Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging thinktanker, aspiring novelist, "tribal elder", 2019 parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, "Speedboat", "The Cockroach", eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
Saturday, 29 December 2007
John Edwards?
He's the best of the bunch on the Democratic side. But that is not necessarily saying very much, considering that one of that field is Her, the vicar on earth of Mr NAFTA, Mr GATT, Mr Triangulation, Mr Bomber Of Belgrade. And just how much of an economic populist is Edwards, really? Just how much of a moral and social conservative, really? Just how clearly an opponent as much of coercive utopianism and world government as of isolationism and laissez faire, and vice versa, really? The answers to these questions add up to the answer to the big question: is he really the man for 2012?
John Edwards is at least talking about reforming the insane "free trade" policies that have resulted in a massive U.S. trade deficit with China. With a fiery populist message, Edwards is getting back to the labor traditions of the Democratic Party.
ReplyDeleteDuring the Clinton years, Democrats moved much closer to the Republican Party on economic matters. This shift resulted in an increasing focus on the differences between the parties on social issues.
Edwards is running as a social liberal but at least his nomination might help to restore a Democratic coalition built more along the lines of economic populism. Moral traditonalists might once again be more at home with the Democrats as the emphasis on the social issues might be somewhat diminished.
I hope that you are right.
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