Who Cares about Us?
by Paul & Sarah Edwards
Visit us at MiddleClassLifeboat.com
The Presidential primaries are sizzling right now and that’s good for us! Right now there are actually nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat contests within both parties and no clear winners in sight. This means that at least until February 5th, when 23 states will hold a caucus or primary, we in the middle class have a better chance than usual to scrutinize the candidates to see if the middle-class concerns, hopes and fears matter to them.
Do any of them care about us? Some pundits say none of them really do, that they’re all too beholden to industry lobbyists and mega corporate donors. Yet some candidates are saying they do care. Some have expressed concerns about the rising pressures we’re facing, our dwindling numbers and the growing gap between the rich and the poor. But do they really care, or are such comments only spins and convenient sound bites thrown out because they know we still make up most of American voters?
We’ve each got to determine for ourselves who, if anyone, really care and we have to do it right now because February 5th is less than a month away. So how can we get beneath the spin? Well … first
First we can notice, are we even on their radar? Do they mention us? How often? Are these comments simply asides or addressed to a constituency that’s important to them?
Next, do they express concern about our needs for quality affordable health care, a strong economy, creating jobs, quality education, working conditions, a secure retirement, etc?
Then we must scrutinize their record. What have they actually done about these issues in the roles up to now?
Additionally, we need to consider how they are running their campaigns. Who are their campaign supporters? Where are they getting their campaign funds from?
Finally, of course, we have to be sure we get out to vote, but even before that , we need to spread the word about the candidates we think care about us and do what we can to be sure those the folks we know vote too.
Now is the time!!!
Share your thoughts here. Which candidate(s) have you concluded cares about the middle class? What have you learned about them that has convinced you they care?
January 10th, 2008 at 11:51 am
IMO, the best candidate in terms of safeguarding middle-class interests HAS to be John Edwards. A few months back he was the ONLY one of the top three who was talking about us at all! From the beginning of his campaign Edwards talked a great deal about how there are “two Americas” in terms of education , healthcare, and financial and retirement security and about his intention to create One America as president. When Obama and Hillary saw how well people were responding to John’s populist campaign, they stole parts of it and are now talking about it, too.
The other unique thing about the Edwards campaign is that is accepting no PAC money or corporate donations. It is being funded totally by individuals who support John, so as President, Edwards would be beholden to no one except the voters who put him there.
January 11th, 2008 at 8:09 am
I believe the 2000 Election taught all Americans a hard lesson, whether middle class or not, and that is you can’t take your vote for granted, nor should you be careless with it. Every vote really does count and it would have been a very different America now if the count had tipped in Gore’s favor over Bush’s — just ever so slightly! Wow, 8 years of the wrong person in office can do an extraordinary amount of damage. The most significant damage for Americans may just be the reputation we now have in much of the world, due to the vendetta the junior Bush has pursued on behalf of the senior Bush.
I have been a democrat all my voting life because the candidates of that party always seemed to focus more on domestic issues than international, which is where the lives of most of the middle class are lived. I in fact just took a quick survey at: http://shouldyoubepresident.com to see which candidate is most aligned to my beliefs, and the results were solidly democratic (interestingly enough, Guiliani’s platform came up 0 on the issues that matter to me!). Based on my answers, Clinton, Obama, and Richardson are most aligned with my political beliefs — all tied on this issues-in-a-nutshell test.
So one important question to consider regarding my vote in the primary is who do I really believe is the most electable democrat? And the second is, who do I feel confident would be able to handle the extraordinary demands of this office, once elected?
The answers to both those questions for me is Hillary Clinton. She may not be the best orator, but she has proven to me she is a doer — someone who can get a job done — as her healthcare proposal during her husband’s presidency showed. And I believe she has the compassion and passion to do for the greater good, for the most part. She has also proven that she can handle extraordinary pressure with grace, a sense of dignity, focus, and perseverance.
The youth and earnestness of Obama and Edwards may be attractive, but they were quite unattractive last Saturday night in the debate when they ganged up on Hillary in typical male dominance fashion. While Obama turned many heads with his victory in Iowa, which was truly remarkable and inspiring, the “change” Americans need most is the wind propelling Hillary Clinton’s wings, IMO. She has my vote not JUST because she’s a female, but because she’s a female aligned with my political beliefs, and has the character to stand strong, tall, and intelligent in office.
January 13th, 2008 at 11:56 am
As a Canadian observor perhaps I can shed a different perspective on the election of a U.S. president. First of all given the election process established for the past 50 years or more, the candidates “buy” their way into the White House.
To other countries, the U.S. is viewed as a nation that prides itself on the accumulation of wealth and success. In other words if you have enough money you are deemed a success, and with America’s addiction to celebrities, if you have wealth and “star” status you make the newspaper headlines. The pursuit of the “American Dream” however has become it’s worst nightmare. Check out the growth of rehab centres, the shrinking of the middle class, the foreclosures, the increased crime and violence, and the 47 million Americans suffering from illness and disease because they are too poor to have health insurance.
When Obama reached $25 million in campaign contributions, he made the headlines and was immediately elevated to the rank of a possible conteneder. Conversley if you have “star” power, and no money, you are still classified as a “loser”. What is broken in America is the political process, where money is equated to power and power is equated to success. Oprah has money and “star” status, so when she gets behind Obama he is suddenly elevated in the minds of the American people.
Other countries view America as a “narccistic”, spoiled child, and a bully who always gets what he wants. Bush Jnr. has spent the last 8 years proving all of the rest of the world right.
Make no mistake Obama and Clinton have both bought votes. Only 3% of American indivudals actually give to political campaigns, that leaves 97% to come from major corporate contributions and self interest groups. The truth is, and the truth hurts, Wall Street is in bed with the White Hous and the White House is in bed with Wall Street.
I do feel that it will take a fundamental shift in the way Americans are elected to congress and the white house. But that requires a tsunami of change to come from the middle class. The gap between the rich and poor in America has never been greater.
The poor have no money, therefore no power. The rich have money and the power. The middle class have a voice and a little money. The “Middle Class” revoltion is the only hope. This is America’s wake up call. Take the campaigns away from the candidates and their managers. Politicals strategists will alway advise candidates to say “what people want to hear them say”.
According to the Center for Public Integrity we are at the lowest level of trust of governments and companies since the 1930’s.
Americans need to start thinking about who they are and what they have become.
The middle class have become it’s greatest losers and subsequently “its’ greatest hope”. You have strength in numbers and a reason to be passionate about your cause. Start a “grass roots” movement that personifies truth, honesty and success measured in values, integrity, and compassion, rather than money and power. That is America’s only hope. The Dalai Lama has said that it will take 8-10 years for America to change, let’s hope it is within our lifetime and the lifetime of our grandchildren. Let the revolution begin!