John Edwards

thank you __PUNCT__ doug __PUNCT__ for that gener introduct __PUNCT__

it good to be here in iowa with all of you todai __PUNCT__

and it such an honor to be introduc by you __PUNCT__

we all need role_model __PUNCT__ and doug is on in my book __PUNCT__

i think role model ar peopl who wake up everi morn __PUNCT__ work_hard and do the right thing to build a better life for themselv and their famili __PUNCT__

that what doug ha done __PUNCT__ and that what lot of hard __PUNCT__ work_men and women here in de_moin and all across thi countri do everi dai __PUNCT__

in america __PUNCT__ that should be enough to get ahead __PUNCT__

but todai __PUNCT__ it bare enough to squeak by __PUNCT__

that is not the wai it suppos to be __PUNCT__

i know __PUNCT__ becaus i experienc the wai it is suppos to be in my own life __PUNCT__

i wa born in a small_town in south_carolina __PUNCT__

when i wa born __PUNCT__ my parent had to borrow __MONEY__ to take me home from the hospit __PUNCT__

but when i wa grow up __PUNCT__ thei taught me that if i work_hard and plai by the rule __PUNCT__ i could be anyth i want to be __PUNCT__

i went to good public_school __PUNCT__ where i had teacher who help me learn to believ in myself __PUNCT__

then i had the chanc to go to colleg __PUNCT__ and that ha made all the differ in my life __PUNCT__

thi didn't happen by accid __PUNCT__

it happen becaus in america __PUNCT__ there is a grand social compact __PUNCT__ anyon who is will to work_hard and do the right thing should have the opportun to share in our nation prosper __PUNCT__

in good_time __PUNCT__ a rise_tide will lift all boat __PUNCT__ in tough_time __PUNCT__ it all hand on deck to set thing right __PUNCT__

over the cours of our histori __PUNCT__ everi gener of american ha help to expand the reach of that compact __PUNCT__ move us ever closer to the america of our ideal __PUNCT__ where opportun is truli share by all __PUNCT__

but now __PUNCT__ instead of expand further __PUNCT__ our social compact is fall apart __PUNCT__

the statist sai our economi is grow __PUNCT__ that the econom tide is rise __PUNCT__

but if you look around __PUNCT__ onli the yacht ar rise with it __PUNCT__

everyon els is take on water __PUNCT__

profit ar skyrocket on wall_street __PUNCT__ but main_street is drown under wave of cost and debt __PUNCT__

the truth is our economi is onli grow at the top __PUNCT__

forti percent of the econom_growth over the past___NUM___year ha gone to the top on percent of american_famili __PUNCT__

middl __PUNCT__ class incom have stagnat for the past seven year __PUNCT__

famili ar work longer hour __PUNCT__ but find it harder to get by __PUNCT__

and for the __NUM___million_american american_live in poverti __PUNCT__ thing ar onli get wors __PUNCT__

but not everyon is struggl __PUNCT__

in corpor_america __PUNCT__ where a broader sens of social_respons onc held swai __PUNCT__ a cultur of greed ha taken over __PUNCT__

instead of treat their employe fairli __PUNCT__ be account to their sharehold and contribut to america prosper __PUNCT__ ceo ar act like their corpor exist primarili to build their own massiv fortun __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ the averag ceo made __NUM___time what the averag_worker made __PUNCT__

but in __NUM__ the averag ceo made over __NUM___time the averag_worker salari __PUNCT__

the share of corpor_profit go to ceo_pai ha doubl sinc the 1990 __PUNCT__

meanwhil __PUNCT__ the valu of the minimum_wage ha plummet __NUM__ percent sinc __NUM__ __PUNCT__

what doe washington do while corpor_profit climb and the wealth of the veri wealthiest grow __PUNCT__ all at the expens of the vast_major of hardwork american __PUNCT__ it circl the wagon around the peopl who ar alreadi do the best __PUNCT__

instead of protect the compact of equal_opportun and share_prosper __PUNCT__ washington protect corpor_profit and hoard prosper __PUNCT__

