John Kerry speaks out on Meet The Press!
Today on Meet The Press, John Kerry spoke up and out about George Bush, Howard Dean, Iraq and the Economy...

On Bush:
“I disagree with the president’s approach to almost everything he’s doing — almost everything. ... On the budget, he’s favoring the wealthy in America at the expense of the middle class. He has ignored the plight of job loss in America. He has gone backwards on the environment, backwards on cities ... look, we’ve given a tax cut to people while states are being forced to raise taxes and cut services. He’s gone backwards in the international community.”

“I don’t believe he’s offering the kind of leadership our country needs,” said the senator, who said he knew Bush when they were both students at Yale University.

“I am appalled by the lack of his agenda, by the lack of direction, by the lack of leadership, by the lack of willingness to show a vision that takes America to a better place, by his willingness to divide America, to use the politics of wedge, of driving between people, like the Michigan case, or calling things quotas that aren’t quotas, or beginning to — or appointing judges who are ideological, who want to take away the right of privacy, take away the right to choose, someone who wants to pack the court system of America, someone who doesn’t do the hard work of bringing Congress to the table, and helping to lead us to find the common ground.”

On Dean:
“For governors, Howard Dean has zero experience in international affairs. This is a moment to make America safer, stronger and more secure. And I have years of experience in helping to do that. ... This is a time for tested leadership for America, and I believe that my foreign policy leadership through the years is what the country needs.”

On Foreign Assistance in Iraq:
Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, said that, while he believed that no more American troops should be committed to the war in Iraq, the United States should commit to add to the cost of fighting the war, currently estimated at about $4 billion a month.

“I think we should increase it,” Kerry said responding to a question from Russert. “By whatever number of billions of dollars it takes to win. It is critical that the United States of America be successful in Iraq ... And it is essential that we also recognize what’s happening to the military of the United States of America. Our reserves are overextended. Families are being hurt badly in the United States. People are going from one deployment to another. We can’t have a military that is stretched as thin as the one we have today,” he said.

"I do not want more American troops in Iraq. I want foreign troops, and I think this administration has made an extraordinary, disastrous decision not to bring the United Nations in in a significant way. I have said repeatedly that we must go to the United Nations, we must internationalize this effort. We have to reduce the sense of American occupation, we have to take the target off of American troops, we have to maximize the capacity for success, and we should go to the United Nations and do that, and tomorrow morning is not too early."

On the Economy:
Kerry expressed concerns about the prospects for the national economy in the wake of last week’s estimate by the Congressional Budget Office of a projected deficit of $480 billion in 2004, $341 billion in 2005, and the likelihood of a deficit of almost $1.4 trillion during the next decade.

“I want to roll back this bum-rushed, fast tax cut that Bush is trying to rush in so that he can argue that we’re raising taxes,” Kerry said. “I think we ought to have health care for every American, and I have a plan to do it, to be precise. ... We ought to fully fund special-needs education. We ought to fund Title I.”

When challenged by moderator Tim Russert on the incompatibility of funding new programs in the face of a still-spiraling deficit, Kerry was upbeat.

“I’m going to cut the deficit in half in the first four years,” he said. “I’m going to do exactly what Bill Clinton did. And if you liked the economy under Bill Clinton, America, you’re going to love it under John Kerry.”

In my honorable opinion America will love a lot under John Kerry!

The New Hillary on the Rise... Teresa Heinz Kerry!

Kerry's wife spices up bid
The Boston Herald - by, Andrew Miga - August 31, 2003

Teresa Heinz Kerry, stepping back into the spotlight after a low-key summer, will soon boost her profile on the presidential campaign trail with appearances for her husband in key states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

The outspoken comments by the wealthy wife of Sen. John F. Kerry on matters ranging from marital fidelity and prenuptial agreements to Botox cosmetic treatments generated headlines last spring during a round of media interviews.

She was less visible in the media during the summer months, however.

Kerry has complained that the media has unfairly portrayed his wealthy wife as a "loose cannon'' whose freewheeling ways could undermine his candidacy.

Kerry advisers contend her brash, independent-minded personality will be a campaign asset - a dose of Sen. John McCain-style authenticity that will play well with jaded voters turned off by slick campaign messages.

"She is her own person and voters tend to like people who speak their minds with no holds barred,'' said one Kerry adviser. "She is an asset.''

Heinz Kerry plans to appear at a string of fund-raising events on behalf of her husband, campaign sources said, and will speak before small groups of voters in grassroots-style events over the next two months.

She will accompany her husband on his campaign plane this week as he formally launches his presidential bid in South Carolina, Iowa, New Hampshire and Boston.

She will also travel to New Mexico for the first presidential debate to be held Thursday in Albuquerque. Next weekend she will host a major fund-raising event for high-end Kerry fund-raisers at her Brant Point, Nantucket home.

Californians this Blog is for You!

Switching Key Stances

Howard Dean, who sells himself as the presidential campaign's straightest shooter, is starting to throw voters some curves.

As he transitions from insurgent to the man to beat in the Democratic primary, Dean is modifying or switching his positions on several political issues. In recent weeks, Dean, the former Vermont governor, has softened his support for lifting the trade embargo on Cuba -- an important issue in voter-rich Florida -- and suggested he might opt out of the public campaign finance system he endorsed weeks earlier.

Dean also has backed off his support for raising the age at which senior citizens can collect their full Social Security benefits, a change that would save the government money by trimming monthly payments to thousands of older Americans. Dean initially denied he ever supported raising the retirement age, but later admitted he did.

While it's not unusual for politicians to flip-flop, massage or tailor their positions to placate politically important audiences, Dean is inviting greater scrutiny and criticism by running as a truth-teller who doesn't bend to prevailing political winds, campaign strategists said.

With Dean pulling ahead in Iowa and New Hampshire polls, and surging nationally, several rival campaigns are gearing up to hammer him for switching positions over the years for what they consider purely political reasons. They hope to dilute Dean's appeal as the anti-politician in the crowd .

"He has sold himself as the straight-shooting candidate, the truth-teller, the one who will say what's hard and unpopular," said Jim Jordan, campaign manager for presidential candidate Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.). "In truth, he's a very crafty politician, very calculating."

Dean said what differentiates him is his willingness to speak his mind, change his positions and admit when he's wrong. "They won't beat me by claiming I switched positions," Dean said in an interview Wednesday. "They better come out with better ideas." Dean said he has no qualms about "changing his mind" when facts warrant it.

Others disagree. Dean is "raising the bar" for consistency and truthfulness by campaigning as a straight-talker, said Rick Davis, who managed the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2000. McCain campaigned aboard the original "Straight Talk Express."

Read more in the Washington Post...

The Cheap-Labor Republicans are HYPOCRITES When It Comes to How They Define Crime!

They twist logic to absurd extremes in order to promote their anti-worker, pro-slavery agenda!

The cheap-labor conservatives in Congress, the Senate, and the White House are opposed to legislation making the penalties tougher for hate crimes, such as when someone injures or kills someone due to their race, religion or sexual orientation. Yet they claim to be "tough on crime" in many other ways. Not only that, with CAPPS II and the PATRIOT ACT (and their McCarthyite TIPS which was justly defeated) they don't even mind every American being spied upon, and being treated as a suspect! They don't even have a problem with the death penalty, even though most industrialized countries (and many people here in the US) consider the death penalty to be barbaric. Their hypocrisy is even worsened when you consider that many of them believe that death is an eternal punishment for most people, and that they love people and want people to have a chance to escape that punishment. They also claim that murder should be forbidden. Then they turn around and kill people! Setting the worst possible example for the children and teenagers who they claim need to be taught "family values". Last time I checked, hate was NOT a family value.

Of course, if your crime is to cheat workers out of fair wages (the minimum wage is atrociously low, and they oppose increasing it) or to kill people by polluting the air or waterways, then they don't have a problem with it!

What the borrow-and-spend Republicans' definition of crime boils down to, and this is one of their dirty secrets, is this. Their definition of crime is anything that prevents or threatens to prevent rich and powerful people from pursuing their agenda, at any cost to the rest of the public. Therefore, a poor black person killing a white suburban person will get the death penalty. But if it happens in reverse, then the murderer will only get a slap on the wrist. If you don't believe me, check out how many people of each ethnicity get the death penalty. Also observe how few of the KNOWN wealthy toxic polluters, corporate crooks who wipe out their employees' or shareholders' savings, and other wealthy people who have ruined other people's lives in other ways are serving a life sentence or on death row.

