Which one of John Edwards' five top issues is the most important?

[JohnLocke]

http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/

Restoring America's Moral Leadership in the World
America's leadership role in the world has grown out of our compassion and moral strength, as well as our unparalleled economic and military strength. We can be proud of our long history of using our strength to fight for the freedom of others, but our standing in the world has been badly tarnished. America can once again be looked up to and respected around the world. The first step is by immediately withdrawing 40,000-50,000 troops from Iraq, with the complete withdrawal of all combat troops from Iraq within 12-18 months -- allowing the Iraqis to assume greater responsibility for rebuilding their own country. It also means working to restore our legitimacy by leading on the great challenges before us like the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the genocide in Darfur, extreme poverty, and living up to our ideals in the fight against terrorism.

Guaranteeing Affordable, Quality Health Care for Every American
The 47 million uninsured Americans often do not get the care they need. Each year, about 18,000 die as a result. Despite the problems of the uninsured and unnecessarily low quality care, our health care system is the most expensive in the world and insurance premiums have grown faster than wages for almost 50 years. John Edwards believes we need to reform our health care system to provide truly universal coverage - not mere access to insurance - and get better care at lower cost.
http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/health-care/

Eliminating Poverty
Every day, 37 million Americans wake in poverty. Our response to that reality says everything about the character of America. John Edwards has called for a national goal of eliminating poverty within 30 years, with policies rooted in the core American values of opportunity for everyone and responsibility from everyone. We can reach that goal by creating and rewarding work, strengthening families, helping workers save and get ahead, transforming our schools, expanding access to college, breaking up areas of concentrated poverty, reaching overlooked rural areas, and expecting people to help themselves by working whenever they are able.
http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/poverty/

Strengthening America's Middle Class
The backbone of America is its middle class. But middle class families are struggling. Wages have fallen in recent years even as the economy has grown. At the same time, the costs of necessities like health care, child care, and education have grown. President Bush's tax policies have increased the share of the tax burden borne by middle-class workers. Our economic policies must reward work, help families save for the future, and fight the rising costs of middle-class life.

Leading the Fight against Global Warming and Our Addiction to Foreign Oil
Our nation's dependence on oil and other fossil fuels is contributing to global warming and jeopardizing our national security. To protect our future, John Edwards believes that Americans must be patriotic about something other than the war. We must act now by investing in clean, renewable energies like wind, solar, and biofuels to create a new energy economy, developing a new generation of efficient cars and trucks, and putting new energy-saving technologies to work in buildings, transportation, and industry.
http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/energy/new-energy-economy/

Recs, please. :)

[jedicord]

1. You forgot to add a vote for his hair. n/t

[Warpy]

2. "It's the ECONOMY, stupid!"

That got Clinton two terms and things weren't nearly as bad in 1992 as they are now.

All his other stands are good ones, but the economy is TERRIBLE for anyone who works for a living.

[waiting for hope]

3. Strengthening America's Middle Class...

The stronger the base, the stronger the community at large is as a whole. Everything else will fall into place.

[abburdlen]

4. important to me?

I don't know which of these important issues Edwards would rate as the top priority but I voted strengthening the middle class. Seems to me the most important issue because without the middle class we can't fix health care, poverty or global warming.

I'd add protecting a woman's right choose as an issue of great importance.

[JohnLocke]

6. It is an an issue of great importance.

http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/200700418-federal-ban/

[BlueManDude]

5. The merits of the issue aside - running on a "Fight Poverty" campaign is a loser.

[amandabeech]

41. Yup. Preserving the Middle Class, however, is a real winner.

To the Middle Class, fighting povery sounds like taking their money and giving it to the poor. Most people who consider themselves middle class right now feel pressed among health care, education for their kids and often housing. Add on saving for retirement, and you have many feeling absolutely crushed.

If Edwards offers a real plan, lots of people will vote for him, particularly in the swing state of Ohio. Personally, I'd like Ohio to be one of the early primaries because I see it as key to a Democratic victory in '08. If we nominate someone who doesn't appeal there, we may also be in trouble in Michigan and Pennsylvania, which also have serious economic problems. That would be lots of votes to pick up in the western states like Colorado and Arizona, if, in fact, it could be done.

