Edwards Evening News - "Stop Playing the Beltway Game" (9/5/07)

[jsamuel]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/5/182612/4864

Edwards Evening News - "Stop Playing the Beltway Game"
by okamichan13

Welcome to another Wednesday edition of the Edwards Evening News! Big news today with Iraq right on top as Edwards calls on Congress to once again "stop playing the Beltway game" on Iraq and start coming together to bring our men and women home. Here's the lineup for tonight:

1. Edwards to Washington - "Stop Playing the Beltway Game". Show you want the game to end as well by helping with an ad in Roll Call.

2. Edwards releases Mine Safety Plan - the one Bush should have passed a long time ago.

3. Edwards on Mattel - "We can no longer rely on the toy industry to initiate voluntary recalls"

4. Edwards in Montana! - Over 1000 in Missoula!

5. Pushback on Drudge once again - Its Mandatory coverage, not mandatory procedures.

Join us over the fold for details!



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1. Edwards to Washington: "Stop Playing the Beltway Game".

John Edwards tells Washington its time to stand firm, quit the political Hee Haw and stand up to President Bush - "No Timetable, No Funding. No Excuses":

"President Bush wants everyone to keep playing the Beltway game. But this isn't a game - lives are at stake," said Edwards. "Young men and women are dying almost every day and Iraq is descending further into civil war. It's time to end the game – we can't wait. Congress must tell the president something very simple: No timetable, no funding. No excuses."

And he's wants all of us to join him in getting the message out, just like he did before:

As part of a new effort to pressure Congress to stand firm against the president's new funding request and his failed Iraq strategy, the Edwards campaign announced a grassroots effort calling on all Americans to join in his simple message. With the help of supporters, the campaign will place an ad in newspaper Roll Call to remind Congress to stand up and insist: "No timetable, no funding. No excuses."

"I'm calling on Congress to refrain from bickering about benchmarks and stop playing the Beltway game," Edwards continued. "Congress must stand up to the president's policy, reject the incremental triangulation we see inside Washington, and solve the problem in Iraq."

Its up to all of us - together. If you want to help be the change we all believe in, chip in - even a little helps. Click on the ad and tell President Bush that he isn't the decider - we are. And we've decided.



2. Edwards releases Mine Safety Plan - the one Bush should have passed a long time ago.
In the wake of continuing mining disasters across the country and today's hearings on mine safety, John Edwards released a comprehensive plan to protect miners and improve mine safety.

"Washington isn't working for working Americans," said Edwards. "Rather than take the strong actions needed to protect America's miners, it has relied on voluntary measures and inadequate half steps. And the agencies charged with protecting them have been staffed with industry lobbyists and insiders. When it comes to worker safety, we cannot compromise with the mine owners and Washington insiders who represent their interests."

There's a lot there, take a look at the summary and fact sheet. The plan covers six areas:

Prevent Accidents

Improve Emergency Systems

Eradicate Black Lung Disease

Strengthen Enforcement

Help Injured Workers

Give More Miners a Collective Voice for Safety

And isn't it about time the Mine Safety and Health Administration actually stood for the health and safety of its workers instead of being run by coal company lobbyists? The United Mine Workers of America, the largest union of coal mineers in the world, knows exactly whose side Edwards is on.

"Senator Edwards believes, as we do, that the best way to rebuild America's middle class is to expand union membership, not shrink it," Roberts said. "He also believes, as we do, that the searing poverty that still grips many Americans is a stain on our great nation that must be eliminated.

"He also believes that the current state of mine safety oversight in America is a travesty that must be addressed right away," Roberts said. "We can be sure that under an Edwards administration, we will not have any more coal company executives put in charge of being the nation's top watchdog for mine safety and health. That can't come too soon for America's coal miners and their families.

"Senator Edwards also is the candidate with the most comprehensive and forward-thinking plan dealing with climate change, one that will significantly reduce carbon emissions while at the same time jump-start the development of new technologies that will allow the continued use of coal to power our nation," Roberts said. "America simply will not be able to compete economically on a global scale without the power of coal, and Senator Edwards recognizes and embraces that."