Have you ever noticed the cheap-labor Republicans' hypocrisy regarding abortion and welfare? They claim abortion should be treated as a crime, because they are "pro-life." In other words, they claim to care about the life of the "unborn child." If this was really true, then they would not only accept, but ENCOURAGE poor mothers to receive pre-natal treatment, medical care for herself and the child after birth, and assistance with food and housing if needed. But instead, they want to wipe out this assistance altogether! No, the truth is, they don't care about poor children one bit. All they really care about is keeping people desperate (and who is more desperate than a single parent in poverty?) enough to work for any slave wage they can find. Their opposition to raising and indexing the minimum wage also shows that they have no feelings of concern for the children who are already or about to be born either, unless, of course, the children belong to the wealthy elite.

John Kerry has plans to improve the lot of working people and to protect basic levels of assistance and reproductive freedom for all of us, including the poor and the middle class!

Pro-Choice for Mothers and Non-Mothers: John Kerry is in favor of a woman's right to choose. And this choice extends BOTH WAYS: to terminate a pregnancy if the woman wishes it, OR to raise a child with the best available access to health care and other necessities. The Republican agenda is not only anti-choice to termination, but is even anti-choice toward poor and middle-class mothers who wish to raise their child, but are denied basic health benefits. Reproductive freedom should include the freedom to expand your family, and to do so in the healthiest way possible, as well as the freedom to limit family size, for whatever reason.

Quality Health Care for ALL, not just the FEW: John Kerry wishes to expand access to ALL Americans the same level of health coverage that he has access to as a Senator. Bush and the cheap-labor conservatives in Congress, also having the same level of coverage as John Kerry, believe that is a right only deserved by the elite.

A RATIONAL Approach to Terrorism and Crime: John Kerry would do more, not less, than the Bush administration is doing now to fight terrorism. Kerry has spoken out repeatedly on the failure of the Bush Administration and the borrow-and-spend Republicans in the House to fully fund the security checkpoints in airlines and other sensitive places, as they had claimed to be willing to do after 9-11. By having sufficient numbers of active observers at sensitive locations, and maintaining high levels of intelligence gathering in Afghanistan, N. Korea and other places around the world, we can prevent another 9-11. But instead, the Bush administration chooses to UNDER-fund intelligence and security, and INSTEAD pry on the phone conversations, emails and other private activities of people in their own homes, even if they are tenth-generation Americans and are at home, far away from any likely terrorism site! This places the average American in DOUBLE-jeopardy: both from his/her own government, arbitrarily denying innocent people the right to fly airplanes or to conduct their life in privacy, and also in jeopardy of terrorists who continue to find it easy to bomb or highjack an airplane or to blow up a nuclear power plant.

Tough Penalties for the REAL Criminals in our Nation: John Kerry supports a strong environmental policy, a move toward alternative energy sources, tough penalties for those who illegally pollute our air or water, tough penalties for corporate crooks who currently rob our nation's employees and shareholders with impunity, tough penalties for those who commit hate crimes against people for their ethnicity, religion, or private preferences, while keeping the penalties against ordinary thieves and assaulters, and a move to make it illegal to pay people a non-livable wage (as our current minimum wage is being kept at by cheap-labor Republicans). Kerry is also opposed to the continued attempt by cheap-labor conservatives to criminalize what is essentially private and consensual behavior, whether it be homosexual acts, termination of a pregnancy, or marriage to the adult person of YOUR choice.

I wish to make it clear that I am NOT opposed to people becoming rich. I am only opposed to a system that freely allows wealthy people to organize for their common interests (corporations) but severely hampers the right of workers to organize for THEIR common interests (unions). If the poor and middle class laborers in this country were as well organized as our corporations and their political lobbies, I can assure you that ALL working people would have their basic needs taken care of, not just a few! And we would have a lot less pollution, crime, stock-market scandals, and other foolish nonsense as well.

That's why we need John Kerry as President! Not only does he know what it is like to defend his country in combat action and to organize programs for the working poor youth of America (YouthBuild), but he is also a stauch union supporter from a traditionally strong-union state!

More reasons to love Ted Kennedy!

Spineless Senate GOP no match for Kennedy
Sun Times - August 28, 2003 - BY ROBERT NOVAK

A fastidiously crafted bill to authorize foreign aid and other State Department programs has been ready for Senate floor action since July. It has not yet been brought up, and there are no plans to do so when Congress reconvenes after Labor Day. The reason is Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who as the Senate's liberal lion dominates that nominally Republican-controlled body.

Kennedy has pushed his hate crimes and minimum wage proposals as amendments to the State Department authorization, the first such bill approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 18 years. While opposing Kennedy's measures, the Republican leadership does not command the votes to defeat them and does not even want these issues debated. Thus, while the State Department bill is a high priority for President Bush that would give him more flexibility in foreign affairs, Kennedy holds the Senate's Republican majority at bay.

This standoff tells much about the Senate today. Except for retiring Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, Senate Democrats tend to vote in lockstep. Up to a half-dozen Republicans break party lines on key votes. Senate ''debates'' on sensitive issues are usually one-sided, with Democrats verbose and Republicans tongue-tied. Orchestrating this Democratic dominance, sometimes behind the scenes and sometimes on the Senate floor, is Teddy Kennedy.

It has been 23 years since Kennedy ran for president and much longer than that since he was written off as his famous family's wastrel. He has held no party leadership post since Sen. Robert Byrd deposed him as Democratic whip after the 1970 elections. Yet today, he sets the tone of the Senate, perhaps more so since Republicans regained a majority in the 2002 elections. At age 71, Teddy is at the peak of his power.

Kennedy's power was most dramatically demonstrated during the prescription drug debate when his mere act of setting up an easel with charts, in preparation for a filibuster, impelled Republicans to immediately drop demands for means-testing. He is the strategic and operational force behind the Democratic assault on President Bush's judicial nominations. He is behind incessant browbeating of Bush on education. He pursues a wide-ranging agenda of liberal issues--including hate crimes and minimum wage legislation.

That collided with plans of Sen. Richard Lugar, taking over as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to pass a foreign aid authorization for the first time since 1985. Instead of letting appropriators continue to dole out the money without guidelines, Lugar wanted the committee most familiar with foreign policy to set the parameters for aid. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist totally agreed. With Bush calling for more foreign aid authorization in fighting the war against terrorism, the bill became a Republican priority.

It was until Kennedy stepped in. High on his legislative list is the bill to extend federal jurisdiction to crimes committed because of the victim's gender, sexual orientation or physical disability--hate crimes. Vigorously pushed by the homosexual lobby, the measure has become a pillar of Democratic orthodoxy.

Philosophically, Republicans oppose it as an unnecessary new category of crime that extends the grasp of the federal government. But many GOP senators were unwilling to appear to be voting against outlawing hate crimes, much less to speak out against it. Frist cannot find a majority against the Kennedy bill. Indeed, it is now the Kennedy-Smith bill, co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon.

Following his caucus' wishes, Frist would not bring the Kennedy-Smith bill to the floor. Counter-move by Kennedy: attach hate crimes to the foreign aid bill. Counter-move by Frist: take the bill off the Senate floor.

Kennedy's minimum wage increase is another measure Republicans think unwise. Although they believe it will lose jobs, they fear the political consequences of voting against it or debating it. So, it too is in limbo.

The problem with the Senate Republicans is that they seem embarrassed to stand up for their principles, to say hate crimes legislation is political demagoguery and another minimum wage increase is bad economics. That's why they are having such difficulty in the majority, and that's why it seems more like Ted Kennedy's Senate than Bill Frist's.

A Kerry economy:
Somewhere between Dean, Edwards

SEN. JOHN KERRY released his economic plan at the University of New Hampshire yesterday, and our preliminary analysis is: at least it’s not Howard Dean’s.

To his credit, Kerry recognizes the economic benefits of tax reduction. He has repeatedly criticized rival Presidential candidates Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt for wanting to repeal all of President Bush’s tax cuts...

Yesterday, John Kerry laid out his Economic Plan in a speech at UNH. The news has been hot on this story with articles in nearly every major newspaper. Being one of those left behind in the Bush Tax Cuts, having concerns about Healthcare and college tuition for my teenage daughter, I applaud John Kerry's plan and his dedication to helping those who need it most.

From the Washington Post -
Kerry Outlines Tax, Economic Proposals
By, Dan Balz - August 29, 2003

"When it comes to creating opportunity, restoring fiscal discipline, putting values back into our economy, and preparing for the jobs of the future, George Bush hasn't lifted a finger. I will move mountains."


Focusing on middle-class workers, Kerry said he would retain the child tax credit and other tax reductions enacted by Bush that benefit ordinary Americans and said he would give them additional tax cuts. His criticism of other Democrats who have called for repealing all the Bush tax cuts was aimed at rivals Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont, and Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.), the former House Democratic leader.

While pledging these changes, Kerry said he would restore fiscal discipline to the budget, saying he could cut the deficit in half within four years by raising tax rates on the wealthiest taxpayers and by closing various corporate loopholes...


Read more in The Post...

I believe this says it all...