[JohnLocke]

7. Kick (nt).

[Marnieworld]

8. I only thought of 3

1.His Hair
2.His House
3.His wife's cancer

:rofl:

That's all I know from TV and the threads here. You mean there's more?

[smalll]

29. I can add two, so all together we have

1) Spending $400 in Donor Money to Get a Haricut.

2) Building a Huge House with a Giant Red "Recreation Barn."

3) Running for the Presidency in the Face of Cancer.

4) Feuding with Neighbors One Wouldn't Be Nice To If One Met Whose Property Is
Slummy and Who Keep Their Property in Said Slummy Condition Just to Spite the Edwardses.

5) Not Being Barack Obama Who Seems to Have Become The Default Not-Hillary Candidate Especially After the Results of the "First Primary" in which Edwards Got Left In the Dust With A Piddly $14 Million Raised.

(Unfortunately, only the 3rd issue is playing favorably for Edwards, as demonstrated by the fund-raising surge after the decision to stay in the race in the face of cancer. Keep in mind that Extreme Makeover, Home Edition is a very popular program, and a very popular program with a very simple premise: get cancer, get a new house. Perhaps in this case, a new white house.)

[Forkboy]

9. Toss up between eliminating poverty and strengthening the middle class.

Both would go a long way towards helping the other issues.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

10. My response was "Strengthening the Middle Class"

But I think all of the options basically strengthen the middle class. Strengthening our moral leadership means No More Iraqs, which bleeds money from the country that could go for other priorities. Quality, Affordable Healthcare is pretty self-explanatory. Eliminating Poverty creates the rising tide that lifts all boats, and reducing a sound energy policy guarantees our prosperity and national security.

It's an agenda I can get behind. Recommended.

[chimpymustgo]

11. Can't decide between poverty or middle class. I'm inclined to think that if we can

eliminate poverty, the middle class will be subsequently strenthened.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

12. Absolutely...

The upside of a living wage, even if you don't currently work for the minimum wage, is that it raises the salaries of everybody in that general salary range ($8-12/hour). If the Living Wage in a particular city is $10/hour, then employers who already pay in that range will increase their hourly wage (or provide better benefits) in order to keep their best people. And so on up the pay ladder.

While this effect dwindles as you go up the wage scale, it definitely has the effect of creating a solid "floor" for the middle class. What's more, many people in the middle class are small business owners who will find a larger market for their services because when people have more money, they spend more money. It's not like those increased wages are being flushed down the toilet (or sent to some offshore bank); they're being spent in the community the created them.

It's all good.

[Dawgs]

13. Who cares?

It's obvious that Americans won't vote for him.

[chimpymustgo]

14. Many Americans DO care. And will vote for Edwards.

He's got the ideas, the conviction, and the mojo.

[Colobo]

22. He didn't use to have it (04)

Now he has matured... he's a much better candidate now.

[JohnLocke]

15. Kick (nt).

[Colobo]

16. His strong point is his fight for the middle class

[Clarkie1]

17. His hair, because it reflects on his values.

For me and many other Americans, values are what is most important. No amount of campaign rhetoric can change that simple, basic truth.

Actions speak louder than words.

[chimpymustgo]

19. More malice and spite. Edwards rawks. Lighten up. nt

nt

[Clarkie1]

20. No, I think it's important to consider. It says something about Edwards...no malice intended. nt

[chimpymustgo]

21. Let's talk about the issues. Might bring your blood pressure down. nt

nt

[Clarkie1]

32. Whatever he says about the issues is secondary to his values.

I just can't be enthusiastic about a candidate that regularly spends $400 on their hair. Call me conservative, but I'm just not that liberal with my money, and I don't want the next President to be either.

We need a man or woman of the people.

[JohnLocke]

26. Wow.

Jeebus.

[dpiddy]

28. His hair!? Uh.. dude...

Okay. Think about this from a logical point of view. First of all, Hillary Clinton spends 1500 on her haircuts. Edwards is a self-made millionaire who climbed his way to financial freedom from the bottom. I think the guy is entitled to only wanting the best hairstylist cutting his hair. Besides, if I were that pretty, I'd want to make sure I looked at the top of my game too. Consider this: American society is superficial as hell. People are more likely to vote for an attractive, eye-pleasing candidate. He's running for POTUS; his appearance is probably about 50% of it. Do you honestly think the average american, with little interest to following the day to day political affairs, are actually going to vote for the fat, ugly as hell dude?

