John Edwards

As I said in the previous post, comparing candidates is difficult because of their different positions in government. Don't try to understand who has done the most; rather, try to understand whether each candidate has truly done all that they should. Do they appear to really have a concern for the poor, and have they done something about it?

Looking at a senator posed new challenges. Specifically, the challenge of trying to look through hundreds and hundreds of bills and figuring out what each one meant and what happened to it. The Library of Congress is a great resource for that. Knowing how a senator voted is only a small aspect of their term - knowing what bills they sponsored and cosponsored seems to me to be more important. For those of you who never saw Schoolhouse Rock, the sponsor is the senator who introduces the bill, and the cosponsor is someone who formally supports the bill before it is voted on (this is a more formal description). Almost all bills have a single sponsor, but they can have anywhere from zero to ninety-nine cosponsors. And the vast majority of bills seem to die before they ever get voted on. This makes looking at the legislative actions of senators a lot different than the executive actions of governors and mayors. That being said, I feel that we can still get a strong idea of where their heart lies.

So where does Mr. Edwards's heart lie?

What does John Edwards think about helping the poor?

Political History

John Edwards was the senator representing North Carolina from 1999 to 2004, the sole term of public service we have to evaluate him on.

106^th Congress: 1999-2000

• Edwards sponsored a bill promoting the development of low-income housing in rural communities.¹ The bill died in committee.
• Cosponsored bills to increase the minimum wage to $6.15², improve health care access for families of disabled children³, expand health care for AIDS patients⁴, provide economic assistance for communities hurt by US trade⁵, increase low-income individuals’ access to financial services⁶, improve outreach programs for homeless veterans^{7 8}, improve social security benefits for the blind⁹, expand access to health care and work programs for the disabled¹⁰, promote investment in low-income communities¹¹, provide after-school programs by police in low-income communities¹², increase home ownership tax credits for low-income homeowners^{13 14}, and promote marriage and family life among welfare recipients¹⁵. The bills expanding health care for AIDS patients and expanding health care and work programs for the disabled became law.
• Also cosponsored an amendment calling for health care access in underserved areas to be doubled in five years¹⁶, and a resolution calling for decent housing for all Americans¹⁷, that were both passed.
• Voted for an amendment that would require the HHSD to report on the ability of former welfare recipients to achieve self-sufficiency.
• Voted against a $12.7 billion foreign aid package because it capped funding $1.9 billion below what President Clinton had proposed.

107^th Congress: 2001-2002

• Sponsored bills to provide low-income housing in rural areas¹⁸ and increase volunteer programs for youth in low-income areas¹⁹. Both died in committee. Also sponsored an amendment that would help community colleges provide job training for workers adversely affected by a House bill²⁰. That amendment was passed.
• Cosponsored bills improving social security benefits for the blind²¹, improving outreach programs for veterans²², creating a National Center for Social Work²³, increasing the minimum wage to $6.65²⁴, providing incentives for businesses to expand health care^{25 26 27}, increasing TANF funding in certain states²⁸, improving benefits for workers hurt by foreign trade²⁹, increasing health care funding for expectant mothers³⁰, providing assistance to combating AIDS worldwide³¹, providing extra assistance to foster youth^{32 33}, and increasing unemployment benefits³⁴. The bill increasing TANF funds became law.

108^th Congress: 2003-2004

• Sponsored bills to assist communities hurt by foreign trade³⁵, reduce the backlog in claims for veteran’s benefits³⁶, increase volunteer programs for youth in low-income areas³⁷, increase US aid in the reconstruction of countries damaged by armed conflict³⁸, improve the tax credit for low-income families saving for retirement³⁹, and provide increased mental health services for women affected by domestic violence^{40 41 42}. All bills died in committee.
• Cosponsored bills to increase the minimum wage to $7^{43 44}, declare genocide in Darfur⁴⁵, provide MediCaid coverage to certain low-income AIDS patients⁴⁶, expand Head Start⁴⁷, give aid with mortgage payments to unemployed workers⁴⁸, improve health care for minorities⁴⁹, protect union workers⁵⁰, extend Boys and Girls Clubs⁵¹, provide scholarships for low-income students who do significant public service⁵², and amendments to provide additional funding for global AIDS prevention^{53 54}. The bill extending Boys and Girls Clubs and the amendments providing additional funding for global AIDS prevention became law.
• In 2003, Edwards signed a letter (along with 42 other senators) urging President Bush to fully fund AmeriCorps⁵⁵.

