What's The Diff? – John Edwards

POLITIX - reposted from Edwardian HDQ Site
MANHATTAN (August 1, 2008)

"What's The Diff? – John Edwards" was formatted and edited to fit one sheet front-back for easily printable campaign tabling hand-outs.

John Edwards is distinctly different from the other major Democratic candidates on a number of key issues. These briefs, as stated by Leo Hindery (see below), specifically point out where or how Edwards’ proposals and policies diverge from or substantially advance beyond the others. Website links to further in-depth analysis accompany each answer.

Electability in November 2008
John Edwards continues to prove that his appeal extends well beyond traditional Democratic strongholds. He continues to perform very well against the Republican White House hopefuls in general election match-ups, and recent polls in states like Ohio, Iowa and Missouri show that John Edwards is the Democrat most likely to carry those vital battleground states in a general election. Numerous leaders of the labor movement have cited electability as one of the reasons their unions have endorsed John Edwards. It is a reality that Democratic elected officials, party leaders and strategists around the country have expressed concern that Senator Clinton would hurt Democratic candidates in down-ballot races. http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20071018-true-blue-majority/

Middle East – End The Iraq War
John Edwards is the only major candidate who will withdraw all combat troops from Iraq within ten months. He opposes the Ccongressional action that Hillary Clinton recently voted for that could be the first step toward military action against Iran.
John Edwards believes there is no military solution to the chaos in Iraq. Instead, the Iraqi people must solve the problem politically by taking responsibility for their country. http://johnedwards.com/issues/iraq/
John Edwards believes that the U.S. must show the Iraqis that we are serious about leaving by actually starting to leave. American intention must be demonstrated by immediately drawing -down approximately 50,000 troops. A withdrawal of all combat troops within ten months would follow. John Edwards strongly supports the supplemental spending bill passed by both Houses of Congress and vetoed by President Bush that funds the troops with a timetable for withdrawal. He continues to call for Congress to respond to the President’s veto by sending back the same bill – and doing this as many times as it takes for the President to end the war. John Edwards believes it is of the utmost importance that we prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons. However, he opposes the designation of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a “terrorist organization,” which Hillary Clinton supported. As President, John Edwards would take aggressive steps to resolve this situation and to protect the United States and our allies. http://johnedwards.com/issues/iran/ http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/11/5/122520/049

Energy, Security and Environment
John Edwards was the first to endorse aggressive science-based caps on global warming: 20% below current levels by 2020 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, receiving the unanimous endorsement of the national environmental organization Friends of the Earth Action. http://johnedwards.com/issues/energy/new-energy-economy/
John Edwards led all candidates by being the first to support a cut in global warming gasses to be achieved through a cap and trade system. He has called for a $13 billion per year New Energy Economic Fund to support research and development in energy technology, funded in part by a windfall profits tax on oil companies. He has called for 25% of electricity produced from renewable sources by 2025, and for all new cars built after 2010 to be flex-fuel vehicles. John Edwards has proposed a Green Collar Jobs initiative to train and employ at least 150,000 workers a year in new energy economy jobs. He also overwhelmingly won MoveOn's “Virtual Town Hall” on climate change issues. John Edwards opposes construction of any new nuclear energy plants andor any new coal-fired energy plants that do not possess carbon capture and storage technology. He is against subsidies for coal liquefaction.

John Edwards recognizes the linkage between security, energy and counterterrorism. His landmark speech, "A New Strategy Against Terrorism," presented a bold vision of how this nation can proceed into the 21st Century with steadfast confidence defined by the two principles of strength and cooperation. As President, John Edwards will restore America's mantle of moral leadership in the world. http://johnedwards.com/news/speeches/a-new-strategy-against-terrorism/ U.S. and Global Economies – “Fair Trade” and Job Growth“It's time we honored work in this country, not just wealth.” John Edwards has the most specific proposals of any candidate to restore tax fairness, to enhance competitiveness and job growth, and to re-negotiate free trade agreements so they are once again fair trade agreements. In the breadth and detail of his proposals, John Edwards differs substantially from the other candidates.

John Edwards is informed by the fact that 300,000 taxpayers make half of the nation’s income, while 150 million make the other half, which represents the greatest income inequality in this country since 1928. This reality has been exacerbated by the combination of unfair tax practices, the ill effects of unfair globalization, and trade policies that mostly enrich multinational corporations and certainly not workers. Regarding “fair trade,” John Edwards is for strong labor and environmental standards and against illegal subsidies and currency manipulation. He is also for rigorous enforcement of trade agreements, not just negotiation. Only John Edwards has called for raising the minimum wage to $9.50 and creating a new test for trade: Will new deals benefit working families, not just multinational corporations? http://johnedwards.com/issues/working-families/

Universal Health Care
John Edwards was the first candidate to announce a detailed plan for universal health care and has been honest about how he would pay for it – by repealing Bush’s tax cuts for the rich. His plan could evolve into a single-payer approach as everyone is offered the option of a public plan as an alternative to insurance companies.

John Edwards was also the first presidential candidate – Democratic or Republican – to advocate taking on the big insurance and drug companies and to propose a plan for quality, affordable heath care for every man, woman and child in America. John Edwards has also put forward specific proposals for bringing down health care costs, improving the quality of care, fighting cancer, HIV/AIDS and strengthening the nursing workforce. http://johnedwards.com/issues/health-care/

Education
John Edwards is the only major candidate to propose a comprehensive education plan (Smart Start) that coordinates education, health care and family support services for children before they enter school.
The Edwards education plan would increase incentives for teachers in high-poverty schools as well as improve training and mentoring programs for teachers. John Edwards advocates a radical overhaul of No Child Left Behind based on the understanding that teachers, not tests, are the single most important factor in successful schools. http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/10/23/124521/45 http://johnedwards.com/issues/education/

Housing
John Edwards will help low-income families move to better neighborhoods by creating one million new housing vouchers, phasing out housing projects that concentrate poverty in fixed locations, and investing in revitalizing dilapidated neighborhoods.

Leo Hindery, Jr.
Leo Hindery, Jr. serves as the campaign's Senior Economic Advisor. John Edwards describes him as a “respected leader in the business community who is well known throughout the country as a strong voice for people who often aren’t heard and for responsible economic and trade policies.” He co-founded, along with Russian Federation Council Chairman Sergey Mironov, Transatlantic Partners Against AIDS (TPAA), and received from the Asia Society its Founders Award for his efforts in the international fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Notable among his many credentials (e.g., Chair of the Horizon Project developing economic and trade policy recommendations for the 110th Congress) and business accomplishments in cable media, Mr. Hindery recently received the “Keeper of the Dream” Award from the National Action Network for his efforts on behalf of equality and worker rights.

Mr. Hindery responded to a request for statements specifically stating the differences among the three major Democratic contenders. This arose from his representing John Edwards in the NYC presidential forum sponsored by the major progressive Democratic political clubs. This environment provided for a candor the candidates themselves are often restrained from expressing. 400 attended the dual Manhattan event held at the upper west side Symphony Space and the L.G.B.T. Community Center in the Village. ///