One Year Later: What a Stronger Country We Could Have Been

by Pamela Leavy

It is hard to believe that some people still think that George W. Bush is doing a good job as president. Why haven't some people finally seen the light? We've heard references to Voter's Remorse occasionally in the news, yet, some still stubbornly cling to the wrong-minded views perpetuated by the Bush administration and MSM.

The Bush administration is an affront to America. We see almost daily an assault on the very foundation of our country - the U.S. Constitution. On Monday, as Rosa Parks - a heroine of the civil rights movement, lay in the Rotunda, in an unprecedented tribute, George W. Bush nominated Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Alito has a record of standing against civil rights, yet, George W. Bush had no qualms with offering up his nomination, while Rosa Parks lay in state.

Think about how different the past year would have been if John Kerry were President.

Think about that if, in spite of defeating a sitting wartime President in three nationally televised debates, the Kerry campaign had not been edged out by the Swift Boat sliming smear tactics. Think about the fact the MSM was complicit in blocking Patrick Fitzgerald's CIA leak investigation. Think about the politics of fear that manifested as an October surprise - Osama Bin Laden's appearance on tape which Fox News Channel's Neil Cavuto labeled a "Kerry endorsement by Bin Laden."

Think about how different things could have been. This isn't just abstract could-have-been thinking. It is real. It is based on the facts. And, it has serious consequences for our families, our children, our troops, our veterans, our environment, and our country.

How do we know? Because a year ago, John Kerry made clear promises and offered specific plans that would have made America a very, very different place. Take a look at what could have been...

HEALTH CARE

Instead of giving tax breaks to individuals making over $300,000, President John Kerry would have used that money to cover all 11 million children in America currently living without health insurance.

We know this because, on the first day legislation could be introduced, John Kerry made his first act as a returning Senator to introduce his KidsFirst legislation, which will do precisely that. And, he has traveled the country several times to galvanize grassroots support to get every child in America health insurance. As President, he said health care reform would've been the first bill he sent to Congress.

STEM CELL RESEARCH

Rather than limit scientists' ability to discover potentially life-saving cures through stem cell research, President Kerry would have reversed Bush's policy limiting the number of stem cell lines available to scientists and provided significant funding for research. Every day that we wait, more than 3,000 Americans die from diseases that may someday be treatable because of stem cell research.

We know this because said one of his first acts as president would be to reverse Bush's stem cell policy.

THE ENVIRONENT

Rather than selling off the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil companies for drilling, President Kerry would have protected it from oil drilling.

We know this because President Kerry would have kept his commitment to veto Arctic drilling.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

Rather than walk through a field of wildflowers holding hands with Saudi Prince Abdullah, rather than nearly $3.7 million from the oil and gas industry during both presidential campaigns, rather than sign energy policies into law that the administration's own Energy Information Administration says will not lower gas prices - President Kerry would have taken record-high gas prices seriously.

We know this because John Kerry last year unveiled a comprehensive plan to lower gas prices, improve efficiency and move towards energy independence while creating jobs. Under the plan, Kerry would manage the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to protect our security without driving up prices by temporarily suspending filling the SPR until oil prices return to normal levels. He would also engage in diplomacy to ensure that US consumers are not held hostage to price fixing by OPEC. He would set goals to increase fuel efficiency and make new investments to assure American industry leads the way. His plan also called for an increased use of renewable fuels to reduce our dependence on oil.

IRAQ

Rather than muddle through with the prospect of a war without end in Iraq, John Kerry would have brought 20,000 American troops home over the holidays after the Iraqi elections. WE know this because John Kerry argued throughout his campaign that a long term American occupation would only exacerbate the insurgency.

VETERANS

Instead of facing a $1 billion shortfall in one year of the Department of Veterans Affairs budget, President John Kerry would have made veterans health care funding mandatory - eliminating the constant fights in Congress for more money, and reversing changes Bush made to the system that have increased co-pays and cut millions of veterans from the rolls.

We know this because John Kerry cancelled campaign events in New Mexico, turning his plane around and flying overnight to come back and vote in favor of a Senate measure to make veterans health care funding mandatory. As soon as John Kerry showed up to vote for the bill, Majority Leader Bill Frist cancelled the vote.

MILITARY FAMILIES

Rather than leaving our troops and military families in the lurch, President Kerry would have pushed Congress to pass and signed into law his Military Family Bill of Rights. Survivors would get more when their loved ones die in service to America, widows would not be kicked out of military housing after 6 months, and every member of the Guard and Reserve would be eligible for military health care.

We know this because John Kerry pledged to push for his Military Family Bill of Rights and sign it into law during the campaign, he has introduced it as a stand-alone bill, and he has repeated worked to attach provisions from it at every opportunity n the Senate. In February, Kerry said, "Starting with the coming debate on the supplemental, I will fight to pass as much of my Military Family Bill of Rights as possible. There is no time to wait. Congress must act now."

THE SUPREME COURT

Rather than the embarrassment of a Miers nomination extreme Supreme Court nominees that Bush has put forward to appease the far right wing of his party, President Kerry would have respected the law of the land and not tried to skew the balance of the Supreme Court.

