I live less than a mile from Elizabeth and John Edwards. All three of us are currently in Iowa campaigning for presidential candidates– they of course for Edwards, and I for a far superior candidate.
While reading the latest issue of The Economist, I noticed Elizabeth Edwards trying to give out some pearls of wisdom regarding Mike Huckabee.
“He seems like a nice charming guy. He doesn’t believe in evolution and has some nutty views about what it is we should do about ending violence in our inner city– we should make sure all of our young people are armed. Republicans scare me.”
Way to condemn about 30% of the entire American public, Elizabeth. That’s an impressive way to introduce a new spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation into American politics! No wonder people are going nuts for Michelle Obama. I like EE, and I feel sorry for her with her health problems. Usually I even like her snide comments, and I side with her over Ann Coulter every time.
Edwards’ comments also concern me because according to a local police officer, from the very police force that would respond if the Edwards family called 911 from their home, the town would be safer if everyone had a concealed carry permit. That doesn’t mean (as Edwards misstates it) that untrained “young people” would be “armed”– it means that law abiding citizens should take a course in how to properly handle a gun and how to act in self-defense. Criminals would know that their victims just might fight back. Wouldn’t that actually help lower crime in inner cities?
Apparently, Elizabeth Edwards thinks not only is this idea “nutty,” but her local Carrboro/Chapel Hill police force is “nutty” as well for promoting this idea to citizens. I’m going out on a limb here, but I think that police officers may know a little more about crime (and what can prevent it) than a career attorney (and now politician’s wife) like Elizabeth Edwards.
Tags: Elizabeth Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards Mike Huckabee, Elizabeth Edwards Republicans, concealed carry crime, guns crime
I think condemning only 30% of the American public is pretty generous. I would try for about 70%. But then I’m not trying to land a gig as First Lady.
Guy
December 31st, 2007
Wow … talk about damning with faint praise.
You agree with EE over Ann Coulter? I’m guessing that she won’t be putting that endorsement on the back of her book.
Wickle
January 1st, 2008
“She” as in Elizabeth Edwards?
How could one not agree with Elizabeth Edwards over Ann Coulter? Coulter is just too abrasive and insulting with how she acts (although it does pay off financially for her), although I have found myself agreeing with her on a few subjects and points she makes, such as immigration. She’s also just too supportive of Mitt Romney for my tastes.
I believe there has been a group of renegade GOPers who have called for Coulter to be dis-invited from the CPAC conference after she became the main story with her insulting comments for each of the last two years, distracting from the real issues and point of the conference.
libertariangirl
January 1st, 2008
Roughly 30% of the American public has an IQ less than 92. Do you want them performing surgery on your gallbladder, or structuring your retirement investment portfolio? Especially if their expertise in those matters is what they get from sermons?
I don’t either, and the opinions of ignorant people — especially the unintelligent — should have no influence on what is taught as science. As it is, evolution is the single most powerful unifying principle of biology. Evolution has huge effects on agriculture, which is ironically a “red state” forté. Failing to teach biology in general and evolution in particular will saddle this country with a disadvantage compared to those which put facts above dogma. That list includes China.
That’s one of the things that worries me about Ron Paul. He’s obviously sincere about what he says, and when he says he “doesn’t believe” in evolution, we can take him at his word. It’s bad enough having government sex education policy screwed up to serve a dogmatic religious faction, we can’t afford to have all science education at risk too.
The question is, can Ron Paul be educated? Is he willing to listen? If not, no matter how much he wants to do good, he could be a disaster worse than Bush.
“The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by mean of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.” — Justice Louis O. Brandeis
Engineer-Poet
January 1st, 2008
America has way too many not-smart people, that’s for sure. However, I’d say that just because your IQ isn’t high doesn’t mean that you’re not attempting to gather knowledge. There are some very book-smart people out there (for instance, Paul Krugman) who just can’t string some simple facts together and come to the right conclusion.
I wasn’t talking about evolution, and in fact, I would say that way more than 30% of the American public does not believe in evolution. They may not be young Earth creationists, but they just haven’t learned the science involved yet. I was referring to her general condemnations of Republicans and her classification of those who believe in concealed carry laws, which includes 38 of the 50 states, as “nutty.”
I have to disagree that China puts “facts above dogma,” because the Communist party line still holds a central position in schooling and in general Chinese society. They may do better as far as science schooling goes, for the middle class at least.
I believe Ron Paul has said that while he personally does not believe in evolution, he accepts that science thinks so and does not think that schools should be told what to teach by those who don’t know what they’re talking about. He didn’t raise his hand as not believing in evolution at the one debate. There’s a difference between being open-minded on the subject and thinking that evolution shouldn’t be taught in college-level biology classes.
Bush doesn’t believe in evolution, I’m pretty sure. I doubt Ron Paul would make some of the decisions Bush has made in regards to scientific endeavours.
Unlike Bush, Ron Paul seems very open to ideas and willing to listen.
libertariangirl
January 1st, 2008
Oh, make no mistake … i would certainly favor Ms. Edwards over Ms. Coulter.
But that’s about as high praise as saying I’d rather talk to her than be bit by a rattlesnake.
Wickle
January 1st, 2008