I Need Help Explaining Kerry

[bonemachine]

On a different board that I'm a moderator on, we've got a discussion going on right now comparing Bush and Kerry's stances on the issues that should effect the upcoming election.

To be honest, I haven't done a great job as far as educating myself as to exactly where Kerry stands on things. The whole ABB feeling has really been enough for me, and so I'm not really sure how to put forth a positive case for Kerry.

I know that some of you here are much more excited about Kerry than I am, and I was wondering if I could recruit a couple of you to come on over, and help put a good face on him?

Here is the thread in question.

[NMDemDist2]

1. sorry, I'm not going to join a new board but here is a couple links that

i like

http://www.independent-media.tv/itemprint.cfm?fmedia_id=7073&fcategory_desc=The%20Zero%20and%20The%20Hero


http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=42263

and of course there's always this one:

[jjmalonejr]

2. Another good resource

www.independentsforkerry.com

[still_one]

3. Here is a few

1. Stem cell research - potential to help thousands, Kerry is for it bush is against it

2. Supreme Court Justices - bush indicated he would appoint justices like Scalia and Thomas. Both believe Roe V Wade should be overturned

3. Environment and indepence on foreign oil. bush has done nothing

4. The bush administration has essentially done nothing to improve security since taking office. The harbors, chemical, and nuclear reactors do not have adequate security. We are extremely vulnerable.

5. No matter what your position on the Iraq war is, bush screwed up its execution. His administration ignored the advice of previous administrations and advisors on both sides of the aisle.

6. This administration has left the job Afganistan half done, and should have contained the terrorism threat there, but instead made it worse by going into Iraq.

7. After 9/11 the world was behind us, and this country for the most part was united. The bush administration has successfully caused 90% of the world to dislike us, and divided this country instead of uniting it

[bonemachine]

4. Those aren't bad, per se

But there's too much focus on Bush. I can already talk a mean anti-Bush case. I'm looking for people who are passionate about Kerry, who can talk about what he will do in an affirmative fasion.

[trumad]

6. Quick advice

It ain't gonna matter. Discussing politics on a forum in a venue that allows both sides of the ideological coin, turns into a disaster 99.9 percent of the time...trust me, I've been there.

[bonemachine]

7. Well, I have to try anyways

After all, I'm the moderator of that forum :) If I give in to that sort of attitude, we're surely fucked.

[doctorbombeigh]

19. So why not go to johnkerry.com and find your own reasons?

If you are going to continue participating in your forum, don't you think you ought to educate yourself?

[Cocoa]

5. here's one

http://www.johnkerry.com/index.html

[wurzel]

8. Kerry does not need explaining. Bush does.

Does your "board" have any explanation for him!

[sandnsea]

9. You answer stuff like this??

Where do all 4 candidates stand on the issues?? Is this person a mushroom? Tell them to get a clue and join the portion of the global population that reads. And some people actually do respond to having their intelligence and laziness challenged.

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

[bonemachine]

11. Are you talking to me?

I am not a mushroom. I just simply know that there are people on this board who can speak more eloquently and passionately about Kerry than I can. Why is it bad for me to want the best possible case to be presented for Kerry?

[sandnsea]

12. No

I'm talking about the person that you're wanting to help. What kind of person asks "where do they stand on the issues"? I don't know what kind of board you're on, but way too often I've seen that question presented as bait for them to later spout their own agenda and it's usually a pro-Bush one. Which is why I just refer them to the news or the Kerry web site and not waste my time on them. Unless they come up with something more substantial and honest later.

[bonemachine]

13. I'm not over-worried about helping the original poster

I was seeing it as a good chance for someone who was Pro-Kerry to present their opinions.

[NMDemDist2]

10. OK then, why I like Kerry 1a

he is an intelligent man who studies all sides of an issue before taking a stand

he was instrumental in uncovering the Iran/Contra scandal

he helped close down the BCCI bank which laundered money for the drug lords

He supports finding and securing the "loose" nukes in the former Soviet Union

he has proved his toughness in many instances, starting in Nam and the DA's office in Mass. (where he started the first ever women's shelter)

He's an internationalist. He has lived and visited many foreign countries and understands the differences in cultures and has learned to communicate effectively on our (the US's) behalf

He is an environmental activist

he has actually seen the horrors of war first hand, and will do all he can to avoid it

he is a strong supporter of Veterans Affairs

[Sugarbleus]

14. I'll give it a try...

Kerry will not lead us into a war that is unnecessary.

He is strong on defense and intelligent enough to know when and where and how to use it.

He supports Veterans in the field and AT HOME. He is opposed to gutting Veterans benefits when they return and supports that we take care of their families when the soldiers are away!

He wants to lift ALL of us out of a stagnant ecomony by penalizing companies that TAKE OUR JOBS OFFSHORE and rewarding companies that stay here! He is for RAISING the minimum wage.

He HONORS women; he does NOT believe in subordinating them.
He is a man of faith but does not believe in mixing it up with Government. To each his own in the privacy of their own life.

He is appalled that this administration has run the deficit up to the high heavens...who is going to pay for that?? What gets cut next?
He is against this administration robbing our treasury to pay for a war that was based on false information. He promises to THINK CLEARLY AND NOT DO THAT KIND OF SHIT.

Kerry promises to NOT PRIVATIZE social security for our aging population.

Kerry promises to help everyone get the best education we can provide.
Kerry promises to help people with the skyrocketing cost of Healthcare. Even the middle class can't afford the rising payments and cuts to their insurances anymore.

Kerry promises to secure our ports and beef up our security in that area.
Kerry talks about HOPE not fear. Kerry talks about all of us being ONE NATION not a "them and us" nation. What's good for one is good for all.

I can go on...is that enough? Let me know.

[bonemachine]

15. I'm looking for people to actually join the discussion

Not just to post about Kerry here. Doing it here is just preaching to the choir!

[Sugarbleus]

16. I thought you wanted material also... sorry

:shrug: You are welcome to copy the statements....

I might give your place a try though. I'll bookmark this thread.

[bonemachine]

17. No need to apologize

Like I said, my emotions are already worked up enough just being mad about Bush. To me, it really doesn't matter where Kerry stands, because I know enough - He'll be better than Bush, but by no means will he live up to what I really want to see in a president.

I just hope that he's sucessfull in undoing all of the environmental rollbacks perpetrated by this administration. I can't say I've heard him speak alot about the environment from the news coverage, but again, I could be wrong on this, as I really don't know the candidate that well.

[qwlauren35]

18. Somewhere in here...

I saw a GREAT link that looks at where Bush and Kerry stand on EVERY MAJOR ISSUE.

I'll try to find it. I saw it within the last week or so...

[qwlauren35]

20. Here is a nice side-by-side comparison.

This isn't the one I had originally had in mind, but it is more detailed.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/articles/sidebyside-domestic.html

[bonemachine]

21. Thanks :)

Now if only I could get warm bodies instead of cold facts :)