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John Kerry: just the facts
by Heckraiser
Tuesday, May. 25, 2004 at 9:49 PM
The more people know about John Kerry, the more they like him.
No difference between the candidates? Can Bush claim the record below?
(Note: if you disagree, don't just shout out that there's no difference between parties, have some self-respect and go through this article, providing proof that Bush refused PAC money, and that Bush voted for the Sierra Club position 100% of the time, etc. etc.)
1984 Elected to the US Senate without accepting PAC money. While John Kerry does accept money from lobbyists, mostly for Teachers and Veterans, Kerry does not accept PAC money which is where the vast majority of special interest money comes from. John Kerry becomes a leader of campaign finance reform.
1985 - 1988 Cosponsors Equal Rights Amendment
April 1986 Chairs the Senate subcommittee on the Iran-Contra hearings that investigates US involvement in illegal gun-running and narcotics trafficking in the contra insurgency in Nicaragua.
1987 Cosponsors Civil Rights Restoration Act
1989 Cosponsors "Family and Medical Leave Act.
April 1989 Concludes investigations on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations that exposes the US government's tolerance of drug smuggling under the guise of national security. The committee concluded that US officials "abandoned the responsibility for protecting our citizens from all threats to their security and well-being."
1992 Based on results of earlier investigations into drug trafficking and money laundering of Panamanian President Manuel A. Noriega, Kerry presides over a Senate probe that exposes the fraud, abuse and terrorist financing of the Pakistan-based Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI). Known as the BCCI scandal.
January 1997 Co-sponsors McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Bill to ban "soft money" (unlimited donations from corporations, unions, and individuals) and sham attack ads. Kerry also teams with Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota to present a Clean Money bill.
On the Environment
League of Conservation Voters Lifetime Rating: 96%
"John Kerry is a man whose unparalleled record on environmental issues has earned him an extraordinary lifetime rating from the League of Conservation Voters. . . .This is a man who understands that the 2004 election is about the world we pass on to our children not passing the problems of our world to our children. John Kerry is the candidate...to defeat President Bush, who has compiled the worst environmental record in the history of our nation."
-- Deb Callahan, president of League of Conservation Voters
“They have their Healthy Forests thing; it's a fraud. Clear Skies; it's a fraud. It's all very Orwellian -- remember in 1984 where "war is peace"? That's the Bush environmental policy.” -- John Kerry, October 2003
Kerry's Environmental Record
The Senator was one of the original organizers of the first Earth Day in Massachusetts (in 1970), and chaired the National Earth Day board in 1990. He and Senator Barbara Boxer passed a Senate amendment to impose a moratorium on oil drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf and the West Coast, including California's coastline. The Kerry-Boxer amendment closes a loophole that would have allowed oil companies to drill in environmentally sensitive areas and protects the fishing and tourism industries from being trumped by Big Oil. Kerry co-sponsored Senator Lincoln Chafee’s Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act of 2000, a bipartisan bill providing national brownfields cleanup and redevelopment in urban areas. This legislation expands tax incentives for federal brownfields coverage and places brownfields revitalization in a special attention category separate from Superfund. The goal is to stimulate the economies of these communities by attracting new residents and businesses partially through brownfields improvements.
Along with Senator Joe Biden, Kerry sponsored a State Department bill amendment that addressed the issue of global climate change by mandating the Bush Administration to engage in international environmental renegotiations and to work toward revising Kyoto Protocol. This amendment would promote shared international responsibility from all major world powers in preventing the acceleration of global warming.
The Sierra Club has publicly commended Kerry for his environmental record, stating that, "there is no stronger advocate in the Senate for environmental protection than John Kerry."
He and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) brokered a bipartisan compromise to propose increasing fuel-efficiency standards by 50%, with a goal to reach a fuel economy average of 36 miles per gallon by the year 2015.
