John Edwards flips Michigan the bird - Political Forum

superdude17* · 08-29-2007, 09:07 PM

Source: RightMichigan

Quote:

Interesting exchange yesterday between Presidential candidate John Edwards and a group of machinists and aerospace workers. Allow me to paraphrase…

John Edwards: I’m telling all Americans to give up their SUVs to help sacrifice and save energy.

Union worker: How can you tell us to give up our SUVs when you live in a 28,000-square-foot mansion?

John Edwards: I’m a lawyer.

Union worker: Oh, ok.

*Applause*

I couldn’t help but want to shout a few follow ups at the man just reading the news report of his little Q & A. The first would have been, and I quote myself here… “so?”

Read on . . .

The second would have been how can you ask Americans to sacrifice what they drive to ease your conscience on environmental matters when you won’t sacrifice the $127,000 illegally raised by Dr. Death’s now officially indicted legal counsel, Geoff Fieger (allegedly)?

Wait, don’t tell me. You’re a lawyer. Got it.

This is Mark Brewer's candidate, by the way. The pick of the chair of the Michigan Democrat Party wants to tell you what you can or can't drive. And, by extension, he wants to tell the Big 3 what they can and can't sell, attempting to take their most profitable vehicles off the market.

Just what Michigan needs.

Lest anyone doubt such a mind boggling conversation actually took place, the Associated Press reports:

"I think Americans are actually willing to sacrifice," Edwards said during a forum held by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. "One of the things they should be asked to do is drive more fuel efficient vehicles."

The former North Carolina senator was asked specifically if he would tell them to give up their SUVS, he said, "Yes."

…Edwards was asked during his appearance how he explained the contradiction of asking Americans to sacrifice while he's living in a 28,000-square-foot mansion.

He said he came from nothing, worked hard all his life, has always supported workers and fought big corporations as a lawyer.

Of course, as a lawyer, Edwards knows that when the federal government indicts you on multiple counts you’re in some hot water. Still, he refuses to return the illegal (allegedly) campaign cash. Ethics are, apparently, not quite as important as competing in the cash race with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, Fieger-time himself continues the battle against Joe McCarthy, black books and vast rightwing conspiracies. Not that the judge is buying it. AP is also reporting the case might just be going to trial.

A motion seeking to dismiss the charges was filed Tuesday and thrown out shortly afterward by U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman.

Fieger and Johnson are charged with conspiracy, causing the Edwards campaign to unwittingly make false statements, making illegal campaign contributions in another's name and making illegal campaign contributions from a corporation.

Sounds like a winning team, right? Maybe Edwards would consider Fieger for a potential running mate. They’re both lawyers. They both like illegal campaign money (allegedly). And, though Fieger isn’t on record just yet supporting an abolition of the sports utility vehicle, I’m sure he’d be willing to issue a statement if Edwards asked nice.

Then again, maybe TELLING American citizens (not asking, mind you) to give up their SUVs isn’t the best way to ingratiate yourself to voters in a state dependant on the struggling automobile industry. For all the insistence by the radical left in Michigan that the state’s economic ills must all be laid at the feet of the big 3 there’s a surprising lack of outrage when a candidate for the highest office in the land insists he’ll tell Ford, GM and Chrysler to stop producing their most profitable vehicles.

Not exactly the best way to get the industry back on their feet. And not exactly the best time to threaten hundreds of thousands of Michigan jobs, most located in and around Detroit, a city virtually tied with Buffalo as the poorest big city in America.

According to the Detroit Free Press figures released yesterday stick the D with a 28.5% poverty rate. But that’s not the half of it.

Poor households in Livingston County jumped 28.7% while other metro Detroit areas saw increases that ranged from 25.1% in Dearborn to 22.3% in Livonia to 69.8% in Canton.

Nationally, by contrast, the poverty rate declined from 13.1% to 12.7% in 2006 -- the first dip in this decade -- and median household income climbed to $48,451. In 2006, the poverty level for a family of four was an annual income of slightly less than $21,000.

And while the same story tells us about people like Rich Andrews, a Madison Heights resident and former landscaper who’s looking to Nevada for employment, there are thousands more just like him in the region.

