Edwards Talks California Issues

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Here's something you don't see everyday: a presidential candidate highlighting California's federal funding inequities. Included below is a press release and letter from former Senator John Edwards to Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger, urging the Governor to stand with Edwards in encouraging Congress to bring California more federal assistance to deal with our slumping economy, mortgage crisis, and state budget deficit. Ah, so this is what it's like to have an actual say in determining the next president.

"Today, Senator John Edwards wrote a letter to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today urging the Governor to join his call for federal financial assistance to states -- including up to $2.4 billion to help solve California’s looming budget crisis. Edwards is calling on Congress to fix George Bush’s flawed economic stimulus plan by providing immediate help to states -- something Edwards first proposed over a month ago.

"States like California need immediate help -- or we could see devastating cuts to education, health care and other basic services, along with increases in property taxes," Edwards said. "Providing this assistance to states will not only protect our schools and our most vulnerable citizens, but represents an important and critical step to avoid a recession."

On December 22 -- long before Congress, the President, or any other candidate -- John Edwards warned about the prospect of a looming recession and proposed an economic stimulus plan that includes extended unemployment benefits, investments in the renewable energy industry to create jobs within 90 days, a Home Rescue Fund to help families avoid foreclosure, and immediate federal financial assistance to states.

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