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Dear Mr. Edwards,
I just watched a show on NOW about half in ten, it was very interesting. I do believe it can be done with the backing you will need, Senators, President etc.
I agree with a comment on this page about NASA
I thought the reason was to explore space so we would find another planet to live on. Well there aren't any. So stop spending billions of dollars there. Also the country of Iraq is said to have billions over what they needed, why not take it back. Also all the money we helped other countries with maybe they could pay us back.
Another way, of course you know, would be to NOT let American companies hire out to other countries. Whenever I call an 800 number I always ask where they are located and 9 times out of 10 it is another country.
Also the cost of health care is a killer. I know this because my husband has switched jobs and I had to pay COBRA, now if they put this in to help it doesn't, it just makes me have less money. We have to pay the COBRA so as not to lapse due to my breast cancer. I am a 7 year survivor:)
I could go on and on about how we can fight poverty. But I find that if you pray for it it may come. So pray and listen to your first gut choice.
God Bless and FROG ( F.ully R.ely O.n G.od )

I would like to talk to John Edwards about the aboundance of college grad and very educated college people that are also at poverty level. I see many well educated people taking jobs because the can't get work in there field of work or that have been layed off. I have tried for years to get work and now it's almost impossable I feel like I forgot how to make a living........my bills far outway my income and I'm now paying my bill by borrowing money from credit card and loans. You need to see how some of the middle class and upper middle class is holding on....it's only a matter of time before this county have a massive break down... It's will be worse than 1929....... we the people need work........systems for getting jobs is very broken......accross the board many break downs are already in place and NO ONE is doing anything about to make effective changes....

jezzz..

Miss a day, and EVERYTHING goes crazy.

John edwards discussed some of MY issues in this discussion;l

Like A LIVIng WAGE: here
sos-newdeal.blogspot.com/2008/03/propsal-living-wage-not-minimum.html

and health care
sos-newdeal.blogspot.com/2008/03/proposal-health-care-for-all.html

The first time I find myself screaming at the radio during the Brian Lehrer Show. Brian, what happened?
The interview started so promisingly and you posed excellent questions/points revealing your research on the topic at hand. But then, you veered into Obama territory and began grilling Edwards on his views on Obama's latest pronouncements.
Your guest was EDWARDS not OBAMA. We listeners were rapt to HEAR EDWARDS. Obama and his pontifications will dominate the airwaves until his coronation -- which I support. But, you did this interview a real disservice by focusing so much on Obama whereas the Half in Ten programme is so sparsely covered in the media.
Brian, I love my Swiss compatriots, but Deniz really led you on the wrong track and you wasted precious time debating Obama when we could have been hearing more about Edwards and combating poverty.

I love your show so you can imagine how disappointed -- and surprised -- I was by the hackneyed, irrelevant tangent. Otherwise, keep up the good work Brian... And I wish Mr. Edwards the best of luck with his ambitious initiative.

#61,

I'd keep her as off again and I'd find someone who likes Obama.

Hi Brian , my and my on and of Grilfriend picked you IN Mass primary. I pick OBAMA . NOW SHE IS FOR mC CIAN.

voter
not snarky. just wanted to be clear since some on the right think the poor should be punished, for generations in some cases, for bad judgments.
glad we agree about abortion, sex ed and (i assume birth control.)
but with 7 kids it's hard to not be poor so abortion is one solution to poverty, in that case. and i fear some on the right use birth control issues as a tool to control the under classes.

#56, as much as I disagree with much of your assessment, I applaud you for presenting at least some ideas on solutions.

As I said before, I believe the solution lies somewhere in letting businesses do business. Obv, that does not mean letting businesses commit crimes (illegal and unethical practices). That goes without saying for anyone.

Let's talk solutions.

Hjs,

No need to be snarky; abortion isn’t a solution to poverty.
I am of the safe, legal, and rare school of thought when it comes to abortion, but I’d prefer thorough non-biased sexual education in the schools. I favor preventing situations that foster poverty over ex post facto damage control. Also, I think abstinence only programs are socially irresponsible.

Voter,

You have a balanced and constructive view of the problem I can't argue with.

That being said people who aren't poor shouldn't be quick to judge of those who are (which I am sometimes guilty of), it's too easy. Within every "demographic" there are individuals.

There is still poverty because of 30 years of Raganomics. We have sent jobs overseas to other countries, we import everything, the jobs are leaving and we are flooding the country with too many immigrants. We need to stop so much immigration, bring back jobs, start manufacturing things in America again and put high taxes on imports.

