Happy Holidays

by Todd Bennett

Will try to post more on Iowa after Christmas.

Real Tax Fairness

Here is an idea of what a John Edwards Presidency would bring in the way of tax fairness to the middle class with thanks to jamess on mydd.com :

The Steps to Strengthen the Middle Class
(A) Encourage Savings
(a) Establish a new Get Ahead tax credit to match up to $500 a year in retirement savings for families earning up to $75,000.
(b) Create new Work Bonds to offer extra savings incentives for low-income workers.
(B) Reward Work
(a) Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to reward low-wage workers by tripling the EITC for single adults and cutting the marriage penalty.
[ some key details from pdf-2: ]
- Edwards will expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to pay up to 50 percent of childcare expenses up to $5,000 and make it partially refundable to benefit low-income working families. He will also allow stay-at-home parents to get the credit to help pay for child care for newborn infants.
- Triple the EITC for 4 Million Adults without Children: A single worker at the poverty line pays more than $800 in federal income and payroll taxes. Edwards will offer more than $1,200 to poor single workers, tripling the current EITC, and it will give 4 million low-income workers an average tax cut of $750.
- Edwards believes that we must cut the EITC marriage penalty. His proposal will cut taxes for 3 million couples by about $400 a year.
(C) Support Families
(a) More than double the Child and Dependent Care Credit to up to $2,500 per child.

(2) Reward work, not just wealth, and Repeal the Bush tax breaks for the Wealthy
The Goals:
"It's time to stop promoting the wealth of the wealthy and start making sure that everyone has the chance to move up the economic ladder."
The Steps: to Repeal the Bush tax breaks
(A) Restore Fair Taxation of Wealth
(a) Restore the investment income tax rate to 28 percent for Americans making more than $250,000 a year so that wealthy investors don't pay a lower rate on investments than many regular Americans pay on wages.
[ some key details from pdf-2: ]
To ensure that the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share of taxes and to reduce the economic distortions from tax shelters resulting from large capital gains preferences, Edwards will raise the top tax rate on long-term capital gains to 28 percent for the most fortunate taxpayers, the same rate signed into law by President Reagan. The 28 percent rate will ensure that high-income investors will pay taxes on their investment income at a similar rate to what regular families pay on their earned income.
(b) Repeal the Bush tax cuts for households earning more than $200,000 a year.
More than half of the Bush tax cuts - $132 billion - will go to the top 1 percent of taxpayers in 2010. Edwards will repeal the Bush tax cuts for the highest-income households. He will also eliminate estate taxes for the middle class, small business owners and family farmers, while keeping these taxes on the few families with large estates above $4 million in value.
(c) Keep the tax on very largest inheritances while protecting family businesses and family farms.
(B) Simplify Taxes
(a) Simplify taxes for up to 50 million families by giving them the option of letting the IRS complete a first draft of their forms for "five-minute filing."

A taste of what Edwards might have in store for us.

A Word About This War

by
Todd Bennett





A word about this war. There are those who say the soldiers died for nothing. That is wrong. For as long as there are men and women willing to die to support the cause of freedom, there are millions of Americans who are inspired to contribute more themselves. Though the interests of freedom have not been well served by this war, the interest of self-governance and political activism have been. Casey Sheehan's courage was indeed exploited, along with thousands of others. However, the great lie of this war is not able to overshadow the great truth of soldiers like Casey: That belief in and love for one's nation can never be in vain, for it is the purity of that love which cleanses our country of the tyranny of those who would undermine it. Our fight to end this war bears that point out. We have lost brave men and women in this war, but their sacrifice has bestowed upon us a great gift: We have our will back, and this administration was not planning on that.





Cross-posted at: http://www.mydd.com/

John Edwards: Like FDR, He's the Real Deal

by

Its Like Herding Cats of mydd.com /Postscript By Todd Bennett

This article first appeared in the November 26th issue of The Nation magazine, and is published jointly online in collaboration with Huffington Post and OffTheBus. This is one in a series of eight essays by leading progressive commentators making the affirmative case for each of the Democratic presidential contenders.
The recent news that SEIU's chapters in twelve states--representing more than a million workers--endorsed the candidacy of John Edwards is a loud wake-up call. The race for the Democratic nomination is still that: a real race. For my money, there is no other candidate who will work as hard as Edwards for the nation's low-income families, the working poor, struggling students and the 47 million Americans who desperately need health insurance. Organized labor sees him the same way, which is why he has garnered this seal of approval and the boots on the ground that it represents--even in the face of the Clinton juggernaut. They know that Edwards is the candidate who can actually win the general election, the one who is thinking about people like them.
They know because Edwards stood with them through every state-level campaign to raise the minimum wage long before he announced a run for the White House. They know because he was first out with a health insurance plan that actually provides universal coverage while acknowledging what we all know to be true: the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans will have to be rolled back to pay for it. And they know because he has been solidly, unambiguously in favor of withdrawing from Iraq, even as the Democratic Party has tacked back and forth on the issue, despite overwhelming public support for ending the war.

I first met Edwards at a gathering at the University of North Carolina's Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity. Hurricane Katrina had devastated the Gulf Coast only a few months before and exposed the "two Americas" of which Edwards had spoken throughout the 2004 campaign. He called the country's experts together--across party lines--to debate the causes, consequences and remedies for poverty in an era of unprecedented wage inequality. For two days we discussed what should be done to enhance the mobility of the working poor, how we should deal with the competition from low-wage countries like China and what the trends in out-of-wedlock births mean for single mothers below the poverty line.
Most politicians would have given their obligatory keynote address and retired to the comfort of their leather chairs. Edwards stayed the whole time, ran virtually all of the sessions, asked intelligent questions, probed for more practical answers and stuck around to talk with the presenters about how to cull from their academic research workable ideas that could form the basis of a campaign that has as its centerpiece the eradication of poverty in this wealthy nation.
My conversations with Edwards persuaded me that he is the genuine article. Some doubt his commitment because they think a wealthy trial lawyer is not a credible force on behalf of the dispossessed. The next time Nation readers are tempted to think this way, I suggest they take a ride up to Hyde Park and check out the sprawling Hudson River mansion FDR called home. No greater contribution to the welfare of the indigent, the elderly, the unemployed and the sick has ever been made than that which Roosevelt enshrined in the New Deal. Not­withstanding the New Deal's flaws (and there were many), the social policy triumphs of the 1930s stand as an exemplar of what can be done when the will is there. If those victories could be catalyzed by one of the richest men ever to occupy the White House, then it can be done again by a self-made millionaire who earned his fortune attacking negligent corporations in the courtroom.
But enough of the cheerleading based on background. What exactly does Edwards propose to do for the country's low- and moderate-income families? First, he tells us, we must raise the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2012 and put legislation in place to ensure that it does not fall behind again. Second, he pro­poses the creation of public employment opportunities for those who cannot find jobs because they live in rural areas, blight­ed neighborhoods or communities without transportation.
He stands with organized labor, even as it has taken body blows over the past forty years. Despite opinion polls showing that workers want union representation, the ranks of unions are dwindling. Why this disconnect? Edwards has part of the answer: the rules governing the organizing process were written to favor management. Edwards has endorsed the Employee Free Choice Act, which will give workers a chance to organize and use their clout to increase their wages and benefits. At a time when the gap between CEOs and the rank and file is at an all-time high, this is a critical first step toward returning to workers a fare share of what their extraordinarily high productivity has contributed to the bottom line.
And while we're at it, how about focusing some attention on the regulatory structure that ensures we have safe food, clean water and working conditions that do not expose employees to hazardous chemicals? The protective legislation we rely on is all but devoid of enforcement capacity as a result of budgetary strip mining. Inspectors are disappearing, fines are not levied or enforced and families have to worry about whether the spinach on the table is safe to eat. Edwards is the only candidate who has emphasized the importance of targeting abusive industries that sacrifice worker safety and public health.
Edwards has also made serious, imaginative proposals for improving public schools, protecting people from predatory lenders, increasing college access and extending the school system to incorporate the millions who have dropped out and need a second chance. These are not pie-in-the-sky ideas or handouts: they are sound investments in the fiscal health and educational well-being of the country.
There is every reason to expect that the Democrats will end up with solid majorities in the House and Senate in 2008. We need a President who will grab this brass ring. We should not squander the opportunity on tepid, middle-of-the-road, blow-with-the-wind candidates who will be too busy trying to paint themselves as tough on crime or hard-nosed on Iran to seize a chance that may not come again in our lifetime.
Katherine S. Newman is the co-author of The Missing Class: Portraits of the Near Poor in America.

