Edwards Wins Another Straw Poll in Iowa

Now some good cheer out of the heartland of America: Edwards wins a four county wide straw poll in Iowa, finishing with 31.2 percent of the votes, followed by Clinton with 29.9 percent, and Obama with 14.3 percent. The counties were Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Escambia. 150 people who understand that democracies don't survive when their elections become auctions, they fail to tend their wounded soldiers, and they don't educate the next generation better than every other country out their competing for global trade. Too many Democrats who remember why they were uninspired by Kerry and aren't looking for the same stuffed shirt in Hillary Clinton. Liberal Americans who want the President John Edwards will be and the priorities he speaks of in the Des Moines Register:

I grew up in a small, manufacturing town -- Robbins, North Carolina -- population 1,100. My father worked at the mill and my mother was a postal worker. They never had a chance to go to college, but they got up every day believing in the promise of America. They worked hard -- no matter what obstacles were thrown against them -- to give me a chance at a better life. As I travel across Iowa and the country, I hear unease and uncertainty -- real concern that unless we change course dramatically, we may be the first generation of Americans to fail the moral commandment that makes us Americans: the obligation met by our parents to leave our children a better life than we had.

Iowans have a right to expect more than the rhetoric of change. You deserve real substance. Honest answers to honest questions. That's why, throughout this campaign, I have outlined plans that are not only strong and bold to meet the great challenges facing our country, but detailed enough to allow Iowans to make an informed decision.

In fact, this month my campaign is delivering Iowans across the state a copy of a book titled The Plan to Build One America: Bold Solutions for Real Change. It outlines my far-reaching agenda to redeem the promise of our country and ensure a better life for our children.

The change we need starts in Iraq. We should immediately withdraw 40,000 to 50,000 combat troops and complete the process within nine to 10 months. We need a "diplomatic surge" -- engaging in direct talks with all the nations of the region, including Iran and Syria, for a comprehensive political solution to the sectarian violence inside Iraq.

Second, we need truly universal health care that leaves no one behind. I have a bold plan to stand up to the big drug and insurance companies and finally guarantee health care to every American while cutting costs for families and employers. My plan costs $90 billion to $120 billion a year -- paid for by repealing President Bush's tax cuts for those making over $200,000 per year.

Third, we must support working and middle-class families, and end the divide between the "Two Americas." As president, I will raise the minimum wage, strengthen a worker's right to organize and sign trade deals only if they help American workers -- not just multinational corporations. My agenda includes plans to help families save, cut taxes for middle-class families, protect pensions and rein in excessive CEO pay. I have outlined a comprehensive agenda to protect family farms and revitalize rural communities like the one where I grew up.

We must radically overhaul No Child Left Behind, invest in smaller classes, pay our teachers more and treat them like the professionals they are. I've outlined detailed plans to reduce greenhouse emissions by 80 percent by 2050, invest in renewable energy, curb the power of special interests, restore our civil liberties -- and more.

I invite you to read more about these ideas at my web site or join me at one of my town hall meetings so I can answer your questions.

I have tremendous respect for the caucuses, and a deep admiration for all those who take the time to learn about the candidates and participate in the process.

You are the guardians of what kind of president we'll have -- and whether our nation will rise up and meet the great moral test of our generation: leaving our kids a better life.

I believe we can -- and must meet this challenge. I would be honored to have your support on January 3rd.

Nothing illustrates the difference between Bush and company and Edwards than our candidate's statement on the Pentagon billing soldiers to seize their signing bonuses for the medical care they need from combat wounds. You'd think in a time of declining enlistment and constant Republican fears that anything negative in the media about our military "gives aid and comfort to the enemy," the neocons would go out of their way to make sure they don't create bad news. Funny strategy the Republicans have there: cover your eyes while you do despicable things and your neighbors won't be able to see you do it. Too bad, arsehats, we see you!!

