• 
• 
• 
• 
by Rick Pearson
DES MOINES—Democratic presidential contender John Edwards promised today to seek the elimination of mandatory minimum prison sentences and said the nation instead should create a new infrastructure for economic success in poor communities.
"How long does it take America to understand we can't build enough prisons to solve this problem," Edwards said of the high incarceration rates among the poor and minority population.
His comments came at the Heartland Presidential Forum in Des Moines' downtown HyVee Hall, an event for progressive grassroots political activists from Iowa and 31 other states, sponsored by the Center for Community Change and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.
The event was held despite a sweep of snow, sleet, ice and freezing rain that assaulted much of Iowa, including Des Moines, that led to a temporary shut down of the city's airport and made travel officially not-recommended.
With the calendar turn to December a reminder of how inhospitable the Iowa campaign season can become enroute to its Jan. 3 first-in-the-nation caucuses, Republican contender Mitt Romney canceled a day of appearances while former President Bill Clinton canceled a campaign stop on behalf of his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton.
At the progressives' forum, Edwards said he wanted to create an "infrastructure for success" that included universal health care and increasing the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour. For inmates, Edwards said providing drug and alcohol counseling and rehabilitation, job training and education "was America's moral obligation if we believe in an equal and just America."
Edwards, who has campaigned on a populist theme against big business interests, agreed on the need to curb corporate farming and to fight corporations that threaten to destroy the environment and people's lives.
"How long are we going to let these people run the United States of America?" Edwards asked. "At the end of the day, the question is whether you believe we have a real fight on our hands. I believe we have an epic fight on our hands."
The former North Carolina senator's appearance was followed by Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio who told the activists that he looked at the country "as a broad community of people who are waiting for leadership."
Kucinich, who has not shown much campaign activity in Iowa, said he was the only candidate for president seeking a government-run universal health care system. And, he said, instead of increasing the federal minimum wage, "we need a president who is willing to stand up for a federal living wage law, based on the cost of living."
Hillary Clinton, who took part in the forum by phone because of weather problems, used the event to pitch her universal health care proposal—though without attacking the plan proposed by her rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, in keeping with a mandate from organizers that the candidates refrain from attacking others.
"We have to have more cost effective and higher quality health care for everyone," the New York senator said. "We have to lower the cost so people can afford prevention as well as all ranges of health care services that we should be entitled to."
But Clinton drew some boos from the crowd with her answers on immigration, including a refusal to commit to seeking a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants within 100 days of taking office as president.
"As a president, comprehensive immigration reform will be a high priority for me," said Clinton, who said she backs a plan to protect the nation's borders and provide a path to legalization. But she added that it was also up to Congress to pass an immigration reform plan.
Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut pledged to seek an immigration reform proposal within 100 days of office, including provisions to tighten borders and create a way toward citizenship. "Absolutely, it has to be done and has to be a major priority," Dodd said, noting that much of the reform rhetoric has focused on "fear and hate."
Still, Dodd said if an immigration reform proposal is "seen as a pure amnesty program, it will have difficulty. You know that and I know that."
Obama , a former community organizer in Chicago and the last candidate to appear, also got the loudest and most sustained reception, particularly from several neighborhood groups who traveled to the event from Chicago.
"This idea of community values is not a just a cause of a campaign for me, it is my life," Obama told the group, saying that he would take the same principles that were instilled in him as a community organizer to the White House.
Obama acknowledged that he was designing a health-care coverage system from scratch, "I would probably move more in the direction of a single-payer plan." But, he said, that could not be done while still trying to make sure "everybody's got coverage as quickly as possible" under his health care coverage proposal.
The Illinois senator also said he would work to put pressure on banks and securitization firms to convert high adjustable rate mortgages to fixed-rate mortgages in the wake of the growing problems of foreclosures and the sub-prime loan market.
"Understand that part of the reason we got into this is we didn't have a government that was regulating these bodies in the first place," Obama said of the sub-prime lenders.
Comments
Count of DNC Swamp stories on this screen:
12 on the Dem presidential candidates, 1 on the GOP candidates.
Business as usual at the DNC Swamp.
Posted by: Bruce | December 1, 2007 5:55 PM
The very thought of Bill and Hillary Clinton, the two worst reprobates to ever occupy the White House, being on the campaign trail is enough to turn the stomach. Bill the perp, Hillary the enabler and architect of the cover-ups and political destructions. Is that what anyone would want to go back to? Is this what the Democratic party has come down to?
Does the party have no shame after all?