Postscript from Todd: As we gather this day of thanks, let us remember those with less and resolve, nay, vow to improve their lives as part of our repayment to those who have done so much for us. John Edwards understands that the United States is a family-a large family, but one nonetheless, and we all suffer for the tragedy of poverty even if we have money, because sooner or later our indifference and divisions will doom us to irrelevance on the global stage. We must reclaim our place as an inspiration for the world by showing what we are capable of doing at home, my friends.

Keep Your Mouth Shut, Steny Hoyer! A Diatribe Not For Children-Rated R

Keep Your Mouth Shut, Steny Hoyer! A Diatribe Not For Children-Rated R

by Todd Bennett,

So now this asshat resorts to Reaganology in his efforts to get the ultra corporate Hillary elected? All of my efforts to be proper and friendly have temporarily paused, for those of you who love a good ole' cussfest, here it goes-Look at this garbage:

"I like Reagan's rule applied to his party: speak no ill of Republicans. I don't like it when our party, that agrees on 95 percent of the issues, so exacerbate the nuances of differences."
-- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, in an interview to air later tonight on Bloomberg's Political Capital with Al Hunt, critical of the "mud slinging" during last night's Democratic debate.

Nuances? You stupid fool, you think the difference between warmongering and peace is nuance? Guess what, Asshat? Our candidates do not agree on 95 percent of the issues. In fact, we agree on very little, and your dumb ass should stay out of a business that is for professionals. The future of our party is at stake and I guess you are one of the "Feinsteinocrats" who think that endless triangulation and posturing is beneficial to progressives. Well I am here to tell you something, Mr. Asshat, I am a progressive first, Democrat second. Which means I am shopping Mr. Asshat. In fact, call me a "Feingoldocrat", which is latin for "more guts than the average Democrat".

I have fucking had it. This is not about the Senator from New York. She is but a symptom, not the disease. In fact, she might could be a good President if she has courage to break free from the weak, shiftless, ineffectual so called "leadership" that plagues my party. Until that point, what choice do I have but John Edwards? I am fed up. This party capitulates on trade, it capitulates habitually on Iraq, now fucking Iran, prescription drugs, Social Security, gay rights, oh and did I mention WAR, Asshat?
If you like Reaganolgy so fucking much, I suggest you join them, because unlike the groupthink of the enemy, us Progressives/Democrats have an opinion, and the courage to express it. If the rhetorical train of Progressivism threatens you get off of the tracks Asshat because it is coming through and you can either stay tied to the tracks or join us, and personally, I don't give a flying Monkeyfuck what you do-you can be replaced! Got it? This has been a diatribe brought to you by Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll will rejoin shortly. Thank You!

Cross-posted at: http://www.mydd.com/

Manipulated Again, Media Hands McCain Nomination

by
Todd Bennett

It is amazing how otherwise intelligent people have no clue about politics, especially when it is their job to. The fact is I have known for a while with plus 95 percent certainty that McCain would get the nomination. Now I am plus 99 percent sure.
For Rick Sanchez to talk about John McCain being finished is preposterous, and ignorant, beyond words. While I applaud his willingness to hold McCain's feet to the fire, he fails to realize that he is not only not harming him, he is effectively handing him the nomination.
There are two reasons for this: One, is the notion that John is feeding red meat to the base. He now has, as Todd Beeton cleverly points out, run into good fortune.
From the front page of mydd:

More on John McCain and the "B" Word by Todd Beeton, Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 09:40:02 AM EST
Since Tuesday, when the man David Brooks calls "among the finest men" allowed Hillary Clinton to be insulted in front of his face, the whole John McCain/Hillary Clinton situation has heated up. Talking Points Memo has been ably tracking the story.
First, as I wrote on Tuesday, John McCain stood by while a supporter of his referred to Senator Clinton as a "bitch" in a question to him demanding to know how Clinton can be defeated. McCain's response was notable for what it lacked, a refutation of the insult; in fact, on the contrary, he said:
That's an excellent question.
This led CNN anchor Rick Sanchez subsequently to ask.
Is John McCain done as a result of this?
And to post on the screen:
"An Excellent Question?"
John McCain and the B-Word
So what does the McCain team do? Not believing its luck that it now has both Clinton and the media to serve as the foil for, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis sent out an e-mail blast including the video of the now infamous exchange and a demand for an apology from CNN.
The CNN Network, affectionately known as the Clinton News Network, has stooped to an all-time low and is gratuitously attacking John McCain for not defending Hillary Clinton enough when a South Carolina voter used the 'B' word to describe her when John McCain stopped into a luncheon yesterday at the Trinity restaurant in Hilton Head, SC.
A voter used a word that I would not have used to describe Senator Hillary Clinton and asked the Senator how he was going to beat her. Senator McCain first responded by saying that he respected Senator Clinton, as he has said repeatedly throughout the campaign...

The effect of this is to make the Senator the "dragonslayer" of his party. Short of wrestling Osama Bin Laden to the ground on ESPN and FOX on live television, this ranks among the best turn of events possible for McCain.

Reason number two this is so helpful is the concept of "presumptive nominee" . We know elections really start when folks come together on Labor Day, have barbecues, and arguments get made. This creates the first true narrative in terms of poll position for a General Election. For a primary, that becomes Thanksgiving. So a week out from our beloved family holiday, John McCain becomes cast as the "Anti-Hillary". The effect of this is to bring the "just now paying attention Republicans" onto the stage thinking John McCain is their standard bearer. It is very likely Republicans will spend Thanksgiving proudly defending him, and I would guess he will surge in the polls by December.
This sucks, due to the fact that we were looking at the electoral gift of Giuliani as a possibility, and now it looks as though we will have to beat their most electable candidate. Which we can do, but still, instead of a blowout we will have to look for another tense election day.
You may be wondering why I was so sure about McCain in the first place, and what I can tell you is simple: For Republicans, South Carolina is their key state, and almost all of the Bush money folks are backing McCain there. When he takes South Carolina, he will be cast as a "comeback kid" and sweep the rest of the way. Easy, really. You can argue with me, and point out your credentials, but my instincts are good and to be honest, too many of you spend too much time looking at polls when you should be looking for other indicators. The dominoes that line up for a successful candidate have a little to do with polls, but the money and the machinery are more important. The big establishment machinery have been behind McCain all along, guys. Just like......Kerry!
And just like Kerry, he will lose in the General. He is the past. Who is the future? Not Hillary. Why not Hillary? Because our establishment is undergoing a takeover. We are going from Feinstein to Feingold. I say, good for us. Say hello to either President Edwards or Obama, depending upon Iowa.



