Review of John Kerry’s Record

 

Here’s the deal.  I did this about the same time as all the swift boat stuff, in part as a reaction to that story.  The Swift Boat Vets and their defenders were telling us that the reason that John Kerry’s Vietnam service was on the table was because that was basically the only thin he was running on.  I contended then, as I still contend, that that was crap.  So I went down his issues (many of them anyway) in order to confirm that, yes, John Kerry had some other stuff he was interested in.  I originally covered items a through f and will add one or two now, as a special bonus feature.

 

Item a.   Dealing with a Contention – National Security

Item b.   A Stronger Economy

Item c.    Affordable Health Care For All

Item d.   An Energy Independent America

Item e.    A Safe and Secure Homeland

Item f.     World Class Education for All

Item g.   A Cleaner & Healthier Environment

 

Dealing with a Contention – National Security


At any rate to deal with this contention I've decided to spend a day dealing with President Kerry's actual proposals. While you might disagree with what he proposes; at least that's a step up from saying that he has no proposals at all.

So let's start with National Security. If you go to Senator Kerry's website, and click on one of the issues, you see a page divided into too parts. The top part is a general overview of the issue, and the bottom part are several specific proposals. I'm going to focus on the proposals, and assume that you are at least somewhat aware of the problems facing our nation in the area of National Security.

 

Launch And Lead A New Era Of Alliances
The threat of terrorism demands alliances on a global scale - to utilize every available resource to get the terrorists before they can strike at us. As president, John Kerry will lead a coalition of the able - because no force on earth is more able than the United States and its allies.

 

This is one of Mr. Kerry's most repeated criticisms of how the Bush Administration handled the run-up to the Iraq War. Bush Diplomacy, which I've referred to as bully diplomacy on more than one occasion, basically means that all the rest of the nations of the world should do whatever the hell we say. It seems like Kerry will bring a more balanced approach to dealing with our allies; an approach that involves listening as well as telling. So of course this gets distorted into "Senator Kerry won't protect America unless France says we can."

 

Modernize The World's Most Powerful Military To Meet New Threats
John Kerry and John Edwards have a plan to transform the world's most powerful military to better address the modern threats of terrorism and proliferation, while ensuring that we have enough properly trained and equipped troops to meet our enduring strategic and regional missions.

 

This is standard boilerplate. Everybody promises to upgrade the military. But one advantage Senator Kerry will have over President Bush in this regard is that he won't be as determined to protect a tax cut for the very wealthy. That will probably free up some cash to spend on this and other goals.

 

Deploy All That Is In America's Arsenal
The war on terror cannot be won by military might alone. As president, John Kerry will deploy all the forces in America's arsenal - our diplomacy, our intelligence system, our economic power, and the appeal of our values and ideas - to make America more secure and prevent a new generation of terrorists from emerging.

 

I have to say I really like this approach. One of my criticisms of the Bush Administration, which I touched on above, is their near total disdain for Diplomacy and the Diplomatic Corps. I get the impression a Kerry Presidency would see these people in a different light.

 

Free America From Its Dangerous Dependence On Mideast Oil
To secure our full independence and freedom, we must free America from its dangerous dependence on Mideast oil. By tapping American ingenuity, we can achieve that goal while growing our economy and protecting our environment.

 

I don't know whether or not this goal is achievable in the short term, but it definitely has to be part of our long term goals for a number of reasons. We don't have an infinite supply of oil for one. For two, on of the biggest difficulties we have with dealing with the Middle East is that it does have oil so we can't really get tough with countries like Saudi Arabia. So I applaud putting this on the table.

Anyway that's all for now. Some of you might disagree with these proposals; I expect that there will be ones that I'm not 100% comfortable with. But at least it's a discussion about his actual proposals rather than pretending that he hasn't got any. If you want further details on these proposals, you can visit the link above. On the right side of the page are speeches and plans on the subject.

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A Stronger Economy

 

Continuing our series from this morning; we are going to look at what John Kerry and John Edwards plan to do about the economy.

 

Create Good-Paying Jobs
As president, John Kerry will cut taxes for businesses that create jobs here in America instead of moving them overseas. John Kerry and John Edwards will also stand up for workers by enforcing our trade agreements.

 

This might have been better named, as I assume all Presidents, including President Bush, would like to create Good-Paying Jobs. The substance of the proposal, however, is more promising. Cutting taxes on companies who employ Americans will increase the value of American workers, which is a good thing. Enforcing our trade agreements would also help protect and provide jobs. One of the advantages to moving overseas is the lack of worker protections and the lack of environmental standards (among other things). Many of these items are addressed in our treaties, but are casually ignored. So this could be another way to make American Companies (and our foreign Competition) play by the rules.

