Edwards will attack worldwide poverty
New Hampshire State Rep. David Essex, Antrim
Concord Monitor
Tuesday, November 6, 2007----
Four years ago, I voted for Sen. John Edwards in the New Hampshire primary because of his economic platform. Edwards also has the most comprehensive and detailed solutions for a number of our nation's problems, including energy independence, the environment, health care and the war in Iraq. Yet it is his dedication to fighting poverty, protecting the middle class and developing disadvantaged regions that makes him the best choice to lead the country and improve its standing in the world.
Edwards understands that what people stuck in poverty need the most is a fair shot at the American Dream. They need a public education system that is the same in poor areas as in wealthy ones, a decent wage for honest work and the chance to own their own home.
Edwards proposes increasing the minimum wage to at least $7.50 an hour and making the Earned Income Tax Credit available to more taxpayers. He will invest in community colleges, support small-business centers and offer housing vouchers to low-income families. He would pay the tuition of students who agree to work part-time in their first year at a public college.
Edwards believes, as I do, that alleviating poverty around the world is not only a moral imperative but a security issue, since poverty is a major cause of political instability and extremism. He will enlist our allies in an effort to provide children with a primary education, invest in preventative medicine and encourage micro-enterprise. He will push for property-law reforms and union-organizing rights so poor people around the world can begin to build wealth.
Rep. DAVID ESSEX
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