Kerry chaired a governor's task force on acid rain as lieutenant governor and developed a national platform to address the problem. He’s rewritten fishery laws, marine mammal protection laws, plastic pollution laws, flood insurance protection laws, and coastal-zone management laws. He also took the lead on tuna/dolphin safety issues and on banning driftnet fishing. Kerry led the fight to stop Newt Gingrich from attacking the Clean Air and Clean Water acts in 1996, and the effort in the Senate to stop the drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. He also put together the first-ever sustainable development conference in Asia. Kerry’s Environmental Agenda
Kerry has said he would set up a toxic task force with the EPA, designating environmental empowerment zones for the most hazardous areas to receive federal priority. Through Kerry's Conservation Covenant, royalties from resource extraction will be reinvested and redirected into national conservation and protection efforts. He will develop a tracking system for chronic diseases that stem from pollutants, and will plug loopholes in the clean air laws after rolling back Bush's environmental deregulation. Other facets of Kerry's environmental plan involve water restoration for freshwater lakes, riverfronts, and lakefronts, as well as the removal of tax incentives related to urban sprawl. He will authorize full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, to be put toward the improvement of urban parks and recreation efforts. John Kerry's energy plan includes a new Manhatten Project to make America independent of Middle Eastern oil in 10 years by fostering alternative fuels such as ethanol while making cars more efficient. The Manhatten Project will create 500,000 U.S.-based jobs in energy production. He also plans to make 20% of electricity come from alternative (non-oil) energy sources by 2020, along with some integration of hydrogen-based energy by 2020. He will make natural gas more affordable for Americans through the North American Energy Partnership, and will close a current loophole that allows luxury cars to receive tax deductions of up to $100,000.
Kerry has vowed to filibuster any attempt made by President Bush to open oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Senator Kerry has endorsed a Strategic Energy Initiative to target the private sector with incentives for the exploration of domestic and alternative energy sources. Approximately $16 billion in tax credits would be allocated for domestic oil production and development of alternative fuels. Experts predict this proposal could reduce American dependency on foreign oil by an estimated 1 million to 3 million of barrels per day. Tax incentives would be given to manufacturers producing fuel-efficient vehicles that utilize domestic biofuels and clean-burning fuel cell technology, as well as to investors of such technology.
In advocating a 20% national increase goal of converting to alternative energy vehicle technology, Kerry points to the billions of dollars in net growth accumulated by companies such as Honda, Shell, Toyota, BP, Ford, and Chevron when applying renewable resources ranging from electric to natural gas to solar to biomass to wind-based to fuel cell power when producing trucks, minivans, cars, and SUVs. This research has shown us that more jobs can be created from renewable fuels than from non-renewable fossil fuels, so consequently, an increase in renewable energy for the American auto industry will be both economically and environmentally advantageous.
Kerry has outlined a six-point plan:
1. A new and permanent commitment to “Green and Clean Communities.” He will fight for “Green and Clean Communities” by removing the threat of toxics from our communities, reinvigorating the Superfund cleanup program, improving our parks, and taking on traffic congestion and sprawl.
2. A new “Conservation Covenant” with America to protect and restore our nation’s Parks, lands, and other treasures for the benefit of future generations.
3. Protecting our Health by Reducing Dangerous Air Emissions. As President, John Kerry will immediately reverse the Bush-Cheney rollbacks of our nation’s Clean Air laws.
4. A new “Restoring America’s Waters” Campaign to clean up our nation’s waters, protect communities’ fresh water supplies, and help communities reclaim their riverfronts and lake-fronts as new centers of economic growth.
5. Reasserting American leadership in the international community to tackle climate change and other key global environmental challenges.
6. A new energy economy that will reassert American energy independence and power job growth and environmental improvement.
Kerry’s Voting Record: The Environment
2001-2002 On the votes that the League of Conservation Voters considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 92 percent of the time.
2002 On the votes that the Sierra Club considered to be most important in 2002 Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.
2001 On the votes that the Sierra Club considered to be most important in 2002 Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.
2001-2002 On the votes that the National Parks Consevation Association considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.
1999-2000 On the votes that the League of Conservation Voters considered to be the most important in 1999-2000, Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 94 percent of the time.
1999-2000 On the votes that the American Lands Alliance considered to be the most important in 1999-2000, Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.
Kerry has voted to limit subsidies that benefit farm conglomerates.
Kerry’s Economic Plan
He will eliminate Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
Kerry will tighten restrictions and close loopholes in the tax code, so that corporations are no longer able to move offshore to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. He will hold a balanced budget summit to bring Republicans and Democrats together to map out a plan for economic recovery.
Kerry has proposed a "payroll tax holiday," exempting the first $10,000 of one's income from being subject to a Social Security tax. According to Kerry, this will target tax relief on the middle-class and lower-class by giving every worker a $765 tax cut and doubling that to $1,530 for every two-income household. He also wants to raise the minimum wage along with the Earned Income Tax Credit, so that non-Welfare working-class families receive tax deductions. Senator Kerry has suggested the formation of a job creation tax credit for employers who institute new positions.
Expand Opportunities for Minority and Women Owned Businesses
Kerry will support and expand the federal programs that assist minority and women owned businesses to form and grow and will use the power of the federal government to eliminate the discrimination that threatens their success. Kerry would also increase the percentage of federal government contracts that are awarded to small businesses.
