Here is my long-awaited or recently forgotten response to my Mother-In-Law, a woman I'll call Sandy, because that
is her name. Here is the original diary if you're
wondering. Here's the e-mail I formulated with Kossack help:
The Supreme Court: John Kerry will have the chance to appoint 1, or 2 (perhaps more) Supreme Court justices, and a new Chief Justice. That means many, many different issues, including the right to choose for women.
Remember she's not a policy wonk in the least...
...And it continues:
The environment: John Kerry will protect the environment from interests that would poke holes in the ground (oil and gas drillers in the west), shave it off (clear cutters) or dirty it up (big polluters). Bush has allowed companies to pay off mercury pollution. If you are wondering how this will affect your life, think about tuna restrictions for women and children. He is for voluntary restrictions, which in reality would mean one or two companies would actually volunteer. Sometimes as President of the United States you have to compel people and companies to do things they don't want to do. As Devin, a Democrat compatriot said, "At every point, when Bush has had to choose between his big corporate donors and protecting public health through environmental regulations, Bush has chosen business."
The War in Iraq: John Kerry voted with the president, true. But he would have (if we are to believe him) continued with inspections. Guess what, there were no weapons and now we are in a quagmire. 51 soldiers were killed in March alone. Bush promised to be a "humble partner" with other countries. He has not delivered. I believe that Kerry's foreign policy will be similar to Bill Clinton's. Clinton went into Kosovo (the Republicans shafted him) yet not one American soldier was killed and we kicked out a nasty dictator. Not bad.
In the end it is difficult to separate a pro-Kerry feeling with the desire to rid ourselves of this president. After 9/11 we had the sympathy and support of the World. But we blew it in a fit of supreme arrogance. I am pro-Kerry. I recently contributed some money to his campaign, yet all George Bush has to do is show up for a $1000 a plate dinner and it makes small contributers look like small change. We just need to start afresh, with a new group and get rid of the cast of characters (Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Wolfowitz, Ashcroft, etc.). Yes Clinton had failings, but can we honestly say that he was bad compared to Bush?
Kerry is not perfect, but show me the politician who is.... He is pro-choice, pro-environment, and pro-lower taxes for the middle class (you & me!). Thanks and I hope this helped you make a decision.