Repub101
never said all!
but most rich are not hard working at all unless getting their lawyer on the phone to transfer their trust fund accounts is hard work.
or did u mean hiding income is hard work.
anyway i'm talking about the "profiteering gop regime," their lobbyists and the mercenaries that work with bush.

#47,

Yes, it's obvious. Businesses create jobs. But poorly run businesses, businesses run by greedy people hurt shareholders and lay off employees when they face declining earnings.
There has to be an intelligent approach to regulation. It shouldn't be intrusive or hinder innovation but there needs to be more accountability.

And there's STILL poverty!

AWM,
Abject poverty, no, working-class family, yes. I grew up in a neighborhood with households ranging from below-the-poverty-rate-generational welfare to upper middle-class. Long story short, yes, I had plenty of personal decision to make which means I’ve fared much better than most of my contemporaries; however, those decisions usually weren’t the cool or status quo ones. I am a strong believer in (competently and efficiently run) government run social programs; but the government’s role can go only so far. Sometimes you have to ask people when they’re going to do their part when the govt. is at least attempting to do its.

hjs-- open your mind and realize that not all rich people are "scumbags." Many of them are hard-working providers for the community.

And taxed higher than anyone else, anyway.

Voter,
hope you're pro-choice

Repub101
1. tax the rich scumbags who are laughing all the way to their swiss banks

want more?

ditto #44

hjs-- Then where will the money come from if not from production and employment? Handouts don't come out of nowhere. You talk of the profiteering regime, and yet you do not suggest another real-world solution. The blame game is so self defeating. At least I'm pointing to a solution (jobs, promoting and not hindering business), and not just pointing fingers and blaming anyone. And trust me, it's not any one particular party who lays blame on businesses. Both major parties blame "greedy" business quite sufficiently.

Brian, I'm glad you mentioned the Personal Democracy Forum during the segment on poverty. I looked into going to the PDF & found that the registration fee was nearly $700! Plus attendees had to be able to afford to take 2 days off from work to go, & in many cases to afford long-distance travel (&, I hope, to offset the carbon emissions that resulted). The feature on the Forum's website that showed participants, said they were changing politics, & asked, "Will you?" seemed to imply it would be accessible to a wider range of people. Changing politics to help poor people means giving them a chance to be heard.

Voter,

Lead by example. Tell your story.

You should tell of all of the trials and tribulations you had to deal with to get to where you are today. I assume you were born into abject poverty and made your way out by being personally responsible amid the relentless stress of such an environment, yes?

@ 27:
Yes, people have made unfortunate (to be polite) decisions. You can’t undo the past; however, living in a mixed income neighborhood where bad decisions are still being made by people with lower incomes, I find if frustrating that the only people who rightly call attention to bad decisions are the rather mean-spirited calls from the political Right. The political Right also seems to think personal decisions are the only cause of the problem, which they are not. The political Left seems to want to only tell people “it’s not your fault.”
Progressive/Liberal leaders need to start addressing issues of personal choice to PREVENT them from happening in the future. By not directly address the issues of apathy towards education, intra-neighborhood crime, childbirth, drug abuse, spending patterns, and expecting the community to stand up, no progress will be made. I understand these are very sensitive issues and politicians don’t want to tell people what they shouldn’t do, but it needs to be done.

#41,

OK

The amount of money that is spent building a nuclear submarine will wipe out poverty in America.

# 17,

I believe the article was making the point that while existing housing projects were destroyed, they were replaced with section 8 vouchers that allowed people to live in other communities. It sounds like a terrific idea - obviously, all people should get to choose where they live - but according to the discussion I heard, it isn't working out because violent crime is significantly increasing in those other communities and those communities do not have the infrastructure (such as competent police departments) to handle it. I was hoping Mr. Edwards could have shared his thoughts on the article, as he seemed to be in favor of the voucher system. In this age of subjective media, I was hoping to hear another perspective on the issue before just taking the article author's word for it.

when blacks make up less than 10 percent of the pop. and whites are well intrenched in welfare, why is the debate about blacks; when whites have redline their properties devalued their positions and stole their ideas and lands, as well as made trillions off of their sweat - your fangs are showing....

Repub101
open your eyes the economy is collapsing. and this under the profiteering gop regime

Why is it that it is always the poor that are the ones that have large families that they can't support. I'm more for "teaching a man to fish" rather than endless handouts that only reinforce bad behaviors.

John Edwards is mentioned as a possible vice president in an Obama administration, but what about Attorney General or Justice? Edwards has the ability and more important passion to bring credibility to this segment of government. And further, I have the hope that he, more than a lot of Democrats, would actually go after some members of the Bush Administration for the many criminal acts they have performed.