Protecting American Workers
Kerry will require companies to inform affected workers, the Department of Labor, state agencies responsible for helping laid off employees, and local government officials; and Kerry will require companies to provide employees at least 3 months advance notice. He make sure the Federal government does not give lucrative contracts to companies that have a record of accounting fraud – like WorldCom – or are moving offshore. Kerry believes a “consumer’s right to know” system should be put into place that will require companies that have moved jobs overseas to identify where they are calling consumers from (i.e. India, Vietnam). And finally, to end every single tax credit that gives corporations breaks for moving jobs offshore.
Kerry’s Voting Record: Economic Policy
2002 According to the National Journal - Liberal on Economic Policy's calculations, in 2002, Senator Kerry voted more liberal on economic policy issues than 95 percent of the Senators.
2002 On the votes that the Americans for Democratic Action (liberal organization) considered to be the most important in 2002, Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 85 percent of the time.
2001 On the votes that the Americans for Democratic Action considered to be the most important in 2001, Senator Kerry voted their preferred position 95 percent of the time.
www.johnkerry.com/signup/volunteer.html
HAWAII ENENKIO NATIONS
by ROBERT MOORE M P
Saturday, Aug. 21, 2004 at 11:29 AM
enenkio@enenkio.org 1 808 944-3088 fax/ph. 817 PAANI ST.
BUSH CREWS DIS-HONEST GOV. HAWAIIANS & ENENKIO NATION KINGDOMS) NATIONAL S T I N G OR SCAMS UNDER ALL ITS NAMES, QUATLOOS ect. SELL FEAR TO GET YOU TO RESPOND, GET ANY LEGAL FEES THEY CAN. THEN THEY TURN YOU IN FOR FOR PART OF YOUR M O N E Y see(quatloos.com) A STING WITH THERE PARTNERS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ITS S P O O K S OR AGENTS.... - Government Bond Program - The EnenKio Gold Bond Program Overview The Kingdom of EnenKio has implemented distribution of government development bonds, as bearer's instruments in friendly nations, backed by gold reserves, guarantees, real property or other assets. Use of bond capital, US$200 million per atoll, is to begin developing each of 5 King's atolls in the Marshall Islands, by way of joint ventures with the Remios Hermios Eleemosynary Trust (RHET), which will provide free or subsidized services to both residents and consumers, as briefly outlined below: Atoll Infrastructure Land ? Atolls to be developed are subdivided into wetos or segments radiating from a central point in the lagoon and further into plots. Each plot sold or leased is delivered with title and title insurance. Landowners receive proportional compensation for use of land developed within their weto. (Based on 10,000 units) Systems - All systems will employ affordable innovative technologies for simplicity, environmental sustainability and efficiency. The utmost care is exercised to preserve the current pristine nature of the landscape. Building systems shall make use of custom prefab wall systems, recycled materials and coconut lumber laminates made on site. Water retrieval involves numerous drilled wells and pumps linked on all islands to a circular underground distribution and processing system. Sewage systems are buried in the lagoon, have access to every island and terminate in 4 deep ocean out falls. Selective management on the basis of ocean currents and tides controls discharge of residue. Treatment is minimal accomplished primarily at points of origination using "dry" toilets and subsequent pulverization. Gray water is treated and used in agriculture. Power systems incorporate electricity, cable and phone lines bundled and accessible to every island. (Based on 20,000 units) Transportation ?100 electric trucks mobilize land transport without a fee. Both high-speed surface watercraft and amphibian Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft are employed for passengers and cargo; larger craft serve inter-atoll and international needs. 5 ocean tugs and barges provide service and support, such as container off-loading and towing duties. Medical ? Professional services, remedial care, emergency medical services, paramedic training and search and rescue are provided by 5 hospital ships and 5 air ambulances (VTOL aircraft). Projects Floating Hotel ? A turnkey 200-suite hotel ("Embassy Suites" quality) is moored in the lagoon of the atoll where the King resides. Services include restaurants, casino, ballrooms, shopping and craft shops. The lower level provides for parking, storage, mechanical and maintenance spaces. A dock system accommodating 200 boats and yachts to 100 feet is attached. Visiting yachts receive use of an electric car, power, TV, phone cable and security for a respectable well-below-market price. The whole structure rides on the tides. Fishing Fleet ? A fleet of 100 fishing boats will offload their catch at 5 shore-based processing plants, each with a different end product. Fuel Oil Production ? 25 portable copra gins will produce oils, fuels and other products for consumption, power, filtration and storage, such as barrels, using existing natural raw materials. Coconut Lumber ? 