John Edwards Proposes to Cut Wasteful Military Budget

Run time: 02:06 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY6QH4rg44M   Posted on YouTube: October 22, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: October 22, 2007 By DU Member: jsamuel Views on DU: 2539

 
http://www.johnedwards.com

thanks for posting this. Edwards makes his priorities very clear.

They speak for me and to the Mother in me...Go, Johnny, GO!

Thanks and K&R!!

I liked Edwards maybe the least before but now that Edwards is for getting rid of the $trillions in costs for a science-fiction-style-zap-anything-on-the-planet-in-a-second-military-machine I'll seriously consider Edwards for my vote. Chris Dodd also said he'd get rid of senseless weapons but didn't make the great specific statements Edwards did.

I still don't hate Hillary though.

"I intend to win in November 2008 and then I intend to build a centrist coalition in this country that is like what I remember when I was growing up." Sen. Hillary Clinton to the Washington Post, October 10, 2007. (emphasis added)

That sent a chill down my progressive spine.

or early retirement as the case may be. M$M will not fight back but JOINS the Bushbots. Go figure.

The War On Waste
Defense Department Cannot Account For 25% Of Funds — $2.3 Trillion

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/29/eveningnews/main325985.shtml

They've Screwed Up

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/21/60minutes/main618896.shtml

that takes some balls (figuratively, of course), especially running for President. Edwards keeps saying the right things.

as long as the wasteful spending goes to the corporations and not the tax paying people and workers for health care, the republicans fascist are then quite happy with billions of dollars being wasted by the "military-industrial complex".

are trying to get us into Iran before the next President takes office. I saw part of Hardball where two guys were talking about this with Chris, and Keith brought it up later. Gads, we've got to stop this madman administration!

to keep Edwards out of the WH! So many people I talk to really really are supporting Edwards, but many say he's being hamstrung by MSM! And it IS true, he wants to burst some bubbles and far too many live in those bubbles!

I so wish that "we the people" had a lot more influence about America! It really sickens me that even many of our own Democrats don't really want ANY change, and I fear they are in bed with too many D.C. Elites! I will do my best to support Edwards and give money to his campaign, but like so many of us, I just don't have deep pockets!

I think he has really evolved since 2004, and has gone from being pro-war to standing next to Kucinich as one of the true anti-war candidates in the race. I still think Kucinich is the best candidate, but I would be more than willing to support Edwards sometime in the future. Of the three front runners he is far and away the best.

He proves himself over and over.

Don't want Hillary? Line up.

The man walks on water...

:woohoo:

heavily reliant on pentagon waste for their treasury looting, John Edwards may soon be in the crosshairs of Bush's private Blackwater army. That's all the more reason he should be President.

that's why I'm sending him money. He's a candidate who can win and really turn this country around.

reminded that in a couple of days it will be 5 years since he died! On my birthday! It was so devastating that day and I couldn't believe my ears! One of my very favorite's of ALL time!

Robert Kennedy was my FIRST complete heartbreak. Of course JFK was THE SHOCK of all shocks, but it was RFK that hit me the hardest because I was older and the reality was just too much!

So many Democrats have been shot, and I've ALWAYS wondered why. We WILL NEVER KNOW!

When I heard that RFK, Jr was supporting Clinton I was AMAZED! Times sure have changed, and I NEVER thought HE would support her. What she represents to me is so far from what I THOUGHT HE represented and it has caused me to think things I'd rather not think! Don't want to go into it all right now, but it has changed my mind about him and it makes me very sad. I support his environmental efforts and wonder WHY he thinks Clinton would be helpful. The MONEY thing just keeps running through my head, and I DON'T like those thoughts!

This will make Reagan Waste/Fraud look small.

Excellent detailed book on fraud in 1980's.

When The Pentagon Was For Sale by Andy Pasztor.

Superb.

The rethugs will jump on it and brodcast it far and wide. to bolster their Fear machine.

What else does he have to do???

:shrug:

Iran war language coming from this administration while the IAEA inspectors say they have not seen any proof Iran is building a nuclear weapon. He is saying the right things, but many times what he is now saying reverses what he said and did in the past.


He has apologized for his vote, but not his advocacy for regime change without current intelligence, then he never bothered to read the classified NIE, which apparently called into question some of the issues being used to advance the war resolution.

He should have attended or have read the notes on the 9/5/02 Intelligence Committee Meeting with George Tenet when it was determined that there was no current NIE on Iraq. Why did he give a speech on the Senate floor a week later advocating the removal of Saddam. Then write an op-ed in the Washington Post two weeks later urging quick action, when he knew the intelligence information was not up to date and several other senators had already requested a current assessment. Lack of judgement before sending our nation to war? These questions have never been adequately answered, of course nobody is asking them.