Posted by: Sorento | December 1, 2007 6:12 PM
The #1 cause of injury, disability, and DEATH in America is, Health Care. More people die now from contact with the American Medical Health Care system than from any other cause of death. More than from Cancer, Heart disease, or Stroke. More than any other country in the world. Many times more than any other people in the world. This fact is a catastrophic indictment of the entire US Health Care System.
Driven by greed. And a rush to profit. Thousands of Americans are killed, and injured daily in America. By compromised health care. Cutting corners. Over, and under treatments. And poisonings with all manor of toxic, poisonous pharmaceuticals. Especially the children. America only makes up 2-4% of the world population. But Americans buy, and consume 50% of all pharmaceuticals world wide.
But the tide has turned. I can see it. Hear it. And feel it. The message is getting out. And taking hold about the fact that we have a very serious, and major health care crisis going on in America. Hurting everyone. Especially our precious little children. Rich, and poor alike. And most all Americans seem to understand now that "HR 676 Not For Profit Single Payer Universal National Health Care For All (Medicare For All)" is the way to go. Like all the other developed countries have done. I have seen numbers as high as 90% of Americans want government managed health care Now. Medicare for all. Like other developed countries have. And like older Americans have now.
BRAVO!!! America. YOU GET IT! YOU REALLY GET IT! See sickocure.org.
It's NOW TIME to bring out the BIG GUNS!! The BIG GUNS!! are you. The American people. And anyone else that wants to help. From now until HR 676 is passed into law. I want every person to reach out and touch their fellow Americans every day if you can. I want you to take a phone book. And call at least one of your fellow Americans every day. And ask them to pickup the sword of HR 676 Single Payer Not For Profit Universal Health Care For All (Medicare For All).
Call more than one each day if you can. And ask them to do the same as you are doing if they can. And also to put maximum pressure on their politicians to get HR 676 done. And to make sure their politicians support HR 676. Accept no substitute. HR 676 is a no-brainer. It's the best way to go on health care. It's the only moral, and ethical way to go. That is why every other developed country has done it. Most did it years ago.
I know that many of you have been doing a fabulous job of spreading the word by talking it up with family, friends, and co-workers. And putting pressure on the politicians to get HR 676 done ASAP. The phone calls to your fellow Americans will increase the pressure. And grow the movement at an astonishing, and exponential rate. And I know many of you have been wanting to do something more to help. The phone calls to your fellow Americans is something you can do every day to help.
Trust me. It will be something to see. But you have to keep the focus, and pressure on getting HR 676 passed pronto. They will try to distract you. With all manor of other crises, and catastrophes. And other plans. Don't be distracted. HR 676 Single Payer Not For Profit Universal Health Care is the #1 concern of the American people. Thousands of Americans are dieing daily now. And you or your loved ones could be next.
There is no good reason HR 676 cannot be passed into law well before the coming elections. Do not tolerate delays. If it is not passed before the coming elections. All America will know which politicians are on the side of the American people. And which are not when they vote. Well before the elections.
Everyone can do this. Most of you are well informed about HR 676. This truly is one of those no-brainers. Be considerate of your fellow Americans when you call. But be comfortable about calling. These are your fellow Americans. Some will be receptive. And some will not be. Some maybe rude, and mean. Just thank them, and move on to the next. Most will be with you. And if you get a call from one of your fellow Americans about HR 676. Let them know you are already on board. And thank them for calling. Build them up. And keep them strong. They are fighting for all of us.
I will try to make a second post with just a few of the reasons everyone with 2 working brain cells agrees HR 676 is the best way to go. But you can also look them up for your-self. And read some of the positive informed post on many of the message boards too.
Lastly, I am sick and tired of hearing how the candidates, and politicians health care plans are going to protect, and preserve the private for profit health insurance companies that have been killing, and ripping off the American people. And now the politicians want to mandate (require) that every American has to support the private for profit insurance company's that have been killing, and ripping you off. Or you will be fined, and PENALIZED. Thats right. PENALIZED. Ridiculous! The politicians really think you are all detached idiots. CASH COWS! To lead to the slaughter. Don't put up with that.
So get on it America. Get those phones going. Chat it up! Save some lives. You want all of America talking about HR 676 becoming law, Now! Before more die needlessly. Make it happen. And to my fellow cyber warriors. You have been doing great! I see it! Keep it up. 1 of 2 post...
Posted by: jacksmith | December 1, 2007 6:22 PM
Below are a few reasons why "HR 676 Single Payer Not For Profit Universal Health Care For All (Medicare For All) is a no-brainer. And some reasons why private for profit health insurance is a stupid idea, and injuring, and killing you and your loved ones.