that is wrong __PUNCT__ it is shame __PUNCT__ and it is bad for our economi to boot __PUNCT__

as franklin_roosevelt said __PUNCT__ we have alwai known that heedless self __PUNCT__ interest wa bad moral __PUNCT__

we know now that it is bad econom __PUNCT__ unfortun __PUNCT__ thi is no accid __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ our economi is design to benefit the wealthi and the power becaus it ha been manipul by the wealthi and the power __PUNCT__

the system in washington is badli broken __PUNCT__

it us to be that big_busi hire lobbyist and lawyer to help them get around the rule __PUNCT__

that wa bad enough __PUNCT__ but todai __PUNCT__ thei hire them to write the rule __PUNCT__

and it work __PUNCT__ becaus the politician who ar suppos to make the rule ar indebt to the lobbyist that the corpor hire __PUNCT__

the folk at the top tell us that thi is how it suppos to be in the global_economi __PUNCT__

thei tell us that we should accept the fact that we lose million of job_oversea becaus it make us more effici __PUNCT__

thei tell us not to worri that middl __PUNCT__ class wage ar stagnat while corpor_profit soar __PUNCT__ becaus those profit will be reinvest __PUNCT__

and thei tell us not to be concern that plant like the on in newton that doug work for ar close __PUNCT__ becaus it just a realloc of resourc __PUNCT__

you don't need a busi degre to know that these thing hurt the middl_class __PUNCT__

and america cannot be get stronger if it middl class is get weaker __PUNCT__

enough is enough __PUNCT__

we don't need ani more doubletalk __PUNCT__

we need straight talk __PUNCT__

we don't need ani more empti promis __PUNCT__

we need to restor on promis __PUNCT__ the promis of america __PUNCT__ and the social compact that built the greatest economi in the world __PUNCT__

corpor and power_interest have run roughshod over regular middl __PUNCT__ class_famili here in iowa and all across america becaus that social compact ha broken down __PUNCT__

as global __PUNCT__ technolog and demograph chang have transform our economi __PUNCT__ corpor have adapt to protect their own interest __PUNCT__

but washington ha not adapt the social compact to protect the interest of the middl_class __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ we ar live in a __NUM___centuri economi __PUNCT__ but ask our worker to compet with a __NUM__ centuri set of tool __PUNCT__

we can fix thi __PUNCT__

we can restor the social compact __PUNCT__ just as gener befor us have restor it in their time __PUNCT__

but to do that __PUNCT__ we have to do two thing __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ we need to modern the compact in the face of todai new econom_realiti __PUNCT__

instead of reli on a singl employ to provid for it worker for life __PUNCT__ we need univers_health_care and univers retir_save save_account that follow worker from job to job __PUNCT__

second __PUNCT__ to restor the balanc of power to the compact __PUNCT__ we need to hold corpor account for serv the interest of worker and custom __PUNCT__ not just corpor insid __PUNCT__ with stronger corpor_respons law and consum_protect __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ updat the social compact with the middl_class start with recogn that time have chang __PUNCT__

we ar never go back to the 1950 __PUNCT__ we need a new social compact that work in the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__

the first thing we need to do is to make afford __PUNCT__ high __PUNCT__ qualiti health_care a part of that compact __PUNCT__

thi should have been done sixti_year year_ago __PUNCT__ when harri_truman tri to enact univers_health_care __PUNCT__

he wa block by short __PUNCT__ sight special_interest then __PUNCT__ just as senat_clinton wa block by special_interest when she tri to enact her health_care_plan in __NUM__ __PUNCT__

i sai it time we stood up to those lobbyist and the special_interest thei work for __PUNCT__

forti __PUNCT__ seven million_american without health_insur is an abomin __PUNCT__ and it need to end __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ univers_health_care will be my number on domest prioriti __PUNCT__

we also need to adapt the compact to the new __PUNCT__ short __PUNCT__ term natur of the modern work environ by provid american with pension thei can take with them from job to job __PUNCT__

