I do not know what the arguing is about with houses but, I gather it's

about John Edwards and a home of his. I take it this has to do with the poverty thing...
While everyone is arguing, does anyone here know what it's like to be poor? To live on welfare and try to make ends meet? Try to go to school for a degree to get a job while raising children alone and having no money?
I think many have idealism mixed up with reality.
I am not a supporter of Edwards and I don't know how committed he is to helping the poor. If it's a thing to make himself look caring and populist or if it is for real. I don't really care.
When someone doesn't know if they are going to feed the kids that day and hope you can, try to pay the rent and keep a roof over your head, you really don't care who or what thier reason is for helping. You don't care if they are some politican posing to get elected or someone who is caring and wants to really help out. All you care about is food and shelter and staying safe.
If the person is rich and lives in a mansion is of no care to you. If the person is poor like you and is just helping so they can eat that night is no care to you.
It's all nice to be idealistic but, you have to sometime face reality.
I've been on both sides. I've been poor and trying to raise my 2 kids and go to school.
I've also been in social services helping those who were in the same boat as I was before.
It doesn't matter if the person helping is rich. They are helping and that is what matters.

Probably the best anyone has said on this whole silly controversy regarding his house.

I have been dirt poor. I have been homeless. I have been on welfare, food stamps, school lunch tickets... you name it.

I support a persons right to buy or build their dream home. It certainly doesn't make me lose respect for him.

I agree with what your saying- it does not matter... rich, poor... as long as your helping

for everyone to build their "dream home."

If everyone were to use even half the amount of recources and energy that is necessary to build the kind of opulent post-modern palace that Edwards will call home, or should I say homes, the planet would implode overnight.

This does in fact represent theft from future generations if you look into the entirety of it. It's appalling and the height of hypocrisy for one who chants the hollow gospel of the "two americas."

Will he be housing the homeless in his new palace?

What we're talking about here has nothing to do with rights and everything to do with privilege. It's the American Plutocracy and it's gross.

:kick:

You are so right. It's really about the helping.

When my husband was hurt he was out of work for almost two years. I couldn't work because I had to help care for him and our son who was pre-school age at the time. Workman's Comp cut off the money and we had to go after EVERY bit of public assistance we could find just to get from one month to the next. That included having church folks coming into the house. I'm an agnostic and it was excruciating when they would expect everyone to pray. I had to fake it just so I wouldn't offend them and risk not getting anything.

What I do know is that those people who see the problems with the poor and those who need the help the worst is they have a level of compassion that can't be matched.

Whether they know what it's like to be poor or not isn't the point. It's the compassion and empathy that drives them to do what they can because they care about their fellow human beings. That should be what counts.

you later on. it's so hard.

thanks.