John Edwards' Speech at California State Democratic Convention
by ItsBeenCalmingForSomeTime, Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 11:07:42 PM EST
This is a followup to my more general
report on the convention over at DailyKos.
These are some of the things John Edwards said in his speech to us at the California State Democratic Convention today. I apologize, but it's not a transcript-- I'm not that good! There may be videos posted of the speeches later-- check
the party's Convention page.
He gave a very "meat-and-potatoes" speech, I thought. I liked his stances on all the issues, and he was very specific as to how to accomplish each goal.
Read on...
- He thanked us profusely for all our expressions of support to Elizabeth, and said "she's doing great."
- To Democratic leaders-- no more triangulating, no more poll-watching, just stand up proudly for what we believe.
- "I will be straight with you. I voted for the Iraq war. I was wrong, and I have been working tirelessly to put an end to it."
- He stated his support of a living wage.
- Unions built the American middle class. If you can just fill out a card to join the Republican party, you should be able to fill out a card to join a union.
- He proposes portable health insurance coverage for all, and to let people shop around for their preferred provider among several, both for-profit and government. If most people prefer one provider, he said, it could de facto turn into a single-payer system. He would pay for it by rescinding the Bush tax cuts for the rich (IIRC).
- All should be eligible for this health insurance regardless of previously existing conditions.
- We need to act on global warming NOW. As 4% of the population, we emit 25% of the greenhouse gases. How can we ask China and India to cut back when we set such a bad example?
- We must cap U.S. carbon emissions, and "ratchet down the cap each year" (his words). Auction off 'permits' below the caps that can be traded back and forth.
- We can and should build the world's most energy-efficient cars in America, with union autoworkers.
- Race is indeed still a problem in America. Just look at what happened to the Lower 9th Ward.
- Once the new President is elected, he should go around the world and talk to the world, reaffirming our (real) American values... of compassion for others, among other things.
- We should show each other, and the world, "our better angels".
- Instead of spending $500 billion on a war, why don't we instead spend it to give an elementary school education to every kid on the planet.
- It is insane to cut aid for college. Instead, let's do like Edwards is doing in eastern North Carolina (he raised funds for that privately)-- they tell the high school kids: 'if you graduate high school, are accepted to a college, and work at least 10 hours a week while you attend college, we will pay for your tuition and books.'
- Let's issue vouchers for housing to the 1 million poorest Americans, that they can take anywhere, so they don't need to stay segregated and concentrated in a few locations.
- He plans to campaign for President in Missouri, Kentucky, and Georgia as well as California and New York. Doing so helps the Democratic candidates in other races as well, such as the Congression races we so need to expand our majority in.
Tags: John Edwards, California, convention (all tags)
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