I received an email from a John Edwards staffer who thought I might be interested in a speech on taxes that Mr. Edwards, 2004 Democratic vice presidential candidate and former US Senator, gave last week at New University in New York city.

Since the November election, Mr. Edwards has focused on caring for his wife, Elizabeth, who is battling breast cancer, and their two young children. Edwards recently accepted the position of Chair of the Center on Poverty, Work & Opportunity, housed at University of North Carolina's law school. He gave his speech on behalf of the Center.

I took a look at the speech, and the staffer was correct...Edwards' ideas are refreshing and great! Refreshing because in contrast to the Bush Administraton, it's not all about giving the wealthy a whole lot more wealth. Great because it's rooted in honoring the American values of equality and hard work.

This is not just a window-dressing policy with pretty but empty words. He proposes a thoughtful six-point progressive plan designed to lift the tax burden imposed by Republicans on work, and to give middle-class families tax incentives to save...to build funds for college and family emergencies.

"Our tax code should honor every kind of work--the work of a doctor, a millworker, a janitor...It is time to say that a stockbroker should never pay a lower tax rate on wealth than a secretary pays on work" said Edwards.

His six-point values-based tax plan includes closing the biggest tax shelter for the very wealthy, eliminating sweetheart tax deals for lobbyists, stripping away corporate incentives to send work overseas and ending CEO salary abuse.

John Edwards' values-based tax speech was lengthy and quite detailed, but I summarize it here for your super-quick and easy reading. It's comforting to know that there IS tax relief hope for middle-class and poverty-level Americans after the the grotesque tax giveaways to the extreme wealthy during these Bush years.