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A Message from John Edwards

This year, I've had the opportunity to speak with and answer questions from members of Iowans for Sensible Priorities at town hall meetings across the state. I appreciate how many of you have asked about my plans to end the war in Iraq, cut wasteful Pentagon spending and reinvest in priorities like health care and education.

Every day, school boards across America go over their budgets, line by line, and make hard choices. Isn't it time we asked the Pentagon to do the same thing?

As president, I will order a top-to-bottom review of military spending. For every dime we spend, every contract, every weapons system, we'll ask these questions: Is it necessary? Does it work? Does it make us safer against today's threats...or is it designed for a threat we faced 20 years ago? And is it in the best interests of American taxpayers? If the answer is no, it will be cut - or outright eliminated.

You've raised some important questions about particular weapons systems, from the Virginia Class Submarine to the F-22 fighter. I have heard some of the same concerns from my military advisors - particularly over systems like the V-22 Osprey and the F-22 fighter, for example. Rest assured that every program you've cited - and many more - will be subject to the review I will order.

I believe we need to fundamentally change the broken system and backward priorities of Washington. As president, I'll eliminate government waste wherever we find it, repeal the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and reinvest in our most important priorities. I've offered bold and detailed proposals to guarantee health care to every American, strengthen our schools, eliminate poverty within a generation, revitalize rural America, stop global warming, and more.

Finally, for the sake of our own security and to assure a safer world for our grandchildren, I believe America must lead a global effort to eliminate nuclear weapons. As a first step, we must lead by example. No more nuclear tests. No more nuclear weapons development. We should cut our own nuclear arsenal - which could save us billions of dollars per year. Then, we must begin a far-reaching, international diplomatic effort to end proliferation and, over time, dismantle this grave threat to the peace and security of the world.

Together, we can bring real change – and some Iowa common sense – to Washington. I would be honored to have your support.

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Candidate Questionnaire

Click here to read John Edwards' responses to the Iowans for Sensible Priorities questionnaire.