Let’s discuss the candidates stances on Poverty and Working Class Families

A National Goal: End Poverty Within 30 Years[/b]

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. However, some willing workers cannot find jobs because of the place they live, a lack of skills, experience, and references, or other obstacles like a criminal record. As much as 18 percent of former welfare recipients do not have a job. 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. Jobs would be chosen carefully with local business and labor leaders to meet local needs without displacing existing workers. [Turner, Danziger and Seefeldt, 2006; Mathematica, 2002; CBPP, 1997; Ellwood and Welty, 1999]

Raise the Minimum Wage: Even after the recent increase to $5.85, Americans working full-time at the minimum wage take home only about $12,200 a year before taxes, nearly 30 percent below the poverty line for a family of three. Edwards will set a national goal of a minimum wage that equals half the average wage. He will raise the minimum wage by 75 cents a year until it reaches $9.50 in 2012, and then index it to so that it automatically rises each year along with average wages, ensuring that all workers share in America’s growth. He will also restore the minimum wage for tipped workers to half the full minimum wage—the minimum wage for these workers has stood at $2.13 since 1997. [EPI, 2007]

Create Opportunity in Rural America. Nearly 90 percent of America’s poorest counties are rural, and many have been hit hard by the struggles of the U.S. manufacturing and textile industries. Edwards believes in investing more in rural community colleges to strengthen “mid-skilled” industries and linking training to actual business needs. He also supports rural small business centers to build rural economies around homegrown businesses. [Rural Poverty Research Center, 2006; Center for the Study of Rural America, 2005]

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. Too many low-income families are segregated in high-poverty neighborhoods, cutting them off from jobs and good schools and creating areas of concentrated poverty that undermine other antipoverty programs. 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. He also proposed coordinating housing policies across metropolitan areas, cutting HUD bureaucracy, and requiring recipients of new housing vouchers to work if they can.

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. An estimated 56 million Americans don’t have bank accounts, and they pay check cashers $8 billion for services most banks provide for free. Short-term payday loans regularly charge interest rates above 300 percent. Edwards suggested subsidizing bank accounts for working families and national rules to prevent abusive payday lending. [Center for Economic Progress, 2004]

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. [Dynarski, 1999; Census, 2005]

Create Second-Chance Schools for High School Dropouts: As many as one-third of all students drop out of school, and the rates are even worse for poor and minority students. Almost a third of dropouts between the ages of 25 and 34 live in poverty. Large majorities of recent dropouts regret their decision and now believe that a high school degree is the key to good jobs. Edwards believes that we should create second-chance schools, including some in evenings and at community colleges, to help former dropouts get back on track. [Civic Enterprises, 2006; Manhattan Institute, 2006; Urban Institute, 2001]

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.

Promoting Responsible Families

Encourage and Reward Responsibility from Fathers. Welfare reform required mothers to work and helps them find jobs, but it failed to touch poor fathers. It did not help fathers support their children and become valuable members of their family and their community. Edwards will require more fathers to help support their children and, in return, help them find work. 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. [CBPP, 2006; Sawhill and Thomas, 2001]

Triple the EITC for Adults without Children. Working adults without children are the only Americans living in poverty who pay income and payroll taxes. A single worker at the poverty line pays more than $800 in federal income and payroll taxes. Moreover, the EITC largely overlooks single men, who receive less than 2 percent of EITC benefits. Edwards supported tripling the maximum EITC for single adults to $1,236. This proposal will give 4 million low income workers a tax cut averaging $750, lifting workers out of poverty and drawing more men into the workforce. [CBPP, 2000 and 2006]

Reduce the Marriage Penalty for Struggling Families. Marriage is the foundation for strong, economically secure families, but the EITC penalizes married couples by up to $3,000. Edwards believes that we must cut the EITC marriage penalty. His proposal would reduce penalties on low-income families who choose to get married and cut taxes for 3 million couples by about $400 a year. [CBPP, 2006]

Fight Teen Pregnancy. Edwards believes we can build on recent partial success in reducing teen pregnancy. The U.S. still has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the industrialized world. Edwards called for more support for struggling young people and investments in programs that help them beat the odds.

