Wes Clark America’s Best Choice
Phll C over at DailyKos has given us permission to cross post this Diary on his thoughts and hopes concerning Wes Clark and the 2008 Presidential Elections. We are always happy to post anythng Clark.
My thoughts on the 2008 Presidential Election and why I believe that Wesley K. Clark is the best choice for the job.
The past several weeks have seen a dramatic change in the way the American people perceive the current administration. Insane, idiotic, delusional, stubborn and incompetent are just a few of the phrases that have recently been used to discribe George W. Bush. One poll from the L.A. Times shows that only 12% of those polled support this presidents plan to send even more of our troops into harms way, while over 50 percent want a controlled pull out of Iraq.
Bush’s own Generals flatly refuse to support the presidents plan. General John Abizaid has announced he will soon be leaving his position over the presidents call for more troops.
The war in Iraq and it’s consequences will be hanging around our countries neck for decades to come. Whether or not we can get our troops out in the next several months, the course in Iraq and the middle east seems to be irreversibly set. The next occupant of the Oval Office will have enough domestic and foreign policy work to last 3 terms.
Along with restoring our economy to anything even remotely resembling pre-Bush (you remember, when a lot of Americans still had their jobs, could afford to buy groceries and our nation had a HUGE monetary surplus?) our next President will have to hold Iran at bay, figure out how to repay our foreign debt, get immigration under control, curb Corporate America, and tackle issue’s like social security, the U.S. job market, education, and public healthcare. It may take 20 years or longer to undo the harm to our economy, the damage to our Bill of Rights, and rebuild the global trust our country enjoyed before January of 2001.
If things go from bad to worse in the middle east and we find our oil imports strangled off, it’s not unreasonable that our next President may have to either keep us out of a shooting war over oil with China, or win the conflict that would involve the last Super Power and the worlds most populist nation. I hope and pray that war never comes to pass, but it is unfortunately very feasible unless the international community can settle the middle east or we find a ready, dependable alternative energy source and begin rapid development and distribution of it.
How many leaders do we have in this nation of ours that can handle the almost insurmountable job of undoing what Bush and his cronies have done to us. Who do we have that could lift our nation out of the quagmire of war, economic ruin and global contempt that this administration has left us with.
I look at Iran and wonder how many hours it will take them to invade Iraq after the last U.S. soldier leaves. The alternative of keeping our troops there to suffer greater and greater casualties is (atleast to me) not acceptable, but the price our nation will pay if that invasion comes to pass could be catastrophic. I am not speaking of the price at the pump, tho such an event would drive prices past the $5.00 per gallon mark. I think of an Iran that would basically double it’s size and triple it’s percentage of the worlds supply of oil. I think of a nuclear Iran that has sworn Isreal’s destruction and would be able to position missiles and aircraft several hundred miles nearer it’s intended target. I think of a Shiite fundamentalist state that’s long range goal is the overthrow of the saudi royal family and replace it with a government that mirror’s Iran’s own.
I look at Osama binLaden, a man wanted for the mass murder of several thousand americans but STILL remains at large.
I look at China and the massive amount of national debt that we owe to that country. I look at the thousands of jobs that are being sent to job markets filled with 12 year olds that work for 46 cents an hour.
I look at corporate america and the way it has undermined our democracy and lined it’s pockets at the expense of the average American.
I wonder about my son’s future, if he will be able to get a good education, I wonder if he will be able to find a good career, education or no. I wonder if this will still be “The Land of the Free” or if that nation will have disappeared into “The Land of Homeland Security” when he reaches my age.
I look at the leaders of our nation and Wesley K. Clark is the only person on the political landscape that has the experience, the intellect, and the resolve to handle what could be argued as the most dangerous time in America’s history since the defeat of fascism more than 60 years ago.
I trust General Clark’s integrity, I trust his ability to find diplomatic solutions to political problems. I believe that General Clark knows that war is the LAST option on the table, because he has fought in one, he has been under fire and has bled for our country. I have a hard time seeing the General continuing a war and getting more good men and women killed because he’s to stubborn to admit to a mistake. I hear a lot of people saying Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama, but the fact of the matter is Clark is the only potential candidate with the Military and nation building experience to get our great country out of the quagmire that 6 years of Bush’s bungling has left us in.
I know that corporate media and the political establishment would be happy with the “status quo”, that the idea of a leader who would actually work for the betterment of our nations citizens (and not just those in the upper income brackets) gives those entities a cold shiver. But I believe that is the kind of leader our country needs and the kind of President that Wesley K. Clark would make.
Posted on December 25th, 2006 by George Sand
Posted in National Politics. | EMail This Post
Comments
Comment from Bernie Quigley
Time: December 26, 2006, 11:23 am
Excellent. Perhaps for the first time in our American history we actually face revolt by sitting commanders. IN the last six years we have seen failure of Congress, the Supreme Court and perhpas most of all the Press for letting this come about. The military today holds its honor under the most difficult of situations. General Clark is needed not only to restore the military but to restore the people.
Comment from eve
Time: December 26, 2006, 12:14 pm
Thank you for this excellent, thoughtful, essay. I can only hope that, should Wes Clark run, Democrats have the good sense to listen to everything you said here before they get distracted by the hype about some of the other, worrisome (to me) candidates.
Comment from daniel lynch
Time: December 26, 2006, 1:45 pm
wes is my chouce with obama as v.p. wes needs to raise the necessary $ and get noticed by the media before it is too late. things will happen fast in this next election cycle.
