Hello everybody! I would like to personally welcome you to Kristin - A Lost 'Edwards Democrat' myspace (formerly Kristin - 'Edwards Democrat' and formerly Northern New York Loves Edwards myspace)! I was born and raised in the blue state of New York in Jefferson County. :) I walked away from my John Edwards MySpace after the affair scandal erupted within the John Edwards family. I still care about many of the 'Edwards Democrat' issues - Poverty, Healthcare, Global Warming, the Economy, and the list goes on. I am trying to find my place in the world of the Democratic Party once again.
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
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.
