Rural America needs John Edwards

[JohnLocke]

Rural America needs John Edwards
Sioux City Journal
----
LAWTON, Iowa -- In Iowa, we have a proud heritage. Yet rural communities are struggling and are all-too-often ignored in Washington.

Many of our jobs have been outsourced or have simply evaporated. Young people often are forced to leave to find opportunities in the job market. And the rise of agribusiness has meant the fall of too many of our family farms.

That's why I was so relieved to see John Edwards in Sioux City earlier this month. He's a candidate who really gets it. He understands where we're coming from because he grew up in a struggling rural community. His rural recovery plan makes him the ideal presidential candidate for Iowans.

He has a plan to create one million "green-collar" jobs that will transform the energy industry and provide us with new economic opportunities through renewable energy. He will invest in teacher pay and create more digital learning opportunities so that our children receive a higher-quality education. And he will stand up for family farmers who need help.

Rural America needs help - rural America needs President John Edwards. -- Rich Danielson

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/11/30/news_opinion/letters/9bc993602c213e72862573a20078f8e7.txt

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Be Serious - His Actual Record Is Truly Awful

I really don't understand why many people believe that somehow Edwards is a totally different person than he was in the Senate.

[1932]

3. How do you find so much time to criticize good democrats? Can't you find enough good things to say

about whomever you're supporting?

[1corona4u]

7. He's a fake.

You're buying it, we don't.

[1932]

11. I'm not buying anything unless it is well-argued and supported by facts.

John Edwards's arguments about America and public policy are well-argued and supported by facts.

Most of the bullshit posted by a small handful of posters here criticizing Edwards isn't even in the context of an argument.

[William769]

16. His record in the Senate is a matter of public record.

Theres your facts.

[1932]

19. Yeah. Here it is. What don't you like? 100% ratings by women, labor, family, civil rts grps?

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=21107

[The River]

5. Being A Democratic Senator

from a very Red state is an amazing feat unto itself.
You think he should have voted like a solidly Blue state
Senator whose liberal constituents expect liberal votes ?
You think just maybe he was mostly voting the way his
conservative constituents expected him to? You know,
representing them?

And yes, people can go through profound transformations, especially
after experiencing major life events.
Suffering a huge loss (04) can get you to reexamine your entire life.
Facing a major illness in the family (his wife's cancer or the death of a child) can suddenly
make one focus on what's really important in life.

In your own Kabbalah is not the process of "Eldering" a
major life changing process brought about by just such an event?

[cali]

9. people pound DINOs from red states every flippin' day here

and there were at least two dems from red states that had the guts to vote against the IWR. Edwards, from everything I've seen, wasn't even conflicted; he bought the bushit, hook, line and sinker.

[1932]

12. You forgave Dean for supporting the $50B Iraq War allocation because you said you knew

he wouldn't have voted for the IWR.

Let's not lie to each other. Dean said he supported that because he knew he needed to say that in order to get elected -- that's what Americans wanted. They did not want a Democrat who wasn't going to 'support the troops', even though Dean must have known that the war was all about allocating billions to Bechtel and Halliburton, and to all the private contractors who, along with most Republicans and some Democrats, use war to shift wealth to the wealthy.

Why are you not allowing Edwards supporters the same luxury of believing that Edwards' anti-neoliberal, anti-conglomertization of economic and political power message means that he never would have invaded a foreign country on behalf of the oil industry (or any industry) and that he voted for the IWR because Bush's bullshit express leading up the war was so powerful, that, not only did many Americans think the IWR vote was the right thing to do, Edwards thought that the stakes were so high in 2004 (that if Bush won in 2004 it would probably add 20 years to the amount of time America would need to get back the trajectory of justice and an equitable distribution of political, cultural, and economic power) that the eventual winner of the 2004 election would NOT be someone Americans perceived as weak on national security or someone who, in close call, would jump up to defend American interests all over the globe.

Why do you get to rationalize Dean's policy statements, but you want let Edwards supporters have their own (well founded) rationalization about Edwards's support of the IWR?

[1932]

20. I didn't expect you to answer any of the questions in the post above...

[1corona4u]

6. Not only that...

but how fake he is now...that just slays me...and people are buying it.

[gmudem]

17. Here's my question

Corruption in Washington is obviously the main theme of his campaign, and it goes along with him being a populist who will fight for the poor.

Now, do you really think if he gets to elected he's not going to do any of the things he said he would after he has been saying he will do it over and over and over and over again?

Get over yourself. America needs John Edwards.

[Doctor Cynic]

2. So what about urban America?

80% of the population are in urban areas. Who will talk about the need to improve urban infrastructure, ease traffic congestion, decrease inner city drime, and raise education standards? Those are more important priorities than handouts to agribusiness.

[Catchawave]

4. This is just one of many issues he's addressing, and definitely not

handing out to agribusiness! He's on the family farmer's side.

[JohnLocke]

8. Here

First, Edwards has detailed policies on urban America (see "Cities Rising: Edwards' Agenda for Urban America").
http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20071201-cities-rising/

Second, he's OPPOSED to "handouts to agribusiness."

"Cities are the centers of American life, but they are also sites of the most concentrated inequalities in America. Our cities need a helping hand so they can continue to rise with better jobs, better schools, and a higher quality of life." – John Edwards

[William769]

10. They could have used him when he was in the Senate. What happened?

:shrug:

[1932]

13. He's running for president so he can make a real difference.

[William769]

15. So I guess the Senate was just play time for him then.

[1932]

18. Not according to project vote smart.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=21107

[JohnLocke]

14. Kick (nt).