First I want to say, The Speech is possibly not an honest title. John Edwards has given speches of such significance it is hard to choose one to highlight. He is in my opinion one of the most forceful and passionate speakers of our time. The speech I am going to highlight, speaks directly to the fact that he as announced his intention to accept public financing, and why I think this is the proper move to reinforce his message of Washington being broken. That said, I want to remind you today is the final day in the third quarter, and all donations up to $250.00, will be matched, if you have been waiting to donate, today is the day. Let's help John get the message out, help him keep forcing the issues and leading the dicussion in the direction that progressives and all of America deserve and need.
See ya after the fold.
End the Game
John Edwards delivered a speech in Hanover, N.H. that was possibly one of the most significant speeches in recent memory. He addressed the audience about the problems in Washington, the state fof the system in which many operate, and the effect it has had on our country. This speech was covered only slightly by the corporate media, and the only part they seemed to find of any significance was a reference to the Lincoln bedroom. Of over 4000 words the media decided only 34 were worthy of coverage. Since these 34 words have been covered I will not. What I will do, is discuss the remaining text, pointing out what I feel need to be heard. Actually I recommend that you read the speech in its entirety.
This election is unlike any we have faced before. The stakes are higher. And the challenges we face as a nation are greater than at any time in memory.
We as a nation must choose whether to do what America has always done in times like these -- change direction and move boldly into the future for the sake of our children, if not for ourselves, or wander in the same stale direction we have traveled in our recent past
This is the decision we face, do we maintain or advance the progressive agenda to improve the life of all Americans? John Edwards has a vision that has been lacking for so long in America. A vision that, we as a nation can be a light in the storm in which we find ourselves.
Real change starts with being honest -- the system in Washington is rigged and our government is broken. It's rigged by greedy corporate powers to protect corporate profits. It's rigged by the very wealthy to ensure they become even wealthier. At the end of the day, it's rigged by all those who benefit from the established order of things. For them, more of the same means more money and more power. They'll do anything they can to keep things just the way they are -- not for the country, but for themselves.
Politicians who care more about their careers than their constituents go along to get elected. They make easy promises to voters instead of challenging them to take responsibility for our country. And then they compromise even those promises to keep the lobbyists happy and the contributions coming.
We have all seen these in our time, the politician who thinks of his stature, of how he/she will be remembered. Being the "first" is no reason to offer yourself to the populus as a candidate. Having someone suggest or attempt to convince you is no reason to run, it must come from a deep seated feeling that you can make this country a better place.
And it's time for the Democratic Party -- the party of the people -- to end it.
We have a chance to regain the helm, a chance to move this nation forward, and John Edwards, is the Leader America needs. John Edwards has big bold plans, he's a fighter he realizes what it will take to provide health care to millions of uninsured citizens, he knows what it will take to tackle global warming, and he has a plan to get us out of the quagmire that is Iraq. He has been the leader throughout this campaign, he has been the first on every issue and does not lie and tell you these things are free. He offers a blueprint of what it will take, to enact the policies to address the problems.
Nearly ten years ago, I made the decision that I would never take a dime from a Washington lobbyist -- I wasn't going to work for them, and I didn't want their money.
Because in the courtroom, when you present your case to the jury, you can offer facts and evidence, you can argue your heart out -- and I have -- but the one thing you can't do, is pay the jury. We call that a bribe. But in Washington when an oil lobbyist gives money to office holders to influence our energy policy, they call it politics. That's exactly what's wrong with this system.
Money flies like lightning between corporations, lobbyists, and politicians. We need full public financing to reform the system once and for all. But we don't need to wait to reform our party. Two weeks ago, I called on all Democrats to reject contributions from federal lobbyists. To tell them -- we know that you give money to influence politicians on behalf of your corporate clients. Well, we're not going to take it anymore. Your money's no good here.
I repeat that challenge today. Let's show America exactly whose side we're on. We can reform our party and truly be the party of the people. And we can expose for all time who the Republicans in Washington are really working for.
I am the son of Wallace and Bobbie Edwards.
And I believe in the promise of America.
I know you have been inundated with requests for donations, and I know it is not easy to come up with a few more dollars for a candidate. But as you know, John Edwards is doing something that everyone here has been championing, something that everyone thought was a great idea, until someone made the move and did it. So I ask you now once again to dig deep, give what you can by midnight tonight, it will be matched up to $250.00. Help John Edwards, End the Game.
Thank you!