Senator Edwards thank you so much for bringing all this to light. Some think that these people are justs lazy and won't work but nothing could be further from the truth. They work hard but just can't seem to get ahead in a world that seems stacked against them. I'm blessed and live comfortably but my health insurance is increasing by $600 per year. I can't sustain that increase for very many years. We need help and I really do appreciate you fighting for all of us.

Sometimes I still get the feeling that there is a die-hard puritanical streak that sees success as the confirmation of something done right and poverty as people's own fault.

Often it's luck or connections that make people successful. Talent and tenacity are not the only determining factors. And it's the same bad luck or company policies or other factors that people have no control over that make them lose their jobs or slide into poverty.

So it might be easier to believe that if people are poor or homeless or sick, it was somehow their own fault, because if we can convice us of that, it means we don't have to be as afraid of the same thing happening to us...

I totally agree with John on everything that he said. We as a nation really let our people down. We think if it isn't happening to us then it doesn't matter. We push it under the rug and pretend that it doesn't exist.

There has to be a way that we can get the economy back on track so that everyone has a chance at a great life and not have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to make ends meet and still have to get help with food and clothing. It shouldn't be that way. It seems this nation has went from everyone living the dream to only the high echelon being able to live and the rest having to struggle. We need to cut that out and get it back to everyone being on an even keel.

Cindy...Ga.

Americans have a great spirit of generosity and we see that when things like Katrina happen. For the everyday people around us, most of us are struggling to keep our head above water to and may not realize that our neighbor is in worse straits than we are.

For those who are in enduring poverty in places like the Appalachian region in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, its easy to forget because we aren't around it and we don't see it until a picture like that of RFK with that child appears to shock us into realization. In a few days though we forget because the news cycle goes on and being poor isn't news.

I hope the next administration will have programs to help people in poverty and people sliding down out of the middle class to poverty. I can't understand why our country can help poor people in other parts of the world but we ignore our own.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

We accept these things because its easier for us to look passed them than straight in the eye. We have lived with blinders on, looking straight ahead, tunnel vision to be precise that we no longer move our head from side to side. What most of us don't realize is that it takes one little stroke of the pen, one little turn of a storm and we could be in the same situation. Why not take the blinders off and see what is around you.

John Edwards was my original choice for President. What a difference he would have made. I hope that Obama will work hand in hand with Edwards on this issue.

Can you imagine the difference that would be made in 4 years if Obama, Edwards and Clinton worked together? They all have very passionate ideas about changing the way this country is run and personal feelings aside what a force to be reckoned with they would be.

VP is does not seem to be a position that would fit either Edwards or Clinton. I think they should play a role in Obama’s White House where they both can champion their causes. Democrats we should really pull together because divided no one wins. There is too much at stake to be nit picky. So I will no longer be bashing Hillary, yea I don’t agree with how she handled the end of this campaign but her ideas are great and I am all for making this campaign about the issues again.

Democrats 08!!!

Mr. Edwards: I so wanted you to be the Democratic nominee, but I guess it wasn't your time. John, would you give up your nice home/ homes to go live beside the poor and accept an income that they have? Would YOU accept the medical care that they have, which alot of times is NONE? Would you give your bank account to these poor folks you speak about? Instead of asking: why do WE accept this, please, ask YOURSELF, why do I accept this? Talk is cheap.

On the Why question? The why answer is simply the MONEY.

I wonder why: why is ok for anyone to accept a million dollar a year job in which the person works no harder at than the waitress? why is it ok to spend all the money on the war when we could have erradicated poverty in the USA? would a bill have passed that says: there will be no one who earns less than __$aid amount_ per year as we as a people are trying to eliminate poor and needy? why is ok for the rich to be making laws for the poor?

It's not that people are looking away. In all my years, I've discovered the ones that truly care and give the most are the ones who basically have nothing themselves. The POOR understand the worth of a dollar or a used blanket. The rich do not. Money makes people stand taller. Money makes people think their views on life are more enlightened than poor people. Money makes people Proud of thier worth and value.