THANK YOU
hearing JE & his wonderful views were incredibly reassuring - especially his feelings about obama.

just keep the whites on the phone. to show the doublespeak which will make it clear that white is the cancer of this world...

I applaud John Edwards for talking about poverty across the globe; however, I'm concerned that his population control language reverses the causality of the problem and could lead to human rights problems. The developing world has so many children, in large part, because it is rational in areas with high infant and child mortality, poor social security systems (children care for aging parents), labor-intensive agricultural jobs, and preference for sons. Studies show helping development tends to decrease population growth. But, simply trying to decrease children without helping development risks coercive treatment and human rights violations of women and perpetuating sex-selective abortion and discrimination against girls.

DEAREST SENATOR EDWARDS:

WHAT WOULD BE THE CHANCES OF HAVING MOST CONSTRUCION, AND MAYOR PROJECTS IN AMERICA AT THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVEL HAVE THOSE COMPANIES WHO HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE CONTRACTS TO EMPLOY 5% OF THE WORK FORCETO TRAIN THE INENPERIENCED MEN IN AMERICA WORK AS A WAY TO GET HELP THE POOR AMERICAN MEN/WOMAN IN AMERICA.THIS COULD BE DONE THOUGH A TAX REBATE.A $500 DOLLARS TO A YOUNG PERSON IN A POOR URBAN AREA, WOULD HAVE A GREAT IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT WOULD STIMULATE THE FAMILIES TO DO BETTER, AND IT WOUDL TRICLED DOWN TO THE STORES AND ALL
BERNARDO DELEON 718 821-8100.

i read "From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half"
says knowing about k-12 education which i see as the most cost effective way to end poverty.

Senator Edwards:

Obviously, your proposed health care plan would help the poor in that they would be ensured good health care. I wonder if you could address how the mandate itself in your plan would affect the poor. Does your plan, for instance, offer that the mandate would be paid for by the government when it concerns the poor?

I often volunteer at St. Francis Xavier's food kitchen, which feeds approximately 800 people every Sunday.

Thanks much for your commitment to the poor.

Does he believe that micro-credit can play a role in US? Is he familiar w Mohammed Yunus's concept of social business? Is Brian familiar w social business?

Many of us were terrifically disappointed when Mr. Edwards dropped out of the race. Only he seemed to recognize that most of our so-called "race" problems are really class or economic problems, and he was the only candidate brave enough to talk about the real roots -- i.e., the profit-based causes -- of the war in Iraq.

The cure for poverty is employment. Pay for an honest day's work. Unfortunately, politicians waste so much time blaming businesses and corporations for being greedy, and the public buys it. Yet, businesses, large and small, are the ones who help bring prosperity and economic security to the rich and poor.

So is Liberal really a dirty word to these folks that they slither down to calling themselves Progressive? If this doesn't appear on this site then I know that LIBERAL has become a dirty work and can be added to Carlin's 7.

@ Voter so people have made bad decisions what do you do now?

As Mr. Edwards has said, addressing the issue of teen pregnancy is key to the war against poverty. The enthusiasm he expressed for faith based groups, which tend to support an absitnence only approach to birth control, made me uneasy. I would like to know if part of Mr. Edwards Half in Ten program would support Sex Education in our schools, allowing teens to make well informed decisions about sex and all the responsibilities that go with it.

Jesse Califano: 'The unspoken work; written'!

There already IS a program in place to address the overburdened 'Daycare' system in New York; it's called 'Planned Parenthood'.

I agree that something needs to be done to create better opportunities in depressed areas, however, yesterday there was an article which related secton 8 housing with an increase in crime. I moved out of a bad area recently to give my kids a better life, I would not want to face those issues again. Mixing low income and middle income families would create a burden to the middle class who have been working hard to get above crime and poverty. On paper you would think that counseling works, but to be a little cynical sometimes it doesn't. I've been there doing this kind of work. People know no other life, and they will continue to live the same way even when given an opportunity. Perhaps the next generation would change, but then as stated, the current community would have to absorb the difficulties of the change. What is the magic answer to change people? How would this be dealt with if the good neighborhoods are not willing to make this sacrifice? Maybe I am cynical, and not all people will behave similiarly, but it does happen.

I think Mr. Edwards goals are commendable, but could he address the issues he is deliberately avoiding, namely personal decisions that contribute to the problems. Examples would be single parent families, multi-children households for poor families, apathy towards education, crime within the community, etc. Institutional racism is a large contributing factor as well as matters of taxation (e.g. low income from taxes = less money for services) and the basic workings of capitalism, but it doesn’t help merely to make the poor out to be victims of circumstance without also asking for a certain amount of accountability.