Kennedy: Dean's hot, Kerry's the one
The Boston Herald - by, Noelle Straub and Andrew Miga - August 29, 2003

WASHINGTON - Howard Dean is connecting with voters in his bid for the White House, but John Kerry will surge in the fall, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy predicted yesterday.

"There is no question that Howard Dean has tapped into an energy in the country which is enormously important and which he deserves credit for,'' Kennedy said in an interview with the Herald.

Noting that Dean appeals to voters concerned about President Bush's handling of both foreign and domestic policy, Kennedy added, ``I think that's been a very effective campaign.''

But Kennedy, who has endorsed his fellow Bay State senator, predicted that as the campaign season picks up after Labor Day and the public begins to pay more attention to the race, Kerry "will be in the strongest position.

"I think he's best able to lead,'' Kennedy said. ``I don't think there's any candidate that is better qualified than John Kerry. I think that kind of experience and quality and leadership will best be reflected in the time during the fall when individuals are finally making up their mind.''

Watch John Kerry on "Meet the Press" this Sunday.

John Kerry will appear on Meet the Press this Sunday, August 31. Check local listings for times in your area.

IMO This is the best listing I have found of Kerry's expected airings over the next few days, as far as station and time.

JOHN KERRY'S ECONOMIC PLAN, POSTED JUST YESTERDAY!

Here is John Kerry's Economic Plan from his website. This is the summary version. The full version is available at the official website.

John Kerry's Plan to Fight for America's Economic Future
August 28, 2003

George W. Bush's policies are destroying America's economic security. Our nation has gone from financial stability to record deficits; from creating 23 million new jobs to losing over 3 million jobs. Corporate scandals - some led by Bush's closest corporate cronies –have wiped out personal savings and shaken investor confidence. And American families are finding they must work harder and harder just to keep up.

George W. Bush has supported tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations with the false promise that some of that money might one day trickle down to middle class families and bolster our economy – but the Bush policies are a proven failure. John Kerry’s priority will be middle class families working hard to cover the mortgage, pay the high cost of health care, child care and tuition, or just trying to get ahead. It’s time that the nation’s economic policy put the American worker and American entrepreneur first.

John Kerry's has a plan to secure America’s economic future and ensure that workers can achieve the American dream in our changing economy. His vision is to put Americans back to work; make America’s economy the most competitive in the world; and to restore America’s values of equity and fairness to our tax code by helping America’s middle class families and small entrepreneurs succeed.

JOHN KERRY’S PLAN WILL:

(1) Jumpstart Jobs with a new “State Tax Relief and Education Fund” and a New Manufacturing Tax Credit.

(2) Using American Ingenuity to Invest in the Industries of the Future.

(3) A New College Opportunity Tax Cut to Assure Americans Can Afford Four Years of College.

(4) Provide Tax Relief for Middle Class Families Trying to Make Ends Meet and End Unfair Relief for Corporate America.

(5) Bring Financial Discipline to Washington.

*********
(1) STEPS TO JUMPSTART JOB GROWTH TODAY
John Kerry would use the money from the first year of repealing Bush’s tax cuts for the top one percent of Americans on a short-term plan to jumpstart job creation with:

A New ‘State Tax Relief and Education Fund’. The Bush economic approach has left states with nearly $90 billion in budget deficits, forcing lay offs, education cuts, and tax increases. This fund will help states struggling to bridge deficits resulting from Bush’s economic policies with an additional $25 billion a year for two years to stop the education cuts, tuition increases and tax and fee raising that are inhibiting our economic growth and causing layoffs. This fund includes Kerry’s proposed $5 billion to stop state cuts in health care that hurt workers and patients, $5 billion for homeland security to stem layoffs of police officers and fire fighters, and his commitment to fully fund the No Child Left Behind education law.

Tax Breaks to Expand Manufacturing Jobs in the U.S. Over 2.7 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since President Bush took office. John Kerry will save jobs by ending the unpatriotic practice of U.S. corporations moving offshore simply to avoid paying their fair share of our nation’s tax burden. To create new manufacturing jobs Kerry will:

Get the Crane-Rangel-Hollings legislation enacted, which provides a corporate rate reduction to manufacturers who produce goods in the United States;

Propose a new jobs tax credit to encourage manufacturing companies to stay and expand in America. When a manufacturing company creates jobs above their 12 month average, the payroll taxes of the new employees will be refunded for two years.

Immediately restore and double funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership that President Bush slashed by 80%.

Job Creation Summits. Ours is a large and complex economy and John Kerry believes that we must understand the challenges to economic prosperity in each sector. He will hold economic policy summits once a week for the first six months of his Presidency to develop targeted strategies to create jobs in key regions and key industries.

(2) USING AMERICAN INGENUITY TO CREATE A STRONG ECONOMIC FUTURE. We must fight for our economic security not only by stimulating job growth today but also by ensuring that our research, our technology investment, and our spirit for innovation are paving the way for high wage jobs in new industries.

Make Trade Work for America. The Bush Administration has neglected to enforce trade laws or respond to the unfair practices of some of our nation's largest trading partners. As President, John Kerry will: order an immediate 120 day top to bottom review of all trade agreements to ensure that foreign nations fully comply with trade agreements they sign with our country; vigorously enforce our trade laws to ensure our workers are not victims of unfair trading practices; insist future trade agreements incorporate within them core labor standards and environmental protections; demand that other countries, such as China, do not manipulate their currencies to gain unfair trade advantages; and help any workers displaced by trade develop new skills and find new jobs.

Control Rising Health Care Costs so Our Industries Can Compete. Businesses cannot compete if they are weighed down by health care costs, especially since the health care costs of our industrial competitors are often subsidized by government. It costs U.S. automakers $1,000 per car just to cover health care costs for employees. John Kerry’s plan controls rising health care costs by helping pay for catastrophic care cases.

Revitalize the High Technology Sector to Pave the Way for Industries of the Future. Kerry will fight to connect every American family to the Internet, encourage a renewed educational focus on science and math, bring the best practices of operational efficiency from the private sector to the public sector, and restore the government's commitment to scientific achievement through increases in research funding for the Department of Energy, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Kerry will also strongly support programs targeted at the next generation of innovation, such as nanotechnology and biotechnology research.

New Manufacturing Jobs by Investing in America's Energy Independence. The recent massive blackout leaves no question that our foreign oil dependence and obsolete electricity system undermine our economy. Kerry will create hundreds of thousands of good jobs, many of them in manufacturing, by investing in the new energy opportunities of the future such as: producing 20 percent of all our electricity from renewable sources by 2020; giving tax credits to manufacturers to develop the next generation of automobiles; new energy efficient appliances for homes and businesses; and investing in projects like building the Alaska National Pipeline.

(3) MAKING FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE AFFORDABLE. To be successful in the 21st Century economy, America’s workforce must be more innovative and productive than our competitors. That means better science and math in our schools and job training opportunities. But it also means giving every American the opportunity of four years of college.

Create a New “College Opportunity Tax Credit”. Kerry’s “College Opportunity Tax Credit” will make four years of college affordable for all Americans. He will provide a credit for each and every year of college on the first $4,000 paid in tuition – the typical tuition and fees for public college tuition. The credit will provide 100% of the first $1000 and 50% on the rest. It will also make this credit refundable for those who receive other credits.

Pay College Tuition for Students That Give Two Years of Service to America. Kerry’s ‘Service for College’ plan will provide the cost of four years at a public college to young people in exchange for serving their communities and country in national service.

(4) PROVIDE TAX RELIEF TO MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES RATHER AND CRACK DOWN ON UNFAIR RELIEF FOR CORPORATE AMERICA. President Bush has turned a blind eye to struggling American families, despite the fact that today’s two-earner families are earning 75 percent more than their single earner family counterparts a generation ago, but they have less money to spend due to soaring housing costs, day care, college tuition, and health care. John Kerry would:

Keep the Middle Class Tax Cuts to Help Families Make Ends Meet. John Kerry believes that we should keep the middle class tax cuts that Democrats fought for in 2001 and 2003, which increased the child tax credit, reduced the marriage penalty and lowered tax rates. He strongly disagrees with Democrats who want to repeal these tax cuts, which would cost a typical middle-class family with two children an additional $2000.

Help Americans Get Ahead.

College Tax Cut: John Kerry will help Americans get ahead with his new “College Opportunity Tax Credit” by ensuring college is available for four years for every American.

Helping Create Wealth in the Stock Market: John Kerry opposes the dividend tax cuts in the 2003 tax bill that result in receptionists paying higher tax rates than CEOs. However, he does believe that middle class Americans should get more from their investments and will lower capital gains and dividend taxes for the middle class.
Making Corporate America Live By America’s Values. Our economy does well when our workers are doing well. Today, Americans who are working hard and playing by the rules are faced with higher health care costs, higher state taxes, higher college tuition and limited job opportunities. At the same time, many corporations are bending the rules and shirking their fair share of the burden - and the Bush Administration is rewarding those who break the rules with lucrative government contracts. Kerry will fight for a government that rewards those who work hard and play by the rules and challenges those who don’t.