John Edwards Only Candidate Who Considers Katrina an Issue

Now here's a reason why Democrats who are true to their liberal principles are putting theirmoney on Edwards. Unlike the other candidates running for the party's nomination, he refuses to measure himself against the Republican standard and focus on everything except what happens inside our own borders to actual Americans. For instance, the devastation that still is New Orleans, two years after Katrina. Which is why he understood why it was so right to support the bid by the city of New Orleans to host one of the Presidential debates next year. After all, what other city so exemplifies the debate over the mission and value of the federal government except New Orleans?

As John Edwards points out though, corporate interests have literally taken over this government, and our political process as well. Not that Edwards needed the Presidential debate to make Katrina a priority for him:

"It saddens me to hear that the Commission on Presidential Debates rejected New Orleans' bid to host a debate in 2008 citing evidence that the city has not recovered enough to host the event. I strongly believe this decision was a mistake and I urge the Commission on Presidential Debates to rethink their decision.

"As a nation, all of us have a responsibility to do everything we can to help rebuild this great city, and holding national events in this city, like a presidential debate, will help New Orleans move forward. I have made rebuilding this city a central part of my presidential campaign because I believe we cannot stand on the sidelines as President Bush continues to fail the people of New Orleans.

"The truth is America is not the country of the Superdome in New Orleans after Katrina. We can prove it by fulfilling our moral responsibility to get New Orleans back on its feet. At a minimum, when I am the Democratic nominee, I will push to make sure we hold a presidential debate in New Orleans. And, as president, I will make sure that our government does everything in its power to help restore the city."

Democrats are making a mistake if they think Katrina's not a big issue.

A number of NOLA bloggers are incensed about this turn of events and rightfully so. If New Orleans is good enough for the Society of Exploration Geophysicists annual meeting, various large medical conferences and can host thousands upon thousands during Carnival season, why not one measly presidential debate? If a debate is not held in the nexus of our unraveling as a nation, the cynosure of the descent, the lens that focuses the knowledge that our government doesn’t have a stitch on, where else?

But then, maybe the mainstream media would have to publish stories likethis?

In late October, the U.S. government, through HUD, gave the go ahead to demolish four of the largest public housing projects in New Orleans. On November 15, a federal judge refused to block the demolitions – clearing the way for the demolition of the BW Cooper, CJ Peete, Lafitte and St Bernard developments.

These projects aren’t just structures. These were people’s communities — where 1000’s of people grew up, met, fell in love and raised families. These buildings suffered less damage than other housing in the floods because of their solid brick construction and could house 4,700 families. But the government plans to demolish them and build “mixed income” housing that will include less than 750 units for people with low incomes.

Much of the Black population of this city has been dispersed throughout the country since Katrina. By March of 2007, it was estimated that 200,000 former residents had still not returned to New Orleans and that more than 150,000 of them are Black. The demolition of public housing is yet another way the government is discouraging and preventing people from coming back to New Orleans. In effect the message is: “You’ll never be able to come back home because there will be nowhere you can live.”

The number of homeless people in New Orleans is double what it was before Katrina. Lafitte, which could house almost 900 families but is now almost empty, sits across the street from a homeless encampment where dozens of people live under a freeway overpass.

New Orleans desperately needs affordable housing. Yet the authorities are determined to destroy 1000’s of housing units that could be made suitable for people to live in. Where’s the logic in this?

To anyone concerned about the needs of the people, this is insane. But the people who run this system operate based on a cold capitalist logic. For them what matters is keeping their system in effect and as lean and mean a profit-making machine as possible. To do this, they will demolish public housing, no matter how this impacts people’s lives. For this system, a disaster that killed 1,800 people and forced 200,000 out of the city is an opportunity to rebuild a New Orleans that’s smaller and whiter and rid of those who the system has no need for.

What Cowards Call Anger, Liberals Call Hope

How did Katrina make you feel? Turn the channel and people call you reasonable. Get involved, get motivated, feel anything at all and all you get to be called is "angry." Well, so be it then. We are angry, and also filled with the brilliance of hope and the strength to raise our country up and build our cities anew. And oh yeah, "more beer!"