Medicare cost 2-3% to administer. Private insurance cost 30% to administer.
Under HR 676 everyone would be covered from birth to death. No co-pays. No-deductible. No out of pocket cost. Plus Dental. And Vision. For less cost than we pay now under private health insurance.
With private insurance. You have 47 million Americans with no insurance.
And 89 million Americans that had no insurance part of the time from 2006-2007.
And over a 100 million that are under insured.
18-30 thousand Americans that die each year from lack of health care.
Health Care bills as the #1 cause of personal bankruptcy. And loss of homes.
Under HR 676 health care is moral, and ethical.
Private for profit insurance is immoral. And unethical.
Profit is the primary motive of the private insurance companies.
They make profit by charging needy, vulnerable, sick Americans as much as they can charge them.
Then they make more profit by denying them care when they most need it. And are most vulnerable and unable to fight back. When they are sick. Or trying to recover from major illness.
Yep! I know you are getting angry. I'm sorry. But I have to continue.
Under HR 676: we will save 300 billion dollars in administrative cost each year.
With private insurance: we spent more per capita on health care than any other country in the world. Over twice as much as most other developed country's. Yet we have 47 million with no health care.
We rank at the bottom in quality of health care #37.
Americans have a shorter life expectancy than people from all other developed countries. We rank # 42 in life expectancy. Down from #1.
For the first time in American history. The life expectancy of American children is less than that of their parents. American children are dieing at a record rate. And are in terrible health generally.
People from other country's enjoy a much higher level of general health than the best privately insured Americans.
Americans are also shrinking. We used to be the tallest people in the world. Now we are down to # 10.
People from other country's never have to worry about going bankrupt, or loosing their homes over medical bills if they get sick.
Maybe you should go take a break for a while before I go on. I know this must be upsetting. But this is just a small part of the sad truth about private health insurance that HR 676 can fix.
Under HR 676: Health care will be based on need. Not on profit. And high standards, and quality will be enforced, and patients protected by the Government through a dedicated civil service. With the power, and resources to rain in abuses of patient care. Like they do with Medicare now.
With private insurance: Medical care is base on ability to pay. And profit. Tens of thousands of patient are killed, and millions are injure, crippled, and mutilated each year under private for profit health care, and insurance.
By insurance companies denying needed care to increase their profits.
By hospitals cutting corners. And using the cheapest least experienced personnel, equipment, and standards they can get away with.
By doctors that over treat, and under treat. Who injure, mutilate, and kill patients with unnecessary test, procedures, surgery, and invasive diagnostic test for profit. Who poison, kill, and injure millions of Americans with all manor of unnecessary pharmaceuticals for profit. Men, Women, Children, and babies.
Americans makeup 2-4 % of the world population. But Americans buy, and consume 50% of all pharmaceuticals world wide. This is a monstrous evil. And immorality.
And lastly, by politicians that take blood money from all these despicable groups and turn blind eye's to this slaughter of the American people. And the slaughter of their own loved ones. And them-self.
Well I could go on. And on. But I think this is enough to get you started making your daily phone calls to your fellow Americans to support HR 676. And to help them understand how important it is that each of them join the fight. And bring the MAXIMUM pressure to bear on all individuals, parties, and especially your politicians, and Representatives. To get HR 676 passed into law immediately.
This is an emergency. America is in a crisis. More Americans have died from this health care crisis than have died in all the wars in US history. Do your best. Millions of Americans lives are counting on each of you. Including your own life. Remember, you are Americans. You know how to fight for your country when you have too. The whole world is in your blood. I'm with you.
All the best... 2 of 2
Posted by: jacksmith | December 1, 2007 6:23 PM
Edwards is by far and away, the best candidate. He has fresh, important ideas, and the passion and conviction to be a great leader.
I hope and pray he is elected.
Posted by: Oscar | December 1, 2007 6:30 PM
Bruce lives one heck of a lonely life. I was a bit saddened after reading his post. Swamp masters throw the man a bone. Make tomorrow a GOP Candidates Day so he can stop singing this sad sad tune. Wait, it won't matter if the Swamp runs an entire day of GOP coverage. Bruce will still find a way to make the glass half empty. He will compare the coverage to the day before, or the month before, or the year before. He'd clearly call a GOP Day some sort of satire....
"In keeping with a mandate from organizers that the candidates refrain from attacking others"
This should be a rule. More time should be spent on speeches proposals debates and questions that pertain to each candidates vision in forums open to the public. We don't need the candidates to single out the bad apple, the voters are smart enough to do it themselves. The attacks can be saved after a debate for a press release.
