John Edwards 2004 On The Issues

John Edwards' Plan To Create Jobs And Help Working Americans

Under George Bush, America has lost more than 2 million manufacturing jobs. Edwards will revitalize our manufacturing base and strengthen the basic protections on which workers depend.

Create good jobs here at home
Bring jobs back to communities that have lost them
Strengthen the rights of working Americans

Create Good Jobs Here At Home

Negotiate Fair Deals For American Workers

Free trade has to be fair trade. As president, Edwards will be a tough negotiator on trade, and will only negotiate trade agreements that meet these basic principles:

Agreements should be fair and enforceable.
Agreements should have strong labor and environmental protections.
Agreements should have real, tangible benefits for U.S. businesses and U.S. workers.
Both sides should give up something, not just America.

Stand Up for U.S. Trade Rights
Our country needs to enforce the trade agreements that we have on the books.

For example, we run a $100 billion trade deficit with China - the largest in history between any two nations - in part because of lax Chinese trade law enforcement. It's time to hold other countries to their commitments.

Keep Companies At Home
Some in Washington are pushing tax proposals that could encourage corporations to move overseas at the same time as they protect tax cuts for corporations that renounce their U.S. citizenship.

Edwards believes that at a time when we have lost more than 2 million manufacturing jobs, we should keep jobs here at home.

He will give a 10 percent tax cut to corporations that produce goods here and keep jobs at home. Edwards will stop corporations from getting tax cuts for renouncing their citizenship.

Bring Jobs Back To The Communities That Have Lost Them

Get Our Economy Back On Track
The best way to create jobs is to get our economy back on track. Edwards will:

Honor the values of work and opportunity that have helped our country become the most prosperous in history.
Insist on a responsible budget.
Invest in our future competitiveness through education and innovation.
Stand up to crony capitalists who are putting their private interests ahead of the public corporations they run.

Provide Venture Capital
Edwards will enact the Rural Economic Advancement Challenge, or REACH fund, to bring venture capital and management expertise to entrepreneurs and small businesses in small towns and areas that are losing jobs today.

Create Economic Revitalization Zones
Edwards will designate towns and areas hard hit by foreign trade as Economic Revitalization Zones that are eligible for tax credits and other aid to encourage business investment.

Fuel America’s Future
Edwards has proposed the Fueling America’s Future program to promote renewable fuels. He will support the creation of new bio refineries to transform agricultural wastes - like corn husks, rice straw and wood chips - into energy.

In addition to helping end our dependence on foreign fuels, this plan will create good manufacturing jobs for working Americans.

Strengthen The Rights Of Working Americans

Increase The Minimum Wage
When inflation is taken into account, the minimum wage today is more than 20 percent below its level in 1979. Edwards believes that low-income working people deserve better. He supports an increase in the minimum wage of at least $1.50.

Extend Unemployment Benefits
Under George Bush, more than one million Americans have been looking for work for six months or longer. These Americans are trying to do right by their families, and Edwards believes they deserve unemployment benefits in the Bush economy.

Protect Worker Safety
Every year, millions of American workers are injured on the job. Many of these injuries could be avoided through small improvements in workplace conditions. Edwards supports real standards to protect against workplace injuries.

Reform America’s Labor Laws
Working people deserve the right to decide whether to join a union without harassment or fear.

America’s labor laws do not truly protect that right. In one quarter of efforts to organize a union, workers are fired illegally. Edwards will overhaul our labor laws to make sure that Americans can make a free decision whether to join a union.

Source: John Edwards for President 2004 Web Site