A Letter to John Kerry

Dear John

By: Toby Vest

"The Bush administration's macho posturing has only created more negativity toward America and its people. America and its politicians must be willing to admit culpability in allowing this administration to, as Jimmy Carter said, "squander the good will" America received after 9/11."

Let me begin by extending my congratulations on your acceptance of the nomination as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the presidency of the United States. Witnessing this week's excitement at the Democratic National Convention is a testament to your and Senator Edward’s ability to defeat President Bush in the November election. Every speaker at the convention was eloquent and moving, especially speeches from Barack Obama, Rev. Sharpton, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. Your own speech, as well as Senator Edwards’, were among the best addresses I’ve seen in quite sometime.

Obviously, the comparison to make is to Clinton's speech at the '92 convention or possibly to Jimmy Carter's speech in '76. But regardless of the past, the energy created in the convention hall , for myself and several friends watching at home, is proof of the revitalization in belief that we can salvage the wreckage of the last four years.

Congratulations and compliments aside, I must remind you that for the sake of our country you can not rest on this speech as a lynch pin of your campaign. Surely the Bush boys are calculating a plan of attack at this very moment and you must be ready or be prepared to fall to the wayside come November. Words only linger with the public for so long; therefore, you must continue to be positively aggressive in attacking not only the policies of the Bush administration but also the ideology of the Republican Party just as you did in your convention speech.

In your speech, you succeeded in turning every Republican ideal and belief into a Democratic one. Truly brilliant, especially the lines about how we shouldn't say God is on our side, we should hope to be on God's side. Perfectly stated Senator, for we as Americans can not allow one party to claim righteousness over the other or over countries around the world. Faith is the basis of our values and beliefs and nothing in the last four years suggests to me that the president and his cronies have an understanding what faith truly is. In confronting them in this manner, you have hopefully managed to disengage the idea of God and religion as a factor from this election process because religion should be a choice not an over wrought virtue that our leaders cling to in order to rally support and secure votes.

In this same respect, you created the same situation in terms of the Bush administration's idea of patriotism, which seems to be a call for blind acceptance of anything the government wants to do. This, unfortunately, completely contradicts the basic tenants of patriotism and it is a travesty that not only has the president and his administration espoused this view but that it has also been championed by media pundits across the United States. And as you also said in your speech, the American flag and what it represents is not the sole property of one party but is the property of the American people and hopefully, the Republicans failure to recognize this fact will lead to their down fall.

That said, I have some questions and cautions for you concerning the policy content of your speech. First, all of the majority of your ideas sound good in the midst of a visceral send up to Democrats already in your corner but how is it possible to reduce the deficit and balance the budget while creating a universal health care system, increasing military and home defense spending, instituting education reforms, and among other things, remaining involved in Iraq? The optimist in me believes in you and your plan but you will have to be prepared to answer these same questions from Republicans and as I’m sure you know, they will not ask as nicely as I just did.

Secondly, you must remember to avoiding sketchy political maneuvering in the next 90 days. The republicans are coming after you as a flip-flopper and you can not give them more ammunition than they feel they already have. People are likely to forget holes and mistakes in your voting record as long as you don't waver in the coming days. More than anything, tell the truth and don't dance around questions because that is what the Republicans do. Rhetoric will not help you now. The time for empty words is over. If you don't believe me, just ask George McGovern.

In all honesty, Senator Kerry, you have chosen to run for the highest office in the world at a time when the world needs new leaders. Many fail to realize the war on Terrorism is not the Cold War and the former Reagan/Bush Administration cronies have no place in the structuring of a world that could be destroyed by enemies of their own creation. America is not safer now than before 9/11. The Bush administrations macho posturing has only created more negativity toward America and its people. America and its politicians must be willing to admit culpability in allowing this administration to, as Jimmy Carter said, "squander the good will" America received after 9/11.

True change can only be created by admitting that we might have been wrong in the past. As a Vietnam vet, you surely understand this more than even I can comprehend so I will end here. But please remember the words of President Carter this week at the convention when he called this election a battle for the soul of America because if we forget the gravity of this election, the Bush boys will auction off the soul of America for a buck-fifty and gallon of gas.

Thanks for your time and never back down.

Sincerely,

Toby Vest