Statements About the Poor

"You tell me what it means when you ignore 45 million Americans today, who have no health care coverage. What kind of message does it send to 50 million Americans -- including 25 million children, 8 million disabled, 6 million seniors who depend on Medicaid for their health care -- that we're going to cut Medicaid by $10 billion? What does it say about our country's values when we cut the help and support for those who are most needy and most vulnerable?"⁵⁶

"When I say we believe it's wrong to have 36 million people who wake up in poverty every day, there is actually a document that says something about how we treat and how we care about those who are struggling. There is a document that says what our commitment is to ending poverty in this country. And there is a document that says whether we are honoring our moral test to do unto others. And it's called the budget. You know, others have said this, but the truth is, the budget is a moral document. And this president's budget is not meeting the test."⁵⁷

On the "issues" page of his website, Edwards calls for a national effort to:
"Cut poverty by one third within a decade, lifting 12 million Americans out of poverty by 2016." and "End poverty within 30 years, lifting 37 million Americans out of poverty by 2036."⁵⁸

"The number of Americans living in poverty is increasing. We have more millionaires, but we have more bankruptcies and hunger and homelessness. This is one of the great moral issues of our time…When programs to combat poverty are well run, they can make a difference. In the 1990s, the Earned Income Tax Credit lifted 7 million people out of poverty. Government programs, when they encourage people to take the initiative and improve their lives, can be effective. The EITC is one of the most important anti-poverty tax programs, yet 25% of eligible American taxpayers don't know to apply for it. We need to get the right information in the hands of these workers who need it for themselves and their families."⁵⁹

"I think that Jesus would be disappointed in our ignoring the plight of those around us who are suffering and our focus on our own selfish short-term needs...I think he would be appalled, actually."⁶⁰

"With respect to what's happening in Africa and Russia and in other places around the world, the vice president spoke about the $15 billion for AIDS. John Kerry and I believe that needs to be doubled."⁶¹

"We can also do something about 35 million Americans who live in poverty every day. Here's the reason we should not just talk about it, but do something about millions of Americans who still live in poverty, because it is wrong. We have a moral responsibility to lift those families up. I mean the very idea that in a country of our wealth and our prosperity, we have children going to bed hungry. We have children who don't have the clothes to keep them warm. We have millions of Americans who work full-time every day for minimum wage to support their family and still live in poverty— it’s wrong."⁶²

"Can we still really call America the land of opportunity when hotel workers who work full time for profitable hotel companies cannot afford to make ends meet? This is not just unjust. It is immoral, and we need to do something about it."⁶³

"I have a plan called Cities Rising. The idea is to bring jobs to urban America. Let's create incentives for new businesses, incentives for existing businesses. Second, to do something about public school systems. First, pay teachers better. Second, give bonus pay to teachers who will teach in schools in less-advantaged areas. And create wealth for things like homeownership."⁶⁴

"Also I do think that you can't ignore the societal responsibility part of it. You can't do just one thing; they all need to be done. Teenage pregnancies. All these families I meet with, the kids are having kids. And it just breaks your heart, because you can feel the cycle just repeating itself. Teenage pregnancy. Reaching out to fathers so they support their children. Go to poverty centers and you mostly see women, and they're mostly single mothers. Getting men involved in these kids lives. Those last things aren't necessarily governmental things — charitable groups and faith-based groups."⁶⁵

Private Life

• In 2005, helped found the Center of Poverty, Work, and Opportunity at the Chapel Hill School of Law at the University of North Carolina. Directed the center for the next two years.
• Has a net worth of around $40 million. Earned initial wealth as a personal injury lawyer, but still makes millions of dollars off of investments, speaking fees, and his role as advisor to an investment firm. Reported $1.3 million in itemized deductions from 1998 to 2003.⁶⁶ It is difficult to tell how much of that was charitable donations, or whether he has other charitable donations not reported on his taxes. In 2006, Edwards donated $333,000 in book royalties to charity.
• While a lawyer, set up a tax shelter for himself that enabled him to avoid paying $591,000 in MediCare taxes.⁶⁷
• Gave out $300,000 in scholarships to North Carolina students in 2006 as the pilot program for "College for Everyone". Prospective college students in the program receive a scholarship for their freshman year in exchange for ten hours a week of work.⁶⁸
• In 2005, toured 10 major universities in order to promote "Opportunity Rocks!", a program aimed at getting youth involved in the fight against poverty.
• Is on the board of Urban Ministries, supports ACORN in their campaign to raise the minimum wage, UNITE-HERE and their “Hotel Workers Rising” campaign, and the “Justice for Janitors” campaign.
• There have been several accusations that Edwards did not do pro bono work during his years as a trial lawyer. He does not appear to have ever denied these allegations and no one has offered any evidence to the contrary.^{69 70}