Restore Investor Confidence With Strong Enforcement by the Securities and Exchange Commission: John Kerry will fund strong budgets and assure strong enforcement by the SEC.

Stop Corporations From Keeping Bank Accounts in Countries like Bermuda to Avoid Paying Taxes. John Kerry believes that American companies should not be allowed to set up virtual headquarters in foreign countries that are hardly more than mailboxes just to avoid paying U.S. taxes.

Assure Corporations Account for Disparities on the Books. A recent Joint Committee on Taxation report found that Enron claimed a $2.3 billion in profit between 1996 and 1999 in reports to its investors, while reporting a $3 billion tax loss to the IRS. John Kerry believes corporations should have to account these kinds of disparities.

Stop Giving Government Contracts to Corporations Breaking the Rules. The Federal government should not give lucrative contracts to companies that have a record of accounting fraud – like WorldCom – or are moving offshore.

End Unfair Protections for CEOs. Executives should not be walking away with millions of dollars in salaries and benefits while their workers are laid off their companies are defaulting on loans. Kerry would tighten the laws that allow corporations to take advantage of tax deductions for performance based executive pay – even when executives do nothing to improve productivity.

Protect Worker Rights. Kerry believes that ensuring there is a fair playing field for workers is important to a strong economy. He supports increasing the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation; improving workplace health and safety; assuring fair overtime rules; and worker’s right to join a union.

(5) RESTORE FISCAL DISCIPLINE: By borrowing from future generations to give tax relief to those who need help the least, George W. Bush’s economic policies have, for the first time in history, forced the federal government to spend $1 billion more EACH DAY than it takes in. President Bush’s exploding deficits are destroying the solvency of Social Security and Medicare and he has placed the enormous burden of saving these programs on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren. John Kerry believes that we need a smaller and smarter government that wastes less money. John Kerry’s plan will:

Balance the Budget

Cut the Deficit in Half: John Kerry is committed to balancing the budget. He has put forward a sensible plan that will at least cut the deficit in half in his first term, while investing in economic growth and investing in workers.

A Balanced Budget Summit: The best way to get to a balanced budget is not in partisan bickering, but in bipartisan cooperation. As President, John Kerry will call a Balanced Budget Summit that will require all sides to work together to make at least temporary sacrifices -- even in their top priorities -- as part of a concerted effort to restore fiscal discipline and fight for our future.

End Special Tax Breaks: To restore fiscal discipline and strengthen our economy, Kerry will repeal Bush’s special tax breaks for Americans who make more than $200,000.

Cut Excesses in Government: One of the Bush Administrations well-kept secrets is that under his watch the size of government has actually gotten bigger – not smaller. John Kerry will reduce the size of the Federal government by: bringing spending down to the level of GDP it was under Clinton, requiring federal agencies to submit annual plans to reduce energy costs by 20 percent by 2020; cut the Federal government’s administrative costs by five percent; cut the number of political appointees and ban providing bonuses for political appointees; cut fraud and abuse in government programs – fraud and abuse is estimated to cost $12 billion in Medicare alone and end rules that prevent the Federal government from having the same purchasing authority as the private sector.
Reign in Out of Control Spending

Restore Budget Rules to Stop Runaway Spending. John Kerry believes we need to reverse the new budget rules Republicans in Congress have established that make it easier to spend into deficits with fewer votes. He will also review and reassess all discretionary spending programs to determine their effectiveness and whether they should continue to be funded.

Implement the McCain-Kerry Commission on Corporate Welfare. Powerful special interest groups make it hard to cut special tax loopholes and pork barrel spending projects. John Kerry supports a Commission that would recommend cuts and require Congress to vote on all recommendations, so no single special interest could fight for pet projects.

Pass a Constitutional Line-Item Veto to Reduce Corporate Welfare and Excessive Spending. Under Kerry’s plan, the President would identify wasteful spending items in the budget and submit the list to Congress to vote on in an up-or-down fashion – saving billions of dollars.

WAY TO GO KERRY! IT'S ABOUT TIME WE SUPPORT THE COMMON PEOPLE AND BRING AN END TO CORPORATE LOOTING!

Read More...

This message was originally meant as a comment response to someone's comment. But I think it is of such great importance that we all need to remember it.

This is in response to those who would not vote against Bush if Kerry does not get the nomination. Note, I do not mean to imply they would vote for Bush. But some of them won't vote against him either, which is half as bad as a vote for him.

I hope you change your mind about not voting against Bush if Kerry does not get the nomination. One of several reasons why so many of us like Kerry is because we believe he stands the best chance to win against Bush. That's not all Kerry is about, of course, but he knows what real war action is about and we can trust him much more than Bush with governing foreign policy and military strategy.

But there are many other issues at stake as well, particularly domestic issues, that Bush is handling just as badly as the war in Iraq. Bush disregards all major groups of people in this country, including students, teachers, environmentalists, Veterans, the elderly, the homeless, the poor, and those without health insurance. Kerry has a plan for dealing with every one of these issues, and I trust Kerry to deal with each of them in a way that is best for the people, not the corporate elite.

But the other Democratic candidates would deal with these issues far better than Bush also. Not as well as Kerry, but certainly better than Bush. We need to vote for whoever the Democratic Party nominates, no matter who it is! We have a saying here in the South, that even a yellow dog would be better than a Republican. That may not be true of all Republicans, but it certainly applies to Bush!

Now you know why I try not to badmouth Dean or the other candidates. I may have to vote for one of them in order to try to get rid of Bush.

Please, anyone who is so in love with Kerry's message that you would not vote for anyone else, please reconsider.

We really badly need to get rid of Bush.

Please remember: the Kerry campaign is NOT about beating Dean or Kucinich or whoever. That's why Kerry doesn't badmouth them either. This is a positive campaign, and it needs to stay that way.

Also take note: Even if Kerry does not win, he will STILL have been a positive force for having put the spotlight on Bush's selfish and greedy policies that have destroyed the hopes and dreams of millions of jobless and no longer insured people, and thousands of soldiers who lost their lives in a dishonest war.

And I can see Kerry helping the candidate we nominate continue with that spotlight against Bush's policies, just as Gore, who most of us believe will not run, is doing for the party!

Kerry is not about beating anyone. Kerry is about STOPPING the beating of the American People and putting the PEOPLE in charge of our government again!

Very Important Anti-Bush Website

I know I've given you all this website before, but I just want to MAKE SURE everyone knows how VERY IMPORTANT this website is. Please be sure to take the time to peruse it sometime this weekend if you haven't already!

http://www.conceptualguerilla.com/

The reason why it is so important to bookmark and read this website is because it helps you cut through the BS of the cheap-labor conservatives. Yes, I know all of you know all of the BS that is used by the borrow-and-spend Republicans. But this helps you cut through all of it even deeper, even the nastiest and most deceptive parts of it. I think this website can actually help us carry on successful debates (where we usually win!) with cheap-labor Republicans. This website explains our political system in a way that the media, and even most of the Democratic websites do not. Yet it is also very accurate and mostly easy to understand. This is one of the major tools (along with the Unofficial Blog and the Official Kerry site and meetups, of course) that can help us and John F. Kerry

BEAT BUSH IN 2004!!!

John Kerry hits Colorado! Read about his visit, where he had a fundrasier.

Statement from John Kerry on Announcement of Record Budget Deficits
August 26, 2003

George Bush came in to office with the largest surplus in our nation’s history and now we are facing more than $400 billion in red ink.

What do we have to show for it? Nine million Americans are unemployed, three million fewer jobs, more people without health care and a crumbling situation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Isn’t it time to for somebody to ask "where all the money has gone?"

With more than 3 million jobs lost, record budget deficits and mounting debts, it is time for this Administration to admit what millions of unemployed Americans already know - that the economic policies of George W. Bush are the worst in our nation’s history. It’s obvious this Administration doesn’t have the slightest clue about how to get this economy back on track, get Americans back to work and get our nation’s finances under control.

Later this week I will announce my economic plan to protect tax cuts for the middle class, create jobs to get our economy moving again and slash the deficit while investing in health care and energy independence.

John... We are all anxiously awaiting the announcement of your economic plan...

Times are tough, so many people are out of work, can't find work, can't make ends meet, they're living in the streets...

You have my strong faith and trust Senator Kerry and my unwaivering support! You are the hammer!

