John Edwards in New Jersey to fight poverty

by: Jeff Gardner

Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 08:15:00 AM EDT

If you haven't already heard of Half in Ten, hopefully you will soon. Picking up where his presidential campaign left off, Senator John Edwards, together with ACORN, the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the Coalition on Human Needs, and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, has launched a campaign whose goal is as ambitious as it is simple: to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent within 10 years. The plan goes something like this:

(1) Elevate and sustain a focus on the situations facing the poor and middle class today
(2) Build and strengthen an effective constituency to demand legislative action on poverty and economic mobility
(3) Advance specific legislative and policy proposals that will deliver real benefits to struggling American families

There really is no reason the richest nation on earth can't achieve these goals. We have more than enough money. It's just a matter of political will, adjusted priorities, and a commitment to get it done.

Edwards will be in Newark today as part of a national tour to promote the Half in Ten campaign, and to join the call for a hike in New Jersey's minimum wage. He'll be visiting the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, which has been described as a "think and do tank" with a focus on urban research and advocacy to the advancement of New Jersey's urban areas and residents. (And, luckily for me, it's conveniently located just steps from my office - so, I should be able to drop in at lunchtime and report back later this afternoon.)

So - is there anything you want me to ask him?

Jeff Gardner :: John Edwards in New Jersey to fight poverty

Tags: NJISJ, ACORN, John Edwards, poverty, minimum wage, (All Tags)

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John Edwards in New Jersey to fight poverty | 4 comments

Honk (0.00 / 0)

if you think NJ's minimum wage should be raised.

by: Jeff Gardner @ Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:49:15 PM UTC

Ask him (0.00 / 0)

how Elizabeth is doing, and send the Edwards family our support and best wishes.
Can he elaborate on what Republican policies work against the American working class? It's a topic that needs to be discussed in a public forum. The working class that still votes Republican needs to understand the Republican Party is laughing behind their backs.

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

by: The Wizard @ Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:55:54 PM UTC

Does he (0.00 / 0)

entertain any thoughts about becoming our next Attorney General? I think he would make an incredible one.

Any plans to attack predatory lending and the insanely high credit card interest rates - near 30% now - which hurt the poor disproportionately?

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 16:01:45 PM UTC

Lotteries (0.00 / 0)

Ask him if he thinks state lotteries constitute what is effectively a regressive tax on the poor.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.

by: Rosi Efthim @ Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 16:18:36 PM UTC