Former North Carolina Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate John Edwards

The Pentagon is the world's largest purchaser of oil. I would like to know how Senator Edwards, as Commander in Chief, would address our defense department's negative impact on energy independence and climate change.

Drug companies spent millions advertising in magazines and on TV to the general public who can't purchase their products without a prescription from their doctors. This HAS TO raise the prices consumers pay. Why can't we regulate or eliminate this advertising as we regulate tobacco or liquor advertising? Wouldn't this save money for consumers so that poorer Americans wouldn't have to choose between medicine or food?

John Edwards and many other candidates talk about "ending" the war in Iraq by withdrawing troops. I think this rhetoric is misleading as the war will not end when the U.S. leaves; in fact, we will be leaving a significant power vacuum that will likely create greater instability in the entire region. I would like to hear Mr. Edwards and the other candidates talk about a longer term strategy beyond withdrawing troops. How do we return stability to Iraq?

I am a small business owner who has been unable to afford to provide health coverage to my employees. How will Senator Edwards' health care policy help me to cover my employees? How will covering the uninsured help or hurt the economy nationally? Thanks!

Brian Beihl
Antrim, NH

Health care vs. coverage; the distinction.

I think there needs to be a distinction between health care and health care coverage. The latter is about paying for medical treatment and medications. The U.S. has the best health care providers but we have the worst and most wasteful system for paying for that care.

I believe Mr. Edwards is criticizing the cost and payment issues not the quality of the care we receive. Canadians come here for the quality of the care not to use our insurance system.

Independent from global conflicts, our own nation has its issues with domestic, school and street violence. I am wondering if former Senator Edwards is aware of HR 808, the bill to support the establishment of a US Department of PEace and Nonviolence, 2/3rds of which addresses domestic issues, and if his administration would support the notion of making non-violence an organizing principle of our society. (Presently, there is a grassroots movement in all 50 states for such a hope, as well as a youth movement which held it's first National conference at Brandeis University in Oct. '07.) Peace and Nonviolent is an active practice, not merely a philosophy.

I applaud John Edward's clear explanation of the 2 Americas this morning. But I would like to know his views on Special education and the use of No Child Left Behind as an accountability tool. Personally I have found NCLB as a turning point for children receiving special education; it has put the spotlight on the huge achievement gap between children with disabilities and the typical student. The performance of NH children with disabilities does not mirror the potential of learning for a majority of the 31,399 children with disabilities in NH between ages of (3-21). Most of the students are not significantly cognitively disabled according to the NH Dept. of Education numbers for December 2006.

Look at the categories, they speak for themselves:
41.4 % Specific Learning Disability
19.2 % Speech/Language
15.4% Other Health Impaired
8.0% Emotional Disturbance

Districts that have used the data and made the committment from the top down have had wonderful results. Do you propose to fund NCLB to reduce the financial strain school districts and local communities feel?