Statement From John Kerry on President Bush’s Speech to the American Legion
August 26, 2003

One lesson we learned in Vietnam is that sometimes politics gets in the way of decisions that are best for the troops and we must never let that happen again. We know that sometimes abstract ideology doesn’t take account of the life of a grunt, the peril of a sailor in a patrol boat or an airman in the belly of a plane, all trying to do right for their country and survive.

We have every reason to be proud of our military today. They are the finest fighting force in the world. We are grateful for the professionalism, courage, and commitment with which they won decisive victories in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But winning military victories is only half the struggle. The mission will not be over until we win the peace – and until the last man and the last woman come home. That is now very much at stake. Let me put it plainly: In Iraq even more than Afghanistan, our post-war planning has failed to do the job and in the process we’ve over-extended our troops and our reserves. Today, a soldier in Iraq fears getting shot while getting a drink of water. A squad at a checkpoint has to worry whether the old station wagon driving toward them is a mobile bomb.

When we decide to go to war, the only exit strategy is called victory –mission accomplished. We must succeed ultimately in our goals in Iraq – because to not succeed would have extraordinary negative consequences for the war on terror. So with characteristic American determination and grit we will see this through and we will make America and the world safer and more secure as a result.

Read More...

Immigrant Scapegoating Doesn't Solve Problem
August 25, 2003 - Tucson Citizen - by John F. Kerry

My wife Teresa grew up under a dictatorship. She didn't get to cast a vote until she was 24 years old when she became a naturalized American.

She reminds me constantly that you can love your heritage even as you fulfill the full measure of your love of our country and your loyalty as a United States citizen. Immigrants have demonstrated their loyalty time and again. At least 10 of the U.S. soldiers in our armed forces who lost their lives in Iraq were not citizens. Their service and sacrifice speak volumes about the character and contribution of immigrants today and across the generations.

Immigrants add more than $10 billion each year to the American economy without even counting the contributions of immigrant-owned business. We need the energy and enterprise of immigrants - and that means we need root and branch reform of our nation's immigration policy. Our policy should not just harness the future flow of immigrants, but it should be based on a program of earned legalization for undocumented workers who are already here.

Those who have been in the United States for a significant amount of time, who have held a job, and who can pass a background security check should be eligible to earn full citizenship.

This proposal makes sense for the economy; it is not only fair to people who have worked long and hard and paid their taxes. This approach is the only way to strengthen our homeland security by bringing undocumented workers out of the shadows and into the light of greater accountability.

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John Kerry of Massachusetts... on Tuesday criticized the administration for failing to release the energy task force documents and called on Cheney to produce the records.

"As gas prices reach historic levels and the nation's energy infrastructure is pushed beyond its limits, the Bush administration has decided their energy policy will be of the special interests, by the special interests and for the special interests," Kerry said in a statement.

John Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, is getting some help from fellow veterans in Iowa in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

At a monument honoring 855 Iowans killed in the Vietnam War, Kerry announced the creation of a Veterans for Kerry Committee led by Democratic state Sen. Steve Warnstadt. A member of the Iowa National Guard, Warnstadt said the group could be a potent force in the state's leadoff precinct caucuses Jan. 19 in light of the nearly 300,000 veterans in Iowa.

Kerry used the appearance to continue his criticism of President Bush's national security policies.

"George Bush has proven that the presidency is not the place for on-the-job training in national security," the Massachusetts senator said Tuesday.

Kerry has argued that his military service makes him the best Democratic candidate to counter Bush on defense and foreign policy issues.

"It is very clear that national security is going to be a major issue in this race because our country needs to be safe," Kerry said. "The approach of this administration in Iraq, in my judgment, is outside of common sense and outside of the value system of the country."

Too much T.V. is not a good thing...

Early advertising could backfire on Dean if he accepts taxpayer money and the spending limits that come with it. However, he recently backed away from his pledge to campaign within the public finance system, and aides say continued fund-raising successes will force Dean to consider following Bush's example and abandon the program.

"The Dean campaign's sole strategy is momentum and buzz," said Jim Jordan, campaign manager for Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. "Given the confines of the state spending limits, spending $2 million on TV in the summer — before most voters have checked in — I think is a fairly extreme resource allocation decision."

Exerpts from T.V. land...

"I created jobs as governor, balanced budgets, and made sure every child in my state has health insurance," Dean says in the ad.

Actually, Dean's administration ensured that health insurance was available to all children but about 4 percent of them do not have it.

Kerry aides say he is "considering several options, including buying ads in as few as two states and as many as six".

Democrats Cite Deficits As Bush's Failure
Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - By Will Lester, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - President Bush's Democratic rivals seized on projections of record budget deficits Tuesday, arguing that the numbers add up to a failed economic policy that will hit future generations hard.

"It's obvious this administration doesn't have the slightest clue about how to get this economy back on track, get Americans back to work and get our nation's finances under control," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who added, "it is time to admit what millions of unemployed Americans already know — that the economic policies of George W. Bush are the worst in our nation's history."

Congressional budget analysts said Tuesday that the government faces at least eight more years of budget deficits, including a record $480 billion shortfall in 2004. The analysts also warned that extending Bush's tax cuts beyond their expiration combined with other spending could increase the $1.4 trillion deficit over the next decade to $1.6 trillion.

Now, isn't that a lovely forecast. People, listen up, we need John Kerry in the White House...

Heatwarming words from our Leader: "We will not wait for known enemies to strike us again"

Bush Vows 'No Retreat' in War on Terror
Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - By Deb Riechmann, Associated Press Writer

ST. LOUIS - On a day when the postwar U.S. death toll climbed past the number killed in major combat, President Bush pledged "no retreat" in the war on terrorism and defended his actions in Iraq amid calls for more international help.

"We're on the offensive against terror, and we will stay on the offensive against terror," Bush told about 6,000 people Tuesday in a graying audience at the American Legion's 85th national conference.

"We've adopted a new strategy for a new kind of war: We will not wait for known enemies to strike us again. We will strike them ... before they hit more of our cities and kill more of our citizens."

Bush faces tenuous situations on several fronts...


Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., ... Democratic hopeful, accused the Bush administration of poor planning and a lack of candor with the American people about Iraq.

"I believe it is wrong for our troops to be turned from warriors into police officers without the training, support, and numbers they need," Kerry said. "And it is equally wrong for the administration to have stubbornly refused the offer of other nations to share the risks and authority in Iraq."

Isn't GW still on vacation? His statements today bring a new meaning to "Bring Them On".

John Kerry is talking about the deficit on the official blog. It seems to be getting ignored, but if the debt continues at the current rate, the country is going to face a real crisis with entitlement program like Social Security. The surplus that President Clinton and the Republican controlled Congress forged out has been wasted by the Bush administration. It is one of the many reasons to support John Kerry.

For a look at our debt, take a look at the Bush debt Clock link on the right--->

A link posted in a Yahoo Group message led to this Blog from May 2003 with a brief but telling look back at John Kerry's investigation of the Iran Contra Affair.

NathanNewman.org has provided exerpts from a few news stories during that investigation. It's worth a look see!

Here's what Nathan Newman had to say about John Kerry:

"Before the conventional wisdom sets in on Kerry as some kind of careful pol with no bite, folks should reach back and remember his role back in the 1980s in challenging the whole Reagan administration ties to money laundering, drug running and the Contras down in Central America. Kerry was willing for years to face down the CIA, the Justice Department and narco-terrorists in pursuing the dirty dealings of the Reagan-North network of rightwing drug-linked paramilitaries."

George W. Bush has never been more unpopular. Here are the numbers...

Kerry Blasts Bush On Economy
From: NBC5.Com - August 25, 2003

CHICAGO -- Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry addressed the Communications Workers of America convention Monday afternoon. If standing ovations were any indication, he wowed the delegates, reported NBC5 political editor Dick Kay.

Kerry (pictured, left) criticized President George W. Bush's economic policies during his speech, saying that under Bush's leadership, the country has lost 3.1 million jobs, and many Americans have had to delay their retirement.

"I'll tell you, it will be clear to everybody in the country," Kerry said. "And I will make it clear that the one person in the United States of America who deserves to be laid off is George W. Bush. We're going to do it."


Whether wowing the delegates translates to an endorsement is debatable, Kay reported. Some have said Gephardt would receive the union's endorsement, but Kerry was conceding nothing, Kay further reported, as he attacked both the economic and foreign policies of the Bush administration.

Kerry finished his speech with a strong message to those who wrap themselves in patriotism to defend the president's Iraq policy.

"We're going to take the flag back for the country, and we're going to define patriotism as doing those things that make America safer," Kerry said.

You don't have to be in California to have a Recall - Recall Bush

Republicans in California have initiated a recall against the governor, giving three reasons for their effort:

1. The state's budget has gone from a sizeable surplus to a substantial deficit in a few short years.

2. Gov. Davis did not tell the truth to voters about the state's budget and economic situation.

3. The state's economy remains in dismal shape, and the chief executive of the state is ultimately responsible for its welfare.

