Senator John Edwards : Passion and Strength!

When it comes to politics, I rarely discuss particular candidates in public. Sure, I have expressed my general disgust with how government as a whole is broken, how our tax policy is ludicrously complex and broken, how our foreign policy is broken, our energy and trade policies are in shambles, and so on. But, to date, I have never mentioned supporting any one candidate over any other.

But, after just watching the ABC / Facebook televised debate on TV, and after sitting through the entire debate (watching both sides with care: Republicans and Democrats alike), this has finally changed. Perhaps it is a bit coincidental that I am going to break with tradition (of not discussing candidate particulars here), and change, at the same time that the overwhelming first-tier "issue" of choice that Democratic candidates are running on is "change", especially Edwards and Obama.

At the end of today's debate, I came away with a a strong feeling that former Senator John Edwards is the candidate that best represents me and the way I think. John Edwards demonstrated an unwavering passion and personal drive to take on what is most broken in our government and political system, which is: the overarching and disproportional influence that special interest groups and corporate lobbyists have on government policy, and how that influence has been anything but helpful to the typical United States citizen or the long-term well-being of this great country.

I am so sick of feeling that, within this supposed democracy where each vote is to count equally, that my vote, and the vote of all my friends with similar views, even if combined and focused precisely on one issue, currently can not even begin to compare to the "vote" that the special interest groups and corporate / industry lobby groups get -- where their "vote" is magnified and distorted by the corrupting effect that money, gifts, and promises of future employment, contracts, money, power, grants, favors, and the like. How can my vote compare??

I hold a firm belief that the founding fathers of the United States of America would be ashamed, embarrassed, and far beyond just disappointed by what has become of this otherwise great Democracy as individuals' votes have lost nearly all meaning in comparison to the power of the few (through corporations and such). It is time we elect someone that is not afraid to stand up to the the force which rots democracies from the inside out: high-finance special interest and corporate lobbies, and the Washington "revolving door" between positions in government and lobbying firms (and corporate board rooms).

I simply want to feel like my vote actually counts! And, unless I see any other candidates with the same personal passion to take on this mess that we currently accept as our government, I can not consider another option as long as Senator John Edwards remains in the race.

I will be wishing Senator Edwards the best, because I can't help thinking that, just due to the fact his stated mission is to go against the Washington lobbying and special interest "machine", he will be facing an uphill battle as that same machine will try anything to dissuade voters from putting a guy in the office of President that could possibly wage war on their livelihood and the existing gravy-train they have going. I can't help thinking that the big money and corporate interests behind the mainstream media will also do whatever is necessary to "marginalize Edwards" by keeping media coverage to a minimum (unless negative) and so forth.

This country needs a change, and I think John Edwards has the foundation I am looking for. Is he perfect? Surely not. Does he represent me and all my thinking, probably not. Does John Edwards have the strength and passion to lead the United States into the future and reverse a political course that has nearly destroyed the middle class: certainly!

Can he succeed with his objective to remove the special interest and lobby group impact in Washington and politics - well, he's the best hope we have, and sadly even as "President John Edwards", he will still need to convince a large number of Senators and Congressmen to go along with his plans for change, when those same Senators and Congressmen are surely going to be the target of a lobbying push like never before! (and, fact is, if lobbyists can't buy the White House, they'll focus all their efforts at preventing any sort of real and meaningful change in the form of anti-lobbying legislation from ever making it through the halls of Congress to where President Edwards would ever have the chance to sign it into law).

Senator Edwards: I'm backing you, and you currently have my vote, which I hope will help offset those special interests at least in some small part!