Diplomacy Can Work

The
agreement with North Korea, though tentative and fragile, demonstrates
what concerted diplomacy can accomplish, even with a member of the
so-called "Axis of Evil." Note the higher success, shorter time frame
and far lower cost – in both lives and dollars – of this diplomatic
effort compared to any recent military one. Now it’s time to turn our
diplomatic energy toward to Iran and Syria, rather than launching
another fruitless war.

This is the key point that John Edwards has been making and more pointedly made with regard to Iran. As noted in this FOX News article "Edwards Criticizes Bush Administration for Not Dealing Directly With Iran", JRE emphasizes the need for diplomacy is essential to dealing with Iran and in helping to stabilize Iraq. Please read the article for more details, but this points out again, how as President, John Edwards will be certain to use Diplomacy to resolve international issues, without necessarily being weak. One can do both. President Nixon provides a great example of how diplomacy even with your most threatening enemies, as in the case of China, may reap greater rewards than continued threats and posturing.

This is exactly the type of leadership and forethought missing from the White House today.

Healthcare Versus Iraq

JRE needs to keep the focus on Healthcare, particularly in the context of funding the war in Iraq versus funding Universal health. President Bush seeks funding cuts to health care in the current budget. This I can’t believe. Our president can funnel billions of dollars for a war in Iraq where our soldiers can be killed, but he wants to reduce funds at home to help people live. It seems the president has no real concern for the middle class, for the poor and less fortunate people in his own country.

If he does, health-care money should be fully funded. The war in Iraq is costing billions upon billions of dollars. Soon it’ll be in the zillions. There’s no need to cut funding in America when he could cut the funding for the war. Put the well being of the American people first. They are the ones who elected him. This is why John Edwards needs to continue to push his healthcare plan and highlight in contrast to the billiosn being spend on Iraq, on the Iraqi people. American’s should not come second. Iraq is a crisis to Iraqi’s, but healthcare is a crisis in America. That’s where our priority should be.

I also believe that in highlighting this issue, JRE will show the differences between himself and the other candidates. Again, its not about history, its about wanting to lead and to enact positive change. Thats where John Edwards stands out. 

JRE Sparks The Healthcare Reform Fires

On the heels of JRE’s healthcare proposal, mega-corporations like Wal-Mart and AT&T, unions and progressive non-profits have announced a partnership called "Better Health Care Together" to deal with America’s unaffordable health care crisis.

Compromises and negotiations between business and activists have a
strong track record historically. For good or bad, American business is
too big to be left off the political bargaining table. If it works,
BHCT might make a great example of not sacrificing the good for the
perfect.

John Edwards has talked about, has released the basis for a universal plan and illustrates once again that he is on the front end lead and charge of such issues. Contrast that to the other potential candidates who seem to merely react to what JRE has to say. Also contrast his attitude of seeking the Presidency, one built on a desire to lead and enact change to that of the other announced candidates who seek to win and make some sort of historical statement.

Pretty clear who is actually displayed the true characteristics of a leader eh?

Insanity At The White House

I think Americans are the decision-makers, and I believe the last
congressional race has shown what America wants. America wants our
Congress to stop the foreign policy of "the decider." If President Bush
ignores the loud, clear voice of America, then it is time to remove our
failed commander in chief. Sure, the President will spew his usual
hypocritical rhetoric of "support the troops." I have come to
understand that support the troops for Mr. Bush means to send America’s
children to war without the equipment they need to win.

On Jan. 25, the Office of Inspector General at the Department of
Defense issued a report on the "Equipment Status of Deployed Forces
Within the U.S. Central Command" (the executive summary is available
online in the Pressroom section of www.dodig.osd.mil).
I was flabbergasted to read it. Only three sentences into the summary,
we find that America’s bravest have not received the equipment they
need to win the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan because "policy that
assigned Service responsibility for equipping units to perform
nontraditional missions in the U.S. Central Command did not exist."

How out of touch is Mr. Bush? The troops are overextended and
underequipped — and now Mr. Bush is threatening Iran. When will the
insanity stop? As John Edwards as been saying,  it should stop now. I believe supporting the
troops means sending them on a mission with clearly defined goals,
equipping them with what they need and being truthful when explaining
the sacrifices that lie ahead.

Mr. Bush continues the out-of-touch, failed "stay the course" policy
with impunity. Now he is marching us on the road to Tehran with more rhetoric. Just as than Senator Edwards did, I too believed the intelligence on Iraq. However, having said intelligence been proven terribly wrong and perhaps even fabricated, I now believe we serve no good cause in Iraq. We must all stand by our consience and John Edwards calls for redployment of our troops.

God bless America and protect us from our president.

Catch up

Here at GOP4JRE, we are away for the weekend. Howver we will be back and plan on catching up with all that is going on with JRE, the formal Obama announcement and much more. So, in the meantime, have a great weekend.

On an unrelated note, I just signed up for the new AT&T Uverse television and high speed internet service. On average it will save consumers more than $30 per month on television and high speed data services. For too long cable companies have had a stranglehold on consumers, but with the rollout of new services like AT&T Uverse and Verizon Fios, consumer will have be able to make good educated choice when it comes to such services. Its about time, someone broke the monopoly that the greedy cable companies have enjoyed, Related, the email address at GOP4JRE will change in March, after it is installed, We will distribute the new email address at that time!

Have a great weekend!