If we apply these standards to a governor, then they must also be applicable to a president. The next recall effort is long overdue: a Bush recall campaign.

America needs a change.

While America does not have a provision in its constitution for a presidential recall, it does have the voice of the people and the power to send George Bush packing. We ask for your help in sending a message. Sign this petition to recall George W. Bush.

In honor of the Recall Bush efforts and our disgust of the California Recall, the San Fernando Valley MeetUp for Kerry is urging you join in the Recall Bush effort.

Eyes on the White House, Kerry Keeps Focus on Vietnam
From: The New York Times, By David M. Halbfinger - August 25, 2003

San Antonio - As he criticized the Bush administration's handling of the war in Iraq, Senator John Kerry assured thousands of fellow V.F.W. members today that should he become commander in chief, "I won't just bring to that profound responsibility the perspective of sitting in the situation room — I'll also bring the perspective of someone who's fought on the front lines."

Next week, when he formally announces his presidential campaign in Charleston, S.C., Mr. Kerry will stand in front of a World War II aircraft carrier that was used in Vietnam and beside crew members from his tour of duty as a patrol boat officer in the Mekong Delta, where he won the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts.

Wherever Senator Kerry goes these days, he talks about his war record. In doing so, Mr. Kerry is identifying his campaign with his service in Vietnam more closely than others who have run, like Senator John McCain and former Vice President Al Gore. So far, he has skirted the controversies that surrounded that war, which he fought in and then marched against, as he uses it to present himself as a battle-hardened Democrat who can handle the national security challenges that each party believes will be central to next year's election. He is also seeking to show that he can withstand the kinds of attacks that Republicans have successfully made on Democrats in past elections over issues of national security.

Mr. Kerry's advisers say he is still introducing himself to the countless voters who do not remember him from 1971, when he wore his ribbons on his Navy fatigues and testified against the war on television, instantly becoming a national celebrity. They say it is an obvious way for him to reach out to veterans, a large constituency on whose behalf he has worked for many years in the Senate. And they say his constant recitation of his wartime experience is only natural in the world after Sept. 11, where national security has become a threshold issue and where some say the problems and perils of rebuilding Iraq are reminiscent of the quagmire that Vietnam became.

Above all, though, his allies are convinced that Mr. Kerry's wartime record will inoculate him against Republican attacks like those that depicted Michael S. Dukakis, his boss when Mr. Kerry was lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, as weak on national security.

"Karl Rove will dismember every Democratic candidate based on their record of service," Henry G. Cisneros, the former San Antonio mayor and cabinet secretary, said today at a breakfast with Mr. Kerry's local supporters. "He'll say they're not tough enough. They cannot do that to Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts."

Similarly, Chris Lehane, an adviser to the Kerry campaign, said that its Internet traffic had spiked in April after Mr. Kerry defended his right to criticize the Bush administration by saying he had "fought for and bled for" the right to speak out.

"I think Democrats relish and revel in the idea that they all have a candidate who has the military background that John McCain has, who can then take it to Bush — that he can directly challenge Bush, Cheney and the rest of the Republican gang who think they have sole and exclusive authority over patriotism."

Read more...

Clearly America needs a leader like John Kerry now, more than ever. Were we not at war, the choices might be different, but we can not risk another leader without military experience trying to lead us out of the mess Bush has created.

Douglas Brinkley, historian and author has this to say about John Kerry:

"When you get into the Kerry story, the fact that they were sending 50-foot aluminum boats up canals along the Cambodian border to get shot at, it's very similar to Iraq, where every other day, somebody gets picked off," he said. "Clearly we were the invader in a very foreign culture, and we had no real exit strategy except Vietnamization. If our exit strategy from Iraq is Iraqization — here, Kerry, who knows what it's like to be shot up in a war that Americans forgot about, is a pretty good messenger to talk about the arrogance of power."

Activists find a home near the presidential ranch

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- President Bush is not the only show in this sleepy town any more.

A few months ago, a Dallas peace activist bought a house near the Bush's ranch so that hundreds of demonstrators trekking into Crawford have a place to gather and voice their dissent of the Iraq war and other issues. They speak words that some residents here could do without hearing.

"We wanted to have a place to speak our truth from," said John Wolf, who paid the down payment on the $54,000 house with proceeds from the sale of $1 buttons at peace rallies. "The idea is to provide a voice for those truly affected by the administration's policies."

Read more about the new Home on the Range...

Just incase anyone has forgotten the many reasons why we need to get rid of GW & Company...
Here's just one of the many reasons why!

Deficit seen at $500 billion next year

Oh My... It's more than I can post here... Read it and Motivate for John Kerry!

John Kerry News

Senator Kerry and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld both appeared today before veterans. Senator Kerry said that the administration had not heeded the lessons of Vietnam in its planning on Iraq.

"We learned that the interests of the grunts on the ground come before all politics and all ideology. And what we urgently need now to protect our young men and women in uniform - and America's role in the world - are decisions based on professional military judgments and strategic vision, not politics and pride," Kerry said.

"I believe a lack of planning and the lack of candor with the American people have placed our men and women in uniform in increased harm's way," he said.

My take- this is one veteran who appreciates the fact that some of the Democratic candidates are standing up to be heard while supporting our troops. For me, its John Kerry that I want for President!

Read more about today's events.

Or check this out from San Antonio-

The Massachusetts senator, who is running in a crowded field of Democratic hopefuls, received several loud ovations as he criticized budget cuts affecting military benefits and pay while bemoaning the mixture of politics with military strategy.

And read more here...

This is a duplicate of the post on the other Kerry blog, but we can't have enough motivation, can we?:

TELL ME YOUR KERRY STORY (POST IN COMMENTS SECTION):

What are you doing this Thursday for John Kerry's Campaign? I'm starting the day with the NYC campaign folks, passing out materials at the Rockefeller Center subway stop near my work (come introduce yourself if you're there). Then I'm going to the Cosi downtown for Meetup at night.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THURSDAY? TELL US YOUR PLANS.

The Nashua Telegraph posts my commentary on Dean's Small Business Plan.

Read it here...in the Reader's Comments Section below the article.

Here's an interesting view from one New Hampshire resident on campaigning techniques. Her Letter to the Editor of the Nashua Telegraph:

Whenever presidential candidate Howard Dean is mentioned in the media, all I hear about is his “new age” Internet strategy. Well, I think he should stick to the Internet, and stay off the hood of my car. Recently, I stopped to shop downtown and returned to find a Dean flier on my windshield. It is exactly this kind of behavior that has come to characterize the Dean campaign.

They seem so obsessed with being innovative that they forget common courtesy. Main Street was littered with Dean fliers, maybe that’s why the Sierra Club never endorsed him as governor.


Got to just love those outspoken New Hampshire residents!

As a small business owner, I'm always interested in hearing new ideas about how to help small businesses and expand small business financing.

From: The Nashua Telegraph - Sunday, August 24, 2003
Dean pledges to expand small-business financing
By Kate McCann, The Associated Press

“We need to help small business. Small business is creating more jobs than big business in this country,” Dean said.

The problem, Dean said, is that small business has no access to capital and banks dislike lending to them since they tend to be high-risk. Part of the problem lies with government, Dean said. Historically, government shies from investing in small business because of its high turnover rate.

The former Vermont governor wants to revolutionize small-business loans by selling them on the New York Stock Exchange.

Small-business financing is too dependent on short-term decisions that undermine business's ability to get capital from Wall Street, said Dean.


Upon reading this article I had serious questions about what effect selling small-business loans on the NYSE would have on small businesses. My first reaction was that this type of small business financing would spell a gross loss of privatization. A discussion with a venture capitalist, affirmed my views.

Selling small business loans on the NYSE would not only take away privatization, it would create peril for small businesses.

Here's a likely scenario: By selling small business loans on the NYSE, small businesses would then have large investors who have short-term investor mentalities and don’t really understand these businesses. Large investors are likely to call in their loans just when a small business most needs the money.

It would remove the ability of small business owners knowing and working with their investors. It would effectively put very fragile small businesses under the bright pubic light and make them short term oriented, which is the exact opposite way that a small business should operate.

Small business is the cornerstone of America. As small businesses struggle to make ends meet and create autonomy from the corporate world, this proposal to sell small business loans on the NYSE would thrust small business into the world they seek to avoid. The SBA in recent years has worked hard to make small business loans more available to a wide range of small business owners.

Our country needs a leader who will work with small business owners to maintain their autonomy not sell them out to the NYSE. As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, John Kerry has been a leader in supporting small business.