Cross-posted at: http://mydd.com/

John Phenomenal at J-J Dinner

by

Todd Bennett

John Edwards was absolutely incredible at what some are inclined to say is the biggest event of the caucuses. Check this out: http://mydd.com/story/2007/11/10/234410/04

An Announcement

I believe destiny is comprised of two things: one, of course, what you were meant to do and two, your willingness to accept that. I have been in politics for quite a while, I have worked for candidates, causes and all manner of various ballot initiatives. I have agonized in defeat and I have celebrated in victory. I have felt the highs and lows and have amassed quite a collection of connections. Yet, despite all of this it was only when I realized how little all of the above meant did I finally feel ready to do what I am about to announce.
Greatness I have come to learn is not achieved with victories. It is not the blood spilled in a winning endeavor that makes one great, rather it is the willingness to spill one's blood when faced with an uncertain outcome that is true greatness. Watching John Edwards this past year, I have come to realize that his greatness needs no electoral validation. I have realized that it takes a special person to motivate others to act. Through his ability to overcome his trials he has both advicated for causes and inspired untold millions to achieve. John is a special person because he does not seek validation. He seeks team members. Unlike so many other politicians who act as if they are above us, he walks our planet with his feet firmly planted to the ground, by our side and ready to lend a hand. With this in mind, I have come to the inescapable conclusion that I must offer him more than my support, I must offer him, and the people of my district, my candidacy for the Missouri House of Representatives. I am announcing here that I am forming a PAC with the intentions of raising funds necessary to win the 101st District of the Missouri House of Representatives in 2010, when our popular Democratic incumbent is term limited out.
Thus this day, the 5th of November 2007, I embark upon a journey with an undetermined destination. I will go as far as I can get. I will fight for our values in a manner the state of Missouri has not seen since President Truman. One could say that I am well suited to take this journey given my political background. That would not be the case. Nothing I have ever done in politics could possibly qualify me if I were to lack the kind of education gained only through public interaction. My experience with poll numbers pale in comparison to the fire in my belly built by the sight of an expectant waitress with poorly supportive shoes. My political experience pales in comparison to the indelible image of a handshake that I have received from the gnarled fingers of a bricklayer. My connections pale in comparison to the sight of the second generation Mexican-American working 18 hours a day in a Chicago suburb in hopes that the third generation will have it better than he. And all my connections and political experience put together pale in comparison to the motivation I have caused by the knowledge of elderly choosing between medicine and heat. My fellow Americans, I have but one thing to say to that, Not in my country.
You see the actual truth of the matter is the reason I am doing this, other than the inspiration created by John Edwards, is not for power but to assuage my own pain the only way I know how-and that, my friends, is to run. I seek not power, or a place on Rushmore, no I seek only to one day experience the pleasure of enjoying a better night's sleep due to the fact that every fiber of my being has done everything I can to make a difference. I am doing this to honor a promise that I have made to so many friends I have made in my travels. I owe them this. I promised so many that a better America was on the way. I promised so many that happier times were on the way. To Billy White of Canton, Texas, this is for you. To Rob, the server at a Big Boy in a dusty desert California town, this is for you buddy. And to everyone else that I have made that promise to, I say to you, my friends, I am now at the table, I have my stake, and I want dealt in.
Of course, in order to do this, I feel a person must have a vision to implement. So in order to make a better America, this is a sampling of my vision: The Living Wage Subsidization Act. Within my first 100 days of elected office, I propose that all low income workers who are willing to honor two requirements be subsidized up to $12.00 per hour for holding a job and being willing to enroll and to attend further education courses. Simply put, if you live in Missouri and you make $8.00 per hour at, say a Wal-Mart, and you are willing and able to attend for 2 years classes on furthering your education the state will subsidize, out of the general revenue fund enhanced by closing corporate loopholes, $4.00 per hour.
Secondly, the Secondary Education Contribution Fund. Partially funded by a small tax increase on large corporations, the state of Missouri will match dollar for dollar all income up to $5,000 per year generated by teenage and young adults with the purpose of paying for college.
Third, and this applies only if and when I achieve federal level elected office, I intend to propose the Social Security Tax Elimination Act. This proposal consists of ending a workers 7.65% social security tax burden after paying in for a period of 12 years. This would be funded by a small tax increase on global corporations such as Microsoft and the aforementioned Wal-Mart. I choose 12 years because late twenties to early thirties is usually when a family starts to grow. By eliminating this burden, workers who qualify would receive a median average of nearly $3000 back in their pockets annually, without a dime of it affecting the general revenue fund. This is but a taste of the wide ranging proposals I have in mind both statewide and nationally.
As I embark on this journey, accompanied by my devoted wife Valerie who so you know is being kind enough to type this as I dictate it, I urge all of you to embark upon this journey with me, to use this day to mark a new beginning. A beginning where Clinton and Edwards and Obama supporters and supporters of all candidates recognize the value of unity and the strength of not only their arguments, but the arguments of others as well. You should know that I have a deep and abiding love for the American people, and though I disagree with some, I work for the good of all. I recognize that if I were to choose who I thought was worthy of my efforts it would result in making all of my cumulative efforts meaningless. So now I say to you that I extend my hand to all, to my allies and my opponents, to my friends and my foes. I ask you to grab onto it, and then I ask you to, with your other hand, reach out to another and encourage them to reciprocate until we have a chain of decency and compassion and love and devotion to our progressive values that could encircle the world many times over. I ask that this day be the beginning of building an unbreakable bond based upon achieving the common good for all mankind. And I ask you to realize that the sword of indifference can be as lethal as the sword of hate and to also understand the value of one kind act because for every day you treat your fellow man with love and respect is a day you have not contributed to the swords of hate and indifference wounding the heart of our nation.
Join me now, will you, and let us show strength in numbers the likes of which this country has never seen, the likes of which no media slant can temper. The likes of which no voting machine, no evil, no corruption, no transgression of any kind can threaten. I will not make a habit of making promises except for this one: that should we pledge and honor the pledge to these things I have described, we will not only ensure our greatness, we will not only have ensured our place in history, we will also have ensured that this grand experiment we call the United States will not have failed.

Thank you and may God Bless The World.

