Thursday, June 28, 2007

House Party in Bloomington

Last night there was a House Party for Change meeting in Bloomington to talk about John Edwards. There were 8 of us (including one traveler from Martinsville). From college-aged to the retired, a good mix of men and women - everyone was happy to get together and learn more about the campaign and engage about the issues that are important to us in this upcoming Presidential election.

It was a great time to be inside with punch and carmel-corn as the storm in Bloomington picked up for an hour or two.

We watched the DVD from John and Elizabeth and then took some time to comment on some of the topics. Someone pointed out the theme of the campaign as a message and movement, and how John is simply our chosen messenger. If this campaign were only about John, perhaps it would not be worth it, and perhaps it would be best for Elizabeth and the children to keep John for themselves. But this campaign represents a message, an ideal, and we need a voice to carry us forward: and we can think of no better voice than John Edwards.

We also talked about the issue of trust. Honesty and transparency will become revolutionary ideas in the next White House compared to the current. And John has shown great leadership all his life in speaking frankly on the issues. We talked about the example of his truly Universal Healthcare plan: we dont just get the take-away messge from John. We get all the details of the plan: who it will cover, how much it will cost, what it will entail, etc. We get to see the whole thought-process of John when it comes to these issues. People can identify with John when he speaks clerly and honestly about his philosophy and his ideas to setting a bold, tranformative agenda.

The conference call with Elizabeth and then John reminded us that in this campaign we (unfortunately) will fight against those that would use hurtful and divisive hate language against our message and our messenger, John Edwards. And its time we stood up! No more will we let these people go unchallenged. And Elizabeth showed great poise and character on Tuesday night when she confronted those that continue this divisive course. She stood up for all of us, and we stand with Elizabeth and John.

And we discussed poverty. Not because its politically motivating, or because it will help us raise money or win an election... but because its wrong that 39 million Americans worry about how to feed or shelter themselves in the richest country in the world. Poverty, a lack of universal healthcare, and a dependance on foreign sources of energy are cancers on our long-term health and fiscal security here in America. We need to speak out, and we need to be bold in tackling these issues completely to set a new agenda.

And this agenda is not made for 4 or 8 years. We are developing a message to carry us a generation or more... to fufill the promises of America and develop a national agenda based on service, and sacrifice, and born of a belief that labor shall be valued over wealth. It wont be easy - but its time:
And I-you know, to be very simple about this, whether it's the war in Iraq, whether it's universal healthcare, whether it's getting off our addiction to oil, whether it's dealing with the issue of climate change, whether it's dealing with an issue that's enormously important to me, which is the inequality that still exists in this country, 37 million people who wake up every single day in poverty, for me it's very simple and this is it: No more pontificating, no more vacillating, no more triangulating, no more broken promises, no more pats on the head, no more 'we'll get around to it next time', no more talking half a loaf, no more tomorrow.
We got a quick photo before we all moved on (your blog author was the photographer):

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Mr. Edwards: Come to Bloomington!

The John Edwards campaign is endorsing a process through the site: Eventful.

John Edwards will come to the winning city and bring answers to at least 10 pre-submitted questions.

There are so many towns in Indiana Edwards should come to, but for this competition I think Hoosiers should focus on sending Edwards to Bloomington.



Bloomington is the academic hub of the state and resides in the very blue County of Monroe (which gave 63% of its vote to the Democratic candidate for Congressman, Baron Hill).

So sign on and pass the word... John Edwards: Come to Bloomington!

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Happy Birthday John!

Today is John Edwards' 54th Birthday!

Posting here at IndianaForEdwards has been slow, and we didnt get up a link to the birthday fundraising drive - but I hope people checked it out and threw in their $6.10 for "Bold, Transformative Leadership" and Bobbie Edwards' Pecan Pie recipe!

To many more John, and hopefully a few in the White House!