in the past __PUNCT__ it wa common for someon to stai with the same compani for their entir career __PUNCT__

and so it made_sens for pension to be connect to employ __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ the averag_worker will probabl hold job with multipl compani throughout the cours of hi or her career __PUNCT__

so if you depend on your employ for retir secur __PUNCT__ you just on layoff awai from a crisi __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will creat a new univers retir_account requir everi busi to automat_enrol it worker in at least on plan __PUNCT__ a tradit pension __PUNCT__ a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ k __PUNCT__ or an ira __PUNCT__

worker will be abl to choos to have their contribut deduct automat from their paycheck __PUNCT__ and thei will be abl to carri these account with them from job to job __PUNCT__

i will also help famili save for retir by creat new __PUNCT__ get ahead __PUNCT__ credit that will match __PUNCT__ dollar __PUNCT__ for __PUNCT__ dollar __PUNCT__ up to __MONEY__ in save a year __PUNCT__

these credit will doubl what famili ar abl to put awai each year __PUNCT__

we also need to ensur that corpor honor the pension promis thei made to worker __PUNCT__

we can't allow fundament healthi compani to go into bankruptci just to avoid keep their promis to employe __PUNCT__ or to emerg from bankruptci with million for execut and noth for worker __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i give worker a claim for lost pension __PUNCT__ just like lost wage __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ to make sure that thi compact stai intact __PUNCT__ we need to fix the balanc of power between big_corpor and the american_peopl __PUNCT__

the american peopl creat corpor to increas our share_prosper as a nation __PUNCT__

but from the wai thing ar go todai __PUNCT__ you think that the american_peopl were creat to serv corpor __PUNCT__

restor the balanc of power start with restor democraci in the workplac __PUNCT__

histori ha taught us that the best wai to fix the unfair treatment of american_worker is to strengthen organ_labor __PUNCT__

throughout the last centuri __PUNCT__ union help build america strong middl __PUNCT__ class __PUNCT__

but todai __PUNCT__ the right to organ is be routin ignor by busi who know thei will face littl or no penalti for do so __PUNCT__

i believ that if a person can join the republican or democrat_parti simpli by sign hi or her name to a card __PUNCT__ then ani worker in america ought to be abl to join a union just as easili __PUNCT__

restor the balanc of power also mean reign in the cultur of corpor greed __PUNCT__

the crisi in corpor govern todai is be driven by abus from insid __PUNCT__

but it ha not alwai been thi wai __PUNCT__

american_compani us to have a strong_sens of oblig both to their worker and to america well __PUNCT__ be __PUNCT__

henri_ford knew that hi compani would prosper onli if hi own worker earn enough to actual bui the ford thei produc __PUNCT__

of cours __PUNCT__ there ar still some good ceo out there __PUNCT__ on of whom is my great friend and veri long __PUNCT__ time support jim sineg __PUNCT__ the founder and ceo of costco __PUNCT__

jim wa ask why costco offer better wage and benefit than all of it rival __PUNCT__ especi it most direct competitor __PUNCT__ wal __PUNCT__ mart __PUNCT__

he said simpli __PUNCT__ you get what you pai for __PUNCT__

if you hire good_peopl __PUNCT__ pai them good wage and provid good_job and career __PUNCT__ good_thing will happen in your busi __PUNCT__ we need more peopl like jim in corpor_america america_todai __PUNCT__

becaus the success of our own economi __PUNCT__ as well as our leadership in the global_economi __PUNCT__ demand that we uphold the valu our countri stand for __PUNCT__ fair reward for work __PUNCT__ sound busi and environment practic __PUNCT__ and fair to all stakehold __PUNCT__

whether it the worker on the factori floor __PUNCT__ servic_worker in a hospit __PUNCT__ or peopl around the globe look to america as an exampl __PUNCT__ hard __PUNCT__ work_peopl everywher should see that america corpor_cultur reflect the core valu that our nation wa built upon __PUNCT__

