by Todd BennettThere 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.
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