John Edwards for President-Leadership Now

Leadership Now

Oct 19, 2005

Dear Friend,

These last few months have seen a lot of sadness and anger in this country. Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, and it exposed the widespread poverty that exists there and throughout America. That same week in August, we learned from the Census Bureau that the national poverty rate rose for the fourth straight year, and that last year alone 1.1 million Americans fell into poverty, raising the total to a staggering 37 million. There have been numerous Republican scandals in Washington — Tom DeLay's indictments, the questions about Karl Rove and Lewis Libby's roles in the outing of Valeria Plame, the SEC investigation of Bill Frist's financial activities. And while all of this has been happening at home, young men and women continue to get killed and wounded in Iraq, and yet this Administration still doesn't seem to have a plan for winning the war and making Iraq secure.

It's time we roll up our sleeves and build the One America we all believe in. That's why we at the One America Committee are advancing important issues like fighting poverty, raising the minimum wage, and electing Democrats at the state and local levels. We've made tremendous progress so far. The only way we can keep going strong is with your support.

Click here to contribute

Our goals are straightforward: we must get our message of hope to Americans in every part of the nation, and we must strengthen our Party by helping to elect more Democrats at the state and local levels in 2006.

You can aid our efforts by supporting the One America Committee. My voice alone cannot turn the tide for our Party. Democrats across the nation must speak up, answer our critics, and tell our neighbors, friends, and family what we believe.

Click here to contribute

In the wake of Katrina, I worked hard to shine a spotlight on the growing problem of poverty in America. I proposed a New America Initiative, which would enable the people of the Gulf Coast to rebuild their communities themselves, giving them the wages they need in the short term and valuable job-skills that will serve them throughout their lives. This is the sort of leadership that has been sorely lacking in this Administration, particularly in its response to Katrina, and it's the sort of leadership our nation needs if we are going to fight poverty and if we are going to handle such disasters better the next time around.

In an effort to pass key legislative reforms at the state and local levels, I've been raising money for Democratic candidates and organizations all over the country. I've raised $3.8 million so far — $540,000 in the past six weeks alone — and in the coming weeks I will continue to travel from state to state raising even more. I've also joined forces with grassroots organizations in support of ballot initiatives that would raise the minimum wage. Florida and Nevada have already passed such initiatives, and this coming year there are several states — including Michigan, Ohio, and Arizona — where similar initiatives are on the table.

I know that it's frustrating when you hunger for change and you feel like there's nothing you can do about it. I want you to know that there is something you can do: you can join the fight for these causes. Right now we see our nation slipping further away from its moral center and its founding principles. We don't have to watch; we can stop this decline. Together, united behind these important causes, we can put this country back on track. We can make America a country that we can be proud of.

Click here to contribute

We are battling for the values we hold most dear — the dignity of hard working Americans, the power of grassroots initiatives, the resurgence of the Democratic Party, the dream of One America. This battle is being waged right now, all around us. Together, I know we can win and get this country back on track.

Thank you so much for your continued support.

John

PS: My goal is to raise nearly four million dollars overall at these fundraisers, and I've nearly done it. With your support, I can keep hitting the pavement in states around the country to get the candidates the funds they need to compete. Each dollar I raise makes our candidates' voices stronger, enabling them to project their messages of hope. This is a crucial effort. And the window of opportunity is closing. Join me. Support the Raising the States campaign today.