Welcome! Lots of news today with Elizabeth blogging at Daily Kos and John Edward's tour on its 3rd day through Iowa. Here's what we have for you tonight:
- Elizabeth blogs on Daily Kos: A summary of Elizabeth answers to questions on John's positions, including posts on executive power, healthcare, biofuels, immigration and whole lot more.
- Iowa, Day 3: Videos and updates on the tour through Iowa.
- Edwards Calls on Bush, Congress to Keep Kids Toys Safe
Elizabeth answers questions on Daily Kos - "Under John, the Consitution Returns"
As everyone is probably already aware, Elizabeth Edwards came by this evening to talk about the campaign's bus tour through Iowa and answer some questions. Her diary's still in full swing, but she had to run a bit ago.
To make it easier with all those comments, here's some highlights for you. For each of these answers, you can see the question or comment before by clicking on "parent" at her post. So beginning with my favorite question and answer:
On an Edwards administration rejecting Bush's expansion of executive power:
jsamuels asked
Is John Edwards committed to, after becoming president, voluntarily giving up powers take by Bush into the Executive Branch that do not belong there?
Thank you.
And Elizabeth answered:
Absolutely
None of the nonsense of avoiding constitutional and legal requirements for executive branch activities by issuing executive orders.
None of these signing statements intended to undermine legislative intent.
None of the refusal to enforce laws that have been passed.
Under John, the constitution returns.
And isn't it about time? No more presidents that think they are kings please.
On a smart plan to fight terrorism:
We have real terrorists we need to hunt down. But hunting them down is a surgical operation that requires a laser like intensity directed at what Bush calls the "evil-doers". When it became a global war on terror (GWOT), we lost that focus (and we haven't as a result caught bin Laden yet) and we started putting everything into that big GWOT basket -- spying on Americans, torture, other violations of the Geneva convention, violations of our constitution like suspension of habeus corpus. If you opposed the President on anything then you were helping terrorists and GWOT. Well, we haven't caught bin Laden, and in fact al Qaeda has re-formed in Pakistan, with more splinter groups across the globe. The State Department says there are more terorists and we have less allies. Our lack of focus has made us less safe.
On subsidizing health care to reach universal coverage (also see here):
Health care is subsidized for incomes up to $100,000. No one will pay more than 4% of income. And pre-existing conditions will not be subject to restriction or exemption from coverage. John's UHC plan is just what you need.
All the best to you.
On cellulose based biofuels (great question!):
John is for cellulose based biofuels
And switchgrass is a great example, which also per acre, produces about four times the fuel that corn does. Corn ethanol is a great pathway fuel to allow the infrastructure to get in place so that we can get the private investment that will be essential to nationwide use of those biofuels.
On Immigration:
Out of the shadows
If we want undocumented workers out of the shadows we need to program that is a realistic carrot. John is for strengthening borders (last time we talked about immigration we had 2M, not it is over 12M), heavy penalties on employers -- the human beings like CEOS not just the corporations, and path to citizenship that includes a fine for breaking the law and a requirement for their benefit that they learn the language of commerce, English, so that they can apply to become citizens.
A guest worker program, which may be necessary, should not be tied to a particular employer -- that disadvantages the guest worker and the American workers working beside him and only advantages employers (hard to guess why Bush would like that!).
And visas should be offered to categories of workers when there is a need in this country, not when there are legions of unemployed people in the industries in which the visas are targeted.
On federal lobbyists and bundlers:
John asked at YearlyKos how many of you had federal lobbyists, because that is where the rigging starts. Money for campaigns translates into influence with government, and that is not how it should be. Dems should take no money from federal lobbyists AND should not allow them to bundle for them -- because either is buying influence.
On judgment:
I assume that you are referring to the IWR resolution vote, for which John has apologized. I want you to look at the whole picture, though, including John's 2003 vote (with 12 Dems) against the first supplemental for Iraq -- the $87B -- and every dedicated funding for Iraq request. On the dedicated funding requests, John has the best record of him, Biden, Clinton, Dodd, and Obama -- and that, too, is a test of judgment.
