Comments on Kerry's speech

(NOTE: This is a *long* post)

I've included the high points of Kerry's speech (as provided by CNN). You can find the full text of the speech here. As I've said before, I agree that Kerry could be a step in the right direction, at least on some points, but I don't think that we should blindly lead where he follows. It is the responsibility of thinking citizens to question Presidential goals and decisions, along with providing feedback and suggestions for things they would like to see.

My worry is that the US will be so relieved to have the Republicans out of the White House that they'll indiscriminately support whatever Kerry proposes without giving it serious consideration. I'm also concerned that there is so much shit to clean up that Kerry won't be pushed to address some of the harder issues but will be let off the hook because "it's such a mess and he can't do everything."

True, our government and our country are in a big mess right now and Kerry can't do everything. He needs to focus on some key issues and clear up some of the bigger piles and I think he'll do that. However, there has to be a plan for what things are going to look like after the clean up and that's what I think about. If he's going to begin cleaning up the mess that's been made of our relations in the world, what's his plan for our role? Are we going to continue being the country that says "Do as I say, not as I do?"

Probably - and that scares me. It's that kind of thinking that brought us to 9/11 and made us a target of terrorists. We've been such an arrogant bully nation for such a long time - flaunting our wealth (gained in large part by robbing the South (as in the Southern hemisphere) of its resources), refusing to cooperate with international treaties and organizations, and, in general, considering ourselves above any sort of reproach or reprimand.

Well, we aren't. We may be a wealthy and powerful nation but that's all the more reason to set an example by cooperating with international organizations, building treaties and relationships. We tell other nations to disarm and stop nuclear proliferation and yet spend more money on our military budget ($400 billion/year) than the next eight nations combined. We tell other nations to examine their environmental policies and yet our government spends its time ripping policy to shreds. We are quick to point out human rights abuses perpetrated by other organizations and nation-states and yet it's become plain that the US ranks right up there with them. I almost forgot to mention that we've declared war on terrorism but neglected to inform the American public that the US is the biggest terrorist nation on earth - so are we warring on ourselves?

It's time for us to stop being a nation of hypocrites, start cooperating with the world community, focus on taking care of our nation's people, and shift our focus from militaristic capitalism to global humanism.

That's what I didn't hear from John Kerry.

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My favorite sound bytes:
"There is nothing more pessimistic than saying America can't do better."
"In the weeks ahead, let's be optimists, not just opponents" (to Bush)
"...that we are on God's side" (although I feel this statement is problematic also)

Some things I thought were shallow:
"And we need to rebuild our alliances, so we can get the terrorists before they get us."
ME: Why don't we look at why they hate us so much?

"We need to be looked up to and not just feared"
ME: So we're going to scare them into looking up to us? Ummm...I think my contradictor-sense just kicked in.

"...if you give the American worker a fair playing field, there's nobody in the world the American worker can't compete against."
ME: Unfortunately, against popular belief, there's no such thing as a fair playing field for huge numbers of Americans (within the US).

What I would have liked to hear but didn't:
Addressing poverty and hunger in the US
Something about human rights issues
Anything about his plans for the environment
More about strengthening our role in the world in nonmilitary ways
Raising the question about US world resource consumption
US help in strengthening positive world institutuions and NGOs

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High Points from CNN

Presidential goals
"Make America stronger and respected in the world."
"Restore trust and credibility to the White House."

War in Iraq
Bring in more allies to share burden.

Foreign policy
"Never hesitate to use force when it is required."
Meet any attack "with a swift and certain response."
"Never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security."
Lead global effort against nuclear proliferation.

Military policy
Add 40,000 active duty troops.
Double special forces to conduct anti-terrorist operations.
End "backdoor draft of National Guard and reservists."
Go to war only "because we have to."
Never fight "a war without a plan to win the peace."

National security
Immediately implement 9/11 commission recommendations.
Inspect container ships coming into ports.
Better protect nuclear and chemical plants.

Economic plan
New incentives to "revitalize manufacturing."
Invest in technology and innovation to create "good-paying jobs."
Close tax loopholes that "reward companies for shipping our jobs overseas."
Reward companies that "create and keep good-paying jobs" at home.
"Fair playing field" for American workers to compete in global economy.

Tax policies
"I will not privatize Social Security. I will not cut benefits."
Cut the deficit in half in four years by ending "tax giveaways that are nothing more than corporate welfare."
Cut taxes for middle class.
Reduce tax burden on small businesses.
Roll back tax cuts for individuals making more than $200,000 a year.
Make government "pay as you go."

Education
Demand accountability from parents, teachers and schools.
Reduce class size.
Create tax credit to families for every year of college.

Health care
Health care "a right for all Americans."
Make system more efficient to save families up to $1,000 a year on premiums.
Ensure that system allows patients to pick their own doctors.
Allow patients and doctors to make decisions, not insurance companies.
Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors.
Allow Americans to buy less expensive drugs from countries like Canada.

Energy policy
Invest in new technologies and alternative fuels.
Invest in cars of the future.

Campaign goals
Take the high road.
"Be optimists, not just opponents."
"Build unity in the American family, not angry division."
"Make this election a contest of big ideas, not small-minded attacks."
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