"Congress Must Be Clear," by Senator John Edwards, September 19, 2002
Quick Action Will Ensure that Politics Plays no Part in the Debate About Iraq.
http://www.usembassy.it/file2002_09/alia/a2091910.htm


I do agree with Edwards here where he speaks of the mistakes of Bush...

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0410/10/le.01.html

BLITZER: Well, let me interrupt, Senator, for one second, because the president repeatedly says that in the post-9/11 world you can't take any chances about that. It is better to err on the side of action as opposed to inaction.

EDWARDS: It is better to have good judgment, Wolf. It's better to make the right judgments that don't cost the American people and doesn't severely damage our credibility around the world.


That's a start...nobody ever gives real answers :(

Half our tax dollars go to funding the Department of Defense. HALF! If you want to cut spending, why do they NEVER cut defense?

If you've never seen Ben & Jerry's "American Pie", check it out here:

http://www.benjerry.com/americanpie/

This is the moment....

This (we) is the "machine". Man. moment, machine.

It's the critical intersection of 3 things that can spawn hope and betterment.

:kick:

He voted for it while in the Senate.


So while I am glad that he now has adopted this view, too many times and on too many issues it does not coincide with what he has done or said in the past???


And this from 2004...

http://www.peace-action.org/2004/Edwards.html

"4. Do you support the development of national missile defense? Yes

The best way for America to defend itself from the threat of missiles armed with weapons of mass destruction is by preventing such weapons from spreading and getting in the wrong hands. That’s why we must do much more to support and fund diplomatic efforts to strengthen non-proliferation and disarmament and create an international consensus against weapons of mass destruction. But to ensure that America will be protected in the event diplomacy fails, I support developing missile defense. We should work with our allies – and countries like Russia -- in developing such a system. And we should not deploy any missile defense system until we are confident it works and have tested it with the most rigorous standards.

Source: Peace Action Candidate Questionnaire


11. Do you favor reductions in the Pentagon budget in order to fund investments in human needs? No

America must be a global leader in funding investments in human needs – whether feeding the hungry, supporting education, helping poor economies, improving preventive health care, or fighting scourges like HIV/AIDS. At the same time, America must maintain a strong military. Our military budget must support the needs of our troops and ensure that they receive the best training and have the most modern technologies.

Source: Peace Action Candidate Questionnaire

Supporting a missile defense, yes. But, use diplomacy first and foremost.

Reductions in the Pentagon budget, no. But, he says domestic areas are more important.

He has just changed the way he is saying things. He wants to end Pentagon waste, what's bad about that?
He has looked at Defense spending and sees that they are wasting money that could go to domestic issues. He is trying to find ways to pay for his programs, this is what you want.

zalinda

says we should should not be spending money on these weapons. Did he speak of cutting the Pentagon budget in 2004 and spending the wasted money on domestic issues? Forget about how he is saying things and look at his prior positions.


Watch the video and read the link below.

And this from 2004...

http://www.peace-action.org/2004/Edwards.html

"4. Do you support the development of national missile defense? Yes

The best way for America to defend itself from the threat of missiles armed with weapons of mass destruction is by preventing such weapons from spreading and getting in the wrong hands. That’s why we must do much more to support and fund diplomatic efforts to strengthen non-proliferation and disarmament and create an international consensus against weapons of mass destruction. But to ensure that America will be protected in the event diplomacy fails, I support developing missile defense. We should work with our allies – and countries like Russia -- in developing such a system. And we should not deploy any missile defense system until we are confident it works and have tested it with the most rigorous standards.

Source: Peace Action Candidate Questionnaire


11. Do you favor reductions in the Pentagon budget in order to fund investments in human needs? No

America must be a global leader in funding investments in human needs – whether feeding the hungry, supporting education, helping poor economies, improving preventive health care, or fighting scourges like HIV/AIDS. At the same time, America must maintain a strong military. Our military budget must support the needs of our troops and ensure that they receive the best training and have the most modern technologies.

Source: Peace Action Candidate Questionnaire

Every time I've heard him speak recently, he represents my point of view, articulates it in a way average americans can understand, and does it with a deep conviction. He's got the priorities of the country for, and by, the people strait and he's not an insider corporate lobby neo-hawk like clinton, or unelectable kusinich, or flash in the pan obama. Appealing to southern states and independants he'd win the general election. This video about the MIC is clear and sensible. Right ON EDWARDS!

:thumbsup:

This is certainly one of my biggest issues. We could do so much good with the freed funds if we had truly responsible military spending.