25 semi-portable mills will produce laminate lumber, chips and wood for construction. Harvesting older non-productive trees will require planting new-variety coconut trees on a one-for-one basis. Docks ? An average of 20 floating dock systems will be placed in each of 5 lagoons., residential or business units may be attached to dock for access to land and water transports. These dock systems form central distribution points for services and are linked by intra-atoll electric transports. 5 municipal centers will facilitate access to administrative services and provide chambers for local council meetings. Communications ? Wherever power is supplied, cable and lines will permit electronic data and voice access to the global community. A satellite telecommunications station for each of 5 atolls will provide around-the-clock connectivity. Bond Sample Disclaimer and Notice to Bearer (printed on the reverse face of bonds) This instrument is issued under authority of the Executive Council, by Royal Commission, Government of the Kingdom of EnenKio. Bearer, by lawful possession, agrees to and accepts all conditions, risks, provisions and terms, whether expressed or implied, that apply to acquisition, possession and redemption hereof. Bearer is advised that laws of the country in which bearer takes or negotiates possession hereof may apply to this instrument or to any subsequent transaction herewith; such laws of any said country, whether expressed or implied, shall not subject issuer to its jurisdiction thereby. All lawful exchanges hereof are considered by issuer to be "offshore transactions", as such term is generally understood in the international marketplace. Issuer does not warrant merchantability or market value hereof. Issuer does not insure this instrument or indemnify bearer hereof. Issuer keeps no record respecting identity of original purchaser. Bearer is advised to take every appropriate action necessary to protect or safeguard this instrument. Bearer is further advised that, respecting this printed instrument, the (1) actual value is negligible; (2) market value is not set or determined by issuer and may fluctuate without notice; (3) face (par) value is set as a fixed denomination of the prescribed precious metal bullion, in the measure inscribed, whereupon bearer assumes all risk as to trading or merchantable value, if any. Other conditions or terms may apply hereto without notice; bearer hereby acknowledges the responsibility to contact issuer for the most current information respecting obligations and duties of issuer, any authorized distributor or trustee of this instrument or the particulars of any program or project for which proceeds of this issue are designated. Interest ? the nominal yield of this zero-coupon instrument is fixed at TEN PERCENT per annum, non-prorated, compounded and computed upon face (par) value. The Periodic Net Value (PNV) is determined only at each respective anniversary date subsequent to date of issuance affixed hereto. The chart below shows computed yield of Periodic Net Value per 100 units of par value. Each calculation of interest is rounded to TWO decimal places prior to compounding any subsequent anniversary PNV. Year Interest Rate (%) Interest per 100 units Periodic Net Value 1 10.0 10.00 110.00 2 10.0 11.00 121.00 3 10.0 12.10 133.10 4 10.0 13.31 146.41 5 10.0 14.64 161.05 Calculations: Compounded Par Value (CPV) is determined by multiplying the product of par value divided by 100, times Periodic Net Value. To find actual value, use the formula CPV x gold (Au) price. For example, if bond's par value is 300 Troy oz. gold, CPV (year 4) is 3 x 146.41 = 439.23 Troy oz. gold. Additional Terms of Indenture This instrument matures and becomes fully redeemable by issuer at a place to be designated thereby on the FIFTH anniversary date subsequent to date of issuance affixed hereto, which date is permanently inscribed in the space provided below. No redemption prior to that date is authorized by issuer and NO interest shall be payable by issuer at any time prior to the FIFTH anniversary date hereof. Interest shall continue to accrue in the manner described above until redemption by bearer or until issuer calls for redemption of all outstanding instruments issued in the series. Bearer, by possession hereof, accepts all and full responsibility to contact issuer or obtain the most current information from issuer, or authorized agent thereof, respecting redemption policies, schedules and locations. Bearer upon redemption must surrender this instrument in marketable condition and is entitled to be paid, in units of any internationally traded currency of choice or in precious metal bullion, in the amount of Compounded Par Value, less applicable exchange fees. Payment of interest is not prorated over any interval between anniversary dates; only the accrued amount, calculated as of the anniversary date immediately prior to redemption shall be the Redemption Value upon which payment is computed. Additional terms or conditions may become applicable during the term to enhance the value hereof; however, bearer is advised that this instrument, at issuance, is not rated. Also see: National Liberation Program http://www.enenkio.org Robert Moore, Minister Plenipotentiary, Kingdom of EnenKio Foreign Trade Mission DO-MO-CO Manager, Remios Hermios Eleemosynary Trust, Majuro, Marshall Islands http://www.enenkio.org - 1 808 944-3088 fax/phone
www.enenkio.org
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