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IowaPolitics.com: Edwards Returns to Iowa, Dismisses Bush Claims of Booming Economy
4/4/2007

By Matt Clark
IowaPolitics.com

DES MOINES -- Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards dismissed the Bush Administration’s claims of a booming economy Wednesday saying “the economic growth in this country is only taking place among the richest Americans.” He reiterated a similar message that he first delivered to Iowans nearly four years ago of two Americas, and drove home that point by stating five million more people living in poverty in the U.S. now than there was when George Bush took office.

“The top 300,000 income earners in America earn more than the bottom 150 million,” Edwards said. “That’s not the country you want to live in, that’s not America, that’s not democracy.”

Approximately 1,000 Iowans filled the gymnasium at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines Wednesday evening to see the Edwards family, including Elizabeth and their two young children.

In their opening remarks, both of the Edwardses said that while they appreciated the outpouring of support in recent weeks, Elizabeth’s recent news of a return of cancer is no different than millions of other women and mothers who deal with the diagnoses.

“All of these women deserve dignity and respect for their heroism,” Edwards said. “And the other thing they deserve is universal healthcare. I’m proud of the fact that I am the only candidate at this point that has a very specific, truly universal healthcare plan for every single man, woman and child in this country,” Edwards said.

In order to insure the 47 million Americans who currently do not have insurance and keep increasing costs in check, Edwards said his plan would include “healthcare markets” across the country that employers would be required to pay into. He stressed that as a part of his system, all types of healthcare – physical, mental, preventative medicine and long-term care would be covered.

“You can choose whatever healthcare plan you want,” Edwards said. “The government will subsidize your healthcare premiums up to about $100,000 of income.”

Edwards said that his comprehensive plan would cost $90 to $120 billion each year, which would be paid for by “rolling back George Bush’s tax cuts” on Americans who earn the most money.

The former senator from North Carolina said that it is time for America to once again be an example of “all that is good” for the rest of the world by generally conserving more and wasting less. He called on the U.S. to cut greenhouse emissions 80 percent by 2050 and for the most fuel-efficient car to be American made. He said that doing so would show a true commitment from the American people.

“This issue of climate change is an emergency,” said Edwards. “It is time for the president of the United States to ask Americans to be patriotic about something other than war.”

Regarding foreign policy, Edwards said that “America needs to be leaving Iraq” and should engage nations such as Syria and Iran to help in the careful diplomacy required in the Middle East. In addition, Edwards said that the U.S. wasn’t doing enough about the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan and the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

“The world thinks we’re a bully,” Edwards said. “That has to change. The president of the United States needs to travel the world and speak to the world about what it is we really represent – what our real values are.

“I can say in one sentence why I want to be president,” Edwards said. “I want every single person in America to have the same chances I’ve had in this great nation.”

Edwards said he remained confident in his campaign and looked forward to talking to Iowans about the issues that matter most to them.

“It’s time we start telling people the truth and the truth begins here in this campaign,” Edwards said. “I know what it takes to earn support here in Iowa; I’ve done it before.”


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