John Edwards speaks about his rural recovery plan
at community meetings in Adel and Boone, Iowa on April 20, 2007

“Senator Edwards has offered a detailed plan that reflects his understanding of and commitment to rural America.” -- U.S. Rep Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D)

“I support John Edwards because he’s the first national candidate in years who really takes rural America seriously—and he’s got a solid, bold plan to help turn things around.”—Sen. John Land, Democratic Leader of the South Carolina State Senate

Edwards Outlines Proposed Rural Recovery Act

Too often, the problems of rural America are forgotten by politicians living and working in far-off capital cities. Many rural areas are struggling: rural families earn 27 percent less than other families and 244 of the poorest 250 counties are rural. Rural manufacturing has been hit particularly hard by international trade, the offshoring of jobs, and automation. Struggling family farms are another challenge for small towns. As young people move away to find opportunity, rural communities are turning into ghost towns. One in four non-metro counties lost population in the 1990s. [Carsey Institute, 2006; Davis, 2003; USDA, 2002]

As a native of a small rural town, John Edwards knows that America cannot turn its back on rural areas. Small towns and rural areas are the keepers of American values like family, work, community, and freedom. America depends on rural communities for a strong manufacturing base, reliable and affordable food, and increasingly for clean energy as well. To make sure they share in our prosperity, we must fight corporate greed and turn the tables on runaway economic disparity. Today, Edwards outlined initiatives to restore economic fairness and create new jobs and businesses in rural America, help struggling counties and towns, and protect the rural people and their way of life.

Restoring Economic Fairness To Rural America:

Investing Seed Money for Rural Recovery: Helping innovative small businesses is a promising approach to economic development, but only 1 percent of state economic development funds now support entrepreneurs. Edwards will create the Rural Economic Advancement Challenge (REACH) Fund to bring capital and management expertise to small town America. The REACH Fund will connect investors with rural entrepreneurs, organize businesses into networks to help them succeed together, and ensure that rural areas have access to the investment capital they need. [RUPRI, 2007]

Creating the New Energy Economy in Rural America: Renewable sources of energy—including ethanol, biodiesel, wind, and solar—can make the U.S. independent of foreign oil, cut global warming pollution, and create new industries and hundreds of thousands of jobs in rural America. Edwards will establish the New Energy Economy Fund to jumpstart renewable energies. He will create new markets for ethanol by requiring all new cars to run on both gasoline and E85 ethanol, requiring 25 percent of chain gas stations to carry E85, supporting E20 and E30 fuels, and working with U.S. automakers to make efficient and alternative-fuel cars. He will support locally owned biorefineries with start-up capital. He will also require 25 percent of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2025.

Creating Fairness for Family Farmers: Edwards recognizes that the rules are stacked against family farmers. He supports the strict enforcement of laws against anticompetitive mergers, unfair pricing, and country-of-origin laws. He will enact a strong national ban on packer ownership to stop the spread of large corporate hog interests and create a national moratorium on the construction and expansion of hog farm lagoons. To help family farmers he will also limit farm subsidies to $250,000 per person, close loopholes in payment limits, and expand conservation programs.

Investing in Rural Broadband: Once a world leader in broadband access, the U.S. is now 21st in the world, trailing Estonia. Rural households are only about half as likely to have a broadband connection even though digital inclusion is one of the quickest and surest ways to attract businesses. Edwards will establish a national broadband map to identify gaps in availability, price, and speed and require telephone and cable companies not to discriminate against rural communities in building their broadband networks. [ITU, 2006; CWA, 2006; Pew, 2006]

Prohibiting Banks from Discriminating against Rural America: Rural communities have fewer bank branches, fewer per-capita small business loans and more high-cost mortgages. Deregulation has led to bank consolidation while small towns rely on community banks to support local businesses. Edwards will strengthen the Community Reinvestment Act to prevent banks from discriminating against rural areas and increase investment in rural small businesses. He will also establish a strong national law against predatory mortgages common in many rural areas. [NCRC, 2007; Carsey Institute, 2006; Federal Reserve Board of St. Louis, 2004; SBA, 2004; Independent Community Bankers Association, 2006.]