After 5,000 applied for 350 Walmart jobs in Livonia about a month ago (wait, I thought those were supposed to be the worst jobs in the world… huh…) a job fair yesterday in Clinton Township drew thousands in the first day. And it’ll continue today. The Detroit News reports:

Tables overflowed with would-be workers filling out paperwork for security, maintenance, management and sales jobs. Many were forced to sit on the floor to complete their application.

By the time the first day of the fair was over at 6 p.m. Tuesday, more than 4,000 people had attended, in search of one of the 1,000 jobs that are to be filled before the exclusive mall opens to the public Oct. 18 on M-59 between Garfield and Romeo Plank roads.

I just hope none of them pulled up in SUVs.

First of all, it’s none of his business. Second, how would he propose that most families transport themselves and kids around? I have never seen a 4-person bike.

RepublicanNotRedneck · 08-29-2007, 10:35 PM

Democratic brilliance, at it again.

"Do as I say, not as I do. And don't ask me why. I don't have a good answer."

iTaliAN_ICe · 08-29-2007, 11:49 PM

The Democratic party seems to be quite adept at producing environmental hypocrites. I guess we can add Edwards to the list, right under Gore.

Apotropoxy · 08-30-2007, 12:20 AM

Video clip, please.

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SamInTheSouth · 08-30-2007, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apotropoxy

Video clip, please.

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I inadvertently created a thread on the same topic, so here is my source:

ABC 13 News

Apotropoxy · 08-30-2007, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheBurgh

I inadvertently created a thread on the same topic, so here is my source:

ABC 13 News

I must assume that John Edwards didn't flip the "bird" to his Florida audience as no footage has come forward.

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sglaine · 08-30-2007, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RepublicanNotRedneck

Democratic brilliance, at it again.

"Do as I say, not as I do. And don't ask me why. I don't have a good answer."

The Republicans are not much better at the moment now are they..Have you seen the headlines this week about the bathroom thing???LOL by a Republican...There no different then the Dem's they all lie....

SamInTheSouth · 08-30-2007, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apotropoxy

I must assume that John Edwards didn't flip the "bird" to his Florida audience as no footage has come forward.

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I never heard anything about Florida, but Superdude's title, John Edwards flips Michigan the bird is a figure of speech. Michigan's big industry is automobile manufacturing and Edwards is telling people to stop buying SUVs, so in a figurative sense, he is "flipping them the bird."

Diligent_d · 08-31-2007, 03:19 PM

You have people dying in Iraq for America's right to wholeheartedly and without consequence consume oil in large, fuel inefficient road behemoths. Up until recently there hasn't been an urgency to create or buy fuel efficient vehicles due to the cheap gas prices - and the auto-makers played along with an almost non-existent stagnation in improving the miles-per-gallon efficiency of their vehicles (from an average of 23.1mpg in 1980 to 24.7mpg in 2004).

But now, there's a sudden urgency. Many are starting to realize that there is a fight to the death for the last of the world's proven oil reserves - yet Conservatives still rant against John Edwards for saying people should be more aware of what they are driving and their fuel consumption.

I know Conservation is a swear word for Conservatives and that market forces are king to them, but there are some instance where steps need to be taken. This isn't about simply encroaching on auto-makers "right" to sell profitable vehicles...this is also about the fact that America is engaged in a war to secure the last of the oil reserves. People are asked overseas to die for it, why can't people back home be asked to slowly start switching over to vehicles with better fuel efficiency? Rationing was done during World War II, maybe it should be done now as well.

perdidochas · 08-31-2007, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RepublicanNotRedneck

Democratic brilliance, at it again.

"Do as I say, not as I do. And don't ask me why. I don't have a good answer."

Edwards is a lightweight. I don't even understand why he's wasting his time campaigning. The only reason he ran for President in '04 was because he knew he couldn't keep his Senate seat, so he was hoping to become VP (which he almost did). I guess Edwards presumes that no one else deserves to own anything nice. A 28,000 sq. foot mansion produces a lot more CO2 than an SUV.