-Todd H. Bennett

Cross-posted at: http://www.mydd.com/

In Support Of My Candidate, My Friend, John Reid Edwards

by Todd Bennett

Cross-posted at: http://www.mydd.com/

It has been a while since I have posted a diary on mydd. I could tell you that I have been busy. I could tell you that I have been out of town on business. I could tell you a lot of things, but the truth is the main reason I have not posted here is because I did not feel that my anger has sufficiently lowered to the point where I can engage in respectable political discourse. Though I am still angry, I am going to attempt to engage because my candidate deserves no less of an effort on my part.
As for the level of discourse on this blog, it has degenerated to the point where I am beginning to wonder if it has been taken over by a cadre of high school students. I myself am not without blame for this, however, I understand that dignity and grace are key components of a champion and if someone truly hopes for their candidate to be victorious, dignity and grace are pre-requisites.
It was cold and blustery in Manchester, New Hampshire, in early January 2004, not the kind of cold where you need a jacket. No, this was the kind of mind-bending, breath-reducing cold that one would only endure if you truly believed in the candidate. For me, at that time, my candidate was General Clark. No one else could get me to New Hampshire, not in January. While in the course of canvassing, we happened to run across supporters of the other candidates. I myself happened along a young senator from North Carolina by the name of John Edwards. We struck up a conversation, discussed the importance of the election, he agreed with my opinion of General Clark and then said something to me that made him unforgettable. He said that if General Clark happened to withdraw, he would be honored and humbled to have someone willing to come up to New Hampshire from Missouri and endure this kind of cold and join his team. He also said let the good folks of Missouri know he cares about them. Now he didn't say that like a senator, you see, there was no distance. He said it like my brother. Though I didn't know it then, I was very soon to join his team.
Fast forward to spring 2005, a Missouri state senate candidate, Rick Johnson was in deep trouble in his race. Faced with an unscrupulous Republican challenger and the Democrat turned Independent, the local Democratic Party desperately needed some energy. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Arnold, Missouri, John Edwards came to help a friend. Those aren't my words, those were his. Rick, sadly did not win that race, sometimes champions don't hold the trophy. But on that day, after his speech, John came up to me and said, much to my surprise, "good to see you again, Todd". I told him it is not many people who get to shake a future presidents hand, not once, but twice and would you believe what that son of a mill worker said, he said, and I can't forget what he said "that that meant so much to him but that he wanted me to know that it was an honor for him to shake mine". Where no cameras were, where no microphones could hear, a classy gentleman showed me friendship. I don't know how he remembered my name, though I know some of our staff ran across after our meeting in New Hampshire and we all kind of melded after the convention, but I can tell you that the respect he showed me was not fake. Much to my shame, I've bought into notions that looking back on it now sickened me. After making my apologies, I have come to my senses and have jumped to his defense.
I will not use this post to try to sway votes. I will not use this post to disparage my fellow bloggers. I only ask that you show a man who cares about you more than you will ever know the respect and decency that you would show to a friend. Because whether you know it or not, you do indeed have a friend in John Edwards. I am not going to sit here and tell you that I am certain he is going to win. I am not his supporter because I think he will win. I am his supporter because I think he is right. Every bit of DNA the Democratic Party has in its' blood courses through the veins of John Edwards. Everything we were raised to believe in or have grown to believe in is embodied by John Edwards. With that in mind, I want all of us the next time we see a homeless person to think of that scrappy son of a mill worker. You should realize that he has spent a good portion of his life, not just his political career, but his life trying to do something about this tragedy. The next time you see New Orleans, I want you to think of the people John Edwards hugged, who he consoled, the next time you hear about the California wildfires, I want you to think about the fact that he was the first one to speak out and pressure this administration for assistance. And the next time you see a flag draped coffin, pray to god that it isn't one of your family in that box, be thankful if it isn't, and pray for whoever is in that box and their family and realize one thing: that on the floor of the Senate people including candidates for this nomination, had an opportunity to display in action that they had truly learned a lesson and would not again doom this nation to the consequences of the deeds of the blind and ignorant and failed to do so. One man has stood up consistently in this campaign. One man has criss-crossed this nation trying to rectify his mistake and one man traverses this nation unabashedly and without equivocation trying to stop another war, proving that he has learned his lesson and that he is worthy of our vote.
My friend and yours, John Edwards, has in the course of his lifetime buried a son and may yet have to bury his wife. For those who would question his strength and his integrity, I have but one response to you: it takes a very strong and dignified man to bury his son and face the very real possibility of burying his wife yet still have the character to do everything he can to keep his nation from being buried too. What pray tell, have YOU, Edwards detractors, been contributing to the cause of saving our country?

Still time to be a Dad

by Todd Bennett

Even as busy as he has to be, John can still find time to be a Dad. What's your excuse? From the Associated Press:

“The long sleeves don't exactly work out the way you want them to.”
What do you get on Halloween if your father is running for president? A big media entourage.
Democrat John Edwards, his two children and some friends went trolling for candy Wednesday in a neighborhood of long driveways and mini-mansions, trailed by still photographers, a half-dozen videographers, sound technicians, reporters and costumed campaign aides.
'Thank you, thank you very much,' Edwards called out to people who opened their doors. He reminded Emma Claire, 9, and Jack, 7, to do the same.

Debates and issues aside, this speaks volumes about his character.

Edwards Warns of 'Corporate Democrats'

by Todd Bennett

Posted by The Associated Press on Thursday via The Associated Press

Thr truth as told by John:

“Do you want to trade a crowd of corporate Republicans that are running this country now for a crowd of corporate Democrats?”

Democrat John Edwards blamed Bill Clinton's administration Saturday for trade agreements unpopular with labor unions and warned against electing 'corporate Democrats.'

The Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to union carpenters, tied rival Hillary Rodham Clinton to the business interests that unions claim were served by her husband's trade liberalization, to the detriment of workers.

Edwards described the North American Free Trade Agreement as a blow to the middle class that President Clinton put in place while the first lady was failing in her mission to reform health care.

America is ready for leadership. America, is starving for it.

More Rank and File Support for John

Teachers count, from:
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200771023019
N.C. teachers group backs Edwards for White House bid
by The Associated Press
published October 23, 2007 11:00 am

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Association of Educators has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards' White House bid, the third time the organization has backed one of his campaigns for federal office.
Advertisement

The association, which represents 70,000 educators and retirees in Edwards' home state, said his "comprehensive education plans" will help the Democrat compete in battleground states.
"We think that he is the one person on the ground talking about the pocketbook issues that affect working families," NCAE president Eddie Davis said Tuesday. "John Edwards has a vision."
The NCAE vote to back Edwards took place Monday. The group also supported Edwards in his successful 1998 campaign for U.S. Senate and his 2004 presidential run.
Edwards has proposed a variety of plans to increase teacher pay and reduce classroom sizes in successful high-poverty schools, overhaul the federal No Child Left Behind education law and implement an early childhood education program for all 4-year-olds.
For the past two years in rural Greene County, he's tested a "College for Everyone" program that pays the first-year bills for college students. He wants to take that effort nationwide with an $8 billion program.

Everyday people supporting one of their own.

Down-Ticket Matters

A lot of people seem to forget that we have a great chance at the trifecta next year, which is of course both houses of congress and the White House. John Edwards is a very powerful candidate in terms of running the table on the Republicans, and he knows it:

Edwards pushes electability
Charlotte.com
October 19, 2007
Original Charlotte.com article: Edwards pushes electability
Ten party leaders from across the country said today that Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards would do more than any other candidate to help get Democrats elected in their states.
In a conference call organized by the Edwards' campaign, elected officials from six states touted the former N.C. senator's chances not only to win but to help other Democrats on the ballot.
The call is part of the campaign's effort to sell the electability of a candidate trailing Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois in money and polls.
'For the Democratic Party to nominate a candidate who will not win the general election is obscene as far as I'm concerned,' said Oregon Senate President Pro Tem Margaret Carter.
Democrats have recently all but written off many so-called red states, which include virtually the entire South. Nominees campaign instead in states where they've had more of a chance.
Connie Johnson, minority whip of the Missouri House of Representatives, said another candidate besides Edwards at the top of the ticket would cause her party to continue losing seats in the state.
'This state has been hemorrhaging,' she said. 'If Hillary comes to a state like Missouri, we can write it off.'

