Waiting for J.E.

Tomorrow Begins Today...that's printed on the big banner hanging across the Ft. Dodge Public Library tonight. We're hoping this event begins tonight and not tomorrow. John Edwards is already nearly 30 minutes late flying into town. We already have a bit of what he'll say tonight.

Here's part of the release that'll come out...

EDWARDS CALLS FOR INVESTMENT IN RURAL AMERICA Also Highlights Plan for Universal Health Care During Town Hall in Fort DodgeFort Dodge, Iowa – During a town hall meeting in Fort Dodge today, Senator John Edwards called for a major new federal effort to reinvest in rural America and highlighted his plan to guarantee health care to all Americans. “I grew up in a rural community, and I saw what happened to people just like my dad when the mill closed down,” Edwards said. “For too long, the needs of rural Americans and their communities have been neglected in Washington – and the result has been a steady exodus of jobs and opportunity. As president, I’ll make it a major priority to bring those jobs back through investments in renewable energy and main street small businesses.”Edwards' Rural Recovery Plan would:

Restore economic fairness to rural America by helping small businesses thrive and grow. Edwards will create the Rural Economic Advancement Challenge (REACH) Fund to bring capital and management expertise to small town America.

Create a new energy economy in rural America by establishing the New Energy Economy Fund to jumpstart renewable energies. Edwards will create new markets for ethanol, invest in renewable energy research, support locally owned biorefineries and require 25 percent of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2025.

Strengthen rural schools by improving pay for teachers in rural and other hard-to-staff schools to help attract quality new and experienced teachers, and by creating digital learning opportunities.

Improve health care in rural America by rewriting the unfair Medicare and Medicaid funding formulas that punish rural states and communities, and supporting investments in telemedicine. Additionally, Edwards' plan for universal health care will cover the 9 million rural Americans that lack insurance and establish a nationwide network of safety net clinics and public hospitals.

Rid rural America of methamphetamines by investing in the enforcement of drug laws in rural areas, help states make meth ingredients more difficult to get and expand programs that successfully treat addicts.

Edwards also highlighted his plan to guarantee quality, affordable health care for every American – the only specific plan offered by any candidate in either party for truly universal health coverage. His plan is based on the principle of shared responsibility: businesses, families, and governments must each do their part to achieve universal health coverage and a better health care system for all of us. The Edwards Plan achieves universal coverage by:
Requiring businesses and other employers to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance.

Making insurance affordable by creating new tax credits, expanding Medicaid and SCHIP, reforming insurance laws, and taking innovative steps to contain health care costs.

Creating regional "Health Care Markets" to let every American share the bargaining power to purchase an affordable, high-quality health plan, increase choices among insurance plans – including the option of a public plan - and cut costs for businesses offering insurance.

Once these steps have been taken, requiring all American residents to get insurance.