We know this because John Kerry said, "As President, I will only appoint Supreme Court justices who will uphold a woman's right to choose."

WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Rather than aggressively seek to undermine women's right to chose, both in the U.S. and abroad, President Kerry would have repealed the very first act Bush took as president. John Kerry would repeal with Mexico City Policy that currently prevents family planning clinics overseas that receive any U.S. funding from mentioning abortion as one of my options.

We know this because Kerry said one of his first acts as president would be to repeal the Mexico City Policy/global gag rule on abortion.

HURRICANE KATRINA

Rather than leave people in New Orleans stranded and praying on rooftops as FEMA twiddled their thumbs, John Kerry would have sent in C-130s to evacuate people before disaster struck.

We know this because John Kerry had a serious, five-point plan to improve homeland preparedness. One of the key parts of the plan was for disasters like hurricanes. Kerry also campaigned in Louisiana, stood on the banks of the Mississippi River with Louisiana elected officials, and pledged support for federal appropriations to strengthen New Orleans' levees.

THE GULF COAST

Rather than allow our Gulf Coast coastlines to lose a football field every half-hour to erosion, President Kerry would have made the protection of our coastlines a national priority.

We know this because John Kerry said on Earth Day of last year, "A secure coastline means security for the families who live here, the business owners who make a living here and the sportsmen who hunt and fish here. I believe that a good economy, strong communities and a healthy environment go hand-in-hand. Bush administration has cut funding for coastal programs, and in Louisiana, refused to release the results of a study that was to outline a comprehensive plan to address the rapidly depleting coastline. . . "When it comes to protecting our coasts, we don't have a moment to lose," Kerry said. "Today in Louisiana, a piece of land the size of a football field sinks into the Gulf of Mexico an average of every half hour. And, coastal erosion isn't just swallowing your beaches; it's drowning your economy. Fishermen risk seeing their nets come up empty, sportsmen are watching entire habitats disappear, and people living on the coast fear that their homes or their businesses may literally slip into the ocean."

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

Instead of spending $1 billion of American taxpayers' money EVERY WEEK in Iraq with off-the-books accounting gimmicks, President Kerry would have cut the deficit in half and paid for war spending out of the budget, rather than by deficits that will saddle future generation with mountains of debt.

We know this because John Kerry has always made fiscal responsibility a priority throughout his 20 years in the Senate. When President Bush unveiled his budget in February, Kerry said, "Every American family has to live within their means. Their government should, too. . . Americans are spending $5 billion a month in Iraq, yet there is not a penny to fund the war after December 31. The numbers simply don't add up and the American people deserve better." Kerry pledged he would cut deficit by half, at least, in first term, in part through repeal of Bush tax cuts for wealthier Americans.

JOBS AND OUTSOURCING

Rather than giving American companies tax breaks to outsource Americans' job overseas, President Kerry would have eliminated them.

We know this because he said so repeatedly last year. He said he would eliminate special tax breaks for U.S. companies with overseas subsidiaries. Under current U.S. tax law, U.S. companies with overseas operations can defer paying taxes on income at those operations until they bring the profits back into the U.S.

JOB CREATION

Rather than increasing unemployment, Kerry would have created 10 million jobs in four years.

We know this because Kerry had a solid, realistic plan to do it. As an incentive, he would offer an employer tax credit for new jobs created in manufacturing and other businesses and tax credits to help small and midsized businesses pay for employee health care, which has been blamed for slow job growth.

OPPORTUNITY & EDUCATION

Rather than sitting by many Americans are priced out of college, President Kerry would have made sure that every American who had the skills and desire to go to college could have.

We know this because Kerry had a $3.2 billion community service plan for high school students that would qualify them for the equivalent of their states' four-year public college tuition if they perform two years of national service, and provided a tax credit for every year of college on the first $4,000 paid in tuition.

ETHICS REFORM

Rather than allowing corrupt lobbyists like Jack Abramoff to destroy Americans' faith in government, President Kerry, in his first 100 days in office, would have ended revolving door lobbying.

We know this because John Kerry pledged in the fall of 2003 that as President in his first 100 Days he would issue an executive order to instate a 4-year lobbying ban for Administration officials.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Rather than allow genocide to continue in Darfur, John Kerry would have intervened.

We know this because Kerry said last year, "I believe that the United States and the international community must act immediately to apply effective pressure on the Government of Sudan to rein in its militia proxies and to immediately provide unrestricted access for humanitarian aid and aid workers. We must also act swiftly to initiate negotiations aimed at securing a political settlement to the conflict. And because there is no guarantee that the Sudanese government will relent, we must also start planning now for the possibility that the international community, acting through the United Nations, will be forced to intervene urgently to save the lives of the innocent."

SAFE STREETS

Rather than caving to political pressure and allowing the assault weapons ban to expire, President Kerry would have kept the ban in place. We know this because Kerry's pledges and consistent votes to keep assault weapons off our streets.