Democratic National Convention: Final Day (Four)

The Next President of The United States unless evil forces prevail again.

Missed the first fifteen minutes, but unless it was someone not mouthing the Dems party line, it's safe to say that I didn't miss too much.

Nothing against the Democrats Party line. No, it's ok. Enough. He's better than Bush, right? Or couldn't be as bad as Bush? He's the anti-Bush. That's what I hear people saying, anyway. Except they are both middle-aged white guys of privilege, though I hear Kerry really made his big money by marriage--both times! (way to go John!)
His aunt sent him and his sibs to private schools in Europe--father was a career military guy--they couldn't have been that rich. But, the story goes, the first Mrs. John Kerry has no money worries and that isn't due to John's big alimony checks. Teresa Heinz (think ketchup and widow to fortune) Kerry inherited so massive a fortune that she consulted with representatives of her pet causes about how to give her money away. The environment was one of the causes and Kerry was an Senate environmental committee (must have been one of the times he and Al Gore worked together), and the rest is history (or will be. Maybe. If the stars are aligned correctly).

So, Kerry has money, went to Yale, became a soldier/hero and then tireless public servant and Bush is born into wealth and becomes a frat boy.

Random Thoughts:

1. Kerry's dismission of Dubya's, "God is on our side (and our side is the right side)," versus Abe Lincoln's thoughts:"...I want to pray humbly that we are on God's side." was spot on.
I'm not really fond of the invocation of GOD, but I realize it plays well in Peoria.

2. The music wasn't bad tonight. Willy "Yes I do still smoke pot but make no apologies for it or for growin' my hair down to my ass" Nelson was good with the nice gospel back-up. And who couldn't love Carole King's (sc)reaching for the high notes in her self-penned "You've Got A Friend?" I kept waiting for a surprise appearance by James Taylor to give her a hand, but he was a no-show.

3. "I don't wear my faith on my sleeve... " said Kerry, nor did he wear his middle of the road views on abortion on his sleeve or anywhere else for that matter. No one mentioned reproductive rights at the convention--in a way I'm glad of that--it's pretty well understood that if he wins, abortion rights should at least slow in their erosion, though as Sen. Nancy Pelosi noted, the Congress needs to win back it's Democratic majority for the Dems to really have some teeth. Abortions rights hould be a non-issue--if the right wing nut-jobs would jsut the feck over it already. Abortion has been around a really long time. It's legal and safe right now in this country. Let's keep it that way.
Kerry has been quoted previously, intoning a lawyerly way, "I'm a Catholic and abortion is not (part of my belief system). However, I believe in separation of church and state." This implies that he's not going to get in the way of those that would keep Row Vs. Wade from getting further nibbled at.
I would like that in writing though (sorry, John), before I exhale on that issue which if I could vote*, would be a decisive factor in who I voted for.
Kerry did however, choose to put forth that he's worked in the past and will continue to work to protect women from violence, especially that of a domestic nature (where was he when I needed him in the early-mid eighties?) as he did while practicing law for the state of Massachusetts.

Kerry went over his platform--pretty much as all the speakers of the past four days have. He will unite not divide, build a stronger America by providing tax incentives to keep American jobs from being exported overseas. He'll help America's farmers because "he knows that America's farmers feed America." *Gag* for the grammar-school level of phrasing of this declaration, though others mentioned here are pretty simplistic, too. (Just once, I'd like to see someone running for or in public office, over-estimate the IQ of the average American.)
Kerry declared that he shall beef up Intelligence and the military (but won't send a bunch more guys into Iraq--he'll make nice with all the countries we've pissed off, and they'll send their guys to Iraq instead), appoint a Defense Secretary who isn't the feared and despised Rumsfeld, save our seniors by letting them freely buy drugs from whereever, while kicking the the health insurance companies in the nutz, forcing them make drugs less costly(!?). He's going to make nice with the rest of the world and he won't ever take us into a war unless we really need to go. Veterans--same story pretty much as seniors, different tune though--he'll make sure they get a comprehensive health care plan when they exit the service. Oh, and us regular folk will have an opportunity to have the same health care plan as the Senate. That sounds neat. I wonder what kind of co-payments they have?

Kerry says he wants the middle class to be better off by saying "screw you" to the wealthier, taking back the Bush tax cut for the rich and giving it to the middle class. (Can he do that?) That sounds pretty cool.
He going to leave no child behind--but really mean it by funding the program, something Bush failed to do. And all those early intervention programs are gonna get more money, too. Yay. He's also going to make college affordable for everyone. Goody, just in time for my youngest son!
A-n-d he's going to do all this while at the same time reducing the deficit by half during his first term.

The number one reason he should be president though, is... because he signed up for 'Nam twice, asking to be put in battle (some would wonder if his head is screwed on straight) and because he was cool "under fire" (an oft-repeated phrase throughout the convention) he won't make a mess of things globally (like Bush has).
They brought a bunch of his crew mates from his two tours in Vietnam up onstage to physically illustrate this--after having paid special attention in informative mini-interviews, to the black guy (the reverend from earlier in the convention) and the guy that Kerry plucked out of the river after the guy's was somehow ejected from the boat during a gunfight with the enemy.

Max Cleland (sp) wheeled himself out too, to "testify" in re: Kerry. Cleland lost three limbs in 'nam and after being defeated by a Republican after one term in the Senate, has thrown himself behind Kerry.

Symbols for Kerry's target groups were everywhere over the past four days. Minorities, women, soldiers, seniors, union people, teachers. And family--represented by both his, and his running mate's picture-perfect broods.

I just hope what he says is more than the rhetoric that the current resident of the White House spouted and is sure to spout at full speed now.
I really hope if elected, that Kerry tries as hard as he did in Vietnam to do his duty to his country.

*I am a permanent resident, not an American citizen.

Comments

[Cyn]

Wellstone was a bright, compassionate man. One could do a lot worse than take a page from his book.
And holy cow yes, mental health has the word "health" in it for a good reason.

[chavos]

"he knows that America's farmers feed America."

Subtle...but a nod to the protectionist trade policies he's spoken about. not sure what to make of it...i'm a pretty staunch free trader, but bush has mucked up that himself when it should have been a gimme. when the democrate is the one talking about fiscal disipline...the apocalpyse may be near.

"regular folk will have an opportunity to have the same health care plan as the Senate." He sounds like he's borrowing the Wellstone plan. The senate doesn't get great coverage, but it's not terrible. reasonable copays, and enough coverage to keep folks out of the poor house. i'd want to know if he's putting mental health parity in that too...the senate plan has almost no benifit for pysch stuff...and Wellstone had put in coverage for mental health and addiction recovery.