I live in Missouri, and I know what she means. The very fact is that John Kerry abandoned my state and other swing tates in pursuit of Ohio. Me before we. John Edwards will be a positive in every state, and knows he needs to be, too. After all, down ticket matters!

John Slams Bill Clinton on Unfair Trade

Bill Clinton was a great President. But, he made mistakes and NAFTA was up there with the worst of them in terms of long-term damage. Here is what John Edwards had to say about the sbject, courtesy of FOXNEWS: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,303807,00.html

LAS VEGAS — Democrat John Edwards blamed Bill Clinton's administration Saturday for trade agreements unpopular with labor unions and warned against electing "corporate Democrats."
The Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to union carpenters, tied rival Hillary Rodham Clinton to the business interests that unions claim were served by her husband's trade liberalization, to the detriment of workers.
Edwards described the North American Free Trade Agreement as a blow to the middle class that President Clinton put in place while the first lady was failing in her mission to reform health care.
"In the 1990s, we didn't get universal health care, which we needed," he said. "We got NAFTA, which we didn't need.
"I think we've been asking the wrong questions about these proposed trade deals," he added. "The question seems to have been, 'Is this trade deal good for the profits of big multinational corporations?"'
Edwards said his administration would ask, "Is this trade deal good for jobs and for working, middle-class America?"
The former North Carolina senator says he would renegotiate the 1993 deal that lowered trade barriers among the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

New York Sen. Clinton said recently that trade agreements, including NAFTA, should be reviewed every five years to make sure "they're meeting their goals or to make adjustments if they are not."
Edwards described the stakes of the presidential race in stark terms, asking the crowd if they want to live in a country made up of "a few rich people and everybody else." He suggested his Democratic rivals would not serve the interests of workers.
"Do you want to trade a crowd of corporate Republicans that are running this country now for a crowd of corporate Democrats?" he asked. "That's not us."
Edwards is depending on the carpenters union in Nevada to help drive turnout in the Jan. 19 caucuses.
The local union and its international endorsed him in August. The union has 12,000 members in Nevada, although many are Republicans or nonpartisans.

It had to be said, and John had the courage to say it. When we neede healthcare, we got NAFTA, and we needed more. More to come...

John Edwards Is A Friend To Women

John Edwards Is A Friend To Women

by Todd Bennett, Sat Oct 20, 2007 at 12:08:56 AM EST
There are times that I get so angry that I can only shake my head in utter disgust, count to ten, and calmly respond to idiocy with good old fashioned fact and class. It is late and I am exhausted, but the duty to rise and defend my candidate knows no schedule, and my desire to stand by a man who spends his life standing by me is not tempered by mere drowsiness. Another diary from a Clinton supporter on http://mydd.com/ has pushed me to this point, and I feel that these are assaults that require response. First the background:

Edwards has the 'right' sort of genitals to win? by areyouready, Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 07:13:12 PM EST
This is hilarious. No wonder Edwards is treated like a clown by mainstream voters...
Though you have to wonder just how strong the Democratic ticket would be there even without Hillary on the ticket.
As others have pointed out, pursuing this line of argument puts Edwards in an odd position, because the unspoken message behind "I'm more electable than her" is "I also have the right sort of genitals." Does the guy running the most lefty campaign of the top tier really want to, as the kids say, "go there"? Apparently so.

Putrid. Nauseating. Unworthy of a good man and a good woman because Hillary is unfortunately reflected upon by this. Still the best way to respond is with truth. And the truth is that a lot of prominent women do support John Edwards, and I do not believe they would if they thought he was sexist. See for yourself: http://www.johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20070717-women-leaders/

Edwards Gains Support From Prominent Women Leaders Jul 17, 2007 12:13 PM
Elizabeth Edwards speaks at the Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Washington, DC - As Mrs. Elizabeth Edwards spoke at the Planned Parenthood Action Fund today about Senator John Edwards' commitment to improving the lives of women and families, numerous women leaders endorsed Senator Edwards for president. These leaders believe Edwards is the best candidate to put a Democrat back in the White House and protect women's rights. In May, the campaign launched Women for Edwards, http://johnedwards.com/women/ to organize women around the country who support Edwards.
The following women endorsed Edwards for president:
Belinda Biafore, Vice Chair, West Virginia Democratic Party (WV) Cindy Burney, Assistant Prosecutor, City of Bay St. Louis (MS) Maureen Byrne, Community Activist (ME) Laura Edwards, Co-Founder, Lillian's List (NC) Lisbeth "Libba" Evans, Former Chair, NC Democratic Party; former Co-Chair, Women's Campaign Fund (NC) Adelaide Gomer, Park Foundation Trustee (NY) Susan Good, Co-Chair, California Democratic Party Rules Committee and Member of the California Democratic Party Executive Board (CA) Carolyn Honeycutt, Former President North Carolina Democratic Women (NC) Kate Jacobson, Community Activist (MS) Natalie Jayroe, New Orleans Community Activist (LA) Pam Johnson, Board Member of the MS Women's Coalition (MS) Kate Knox, Founder of EWomen and EMERGE Board Member, Attorney (ME) Nancy Larson, DNC Member (MN) Debbe Leftwich, State Senator; Co-Chair, Oklahoma Women's Legislative Caucus (OK) Christi McCoy, Community Activist (MS) Wendy R. Mullins, Community Activist (MS) Mary Jo Neville, DNC Member (MD) Muriel Offerman, DNC Member (NC) Mary Pallant, Chair, Ventura County Commission for Women (CA) Elisa Parker, Vice Chair, Tennessee Democratic Party (TN) Carol Peterson, DNC Member (NC) Nancy Quarles, Former State Representative (MI) Melanie Taylor, Community Activist (NC) Doris Vaccarella, Former Chair, MS Federation of Democratic Women (MS)
Additionally, the supporters below joined Women for Edwards.
Stella Adams, NC Fair Housing Center Executive Director (NC) Linda Bolon, State Representative (OH) Jennifer Brady, State Representative (OH) Kathleen Carney, 8th Congressional District Chair (MI) Liz Carpenter, Austin (TX) Kimberly Chiapetto, Floyd County Democratic Chair (VA) Pam Cooke, Board Member, National Stonewall Democrats June Deadrick, Community Activist (TX) Melissa Diaz, Former DNC Hispanic Media Director Marie Donigan, State Representative (MI) Trina Ellis Erwin, Michigan Women's Caucus Vice Chair (MI) Hope Evans, Chair, Northwestern University Students for Edwards Chair (IL) Joan Flynn, Macomb County Commissioner (MI) Sherry Freeman, Delta Township Trustee (MI) Shirley Frye, Community Activist (NC) Lois Hill, Mount Clemens City Commissioner (MI) Diana Keller, Wyandotte Democratic Club President (MI) Christine Koch, Clinton Township Democrats (MI) Kathleen Law, State Representative (MI) Elizabeth Lenhard, Vice President, Warren Woods Board of Education (MI) Maria Mannarino, Lathrup Village City Councilor (MI) Colleen McGlynn, Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Fred Barry (MA) Laura Miller, Former Mayor of Dallas (TX) Paula Pierson, State Representative (TX) Lana Pollack, Former State Senator, Environmental Leader (MI) Melissa Price, Vice President, Young Democrats of North Carolina (NC) Sarah Roberts, Macomb County Commissioner (MI) Diane Saxe, DNC Member (MA) Valencia Seay, State Senator (GA) Ann Sheinwald, Rockport (MA) Karen Dulaney Smith, Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees (id purposes only) (TX) Trisha Stein, Former Executive Director, One Michigan (MI) Melanie Tate, President, Kentucky College Democrats (KY) Kathy Tocco, Macomb County Commissioner (MI) Theresa Trujeque, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Clinton Interior Department (NM) Sylvia Trujillo, Community Leader (DC) Mayra Uribe, Community Leader (FL) Meredith Vivian, Vice President, University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
For more information, please contact Colleen Murray at 919-636-3203.

