This is a total document dump from the JRE08 Blog, but it's worth it for folks to know about it.
Senator John Edwards today sent a letter to President Bush challenging the president to join him on a tour of places in America that are too often ignored and to talk to Americans who are working hard, but still living in poverty.
July 19, 2007
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20400
Dear Mr. President:
Earlier this week, I went on a journey that started in New Orleans, went through the Mississippi Delta, Memphis, Cleveland, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Virginia and ended in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. At every stop, I met with incredible people who are working hard everyday and still living in poverty. I did it to try to help the rest of the country hear the voices of people who are often forgotten -- people living in poverty and on the losing end of economic unfairness. I did it to show that we can solve these problems and there is hope.
Mr. President, that what's true leaders do, they lead with big, bold ideas that actually solve problems. They do not wait to be told about problems that stare them in the face, they never follow, and they should never have to wait for a convenient time to address the incredible challenges that face so many hard-working families in this nation.
As you approach you final days in office, you have a chance to finally stand up and lead on this important issue. However, unless you choose to lead and start helping solve poverty in America, the next 550 days of your presidency will all but ensure that the 37 million Americans who wake up in poverty today will only grow. If you choose to do nothing on poverty, the next 550 days of your presidency will only ensure that the more than 5 million Americans who have fallen into poverty during your presidency will only grow.
But, it's not too late to change course. It's never too late to do the right thing and lead.
So today, I am writing to challenge you to come with me and visit the places in America that are too often ignored - places like Marks, Mississippi, West Helena, Arkansas, Wise, Virginia and Whitesburg, Kentucky - and expose yourself to the harsh realities of poverty in America, and how much worse American families are under your presidency. Go to the cities and towns where I have gone. See and talk to the good and decent Americans with amazing character who struggle with incredible poverty. Incredible poverty, Mr. President, which has only worsened every day over the last 7 years because of the failure of your leadership and the terrible effects your policies have had on millions of families. And see how the people of New Orleans are still struggling nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina, and see how your administration's indifference to this problem has only made the problem worse.
I can only hope that if you stop and listen to the stories of the men and women who work hard and are paid poverty wages - and sometimes even cheated out of those - without health care or decent schools for their children, I believe you will agree with me that America must act and it must act now.
Poverty is not an intractable problem. There are solutions that work. We can reward work and create opportunity with lower taxes for working families, stronger unions, more job and affordable housing opportunities, better schools and stronger families.
Poverty is not a New Orleans problem, a Pittsburgh problem or an Appalachia problem. It is an American problem. And it's America's responsibility. And America needs a president who will lead on this issue, not turn his back on 37 million forgotten Americans.
The 37 million Americans living in poverty and the hundreds of millions of others who know in their hearts that America can do better and deserve a president who will lead on this issue.
Mr. President, don't wait for the next hurricane. The time to act is now.
Sincerely,
John Edwards
Edwards Plan to Eliminate Poverty in 30 Years
End Poverty by 2036: John Edwards believes that ending poverty should be a goal our nation actively pursues. A national goal will rally support for the cause and help us measure our progress.... Edwards calls for a national effort to:
- Cut poverty by one third within a decade, lifting 12 million Americans out of poverty by 2016.
- End poverty within 30 years, lifting 37 million Americans out of poverty by 2036.
Creating A Working Society
Edwards has outlined a Working Society initiative to lift 12 million Americans out of poverty in a decade and beat poverty over the next 30 years. In the Working Society, everyone who is able to work hard will be expected to work and, in turn, be rewarded for it.
Rewarding Work
Create 1 Million Stepping Stone Jobs for Workers Who Take Responsibility. Every American should have the chance to work their way out of poverty.... Edwards suggested creating 1 million temporary jobs over five years. The jobs would be reserved for individuals who cannot find other work after six months of looking, pay the minimum wage, and last up to 12 months. In return, workers must show up and work hard, stay off drugs, not commit any crimes, and pay child support. Studies have shown that these programs are successful moving people into permanent jobs.
Raise the Minimum Wage....
Create Opportunity in Rural America....
Strengthen Labor Laws. Union workers earn 28 percent more than non-union workers, on average. 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 an effective, democratic choice over whether to form a union.
Expanding Affordable Housing
Establish a New Era at HUD. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) needs an overhaul to make housing policy a force for economic opportunity.... Edwards suggested creating one million new housing vouchers over five years to let low-income families choose to live in better neighborhoods. He believes that we should also expand the supply of affordable housing that is economically integrated with other communities....
Fight Predatory Lending. Home ownership promotes economic security and, for most families, is the top generator of wealth. However, predatory lenders use deceptive terms and abusive interest rates and fees to strip away families' equity, reducing the amount of wealth they have saved in their homes and sometimes depriving them of their homes entirely. Edwards called for fair rules to protect homeowners.
Helping Families Save
Help Low-Income Workers Save with "Work Bonds." Edwards proposed a new tax credit to help low-income, working Americans save for the future. The credit would match wages to $500 per year and be directly deposited into a savings account. Edwards has also proposed expanding the Savers Credit to match the savings of low-income families.
Expand Access to Bank Accounts and Fight Abusive Payday Lending....
Strengthening Education
Expand College Opportunity: In Greene County, North Carolina, Edwards helped launch a College for Everyone program that is helping students attend college this fall. He has proposed a similar national program where students who agree to work part-time during their first year at a public college would get their tuition paid. Research has shown that the first year of college is the most difficult one, where additional student aid can make the greatest difference.
Create Second-Chance Schools for High School Dropouts....
Strengthen Public Schools: Edwards suggested expanding access to preschool programs such as Head Start and North Carolina's Smart Start, investing more in teacher pay and training to attract good teachers where we need them most, and strengthening high schools with smaller schools and a more challenging curriculum.
Encourage and Reward Responsibility from Fathers. Welfare reform required mothers to work and helps them find jobs, but it failed to touch poor fathers.... He will reserve budget cuts in child support enforcement to increase collections by more than $8 billion over the next decade and ensure that payments benefit children.
Cut Taxes for Low-Income Workers. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) matches the first earnings of low-income workers. The credit is often used for household necessities and work expenses. It is also an effective tool for increasing labor force participation. The EITC already lifts more than 4 million people out of poverty, and expanding it could draw hundreds of thousands more Americans into the workforce and lift more than a million out of poverty.
Fight Teen Pregnancy....
There hasn't yet been a full summary of the Road to One America Tour yet, so the best place to look is at the blog, especially this summary as of Day 2.
Also see:
Also some YouTube fun
John Edwards speaks about poverty at the Floyd County Courthouse in Prestonsburg, Ky. on July 18, 2007 (22 minutes -- is there a new YouTube time rule). It's the final stop:
John Edwards speaks about poverty at the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association in Memphis, Tenn. on July 16, 2007
Crossposted at the Michigan for Edwards Blog: http://michiganforedwards.blogspot.c...