Today in Iowa, Senator John Edwards announced his plan for smart and safe trade policies that would put workers and families first, ahead of big multinational corporations.  Senator Edwards called attention during his speech to the fact that bad trade policies have stunted American wages and led to the highest level of income inequality in America since the Great Depression.

            As president, Edwards will insist on pro-worker provisions in new deals, hold trade partners to their commitments, invest more in dislocated workers and communities, and ensure that imports are safe.

            “We need new trade policies in America that put workers, wages and families first,” said Edwards.  “It is not enough for a trade deal to be popular on Wall Street or show up in economic statistics.”

            As president, Edwards will make sure we have smart and safe trade policies that help families and strengthen our economy. Edwards will:

• Be a tough negotiator who will reject bad trade deals. Edwards will make sure trade deals help regular families, include strong labor and environmental standards and fight currency manipulation.
• Demand a level playing field for trade. Edwards will assign top prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice to the job of enforcing trade laws, including the stronger labor and environment standards he will negotiate. He will eliminate tax incentives for corporations to move offshore.
• Revamp trade assistance to help dislocated workers and communities. Edwards will create a new "Training Works" initiative, help communities recover from mass layoffs and strengthen the safety net for workers who lose their jobs.
• Ensure the safety of imported food and drugs and enforce mandatory country-of-origin labeling, letting families choose the origin of their food. Edwards will also enforce a "zero tolerance" rule and immediately freeze the specific import of any food, toys, medicines, or other goods that threatens the health of our children and families.
• Require Country-of-Origin labeling so that consumers have the option of choosing safe, American-raised meat and poultry and American-grown produce.

Edwards also believes that in order to ensure that our trade policies and our economy work for regular Americans we need to end the influence of lobbyist money in Washington. He renewed his call for all federal officeholders and candidates from all political parties to join him in refusing to accept any form of campaign donation from federal lobbyists.

-Team Edwards

Today, Senator John Edwards spoke out strongly against media consolidation and asked Democrats to take the necessary steps to stop the merger between Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and The Wall Street Journal. Edwards called on Democrats to oppose the merger because of the biased and unfair manner in which Fox News covers Democrats and the Democratic Party.

Yet while Murdoch expands his empire and his influence, some Democrats continue to take money from him and other top executives at Fox News and News Corp.  So, as part of his opposition, Edwards challenged all the Democratic presidential candidates to refuse contributions from News Corp executives and to refund any contribution they have already taken.

"The reality is that Americans deserve more news outlets — not fewer. It's time for all Democrats, including those running for president, to stand up and speak out against this merger and other forms of media consolidation,” said Senator Edwards.

"Moreover, given Fox News' consistent efforts to demean Democrats — they have attacked the character of Senator Obama, Vice President Gore, and many others — no Democrat running for president should accept campaign money from top News Corp executives. So, today, I'm challenging every Democratic presidential candidate to refuse contributions from News Corp executives and return any they've already taken, beginning with Rupert Murdoch. The time has come for Democrats to stop pretending to be friends with the very people who demonize the Democratic Party."

-Team Edwards

During a speech to the Silicon Valley Leadership yesterday, Senator John Edwards unveiled his agenda to promote technology, research, and scientific innovation in America.  Edwards laid out a bold and specific six-point plan that includes investments in research and education.

            "Americans have always taken impossible tasks and turned them into reality," said Edwards. "We need to take action today—not tomorrow—to ensure that we continue to lead.  If we're going to be the most innovative country in the world, we also need to reverse the philosophy of the Bush administration, which values ideology over science.”

            During the 20th century, America led the world in innovation but now America is challenged by other countries. Our students are falling behind in science education–American 9th-graders are 18th in the world in science education.  President Bush has repeatedly blocked progress by presiding over the most anti-science administration in American history, censoring research and slanting policy on issues ranging from climate change to air pollution to stem cell research.

            Here are the specifics of John Edwards’ six-point plan to recharge American competitiveness:

• Support American ingenuity by investing in education, science, technology and innovation.
• Build the New Energy Economy and create more than 1 million new jobs.
• Restore America's leadership in science and math education and ensure that American children are prepared to build on our current technology successes.
• Create universal broadband access and close the digital divide.
• Guarantee true universal health care. Skyrocketing health care costs are a heavy burden on manufacturing companies and other businesses. Edwards has offered a specific plan to guarantee true universal health care for every man, woman and child in America.
• Respect science and make sure that government professionals charged with the collection and analysis of scientific data—from medical research to mercury emissions—are insulated from political influence.

For more information on Edwards’ innovation policy, check out this fact sheet.

-Team Edwards

Below is an excerpt from John Edwards' plan to reform our tax code to reward work, not the privileges of the insiders, and help regular families get ahead.

During his remarks Senator Edwards expanded on his plans to help regular families save and get ahead by

• Creating a Get Ahead Credit, which will expand the Savers Credit to match savings up to $500 a year, providing as much as an additional dollar for every dollar of savings.
• Boosting low-income families' savings with work bonds, which will supplement the Earned Income Tax Credit to match the savings of low-income workers up to $500 per year.
• Exempting from taxes each family's first $250 in interest, capital gains, and dividends.
• Allowing families to deposit part or all of their child tax credit into a tax-free savings account.
• Expanding the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to pay up to 50 percent of child care expenses up to $5,000 and make it partially refundable to benefit low-income working families.
• Tripling the EITC for 4 million adults without children and cutting the marriage penalty for 3 million families.

