------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the July 22, 2004 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
JOHN EDWARDS: ANOTHER PRO-WAR, BIG BUSINESS CANDIDATE
By Dustin Langley
On July 6, Senator John Kerry announced that Senator John Edwards of North Carolina will be his running mate in the 2004 presidential election. A close look at John Edwards and his voting record makes it clear why he was chosen and why the anti-war movement must protest at the Democratic National Convention.
Edwards, a multimillionaire like Kerry and Bush (his net worth is between $8 million and $36 million), offers little to distinguish himself from the current regime.
THE WAR
He voted for H.J. Res. 114, "Author ization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq," and helped spread the Bush administration's lies about Iraqi "wea pons of mass destruction." Edwards blustered, "Make no mistake, Saddam Hus sein alone has chosen war over peace. He has defied international law rather than disarm his weapons of mass destruction."
THE USA PATRIOT ACT
Not only did John Edwards vote for the USA Patriot Act--as a member of the Sen ate Intelligence Committee, he helped draft it.
Occupation of Palestine
According to his campaign website, "Edwards has been one of Israel's strongest and most consistent supporters in the U.S. Senate."
THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT
According to his website, Edwards supports the No Child Left Behind Act, which is Bush's attempt to privatize the public school system and cut funding to schools in disenfranchised communities, especially communities of color.
Edwards poses as a "populist," but his voting record reveals that he is cut from the same cloth as Kerry and Bush. This is why his campaign is funded by huge contributions from multimillionaire law firms and Wall Street giants like the Goldman Sachs Group, as reported by the Center for Public Integrity.
The choice of Edwards as Kerry's running mate is further proof that workers and oppressed people cannot look to either of the two capitalist parties for a solution. Only an independent, mulitinational, multi- gendered grassroots movement can truly fight for their interests and see the struggle through to victory.
All out for the DNC protest July 25 in Boston!
- END -
(Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe wwnews- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php)
------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