This is only a part of the tale. There must be a reason so many powerful women support him. Well here is his platform on women's issues from his site, along with quotes from female supporters: http://www.johnedwards.com/women/

An Agenda For American WomenBuilding One America means ensuring that women can make choices in their lives with dignity and can participate in our society fully, as equals. The reality of women's lives today is still something far less. They are expected to do more, and they receive less. That's not right." -- John Edwards
American women still face greater challenges in the workplace and greater responsibilities at home. They make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, and mothers--particularly single mothers--do even worse. Women are 48 percent more likely to live in poverty. More than 17 million adult women lack health insurance. Millions of working women struggle to balance their jobs with the needs of their families. John Edwards believes that--to build a larger, more secure middle class--we must do more to strengthen families, help women succeed at work and protect women's rights. [Census Bureau, 2007]
Economic SecurityHelping Women Balance Work and FamilyTwo-thirds of mothers are working, most of them full time. More and more families are caring for their aging parents. But our workplace and public policies have not kept up with this new reality. Edwards will:
Give women time off when they need it by requiring businesses to offer seven paid sick days a year. Edwards will expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover more workers and help states offer paid leave so parents will not have to choose between their families and their paychecks. Create a Great Promise early childhood education program for every four-year-old. For younger children, he will expand the child care tax credit and create a Smart Start initiative to improve child care quality and affordability. Help families caring for their parents by expanding access to home health care, creating more choices for long-term care and offering respite care to provide caregivers a break. [Gerson and Jacobs, 2004; New America Foundation, 2005; KFF, 2006]Securing Women's RetirementWomen are more likely to depend on Social Security for most of their retirement income, even though their annual benefits average only 70 percent of men's. Edwards will help women and other Americans increase their retirement savings by offering a new Get Ahead credit that will match families' retirement savings up to dollar for dollar. He will also examine ways to modernize Social Security to compensate women who pay less into Social Security because they are caring for children or other family members instead of working. [IWPR, 2003]
Ending Poverty within a GenerationFifty-six percent of the nearly 37 million Americans living in poverty are female. John Edwards has called for an end to poverty within 30 years, through policies rooted in the core American values of work, opportunity and responsibility. He has proposed an ambitious set of goals, including lower taxes for low-income working families, 1 million stepping stone jobs, new housing policies to promote economic integration and other initiatives to promote education, savings and strong families. To help the 100 million out-of-school children--the majority of whom are girls--around the world, he will lead a worldwide effort to educate every child. [Census Bureau, 2007; UNESCO, 2005]
Raising the Minimum WageWomen are nearly two-thirds of all minimum-wage workers. A woman with two children working full-time at the $5.85 federal minimum-wage lives nearly 30 percent below the poverty line. Because the recent increase to $7.25 by 2009 is too little, too late, Edwards will give 8 million women a raise by increasing the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2012 and indexing it to increase automatically. [BLS 2007, Lovell 2007]
Women's Equality and Civil RightsProtecting Women's Right to ChooseThe decision about whether to become a parent is one of the most important decisions that a woman can face. Edwards believes that she should make it with her family, her doctor and in the context of her religious and ethical values. He will protect and defend the right to choose and reverse the damage that has been done by President Bush's anti-choice agenda.
Fighting Workplace DiscriminationEdwards supports the Paycheck Fairness Act to strengthen the remedies for sex discrimination and deter wrongdoing. He will expand resources for female entrepreneurs through his new REACH Fund and by prioritizing the needs of women-owned businesses in existing programs. Edwards will also strengthen enforcement at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and will restore and expand women's right to fight workplace discrimination by overturning the Ledbetter decision that limited women's ability to challenge unfair pay.
Ending Violence Against WomenAchieving full equal rights for women includes the right to be free of violence everywhere. Edwards supports efforts to fully fund the Violence Against Women Act, which provides resources for crisis centers, domestic violence shelters and continuing education to law enforcement and the courts. Edwards will also aggressively support political and economic rights for women where they do not exist and supports efforts to reduce violence against women and children around the world.
Women's HealthGuaranteeing Health Care for Every Woman in AmericaTwo-thirds of uninsured women fail to get the care they need because of its cost. For example, while more than 40,000 women die from breast cancer every year, more than half of uninsured women have not had a mammogram for two years. Edwards will take on the big insurance and drug companies and guarantee true universal health care for every man, woman and child in America. His plan requires employers to cover their workers or help pay the cost; makes insurance affordable for middle-class families through new subsidies and purchasing pools; creates a choice of competing plans, including a public plan and--once insurance is affordable-- requires individuals to get insurance. [Census Bureau, 2007; KFF, 2005; ACS, 2007]
Strengthening America's Research AgendaMore research is needed into the diseases that affect women disproportionately, such as breast cancer, other types of cancer and HIV/AIDS. Edwards supports doubling funding for key priorities at the National Institutes of Health and supports the innovative Department of Defense breast cancer research initiative. Edwards will lift also restrictions and increase funding for embryonic stem cell research, while maintaining strict ethical guidelines to prevent human cloning.

"I believe in John's deep and profound commitment to the issues that matter most in women's lives. From health care, to Iraq, to poverty, to our environment, I know John is the most effective national messenger for the values we share and I have complete confidence that--with our help--he will win the White House and improve the lives of women everywhere."
- NARAL Pro-Choice America President Emeritus Kate Michelman

"Too many women are not getting the health care they need. John Edwards is the only candidate to outline a specific plan to provide universal coverage and I'm proud to be part of a campaign--the only campaign--with a detailed plan to cover all Americans."
- Texas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

"I am proud to endorse my friend, Senator John Edwards. He has always stood to fight for real change in women's lives--working tirelessly to raise the minimum wage, end poverty and guarantee universal health care."
- Former New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid

"John Edwards has laid out detailed proposals to strengthen families and help working women. John understands the need to prioritize families through good public policy that recognizes the contributions of America's women."
- South Dakota Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin

This is but a sampling of his wide ranging support among women, and an indication of the kind of "Pro-Woman" platform we can expect with an Edwards' Presidency. Folks, from this point forward I vow to fight the fire of lies with the water of truth. I do not know for sure John Edwards will win the Presidency, but I know I can sleep at night with him as my choice. My heart knows political joy because I did not compromise. After all these years, compromise has gotten old. If you feel as I do visit http://johnedwards.com/ and learn how supporting him means you do not have to compromise anymore. (Partially Cross-posted on http://mydd.com/ )
Find this and more at: http://waveofblue.blogspot.com/ Progressive blog in support of John Edwards!
Tags: Edwards, Women, Platform (all tags) :: Add Tags to this Entry

Edwards on Trust

by Todd Bennett

From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel via The Associated Press: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-edwards-trust,0,7371678.story Edwards Says Trust Key in Selection

ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa - Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Wednesday that voters should think about who they can most trust when trying to decide between him and his rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. "Having a great politician is fine," Edwards said. "That's not what America needs right now." He said the most important thing is not a candidate's stance on health care or other issues, but honesty, sincerity and trustworthiness after two terms of President Bush.
"I'm a different candidate," he said during a stop at a volunteer fire station. "The most important thing is to have a president that you trust. Forget politics for a minute. ... What we've seen happen in the last six or seven years is the utter destruction of trust between the president and the American people."