"John Kerry believes that small business can help create jobs and help revitalize the economy. He supports incentives to help businesses invest, expand, and create jobs. For example, he supports addressing the capital funding gap for those fast-growing small businesses by allowing them to defer tax liability if the funds are reinvested in the business. An independent economic analysis shows that this tax change alone would create more than 600,000 jobs in the first three years by facilitating business growth. He also supports a temporary job creation tax credit for employers who hire new employees or increase existing salaries."

For more information on John Kerry's efforts to help small businesses please visit: John Kerry's Online Office.

Howard Dean's efforts to undermine small business growth are clearly evident in his plan. I strongly urge all small business owners to give great consideration to your vote in the upcoming Presidential Election. Help to protect Small Business, vote for John Kerry.

Kerry speaks to veterans about health benefits, services
Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003 - By Susan Lunt Childress, Nashua Telegraph Staff

"We need to keep the faith with those who served this country," he said. Kerry criticized the Bush administration's cuts in veterans' services, proposed cuts in active duty pay and longtime policy of paying veterans' pensions and disability payments concurrently.

"We don't see people valuing the things they talk about. The (Bush) administration is not keeping the faith," he said.

"Twenty percent of all reservists have no health benefits," he said. "There are veterans waiting six months just to get their first-time visit to get their prescriptions from their doctors."

Kerry described the increased services he said veterans eventually began receiving after the Vietnam War, including an improved G.I. bill and better treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, a combat-related mental illness that affects roughly 500,000 Vietnam veterans. He said the same revitalization of services was needed now.

"We learned that veterans looked out for veterans," he said. But Kerry said the country needed to renew its commitment to caring for veterans...

Kerry will travel to San Antonio on Monday to address the Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention.

Open Thread!

Who's got the So Big Virus?

Summer's almost over...

Who's thinking of traveling to Iowa or NH to campaign for John Kerry?

John Kerry launches a direct challenge to President Bush:

Kerry makes bid for veterans
By Glen Johnson, Boston Globe Staff, 8/24/2003

Nashua - Senator John F. Kerry launched a direct challenge yesterday to President Bush's perceived strength in national security matters, reaching out to active-duty and retired members of the armed forces by questioning the administration's decision making in Iraq and its treatment of veterans.

Against a backdrop of a war memorial and standing before a group of veterans from the Vietnam and Korean wars, as well as the Persian Gulf War, the Democratic presidential contender from Massachusetts accused the administration of underestimating the peacekeeping demands in postwar Iraq, of subjecting veterans to long waiting times for services, and of failing to change a policy that deducts disability payments to veterans from their standard retirement pay.

Kerry also sought to highlight disagreements between the military and civilian leadership in the Pentagon. He recalled an occasion in the spring when the former Army chief of staff, now-retired General Eric K. Shinseki, drew the wrath of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld for telling Congress he envisioned the need for a force of several hundred thousand soldiers in postwar Iraq. Rumsfeld said publicly the estimate was ''way off the mark,'' but some military analysts now say more than the current force of 150,000 is needed to quell attacks on coalition troops. About 65 US soldiers have been killed in hostile incidents since the president declared an end to major combat May 1.

''Where is the apology to General Shinseki?'' Kerry demanded, as he faced the Purple Heart Memorial in Deschenes Park. ''Where are the acknowledgements of misjudging how much people would be deemed to be liberators versus occupiers? . . . My friends, we have read of those troops currently having difficulty getting water, getting other supplies. We've read of the requirements that combat military people are now facing trying to stand police duty and guard duty in a postwar situation that was clearly underestimated -- not by the military personnel, but by the civilian leaders of the military, by the administration itself.''

A spokesman for the Republican National Committee, which responds on behalf of the White House to criticism by the Democratic presidential candidates, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The speech was a preview of remarks Kerry plans to deliver tomorrow in San Antonio at the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Also scheduled to address the group are Rumsfeld and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.

Kerry plans to highlight his background as a combat veteran of Vietnam, as well as the alleged neglect of veterans, as he publicly kicks off his campaign with speeches in South Carolina and Iowa on Sept. 2. Veterans are an active voting bloc, as Republican Senator John S. McCain of Arizona showed with his 2000 presidential campaign, and many of them live in the South, an area Bush swept over Democrat Al Gore in the 2000 general election. Bob Hannan of Dover, who introduced Kerry and serves as chairman of New Hampshire Veterans for Kerry, told the crowd: ''As a New Hampshire Vietnam veteran, I'm volunteering my time to the Kerry campaign for one reason: I want to see a real veteran in the White House, and John Kerry is that real veteran.'' Bush critics allege that he received his assignment to the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War through political influence.Kerry said that 20 percent of today's reservists have no health care, that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved a cut in reservist pay, that the Pentagon supports reductions in combat and family pay for active-duty personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that 150,000 veterans have to wait at least six months to fill prescriptions at Veterans Affairs hospitals. ''We hear a lot of talk today about `values,' but I regret to say we don't see people translating that talk into valuing the true things they talk about,'' Kerry said. ''I regret to say that even as we are creating a new generation of veterans . . . this country and this administration is not keeping faith with those who serve. I don't take pleasure in saying that.''

In an exchange with reporters after his speech, Kerry said the administration's Iraq policy ''has grotesquely misjudged and miscalculated how difficult winning the peace is.'' He called for internationalizing the postwar military force, saying the administration's decision two weeks ago to rebuff an offer of help from the United Nations was ''one of the most egregious decisions that I've heard in recent memory.''

Kerry said the resolution authorizing force could have been reworded to accommodate US needs, ''but it is stubborn, prideful resistance on the part of this administration -- driven by ideology and rigidity -- that is preventing them from making smart decisions that will help protect the troops and win the victory we want.''

Glen Johnson can be reached at johnson@globe.com

P.S. Roger & Bobby - This One's for You!

Kerry campaign shows their smarts in raising donations:

Kerry out for dough as big kickoff nears
From: The Boston Herald - By, Andrew Miga - August 23, 2003

... next month plans a fund-raising blitz of 25 events nationwide to coincide with his formal campaign kickoff.

Kerry (D-Mass.) is organizing several large-scale events of 800 or more donors to be held after he formally announces his 2004 White House bid with a four-day trip to key primary states beginning Labor Day.

"We will build on the momentum of the announcement tour by holding a series of larger events to grow our grassroots supporters,'' said Kerry spokeswoman Kelley Benander. "We're trying to generate excitement along with the money, and crowds help you do that.''

Events are set for New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston and Boston where tickets will range from $25 to $250.

There is a strategic bent to such low-dollar events: all donations less than $250 qualify for federal matching funds.

Kerry will also court more well-heeled fund-raisers, beginning with a "Nantucket Supporters Weekend'' Sept. 5-7 limited to supporters pledging to raise $10,000 or more for the senator's campaign.

Participants will be treated to a cocktail party at Teresa Heinz Kerry's Nantucket mansion and a clambake at the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport.

Kerry's national finance chairman, Louis B. Susman, who is vice chairman of financial giant Salomon Smith Barney, will also host an island reception.

Kerry plans a large post-debate fund-raising event in New York City Sept. 25 when the Democratic pack collides in a nationally televised encounter.

While Dean made major fund-raising gains this summer by relying heavily on donations via the Internet, Kerry appears to be taking a more traditional route.

"We are using a combination of more traditional methods as well as some creative new ways, particularly on the Internet,'' said Benander, citing a campaign Web site contest to spend a day campaigning with Kerry.

The Bay State senator is tapping his broad national network of financial backers in hopes of eclipsing Dean for the third quarter fund-raising period that ends Sept. 30.

Kerry, who also has a direct mail donor list that is the envy of his rivals...

Yesterday in Seattle - Team Kerry shows Up Enforce:

"Our intrepid crew of Kerry supporters from the Seattle area turned out to support a Party/Labor/NARAL/ Environmentalist sponsored rally to tell Bush we just don't need him up here where he isn't liked, can't win and won't be believed."

"Actually, I think there was some trepidation. The Dean campaign had announced their intention to show up in force, as well, to support their candidate's upcoming visit to the area. As it turned out, they were hardly in evidence at all. In fact, while the mass of folks were just generically anti-Bush, as Presidential campaigns went, we were definitely the most visible, followed by Kucinich, Dean and Edwards, in that order."

"Interestingly, although there were lots of union folk in attendance, there was no visible Gephardt appearance at all."

Thanks to Shaun Dale, who posted this in our Comments! I felt it was worthy of Blogging for all to see!

If you have news from Kerry Events worthy of our Blog, please email me at saramagoddess@yahoo.com

Kerry Statement on the UN Headquarters Bombing in Iraq
August 22, 2003

John Kerry said, “I am saddened by the tragic bombing today of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, the death of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and the other innocent men and women killed this morning. This unthinkable violence is outrageous and those behind it must be brought to justice."