 

Cut Middle-Class Taxes To Raise Middle-Class Incomes
When John Kerry is president, middle-class taxes will go down. Ninety-eight percent of all Americans and 99 percent of American businesses will get a tax cut under the Kerry-Edwards plan.

 

I'm not sure what to think about this one; I have kind of a "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude. On the other hand, I don't think President Kerry is likely to raise taxes dramatically or at all on the middle class.

 

Make Washington Live Within A Budget
John Kerry will cut the deficit in half during his first four years in office. He will end corporate welfare as we know it, roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and impose a real cap to keep spending in check. And when John Kerry puts forward a new idea, he'll tell you how he's going to pay for it.

 

Used to be anybody who talked about the federal government living within a budget was a Conservative. Times have changed. Clinton, a liberal, managed the government and got budgets that created a surplus. President Bush, a conservative, expanded the Government and due to his foolish fiscal policies, expanded the deficit to an enormous amount.

 

Invest In The Jobs Of Tomorrow
Today, businesses are harnessing new technology to manufacture energy-efficient cars, high-grade steel, advanced plastics and other new products. And this requires a bigger, skilled labor force to make them. John Kerry and John Edwards believe we should invest in these jobs and invest in the people who will fill them.

 

I don't know exactly what this means, but it sounds good. Kind of like modernizing the military, it's something every President is going to promise. I don't see much here on how he is actually going to train American workers to work in these jobs.

As before if you want to see more detail on these plans, and there is considerably more detail here, please go to the right of the screen linked to above.

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Affordable Health Care for All

 

I'm going to skip a little lighter over this section. Health Care Proposals are a Democratic staple, so it should come as little surprise, even to someone who thinks that John Kerry is running only on his medals, that he has one.

 

Cut Your Premiums
John Kerry and John Edwards will cut family premiums by up to $1,000. That's $1,000 in real savings people can use to buy groceries, pay the bills, and save for their children's future. And that will mean more jobs and more competitive American businesses.

 

Certainly Mr. Kerry is right that reducing premiums would pump money into peoples pockets, but he doesn't explain (here) how he intends to do this. For that you need to look into the details of the plan.

 

Cover All Americans With Quality Care
The Kerry-Edwards plan will give every American access to the range of high-quality, affordable plans available to members of Congress and extend coverage to 95 percent of Americans, including every American child. Their plan will also fight to erase the health disparities that persist along racial and economic lines, ensure that people with HIV and AIDS have the care they need, end discrimination against Americans with disabilities and mental illnesses, and ensure equal treatment for mental illness in our health system.

 

This is a veritable banquet of programs, some of them quite sensible. But the question remains; will American's accept the idea that all Americans should have access to health care? Many would argue that those who do not have coverage, don't have it because they have failed to plan for their futures and so don't' deserve it.

 

Cut the Cost of Prescription Drugs
The Kerry-Edwards plan will reduce prescription drug prices by allowing the re-importation of safe prescription drugs from Canada, overhauling the Medicare drug plan, ensuring low-cost drugs, and ending artificial barriers to generic drug competition.

 

I do think drug companies have the potential to be as demonized as, say, French people, and certainly this provision socks it to them. Even some conservatives I know complain about the enormous profits taken by the drug companies. But the other side to this is that they have to fund research. So what is the proper balance between greedily gouging themselves at the expense of Americans Health and their justifiable need to make a profit after investing so much in research and development? It's a tricky question.

 

Cut Waste And Inefficiency
Today, approximately 25 percent of health care costs are wasted on paperwork and administrative processing. The Kerry-Edwards plan harnesses American ingenuity to cut waste, save billions, and take new steps to ensure patient privacy.

 

Now this is more like it. One of my favorite arguments against "socialized" medicine is "Well if you have socialized medicine you'll have a bunch of bureaucratic red tape and forms to fill out." I always wonder if the person making that argument has actually been to a doctor recently. We already got enormous amounts of paperwork and red tape.

More than the other sections we've covered, understanding the details of the Kerry-Edwards health plan requires a more in-depth reading.

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An Energy Independent America

 

I've been thinking about health care the last hour, and I've concluded that it just isn't that important. Don't get me wrong; in the long run fixing America's Health Care system is essential. But in this election, at this time, the key issues aren't going to include health care.

One could make the argument that this subject, energy policy, is similarly unimportant (to the current election). But I think that that is inaccurate; our long term ability to deal with terrorism will hinge, to a certain extent, on our ability to wean ourselves from middle eastern oil. So let's see what Kerry and Edwards plan to do.

