Edwards tackles hard issues

[JohnLocke]

Letter to the editor published in the Des Moines Register.
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Edwards tackles hard issues

Once again, John Edwards has shown the courage to address an important public-policy issue others avoid or speak of in generalities.

In Grinnell recently, Edwards spoke directly to the growing dilemma of prisons, drug treatment and criminal sentencing. ("I Will Shake up D.C., Edwards Thunders," Nov. 21). As with poverty, Edwards takes a lead in reminding us this problem is real and not going away.

Political operatives would advise Edwards to avoid this issue like the plague. They would tell him he risks being labeled "soft on crime" for merely bringing the subject up. After all, prisoners, like poor people, don't vote.

Given what the nation faces, we need a president who confronts politically sensitive problems because they are real, not politically expedient. That's John Edwards.

David Helman
Henry County Democratic chair, retired federal prison warden
Salem

[adnelson60087]

1. Wow, from a Retired Federal Warden no less

that is very insightful. But how would the money-changers make due with so many fewer inmates?? Won't that hurt their profit margins?

[JohnLocke]

2. Kick (nt).

[Jimmy811]

3. Edwards tackles hard issues???

I like Edwards but he's been missing tackles not making them. Voting in favor of giving Bush authority to attack Iraq was a missed tackle. Talking about ending the war and continuing voting to fund it is another missed tackle. Getting a $400.00 haircut while talking about understanding the plight of the poor. Missed tackle. Theres one canidate out there who's been consistently taking on the hard issues and been right every time. The corporate owned media tries to stifle him. If you don't know who he is look at the voting records and maybe you'll reconsider.

[JohnLocke]

4. Kick (nt).

[Czolgosz]

5. kick