Remember what John has told us: this is an election, not an auction. The people own the White House.

North or South, Edwards Does Great With Labor

by Todd Bennett


Mass. SEIU Endorses Democrat Edwards
Posted by The Associated Press 9 hrs ago via The Associated Press

“I am very proud to have the support of the SEIU Massachusetts State Council”
The Massachusetts council of the Service Employees International Union on Thursday joined 10 other state chapters endorsing Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. ' record on health care.

'John Edwards understands the everyday struggles of working families and without question John Edwards would be the best labor president in the history of the United States,' Rocio Saenz, president of SEIU Local 615 in Boston, said in a statement.
SEIU decided last week against making a national endorsement in the Democratic presidential primaries, but gave individual state chapters the option of doing so.

A Democrat's Democrat. Labor's best choice.

Oklahoma is O.K. for John!

by Todd Bennett


Democrats, Labor Leaders Endorse Edwards For President
Posted by roboblogger 13 hrs ago via KTUL

Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields has joined state labor leaders in endorsing Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards in Oklahoma's presidential primary next year.

Rural America still does matter.

Dean leads in Iowa, N.H., polls show

by Todd Bennett

Jan 10, 2004 Howard Dean holds a slight lead in Iowa with just a week to go before the state's Democratic presidential caucuses and is maintaining his dominant position in New Hampshire, campaign polls out Saturday found.
In Iowa, the former Vermont governor was at 30 percent, with Dick Gephardt at 23 percent and John Kerry at 18 percent, according to the Los Angeles Times poll of likely Iowa caucus goers. John Edwards, a North Carolina senator, was the only other candidate in double digits, at 11 percent. http://dir.salon.com/story/news/wire/2004/01/10/dean_polls/index.html

No, I did not forget what year it was. I was just pointing out that John Edwards actually gained 21 points in the last week leading up to the caucus. 21 points! Actual results: 2004 Results

The results were very similar to that indicated by last minute polling, but were a surprise compared with weeks earlier. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Iowa_Democratic_caucuses
Candidate
No. State Delegates
Percentage
Potential National delegates
John Kerry
1,128
37.6
20
John Edwards
954
31.8
18
Howard Dean
540
18.0
7
Richard Gephardt
318
10.6
0
Dennis Kucinich
39
01.3
0
Wesley Clark
3
00.0
0
Uncommitted
15
00.5
-
Source: Des Moines Register

That is 50 plus percent of Iowans who decided in the final week! Hillary need not pop champagne just yet. And John might just have a surprise for those who would write him off.

Count em! Ten State's SEIU Chapters Endorse Edwards!

by Todd Bennett

While the news of the Iowa SEIU chapter endorsing John is great, once again there is more to the story-from The Caucus of NY Times: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/seiu-labor-groups-in-10-states-endorse-edwards/?hp

October 15, 2007, 4:07 pm
S.E.I.U. Labor Groups in 10 States Endorse Edwards
By Steven Greenhouse
Not only did John Edwards receive the endorsement today of the Iowa state chapter of the service employees union, but he also has garnered the backing of nine other state chapters of the S.E.I.U, including the biggest prize of all, the S.E.I.U. council in California, which represents 650,000 workers.
Democratic officials said that Mr. Edwards would also receive the endorsements of the Service Employees International Union chapters in several other states with sizable memberships — Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Washington.
The S.E.I.U. is considered extremely politically active, and these 10 state councils that endorsed Mr. Edwards represent 1 million workers, or more than half its national membership.
Last week, the executive board of the national S.E.I.U. decided against endorsing anyone — a move that many saw as a disappointment for Mr. Edwards, who has aggressively courted that union. But the union’s executive board decided that the S.E.I.U.’s state councils could make their own endorsements. The Edwards camp saw that as a big plus because it expects to receive far more endorsements from S.E.I.U. state units than the other candidates will receive.
“California S.E.I.U. members know that John Edwards will be the best labor president in the history of the United States,” said Sal Rosselli, president of the biggest S.E.I.U. local in California. “His proposals are far and away the best among the candidates on the issues that matter most to working Americans.”
Trying to maximize momentum for Mr. Edwards, the S.E.I.U. state councils in the 10 states coordinated their endorsements for Mr. Edwards. The union councils in Idaho, Montana and West Virginia were also going to endorse him today, a Democratic official said.
With regard to Iowa, the Edwards camp said the state council endorsements would help Mr. Edwards with foot soldiers, phone banks and getting union members to attend that state’s caucus.
Under the S.E.I.U.’s rules, if the union’s Illinois State Council endorses Barack Obama, the Illionis S.E.I.U. will not be allowed to send political activists to Iowa because that state has already endorsed a different candidate, i.e. Mr. Edwards. But when the California State Council endorses Mr. Edwards, it will be allowed to send activists to Iowa because that state’s council has endorsed Mr. Edwards.
Senator Barack Obama also won two endorsements, of the S.E.I.U. council in his home state, Illinois, as well in Indiana, his campaign announced.
Although Mr. Edwards trails far behind Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in national polls, he is neck and neck with them in Iowa. Indeed, the Edwards campaign has made no secret that it is putting a lot of resources in the early states in an effort to achieve an upset victory to help give it momentum in other states.
Far more than any other candidate, Mr. Edwards has staked his campaign on labor endorsements. He has marched on scores of union picket lines and moved quickly to endorse one of labor’s main goals: universal health coverage.
He also has the endorsements of the carpenters, the mine workers, the transport workers and the steelworkers.
Whether the union endorsements put Mr. Edwards over the top in Iowa or prove to be a dud, as they were for Richard Gephardt in Iowa in 2004, remains to be seen.

They fail to mention that Gephardt was a dud in no small part to his "Rose Garden" support of the war, something John should have no trouble with, now that he has clearly distinguished his antiwar stance from the other Democrats. If the media will not treat John fairly, we will have to BECOME the media!

Al Gore Might Run, But John Edwards is Running

by Todd Bennett


There are a lot of us breathlessly anticipating Al's decision on whether or not to run. I myself support a Gore/Edwards duo as my "dream" ticket. I have sent Al correspondence, and have encouraged others to as well. And as of yet, he is not running.
What I have found, is a man who is running that is eminently qualified to run this country. A man who puts us before the establishment. A man who has dedicated his life to helping the less fortunate in this world. His name is John Edwards. John Edwards believes in most all of the things that Al does, except that he is running! Like a lion chasing his dinner, John traverses the country taking on the corpratists and lobbyists, and advocating progressive causes.

