Post #339 Free John Edwards! Pt. II :p

Whatever happened to limiting the size and scope of the federal government?

The problem with the trial of John Edwards is that the prosecution is putting the cart BEFORE the horse. No crime was committed. The prosecution is using the court system to retroactively change the definition of what is a campaign contribution. There is no 'Edwards' rule, making it illegal for a pregnant mistress of a candidate to get a gift. Now, I'd support such a rule, but that rule needs to be deliberated, passed and written. Let's follow the law, shall we?

Call me ol' fashioned, but, if I ran a stop sign, I'd expect to be charged with running a stop sign -- not a traffic violation complete with a jury trial to determine who benefited from my running of a stop sign. That is the problem: Edwards violated no law, there is no rule about running a stop sign -- to continue the tale. But he is being charged with a traffic violation complete with a jury trial to determine who benefited from him running of a stop sign.

We ought to reject this kind of judicial activism that will lead to who-knows-what-all. I say letting the government get away with using the court system to retroactively change the definition of what is a campaign contribution is more dangerous than letting Edwards get away with soliciting "hush money" to hide his pregnant mistress. The proper way "to get tough" is through the legislative branch. Hopefully, the jury will do the right thing, limit the federal government's reach and end this madness!

What we are left with is private citizens X and Y gave gifts -- and paid gift taxes on those gifts, by the way -- to private citizen Z. No money went to Edwards or his campaign. Edwards, a slimy sleezeball, played by the rules as they were written at the time. It's time to move on.

Did Edward do "wrong?" Of course -- and he will be hounded to his unmarked grave. Edwards had sex with a woman other than his dying wife and then long refused to acknowledge the child that resulted. But his life is over, public and private. He will never go to the Angus Barn -- THE place to eat in Raleigh -- in peace again, and Domino's Pizza will not deliver to his house, and he will hear the taunts from the playground:
"Ma Ma, where's my pa?"
"NOT in the White House, ha ha ha!"

The everlasting shame of John Edwards is that there really are two Americas but no one will address that for another generation....