Fact is: if rich people would give half their worth away, some poor would no longer be poor. Would the rich donate to PEOPLE/ families/ individuals and not claim it on their taxes like they do when they donate to organizations? The basic truth also is this: the poor in America are too big of a problem for us to tackle. And the rich people know, us poor people aren't smart enough to handle our money anyway. One America: two sides. Rich and poor. And with current economic problems, the poor side is growing. One America= just a daydream.

Kristen I agree. With Edwards in the WH champion the Katrina victims and the poor and Hillary in the Wh champion health care we have 2 of our issues in good hands. Now we need someone to champion the veterans causes, the housing crisis, the economy, etc...
GO team Obama!!

Well. This post is only one of the many reasons why I supported John Edwards for President. And if he ever decides to run again, I'll support him again. But for now I'm switching over to Sen. McCain, thanks to the DNC.

Excellent blog, John. Its sentiments are the exact reason that you were my first choice for president. Thirty-seven million people in poverty in the richest country on earth is abhorrent and simply unacceptable.

As Annie Kate said, Americans are a generous people, but poverty has been swept under the rug for so long, we need to be reminded there's a problem. The media could help enormously with this aspect by giving more airtime to pieces like Gary Tuchman's recent report from Kentucky, and less airtime to missing white girls, celebrities, products the poor could only dream to buy (such as the iPhone), and endless political speculation.

Of course, all the media can do is shine a light; it will be up to Congress and the president to solve the poverty problem. I can only hope the new administration will have your same goals and in 10 years we really will have cut poverty by half.

Stacy has a point.

We are so consumed with keeping up with everyone else, iphone and other products that only satisfy us for a moment. If we were to do more to help those whose pride is about to burst from working so hard and not seeing any results .... that feeling, emotion and thus satisfaction would last a lifetime!

Thank your Mr. Edwards!

I have always liked John Edwards...a little less when he announced his support for Obama (kidding), but I have always seen him as a pretty humble man. This blog shows just that.
It is disheartening to hear these stories mentioned, but they are just the surface of an ocean of problems the average American faces.
I have taken trips to four countries across the globe in hopes of finding some true meaning in life, and every time I return home, I feel a sense of guilt. Guilt that I have been blessed to be born with money. With a shelter over my head. With food. With a family that may not have been the best in the world, but they tried their VERY best with what they had to work with. And mostly, that I was born in a free nation like the United States. We take that for granted.
Millions of our brothers and sisters in the states are sleeping in cars or on the streets, some with families, but more alone.
It is time we open our eyes and push for change...I don't personally know how to bring about a nationwide change, but our one act of kindness just may catch the eye of someone else, and hopefully they will continue to spread the love.

With all due respect, Edwards made his fortune suing healthcare companies; healthcare is a major problem in the US, he should do something about it; period. The Federal Government's response to Katrina and the lack of a timely solution to redevelopment is reprehensible; Edward's is one of our leaders, a Senator; isn't it time that the leaders of this country actually lead; why don't they all get together and make a list of items that need to be addressed; as a collective unit, try being proactive for once rather than the reactive "a day late and a dollar short" approach that all leaders display. As Americans, we have been let down time and time again by our leaders. Isn't it time that our leaders "man up" and take some responsibility for the state we're in? Take a look at our leadership. Bush? yikes; Mortgage Banks? ridiculous; Wall Street buying the fraud loans? hilarious; Air Force official getting caned? typical; Greenspan failing understand that it's a "glutonous consumption" society? pathetic beyond belief. Coaches doing a shoddy job and getting paid millions to leave? say what? Catholic chuches moving abusive priests to other congregations? isn't that criminal? With the election this fall, I'm confident that whomever wins will continue the tradition of leadership that's displayed daily in this once proud nation.

