Elizabeth Edwards took on MoveOn over Petraeus. I wonder how much support her husband will get over that one. We heard this "day one" stuff before. Rarely do we see action on any of it. A President Edwards would be too involved with the dancing to worry about health care. Got to dance.
Just more hot air from a desperate candidate.
Posted by peter at September 17, 2007 08:13 AMYour worst nightmare candidate!
Posted by Seven of Six at September 17, 2007 08:15 AMJohn Edwards is a fake. Congress get no health care ? Who is Edwards trying to kid?
Posted by john at September 17, 2007 08:45 AMSeems like a dumb thing to say since he doesn't have the power to do it. Would a President Edwards' health care plan cover Elizabeth's pre-existing cancer?
We're not really allowed to say this out loud, but I think I would have a lot of trouble voting for someone whose spouse will most likely die during his first term in office. Grieving widower raising two young grieving children? I don't see how he can give running the country his full attention.
Posted by CG at September 17, 2007 08:54 AMYour worst nightmare candidate!
No, sorry but outside of Biden that would fall to the pandering corporatist Hillary.
Just look at the outline of her health plan. Trying to cover *most* people while preserving the power of the private insurance industry.
We need bold new leadership, not more of the same band-aid fixes that try to make everyone a little bit happy. It won't freaking work.
Posted by Simp at September 17, 2007 09:10 AMMy worst nightmare would be Ron Paul as president. Try supporting him, there are no winners on the Democrat's side.
Posted by peter at September 17, 2007 09:10 AMright-wingers fear Edwards the most
so keep on tapping your foot, pants-pissing peter
Posted by Gay Veteran at September 17, 2007 09:11 AMCG, my husband died at age 48, and I have to say that what you said is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in ages. I took a week off work, and then got on with life, because that's the only choice there is. Being president or spouse of a president doesn't shelter a person from all crises that happen on the personal side. Look at how Hillary coped when the shit hit the fan about Monica. That had to be almost as stressful as losing Bill would have been. But she managed quite well, and I admire that about her. No, crises hit, you deal with them and continue with life.
I expect this proposal of Edwards has the other candidates shitting their pants, because they know that this is gong to be wildly popular with us out here in the hinterland. He might just have a chance of getting it passed because it could cause a firestorm by the voters if it didn't. Look at how unpopular Congress is already.
I'm thinking about how a poll or two show Edwards actually doing better than Hillary when placed against some of the front-runner Repub candidates. This proposal of Edwards could just bring in a lot more indie support for him that isn't showing up in the usual polls. What's funny is that Edwards does it without being Republican-lite. That little nugget is over-looked but significant.
But, sure, I'm certain that Hillary/Obama/supporters won't like the proposal just because it came from Edwards.
Posted by Julie at September 17, 2007 09:28 AMHmmm...i guess he talked to Nancy about the house agenda....
Focus on iraq war situation on day 1...i say to my president! she will do that.
Posted by mp at September 17, 2007 09:37 AMJulie:
You are wrong. Congress gets health care coverage period. It is mandated by the constistution. It is just garbage talk by Edwards to make himself look good.
Posted by john at September 17, 2007 09:54 AMCG, my husband died at age 48, and I have to say that what you said is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in ages. I took a week off work, and then got on with life, because that's the only choice there is. Being president or spouse of a president doesn't shelter a person from all crises that happen on the personal side.
Julie, I'm sorry for your loss. My sister's husband died at age 49 when their kids were 5 and 10 years old. She went on too, because as you said, there's no choice. That doesn't mean she could have run a country. Of course anything can happen to anyone in the White House, but this is something we know is likely. And I don't criticize Edwards' decision to run after his wife's cancer returned. That's their choice and I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It's also my choice to choose someone else for the job. If he gets the nomination, I'll support him. If I thought he was head and shoulders above the other candidates, I might vote for him in the primary. But there are other candidates I'd be happy with.
Posted by CG at September 17, 2007 09:54 AMIt is mandated by the constistution.
Really? Where exactly?
Posted by snark at September 17, 2007 10:25 AMI wouldn't think it's in the Constitution, but more a mandate from an earlier legislation. Either way, a President Edwards will not be in a position to take their coverage away, seperation of powers and all. CG does have some valid concerns about Elizabeth Edwards. God forbid that she fall ill and die while he's in office. It's been a while since a First Lady has died in office.
Posted by peter at September 17, 2007 10:40 AMI wouldn't think it's in the Constitution,...
But John seemed so sure of himself.
...but more a mandate from an earlier legislation.
Yeah, something to do with making sure that we have an effectively operating federal government. Imagine it. Mandating that federal government employees have to participate in the FEHB so that they have regular access to healthcare, don't get sick unnecessarily and are able to perform their jobs efficiently.
Revolutionary!
Posted by snark at September 17, 2007 10:58 AMGod forbid that she fall ill and die while he's in office. It's been a while since a First Lady has died in office.
Statistically, only 20% of people with her diagnosis are alive five years later (from what I've read). Of course, every cancer is different and every person is different. I hope she beats the odds. That family has been through enough.
Posted by CG at September 17, 2007 11:46 AMGod forbid that Bill Clinton be distracted from ..er...performing his duties while dallying with cigars and a girl's privates, then further distracted from his duties by an impeachment. It's all relative, you see.
Posted by Julie at September 17, 2007 12:02 PMJulie, surely you don't wish to equate the two. A personal loss verses and personal pleasure/fault. To me, there's quite a difference, but I'm sure it's the way we're wired. While it might be nice or some fun to play with your wife or girl friend(for the single guy) in such places. Doing something like that behind your wife's back in that place is really not appropriate, but, that's a personal standard.
Posted by peter at September 17, 2007 12:40 PMSeems like a dumb thing to say since he doesn't have the power to do it.
He can end it with an Executive Order. It's just a benefit, not compensation. If he really wants them to shit their pants he can end all lobbyist contributions with an Executive Order. Don't think he can do it? Remember Ray-gun and the Air Traffic controllers in the 80's.
Posted by phidipides at September 17, 2007 01:06 PMI see that Hillary's plan would require everyone to have healthcare insurance, but would only help people to fund it by giving them tax breaks. Personally, I think that if the government is going to require it, they should provide it, and at an affordable cost, indexed to income. Sometimes you have to wonder if these pols even understand how many people live from one paycheck to the next paycheck. I see this time around Hillary made effort to make the plan simple, easy to understand, which is good.
I don't know many of the details of Edwards' plan, but enough to know that I don't agree with all of it, either.
President Julie's healthcare plan would have been to provide a very basic plan, no frills, at an extremely affordable cost (like about a fifth of the going cost today), and those who want or need more than the basics would be free to go out and buy it. It would also include co-pays to help keep down hypchondriac costs. Same would be available to employers, who would be able to buy the government plan for their employess if they wished, and could go out in the marketplace and buy the extras. Brought to you by Julie for President.
Posted by Julie at September 17, 2007 01:20 PMDoing something like that behind your wife's back in that place is really not appropriate, but, that's a personal standard.
I like the way your standards have become like your underwear: Changeable at some point in the future depending on how bad the personal smell becomes. Impeach Clinton, but scum like Vitter are just fine because it's a personal issue. You republi-cons are -for lack of a better word- scum.
phidipides - not to mention that getting a blowjob is much more serious than lying a country into a war of aggression
Posted by gay veteran at September 17, 2007 06:12 PM