Hello everybody! I would like to personally welcome you to Kristin - A 'John Edwards Democrat' myspace (formerly Northern New York Loves Edwards myspace)! You may also know me as a blogger at FairMediaNow.com . I was born and raised in the blue state of New York in Jefferson County. :) I hope you'll stand beside as a 'John Edwards Democrat' to support John on the issues we care about now and for the future: Poverty, Healthcare, Global Warming, the Economy, and the list goes on.
Half in Ten plans to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent within 10 years. Under the leadership of Senator John Edwards, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now ( ACORN ), the Center for American Progress Action Fund ( CAPAF ), the Coalition on Human Needs ( CHN ), and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights ( LCCR ), have joined forces on the campaign to:
(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.
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Read the Full Report (PDF)
Courtesy of The Center for American Progress
The Facts About Poverty
(1) One in eight Americans now lives in poverty.
(2) Millions of Americans will spend at least one year in poverty at some point in their lives.
(3) Poverty in the United States is far higher than in many other developed nations.
(4) Inequality has reached record highs.
Source: The Center for American Progress
The 12 Steps to Cut Poverty in Half
(1) Raise and index the minimum wage to half the average hourly wage.
(2) Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.
(3) Promote unionization by enacting the Employee Free Choice Act.
(4) Guarantee child care assistance to low-income families and promote early education for all.
(5) Create 2 million new “opportunity†housing vouchers, and promote equitable development in and around central cities.
(6) Connect disadvantaged and disconnected youth with school and work.
(7) Simplify and expand Pell Grants and make higher education accessible to residents of each state. Low-income youth are much less likely to attend college than their higher income peers, even among those of comparable abilities.
(8) Help former prisoners find stable employment and reintegrate into their communities.
(9) Ensure equity for low-wage workers in the Unemployment Insurance system.
(10) Modernize means-tested benefits programs to develop a coordinated system that helps workers and families.
(11) Reduce the high costs of being poor and increase access to financial services.
(12) Expand and simplify the Saver’s Credit to encourage saving for education, homeownership, and retirement.
Source: The Center for American Progress
Center for Promise and Opportunity Foundation: College for Everyone
This pilot program is based on the College for Everyone pilot program in Greene County, North Carolina, that helps pay for the first year of college for young people who agree to work at least 10 hours a week. Edwards first talked about the idea in his 2004 presidential campaign. The program was launched in the fall of 2005 by the Center for Promise and Opportunity Foundation, a North Carolina nonprofit organization.
How Would It Help Nationally?
(1)Help simplify the application process for student aid and would help every low-income high school eligible for Title I hire a new college counselor, helping students choose college-track courses and navigate the admissions and financial aid process.
(2)Require all students to borrow directly from the Department of Education, which would eliminate bank subsidies on student loans and free up almost $6 billion a year to make college more affordable.
How Does It Help Students and their Families?
(1) Creating a National "College for Everyone" Initiative: Edwards will create a national initiative -- based on the Greene County program -- to pay one year of public-college tuition, fees, and books for more than 2 million students. In return, students will be required to work part-time in college, take a college-prep curriculum in high school, and stay out of trouble.
(2) Lower Costs: College for Everyone will encourage states and colleges to keep tuition low. State budget cuts are the number-one driver of higher tuition. [Dynarski, 1999; NCES, 2004]
(3) Clear Eligibility: College for Everyone's universal eligibility for qualifying students would break through the noise of the current student aid system and send a strong message that all qualified students can afford college. [ACE, 1998]
(4) Strong Preparation: The number one determinant of success in college is the rigor of high school courses. College for Everyone students will be required to complete a college-prep curriculum in high school. [Department of Education, 1999]
(5) Overhauling the Student Loan Program: Students who borrow directly from Education will free up almost $6 billion a year to make college more affordable. [CAP, 2006]
(6) Simplifying Financial Aid: Simplify the FAFSA application process by using information the federal government already has, eliminating two-thirds of the questions. [TICAS, 2007]
(7) Giving Students the Tools They Need to Apply for College and Aid: Help every low-income high school eligible for Title I hire a new college counselor, helping students choose college-track courses and navigate the admissions and financial aid process. [McDonough, 2007; Bridge Project, 2003]
Source: John Edwards for President 2008
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Wade Edwards Foundation
As many John Edwards supporters know, he and Elizabeth lost their son Wade in a car accident in 1996. Wade has been described as, "An honor student, a winner of national, state, and local writing awards, a high school athlete, an editor of the yearbook, and a cherished friend, Wade exemplified the community's aspirations for excellence, compassion, and character." He was so much more than this. You can learn more about Wade and what his foundation has given back to the people of North Carolina. At the website, you can read about their various activities such as the Wade Edwards Short Fiction Contest, a Place in Time, online grief resources, the principal project, the Wade Edwards Learning Lab, and much more! Thank you.
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