Fighting for Economic Fairness: Child poverty rates in rural areas are higher than urban rates for every racial and ethnic group. The highest child poverty rates are in the most isolated rural areas. To eliminate adult and childhood poverty nationwide within 30 years, Edwards will raise the minimum wage, cut taxes for low-wage workers, help workers save and invest, and expand affordable housing near good jobs and schools. [Carsey Institute, 2006]

Helping Rural Towns And Counties:

Guaranteeing Rural America the Funding It Needs and Is Entitled to: More than half of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $70 billion in rural development funds has actually gone to metropolitan regions, suburbs of midsize cities, and resort towns like Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Edwards will rewrite these funding rules and get resources to the intended isolated and disadvantaged areas. Because many small towns lack the grant-writing capabilities of larger towns, Edwards will direct federal agencies to offer a simplified, one-page grant application for small grants to rural towns and counties, based on the successful COPS program. [Washington Post, 4/6/2007]

Strengthening Rural Schools: Rural schools enroll 40 percent of American children – including most children in Iowa, New Hampshire, and North Carolina – but receive only 22 percent of federal education funding. Small rural schools often struggle to provide a complete curriculum and attract and retain excellent teachers. [NEA, 2007]

Investing in Teachers: Research has found that teachers are the most important part of any school, and rural schools have particular difficulty recruiting and retaining teachers. They often lose teachers to wealthier districts. Edwards will improve pay for teachers in rural and other hard-to-staff schools, including rural schools, to help attract quality new and experienced teachers. He will also offer college scholarships for students who commit to teach in underserved rural schools after graduation. [Rural School and Community Trust, 2006 and 2007]

Creating Digital Learning Opportunities: Distance learning through the Internet can bring the content of the world’s best universities, libraries, and museums to rural and remote areas. Software programs incorporating virtual reality, digital modeling, and intelligent one-on-one tutoring systems are proven to dramatically accelerate learning. Edwards will invest in cutting-edge research to integrate these new teaching tools and test them in rural America. [Digital Promise, 2003]

Improving Rural Health Care: Over the past 25 years, 470 rural hospitals have closed. Rural counties have only one-fourth as many doctors and one-sixth as many specialists per capita and face critical gaps in trauma care. The Edwards plan for universal health care will cover the 9 million rural Americans that lack insurance and establish a nationwide network of safety net clinics and public hospitals. He will rewrite the unfair Medicare and Medicaid funding formulas that punish rural states and communities. He will also support investments in telemedicine to instantaneously connect distant specialists and advanced equipment with local doctors and patients, allowing better monitoring, chronic disease management, and emergency response. Health care is also an important source of economic development, creating jobs directly and attracting businesses and retirees. One study estimated that each doctor was worth more than eight jobs. [Winbush and Crichlow, 2005; Carsey, 2006; USDA, 1999; Wakefield, 2000; KFF, 2003]

Protecting The Rural Way Of Life:

Ridding Rural America of Methamphetamines: Many areas of rural America are facing the devastating effects of meth abuse. It can be easily, quickly, and cheaply produced and is highly addictive. Edwards will invest in enforcing drug laws in rural areas, help states make meth ingredients more difficult to get, and expand programs that successfully treat addicts such as the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program for prisoners.

Protecting Lawful Gun Ownership: In small towns across America, hunting and gun ownership is a way of life. John Edwards believes that law-abiding citizens have the right to defend their families and respects the long American tradition of hunting. We can protect Second Amendment gun rights while also stopping criminals from using guns. Edwards will protect the right of law-abiding citizens to participate in gun shows, an important source of economic activity in many communities, while ensuring all that all weapons sold there are subject to an instant check. He will also crack down on gun crimes.

Expanding Access to Clean Water: Every household deserve clean, drinkable water and sanitation services, but more than 1.7 million Americans lack basic plumbing facilities. Rural households are four times more likely to lack proper plumbing than urban homes. Inadequate water and sanitation damage public health and impede economic development. Edwards will help local areas improve their infrastructure and tackle local pollution problems. He will also establish tough clean air and water requirements for concentrated animal feeding operations. [RCAP, undated]

Restoring America’s Moral Leadership By Fighting Worldwide PovertySpeech:
Transformational Change For America And The World

March 15, 2007
Manchester, New Hampshire

“John Edwards… followed [up on his health care plan] yesterday with an excellent speech on poverty at home and abroad, with some good and specific ideas.” Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times

John Edwards believes that the United States must be a global leader in the fight against poverty. Solving global poverty is a moral imperative, but it is also a security issue. Global poverty increases the risk to America by providing a safe harbor for instability, extremism, and terrorism. Edwards’ strategy against global poverty will require every weapon in our national security arsenal. For the last six years, too many burdens have been placed on the Department of Defense—not because it has asked for this mission or is the best suited to handle these challenges, but because it has been the most capable and well-funded national security institution.

As president, John Edwards will fundamentally transform America’s approach to the world. As part of his $5 billion initiative, he will bring high-level attention to help people in three priority areas: primary education, preventive health, and greater economic and political opportunity.