“Today’s deadly attack also underscores the need for the Administration to quickly reassess the situation in Iraq. It is becoming increasingly clear each day that the Administration misread the situation on the ground in Iraq and lacks an adequate plan to win the peace and protect our troops."

“We must immediately and thoroughly review the security situation in Iraq, accelerate the training programs for indigenous Iraqi military and police security forces to protect those already working in Iraq and we must move quickly to add more international troops in Iraq through an expanded United Nations Security Council mandate."

“It is imperative that the Administration take these critical steps quickly in order to ensure a free and secure Iraq.”

John Kerry has the experience to straighten out the mess that George Bush has been in the MidEast and around the world. With Rand Beers and William Perry on his team, and his years of Foriegn Policy and Military Experience, John Kerry is the only qualified candidate who can lead us into a brighter, safer future at home and around the world.

Kerry: Bush Chooses Special Interests Over the Public Interest On Power Plants
Decision Weakens Power Plant Pollution Protections, Endangers Public Health, Repays Campaign Contributors
August 22, 2003 - Washington DC

Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry commented on the announcement that the Bush Administration will exempt power plants from protections aimed at cleaning the air through anti-pollution upgrades.

John Kerry said, "George Bush has given our biggest polluters a ‘get out of jail free’ card, stripped away the last pretense of corporate responsibility, and is allowing America’s environmental agenda to be driven by greed. His decision to let our nation’s dirtiest power plants pump hundreds of thousands of tons of toxics into our air is the most shameful and brazen giveaway to special interests we’ve witnessed on this President’s watch. He’s repaying his campaign contributors, caving in to the lobbyists who wrote Dick Cheney’s energy plan, and now he’s passing on the cost to America's families. The result will be dirtier air, more childhood asthma and an increase in respiratory disease.

“The President has literally pulled the rug out from under every Governor’s efforts to curb air pollution and he’s penalizing families in the Northeast victimized by cross state air pollution. Pollution from power plants in the Midwest pours down as acid rain on New Hampshire and across New England. The President’s own scientists admit that two-thirds of Americans have an increased risk of cancer from toxic pollutants, including mercury emissions from power plants. But when push comes to shove, this Administration takes the side of polluters over the public health of millions of Americans. We don’t just need a new EPA Administrator, we need a new President who will keep his promise to protect clean air and we need to get rid of the biggest say one thing and do another President we’ve ever seen.”

John Kerry is the one candidate who trully cares about the Environment. With a Lifetime Acheivement Score of 96% from The League of Conservations Voters, John Kerry brings decades of championing the Environment to the race for the Presidency!

Californians this is for you:

Statement from John Kerry on Proposition 54
August 14, 2003

Washington, DC – John Kerry today released the following statement regarding Proposition 54, the proposed California constitutional amendment that would bar most state agencies from collecting individual racial and ethnic information.

“Vital public health data will be kept from the public under Proposition 54. This wrongheaded proposal would increase barriers in California’s efforts to prevent high concentrations and outbreaks of diseases like breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes or even Alzheimer's.”

“Ward Connerly's proposal will further entrench, not end, discrimination. Abolishing data collection will deny civil rights enforcement officials the tools they need to identify and end discrimination. I urge all Californians to vote No on Prop. 54”

This statement was provided by a John Kerry for President Staff member.

Kerry encourages supporters to spread his message
August 21, 2003 - Associated Press - by Jennifer Holland

Columbia, S.C. - Richland County Council Chairwoman Bernice G. Scott promises she'll need a new pair of shoes after months of knocking on doors telling residents about Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

Even though it's been more than three months since Kerry's last visit, Scott says elected officials like her are the ones who will get voters to the polls for the state's first-in-the-South primary Feb. 3.

Those "who believe in him have got to go out and carry his message," Scott said Thursday night among more than 80 people gathered to open Kerry's state campaign headquarters.

Kerry, one of nine White House hopefuls, missed the opening of his headquarters here and made a phone call to the crowd instead.

The Massachusetts senator peppered those in the crowd with gratitude, but said the hard work was just beginning.

"I'm really excited by everybody's presence there," he said. "We need to get to work. Campaigns are won ... by the hard work of talking to neighbors, getting on the phones, getting out the message and building a really strong national effort."

"I can guarantee that I'm going to come out of Iowa and out of New Hampshire down to South Carolina in a way that's going to help translate your hard work into a victory there," he said. ...

"With the energy that will come in the beginning of September, I think that we can really kick in to a higher gear and break through so people begin to get some of the sense of what this is about," said Kerry told the crowd gathered around the phone.

Former judge Alex Sanders, a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate last year, revved up the crowd of supporters before Kerry called.

"John Kerry is the only candidate who has the stature and experience and character to defeat President Bush," Sanders said. "I could not be more enthusiastic about his candidacy."


My sentiments exactly Alex!

In the Northwest: Bush as defender of nature? Now that's a fish story
By Joel Connelly - Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist - Friday, August 22, 2003

The Bush II administration, preparing for the 2004 election, has set out to greenwash itself. The president will stop by the Ice Harbor Dam today in a bid to identify himself as a champion of restoring salmon habitat.

It's no wonder the term "fish story" was developed as a synonym for exaggeration or the tall tale.


Last year this administration -- under prodding from its political strategist Karl Rove -- ignored recommendations by hydrologists and biologists, and sharply increased water going to irrigators in Oregon's Klamath Basin.

As a result, last September, low river flows resulted in the mortality downstream of 33,000 chinook and coho salmon and steelhead trout -- one of the biggest fish kills in the history of the West.

Is the administration, as it claims, seeking a "balance" in environmental management?

Hardly. What's apparent is how much at odds Bush II is from 20th-century Republican administrations.

Theodore Roosevelt created Alaska's Chugach National Forest largely to protect the famed migratory bird habitat of the Copper River Delta from being bespoiled by mining barons.

Bush II has pulled the Chugach out of protection of the U.S. Forest Service's "Roadless Rule."

Dwight Eisenhower, just before leaving office, created what was then the Arctic National Wildlife Range in the Brooks Range and along the coastal plain of the Beaufort Sea.

Bush II wants 1.2 million acres of America's greatest wildlife refuge thrown open to oil and gas drilling....


The presidential fish story today should feature gorgeous "visuals" for Bush and his supporting cast.

The public should, however, ask a question made famous by an old lady named Clara Peller in a Wendy's commercial: "Where's the beef?"

Read the Whole Fish Story...

Many Thanks to Joel Connelly for this telling Column!

A closer look at the Official Campaign Announcement -

Looking ahead, Kerry to use carrier as campaign launch
By Glen Johnson - Boston Globe Staff - 8/22/2003

Senator John F. Kerry has decided to trade "Old Ironsides" for the USS Yorktown, planning to stand before the aircraft carrier on Sept. 2 to publicly declare his candidacy for president.

The Massachusetts Democrat had considered using the USS Constitution in Charlestown, the Navy's oldest commissioned warship, as a backdrop for the announcement. But campaign aides said Kerry decided to change the location to the Yorktown, which is docked off Charleston, S.C., both to gain publicity in the politically important state as well as to counter the trip President Bush took to an aircraft carrier May 1 to declare an end to major combat operations in Iraq.

In recent speeches, Kerry has challenged Bush's supposed strength on national security matters by highlighting his stature as the only current presidential candidate to have fought in a war.

"I have worked with aircraft carriers for real," Kerry has said, mocking the widely photographed landing Bush made on the USS Abraham Lincoln.

South Carolina follows Iowa and New Hampshire in the primary process. Bush swept the South in the 2000 election, but Kerry believes he can win in Louisiana, Georgia, and perhaps Alabama by highlighting his military service in Vietnam, as well as his support for gun ownership and other traditionally conservative positions.

The senator will be joined at his announcement by most of the members of the two boat crews he commanded while in Vietnam, his aides said. He will be introduced by former US senator Max Cleland, a Georgia Democrat who lost both legs and an arm while fighting in the war.

Kerry plans to preview two themes of his candidacy with major speeches before his announcement tour. On Monday in San Antonio, the senator will speak about national security and veterans affairs before a convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. On Thursday, Kerry will deliver an economics speech in New Hampshire.

After his speech in South Carolina, Kerry and his entourage will travel to Iowa. On Sept. 3, Kerry will speak again in New Hampshire, before concluding his announcement tour with a 6 p.m. public rally outside Faneuil Hall.


Here's a note on gun ownership and Kerry's stance on that issue -

Increased Gun Safety: John Kerry is deeply troubled by the numbers of people – and particularly the number of children – that are wounded or killed by gunfire each year. He supports measures that would prevent children and adults from misusing any of the approximately 192 million firearms currently in circulation in the nation. And he believes that we must enforce existing gun laws, close the gun show loophole, which permits sales at gun shows without a background check, and require that all handguns be sold with a child safety lock.