DonVila's "The Campaign To Change America has changed this American" receives Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

Recipient of Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award



The Campaign To Change America has changed this American

Reposted from John Edwards Blog

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/9/26/134626/195#12

user icon DonVila in Arguments & Analyses Feed of
9/26/2007 at 8:33 PM EST

This is the text of my commentary which will be aired by our local NPR station, WVPE next week - my third, so far.

(This is an amazing opportunity for an average person to weigh in. Most of these stations welcome citizen participation).

What I have to say is directed to people who think of themselves as progressives or liberals or lefties... Conservative listeners may want to click off their radios for a couple of minutes, or maybe fire up the ol' food processor. Go ahead, I'll give you a second.

OK, for those of you still listening, I want to say that we have an opportunity I haven't seen before and don't think will come again - at least in my lifetime, and I'm 51.

We can support the candidate for President who proposes the things we'd actually like to see happen. We can listen carefully to their positions and plans..analyze and criticize... And then what we absolutely must do is put real energy not just into that person's campaign - but into his or her vision (and hopefully your own) of what could be.

The reason I'm satisfied we have this luxury, is that people who tend not to pay much attention to the federal government's conduct are so ticked at the current goons of the Executive Branch, that they are quite open to listening to other approaches. But don't kid yourself, if we elect the "safe" candidate who doesn't want to rock the boat too much, those folks will note the minor improvement and shift their focus back to their personal situations. And the opportunity will have been lost.

No, this is a rare opportunity indeed.

Anyone who knows me, (or probably) even had a brief conversation with me knows who I support. But I'm not here to tout my candidate or the campaign so much as to tell you what being involved has done for me and how it's changed me.

Backing up a bit, because of the availability of information via the internet, it's now possible to know an amazing amount about a person running for President. In my case, I know more about my candidate than I've known about all the people running for office I've voted for in the past combined. And if you like what you find out, that can give you a lot of confidence in your candidate.

My candidate's campaign has an umbrella social action organization, and late last winter I made contact with the local chapter. Before I knew it, I was a captain of the chapter. We've been involved with food drives, peace demonstrations, health care advocacy, home repair for needy citizens and similar activities.

My candidate's blog is very open to supporters (and detractors for that matter) and eventually I started posting. That went pretty well, and since the campaign encourages local action, I later got the idea of starting my own blog - Progressives, South Bend. I call it a forum to promote and discuss social action issues, ideas and events in the Michiana area. That's exactly what I hope it will become, and I'm pleased to note I've gotten some nice reviews even though I'm pretty new at the whole business.

The way I see it is that those of us who think everyone should have health care, that we've no business in Iraq, that it's unconscionable that 37 million fellow citizens live a mean existence must take this rare opportunity to weigh in on these matters and be serious about effecting change. Find who you think has the best ideas, support that candidate and try to get those ideas happening - here. I've had a chance to do some of that and it sure feels good. Don't calculate, don't triangulate - support the person you think has the best plans.
Because there is a value beyond the Presidential race - though, I'm sure you can tell I believe it to be supremely important. My candidate and his campaign have energized me into real citizenship, and I believe this effect will last well into the future for me. I wish that for you as well. It feels good.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. put it this way - There comes a time, for all of us, when silence is a betrayal. Ghandi, whom he admired said this - We have to be the change we want to see in the world.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

Don Wheeler
Writer/Editor
Progressives, South Bend

"Video: John Edwards at the Sizzling Hot Harkin Steak Fry!" by NCDem Amy receives Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

user icon NCDem Amy in Quick Posts Feed of
9/16/2007 at 10:56 PM EST

Reposted from John Edwards blog

Video: John Edwards at the Sizzling Hot Harkin Steak Fry!

Over 12,000 Iowa Democrats from across the state gathered to meet the Democratic Presidential candidates. The Harkin Steak Fry is a historic event that both people on the ground and netrooters participate in. John Deeth of the Iowa Independent offers an interesting look at previous Steak Frys noting some of the most memborable moments.

Watch Senator Edwards' Speech here:

Part 1 http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/9/16/225628/952

Part 2 http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/9/16/225628/952

John Edwards Fires Up the Crowd!

The event kicked off with Senator Tom Harkin delivering the introductory remarks, stating that we need "bold plans" to end the war in Iraq, end global warming, create universal healthcare and stated that, "we will have a Democratic President in the White House!"

John Edwards, the Presidential candidate who is leading in the polls in Iowa, was welcomed by a huge crowd of supporters. Thousands of Iowa voters filled out the "Change Coin" form and entered a contest being held by the Edwards for President campaign whereby the winner will have the opportunity to meet one on one with Elizabeth Edwards. The first edition of the "Edwards Extra" which was distributed to Iowans, provided some real meat and substance on the issues.

Edwards spoke passionately about how our country needs "big change." Edwards addressed a number of issues, including his plan to end the war in Iraq, end global warming, create truly Universal Health Care for All Americans and ending ecomomic disparity in the U.S.


On the Iraq war, Edwards stated that "a mandate has been issued by the American people, to force this president to change course in Iraq, hold his feet to the fire." He went on to demand that "Every single funding bill should have a timetable for withdrawl. If he [Bush] vetoes then send him another..."

Edwards talked about his plan to end global warming which includes capping greenhouse gas pollution starting in 2010 with a cap-and-trade system, and reducing it by 15 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

On Univeral Health Care, Edwards laid out how an Edwards Administration would fund health care for all, explaining that he'd roll back Bush's tax cuts for those who earn over $200,000. A supporter in the crowd shouted, “Power to the People!” as Edwards talked about how we cannot negotiate with the corporate lobbyists, those who are preventing us from having Universal HealthCare stating, “I don’t want to replace corporate Republicans with corporate Democrats.”

Edwards, who currently holds the largest bloc of union members' endorsements of any candidate, stated that we must strengthen the right of unions to organize and referred to the labor movement as the "greatest anti- poverty movement."

Edwards closed his speech with a moving account of how he and Elizabeth came to the decision to commit to what he called, “the cause of our lives” asking the voters in Iowa, “When you make that decision, trust your heart.