Enrolling Every Child in School:

Education is critical to bringing countries out of poverty, but more than 100 million young children are not in school. In addition to an education, school offers a safe environment and a place for immunizations, fresh water, and an adequate diet. The benefits of education are particularly strong for girls: with education, they marry later, have fewer and healthier children, and are better paid in the workplace. However, many children are denied the opportunity to go to school because their families cannot afford the fees, their communities are too poor to have a school, or they must work. [DATA, 2006; UNICEF, 2007]

Edwards Will Lead the World toward a Primary Education for Every Child:

Edwards will endorse the goal of universal basic education by 2015 and commit $3 billion a year to this cause—enough to enroll 23 million children—and encourage our allies to provide the remaining $7 billion needed. Edwards will invest in effective public education where available and community-based schools in other areas. Countries and schools receiving aid will be required to eliminate fees for attendance, books, and uniforms that bar millions of students from enrolling. Resources will also be used for teacher education, classroom construction, and teaching materials.

Investing in Preventative Medicine:

Millions of people suffer and die from easily preventable diseases. A $5 dollar mosquito net could save a family from malaria, a $4 dose of medicine can help prevent a mother from transmitting AIDS to her newborn at childbirth, and a few cents could vaccinate a child. In the poorest countries, 530,000 women giving birth die each year. More than 10 million children die each year before their fifth birthday from preventable diseases, many of which—like diarrhea—are preventable with clean water and basic sanitation. [Unicef, 2005; U.N. Millennium Project, 2005]

As president, Edwards will:

Fight the Three “Killer Diseases.” Developing countries suffer from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. An early leader on these programs, Edwards will build on current initiatives such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the President’s Malaria Initiative, and U.S. bilateral tuberculosis programs also create a new public-private program with major pharmaceutical companies and other industry groups to reverse the spread of the three deadly diseases and provide universal access to preventive and treatment drugs by 2015.

Invest in Clean Water: The World Health Organization has found that every $1 invested in clean water yields an economic return of $8. Edwards will double the U.S. investment in clean water. He will also convene an international summit of government, businesses, and non-profits to agree on necessary investments to make water safe worldwide by 2015. [WHO, 2006]

Invest in Immunizations and Preventative Medicine: Edwards will invest in preventative health care in poor countries, beginning with increased vaccinations and the provision of sterile equipment and basic medications. UNICEF has found that fully immunizing a child against the top six childhood killer diseases—measles, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tuberculosis and tetanus—costs just $17 and can save the lives of some 2.5 million children each year. [UNICEF, 2007]
Rescind the Global Gag Rule: In 2001, President Bush signed an executive order barring U.S. family planning aid to foreign non-profits that offer abortions other than for a threat to a woman’s life or in the case of incest, provide abortion counseling or referral, or lobby to make abortion legal. This “gag rule” stifles free speech and forces non-profits to choose between vital U.S. funds and providing essential health services. Edwards will overturn this order.

Creating Economic and Political Opportunity:

Political and organizing rights enable poor citizens to force their countries to create progressive laws, reduce oppression, and increase economic stability. The right to own property—barred for many citizens in some developing countries—reduces poverty and increases stability.

As president, Edwards will:

Invest in Microenterprise: Successful microfinance programs making loans averaging less than $200 spark entrepreneurship while drawing a 98 percent repayment rate. Microinsurance can provide an inexpensive and effective way for poor families to avoid bankruptcy from death, illness, and funeral expenses. Edwards will increase resources for non-profits running these programs five-fold. [Opportunity International, 2007]

Strengthen Democracies: Edwards will expand support for the National Endowment for Democracy to strengthen political parties, train political candidates, educate voters, and monitor elections. The resources will help countries with a history of political violence or extremist or terrorist activity.

Promote Labor and Property Rights: Edwards will property law reform in the Millennium Challenge Account, encouraging nations to give their citizens the right to invest in property.

Creating a Cabinet-Level Post on Global Poverty:

Despite its importance to our national security, the United States still lacks a comprehensive strategy to fight global poverty. Our foreign aid programs are fractured and uncoordinated, delivered by over 50 separate government offices. As a result, bureaucrats fight over overlapping jurisdictions while resources are not tied to any government-wide priorities.