In the past six years, President Bush has cut taxes on capital gains and dividends and started to eliminate taxes on inheritances completely. As a result of his regressive tax policies, the federal tax burden has been pushed onto the backs of working Americans. As president, John Edwards will reverse President Bush's "War on Work" by:

• Raising the top tax rate on long-term capital gains to 28 percent, the same rate signed into law by President Reagan. The 28 percent rate will ensure that high-income investors will pay taxes on their investment income at a similar rate to what regular families pay on their earned income.
• Repealing the Bush tax cuts for the most fortunate families, who make more than $200,000 a year.
• Ending the abuse of foreign tax havens.
• Closing the hedge fund and private equity loopholes.
• Capping executive pensions.

Today, the Road to One America poverty tour runs through Appalachia where Senator Edwards will emphasize the importance of strengthening families and improving access to health care.  In the last 25 years, 470 hospitals have closed in rural America, leaving 9 million rural Americans currently uninsured.

Help bring attention to the one in eight Americans who live in poverty; sign our petition.

In Wise, Virginia, Senator Edwards sat down with the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Volunteers Corp.  Over the course of three short days, the RAM volunteers will provide health care services to over 8,000 people from Wise and the surrounding areas.  In many cases, it is the only health care they receive all year.  

Several people joined John for a roundtable discussion about rural health care and the challenges these communities face.  John met with extraordinary medical professionals whose commitment to helping rural Americans runs deep.  

A perfect example of that strength and courage is the story that John heard from James Lowe, a 51-year old coal miner who had lived with a cleft palate.  Lowe was unable to speak for the first 50 years of his life because he could not afford the $3,000 operation to treat the problem.  Last year a volunteer orthodontist with RAM performed the operation. Traveling Press Assistant Mark Kornblau described the encounter, remarking that rather than being angry or complaining, Lowe was grateful. "It was remarkable humility," he said.  He said Lowe reminded John of the men who worked at the mill with his father in South Carolina.  Kornblau wrote, "Senator Edwards was enraged that James and people like him are often invisible to George W. Bush."

-Team Edwards

Read more: John Edwards' plan for universal health care.

Yesterday afternoon John and the One America tour moved on to Marks, Mississippi. You don't have to tell anyone in Marks that poverty is still a problem in America--1 out of every 3 people here live below the poverty line. In fact, the people of Marks have a great deal to tell the rest of the country about their struggle for economic fairness, and they have been fighting to be heard for decades.

You can keep up with the “Road to One America” by texting “TOUR” to 30644.

Here's the report from John Davis, traveling with the group down historic Cotton Street:

“In Marks, MS we had one of the most moving moments of the tour. On our walk down Cotton Street we stopped at the home of Mrs. Sammie Henley. Mrs. Henley told Senator Edwards about hosting students during Freedom Summer in 1964. She also talked about the flood that came in 1968, and how Dr. King rowed a boat up to the house at the start of the Poor People's March when he famously described the situation as "an island of poverty" surrounded by an ocean of American wealth.”

Yesterday John also spoke with Sam McCray, another long time local activist who participated in the Poor People's March in 1968. He met with Sonya Murphy, who led 40 members of ACORN from Jackson on a 3 hour drive to join the One America tour. He was introduced at a small gathering by Steve Simmons, who spoke powerfully about his struggles as a low-wage hospital worker without health insurance.

One of the leading lights in that effort is the Quitman County Development Organization (QCDO). For nearly 30 years, QCDO has been serving communities in Mississippi by empowering individuals, families and organizations to improve the quality of life in the Delta region. Yesterday, John met with State Senator Robert Jackson, the group's CEO.

Marks is a town filled with struggle and injustice. It's a shock to our national conscience, a reminder of our unfulfilled obligations to one another. And it's a story of exactly the kind of determination and inspiration this nation needs to end poverty once and for all.

In short, the road we all must follow to get to one America runs straight down Cotton Street, in Marks, Mississippi.

-Team Edwards

In case you missed it:

• Canton, Mississippi
• Kingsley House and Cafe Reconcile
• Behind the Scenes: The GMA Town Hall
• Video: The Lower 9th Ward
• Walking in the Lower Ninth Ward
• Rebuilding New Orleans Starts in New Orleans

Today, John Edwards is out in New Orleans as part of his “Road to One America” tour, drawing attention to the 37 million Americans who are living in poverty.  After participating in a Good Morning America Town Hall this morning, John made his way to Kingsley House.  

You can keep up with the “Road to One America” by texting “TOUR” to 30644.

Since 2005, Kingsley House has stepped up as a saving grace to thousands of families who were victim to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.   Kingsley House serves as an essential resettlement and recovery center for thousands in Southeastern Louisiana.  Kingsley House’s commitment was demonstrated by the staff of Kingsley House, including, Dr. Keith Liederman, their executive director who led John and Elizabeth on a tour through the facilities.  

John Davis, the senator’s traveling body man, writes in from the road:

“Over and over we have heard stories of folks getting caught up in red tape. Much of the city looks exactly as it did immediately following Katrina. The level of frustration among the residents is incredible but the commitment to the community is amazing.”

Following their visit to Kingsley House, John and Elizabeth stopped at Café Reconcile where they met with dozens of young people who are part of their training program for at-risk youth.   Since their founding, Café Reconcile has trained hundreds of young people between the ages of 16 and 25 to learn basic life, interpersonal and work skills to prepare them to enter the work force.  After Hurricane Katrina made landfall their mission shifted to include the challenges of the rebuilding and recovery.  They are determined to continue on their mission in the wake of Katrina.

Here are some links from the Tour:

• Behind the Scenes: The GMA Town Hall
• Video: The Lower 9th Ward
• Walking in the Lower Ninth Ward
• Rebuilding New Orleans Starts in New Orleans

-Team Edwards