Roberts said that the UMWA's endorsement of Edwards will provide critical strength for the candidate, especially in the 2008 battleground states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. "Those are among the handful of states where the election will be won next November, and the UMWA has consistently shown considerable ability to make an election day difference in states where our members live and work," Roberts said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeUf1PjXLfY

3. Edwards on Mattel: "We can no longer rely on the toy industry to initiate voluntary recalls".
With yet another safety recall, the third in one month, Edwards points out yet again that voluntary recalls and a Consumer Product Saftety Commissin with no teeth and little bark are a recipe for disaster.

"We can no longer rely on the toy industry to initiate voluntary recalls – safety must be our highest priority. With the news of another toy recall from the Mattel Corporation, it's clear our nation's children remain at serious risk. With more than 100 different products now subject to recalls, Mattel has lost control of the quality of the millions of toys it has manufactured in China every year. If the company can't ensure the safety of the children's toys it is selling to families, our government must do it for them.

"Mattel's willful flaunting of its obligation to alert the Consumer Product Safety Commission of product dangers in a timely fashion demonstrates that this company and our safety system of voluntary inspections can no longer be trusted.

"Rather than wait for a broken Washington system to act, the president must end his silence, stand up, and lead. President Bush must order Consumer Product Safety Commission inspectors to Mattel's warehouses and collect samples of its full product lines and test each and every one of them for lead paint. If necessary, the president should call on testing resources from the FDA and other agencies to manage this crisis that is threatening the very health of our children.

"Given the growing scope of this crisis, we clearly can no longer rely on corporations to initiate recall after recall while our government sits on the sidelines. America's families and our children deserve better than a broken system that is rigged to protect big corporations and profits, at the expense of our children's health."

This follows in the wake of Edwards recent letter to Bush demanding action (and Bush delivering inaction) and coming out with a bold comprehensive plan to protect our kids.

4. Edwards in Montana! Over 1000 in Missoula!
John Edwards Edwards swept through Montana yesterday, drawing a crowd of over 1,000 people in a town of 60,000 - pretty damn remarkable. Edwards is also the first Democratic candidate to visit Montana, an example of how Edwards would make a 50 state strategy a reality:

Katherine Smith from Hamilton was impressed with Edwards and feels it’s important for Democratic candidates to have a presence in the Rocky Mountain West.

Grassroots efforts have been crucial for Democrats in the region and Edwards obviously understand that, she said.

"He recognizes grassroots and how important grassroots movements are to the West," she said.

She pointed to the fact that during his speech, Edwards said he would visit all 50 states as a presidential nominee. That kind of effort is needed, Smith said, and would be appreciated by the grassroots movements not only in the West, but around the country.

He was introduced by Governer Brian Schweitzer, who knows what Edwards is about:

"John Edwards is a guy who told the K Street lobbyists they can keep their money," Schweitzer said. "He understands the Constitution and he knows there’s no fourth branch of government."

5. Pushback on Drudge once again: Its Mandatory coverage, not mandatory procedures.
If you havne't done so yet, check out be inspired's wonderful diary smacking down the Drudge talking points on Edwards health care proposals - Edwards mandates COVERAGE: official response.

We all know how desperate corrupt Republicans are when it comes to blocking true health care reform and universal coverage for everyone - this is just one more example of it. To jump to the nitty gritty, the Edwards campaign made it clear exactly what Edwards has been talking about:

"Senator Edwards believes it is critically important to take preventive steps that help reduce health care costs and prevent disease. The truth is many people do not currently seek medical services because they aren't covered or can't afford to see a doctor. That is why Edwards' universal health care plan would require most insurers to cover preventive measures at low or no cost. Through incentives like lower premiums, the Edwards plan would also encourage people to use preventive health care, from checkups to cancer screenings, which will result in lower costs for both the individual and the country."

Edwards will be in New Hampshire again tomorrow. If you would like to volunteer in New Hampshire in the coming weeks and months, go for it!

[jsamuel]

1. morning kick