Comment from Linda Tinjum
Time: December 26, 2006, 2:27 pm
Daniel, Clark was my choice in 2004 and will be in 2008 if he decides to run again. However, no to Obama as VP. I don’t think Obama is ready to be President and, therefore, he’s not ready to be VP. I believe Wes Clark’s first and primary qualification for a running mate would be someone who could step in on day one and be the Commander in Chief of the military, especially during war time. I don’t think that’s Obama, and I don’t Clark would either. The VP is no longer a place for someone to get on-the-job training. Think of Senator Johnson’s out-of-the blue stroke at age 59. The same thing could happen to the next president on inaugural day or the day after. The VP doesn’t have 4-8 years to “get ready” to be President; he has to be ready now.
Comment from eve
Time: December 26, 2006, 3:48 pm
may I have the link to the dailykos diary please?
Thx
Comment from Phil C
Time: December 26, 2006, 5:19 pm
Here’s the Link to the KOS dairy where this piece was first written http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/12/24/113152/49
Comment from the bold and the blue
Time: December 26, 2006, 5:34 pm
Comment from eve
Time: December 26, 2006, 6:08 pm
Regarding Clark’s message. I think bottom line it is “excellence” and “competence” within a framework of social, health, environmental, economic and fiscal responsibility.
I volunteered for Clark in 2004 and hope he runs in 2008. I trust his judgement and commitment to what is best for the people of this country over the long haul.
When you get down to the nitty gritty, Clark has some wonderfully creative ideas for job creation, fiscal reponsibility, energy independence and health care that are as progressive as any candidate I have heard. Check out securingamerica.com for some of his speeches and interviews.
Comment from CA Scott
Time: December 26, 2006, 6:32 pm
Clark was my man in 2004, and I can only hope he will run with VP-BarackObama in 2008… A brilliant, experienced military man and a charismatic, idealistic younger fellow with great ideas… We could conceivably end up with 16 years of Democractic presidents that way, y’know, and it might just be enough time to clean up the mess that 8 years of neo-Con insanity has given us…
Comment from catherineD
Time: December 26, 2006, 8:24 pm
I think Clark’s message is security. After all, his website is secureamerica.com.
But what Clark means by security is much bigger than what others do, and takes in a much bigger message.
It means looking at the big picture of the world, and figuring out how the United States, just one piece of that world, can continue to prosper over the next 100 years, in its status as a moral example and an economic leader. How we can make the world a better place, without over extending ourselves, to ultimately enhance that security and reputation in the world.
It also means looking at security at home. Figuring out what Americans need so that they can feel secure, like national health insurance, job retraining, preschool and help with college.
Edwards’ message of the rich vs. the poor has a nice nostalgic feel of the 1960s, that I still respond to, but a man who will bring peace and prosperity and security to all classes is the man I will vote for.
Comment from eve
Time: December 26, 2006, 9:30 pm
and if I may add to that thought…General Clark has also talked about a sustainable environment as part of our security. You have framed his message very well, catherine D.
Thanks George Sand for the link to this diary posted at DailyKos.
Comment from eve
Time: December 26, 2006, 9:31 pm
sorry..thanks Phil C for the link at dailykos:))
Comment from the bold and the blue
Time: December 26, 2006, 11:29 pm
Comment from MiniGram
Time: December 27, 2006, 1:38 pm
I first thought we needed someone of Clark’s caliber in March of 2003. I was thrilled when he decided to run and campaigned for him. I still think there is nobody out there with his intellect and skill set to be President. His ideas on both domestic issues and foreign affairs are far more developed than those of any of the other potential candidates. Just go to http://www.securingamerica.com and click on “Issues and Postions” and you will see what I mean. Dems would be foolish to pass up this guy again. If he were to win the primary, he would be unbeatable in the general election. I so hope he will run.
Comment from eve
Time: December 27, 2006, 2:24 pm
“opportunity (or hope) plays better in a Democratic primary”
Well said, “the bold and the blue”. I think Clark’s policy positions truly represent hope. I just hope that Democrats start to pay attention to why these thoughtful policy positions offer hope and that Clark (should he run) frames them so most Americans are able to see what dedicated Clark supporters already see.
For example, Clark’s ideas about empowering American unions to, among other things, provide continuing education and training, which he extrapolated from his experience serving in the armed forces is a brilliant example of policy that offers hope. He points out that people serving in the army aren’t dependent on the base where they’re stationed for continuing education but on the service as a whole. Unions could serve that function as people move from job to job in a dynamic/dislocating economy. This is a safety net that gives people hope and helps them to help themselves. Not one news media has picked up on this. But it’s such a great idea.
Clark was CHM of Wavecrest Laboratories after he retired from the military. http://www.wavecrestlabs.com/ They specialize in hybrid and clean energy mobility. He believes that new renewable/sustainable technology can be an engine of economic growth and source of jobs and help wean us off foreign oil. He has spoken eloquently about that. That also has not been picked up.
There are entrenched interests who want nothing more than business as usual. Those entrenched interests are heard loudly in the press. Alternatives, even do-able, constructive alernatives, are not heard very often. If Clark runs, those of us who believe in the enlightened solutions that Wes Clark offers this country will have to see to it that the main stream media pays attention to what’s relevant instead of the gotcha sound bites that serve elite interests while they continue to undermine our well-being.
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