I'm Taking the Leap of Faith Again

During the few weeks that this blog was offline, I declared my support for former Senator John Edwards' 2008 Presidential campaign. So from time to time you can expect various posts on why I support his efforts. I know that this can get a little boring for my international friends so I promise not to overdue it.

So if you'll indulge me for now, here are a few reposts explaining my support for the Edwards campaign.

plk

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 1:03 AM

Subject: [Get the Facts & Get Involved] I'm Taking the Leap of Faith Again

As long time readers of this and my former blog ( Pam's Coffee Conversation ) recall, I was a supporter of former Senator John Edwards in his bid to win the 2004 Democratic Presidential nomination. Well, I'm taking the leap again and supporting him in his bid for the 2008 nomination. Over the next year, I'm sure to cite the many reasons why I support his candidacy. For now I'll just say that the primary reason I support John Edwards is his courage to speak out on issues when they aren't in vogue. No one has to be reminded now that John Edwards spoke out on the reality of "two Americas" before Hurricane Katrina.

As Jim Wallis stated in his August 2005 NY Times editorial, "The Democrats assume the poverty issue belongs to them, but with the exception of John Edwards in his 2004 campaign, they haven't mustered the gumption to oppose a government that habitually favors the wealthy over everyone else."





John Edwards has launched a brand-new blog community, where members can write diaries and blog entries, comments, and even vote on what blog entries should appear on the front page.

It's a big step forward in online political action, and it would be even better if you joined us.

Check it out at http://blog.johnedwards.com/.

See you there!

Pamela Lyn

P.S. While I'm at it I'll go on record as stating that my dream ticket is Edwards/Obama.

.. and while I'm dreaming

• the creation of a Department of Peace
• Hillary Clinton as head of the Department of Health & Human Services
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency
• Colin Powell as Secretary of Defense.
• Lou Dobbs as head of the Department of Commerce
• bring back Robert Reich as Secretary of Labor
• and, a cabinet appointment for Bill Moyers

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Posted By Pamela Lyn to Get the Facts & Get Involved at 1/05/2007 12:01:00 AM

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In presidential campaign 2004, former US Senator John Edwards cautioned the country that there are "two Americans". Those with blinders on wrote his words off as political rhetoric. Sadly, it's taken a national disaster of horrific proportions to paint of picture of his message.

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Posted by Pamela to Pam's Coffee Conversation at 9/02/2005 07:24:00 AM

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... In the following article John Edward reminds us of the importance of securing the future of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. While I am certainly not happy with the privitization strategies proposed by the current administration, I have not heard the Democrats bring a better proposal to the table. As regular readers of this blog know, I strongly advocate reforming the Social Security system in order to ensure that assistance is available to those in need for decades to come. Fiscal mismanagement and fraudulent abuses demand that the current Social Security system be overhauled. This should be a non-partisan issue for everyone man & woman of good conscience who cares about their neighbors in need. Ensuring the future of SS, Medicare & Medicaid will take strong leadership that honestly goes before the American public and asks each of us to make the necessary sacrifices for the good of our society.


August 10, 2005

John Edwards is a former senator from North Carolina and was John Kerry's vice presidential candidate in 2004. Visit Edwards' new website at www.oneamericacommittee.com .

Since its founding, America has been known as the land of opportunity, the place where, if you work hard and play by the rules, you can get ahead. Today, though, America is not living up to her great promise. Thirty-six million of our fellow citizens are living in poverty. Millions of men and women are working two or three jobs and still struggling to make ends meet. That's not right.

In a nation of our wealth, it is wrong for people who work hard to have to live on the margins. As Democrats, we believe that every person who wants to work should have the opportunity to go as far in life as he or she is able. We believe that every American has the right to affordable, quality health care and a secure retirement. President Lyndon Johnson created Medicare and Medicaid to ensure that health care wasn't just a luxury for the rich, and President Roosevelt created Social Security so that millions of seniors could do more than just get by. As Democrats, we have always fought for these rights and will continue to do so.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the creation of Medicare and Medicaid and the 70th anniversary of the creation of Social Security. These programs have lifted millions of Americans out of poverty and kept millions more from falling into it.

Social Security is one of our nation's most successful domestic programs. Yet Republicans want to dismantle it as part of their radical agenda to help the wealthy at the expense of America's working families. This is unacceptable. Seniors should not be punished so the administration can help out its friends on Wall Street. Privatizing Social Security would be a major setback in the fight against poverty. We cannot and will not allow this to happen.

In the same vein, we must keep Medicare and Medicaid strong. These critical initiatives provide millions of seniors and low-income families with essential health services. Since Medicare was created in 1965, poverty among America's elderly has dropped dramatically. Today, Medicare provides health insurance to more than 40 million Americans, and Medicaid provides insurance to more than 50 million people, including more than one in four children. Given the enormous burden of today's health care costs, Medicare and Medicaid are vital tools in the fight against poverty.

When President Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law 40 years ago, he followed through on a commitment he made to help America's less fortunate. Johnson realized that America was not living up to its name as the land of opportunity. He declared a War on Poverty, calling on Congress and all Americans to work together to restore the great American promise.
Johnson made eradicating poverty a centerpiece of his agenda. That's the kind of leadership we need today from Washington, but sadly we are not seeing it. Today's Republican leaders promote policies that reward and protect wealth over work. The rich keep getting richer at the expense of working families. And to make matters worse, we are continually fighting Republican efforts to dismantle programs that do so much to alleviate poverty, like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

Decades later, we must continue Johnson's war on poverty. Too many Americans are struggling to get by. They're not asking for handouts. They want to work hard and make a decent living so their kids can have better opportunities than they did. They want to know that when they their kids are sick, they'll be able to take them to the doctor. They want to know that when they retire, they will not have to worry about choosing between food or medicine. Millions of Americans rely on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security for help. They work hard for America. And America needs to work for them. That is why it is so important we keep these programs fully funded and intact.

Poverty is all around us. It doesn't have to be that way, though. Instead of ignoring the problem, we can reach out to the people struggling with it. It is time America lives up to its title as the land of opportunity. It is time work is rewarded instead of wealth. Every American who works hard should be able to live comfortably, afford good health care and be able to enjoy retirement.

Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security have been instrumental in allowing millions to live the American dream. These programs show that when we are determined and focused on dealing with poverty, we are able to make a difference. Let us honor the legacies of these programs by continuing the fight against poverty. With the will and the resources, we can make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans.

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Posted by Pamela to Pam's Coffee Conversation at 8/15/2005 07:46:00 PM