He just got tvs installed in their exam rooms and I turned it to MSNBC while waiting, and when he came in he saw the news about Kennedy endorsing Obama and he said he was surprised that Kennedy endorsed Obama since he had "only a couple years experience." I explained to him Obama's other experience besides his years in the U.S. Senate, that he spoke out against the war in '02, and how so many OTHER important politicians and experts were on Obama's side, and he was very impressed. I won him over to Obama's side. Another vote for Obama in NY.

Hold on. He's a doctor who can afford new televisions. He's rich! It's his fault that people are poor. You should have told that fascist that he's part of the problem. I'm sure that technique probably would have worked.

I racked up a vote for Obama in California last week from someone who was leaning Hillary.

Yup. Exactly. People in real life can influence people without calling them your enemy and yelling at them!

Good job. :)

The rich have worked diligently for DECADES to get what they have now. They are not going to give any of that up without a fight.

The ones who have actively lobbied government and paid political donations have the ear of government. They have influenced it in such a way as what you see today is a direct result of their working together.

than he is a real change. People think they are getting something different, when everything will probably pretty much remain the same. People are seeing what they want to see in him.

But is it realistic?

Which, considering we have 3 candidates focused on fighting poverty, is true.

Now, choosing between a Dem and a Republican, on the other hand, could very well be a choice between rich vs. poor.

Love it! :rofl:


May I use?

NT

The republicans always whine about liberals inciting "class warfare." This is a pre-emptive strike of this attack. And it is consistant with bringing people together. And a lot of the affluent in this country do care about the poor, oppose the repeal of the estate tax, did not agree with the Bush tax cuts.

So Obama is in reality on this one. Don't stereotype a group and bring people together.

sway people with his hypnotic oratory.