Contrast with another Democratic Senator running for president who talks a good game empathizing with “The People” struggling to keep their homes, but was invested in a Hedge Fund whose portfolio companies created these sub-prime loans and later fore…

Whether Edwards can cure what ails the economic fortunes of so many Americans, remains very doubtful. However, he does the one thing absolulety essential if we are to avoid an even bigger backlash to current economic mechanisms than the rising protectionist sentiments of today, he highlights what needs to be fixed.

The contrary mode of denying that we have serious problems is the best way to ensure rash and inapproptiate adjustments.

New Orleans symbolizes the failures of our economy. The money spent so far, was not community specific, and much likfe occupying Iraq without understanding how Iraq could function, a lot of dollars have been wasted without understanding how New Orleans could function.
The heart of the community, the working poor home owners, have not been served, for example, and rubble has replaced the tidy homes of yore.
This economic class of people was pushed aside, in favor of another, the developers and investors.
Had there been no class war, the two could have reached solutions beneficial to both.

The reason the investment markets of the U.S., Europe and Asia have been going bananas lately is because of how pervasive investment in financial institutions that have become involved in one way or another in sub-prime loans has become. They’ve been packaged, re-sold, converted into more general investment funds and then sold to everybody and their brothers in the financial world. If Ace has a 401K he’s probably invested in it.

You also say that

Besides, there is not a class war going on at all. Equality, as meant in the US Constitution, stands for equality in God’s eyes, and equality for the law. Not equality of condition. It is time that Edwards and his followers understand this.

I’m sorry but that is one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve seen you make on American politics. Do you really think that a viable representative republic can thrive when the middle class is shrinking, many of the people still in it fear for their financial security and the upper economic classes deny that there is any kind of problem at all because the GDP is good and the average numbers are looking OK?

Check out how successful Venezuela has been with the model that has a small hyper-wealthy class, a so-so middle class and lots of people in poverty. Oh, yeah. Some demagogue named Hugo Chavez came along and lied about lots of things but told the truth about the relations between the upper and lower classes. And because of that people who had lots of justifiable resentment made the terrible error of being willing to give him far too much power.

While I don’t think we will go that far to pretend that everything’s just fine for everyone in the United States economically so long as they aren’t lazy bums will only go so far.

Due to the complexity of the markets and the ubiquity of mortgage backed securities, lots of people have investments in this area that they may or may not be aware of. And due to those same issues, good luck completely divesting of them and still having an investment portfolio that does not involve cash stuffed in one’s mattress.

I am willing to give Mr. Edwards the benefit of the doubt for a little while while he shows us what he means by “I intend to help these people.”

I’d like to have a definition of what exactly, in honest detail, is “equality in God’s eyes.” But more importantly I’d be interested in anyone’s take on what Christianity’s role is on “equality,” (if indeed the Constitution should be interpreted in light of God’s design) or if it means the same as “social justice” and if so, how that might be interepreted and implemented.

I am no longer a “believer,” and in the light of the question of God’s contribution to the US Consitution, would suggest “God on Trial” by Peter Irons. However, I do enjoy theological writings and love Marcus Borg’s ideas of what Jesus was about: compassion, social justice, and the breaking-down of unjust power structures that divide people.

If someone doesn’t think there is a problem of “classes” in America, visit your local “Caring Place” or equivalent, or homeless shelter, and talk to some of these folks directly. Read “Nickled and Dimed” if it’s too far to the local shelter.

“Divestment” seems to be in the paper a lot recently, this morning’s news about Romney’s “blind funds” supporting stem-cell research companies. Hypocritical? None of the politicians have much “moral imperative” in my view, it’s only when they begin to claim some moral or ethical superiority that my voting pen begins to shake. It’s what I love about being an independent, and it’s why I love this political blog site.

Thank you for your blog posts and for being willing to contribute and listen.