 

Explore And Develop New Energy Sources
Tomorrow's energy economy will be fueled by new energy sources. The Kerry-Edwards plan will invest in the research and exploration needed to turn ideas into fuel and develop renewable energy sources.

 

Well this is a good start, if not exactly a detailed plan. I can fill in the blanks myself (they will push for funding of alternative energy research and so on), but it's not much more concrete than saying they want to modernize the military.

 

Develop Tomorrow's Technology Today
Under the Kerry-Edwards plan, America will take the lead in developing the new technology and production methods needed to ensure that resources such as coal and natural gas are used more efficiently and cleanly, and fully integrated into the New Energy Economy.

 

There's are long running urban legends about cars that run on water or lightbulbs that never need changing that are surpressed by big business. There's a reason such myths have such longevity; because human nature is such that they are believable (at least the part about big business quashing such ideas). How many of you would support a proposal that, despite having long term real benefits for your neighbors and fellow-citizens, would also put you out of a job? Still our reliance on coal and natural gas will require us to figure out ways to use these fuels better and more efficiently, and obviously developing the technology to do so is a good idea.

 

Make America Energy Independent Of Middle East Oil
Our security in the war on terror demands an end to our dependence on Middle East oil. Under the Kerry-Edwards plan, we will strengthen our national security while growing our economy and protecting our environment.

 

This of course is the point to focusing on energy.

As always, please check to the right of the Kerry Web Page if you want more details on these plans.

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A Safe and Secure Homeland

 

OK. So now we are back to one of the key issues of the campaign. As the Vice President has made extremely explicit, if you vote for John Kerry you are running the risk of America being hit by terrorists again. So let's see what John Kerry and John Edwards propose to do about protecting you and me.

 

Track And Stop Terrorists
Many of the intelligence problems that allowed terrorists to slip into our country before 9/11 have not been addressed. John Kerry and John Edwards will improve our ability to gather, analyze, and share information so we can track down and stop terrorists before they cause harm.

 

I'm not sure what specific problems they are proposing to fix here. I mean it is clear that many of the recommendations of the 9/11 committee and others have yet to be implemented. But beyond that this is mostly a good idea, not necessarily a plan.

 

Protect Our Borders And Shores
Today, our borders, our ports, and our airports are not as secure as they must be. John Kerry and John Edwards will make our airports, seaports, and borders more secure without intruding upon personal liberties.

 

This is a common complaint, but an accurate one. The Bush Administration in pursuing its war in Iraq and in protecting it's tax cuts for the wealthy have neglected upgrading systems to protect us at our vulnerable points.

 

Harden Vulnerable Targets
Chemical industry lobbying has kept the Bush administration from strengthening security at chemical plants, where an attack could endanger 1 million Americans. John Kerry and John Edwards will always put Americans' safety ahead of big business interests and take strong measures to harden likely targets-including nuclear plants, trains, and subways-against possible attack.

 

Another very good proposal. And one that illustrates the ideological differences between President Bush and Senator Kerry. President Bush favors a hands-off approach to corporations, even when such an approach might be dangerous for the American people. Senator Kerry favors a more realistic approach.

 

Improve Domestic Readiness
Our first defenders will respond to any attack with courage and heroism-but they also need the equipment and manpower to do the job. John Kerry and John Edwards will back up their words with resources and ensure that America's first responders have everything they need to protect their communities.

 

There's an old poem / parable about a fence up on the hill or an ambulance down in the valley that I suspect Bush Supporters like to trot out. Yes, providing better equipment, training, and compensation to first responders doesn't answer the question of stopping terrorists from hitting us. But it is still a damn smart thing to do, as both President Bush and Senator Kerry and everybody else with half a brain has admitted that the odds are very good we will be hit again no matter what we do.

 

Guard Liberty.
We must always remember that terrorists do not just target our lives - they target our way of life. John Kerry and John Edwards believe in an America that is safe and free, and they will protect our personal liberties as well as our personal security.

 

This is a not very well disguised critique of the PATRIOT act, but it is something to consider. It is comforting that Edwards and Kerry at least recognize the inherent difficulties in giving up a little liberty for security.

As before feel free to look along the right of the linked webpage for more details.

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World Class Education For All

 

Continuing and concluding our series on Kerry's proposals, let's look at what Kerry and Edwards plan to do about education.

 

Meet Our Responsibilities To Our Schools
John Kerry and John Edwards will establish a National Education Trust Fund to ensure that schools always get the funding they need. They will also ensure that No Child Left Behind works for schools, states, and teachers by rewarding those who meet higher standards and rewarding schools that turn around and improve.

