Posted on 07/09/2004 8:32:14 AM PDT by crushkerry
We’re going to hear a lot about two different Americas over the next four months. Yes, it will be tedious. It will be painful. It will make our bowels clench. I suspect come about Halloween we’ll want to wring John, Jr’s pretty little neck, we’ll have heard so much about the Two Americas.
Until yesterday, I’d never actually listened to or read the speech the junior partner of The Johns is so famous for. So I went to the still-active johnedwards2004.com and did so for the first time. It’s surprisingly short on detailed descriptions of these two nations in which we live, except he does say that the really cool America is populated mostly by rich white guys who hang out by the pool and talk to their stock brokers on their cell phones. And the really crappy America has no health insurance, really bad schools, no house, no cars, etc. Neither of these describes me, which begs the question: which America do I live in?
Here’s how John, Jr. sees this land of ours:
Now, aside from their sheer, unfiltered class warfare (not to mention Marxism), the only thing noteworthy about these words is that they don’t represent the America I see every day. Rest assured I’m not some wealthy capitalist pig or privileged son of a family fortune. Nor am I impoverished. I’d have to say I’m somewhere in the middle and, hopefully, on my way up. But just for fun, let’s compare my life to the two America’s upon which John, Jr. has founded his political career.
One America that does the work, another America that reaps the reward.
I certainly do a lot of work. Too much for my wife’s liking. But I work so hard for the very reason that I am rewarded for it. Suffice it to say I wouldn’t work so hard if I got nothing out of it. Or I’d find another place to work.
One America that pays the taxes, another America that gets the tax breaks.
Here again, I pay a lot in taxes, though probably a paltry sum by Ter-AH-za’s standards (sadly, we may never know, because she won’t make her tax returns public.) But I’m also going to get some pretty cool tax breaks this year. My wife and I bought a house, so we’ll be able to deduct the interest and we’ve got a baby coming in about a week, so we’ll get a child tax credit (hey, our little girl is already earning her keep … no thanks to John Kerry who repeatedly voted against the child tax credit.) So I pay a lot in taxes AND I’m going to get some tax breaks. Does that put me in the cool America or the real stinky one?
One America that will do anything to leave its children a better life, another America that never has to do a thing because its children are already set for life.
Now this is just silly. Middle class honkies like me can have it both ways. Sure, I need to work my butt off to give my little baby girl an optimistic future, but there’s lots of things I can do (and am doing) to help her get a running start. For example, my wife and I set up a 529 college savings plan. That way we’re not working for the money, we’re letting our money work for us … made all the better by a revived economy and stock market. Here again, I’m not sure which America John Edwards thinks I live in, but neither of the two America’s he mentions really fits.
One America -- middle-class America - whose needs Washington has long forgotten, another America - narrow-interest America - whose every wish is Washington's command.
Well now, I’m firmly ensconced in the middle-class, but that doesn’t mean the government has forgotten about me. In fact, they routinely harass me for more money and in the past year both the IRS and the Comptroller of Maryland has tried to claim I didn’t pay my taxes in 2002 … which of course I did … and had to prove to each of these bureaus of well-mannered thugs … twice. So don’t tell me, Mr. Edwards, that the government has forgotten about me. Or if you insist on claiming the government has forgotten about me, come by my house sometime and I’ll be happy to show you the threatening letters from your benign government. Then I’ll show you my tax returns and you can see those tax collecting goons aren’t quite so loving – or even competition – as you think.
One America that is struggling to get by, another America that can buy anything it wants, even a Congress and a President.
My wife and I are cutting down to one income and adding a new mouth to feed. We’ve whittled down the family budget. I’m going to have to get by with fewer cigars. She’s going to have to cut back on the furniture sprees. But we’re hardly “struggling to get by.” We even have enough left over to make small (very small, I assure you) contributions to the RNC, Bush-Cheney ’04, and a couple of our favorite Senators and Congressmen; not enough to buy Congress or the Presidency – and certainly no where near the millions the trial lobby has given Mr. Edwards, but I feel like part of the process.
Needless to say, my reading of John Edwards’ “Two Americas” rant was underwhelming at best, insulting at worst. Presented as a man-of-the-people rhetorical device, the “Two Americas” mantra is actually a deeply out-of-touch chimera that neglects a biggest portion of Americas … middle class guys like me who only see the government when it comes asking for more money.
Now I know why Edwards and his liberal pals have such a warped view of our country, our economy, our values and the intangible sense of who we are. There’s a whole other America out here about which he has no clue.
Ping
And what does he remember of struggling from paycheck to paycheck, I wonder?
I loved the title. Many years ago (when dinosaurs ruled the earth) I went to a Model UN at Yale. Harvard was the Peoples Republic of China, Yale was the Soviet Union and there was one guy from a small liberal arts college who represented Poland.
When we voted on a resolution, the guy representing Poland stood up and called out to Yalies "Comrades! How do I vote?"
Priceless
as usual, great post.
And, because I am with you, I wonder which America I live in also....
This speech is not what the dems mean by dividing the country is it??
hmmmmmm I wonder
Excellent!!
I don't live in either of the 2 Americas Mr. Edwards speaks of, I especially resent the tax insinuations.
I live in the bright shining city on the hill, where if I want, I can do anything I want.
You might want to pick up the National Review (maybe it's online) article about the democrat slogan "two americas." The rats' slogan is actually from a poem written by a man who advocated marxism/socialism....(his name escapes me) but WFBuckley, Jr. wrote an interesting and excellent commentary about how inept the Kerry camp is/was in not doing their research on the "two americas" slogan.....before the bathroom Johns used it....
Our site was actually the first to report that on May, 20, 2004, as you can see HERE
Hmmm...I'm in both those categories. Oh well, maybe things will get clearer; let's go on...
One America that pays the taxes, another America that gets the tax breaks.
OK, I pay a lot of taxes, but haven't seen any breaks, other than I get to write my mortgage off. Next....
One America that will do anything to leave its children a better life, another America that never has to do a thing because its children are already set for life.
No kids, so I guess that doesn't apply, except that I don't get any tax breaks because I don't have kids...
One America -- middle-class America - whose needs Washington has long forgotten, another America - narrow-interest America - whose every wish is Washington's command.
I would have to agree with that. Just look at the NEA, the trial lawyers, and every other special interest group. Carry on...
One America that is struggling to get by, another America that can buy anything it wants, even a Congress and a President.
Hmmmm....this coming from two guys with a combined worth of perhaps billions?
This just proves again that Democrats are in a time warp. They can't get off of 1940's politics. They love to play the poor against rich game..It is getting very old.
The only thing he ever struggled with is finding another doctor to sue.
Cordially,
A mark of quality, I think. :)
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