No Excuses: The Case for John Kerry

Here are a few reasons that John Kerry will be elected President on Nov. 2: 140 Harvard students made 10,000 phone calls in two hours for New Mexico; nearly 100 Harvard students campaigned in New Hampshire in the span of two weeks; nearly a third of the freshman class signed up to volunteer for John Kerry. Although we would love to give Harvard Democrats the credit, the truth is that this level of activism can be seen throughout the country.

While the national polls show a close race, with Kerry and Bush only a couple points from each other, there are other signs that reveal John Kerry’s tremendous support. Recent news articles have highlighted the amazing Democratic voter registration drives that have occurred in swing states, and major absentee voting pushes have ensured thousands of mail-in votes for Kerry in crucial states. Americans are sick and tired of a president with no answers, only excuses. From first time political volunteers to new voters, John Kerry is riding a new wave of political activism in America. As Harvard Democrats, we know there are no excuses for the failed Presidency of George W. Bush, and that there are no excuses not to volunteer for John Kerry this fall.

The passion for Kerry begins with America’s challenges at home: Kerry’s domestic policies—both in scope and viability—are tremendously more convincing solutions to our domestic woes than Bush’s façade of empty promises. Kerry’s economic plan emphasizes middle class tax cuts, deficit reduction, and a focus on those who most need our attention. His healthcare and jobs plans both emphasize personal choice, but also a dedication to aiding those who have been forgotten over the last four years—the unemployed and the uninsured. A vote for Kerry is a vote for opportunity for every American.

But, alas, you won’t be able to hear about the striking difference between Kerry and Bush on domestic policy at tonight’s debate because it focuses only on foreign policy: an arena in which the importance of electing John Kerry is most apparent. The first step in fighting any war is to acknowledge the facts on the ground. The fact is that Iraq is in dire peril and the security situation could not even be considered stable, much less conducive to the elections planned for January. President Bush botched the aftermath of the Iraq invasion, and yet he continues to promulgate the fiction that the war is going well, despite the stubborn facts.

John Kerry accepts the grim facts about Iraq, but he also has real solutions to turn the situation around. As Kerry said in his speech last week in Philadelphia, “just because [President Bush] can’t do it, doesn’t mean it can’t be done.” John Kerry has the experience and judgment to fix the mess in Iraq and restore respect for America in the world. John Kerry, despite the claims of the Bush propaganda machine, has not been wobbly on the war. He voted to give the President authorization to go to Iraq because Bush promised to let the inspectors do their job, form a real coalition (right now America is bearing 90% of the costs and casualties), and plan for the aftermath. President Bush broke all of these promises to John Kerry and to the American people. A Kerry administration would never be so rash and misleading.

John Kerry believes in leading America into a renewed era of global leadership. While George W. Bush believes that the nations in the world offer very little to us in terms of American safety and security, John Kerry understands that the only way to fight a global war on terror is to have a global network of law enforcement and intelligence officials. Many of the victories in the War on Terror have come due to the cooperation of other nations, and specifically with their local law enforcement. John Kerry understands that while major deployments of American troops may sometimes be necessary (as in Tora Bora, where Bush let Afghan troops allow Al Qaeda and the Taliban to escape), real success can only be achieved through increasing global cooperation.

John Kerry has nineteen years of experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his skills in balancing American interests with diplomacy are vital for our future. John Kerry will be able to build the alliances that George Bush could not because he is in tune with the nuances of international relations. John Kerry has a solid plan to rid us of dependence on Middle Eastern oil, so that we can begin to make real changes to our policy in that region. John Kerry, when elected, will update our foreign policy—bring it in tune with the realities of our world, not the fantasies of Bush’s rhetoric.

We know that the stark contrast between Kerry and Bush will be evident at tonight’s debate. Kerry will offer real solutions; Bush will only offer excuses, empty promises, and misleading attacks. You can watch for yourself on the big screen at 9:00 PM tonight at the JFK Jr. Forum for the IOP’s Debate-Watch. We hope you consider the choice in this election, and pledge your time to John Kerry and a progressive future. Sign up today at www.harvarddems.com. There are no excuses.

Andy Frank ’05 is an Environmental Science and Public Policy Concentrator in Lowell House. Tom McSorley ‘06 is a Government Concentrator in Adams House. They are President and Legislative Director, respectively, of the Harvard College Democrats.