To those of you who got through that, thank you for caring. I have attempted to be as thorough as possible, but please let me know if anything is incorrect or if there is additional information that would be helpful. And let us know what you think. Does John Edwards hear the cry of the poor?


^[1]Rural Rental Housing Act of 2000
^[2]Fair Minimum Wage Act of 1999
^[3]Family Opportunity Act of 2000
^[4]Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000
^[5]AID for Communities Act
^[6]First Accounts Act of 2000
^[7]To require certain entities that operate homeless shelters to identify...
^[8]Veterans' Right to Know Act
^[9]Blind Persons Earnings Equity Act
^[10]Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999
^[11]America's Private Investment Companies Act
^[12]National Police Athletic League Youth Enrichment Act of 1999
^[13]Affordable Housing Opportunity Act of 1999
^[14]Home Ownership Tax Credit Act of 1999
^[15]Responsible Fatherhood Act of 1999
^[16]Senate Amendment 3018
^[17]Senate Resolution 319
^[18]Rural Rental Housing Act of 2001
^[19]School Service Act of 2002
^[20]Senate Amendment 3401
^[21]Blind Persons Earnings Equity Act of 2001
^[22]Veterans' Right to Know Act
^[23]National Center for Social Work Research Act
^[24]Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2001
^[25]Bipartisan Patient Protection Act of 2001
^[26]Dylan Lee James Act
^[27]FamilyCare Act of 2001
^[28]TANF Supplemental Grants Act of 2001
^[29]Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers, Farmers, Communities, and Firms Act of 2001
^[30]SMART Mom Act
^[31]International AIDS Treatment and Prevention Act of 2002
^[32]Opportunity Passport Act of 2002
^[33]Fostering Service Act of 2002
^[34]Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002
^[35]Economic Revitalization Act
^[36]Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2003
^[37]School Service Act of 2003
^[38]Winning the Peace Act of 2003
^[39]Better Future for American Families Act
^[40]Counseling in Shelters Act of 2003
^[41]Women in Trauma Act of 2003
^[42]Expanding Research for Women in Trauma Act of 2003
^[43]Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2003
^[44]Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2004
^[45]Senate Concurrent Resolution 124
^[46]Early Treatment for HIV Act of 2003
^[47]Head Start Coordination and School Readiness Act
^[48]Homestead Preservation Act
^[49]Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act
^[50]Employee Free Choice Act
^[51]To revise and extend the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
^[52]Youth Service Scholarship Act of 2004
^[53]To provide an additional amount for funding global HIV/AIDS programs.
^[54]To increase assistance to combat HIV/AIDS.
^[55]Letter from 43 senators to the President on June 17, 2003
^[56]Speech to "The Campaign for America's Future", June 2, 2005
^[57]Speech to "The Campaign for America's Future", June 2, 2005
^[58]Poverty issues page of johnedwards.com
^[59]"Action", on oneamericacommittee.com (now defunct)
^[60]"Edwards: Jesus would be 'appalled.'", ABC News
^[61]Vice-presidential debate, October 6, 2004
^[62]Speech to the Democratic National Convention accepting the vice-presidential nomination, July 28, 2004
^[63]Remarks to hotel workers in San Francisco, February 15, 2006
^[64]Democratic Presidential Primary Debate, October 27, 2003
^[65]Q&A: John Edwards, TIME
^[66]Tax Returns, 1998-2003
^[67]Campaign Releases Edwards's Earnings, The New York Times
^[68]Originally in "Edwards gives out $300,000 in scholarships at rural N.C. school", The Fayetteville Observer
^[69]"The Science of Malpractice", The Washington Times
^[70]"John Edwards", Fact Monster People