Posted by: unclesam | December 1, 2007 7:53 PM
Edwards instinctively understands social issues that transcend race. His statement on incarceration and prisons demonstrates an awareness of the mania that has infected our justice system for the past few decades.
Posted by: john denton | December 1, 2007 8:56 PM
Jacksmith is extremely wordy, but his point boils down to this: He or she says universal health care will improve health care quality. There is no
emperical evidence that that will be the case. Mistakes will continue to be made. Pharmaceuticals will sometimes still be prescribed in error. Some surgeons will still have an occasional lapse. Some patients still will get infections in hospitals. Do not confuse the quality of health care with how it's paid for. You might check on the old Soviet Union as to how utterly poor its universal health care was in spite of the Communist propaganda.
Posted by: Georgina | December 1, 2007 9:00 PM
Dear Jack Smith,
We like you because your right.
As for the rest of you, read the bill HR 676 yourself and you will like it too. Its better than a BLT, not nearly as greasy, and will save the country money, get sich people well and will stick in the craw of for-profit health insurance companies that have been sticking-it to us for so long. What could be better?
Posted by: InsuranceTeaseDotcom | December 2, 2007 3:21 AM
Posted by: Georgina | December 1, 2007 9:00 PM
National health care may not stop mistakes that are made, but much more importantly, give those who would never have the means to have "pro-active" care not reactive. That alone is a major reason it should be considered.
Posted by: bill r. | December 2, 2007 8:09 AM
Reform the prison system. Stop making it a business for profit. Californians are currently seeking end to the 3 times out idiocy. One serves times for what one has done and additives are more than abusive; they are inhuman. Ex inmates need jobs as we all do. Obama has it over the Hillary village and its moronic stance any day. As an independent, I plan to vote for the person who has more than just idealistic concepts on core issues. In other words, a platform and plans and truly plans to implement same without self glory. Socialization of Americans is wrong. I like Guiliani and Obama myself. Can't stand flip flops but do respect change that's necessary and owing up to things ~ I believe this is called accountability and responsibility along with motivation and disciplines in doing what is best for America and its taxpayers who foot the bill with whatever monies they have or earn. The common man is the background of America and NOT power driven selfish souls. And I don't believe in the gov't forcing Americans to have health insurance. Tyranny is dangerous. Capitalism is healthy as well as competition. Doing what's right takes honor and commitment and doing what's right; not just blowing one's horn.
Hey ~ what are any of these candidates doing about the right now and in our face problem of illegal drugs and its abuse. Users are sentenced; the real culprits are where??? And, why???
Universal health care wants everyone on every kind of pill for control. Do we need this???
Stand on your own feet and address problems squarely is what we need from our politicians, not the forced smile of promise.
Core issues are complex but can be managed rather than just talking and talking about them. And using immigrants for votes is sickening. Immigrants are human but like every other human have to have a Social Sec ID, etc. Perhaps it is time for an Indepent to rise to the call. Your vote means something and has much value; it's how you cast it and that you cast it and pull it when it fails.
VOTE! And, vote with conscience!!!
Posted by: L Dunham | December 2, 2007 3:21 PM
Iowan's will have a significant impact on the up coming primaries and even the National election. Lightening will strike hard on any presidencial candidates who pander the Iraq war, that no European nation will touch. The other burning fuse question is illegal immigration. In Debuque, Iowa City and many other locations the festering question asked of all Oval office contenders is illegal immigrants, sealing borders and the rise of the violent drug cartels.
If you are interested to see how the presidential contenders have voted on illegal immigration? For amnesty, a path to citizenship, guest worker bills, this reputable site has all the answers:
Republican immigration grading go here.
http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_gop1.html
Democratic Immigration grades go here
http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez08_dem1.html
For the raw, unsuppressed facts and statistics go here. www.numbersusa.com
Then you decide? Remember the globalist, open-border, free-traders have a plan to flood us with even more cheap labor.
CONTACT YOUR SENATOR OR CONGRESSMAN/WOMEN TO CO-SPONSER THE"SAVE ACT."
IF YOU DON'T SEE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BY-PARTISAN LIST, DEMAND YOUR PUBLIC SERVANT POLITICIAN TO APPROVE THIS BILL ?
Attrition Through Enforcement Is the True Middle-ground Solution
Rep. Shuler Introduces Bi-partisan SAVE (Secure America through Verification and Enforcement) Act
Posted by: Brittanicus | December 3, 2007 5:12 PM