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Why I'm supporting John Edwards: It's time for a Progressive President with Coat Tails

By Wayne Williams, PDA Advisory Board member
November 30, 2007

From day one I made a commitment to myself, that I would speak out and support a Democratic candidate for President who fit these 10 significant criteria. I would not allow my choice to be clouded by imagined dreams, hopes or fantasies for I know most American's don't think as I do. Whether we like it or not, race, and sex are still an issue in conservative voters' minds, and now is not the time to assume that simple prejudice will not win the day for Republicans.

Since 1994, the Democratic Leadership Committee (DLC) has failed our party by moving us to the right and allowing corporations and their capitalist cronies to usurp the political power of working class Americans. They abandoned the values on which the Democratic Party is based and alienated many voters who no longer can tell the difference between Democrats and Republicans. Their strategy lost us election after election for a decade, and we only won last time out because the Iraq War went so horribly wrong. For these reasons, I knew a DLC Democrat would not be getting my vote.

So my candidate would need:

1. A complete understanding and commitment to full public funding of elections, verified paper ballots as the vote of record nationwide, and is opposed to electronic voting machines (DREs).
2. To be opposed to the Occupation of Iraq and have a viable plan for rapid withdrawal.
3. To understand the need for rapid and powerful environmental action to head off further global climate change via renewable energy without coal or nuclear power.
4. To be committed to raising citizens out of poverty with a history of action and specific plans to do the job.
5. To be independent of special interests in the health, drug, media, military or any other industry.
6. A plan for expanding public education for all, and providing college for those who want to attend.
7. A plan for universal healthcare that leads to single-payer healthcare.
8. To walk the picket line and support the rebuilding of the American middle class with support for Union labor.
9. To support Fair Trade over Free Trade to stop the damage from NAFTA and other similar deals,
10. To be committed to breaking up the media consolidation allowed by previous Democrats and re-implement the fairness doctrine while keeping the Internet open and neutral.

I started going out of my way to meet and talk with the candidates, if I couldn't talk to them, to pay close attention to their efforts, and their actions. The list was narrowed to just two candidates.

I knew my choice would be rational, logical, with a focus not only on a candidate who could win back the White House, but who had coat tails to bring other true progressive Democrats along. The Democratic nominee would have to be a person who could go into any district in the country, red, blue or purple, especially in the south, and not only win over voters for the election for President, but also bring along other progressive congressional and senatorial candidates to take back our nation and restore the Bill of Rights.

I thought about those two choices some more. I wanted a president who had a track record of confronting and defeating corporate greed in favor of the rights of citizens, a record of working with the grass roots and building coalitions of activists to create change. I want a president who has the integrity to admit shortcomings, failures and mistakes--one who possesses humility and respect for all the people of this nation no matter their race, sex or religion.

Most importantly, I'm looking for a fighting Populist who will be taken seriously, will win everywhere, especially in the south, and guide the Democratic Party to a new activist and Progressive direction-a genuine leader who will restore our faith in our government both here at home and around the world. I want a candidate whose voice will be heard, who can speak hard-truths, and can rise above the fear-mongering perpetrated by political operatives who obfuscate the facts on important issues to reach the average American.

Only one candidate fits the bill completely. My choice, John Edwards. Of course if I could vote for his wife Elizabeth for Vice President, that would be a great ticket indeed.

- Wayne Williams is also on the board of Valley Democrats United and an elected delegate to the California Democratic Party from the 41st Assembly District.

What do you think about the presidential candidates? Join the discussion on our blog.