thei should see that america is about creat long __PUNCT__ term __PUNCT__ sustain_econom valu that it citizen can depend on __PUNCT__

becaus if we can be an exampl for the world __PUNCT__ we can leverag our strength in the global marketplac to ensur fair and prosper not just here at home __PUNCT__ but in trade nation everywher __PUNCT__

to start reform america corpor_cultur __PUNCT__ we should increas transpar so that the public can see what corpor ar do __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will enact a new law_requir all busi to disclos a wealth of new and import inform in annual report to their sharehold __PUNCT__ the appropri govern_regul __PUNCT__ and to the public __PUNCT__

i will also give sharehold new right and respons so that thei can call sharehold meet __PUNCT__ remov director who ar do bad job __PUNCT__ and have a sai on execut_pai __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ too mani compani in america ar put far too much of their earn into excess ceo and execut pai __PUNCT__ when thi monei could be go to increas worker salari __PUNCT__ better benefit __PUNCT__ and invest in plant and equip __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will immedi cap untax defer compens for execut and strengthen sharehold right to rein in excess pai __PUNCT__

and decad of de __PUNCT__ regul in washington have weaken consum_protect law __PUNCT__ leav american vulner to malfeas and abus by corpor __PUNCT__ bank __PUNCT__ and lender __PUNCT__

respons regul is good for american_busi __PUNCT__ the american_economi and american_famili __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will make sure that the thing we bring into our home won't harm our famili __PUNCT__ by ensur the safeti of import_food and drug __PUNCT__ strengthen toi and other product safeti and protect famili from toxic_chemic __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ the cynic would have you believ that none of what i talk about here todai is possibl __PUNCT__

thei sai we can't have leader who will be straight with you anymor __PUNCT__

thei sai that an economi base on share_prosper ha gone the wai of the model t __PUNCT__ well __PUNCT__ i here to tell you thei wrong __PUNCT__

our nation ha gotten off track befor __PUNCT__

but everi time that ha happen __PUNCT__ the american_peopl stood up and demand that it be fix __PUNCT__

thei demand that our leader make the right decis __PUNCT__

and if their leader didn't __PUNCT__ thei elect on who would __PUNCT__

in america_todai __PUNCT__ we need action measur by convict __PUNCT__ not just word __PUNCT__

in thi elect __PUNCT__ you face a choic between honest leadership and sai anyth polit __PUNCT__ between convict and calcul __PUNCT__ between strength and compromis __PUNCT__

let me tell you someth __PUNCT__ it take strength to sai __PUNCT__ no __PUNCT__ to the lobbyist and special_interest __PUNCT__ it much easier to just go along to get along __PUNCT__

but i will never compromis my principl for the sake of polit __PUNCT__

i been sai __PUNCT__ no deal __PUNCT__ to the big_corpor __PUNCT__ the special_interest __PUNCT__ and the lobbyist who work for them my entir life __PUNCT__

john f __PUNCT__ kennedi onc said __PUNCT__ the heart of the question is whether all american ar to be afford equal right and equal_opportun __PUNCT__ whether we ar go to treat our fellow_american as we want to be treat __PUNCT__ isn't that the america we want __PUNCT__ i believ it is __PUNCT__

and we can have it __PUNCT__ becaus throughout our histori __PUNCT__ on constant ha remain __PUNCT__ if the american_peopl peopl_stand togeth __PUNCT__ if we fight togeth and if we vote togeth __PUNCT__ we can chang thi countri __PUNCT__

becaus no matter how corrupt washington get __PUNCT__ it cannot chang the fact that the strength of thi countri doe not lie with the politician in washington __PUNCT__

it doe not lie with the lobbyist on k street __PUNCT__ or the special_interest thei work for __PUNCT__

it li with all of you __PUNCT__

we can chang thi countri __PUNCT__

our time is now __PUNCT__

so stand with me todai __PUNCT__

and togeth __PUNCT__ let fix thi countri __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__

god_bless you __PUNCT__