Posted by
The Gadfly on Thursday, February 28, 2008 6:21:02 AM
A few months back, I read an AP wire story about parting comments presidential candidate John Edwards made, as he pulled the plug on his bid for the Democratic nod. An anecdote he offered made me so mad, I wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper to ask why no one in the press questioned Edwards' ridiculous (and I believe concocted) story. The newspaper never printed my letter.
Once upon a time, John Edwards told an audience that he was on the way to give his supporters his farewell speech, when he saw some homeless people living under a bridge. He stopped his vehicle, got out, spoke to several of them and was emotionally moved by the encounter. As Edwards returned to his car, he recalled one woman said to him, "Remember us, please." Mr. Edwards drove to his destination and gave his speech, which included the story of his encounter under the bridge. He reassured his supporters both Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama had pledged to fight poverty, if elected to office.
Here is where the rubber meets the road in incredulity on the campaign trail in 2008. Granted John Edwards had about as much chance of being elected president as do the Dixie Chicks. But the fact that the media, in general, rarely ever questions these types of stories offered by the Democrats, gives rise to further outcry from conservatiives about liberal bias in the media.
Two distinct impressions were intended for the reader of that AP story on Edwards, if no questions were ever raised in the article (which they were not): 1) Democratic candidates reach out to the needy, and 2) Democratic candidates have good intentions to help the poor, if elected. As a conservative, I know this is a partial truth if, in fact, the story Mr. Edwards told was not a complete fabrication.
Imagine for a moment that you were the person passing those homeless people under the bridge, instead of someone hoping to curry favor with a political party. Perhaps you have seen a homeless person in your travels and felt compassion for them. I know I have. Let's examine for a moment some probable responses in this scenario:
1) You ignore the person.
2) You roll down the window and drop money in the street.
3) You call the authorities to complain about people camping in a public thoroughfare.
4) You stop and offer to give the person something to eat, at the very least.
While there are other possible responses, these seem to be the most likely for the majority of people. Yet what does John Edwards tell us about his encounter? He stops and talks to them, then tells a story about them to others, and persuades his political allies to end poverty. Meantime, he left those homeless people under that bridge with nothing but an empty political promise.
And just what does a pledge to "end poverty" from a liberal politician usually mean? Raise taxes, increase government entitlement programs, and increase spending at the bureaucratic trough with other people's money (yours and mine.) The story offered by John Edwards is indicative of the liberal way of thinking. Instead of stopping and using his own money and resources to reach out to the homeless folks, he prefers to spend your money to help people like them.
The truth is, even if he really stopped to talk to them, John Edwards ignored those people under that bridge. Think about it. Even if a Democrat won the White House in November 2008 and was inagurated in January 2009, how much longer would it take a president to persuade Congress to pass a homeless aid package? By the time any really help might be realized, those folks under that bridge could be dead or displaced.
Aren't Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Clinton, and Mr. Obama senators? Don't they have the power of the purse strings to end poverty now? What good would the presidency gain them to end poverty other than a bully pulpit?
By the way, has anyone heard much discussion from either Clinton or Obama on ending poverty, since John Edwards dropped out? Did John remember to get that homeless woman's name so anyone could truly remember her after the elections? It may seem a trivial matter in the greater scheme of the political campaign season, but I am reminded that but for the grace of God, I might be living under that bridge someday.
If the Democrats fool the electorate and gain more power to raise taxes, we all might be.
The Gadfly
(copyright 2008, Gregory Allen Doyle)