The Quadrangle

Issue date: 10/27/04 Section: Perspectives

Finally! In just a few short days Americans will go to the polls in the most important presidential election of our lifetimes. I strongly believe John Kerry will win the election, which will make our nation stronger at home and more respected around the world. Kerry is a man of strength, leadership, and conviction, while George W. Bush is a thoughtless man with no integrity. Bush has been one of the worst president's in our nation's history, and we have to vote him out on November 2nd, as the future of our nation is on the ballot. On both the foreign and domestic fronts John Kerry has a plan, while George Bush remains clueless. The administration's policies have failed in Iraq. After leading us into a war based on the idea that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and that Saddam Hussein was connected to 9/11 (both lies), the Bush administration failed to come up with a plan to win the peace in Iraq. American troops and Iraqi civilians have paid the price for Bush's failure to realize that there would be a large-scale insurgency in Iraq. The Department of Defense, as of October 18th, identified 1,099 American service members killed in Iraq, while an estimated 10 to 15,000 Iraqi civilians have died. And, as was reported on the October 17th edition of the political television show "The McGlaughlin Group," there have been 28,850 American troops in Iraq who have either been wounded, who are now mentally ill, or who have had limbs amputated. Kerry has focused on his four-point plan to win the peace in Iraq, and he has urged President Bush to begin these steps now: repair our alliances throughout the world, train Iraqi security forces, improve reconstruction, and ensure future democratic elections. Of course, we are so hated in the international community because President Bush mocked our allies and the United Nations before the war began, and John Kerry is the only man who can restore the respect that America had before Bush was president. In this election, this question has to be asked, "Who will bring peace to Iraq so that our troops can come home soon. Kerry or Bush?" The answer is clear, John Kerry. Kerry is the clear choice on issues of national security. Bush has failed to secure our country, as he ignored warning signs and went on a month long vacation in August 2001, right before the largest terrorist attack in our nation's history occurred. After the attacks, he pledged to find Osama Bin Laden, "dead or alive." He failed. He diverted attention from the war against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and invaded Iraq, which has led to mass insurgency and death in Iraq, and the reformation of the Taliban in Afghanistan. As is written on the website johnkerry.com, "Today, we face three great challenges above all others - First, to win the global war against terror; Second, to stop the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; Third, to promote democracy, freedom, and opportunity around the world, starting by winning the peace in Iraq." To meet these challenges Kerry plans to restore America's integrity in the world, he plans to improve and make our military stronger (he won't impose pay cuts on combat troops as Bush has), he has vowed to improve our intelligence system and our economic power, and, as his website says, "To secure our full independence and freedom, we must free America from its dangerous dependence on Mid East oil. By tapping American ingenuity, we can achieve that goal while growing our economy and protecting our environment." Kerry plans to end our dependence on Mid East oil by funding research into new sources of energy, and by increasing energy conservation. Kerry also has a plan to improve our nation's economy, which Bush has destroyed in the past four years. The Kerry/Edwards plan calls for tax cuts for our nation's middle and lower classes, with plans to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest of Americans making over $200,000 a year, so that we can invest in health care and social security. 98 percent of all Americans and 99 percent of American businesses will get a tax cut under the Kerry-Edwards plan. Kerry's economic policies will create jobs in America, rather than shipping them overseas. Kerry has pledged to create 10 million jobs in his first-term, while Bush has lost over a million, making him the first president since Herbert Hoover to have a net loss of jobs during his presidency. Over 5 million people have lost their health care insurance since Bush took office. Kerry will improve our health care system by lowering family premiums by up to $1,000 a year, lowering the cost of prescription drugs by allowing the re-importation of safe prescription drugs from Canada, and his tax cuts will extend affordable, high-quality coverage to 95 percent of Americans, including every child. Kerry's plan will provide all Americans with access to the same coverage that members of Congress give themselves. The price of college tuition has risen by 35 percent over the last three years, and 220,000 qualified people were priced out of college last year. Many of our nation's schools are in terrible condition. Kerry plans to improve our educational system by establishing a National Education Trust Fund to ensure that our schools always get proper funding. He will also fund (unlike the president) and improve the "No Child Left Behind Act." Kerry is a strong supporter of after-school programs. The Kerry-Edwards "School's Open 'Till '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. I strongly believe John Kerry's policies will improve our nation, but I also think he will be a great president because he has worked for this country throughout his entire adult life. As a young man his courage and heroism was evident, as he earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts during the Vietnam War. Kerry worked as a federal prosecutor in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the late 70's and early 80's, where he took on organized crime and put the number two mob boss in New England behind bars. He also fought for victims' rights and created programs for rape counseling. Kerry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 1982. While serving in that office, Kerry organized the nation's Governors to fight against the acid rain that was polluting lakes, rivers, and the nation's water supply. In 1984 he was elected to the United States Senate, and he was re-elected in 1990, 1996, and 2002. While in the Senate, Kerry has helped provide health insurance for millions of low-income children. He has fought to improve educat

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools