John Edwards’s Plan To End Hunger

Presidential Candidate John Edwards has called poverty in America “the great moral issue of our century,”–the Civil Rights movement of our time. Of course, poverty ties right in with hunger and today, Senator Edwards addressed the media and bloggers from around the nation on the issue in a conference call. Here are some highlights:

SENATOR EDWARDS: There wa a report just last week that indicated that 35.5 million Americans, including 13 million children went hungry last year. This is an issue we can actually do something about. I think we have a moral responsibility as a country to stand up and take action so we have no man woman or child in this country go hungry.

Before outlining Senator Edwards’ six-point plan, I do want to make a few comments on it. Part six, in particular, is something I believe you should pay attention to.

It’s something pretty detail-oriented for a presidential campaign to pay attention to: the fact that low-income areas don’t have good supermarkets. The fact that John Edwards realizes that fighting hunger starts by bringing back corner grocery stores to inner-city neighborhoods shows that he knows America and how to help its people. It shows that Edwards and his team put a lot of thought into this plan, and didn’t just throw together the standard lot of answers including, “more money for food stamps, and better jobs.” Once again, Edwards proves he is the true Progressive in this field.

One other note, and then the plan: I was disappointed that the reporters on the call were more focused on what other candidates said yesterday and what Senator Edwards’ response to that was, and how he felt about the New Hampshire Primary date, and whether he’d participate in a debate in light of the writer’s strike than they were about any of what he had to say today.

The reason that front-runners emerge so quickly and stay on top in presidential races is because the mainstream media doesn’t pay attention to the real issues. All they care about is the sandbox fight. If the media did care about issues, and actually wrote something about Edwards’ plan to end hunger, voters would see it trumps that of anyone else in the field. Instead, however, they want to play he-said/she-said. Pathetic.

Here is Senator Edwards’ six-point plan to end hunger:

1.) Pass a farm bill with a strong nutrition program. The farm bill is crutial–emergency assistance for food stamps and food banks help 25 million Americans a year. Republicans in the Senate filibustred it last week. Hungry families and food banks can’t do what they need to do as a result.

2.) Help to more familias already eligible for existing programs. One out of three eligible families is not taking advantage of the programs that are already available. We need to expand the pilot program of online kiosks at food banks and extended hours for food stamp [offices].

3.) Healthy meals for children. Stronger funding for traditional needs of low income kids, expanded free and reduced lunch program, etc. Also as part of that encourage schools to buy local and second to use healthier foods in their programs–especially those they can buy locally.
4.) Stronger Food Support for our Seniors: Bush proposed commodigies supplemental food program cuts ( the program serves half a million seniors in 32 states. Expand meals on wheels, etc.

5.) Address problems with people being forced to decide between paying for food and paying for home heating. Fully fund [program] that helps with this. [Senator Edwards mentioned a specific grant program, but I didn't catch it due to noise on the call]

6.) Healthy supermarkets in all neighborhoods. Wealthy neighborhoods will have three times as many supermarkets as other neighborhoods. Launch public-private programs to bring good food stores to lower income areas; create challenge grants to help bring supermarkets and community gardens to these areas.

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