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 New Hampshire groups quiz Dean, Edwards
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (AP) -- Democratic presidential hopefuls John Edwards and Howard Dean each promised Sunday that he would convene a summit on social justice within 90 days of taking office. All nine Democratic contenders and President Bush were invited to the Granite State Organizing Project's forum on housing, health care, jobs and education. Edwards and Dean were the only two who attended, though others sent written responses to the coalition, which includes 34 religious, labor and community groups in southern New Hampshire. Asked what he would do as president to increase the power of such groups, Dean said he already is accomplishing that by bringing new people into the political process. "What would we do? We'd win," the former Vermont governor said. "We're in this together. It's not me going to the White House; it's us." Edwards said the best way to empower people at the grass-roots level is to reduce the influence of money in politics by establishing public financing of campaigns. The North Carolina senator does not accept donations from Washington lobbyists or other political action committees, and said other candidates should do the same. Launching a weeklong national tour focused on health care, Edwards explained his $53 billion plan to provide health insurance to all children up to age 21 and expand government programs for young adults and those over age 55. "We have to make real, bold, dramatic moves, but bold, dramatic moves that we can really achieve," Edwards said at a Winchester pizza parlor. "Living in the real world, we're going to start with this president leaving us deep in deficit. The question is how much can you do, how quick?" Dean's $87 billion plan would expand government programs for children and the poor and allow others to buy into the health care plan that covers Congress. Besides health care, he also answered several questions about affordable housing.
Dean said states and communities should oversee affordable housing projects with help from the federal government. In Vermont, money is not invested in such projects unless property owners promise rents will stay affordable forever, he said. "We can't simply invest in housing today," he said. "It's got to stay permanently affordable." Earlier, in Plaistow, Dean announced a plan to boost small businesses by creating a Small Business Capital Corp. The corporation would guarantee $1 billion in loans and create 100,000 new jobs in the first three years, he said. "Small business is America's most powerful engine of economic growth," he said. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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