john edwards

I'm a registered independent in the state of California - which means that I'm unable to vote for the Republican primary nominee, but I am allowed to vote for the Democratic nominee.  As this is the case, I figured it would make some sense for me to do my third candidate analysis on John Edwards, a current contender for the Democratic nomination.

Interesting fact about John Edwards (if not a well-known fact): he ran as the Vice Presidential candidate in 2004 alongside John Kerry for the Democratic party.  Another interesting fact: they are no longer speaking to each other.  Of course, when you'd have to deal with a wife like Teresa Kerry, I don't think I'd want to be stuck hanging around with John after the party is over, either.

Getting right down to brass tacks, the three most important issues facing a potential John Edwards candidacy (besides establishing a national budget for his haircuts) are as follows:

1. Illegal Immigration
2. War in Iraq (War on Terror)
3. Shrinking the Federal Government

As I mentioned in my Fred Thompson post, it's imperative that America reign in the spending of the federal government in order to reign in the ever-growing habit of creating intrusive domestic policy.  John Edwards and I apparently disagree.  This guy has run his entire campaign on the idea that there exists 'two Americas.'  One is privileged and wealthy while the other lives 'from paycheck to paycheck.'  Curiously, it appears that John is under the impression that the latter America, although already supported by the heavy taxation of the prior, needs the federal government to help them change.  Or, to paraphrase, redistribute the wealth.  If you've been reading here long enough, then you are aware of my attitude about the current tax system in America.  Electing someone like John Edwards is only going to exacerbate the problem.  His approach involves 'college for everyone' programs that create scholarships for anyone heading off to college, forcing businesses to supply healthcare to employees, and rolling back tax cuts that happen to be some of the few things that Bush has actually done right in his time in office.
To be honest, Edwards is a complete failure on this point - he appears to be under the impression that the answer to all our ills is to strengthen the federal government and its involvement in your life.  Personal responsibility is a thing of the past.

Next, there's the War in Iraq.
Edwards is the epitome, on this issue, of the type of politician that we absolutely don't need in Washington pulling the strings.  Using Iraq as a platform on which to run with John Kerry back in 2004, likely to prove their support of the military, Edwards made statements like this next one:  "It was the right thing to do to give the president the authority to confront Saddam Hussein...I think Saddam Hussein was a very serious threat. I stand by that, and that's why [John Kerry and I] stand behind our vote on the resolution."  However, upon seeing the negative polls when it came to our work in Iraq, he immediately changed his mind on the matter.  He now, according to his website, wants to have our troops pulled out completely within the ten months of being elected.  Sadly, putting a war into motion isn't exactly something that you can stop on a dime with.  His plan to withdraw troops so completely and so quickly would lead to a total power vacuum in the region - something that we definitely don't want to return to when it comes to cleaning it up.

Finally, on the most important topic that he'd be facing as president, Edwards, again, fails miserably.  According to his campaign website, we need to immediately adopt 'comprehensive immigration reform.'  "It is unrealistic to think that we can deport more than 12 million people. Edwards believes we need to give people here the opportunity to pay a fine and learn English to earn American citizenship."  What's so brilliant about this statement is his pushing of the argument that the only other option would to be deport millions of people.  This makes him either ignorant of the reality of the situation or a liar.  I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and merely call him ignorant on this point.  As I've mentioned previously, nobody needs to deport anyone.  Illegal aliens who can't get jobs will deport themselves - enforcing laws having to do with who hires who is more important than teaching anyone english or paying a fine.  Adopting the poverty of Central and South America won't help America in the slightest.

John Edwards is obviously unaware of the most important issues facing the next person to sit at the helm of the American machine.  He's not winning my vote, and I certainly hope he's not going to be picking up yours.