convince me to support Al Gore

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.

:rofl:

the 1998 card shows him as a VP in Clinton's pro-globalization administration. I'm hoping Al has disassociated himself from that.

I'll give you a Yogi Berra rookie year card and a team photo of the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals for a more recent Gore card.

I haven't finished it yet but he does address the ever increasing power of the corporations and the mess its made of our economy.

He does address the constant campaigning required by candidates that causes them to miss key debates in Congress as well as issues of diverted loyalties between lobbyists and constituents.

I haven't read yet about globalization - but I bet he will get to that too.

looking forward to reading it.

i've seen many Gore interviews and I'm always left with the feeling that there's something good going on there but I can't quite get to where it's tangible.

you are looking for then. Seems the publicans can't say enough bad things about it being too smart for us little people to read. Ha. Gore frames the whole * admin succinctly, places it in historical context, lists concerns over the many failures * has had in foreign and domestic policy AND has promised ways to revive our Constitution and our American democracy in the last chapter.

It is written in a concise, easy-to-read manner - doesn't talk down to the reader but references events and ideas we all should know from our high school govt classes. He has injected humor where its appropriate and some of its self-deprecating - which is great.

I would have been happy with a president who can read and write a sensible paragraph but to have him - we would be so blessed to have him if he agrees to it.

I am about 100 pages into his book and am convinced that if we were to have someone of his deep understanding be our President, we would have a renaissance of democracy starting here in 2009.

edit: oops, had the renaissance starting a year early in 2008. Wishful thinking!

I just love that phrase ... I write on DU all the time about restoring our democracy. I know Gore has been focusing on that during his recent book tour and I think that's great. The question I still have is, how does he say we get there from here?

many speak about empowering citizens or "democracy imposes an obligation for us to be informed" or "good governance can't happen without YOU" or all the other pep talk stuff ... that's all fine as far as it goes ... but there really is a corporate stranglehold on our democracy. politicians are afraid to talk about it because their source of funding would be shut-off. the whole military-industrial-congressional complex needs to be outed and destroyed.

i've read Confessions of an Economic Hitman and The Sorrows of Empire. both books clearly show how our entire foreign policy is controlled by and for the sole benefit of private commercial interests. we send our military overseas to die for their greedy objectives. who will stand up to that? who will lay that before the American people? without a very bright spotlight and someone with the courage and power to wield it, nothing, absolutely nothing, will ever change.

I appreciate your confidence in Gore. I hope I arrive at the same place after reading his book.

will give us an idea of how he thinks the people can become engaged in the democratic process again. He posits that it has veered away from a two-way conversation between people and their reps starting way back when radio was introduced and television has just made it more a one-way conversation since 1963.

My bet, and again I haven't finished reading it entirely, is that his solution will include the internet in some fashion as it does provide that two-way communication link between us and our reps in Washington and/or in our state govt.

Why don't you consider Dennis Kucinich who has the advantage of being an actual candidate?

If you don't like my guy Dennis, how 'bout Obama or Edwards? They seems like specularly strong candidates.

and I might very well do so again next year. i started this thread because there seems to be overwhelming support for Gore on DU and I thought perhaps his supporters could make a case for him on the issues I raised. I was hoping to put some substance behind all the hero worship.

right now, I'm very likely to vote for, and perhaps work for, Kucinich next year. I'm not likely to vote for Obama or Edwards although I do need to learn more about both of them.

many of your questions will be answered as to why you should vote for Al Gore.

i used to have an Uncle Joe. he was the coolest guy with a great sense of humor. and so, it's always nice to see your username pop up on DU.

i hope you're right about Gore's book, Uncle Joe. I listen to Gore whenever I can but he hasn't convinced me that he's willing to go head to head with Big Money in the great battle to restore our democracy. For me, that's what it's all about.

on the other hand, i've heard Gore speaking about basic issues like good citizenship and fundamental democracy. that might sound corny to some; i find it inspirational. the test of course is not just in saying it but in having a real plan and the courage to actually do what needs to be done.

with Gore, that's the missing piece I'm hoping to find. without it, it's just pretty words. i'll get back to you when i read his book. the waiting list i'm on is pretty long so it might be a while ...

I'm an uncle, my name is Joe and I like Bob Seger, and just for the record in case anyone's wondering Stalin can burn in hell.:)

Regarding Al Gore, If you find good citizenship and fundamental democracy inspirational, you will be inspired, I would suggest having a handkerchief ready, and warn people around you, that your reading this book so when you jump and scream with ecstasy, you don't startle them.

However if the book is not enough of a fix for your democratic needs, you can call

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/1/14416/00726

1-900-RUN-GORE $3.95/minute
by Zackpunk

"Fri Jun 01, 2007 at 11:41:06 AM PDT

Gore: You've reached 1-900-RUN-GORE, where all your political fantasies come true.

Me: Hi. I... I've never really called one of these things before.

Gore: But you've wanted to for a long time, right?

Me: Yeah. I've been thinking about you. A lot. Is this really Al Gore?

Gore: (Pause.) Yes. Yes, it is.

Me: I guess you kind of sound like him.

Gore: Did you know that the energy being used to power this call is coming from wind turbines?

Me: That's incredible. That's exactly the kind of thing I've been wanting to hear."

<snip>

were you the one afraid to "cut the cake"?

what's weird about that Firelake song is that my Uncle Joe's mother's name (my grandmother) was Sarah.

thanks for the link ...

been afraid to cut the cake.:scared:

doing. refusing to play the media games. he does not spew talking points, and he does not cower in fear that the media is going to smear him for telling the truth. don't you wish we had more candidates that could do this?
he is also putting his money where his mouth is with current tv. it is not so much how much money there is in the game, as what it buys. 30 second tv spots, which al is pounding on, imho, are bribes to the media. so, throwing taxpayer money at them is not going to fix that problem. al says the problem is that information/media is only flowing one way. although the internets are helping that, something needs to be done about the distortion of the democratic process that is happening. so, i think he has a deeper understanding of the problem that the simple solution of taxpayer funding.
as far as the other 2 items, al knows that the only way to save the planet is to change the way everyone does business. rolling back corporate power is an essential part of that. i think al knows better than anyone what that takes, and how hard it will be.
read the book. i am not quite done, but i tell you what- i loved him before i opened it. now, i am ready to put my kids in foster care, and sell 'bout everything that i own to see him elected. he sees the big picture, and he is smart enough to know what to do with it.

thank you ... i greatly appreciate what you said. it will influence me to dig further.