As president, Edwards will:

Appoint a Senior Advisor Responsible for Global Poverty: The new Cabinet-level position within the White House will coordinate global development policies across the federal government. The adviser will have the authority to coordinate budgets among the relevant programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. and other relevant agencies. During Cabinet meetings in the Edwards Administration, the official will be a voice for the fight against global poverty.
Reform the Governing Statute and Congressional Oversight: Edwards will also replace the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 with a new Global Development Act to modernize, consolidate, and simplify foreign aid and call on Congress to revamp its committee structure to create clearer and more effective lines of authority.

A Plan For Action In Darfur And Uganda

“There comes a time when we must say, ‘Never again.’”—John Edwards

Today, two neighboring nations in Africa, Sudan and Uganda, face a pivotal moment right now. The two countries contain the most critical humanitarian crises in the world. John Edwards has outlined steps the United States can take with its NATO allies to help end the genocide in Darfur and to support the peace process in Uganda. With these steps, we can turn the corner in both countries, put the region back on the road to peace and help restore America’s moral leadership in the world.

The Genocide in Darfur

Conflict in Darfur, which is in Western Sudan, broke out in 2003 when small farmers took up arms to fight for a greater share of resources. The conflict turned into genocide when the Sudanese government backed the Janjaweed militia, which has brutally raped, tortured and killed 400,000 people and driven two and a half million people from their homes. In addition, the violence and chaos is spreading to neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic.

African Union peacekeeping troops stationed in Darfur have been valiant in a difficult cause. But these troops, which number just 7,000, have been unable to protect civilians or enforce a 2004 ceasefire. In the meantime, security has deteriorated dramatically.

Last November, President Bashir of Sudan finally agreed to allow U.N. peacekeeping troops in the country, which would be deployed in two phases. The first phase was about 200 advisors, who are now in the country. The second was 3,000 peacekeeping forces, who would work with the African Union troops. The 3,000 U.N. troops are the critical link in the chain, and the UN is not moving quickly enough to provide them.

A Comprehensive Plan for U.S. and NATO Action to End the Genocide in Darfur

John Edwards believe we should work with NATO, one of the world’s most effective security organizations, to make sure the UN process will be as rapid, tough, and effective as possible. We saw the success of NATO in the Kosovo operation under President Clinton. Its member countries have some of the most accomplished militaries in the world. Edwards called for a combination of U.S. and NATO actions to accelerate the peacekeeping process and the genocide.

President Bush should reverse his decision to delay new American sanctions on 29 companies owned or controlled by the Sudanese government.

American airlift capabilities, logistical support and intelligence operations should be deployed to assist U.N. and African Union peacekeeping efforts in Darfur.

The U.S. should convene within the next 30 days an emergency meeting of NATO’s leadership to act on Darfur.

NATO countries should support the deployment of U.N. troops with logistical, operational, and financial support.

NATO should establish a no-fly zone over the region, to cut off supplies to the brutal Janjaweed militias and end Sudanese bombing of civilians in Darfur.

NATO member countries should impose new multilateral sanctions on the Sudanese government as well as individuals complicit in the genocide.

The Civil War in Uganda
Uganda is home to one of the greatest unreported humanitarian crises in the world. Millions of people have been displaced from their homes and subjected to horrific violence. And with the exception of groups like the International Rescue Committee, an organization Edwards traveled with in 2006, most of the world is ignoring this tragedy.

Uganda has been plagued by a long civil war and a rebel army terrorist group called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Among other things, the LRA abducts children, turns them into soldiers, forces them to commit atrocities, and in some cases, turns them into sex slaves. However, there are signs of progress.

Recently the Ugandan government and the LRA resumed peace talks. The talks are an unprecedented opportunity to end the 21-year war and offer hope to the millions who have been directly affected by the long and deadly conflict in Northern Uganda. The commitment of both sides to return to the meeting table, with the support of Joachim Chissano, the U.N Secretary-General’s Special Envoy in Juba, in southern Sudan, is encouraging.

Steps to Support the Peace Process in Uganda

John Edwards believes the United States has both the capacity and the responsibility to support the peace process in Uganda and help end decades of violence that have led to the suffering of millions. Edwards called on President Bush to take the following steps provide clear support for the Juba peace talks:

Make a clear, unambiguous public statement of support for the Juba Peace Talks and for Special Envoy Chissano’s efforts.
Dispatch a high-level presidential envoy to work with the leadership of Special Envoy Chissano.
Commit sufficient funds to support the U.N. Juba Initiative Fund.