Mr. Edwards, I’m with you in all respects. The fact that there is poverty in America, the richest and most powerful country in the world, is unacceptable to me. I actually think that every single human being in the world, not just America, deserves the basics at the very least: food, clothing, shelter. No human being should ever suffer from lack of these things. We should have policies, programs, and plans in place to make sure every American has the basics to live and education and jobs to help them sustain themselves. Some people disagree with me. They ask why? I ask them the same question you asked in this article…Why not?

Lilibeth
Edmonds, Washington

I am a Social Democrat from Canada. As an outsider I continue to shake my head at the hypocracy of American politics.

Every candidate panders to the religeous right who seem only to support corporate greed at the expense of average working people.

If a Canadian politician ever ended a speech with God Bless Canada, he/she would be laughed out of office!

Keep faith and religion in the church and let's have politicians focus on the needs of real people with real suffering.

By the way, if Obama is true to his words, he will be seen as a saviour to the world not just the USA.

It is so sad that the Democrats feel the long term solution to all the problems in the world is to tax businesses to the hilt till they fold and to then artifically create jobs through the government. It doesn't work. Every been to a government run anything and walk away saying wow what a well run efficient service they provide? I never have. If they were in business they would be out of business fairly soon. The best way to use the dollars available to us all is through capitalism, so big government and you in particular Barack stay out of the way of growth in the economy by raising taxes on the one sector that is efficient the private sector.

Hi Senator Edwards!
You are so right! I see it all over my town and state and it is extremely depressing. All of us are having a hard time making it. Gas, groceries, utilities, and why, just everything you buy and need cost more and more.
Something needs to be done and fast. People are suffering and worried about their families.
I am a single mother trying to put my daughter through college while also taking care of my elderly parents.
It is TOUGH out there!
Thanks so much for caring. I have the utmost respect for you and confidence that if anyone can make a change, it will be you!
All the best and THANK YOU!

Why, because as human beings we have become less and less compassionate towards the demise of others. As long we take of number one (me, me, me) then we tend to turn a blind eye to what is really going on not such much around the world but just in our own communities.

Teresa from Ohio has very good points on her statement. The minute we start to really care about all the people Mr. Edwards mentioned, that day we will start to change the world. It starts with us, we need to change ourselves first then we can do something about this huge problem.

Mr. Edwards I applaud the fact that you have brought attention to this problem. I hope your wife is doing better and I hope to see you involved with Senator Obama and his campaign.

Excellent story. You are so right, for the most part we are good people
who help our fellow man when we see a need but many of us fall short of what we could or should do. Most of our government leaders
are from a backround very diffeent from the average person. Few have
had to struggle to put children thru school, food on the table, make a
house payment, car payment, pay medical bills and the list goes on.
Having not walked in the shoes of the average person let's hope our
leaders just don't know and not that they don't care. We the voters
need to do a better job of who we put in office nationally, state wide,
even locally. There are few people like you who really seem to care
about the common person. I thank you and hope you continue to
shake the nation's conscious.

Why? Beacuse we are too busy policing the world to look and take care of those in our backyard. I am one of those many, on the verge of losing everything. Not because I go in over my head. I have paid my Mortgage for 9 years with NEVER missing a payment. I am two months behind and they are calling night and day. I can't afford the groceries, electric, or gas. But, if I am a refugee that is here, I get it all free. It is sad, sad, sad. I cry day and night. What do I do? I ave a full time and a part time job and so does my husband and our child gets to see us in between those four jobs, and we still can't make it. Tell me what else can I do?

Senator Edwards is speaking directly to why Republican represenatives need to be removed from office and all lobbyists removed from all branches of government. Our government should represent all of the people not the richest.

Government of the people by the people and FOR the people. Our wise founding fathers knew what government was for. There is no compassion in conservatives as they exploit their fellow man to make money. Bush ran as a compassionate conservative and has taken us to war for his oil buddies, moved high paying jobs in manufacturing including the service industry overseas and destroyed the economy. He is taking what is left for the rich including our homes and financial security. No compassion only ignorance, greed and selfishness.