I am a 47 year old unemployed music teacher who lives in an affluent community. I have had interviews with 22 school districts since 2002. Something is wrong with this picture. I have a passion for music education with a strong desire to be on the conductor's podium in front of a concert band. No one is listening. Get me on on that conductor's podium.

Sen. Edwards, you mention "using Section 8 vouchers...but in a different way than in the past." How so? My understanding is that Section 8 vouchers have been linked to increases in crime, rise in infant mortality and other ills because recently relocated people no longer have easy access to health clinics, child care, etc. Peyton McCraw, West Orange, NJ.

I wonder if Mr. Edwards sees any part of the poverty problem connected to Americans' unwillingness to do certain jobs they consider "below them." When I was growing up we fell on hard times and were on food stamps, and my mother cleaned bathrooms and worked in a convenience store. To put myself through college, I worked in a fast food restaurant and washed dishes. When I discussed this with my son I was shocked to hear him say, "I wouldn't do those jobs."

People talk about foreigners doing many jobs in America that "Americans won't do," and while I wouldn't wish to deny them the opportunity to work, what is wrong with our attitude that we are above making a decent wage at a lesser skilled job in order to get by when necessary?

This John Edwards Harlem poverty visit certainly seems like a throwback to RFK in Mississippi. At least that's what immediately came to mind when I saw it on the WNYC/BL front page. It's the first I'm hearing of it and I'm intrigued to know more about it.

MY comment is on this, please address it... PLWA are poor and desperate. Whats you plan?

#13,

The article you speak of says that crime spread when section 8 housing was destroyed.

Jack why pick on NASA when we spend billions on f-22 raptors to fight terrorist.

Can you please ask Senator Edwards if there are organizations he knows of in New York that are working to provide better and more universal daycare that that someone could get involved in? I think proper daycare is the key to getting people off of poverty and working and progressing. Without daycare, this can't even start.

anyone else think that maybe taking 50% or 75% of NASA's budget would help end poverty? i know the pro-NASA argument, but come on! there was no cheaper way to invent cellfones?! what a huge waste NASA is.

I am a big fan of John Edwards, and wish he was our Democratic presidential nominee. I have a question, though, about his comments regarding expanding section 8 housing. Yesterday on WNYC, I heard a discussion about an Atlantic article on how that has been tried throughout the country, and it isn't working as crime rates are rising in the suburban areas to which the section 8 housing has been expanded. Can you ask Mr. Edwards to discuss his thoughts on this?

Rich people talking about poor people always seem to miss the point. The majority of Americans or poor until we are all convinced of our poverty nothing will change.

urban poverty: I saw a homeless guy sitting on the streets watching his portable TV a couple nights ago...

**** Your forgetting those with AIDS. All of youtr issues sound too broad. I have AIDS and live of HASA , living on 97 cents a day, or 165 a month. They havnt changed the allowance in 20 years. How will this be addressed? What you dont see in urban poverty is the people with AIDS, only the mom w/ 4 kids. I feel your goals are set wrong. What's your statement on this?

thank you, mr. edwards, for talking about poverty and class in america, for not keeping quiet and not giving up.

Is this Half in Ten program going to include some financial literacy and money management skills training? I have worked in some of these poverty programs and without this aspect of assistance and training these poor people never get out of poverty.

1) I'm still trying to get over that you're not our presidential candidate.

2) If we keep shipping jobs overseas, how can we possibly lower poverty here when more of the middle class is slipping into un- or low-wage employment.

2a) How can we improve the U.S. if we don't have strong, healthy business here?

I do hope you are the VP, and THEN PRESIDENT!

Thanks for all your service.

So glad to hear from John Edwards again. Mr. Edwards, please don't give up the anti-poverty fight once the election cycle is over. It's important to have high-profile public figures calling attention to this issue every day.

I keep hearing that this winter will be a "heat or eat" winter. What are we going to do about this? It seems both are equally important.

can education spending end poverty?

I know Mr. Edwards is there to talk about poverty but could you ask him about Obama's recent move to the center (FISA, death penalty, Iraq) and what he thinks about it?

Jesse Califano: 'the Unspoken word, written'!

It's always nice to hear a self-serving multi-millionaire expound on 'Poverty In America'...

John Edwards: a 'Political Opportunist' having graduated- and become a 'Political Hack'!

Thank you for continuing to focus on this subject. If I can be of assistance, Let me know.