Raising The States

And now, this message from John Edwards...

Dear Friend,

If you're like me, then you have been watching these last few months as George Bush and his allies in Washington have failed the American people over and over again.

There's not much we can do to change the culture of failure and corruption in Washington. But, there's a whole lot we can do to change the balance of power across the country.

With your help, we'll elect state and local leaders all across America who will fight for our fundamental Democratic values. I am personally committed to funding this next generation of leaders through a program I call "Raising the States."

Today, I am asking you to make a donation in support of this project. We cannot succeed without you. Please make a contribution today.

Support Raising the States so we can change the balance of power immediately.

George Bush and his cronies in Washington have failed to protect our citizens at home. Instead, they were unprepared and unable to respond when a natural catastrophe exposed generations of poverty and struggle seldom seen on the evening news. Further, they have failed to protect our men and women fighting overseas. Instead they wage war without a plan in Iraq while doing little to stop the international terrorism that is the true threat to our national security.

While the big challenges go unmet, it's business as usual in Washington, where ethics and criminal investigations continue to dog Republican leaders, and even the White House. Americans have grown increasingly disgusted with the culture of corruption that seems to permeate Washington.

It is now abundantly clear that change will not come from the top down. We must build it from the grassroots up. We can start working right now to elect new Democratic majorities in state legislatures across the county. Once we put Democrats back in charge, we can begin to repair the damage caused by five years of failed leadership in Washington. And, because the Raising the States campaign will cultivate and support the next generation of leaders, it will be the first step towards putting our party back on top. But I cannot do it alone. I am counting on you to give our campaign the resources it needs to succeed. Please make a contribution today.

Support Raising the States and undo the damage caused by five years of failed leadership.

If you believe we must raise the minimum wage for millions of hard-working Americans who are struggling every day just to get by, then I need your support. If you believe that we must lower health care costs and increase access for the millions of working families who right now simply can't afford to get sick, then I need your support. If you believe that we must invest in great public schools that will open the doors of opportunity for hundreds of thousands of kids and their dreams, then I need your support.

Make no mistake. Our opponents are strong and the stakes couldn't be higher. We are up against a formidable message and money machine. Millions of dollars of special interest money and a communications infrastructure that is decades ahead of our own give the Republicans a huge advantage before our campaigns even begin. As Democrats, it's our duty to level the playing field.

This is a battle for the values we hold most dear: The dignity fundamental to every American who works hard and plays by the rules. The power we have as a grassroots movement to build something greater than the sum of our parts. The principles for which the Democratic Party has always stood. The dream that we truly are united as One America. If you believe that those values are worth fighting for in every state across America, then I need your support. Please make a contribution today.

Support Raising the States and help us fight for Democratic values across the country.

There is a powerful hunger for leadership in our country today. Americans everywhere yearn for the leadership we need to face the monumental challenges we have at home and abroad. It's clear that leadership won't be coming from Washington, so it's up to us to build it from the grassroots up in states across the country. I cannot do it without you. I need your help today.

So far this year, I've raised $3.8 million for Democrats all across the country. I have raised more than half a million dollars in the last six weeks alone and I am just short of my goal of $4 million. We can exceed my goal if we work together, but this fight is more important than just one big number. The very future of our country is at stake. I know I can count on you to help me fight for the One America we believe in.

Thank you so much for your continued support.

John