Thanks for pcommenting.
On the Democratic Congress not standing up stronger:
Compromise sounds a lot like capitulation doesn't it?
I don't know the answer to this. I do know that those I talked about above don't want to upset the cart, so when the Congress turns Dem then more Dem lobbyists are hired on K Street to protect the same industries that the Repub lobbyists protected before. As John says, we need to stop changing their insiders for our insiders and start governing based on the needs of the American people.
On creating green jobs by investing in a green ecconomy:
It is a great point and John does talk about the new green collar jobs -- a million of them -- that can be created if the government is active in promoting and supporting the development of green technology.
Thanks.
On financial fairness:
Stories like these are just what motivates John. We need a national predatory lending law, which is why he has proposed one and we need an agency that oversees all financial instruments for fairness. We evaluate cars, toys, food. We need federal oversight here, too. John is the only one who has proposed anything like this.
And even on Nevada (no, not pulling out):
John has been more than any other candidate. I have been more than any other spouse. Staff gets shuffled all the time, and frankly, the shifting calendar (which is not yet set in stone) will probably result in more shifting from various places. John will win Nevada.
"Fighting for One America" bus tour - Day 3 in Iowa
Click above and read all about where John Edwards went in Iowa today and his plans to reward work instead of just rewarding wealth.
All Aboard!
"Washington is broken and our system has been rigged against working people," Edwards said. "Families are falling farther behind, losing their health care and struggling to afford the basics, while the wealthy investors and big corporations use their Washington lobbyists to get every break imaginable. As president, I'll fight for an America that values and rewards work, not just wealth. From raising the minimum wage to strengthening labor standards to passing universal health care, I will make it my priority to help regular families get ahead."
There already have been some great diaries on Iowa today so check them out:
jsamuel's Want to know John Edwards better? (Updated w/ New Video)
TomP's Update III (new video). John Edwards: "Our system has been rigged against working people."
Here's a couple of videos from those diaries to enjoy:
Fighting for One America - Economic Inequality
Fighting for One America - Work & Responsibility
For more great pictures, video and updates as the tour progresses check out the Edwards Iowa page and also check the latest itenerary, with new stops added. Tomorrow is Day 4 and the focus is on universal health care.
Edwards Calls on Bush, Congress to Keep Kids Toys Safe
Edwards sent a letter today to President Bush and Congressional leaders asking for action in the wake of the growing risk to Americans posed by unsafe products coming into the United States. Portions of his letter:
Dear President Bush,
As one father to another, I’m calling on you to end your silence, speak out, and take immediate action to stop the growing crisis of dangerous toys being imported from China. The safety of the American people should be your highest priority and these unsafe toys pose a serious threat to the health and welfare of millions of children. Given the growing scope of this crisis, we cannot rely on corporations to initiate voluntary recalls while your administration sits on the sidelines. America’s families and our children deserve better than this.
Again, I ask you, as one parent to another, to consider the serious fears and concerns that millions of parents face because they are unsure whether their child is playing with a toy made in China that could seriously harm our children. With nearly 12 million toys recalled this summer alone, it is clear now that the chain of recalls are not isolated incidents. Just today, Mattel had to recall 9 million toys from China because they put our children at risk. The manufacturing standards in countries like China, from where which nearly 80 percent of toys are imported, are inadequate and not being enforced. This is unacceptable. We need real leadership and we need action to ensure that our children’s toys are safe.
snip
You have the power to make our country a safer place for our kids to play and learn and grow – for their sake, please act today.
And that's the news for today, hope you enjoyed taking a ride on the Edwards express!
PS: And if you want to keep the Edwards bus running (on low carbon biofuel no less), feel free to chip in:
. Anything you can do to support John Edwards' campaign to transform America is welcome.