Poverty coming to the forefront in Democratic Presidential campaigns

[Sapphire Blue]

Regarding this 'rivalry' between Edwards & Obama, may the more than 37 million Americans living in poverty be the winners! I'm thankful that both candidates are speaking out & focusing on this important issue. I hope they continue & the rest of the candidates join them.

Obama, Edwards Shift Focus to US Poverty
Obama Challenges Edwards' Claim As Anti-Poverty Candidate, Cites Own Credits on Key Issues
By NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON Jul 18, 2007 (AP)

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Wednesday challenged John Edwards' claim as the anti-poverty candidate and reminded voters of his experience working with the inner-city poor. Edwards bemoaned the plight of the downtrodden in rural Appalachia.

The rivals hit on strikingly familiar themes in competing speeches on an issue that usually does not get much attention in modern presidential politics. Democrats, however, have pushed it to the forefront.

Obama spoke in the District of Columbia's Anacostia neighborhood. Edwards wrapped up an eight-state poverty tour in Wise, Va., and Prestonburg, Ky. Both candidates invoked a Democratic icon, Robert F. Kennedy, who four decades ago drew attention to the poor.

Speaking at the Floyd County courthouse, where Kennedy ended his poverty tour in 1968, Edwards said he wants "America to remember what he did decades ago. I want you to join us to end the work Bobby Kennedy started."

Obama alluded to Kennedy's tour and repeated a question that Kennedy uttered throughout his address: "How can a country like this allow it?"


Continued @ http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/WireStory?id=3391451&page=1

[Totally Committed]

1. And, might I say, not a moment too soon.

Enough with the corporate welfare, and time for the good of the whole.

TC

[hfojvt]

2. as a word for Hillary

although she sells it as 'strengthening the middle class' much of what she proposes is quite similar to what Obama proposes for ending poverty

"Make health care affordable and accessible to every American.
Reduce the cost of energy and make us energy independent.
Expand access to affordable, high-quality child care.
Make college more affordable.
Protect families from predatory lenders and help them avoid foreclosures.
Increase the minimum wage.
Create good jobs with good wages to expand the middle class."

health care for EVERY American, would include the poor as well. Lower cost energy would help the poor too. Insofar as many poor people are 'working poor', then raising the minimum wage and creating good jobs would also help the poor.

Similarly, she writes this:

"When Hillary is in the White House, no American will be invisible to the president of the United States.

As president, she will work from day one to strengthen and grow our middle class and restore the basic bargain: If you work hard and do your part, you can build a better life for yourself and your family."

If NO American is invisible, that means the poor too. "Strengthening the middle class" may sell better than "helping the poor" to middle class voters, even as it does many of the same things.

Obama's site had alot more detail and alot more proposals.

[Sapphire Blue]

5. "When Hillary is in the White House, no American will be invisible to the president...

... of the United States."


:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[ikojo]

3. This is what we get when more voices are involved

in the conversation. If Hillary had her way certain candidates would not be allowed to have a voice. Because Edwards has been out there discussing poverty, it is now a topic up for wider discussion.

If Hillary's was the only voice we'd hear about how tough she is on "terror."

[Sapphire Blue]

6. See post #2. Also take the time to *listen* to what she has to say...

... on the issues: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues. I'm not about to throw my support in her favor in the primary, but I would gladly back her in the general election.

It's not just "about how tough she is on "terror." "

[ProgressiveEconomist]

4. Hope they don't neglect higher barriers between poor people and the ballot box

Poor people tend to move much more often than wealthier people
(and thus be more vulnerable to "caging" voter
registration scams), are less likely to own cars  (and thus to
have picture ID always handy), etc.  Even with these higher
barriers, media coverage of Edwards's etc. attention to their
issues may boost their voting percentages a few points higher
than in 2004.  Differences in voting rates by family income
are shocking:

From http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p20-556.pdf , page 4

U.S.Census Bureau. Reported Rates of Voting: 2004. All
citizens age 18 and over.  Numbers in 000s.

                            Number   Voted    Percent
Annual Family Income
Total family members ..... 161,927   97,352   66.0

Less than $20,000 . ....... 18,828    7,552   48.3
$20,000 to $29,999 ........ 15,574    7,690   58.4
$30,000 to $39,999 ........ 17,194    9,334   62.1

$40,000 to $49,999 ........ 13,281    8,276   68.5
$50,000 to $74,999 ........ 30,179   20,559   72.2
$75,000 to $99,999 ........ 18,123   13,434   77.9

$100,000 and over ......... 24,025   18,737   81.3
Income not reported ....... 24,723   11,771   51.5

[waiting for hope]

7. Edwards has done the

communities in need a great service over the last couple of days - even if it hasn't received a lot of MSM covered, the blogs have been all over his Road to One America Tour - He has put faces to the meme Poverty, real faces, real stories and real tragedies. These people are not going to forget - take a minute and watch some of the video that was taken on his tour and read the experiences of those who traveled with him:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/17/9216/42681

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/17/213423/561

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/17/122134/536

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/18/13116/0194

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/19/91449/2296

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/19/13178/8909

Edwards is the real deal -

[waiting for hope]

8. Hi SB!!

A kick and rec for thee...