We need to see all of the former Democratic candidates stand with Obama to defeat McCain. Hillary needs to end not suspend her campaign and refuse now the VP position so she can champion change through the Senate. We need single payer not universal healthcare and a living wage that will allow a spouse to stay home with children and let them have a real family life and not turn to gangs and drugs. McCain represents more ignorance, greed and selfishness.

Older wiser people should not be pushed out of the workplace early and asked to retire later leaving them with little income and smaller benefits as they are forced into early retirement. Social Security as originally envisioned has been gutted by the Republicans fear of socialism and given it the scary name "unfunded mandate". Had the government required all to pay into Social Security with no yearly cap, held onto the fund surplus (the Al Gore lock box) and invested it well everyone could retire very comfortably and leave bagging groceries to those starting their working life. Democracy should put people first and profit second.

I heard today on NPR that the FEMA trailers are being taken away. I think about so many people whose houses are still jus tnot there, who still don't have a place to live, and I wonder why is it that their only shelter is being taken from them. There entier world was destroyed, their city, and yet three years apparantly is the time alloted by FEMA for people in New Orleans and that's it.

When did we stop caring?

Great article – is Edwards still runnning/not running for VP? I hope the candidates now remember some of the platforms Edwards has highlighted, particularly poverty in America. Domestic issues are so important right now. The country now seems to be crawling toward being once again being like the 1970s, where the price of oil has become punishing and the resultant fallout of that.

I don't know why we look the other way when it's about helping, or caring for each other here in our own country. I just know that it's time to STOP.

I was listening to KFI this morning and a victim of Katrina was still living in a hotel paid for by us the taxpayers. This woman has not gone out to look for a job because she says it's too hot outside to look for one since she doesn't have a car. She also has lost her "pep" to look for one because of Katrina. It's people like her that creates a lack of empathy from me. I don't believe in giving more handouts because of this entitlement that people feel because they know they can work the system. Taking more money from the rich is also not the answer – they worked for the money so why should they pay for other people like the woman mentioned above?

The services to help the poor exist. The problem is the people who play by the rules and need assistance can't get it and the people who cheat the system receive it. The system needs to be overhauled.

There is so much chaos in the world i think it is hard to keep focus on all of it. What about Burma, will we ever hear any updates about what is happening there anymore?
Katrina was a disaster and that is the government's fault. FEMA is a disgrace. Yes, FEMA does help some people, but months ago my cabin flooded and it's out in a small town with lots of Blue Collar people who just get by. I understand that the damage to my cabin was not going to be covered by FEMA, what I don't understand is how little they gave to the people whose house (primary resident's) was ruined. One man only got $800, and his house was ruined. On top of that he supports his family and his aging parents. Many people in America need help, and most of them are honest people who find themselves in a tough spot and need assistance.
The thing that bothers me the most is that when places in America are ruined from a natural disaster, or even an economic disaster, we often forget about the children. Where are the children going to live, go to school, play, etc. Everything starts from the bottom and goes up, and if we continue to let the bottom sink, and we allow expectations to lower, we will find our nation falling into a bottomless pit.

We need a President and Administration that cares. It feels very good to give........it never hurts........it does good things for the recipient and the giver. Let's put someone in the White House that didn't grow up incredibly rich................

We have a man that cares about this issue and it is up to America to decide if they can look past race. We have poor people in many areas including WV and KY. But, their desire to hate is stronger than their desire to be helped. They have the power in their vote to put Obama in the White House...........they need to let him help them....................

I hope Obama picks Edwards to be the VP, because then Health and Poverty will truly be addressed.

I am one of those working single mom's who can't afford to cover everything so I live with my parents again at the age of 33.

Thankfully I have that.

Keep up the good work.

Senator Edwards,

I am surprised to see you posted a blog here. However, I am glad you did. I just wouldn't have expected it is all. I noticed in your article you carried the same sort of tone you had in your speeches when you were campaigning for the nomination of the democratic party earlier this year. I have always liked what you said and how you addressed the issues that affect so many Americans in this country. I am glad you stick up for them. My question to you is, have you considered a spot on the Vice Presidential ticket? I think you would do a great service for our country if you ran on the Democratic ticket as Vice President. You already have my vote.

