Posted on 01/03/2003 7:12:12 AM PST by PhiKapMom
Edwards Should Prove His Populism
2003-01-03
AS HE tossed his hat into the 2004 presidential ring this week, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards vowed he would be a "champion for regular people." Don't we wish.
The handsome, well-spoken 49-year-old Democrat is just the latest politician to declare himself one of the people, a populist who will fight for the little guy in the circles of power.
In reality Edwards is a multimillionaire, his money made as a high-powered trial lawyer. No shame in that, but Americans should be wary if they see television spots of the senator piloting a tractor or chopping wood. We doubt you'll find many calluses on that man's hands.
Still, Edwards will be a formidable candidate, despite Washington whispers he's somewhat lacking in the depth department. In his first term he has earned a reputation as a terrific floor debater and for flailing witnesses in committee hearings. Good looks don't hurt.
As for the issues, Edwards voted for the Iraqi war resolution and advocates a new national intelligence-gathering agency. He says he would put off parts of the 2001 tax cut that haven't phased in yet and has called on fellow Democrats to get spending under control.
As for his man-of-the-people riff, we'll play along just a bit with this challenge: If Edwards really is a "champion for regular people," then let's see him lead the way for real tort reform in Congress in 2003.
That means pushing through limits on monetary judgments in the kinds of civil lawsuits that made him millions. Conservatives have pushed for reforms the past few years, but efforts routinely stall in the Senate, where the trial lawyers' lobby uses folks like John Edwards to block reform.
Likewise, Edwards could prove his populism by championing medical malpractice reform -- tort reform's health- care industry cousin.
In Pennsylvania, a walkout was narrowly avoided by physicians protesting the high cost and limited availability of medical malpractice insurance. Not so in West Virginia, where surgeons at four hospitals have begun a 30-day strike.
The reason doctors' insurance premiums are so high is simple: outrageous jury awards in lawsuits championed by the likes of Sen. Edwards.
The result is less health care for the regular people in America. "Juries willing to award sky-high payouts to plaintiffs poison the well for patients everywhere," the Wall Street Journal editorialized.
Edwards may not know enough about free trade or foreign policy, but tort and medical malpractice reform are two areas in which he's an expert.
He can put his money where his mouth is by voting against his trial lawyer friends on these important issues, lowering the cost of doing business and delivering health care -- improving the lives of the everyday Americans he claims to represent.
Certainly Senator Lieberman has never struck me as a regular person. I mean, get a good look at that expression:
Two words: Leonardo DiCaprio.
| 1 | Girardi & Keese | $84,000 |
| 2 | Beasley, Allen et al | $46,800 |
| 3 | Goldman Sachs | $43,000 |
| 4 | Womble, Carlyle et al | $31,600 |
| 5 | Baron & Budd | $31,000 |
| 6 | Kramer, Dillof et al | $30,018 |
| 7 | State of North Carolina | $24,558 |
| 8 | Minor & Assoc | $24,000 |
| 9 | Twiggs, Abrams et al | $22,500 |
| 10 | Guilford Mills | $22,300 |
| 11 | Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte | $17,500 |
| 12 | Tharrington, Smith & Hargrove | $17,000 |
| 13 | Michaels & Jones | $15,250 |
| 14 | Smith, Helms et al | $15,200 |
| 15 | Jack H Olender & Assoc | $15,081 |
| 16 | Parker, Poe et al | $14,491 |
| 17 | Cree Inc | $13,000 |
| 18 | Bank of America | $12,950 |
| 19 | Colson, Hicks & Eidson | $12,750 |
| 20 | Ferguson, Stein et al | $12,500 |
| Wachovia Corp | $44,950 |
| New Breed Inc | $36,500 |
| Womble, Carlyle et al | $36,500 |
| Duke Energy | $27,300 |
| Morgan Stanley | $23,750 |
| Chs Inc | $22,900 |
| Johnson & Johnson | $22,500 |
| Verner, Liipfert et al | $22,250 |
| Marriott International | $21,000 |
| Southeast Anesthesia Assoc | $19,000 |
| Goodrich Corp | $18,000 |
| Progress Energy | $17,750 |
| Kilpatrick & Stockton | $17,250 |
| RJ Reynolds Tobacco | $16,800 |
| GlaxoSmithKline | $16,799 |
| National Republican Senatorial Cmte | $16,178 |
| MacAndrews & Forbes | $16,000 |
| Bank of America | $15,650 |
| Gateway Inc | $15,499 |
| FedEx Corp | $14,000 |
| Goldman Sachs | $14,000 |
| Koch Industries | $14,000 |
| Wal-Mart Stores | $14,000 |
Erskine B. Bowles (D)
Wachovia Corp
$92,950
Springs Industries
$64,300
Womble, Carlyle et al
$56,100
Kennedy Covington
$54,000
Bank of America
$37,600
Credit Suisse First Boston
$35,000
State of North Carolina
$31,150
Morgan Stanley
$27,000
Goldman Sachs
$26,000
Moore & Van Allen
$24,900
University of North Carolina
$21,450
Kelso & Co
$20,000
JP Morgan Chase & Co
$18,028
Brooks, Pierce et al
$15,000
Belks Dept Store
$14,900
Long Miller & Assoc
$14,000
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson
$13,700
Erskine Bowles for US Senate
$12,000
Atlantic Corp
$11,000
FedEx Corp
$11,000
Merrill Lynch
$11,000
I have to laugh at this. It reminds me of when Graham was governor of Florida. He would do his work days where he would go out and pretend to be an ordinary working stiff. It was kind of funny seeing him on the back of a garbage truck though. He should have been in it.:)
WarHawk42
Think about it.
Medical-$4,000+
Car-$1,500+
Home-2,500+
Dental-500+
Boat1,000+
Adds up to about $10K a year to keep smarmy douches like Edwards in Mercedes.
An Edwards canidacy is going to be the beginning of the end of the American Tort system, in spite of their best PR efforts.
I pay about $900 a month to feed lawyers kids.
He was all propellant with no substance.
It was the transparent attempt to denigrate President Bush's leadership in the War on Terrorism.
The drawl is so thick, it's glutinous, saccharine, emetic.
This smarmy phoney is a traitor-rapist42 hand puppet.
And, an ambulance-chasing schmuck.
His bumper sticker reads:
I'm talking about a $500 a month lawyer tax that the average American family now pays because of smarmy condescending good for nothing bloodsuckers like John Edwards.
I hope he stays in the race till the bitter end, because the lid is going to come off and Americans will be up in arms when they realize what lawyers are doing to them.
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