Despite having considerably less time that our hundred million dollar celebrity candidates, Edwards turned in a stellar debate performance last night. On the issues of Iraq, Nuclear Power, Veteran's Funding, and Immigration, among others Edwards gave clear, concise answers. Because of this he recieved rave reviews from many. I think the voters of Nevada were presented a clear choice. His message seems to have resonated.
Today, John Edwards returned to his Bread and Butter issue, his plans to strengthen our economy and help hard-working families who are falling further and further behind. Today in Reno, Edwards discussed his economic stimulus plan, his policies to help homeowners, and his policies to curb credit card abuses:
Reno, Nevada – At a town hall today in Reno, Nevada, John Edwards will call on Nevadans to join him in his fight to give working and middle class families a voice in Washington. On the second day of his "Standing with Working Families" tour, Edwards will discuss his plan to take on the powerful corporate interests standing in the way of change and strengthen our economy, so working and middle class families have the chance to get ahead. Edwards' trip comes as he is gaining strength in Nevada leading up to the caucuses. Polls showing him moving up and staff, supporters and volunteers, along with the Carpenters, Steelworkers, Transport Workers and Communication Workers,have been hard at work making phone calls and knocking on doors to spread Edwards' message. Later in the day, Edwards will echo his remarks at a town hall in Las Vegas and will visit with steelworkers and Nevada veterans.
Edwards will outline his $100 billion jobs package and renew his call for immediate Congressional action to create jobs and strengthen the economy. Edwards will also strengthen our economy and help families by ending the housing crisis and helping save families' homes, cracking down on abusive lending practices, raising the minimum wage, making it easier for workers to join unions and enacting trade policies that put the interests of workers first.
In his own words:
"Today, too many working families in Nevada are struggling with debt and facing skyrocketing costs of everything from health care to education to gas," said Edwards. "Meanwhile, big corporate interests are getting every break imaginable from Washington. Working families need a president who will stand up for them, not big corporate interests. I've been fighting these interests my entire life, and I know that together we can take our country back."
I couldn't agree more. The last twenty years, in fact my whole life, the working class has been squeezed time and time again. It is far past time that working Americans had someone who will Fight, yes FIGHT for them.
All this talk of bringing people to the table offers working people no hope for change whatsoever, because anyone who has watched the last twenty years knows that the only thing that is ever compromised when "everyone" comes to the table are the working class family, and their interests.
John Edwards fights for them with much more than talking points, and generalities of "hope" and "change". He fights for them with hard policy proposals, laid out in front of the American people for all to see. Lets look at a few of the ideas Edwards plans to fight, yes FIGHT for as President:
Urging Congress to Take Action and Pass an Economic Stimulus Plan: To provide a much-needed boost to a weakening economy, Edwards' economic stimulus plan calls for investing in clean energy infrastructure, increasing federal aid to help states avoid cutting programs that help families through hard times, reforming unemployment insurance and tackling the housing crisis.
I think it goes without saying that the irresponsible policies of spend, spend and spend some more on the War in Iraq are going to drive our economy into the ditch. Many people are already feeling the pinch of this. Edwards would meet the coming recession head-on, and give working Americans real hope of surviving it.
Edwards also adresses the Nevada families who stand to lose their homes because of the unscrupulous behavior of the lending industry:
Ending the Housing Crisis and Saving Families' Homes: Nevada has the highest foreclosure rate in the country. Edwards will (1) halt foreclosures until lenders take concrete steps to avoid defaults, (2) create a Home Rescue Fund to help families move into affordable mortgages, and (3) allow bankruptcy judges to rewrite mortgages on family homes. Edwards will also prevent future crises by passing a strong national law against predatory lending.
Continuing on that theme, while other candidates vote against capping interest on Credit Card companies at 30%, Edwards plans on taking on the powerful special interests that fleece the average American of billions of dollars:
Reigning in Credit Card and Other Abusive Debt: Edwards will require credit card companies to disclose the true cost of making only minimum payments; restore a 10-day grace period before imposing late fees and penalty rates; apply interest rate increases to future balances only, and end the practice of "universal default." Edwards will also create a new consumer watchdog agency – the Family Savings and Credit Commission – whose sole purpose will be to crack down on these and other kinds of predatory consumer credit practices.
This agenda is far past due in this country. We need to fight, yes FIGHT against companies who make record profits by insuring that millions of Americans stay in debt. Edwards takes this personally, and will make sure that something is done about it.
Edwards also found time to talk about a main theme of his campaign to create One America by rewarding work, not only wealth:
Rewarding Work, not Just Wealth: Edwards will reward work by raising the minimum wage by 75 cents a year until it reaches $9.50 in 2012, and then index it to so that it automatically rises each year along with average wages. He will also reward work with stronger unions, universal health care, Stepping Stone jobs and smart trade policies that put the interests of workers and families, not multinational corporations, first.
http://www.johnedwards.com/...
Anyone who knows realizes that Edwards has been fighting for low-wage workers all across this country. Before he had announced for President he travelled across this nation when the Congress would not raise minimum wage and fought to help raise it in six seperate states. He also walked several picket lines to fight with American workers for their rights to organize and negotiate wages and benefits with powerful business interests. His ideas on trade, and creating stepping stone and Green collar jobs are so good that as you heard in the debate last night and even among Repugs they are standing in line to snatch up his rhetoric.
John Edwards has led on every single issue important to the middle-class, low-wage workers, and union workers. He is the only candidate in this race who will put the interests of the average working American over those of any other in this race. He has fought, yes FOUGHT for us not only in this primary, but in the years that preceded it. I hope the hard working men and women of Nevada will see through the MSMs celebrity framing and media blackout around Edwards and help us nominate a real fighter for the working American. With a win in Nevada, Edwards can spring to the nomination he so much deserves.
Don't forget Edwards supporters, and anyone who wants to send a message to the MSM that they cannot decide our elections for us, Friday is the day we send a record-breaking message to everyone!!!
Please, help us!!
John Edwards 08- The Only Choice for working Americans!!!
John Edwards, Underdog: