DNC, Day 4: All Skate, Change Directions…

“Is there something on my face? I think there’s something on my face. I still look hot, don’t I?”
No, John. There’s nothing on your face. Your nose, however, is starting to grow. You might want to get that looked at.

So, let me see if I can get this straight and save us all a lot of trouble.
Tuesday night, Barack Obama says there aren’t two Americas, there is only one.
The very next day, John Edwards still maintains that there’s not just one America, there are really two.
I have no idea how many Americas John Kerry thinks there are, but you’d think he could talk to his guys to get this straightened out, don’t you?
Incidentally, I’ve always thought there were three Americas: North, Central, and South. At least, that’s what I learned in school. I thought it was pretty simple. I guess if you add Obama’s and Edwards’ answers together, they come close to getting it right.
That’s what this convention seems to be about, if you think about it: coming close to being right without really getting there.
Take John Edwards’ speech before the Democrat National Convention last night. It didn’t take long for him to drag out the “Two Americas” theme again. It would have been nice if he’d updated the speech some, but it was essentially the same “Two Americas” speech he gave in the primaries.
Were I in a position to, the first thing I’d point out to Senator Edwards is that there are NOT two Americas. There is only ONE America, and I’m damned proud to live here. One great and proud nation with as many different ideas as there are people. When Edwards starts off on his Two Americas bit, he’s really talking about one thing: class warfare.

“We can build one America where we no longer have two health care systems. One for people who get the best health care money can buy and then one for everybody else, rationed out by insurance companies, drug companies, and HMOs…”

“We have a plan that will offer everyone the same health care your Senator has. We can give tax breaks to help pay for your health care. And we will sign into law a real Patients’ Bill of Rights so you can make your own health care decisions.”

I found it odd that the Senator chose to say that he wants to give everyone the same health care that your Senator has. In fact, you know what? I can sum that up in one simple word:
Free.
Senators don’t pay anything for health care, kids. It’s a “benefit” of their “service” in the Senate. You know who pays for it? We do. You and me. So, John Edwards and John Kerry want to give the nation free health care–which means you and I will be picking up the tab.
Socialized health care. Haven’t we been here before? Yeah, we have.

“We shouldn’t have two public school systems in this country: one for the most affluent communities, and one for everybody else.”

“None of us believe that the quality of a child’s education should be controlled by where they live or the affluence of their community.”

You’re right, John. We shouldn’t. School vouchers would help with that immensely, but you and your crew are against that.
Let’s look at how Edwards debunked the favorite and biggest lie of the left, though:

“So now you ask how are we going to pay for this? Well, here’s how we’re going to pay for it. Let me be very clear, for 98 percent of Americans, you will keep your tax cut–that’s 98 percent. But we’ll roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, close corporate loopholes, and cut government contractors and wasteful spending.”

Did you see it there? Did you see Edwards’ mistake?
“Let me be very clear, for 98 percent of Americans, you will keep your tax cut–that’s 98 percent.”
Wait a second…I thought that only the rich got a tax cut from George W. Bush? That’s what I’ve been hearing for over a year–that the President only gave a tax cut to the wealthiest Americans. John Edwards just admitted in front of the world that everyone got a tax cut, and hardly anybody noticed it.
The theme of John Edwards’ speech toward the end was “hope is on the way.” He must have used it five times. The problem, Senator, is the American people want–and deserve–far more than just mere hope. They want help and that’s a far different thing.
John Edwards gave us a lot of lines and ideas on what they want to do and gave plenty of hope. He did not give any details or tell us how they were actually going to do any of this stuff and provide actual help to Americans.
Although his presentation was outstanding, John Edwards proved in last night’s speech that he’s towing the same old Liberal line, and it’s far from hopeful.
William Smith
ConservativeBlogger.com