Best regards,

Alexander

I am with you. I am so saddened that there is so little compassion in this country especially among politicians. Some time, some where this needs to be an issue that all of us face.

John Edwards is absolutely right. As an American, I am ashamed that there are people in America who can't afford three square meals, people who cannot afford health care, and people in poverty. This is the legacy of third world countries, not the USA.
Instead of fighting the war for the Saudis and Kuwaitis for free, let's make them pay for it and use the money to tackle our issues at home.

You know John, you made a very good point.But, what did Obama do to help those in need. He gave thousands of dollars to his Black Theology Church but, didn't give a dime to charity.

Our goverment is too busy sending our taxpayers money to all the foreign countries to help their poor and homeless. They don't care about those in the states.

Look at the Bill that was just passed in the Senate that Obama sponsored that adds billions of dollars more to sent to Africa. What about our sick? our poor? our homeless?

Hillary Clinton had the better plans for our economy, for the poor, for our veterans, for our sick if you cared so much why didn't you support her. I thought at one time you were a fair, honest man, now I wonder what Obama promised you, because you know he's not qualified to be a president.

Now I see had you stayed in the race, my vvote for you would have been wasted but, I'll not waste it in November because I'll vote for John McCain.

You hit the nail on the head, Mr. Edwards. Things are the way they ARE because no one has changed things any. And why would they change anything, the ones who can? Because THEY'VE never needed to. It's not the rich having to work unsustaniable jobs, then go to a food bank because when their pay came through, their pay wasn't enough. It's not the powerful and influential who die in their trucks, or who die from some stupid medical complication that $30 in medicine would've cured. The poor in this country are about as bad off as they've ever been, maybe excepting for the Great Depression. (But even that is debatable.) We, the poor, are the ones wearing grey unforms in the hotel, so that we may not offend the eyes of the wealthy clients. We're the ones working–WORKING–because, well, that's the way we were brought up to be. Right now as I write this, I sit at my desk where I work as an imposition technician for a major newspaper. In three weeks, minimum will be $6.55 an hour. My pay is $7.00. Which means that for working a semi-skilled job in which I have had nearly 20 years experience, every year brings my pay up by two cents. For working all these years. Two cents. Per year. Mr. Edwards, if this trend continues, in 30 years, the illegal immigrants all the world's talking about will be AMERICANS, as we seek work elsewhere, in other countries. Please, Mr. Edwards, something must be done, and quickly, to save the American Dream...to save...America. God bless America!!

Hello John,

My prayers are with Elizabeth and your family as she courageously battles breast cancer with grace and dignity.

"Why do we turn away?"

From my perspective, America doesn't. Everywhere I turn, I see American citizens in action – pitching in to stock and man those food shelves you mentioned, sending care packages and inviting our local servicemen to their Thanksgiving celebrations so they know their efforts are appreciated and they don't have to spend the holiday alone, and giving jobs to our homeless and marginally employable via community projects.

Here in San Diego, I saw an entire county band together to take in and efficiently house nearly a million evacuees during one of the worst firestorms in California's history.

Ordinary citizens aren't letting America down. Our government is.

Affordable housing, a fair tax system, reasonable gas prices, universal healthcare, and a livable minimum wage – this is the responsibility of our government.

I am very happy the primaries are for the most part, a done deal. Now Washington can start talking about (and doing something about) the issues that American citizens have been talking about all along.

Dear Senator John Edwards,

I am pleased to have this chance to write to you.

I read your blog and it is full of good words.

I thank you for caring and I would like to follow your example by doing whatever I can.

I hope that you have more opportunities to change some of this, as I believe it will make a big difference to the world.

I hope to hear from you again on the blog.

I thank you for your time and message.

Sincerely,

Lisa L
Sydney, Australia