 

First of all they commit to making sure that schools get the funding they need, but they also commit to No Child Left Behind stays in effect (which punishes schools for poor performance). I'm not sure about the balance here.

 

Continue Reform And Put A Great Teacher In Every Classroom
Great teachers are the foundation of a great school. As president, John Kerry will enact a new bargain that offers teachers more, including better training and better pay in troubled schools, and asks for more in return, including fast, fair ways to make sure that teachers who don't belong in the classroom don't stay there.

 

I have mixed feelings about this one as well. Clearly the key to getting ambitious and creative people to go into our schools is to reward them. Anybody who looks at going into the teaching profession these days knows that it is a route to economic mediocrity. So certainly if we are going to get better teachers, something has to be done about that. On the other hand, the second part of the paragraph might be clearer. Making it easier to fire teachers is a good thing when it comes to issues like abuse. But there has to be a balance; teachers like a certain amount of job security same as the rest of us.

 

Offer 3.5 Million After-School Opportunities Through "School's Open 'Til Six"
John Kerry and John Edwards are strong supporters of after-school programs. They give students extra help, keep them out of trouble, and offer peace of mind to working parents. The Kerry-Edwards "School's Open 'Til 'Six" initiative will offer after-school opportunities to 3.5 million children, through programs that are open until 6 p.m. and offer safe transportation for children.

 

The unfortunate reality is that this is really a good idea. Kids need supervision, and since all of our modern conveniences have allowed us to work longer hours (funny how that worked out), than there needs to be something available. Plus this might very well be a back end way to get music and arts back in the hands of kids.

 

Make College Affordable For All And Expand Lifelong Learning
As president, John Kerry will offer a fully refundable College Opportunity Tax credit on up to $4,000 of tuition for every year of college and offer aid to states that keep tuitions down. And he will launch a new effort to ensure that all of our workers can get the technical skills and advanced training they need.

 

I like this too (was impressed by college tax credit when it was proposed on the West Wing). College isn't the silver bullet, but it is key, and making it more attainable is always a good thing. On the other hand, I think the real work has to be done in the high-schools and junior highs getting kids ready for college.

Anyway I've decided to skip the environment, mainly cause I read some articles yesterday and today that I want to comment on, and also because the environment isn't going to be an election deciding issue this time around. For those who don't know, Kerry has a pretty good record on the environment and is likely to continue working in support of these issues.

Hope you have enjoyed this review; please feel free to refer to it the next time someone says "Well, Kerry isn't running on anything but Vietnam."

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A Cleaner & Healthier Environment

 

This issue I originally wrote off as something nobody would care about in these times of terrorist terror, but I’ve decided to revisit the environment it in my update.

 

Create Cleaner, Greener Communities

Together, we can improve the environment in backyards and communities across America. John Kerry and John Edwards will revitalize contaminated industrial sites, get toxins out of communities, guarantee our children access to clean, safe parks and baseball fields, and take on traffic congestion and sprawl.

 

Well this is another nice smorgasbord of issues.  I’d like to know how they are going to revitalize the contaminated industrial sites—does this mean reworking the Superfund issue so that polluters actually pay for the mistakes they make?  I hope so. 

 

Enact A Conservation Covenant With America

John Kerry and John Edwards believe that Americans are united in our respect for the land. They will enact a Conservation Covenant with America to ensure balanced protection for our public lands and adequate resources to enhance our national parks.

 

Well I’m not exactly sure what this means, but it sounds nice.  On reading the “Vision for a Cleaner America” over there on the left of the page, I discover this has a lot to do with protecting our public lands.  It’s no secret that President Bush hasn’t been exactly kind to public lands, and John Kerry promises to do better.  

 

Protect Our Health By Reducing Dangerous Air Emissions

As president, John Kerry will reverse the Bush-Cheney rollbacks to our Clean Air Act, plug loopholes in the law, take aggressive action to stop acid rain, and use innovative, job-creating programs to reduce mercury emissions and other emissions that contribute to global warming.

 

This is a little more promising.  Obviously the industries affected by these sorts of laws are going to scream bloody murder, but we need a President who will put the lungs of the American people ahead of the wallets of big business.  

 

Restore America's Waters

Today, approximately 45 percent of our nation's waterways do not meet the "drinkable, swimmable and fishable" standard set out by the Clean Water Act 30 years ago. As president, John Kerry will implement a "Restore America's Waters" campaign, an integrated approach to protecting our precious, limited water resources. He will work with states on the toughest water quality challenges, restore damaged watersheds, protect wetlands, invest in our waterfronts and coastal communities, and protect our oceans.

 

This is important too.  Water is important, and the ecology of our rivers and lakes and so on is important too.

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