cross-posted at MyDD and Daily Kos
A while back I wrote a diary on how tax reforms proposed by John Edwards would help the middle class. I am returning to the topic of Edwards and the middle class because I still occasionally see bloggers claim that his campaign is mainly focused on issues affecting poor people.
As it happens, a direct-mail piece that arrived in Iowa Democrats’ mailboxes late last week focuses on “The Edwards Economic Plan to Strengthen the Middle-Class.” I’ve reproduced the text of this mailer after the jump and added some thoughts.
My intention in writing this post is not to downplay Edwards’ plan to end poverty within 30 years or his wide-ranging plan to address hunger and food insecurity. Those problems affect tens of millions of Americans but rarely grab the interest of journalists covering politics. I know that many Edwards supporters who live comfortably were drawn to support his campaign because he has done the most to call attention to growing income inequality and the problems faced by poor people.
But I do want to emphasize that fighting for the interests of middle-class families is a big part of the positive message Iowa Democrats have been hearing from Edwards this fall.
The latest mailer we received has photos of Edwards and a diverse group of Iowans on each of the four pages. All bold and italicized sections are in the original–I have not added anything for emphasis. The text on the front page reads:
Fighting for Iowa Families
John Edwards for President
At the top of page two, this text is in large print:
John Edwards. Fighting to put Washington back on the side of middle-class families.
The following text is below in smaller print:
“For 20 generations, Americans have kept the one moral commandment that makes us American–to pass a better future on to our children than we received. This is the great moral test of our generation–to give our children a better future than we inherited. I will make sure we meet this test.”–John Edwards
The system in Washington, D.C. is broken, rigged against middle-class Americans. Taking our country back requires more than just changing presidents. It requires changing the whole broken system.
Born to working class parents, John Edwards has been fighting for regular families against powerful interests his entire life–and winning. He knows that if we want real change, you can’t just negotiate with these special interests. you have to take their power away and return it to regular people.
Page three has a link to www.johnedwards.com/iowa, along with the following text:
The Edwards Economic Plan to Strengthen the Middle-Class
John will stand up for middle-class families, put the interests of regular Americans first and make certain that we pass on a better future for our children.
–Stop the loss of American jobs by rejecting NAFTA-style trade deals that only benefit multinational corporations
–Guarantee universal health care for every American by making employers cover their workers or help pay for their coverage
–Create 1 million new energy jobs and achieve energy independence by investing in renewable fuels and inovation
–Cut taxes for middle-class families, simplify the tax code, eliminate incentives to move offshore and close special interest loopholes
–Make work pay by raising the minimum wage and strengthening unions
The back page of this mailer has contact info for the campaign, along with this quotation:
Americans have always left their children better off than they were. But this generation risks being the first not to do so. The moral test of our generation is whether to allow a corrupt system to steal our children’s future or to rise up and take our country back. As president, I will make sure we meet this test.–John Edwards
A lot of Iowa caucus-goers want details about where the candidates stand on the issues, and I strongly support all of the policies highlighted in this mailer. More information on all of them can be found on the issues page of the campaign website.
But what I like best is how the mailer highlights the values underlying these proposals. Research on framing and messaging shows that it’s important to reach people at the values level before you start talking about this or that issue.
Edwards talks about “the moral test of our generation” in his stump speech, his television ads, and in direct-mail pieces. The legacy we will leave to the next generation is at stake. That is why we must challenge the system that favors special interests over the middle class.
He also evokes the value of fairness, promising to “make work pay” and reject trade deals that “only benefit multinational corporations.”
A defense attorney who saw Edwards deliver closing arguments in court said this about his ability to communicate:
You never walked away and said, ‘That was the most brilliant speech I ever heard.’ It was just something everyone could understand.
The 2004 election showed that it’s not enough for our presidential candidate to have good ideas. We need a candidate who can communicate those ideas effectively, especially if our opponent is a former preacher who comes across well on television.
I look forward to reading your comments.
P.S.–On Saturday I attended another precinct captain training session (one of many training sessions held across Iowa). I can’t reveal any details, but rest assured that the Edwards precinct captains are going to be very ready to walk into their caucuses on January 3.