Posted on 07/16/2007 6:21:49 PM PDT by Krankor
After watching the top five Democratic candidates for president speak before a trial lawyers' group Sunday, attorney Jim Ronca of Philadelphia, a staunch Republican, became certain of one thing: He is not going to vote Republican in the 2008 presidential election.
He will support the Democrats.
"I'm not only going to vote Democratic, I'm going to financially support the Democrats," Ronca said after a luncheon forum of the American Association for Justice, featuring Gov. Bill Richardson, Sen. Barack Obama, former Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Joe Biden. "The Republicans in Washington are an embarrassment."
Ronca said he was impressed with the Democrats' opposition to recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, the refusal of the White House to hand over documents related to the firing of federal prosecutors, and the war in Iraq.
All of the Democrats used most of their 20 minutes allotted to excoriate the Bush administration, with Clinton noting:
"President Bush has campaigned as a compassionate conservative. He is neither. His is the most radical presidency we have ever had."
Wants 'diverse' top court Richardson, governor of New Mexico, said he would give the John Roberts' led Supreme Court a grade of "D-minus," noting the court's decisions seemed to reverse previous precedents such as 1954's Brown vs. Board of Education -- which attempted to desegregate schools.
Richardson said he would like to see a Supreme Court that "looked like this country, that would be diverse." (The Supreme Court is comprised of white men, except for Justice Ruth Ginsburg and Justice Clarence Thomas, an African American.)
'Right to choose in jeopardy' The five Democrats also talked about the necessity for a rapid conclusion to the Iraq war, although Clinton said the withdrawal "has to be done in a careful, thoughtful, deliberative manner."
They agreed on the need for universal health care, with Obama outlining his idea for small businesses and individuals to be able to buy in to pools to get group rates.
Edwards -- who as a former trial lawyer received the warmest applause -- talked, too, about the narrow 5-4 decisions of the Supreme Court, noting that the court's decision to uphold the Partial Birth Abortion Act "puts a woman's right to choose in jeopardy."
Edwards talked about his theme of poverty in America and the 45 million people who do not have health coverage, and he said the minimum wage should be raised even more, up to $9.50 an hour and be indexed to inflation. He also supported the idea of early childhood education and equality in schools. "If you live in a rich suburb, the odds are your kids are going to go to a good public school," he said. But the reverse holds true "if you are poor" and live in the inner city.
Biden expressed the need for automobiles to have better gas mileage and said if he became president, he would mandate that all vehicles used by the administration get 40 mpg.
He vowed he would "pillory" the insurance and pharmaceutical industries if they tried to lobby again against universal health care.
Uncertain about Obama Clinton said her first priority, after ending the war, would be to balance the budget, noting the weakness of America's finances has undermined its global influence.
Ronca said he was impressed by Obama's "presence" but not certain "about the substance underneath," but his friend, Ted Oshman of New York, said he "was surprised all the candidates "were so strong.
"I couldn't eliminate one of them."
KERRY, JOHN F
VIA JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT INC
05/27/2004 2000.00 24981236325
Same guy?
In the opensecrets link, the two James Roncas are using two different zip codes.
RONCA, JAMES
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SUMIDT RONCA & KRAMER/ATTORNEY
1/20/2004
$2,000
Edwards, John
RONCA, JAMES
HARRISBURG,PA 17102
ANAPOL SCHWARTZ/LAWYER
10/13/2006
$1,000
Sestak, Joe
RONCA, JAMES
HARRISBURG,PA 17102
SCHMIDT & RONCA
6/13/2000
$500
Klink, Ron
RONCA, JAMES
HARRISBURG,PA 17102
SCHMIDT & RONCA
9/15/2000
$500
Klink, Ron
RONCA, JAMES
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT & RONCA
11/5/2001
$500
Specter, Arlen
RONCA, JAMES P
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
10/27/1997
$500
D’Amato, Alfonse M
RONCA, JAMES R
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SUMIDT RONCA & KRAMER/ATTORNEY
5/27/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
RONCA, JAMES R
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT & RONCA PC
6/22/1994
$1,000
Wofford, Harris
RONCA, JAMES R
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT & RONCA PC
11/16/1995
$500
Kennedy, Edward M
RONCA, JAMES R
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT RONCA AND KRAMER P.C./ATTOR
9/5/2006
$500
Braley, Bruce
RONCA, JAMES R
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
ATTORNEY
10/3/1994
$250
Oberly, Charles M III
RONCA, JAMES R
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT & RONCA PC
12/29/1999
$250
Greenleaf, Stewart
RONCA, JAMES R ESQ
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT AND RONCA PC/ATTORNEY
3/30/2004
$500
Schwartz, Allyson
RONCA, JAMES R ESQ
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT RONCA & KRAMER
6/30/2000
$250
Casey, Patrick
RONCA, JAMES R ESQUIRE
HARRISBURG,PA 17102
SCHMIDT RONCA & KRAMER/ATTORNEY
9/13/2006
$1,000
Casey, Bob
RONCA, JAMES R ESQUIRE
HARRISBURG,PA 17102
SCHMIDT RONCA & KRAMER/ATTORNEY
9/30/2005
$500
Casey, Bob
RONCA, JAMES R MR ESQ
HARRISBURG,PA 17101
SCHMIDT AND RONCA PC/ATTORNEY
8/23/2004
$500
Schwartz, Allyson
Is it possible he was doing this to get around any campaign finance laws?
HILDABEAST: GREAT DESCRIPTION OF HILLARY.
WHEN SHE FLIES, IS SHE KNOWN AS BROOMHILDA?
On behalf of the Association of Blood Sucking Pond Scum, I accept your apology.
Now, the Leeches might have some questions for you.
They can be reached at 1-800-DEMOCRATS
What I’m wondering is why the presstitute who wrote this took the guy’s word for it.
I’m not so sure she took him at his word. There is a possibility that she knew this guy was lying, shading the truth a bit, but went ahead anyway with her column. I’ve encountered many a liberal who when shown that their anti-Bush/Republican info was dead wrong, they would shrug their shoulders and say something along the lines of “Oh well, whatever helps to destroy bush/The Republicans.”
WHEN SHE FLIES, IS SHE KNOWN AS BROOMHILDA?
lol She was recently spotted in Mexico, you know. There was a thread on FR about the witch sightings in Mexico, but I can’t find the link.
Maybe someone needs to let the reporter in on this. Either she doesn’t know or she’s part of the big lie.
I thought the same thing.
Believe me, she knows. I’ve emailed her and she never responded. (my email was a bit snotty, though) Supposedly, others have emailed her and she has responded in a few instances that when someone tells her he’s a staunch Republican, she believes it unless he says otherwise. (second hand info)
By the way, she’s married to the publisher of the Sun Times, John Cruikshank. Here’s her email. Write her and see.
jhunter@suntimes.com
Me too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.