Yep, it's me again with another installment of Friday Night Edwards News Round Up. If you're getting sick of me, that's too bad! You're going to have to see my Friday diaries as long as this election season lasts. This is the place to find the recent news about Edwards! Here we go......
First off, there is so much going on in regards to efforts to end the Iraq War. Even though Edwards isn't in Congress right now, he's speaking out to Bush and all of Congress to stand firm and end the war. His campaign created an ad that airs in the D.C. market which is directly aimed at pressuring Congress to do everything in their power to end the war. Edwards believes the best way to end it is to continue sending the same supplemental bill back to Bush with a withdrawal time line. If Bush wants funding for the war, he must agree to start pulling our troops out Iraq in a timely fashion. If you have not signed John's petition, please add your name to the thousands of people who have:
http://johnedwards.com/...
Bush recently said that he'd be willing to consider benchmarks added to a supplemental. It seems to me Bush is starting to cave to pressure from his fellow lawmakers. Edwards responded to Bush, and here's what he said:
"More and more Republicans are losing patience with President Bush's stubborn pursuit of his failed Iraq policy, and even the president himself is waking up to the reality that his disastrous strategy does not have the support of the American people. Now is not the time for Democrats to cave to the president – now is the time to stand firm.
"The American people gave Congress a mission to end the war - not a mission to accept meaningless benchmarks or endless temporary extensions. There is only one way to stop the president - Congress should use its funding authority to end the war. Congress passed a plan to support our troops and bring them home, and they should do it again. And if the president vetoes it - if he vetoes any bill that supports our troops but sets conditions - then he alone is standing in the way of what our troops need."
I can't say this enough, I absolutely love how Edwards is turning the tables on Bush in regards to supporting the troops. The Democrats have waited way too long to attack the Republicans with this language. The Republicans have used the "Democrats don't support the troops" talking point to win elections. It's time for the Democrats to place blame where it truly lies, and that's with the Republicans who put our troops in harm way with no exit strategy. Come on people, say it with me, "Bush does not support the troops!"
This issue was covered a little over here this week, but not enough in my opinion so I thought I'd bring it up again. Last Wednesday Edwards released a statement on the National Summit of America's Silent Epidemic, where the current Governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley discussed the problem of high school dropouts. Here's what Edwards had to say:
"Our failure to help all of our children finish high school is shocking. As many as one-third of all students drop out of school, and the rates are even worse for poor and minority students. At nearly 1,000 high schools, students have less than an even chance of graduating. Most of these students quickly regret it. America is about second chances. As president, I will create second-chance schools to help former dropouts get back on track with one-on-one attention and a chance to earn a diploma at night or at a local community college. I will also invest in expanding preschool programs, attracting and paying excellent teachers, and making college more affordable.
Edwards recently released his detailed plan to help lower income high school students go to college. I've heard about his College for Everyone Program he started at Greene High School in rural North Carolina. It's in its second year and was incredibly successful. The first year Edwards raised over $350,000 to fund the first year of tuition plus books for kids who entered the program. The kids have to work ten hours of community service a week and in exchange have their first year of state college funded. I love it when people like Edwards take matters in their own hands and make a real difference in people's lives. If you'd like to read more about his college plans go here:
http://johnedwards.com/...
Let's talk politics now, the right wing smear machine is always hard at work to smear the Democrat of their choice. This week Ann Coulter decided to bash Obama and declared that his candidacy would help Al Qeada. Many people on this site are not surprised at how right wing pundits try and claim that Democrats are weak on terror or that Al Qeada wants them elected. It's even more disturbing when prominent Republican candidates adopt the same nasty language, that's right Rudy, I'm talking about you!
Here's what Edwards said about Coulter's slur against Obama:
"Just when we thought Ann Coulter couldn't take the politics of personal destruction any lower, she proved us wrong. Her outrageous comments are inexcusable and should not be tolerated in the public dialogue. This is the latest example of how the political doctrine of Bush's Global War on Terror has created a climate where people think it's okay to use the threat of terrorism as a guise for hateful political attacks. There is no superior 'Republican' way to fight terrorism. The exercise of raw power alone does not make you a world leader, and will not make us secure. Our capacity to lead requires that we be strong - and that we have the moral authority to do it."
Edwards recently started two websites specifically for Iowa Caucus goers and New Hampshire primary goers. The websites are spin offs of his main campaign website http://johnedwards.com. They have created these websites to help voters become involved with the campaign as well as all of his policy proposals are laid out for them. It's a smart move for Edwards to engage the caucus goers, it is up to them after all to decide who the next Democratic nominee will be. If you live in Iowa or New Hampshire and want to get involved go here:
Here's the link to the Iowa website: http://johnedwards.com/...
Here's the link to the New Hampshire website: http://johnedwards.com/...
Do my fellow Kossacks know that Edwards has a blog? Many people have wanted answers from Edwards regarding his positions on insourcing to how he would reform NAFTA. If you have any questions for Edwards, and want him to address an issue that's near and dear to your heart, I suggest you go to the blog at his website and write a diary about it like you do here. The Edwards campaign is great at listening to the concerns of the people, and I encourage you to interact with the campaign. Here's the link to his blog: http://blog.johnedwards.com/
Guess what? Edwards just released a book called, "Ending Poverty in America", it's a book of of essays by numerous activists, community leaders, and creative thinkers, on how the nation can best alleviate poverty. It was co-edited by John Edwards, Marion Crain, and Arne Kalleburg. If you'd like to read more about the recent book go here:
http://johnedwards.com/...
If you'd like to contribute to the Edwards campaign go here:
https://secure.actblue.com/...