John Edwards for President-John Edwards' Plan To Build One America

John Edwards' Plan To Build One America

In America, everyone should have a fair opportunity to realize their dreams, no matter where they came from. John Edwards is running for president to build One America where every American can work hard and build a better life, the same opportunity that Edwards had. At the same time, America's leadership role in the world has grown out of our moral strength as an example for the world, not just our economic and military strength.

In today's Two Americas, it is no coincidence that most families are working harder for stagnating wages when there are nearly 60 lobbyists for every member of Congress. America's image overseas has been tarnished by the war in Iraq, our refusal to join the world in working to halt global warming, and repeated violations of Americans' constitutional rights.

Building One America will take strong, bold steps, not incremental steps and half measures. Edwards has proposed detailed plans to put Washington back on the side of regular families.

Standing Up For Regular Families

In Depth

Forty-seven million Americans lack insurance and families and businesses are struggling to pay skyrocketing premiums. Edwards has proposed a specific plan for truly universal health care that will take on the insurance and drug companies, cover every man, woman, and child in America, and get better care at lower cost.

Every day, 37 million Americans wake up in poverty. Personally committed to the cause of poverty, Edwards has outlined an ambitious agenda to eliminate poverty within a generation.

Middle-class wages have stagnated in recent years even as the economy has grown. Edwards will reverse Bush's tax policies and trade policies that have increased the burdens on workers and help families save and get ahead. He will also restore hope to America's forgotten rural towns and communities.

Restoring America's Leadership Role In The World

In Depth

Our standing in the world has been badly tarnished in recent years. America must once again be looked up to and respected around the world.

Edwards supports the immediate withdrawal of 40,000-50,000 troops from Iraq and the complete withdrawal of all combat troops from Iraq within nine to ten months. We must also lead on the great challenges like ending the genocide in Darfur and the conflict in Uganda and fighting global poverty and diseases like AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

A strong, principled national security policy is the foundation of America's strength. We must strengthen homeland security, stand by our soldiers at every turn, while respecting the Constitution and living up to our ideals in the fight against terrorism.

Investing In Our Future And Our Communities

In Depth

Global warming is a crisis that could fundamentally change our planet, creating hundreds of millions of deaths and starvation. Edwards will restore our energy independence by asking Americans to be patriotic about something other than war and building a new energy economy based on clean renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Fifty years after Brown v. Board of Ed., America still has two school systems, separate and unequal. To give every child an opportunity to get ahead, Edwards will invest in our teachers, educate our children for the challenges of the 21st century, and make college more affordable through College for Everyone.

We must honor our lifelong commitment to those who sacrifice the most for our country. Edwards will repair our sacred contract with America's military families and veterans.