Update from the Road-blog

Update from the Road

Yesterday I spent some time in Southwest Chicago visiting a free tax preparation site where hard working men and women can go to get help navigating the increasingly complicated tax code. The program, which is sponsored by the Center for Economic Progress and Citibank, not only provides tax preparation services, it also gives low-income families financial advice and the opportunity to open bank accounts. This work is fundamental to the concept of asset building that many of you have probably heard me talk about a lot and it was great to see how programs like this can directly help people who are struggling.

One thing I know is true - we want to make it easier for those who qualify to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit or to open a bank account to build assets. These are the very people we should be trying to lift up, and it was great to see what a difference the people at the Center for Economic Progress are making in Chicago.

On a much lighter note, I must admit that I did spend a little time yesterday thinking about college basketball (I know all the true hoops fans out there will understand). My Tar Heels got a 3-seed in the NCAA tourney. Josh, who travels with me, is a big UConn fan, so you can imagine the spirited conversations we've been having. UConn looks good, but Roy has got the Heels playing at an incredibly high level. I wouldn't want to play them right now.

As some of you may know, I will be going to Louisiana tomorrow with nearly 700 college kids to help clean-up and repair homes that were devastated by Katrina. I will update all of you on how it's going when I'm down there. I hope to hear from all of you about all of this.

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2006/3/14/111516/086