Nah. I didn't think so. There's nothing morally wrong with Edwards paying 400 dollars to cut his hair, it's probably the equivalent of 50 dollars to him. He's rich. His campaign only paid for those haircuts by mistake and Edwards has already paid back the money into the campaign. Besides, FDR was one rich mofo, yet he's done a hell of a lot more for the american middle and lower classes. Historically, aren't most POTUS candidates rich, white dudes?

Honestly. Edwards rides frigging minivans and tends to take commercial flights most of the time to his campaign stuff. I think 400 bucks on a haircut isn't a big deal. It doesn't mean he's self-centered. It just means he cares about his appearance and health; there's nothing wrong with that. My mama always said, gotta shake what the good lord gave ya.

[Clarkie1]

30. Completely disagree, and I find Clinton's $1500 just as off-putting. nt

[smalll]

31. Hillary's hair-related extravagances aren't so jarring -

She is a senator from New York, don't forget. So if the former First Lady wants to spend Manhattan prices on her hair, it's less surprising. Edwards was a senator from South Carolina. Plus, it seems he managed to spend $400 of donor money getting haircuts in places like Iowa and New Hampshire (not Chappaqua.) And more important than any of that, Edwards is a dude, Hillary is not. Dudes shouldn't be spending $400 a pop on their hair. :shrug:

[dpiddy]

33. why not?

It was an oversight though. He paid the campaign back the money. Why is it not okay for a guy to spend 400 on a haircut? What's your litmus test standard? 50 dollars is okay but 400 isn't? What about women? So if 1500 is okay to spend on hair, then 2500 makes it not okay?

[illinoisprogressive]

18. Hair

[JNelson6563]

23. Wait, I'm confused

This is about serious issues!! I thought we were suppose to focus on much more topical subject matter! ;-)

:toast:

Julie

[JohnLocke]

24. Kick (nt).

[mnhtnbb]

25. Global warming and addiction to foreign oil. If we don't

take some drastic steps, SOON, not much else is going to matter.

[FranMonet]

27. These issues are interconnected

Making health care affordable for everybody will definitely help the middle class and help those in poverty.

Creating renewable energy means researching new technology which creates new jobs for middle class and the poor.

if Edwards wants to help the middle class and the poor then making education affordable as well as health care would be a good start.

having sanity in Americas foreign policy will lead to better moral leadership and our neighbors would be more willing to trade with us. If more people trade fairly and we trade fairly with them then this also helps the Middle class and poor.

These are just some of my thoughts

[JohnLocke]

34. Kick (nt).

[LWolf]

35. Nice propaganda piece.

Labeling them "John Edward's Issues."

I believe that there are other candidates who have some form of some, most, or all of these issues in their top 5, lol.

Personally, I believe that DK's universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care is the most important of those listed.

[PresidentObama]

37. What would DU be without propaganda pieces? n/t

[LWolf]

38. Perhaps a place

where actual issues take precedence over party/candidate/election maneuvering?

[PresidentObama]

36. They're all important in my opinion, but Americas moral leadership in the world.

John Edwards is the man we need in the White House in 2008!!

He's got the right vision for our country. Forget about his house or his hair cut, look at what he's doing and what he's saying. Guys like Edwards and Obama are everything our party needs, and more.

[sampsonblk]

39. Where the haircut? That gets my vote

nt

[draft_mario_cuomo]

40. Eliminating poverty

It is inexcusable that we have poverty in the world's most affluent country. Edwards is the only candidate who is making this issue, which is not exactly a great vote winner, a centerpiece of his campaign.

[Cobalt Violet]

42. That's my vote too.

:kick:

[JDPriestly]

43. Edwards is communicating his views very well.

He is a better communicator than Reagan ever was.

[Mass]

44. There are all linked and I have always thought that whoever will be able

to explain how they are linked and and they can articulate a solution around their vision for the XXI century should be president.

At this point, I am still waiting to see a candidate articulate all this, even if Edwards has the merit of proposing solutions to the different problems. If he could tell us how this articulates and what how the world will be in 2016 if he is elected president in 2008, may be I will be able to trust him.