What I have also realized is that for every minute we pine for Gore, Edwards suffers. He suffers in terms of donations, structure and endorsements. And he suffers for a man who not once this calendar year has expressed an interest in running. Sure I would be thrilled if Al got in. But if ifs and buts were candy and nuts most any day could be Halloween. There is little time left for ifs and maybes. Not when we KNOW we have the most progressive major candidate running for President and the time is running short for him to gather momentum.
So you know, John Edwards on the issues is as close to Al as you can be, without being Al! Take a gander at Edwards on the environment: http://johnedwards.com/issues/energy/

A New Energy EconomyAchieving Energy Independence & Stopping Global Warming Through A New Energy Economy
During a press conference in San Francisco, Calif., John Edwards speaks about his energy plan, Iraq, and universal health care. The League of Conservation Voters, which has not yet endorsed a candidate for president, described Edwards' plan as the "most comprehensive global warming plan of any presidential candidate to date."
"Senator Edwards' plan demonstrates that he understands the magnitude of the challenge before us and the need for bold leadership to meet it," LCV President Gene Karpinski said.
"Our generation must be the one that says, 'we must halt global warming,'" said Edwards. "If we don't act now, it will be too late. Our generation must be the one that says 'yes' to alternative, renewable fuels and ends forever our dependence on foreign oil. Our generation must be the one that accepts responsibility for conserving natural resources and demands the tools to do it. And our generation must be the one that builds the New Energy Economy. It won't be easy, but it is time to ask the American people to be patriotic about something other than war."
Edwards believes that with American ingenuity and resolve we can turn the crisis of global warming into an opportunity--ending our dependence on foreign oil and creating a new energy economy that embraces innovation, brings rural communities back to life and creates new, good-paying jobs.
The Edwards Plan halts global warming, achieves energy independence and jumpstarts a new energy economy by:
Capping greenhouse gas pollution starting in 2010 with a cap-and-trade system, and reducing it by 15 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, as the latest science says is needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming. Leading the world to a new climate treaty that commits other countries--including developing nations--to reduce their pollution. Edwards will insist that developing countries join us in this effort, offering to share new clean energy technology and, if necessary, using trade agreements to require binding greenhouse reductions. Creating a New Energy Economy Fund by auctioning off $10 billion in greenhouse pollution permits and repealing subsidies for big oil companies. The fund will support U.S. research and development in energy technology, help entrepreneurs start new businesses, invest in new carbon-capture and efficient automobile technology and help Americans conserve energy. Meeting the demand for more electricity through efficiency for the next decade, instead of producing more electricity. I love the part of "most comprehensive global warming plan of any Presidential candidate to date". Of course, healthcare is a big issue too, so check this out: http://johnedwards.com/issues/health-care/
"More than any of the presidential candidates, John Edwards has come up with a specific and plausible plan that provides for health care coverage for all Americans."
Nicholas KristofThe New York Times
John Edwards has a bold plan to transform America's health care system and provide universal health care for every man, woman and child in America.
Under the Edwards Plan: Families without insurance will get coverage at an affordable price. Families with insurance will pay less and get more security and choices. Businesses and other employers will find it cheaper and easier to insure their workers. The Edwards Plan achieves universal coverage by: Requiring businesses and other employers to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance. Making insurance affordable by creating new tax credits, expanding Medicaid and SCHIP, reforming insurance laws, and taking innovative steps to contain health care costs. Creating regional "Health Care Markets" to let every American share the bargaining power to purchase an affordable, high-quality health plan, increase choices among insurance plans, and cut costs for businesses offering insurance. Once these steps have been taken, requiring all American residents to get insurance. Securing universal healthcare for every American will require the active involvement of millions of Americans.
"So this is a smart, serious proposal. It addresses both the problem of the uninsured and the waste and inefficiency of our fragmented insurance system. And every candidate should be pressed to come up with something comparable."
Paul KrugmanThe New York Times
"John Edwards came out with the most comprehensive plan for healthcare."
-- Andy Stern, President, Service Employees International Union
"John Edwards has made a serious and thoughtful proposal to address the growing health care crisis. His innovative plan offers practical steps to lower the high cost of health care, improve the quality of care and provide coverage for all Americans."
-- Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (MA)
Full health care plan can be found here: http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/health-care-overview.pdf Pretty substanstial stuff. John is also and by far the best candidate for the struggling American family: http://johnedwards.com/issues/working-families/
Standing Up For Working Families"I believe we cannot go on as Two Americas--one favored, the other forgotten--if we plan to stay productive, competitive and secure. I want to live in an America where we value work as well as wealth. I know that together we can build One America - a place where everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream." -- John Edwards
In America today, families are working harder to get by. Over the last 20 years, American incomes have grown apart: 40 percent of the income growth in the 1980s and 1990s went the top 1 percent. The top 300,000 individuals now make more than the bottom 150 million. Thirty-seven million Americans--including more than 9.3 million of working-age--live in poverty. The result is Two Americas, one struggling to get by and another that has everything it could want. [EPI, 2006; Saez, 2007; Census, 2006]
John Edwards believes we have to build One American Economy--where everyone has the opportunity to work hard and build a better life. He will restore respect for work to our tax code and cut taxes for working families. He will overhaul our weak labor laws to give workers a real right to organize.
Strengthen Labor Laws: Unions made manufacturing jobs the foundation of our middle class, and they can do the same for our service economy. That's why Edwards has helped more than 20 national unions organize thousands of workers over the last few years. Union membership can be the difference between a poverty-wage job and middle-class security. Federal law promises workers the right to choose a union, but the law is poorly enforced, full of loopholes, and routinely violated by employers. Edwards supports the Employee Free Choice Act to give workers a real choice in whether to form a union, and making penalties for breaking labor laws tougher and faster, so unions can compete on a level playing field and the right to join a union means something. Edwards also supports banning the permanent replacement of strikers so unions can negotiate fairly. Enact Smarter Trade Policies: Trade deals need to make sense for American workers, not just corporations. Edwards will make sure any new trade agreements include strong labor and environmental standards and will vigorously enforce American workers' rights in existing agreements. He will also expand trade adjustment assistance to do much more for the workers and communities that are hurt by global competition and reform our international tax code to remove incentives for companies to move overseas. Make Work Pay: Edwards will increase the reward for working by raising the minimum wage to $9.50 by 2012, tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for adults without children and cutting the EITC marriage penalty. In 2001, a $1 increase in the minimum wage alone would have lifted an estimated 900,000 people out of poverty. [Sawhill and Thomas, 2001] Protect Prevailing Wages: Edwards pledges to protect the Davis Bacon Act, which ensures that workers on federal construction projects receive the local prevailing wage. The Act prevents contractors from slashing wages in order to win federal contracts with low-ball bids. It was shocking when President Bush intervened to keep workers from earning a decent wage after Hurricane Katrina, but we must be vigilant every day against abuses. Help Families Save and Get Ahead: Half of American families say they are living paycheck to paycheck, and three out of 10 American workers have not been able to save a dime for their retirement. Edwards will crack down on abusive lenders by creating a new Families Savings and Credit Commission to protect families and with strong national laws against abusive and predatory credit cards, payday loans and mortgages. Edwards will create Work Bonds to help families save and invest, providing financial safety nets for hard times. Work Bonds, a new tax credit of up to $500, would help low and moderate-income, working Americans save for the future. [MetLife, 2003; Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2006]

We have to understand this one fact, people: Al might run, but John is. The Prom is almost upon us. Time for us to choose a date before one is chosen for us by the corporate media. Time to choose John Edwards.