convince me to support Al Gore

[welshTerrier2]

I like Al Gore. I'm on a waiting list for his new book at my local library. I've seen many of his speeches. I was especially impressed with the speeches he did for MoveOn. Bottom line: I like the guy. I think his efforts on global warming have been nothing short of heroic. It demonstrates real leadership on a critical issue. The thing is, though, I haven't heard him address my big three issues which really could be viewed as one single issue.

I divide the world up into good guys and bad guys. Good guys are easy to define. Whether I agree with them or not on how to achieve it, they seek a better world for everyone. They believe in simple right and wrong. They don't put themselves first; they put the best interests of society first. Again, we might disagree on how to go about that or whether a given policy helps or hurts, but, in the end, our objectives are the same. Those are the good guys.

The bad guys embody selfishness. They are determined to acquire as much money and power as they possibly can solely so that they can acquire even more money and power. They talk about their sacred free markets but mean only that the winners (them) will win and the losers should not be able to put any restrictions of any kind on them. Free markets to them means free of any obligation to society. Those are the bad guys.

There are three key policy issues I focus on. I see them as everything because they are sucking the life out of this country. I don't dismiss important issues like health care and education but I believe my "everything" issues trump any other policies or considerations you might offer. I say this because I do not believe citizens have any power the way our institutions are currently being run and manipulated for the gain of very few. We will never build a better society unless we understand the utter corruption of our democracy. We either have power to compel our government to act in the best interests of society or we do not. Any marginal progress made without having meaningful power is merely illusion. Just as it is given as an appeasement, so can it be taken away.

So, here are the issues:
1. public financing of campaigns
2. ending our imperial foreign policy
3. curtailing the against-the-people impact of globalization.

All three of those issues are, in one sense, the same issue. Corporations, which of course seek only to maximize profit and don't give a damn about you or anybody else, are in control of our government. Big money has poisoned our democracy. For me, all others issues are secondary. It's not that they are less important; it's that if change is to occur the three issues I listed must precede all the others.

So, those are my priorities. The problem is, I can't really determine how Al Gore addresses these concerns. I read Gore's article last week about putting an end to the goal of "global domination." But in that article, he blamed bush rather than the long-term entrenched policy of US imperialism. Corporations have been spewing their evil in this country for more than a hundred years. Blaming bush is fine; it's not fine if when bush is out of office the perception is that the problem is magically solved.

Al was against invading Iraq. That was great. But now what? I just haven't heard a clear call from him on what should be done next. And I certainly haven't heard him raise the issue of what should be done to protect Iraqi oil from predatory global corporations. That's a real concern. If, as we finally get the hell out of Iraq, the big money boys are allowed to "win their prize", what message will we have sent them for the next invasion and the next and the one after that? This "spoils of war" business is a really big deal. If bush gets his OIL LAW, he's going to declare victory, prove how reasonable he can be, and withdraw most of the troops. Democrats will look like whining fools. Has Gore talked about protecting Iraqi oil for the sole benefit of the Iraqi people?

So, those are my issues. That's my politics in a nut shell. I'm open to a Gore candidacy if I can be convinced a Gore presidency would address the real issues. I'm really pretty much nowhere with the Democratic Party right now. If you're looking to add another Gore supporter, make your case. I truly hope you can convince me.