2 Pieces of News

EVENT: CONNOR

THE FLINT JOURNAL PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT

The Flint Journal endorsed Kerry, which is good, although they've written the wimpiest nomination I've ever read for any candidate in any periodical.

First, they outline Bush's achievements, with some qualifications... their praise touches upon the ousting of the Taliban, No Child Left Behind, the introduction of Homeland Security, and one of the most incomprehensive paragraphs I've ever encountered in a newspaper, regarding the war in Iraq:

History will judge whether Iraq should have been included in this terror war, but it's certainly part of it now. With no weapons of mass destruction found, it's easy in hindsight to say there was no justification. But with Saddam Hussein's record of defiance, the case was strong at the time. At least with Saddam in custody, he's no threat to re-start those weapons programs. And an Arab country has the opportunity to develop a free and open society, which could spark changes throughout the Middle East.

I personally disagree with all of their main assertions, and the second... that we are now safe from Hussein developing WMD's in the future... seems justified more by the wish to express themselves in threes than from any actual evidence.

The Journal goes on to outline Bush's failures, again, with qualifications: the problems with the war in Iraq, the irrisponsibility of wartime tax cuts, and the health care crisis. They are tongue-tied on Iraq, which surprises me, but more powerful discussing taxes and health care:

Taxes were cut irresponsibly as the deficit soared. Bush should have asked Congress to rescind some of those cuts, especially for high earners. He also could have vetoes pork-barrel spending. Doing neither showed he cared more eabout his political base than the country's well-being. We now have the largest deficit/debt ever. Clearly, the recession he inherited and a costly war contributed, but Bush's budgetary recklessness has created a fiscal debacle.

The health care crisis has not been seriously addressed. With the rising cost of medical benefits, U.S. employers hesitate to hire workers and are always lookng for cheaper places to do business. A determined president could make a difference in this area. Indeed, only with a national approach can we reduce health care costs in a comprehensive way and provide coverage for the 45 million uninsured.

Including the author of this blog.
Finally, they conclude:

Bush, who turned out to be more conservative than compassionate and who has made the nation even more divided, must be held accountable for these failings. John Kerry is the only serious alternative to four more years of this flawed presidency. We are putting our faith in his potential to do better.

And there it is. The endorsement seems almost entirely based on Bush's flaws and not Kerry's strengths. Sometimes, it isn't even clear what the editorial's saying. I suspect there was dissent in the cutting room. Maybe the Bush administration should be targeting the Journal for flip-flopping.

Still, an endorsement from the main rag in the town that birthed the UAW and GM will be an asset to Kerry disproportionate to Flint's size and the Journal's circulation.

They Flint Journal endorsed Bush in 2000.

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BASEBALL

We're three games away from Nader winning the election.

~ Connor