John Edwards….Radical

In a session talking to the Washington Post last week the real radicalism of John Edwards’s views on poverty came out.  In the interview Edwards said that he wants to make work pay, increasing the minimum wage and reducing the tax burden on lower wage workers. He wants to give low income people a chance to build assets and curb predatory lending.  He wants give every student who’s willing to work for it a chance to go to college.  He wants guarantee health care for everyone. Take a look:

More than any other candidate, Edwards has made policies to increase economic fairness and opportunity the center piece of his campaign.

On the surface providing people the opportunity to go to college, save money, earn a living, buy a house, and go to the doctor doesn’t sound all that radical.  But in today’s political climate, it actually is.  Even acknowledging that the nation’s economic well-being can not be summed up by the latest Dow Jones Index is regarded as conventional wisdom heresy.  Proposing that we do anything to help Americans to work themselves out of poverty and up the class ladder is regarded as "class warfare."

Democratic Debate: Edwards On Health Care

Dead On….he hits it right on the head…..the man gets it! Can you have any doubt that he is the candidate most likely to change healthcare in this country. The one most likely to ensure that all Americans receive healthcare insurance?

Democratic Debate: John Edwards On Special Interests

Excellent…He scored big time and he was right….and that is what really counts. Big business cares nothing about us, it is time to take them on for the good of the American Public.

JRE Sends An Open Letter To The President

Senator John Edwards today sent a letter to President Bush
challenging the president to join him on a tour of places in America
that are too often ignored and to talk to Americans who are working
hard, but still living in poverty. 

Read the letter:

July 19, 2007

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20400

Dear Mr. President:

Earlier this week, I went on a journey that started in New Orleans,
went through the Mississippi Delta, Memphis, Cleveland, Youngstown,
Pittsburgh, Virginia and ended in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.  At every
stop, I met with incredible people who are working hard everyday and
still living in poverty.  I did it to try to help the rest of the
country hear the voices of people who are often forgotten — people
living in poverty and on the losing end of economic unfairness.  I did
it to show that we can solve these problems and there is hope.

Mr. President, that is what true leaders do, they lead with big,
bold ideas that actually solve problems. They do not wait to be told
about problems that stare them in the face, they never follow, and they
should never have to wait for a convenient time to address the
incredible challenges that face so many hard-working families in this
nation.

As you approach your final days in office, you have a chance to
finally stand up and lead on this important issue. However, unless you
choose to lead and start helping solve poverty in America, the next 550
days of your presidency will all but ensure that the 37 million
Americans who wake up in poverty today will only grow. If you choose to
do nothing on poverty, the next 550 days of your presidency will only
ensure that the more than 5 million Americans who have fallen into
poverty during your presidency will only grow.

But, it’s not too late to change course. It’s never too late to do the right thing and lead.

So today, I am writing to challenge you to come with me and visit
the places in America that are too often ignored – places like Marks,
Mississippi, West Helena, Arkansas, Wise, Virginia and Whitesburg,
Kentucky – and expose yourself to the harsh realities of poverty in
America, and how much worse American families are under your
presidency. Go to the cities and towns where I have gone. See and talk
to the good and decent Americans with amazing character who struggle
with incredible poverty. Incredible poverty, Mr. President, which has
only worsened every day over the last 7 years because of the failure of
your leadership and the terrible effects your policies have had on
millions of families. And see how the people of New Orleans are still
struggling nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina, and see how your
administration’s indifference to this problem has only made the problem
worse.

I can only hope that if you stop and listen to the stories of the
men and women who work hard and are paid poverty wages – and sometimes
even cheated out of those – without health care or decent schools for
their children, I believe you will agree with me that America must act
and it must act now. 

Poverty is not an intractable problem.  There are solutions that
work.   We can reward work and create opportunity with lower taxes for
working families, stronger unions, more job and affordable housing
opportunities, better schools and stronger families. 

Poverty is not a New Orleans problem, a Pittsburgh problem or an
Appalachia problem.  It is an American problem.  And it’s America’s
responsibility.  And America needs a president who will lead on this
issue, not turn his back on 37 million forgotten Americans.

The 37 million Americans living in poverty and the hundreds of
millions of others who know in their hearts that America can do better
and deserve a president who will lead on this issue.

Mr. President, don’t wait for the next hurricane. The time to act is now.

Sincerely,

John Edwards