John Kerry's global test
The first presidental debates have occured and John Kerry has left us with a gem.
Jim Lehrer asked Mr. Kerry to state his position on preemptive war. John Kerry answered with this.
"No president, through all of American history, has ever ceded, and nor would I, the right to preempt in any way necessary to protect the United States of America. But if and when I do it, Jim, you have to do it in a way that passes the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons."
John Kerry states first he will not cede the right to use preemption as a necessary way to protect the United States of America but he will test any preemption against a "GLOBAL TEST". That we must first prove to the world that it is for legitimate reasons.
I have a couple of questions regarding this.
1. Specifically what Global test is he referring to?
2. If he feels it is necessary for any preemptive action to pass a global test, does that not already cede to others the right regarding what decisions are to be made for what is necessary to protect the United States of America?
Perhaps Mr. Kerry needs to look over the Constitution. We are a country that believes in the rule of law, it is our Constitution that is the bedrock of those laws. Per the US Constitution Article One, Section Eight, Clause 11 only the Legislative branch of the United States Government has the right to declare war. The Constitution does not provide for a poll of the rest of the world, or a "global test" prior to making hard decisions that are a matter of security for the United States.
But then Mr. Kerry's lack of knowledge regarding what is the law that flows from the Federalist system of government goes back quite a number of years. His meeting of North Vietnamese officials in Paris, 1971 was a clear violation of law. I cite US code 18, U. S. C. 953
"Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without the authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisioned not more than three years or both.
This section shall not abridge the right of any citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained form such government or nay of it's agents or subjects.
By this Kerry already has a history of breaking US Law, and at a privotal time in our history. At a time he was supposed to have been a mature man, not an impulsive kid, he broke the law by treating with a foreign government that was at war with the United States. He learned from this experience that he was able to do this with no consequences. Instead of being fined or thrown into jail he was allowed to continue his anti-war activities, which included spouting North Vietnamese propoganda. He was later rewarded by being sent to the United States Senate. I do not believe it is too far a leap to feel that this man would pervert the US Constitution and go seeking a "global test" regarding matters that do not belong to anyone except to the legislative branch of United States government.
Let us also remember the words of our founding fathers.
Without wishing to damp the ardor of curiosity or influence the freedom of inquiry, I will hazard a prediction that, after the most industrious and impartial researchers, the longest liver of you all will find no principles, institutions or systems of education more fit in general to be transmitted to your posterity than those you have received from your ancestors.
John Adams, letter to the young men of the Philadelphia, May 7, 1798
Our peculiar security is in the possession of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction.
Thomas Jefferson, letter to Wilson Nicholas, September 7, 1803
A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts.
James Madison, essay in the National Gazette, February 2, 1792
'Tis folly in one Nation to look for disinterested favors from another; that it must pay with a portion of its Independence for whatever it may accept under that character; that by such acceptance, it may place itself in the condition of having given equivalents for nominal favours and yet of being reproached with ingratitude for not giving more. There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate upon real favours from Nation to Nation. 'Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard.
George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796
I choose these four quotes to demonstrate that what has been given to us by our ancestors is precious and never to be given away, nor to be taken lightly. To demonstrate that the Constitution has given us great security far beyond that which other nations have ever been able to attain, to demonstate that the only people to believe that the flowers and butterflies and love of all people which some believe can exist, cannot ever exist except in the breast of those who believe in Utopia, and last of all that this country is not to ever expect other countries to put our interests above their own, and for us to rely on any country to do so will be to give up our own liberties.
John Kerry does not understand these points, nor is he likely to.
Red
Jim Lehrer asked Mr. Kerry to state his position on preemptive war. John Kerry answered with this.
"No president, through all of American history, has ever ceded, and nor would I, the right to preempt in any way necessary to protect the United States of America. But if and when I do it, Jim, you have to do it in a way that passes the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons."
John Kerry states first he will not cede the right to use preemption as a necessary way to protect the United States of America but he will test any preemption against a "GLOBAL TEST". That we must first prove to the world that it is for legitimate reasons.
I have a couple of questions regarding this.
1. Specifically what Global test is he referring to?
2. If he feels it is necessary for any preemptive action to pass a global test, does that not already cede to others the right regarding what decisions are to be made for what is necessary to protect the United States of America?
Perhaps Mr. Kerry needs to look over the Constitution. We are a country that believes in the rule of law, it is our Constitution that is the bedrock of those laws. Per the US Constitution Article One, Section Eight, Clause 11 only the Legislative branch of the United States Government has the right to declare war. The Constitution does not provide for a poll of the rest of the world, or a "global test" prior to making hard decisions that are a matter of security for the United States.
But then Mr. Kerry's lack of knowledge regarding what is the law that flows from the Federalist system of government goes back quite a number of years. His meeting of North Vietnamese officials in Paris, 1971 was a clear violation of law. I cite US code 18, U. S. C. 953
"Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without the authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisioned not more than three years or both.
This section shall not abridge the right of any citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained form such government or nay of it's agents or subjects.
By this Kerry already has a history of breaking US Law, and at a privotal time in our history. At a time he was supposed to have been a mature man, not an impulsive kid, he broke the law by treating with a foreign government that was at war with the United States. He learned from this experience that he was able to do this with no consequences. Instead of being fined or thrown into jail he was allowed to continue his anti-war activities, which included spouting North Vietnamese propoganda. He was later rewarded by being sent to the United States Senate. I do not believe it is too far a leap to feel that this man would pervert the US Constitution and go seeking a "global test" regarding matters that do not belong to anyone except to the legislative branch of United States government.
Let us also remember the words of our founding fathers.
Without wishing to damp the ardor of curiosity or influence the freedom of inquiry, I will hazard a prediction that, after the most industrious and impartial researchers, the longest liver of you all will find no principles, institutions or systems of education more fit in general to be transmitted to your posterity than those you have received from your ancestors.
John Adams, letter to the young men of the Philadelphia, May 7, 1798
Our peculiar security is in the possession of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction.
Thomas Jefferson, letter to Wilson Nicholas, September 7, 1803
A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts.
James Madison, essay in the National Gazette, February 2, 1792
'Tis folly in one Nation to look for disinterested favors from another; that it must pay with a portion of its Independence for whatever it may accept under that character; that by such acceptance, it may place itself in the condition of having given equivalents for nominal favours and yet of being reproached with ingratitude for not giving more. There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate upon real favours from Nation to Nation. 'Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard.
George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796
I choose these four quotes to demonstrate that what has been given to us by our ancestors is precious and never to be given away, nor to be taken lightly. To demonstrate that the Constitution has given us great security far beyond that which other nations have ever been able to attain, to demonstate that the only people to believe that the flowers and butterflies and love of all people which some believe can exist, cannot ever exist except in the breast of those who believe in Utopia, and last of all that this country is not to ever expect other countries to put our interests above their own, and for us to rely on any country to do so will be to give up our own liberties.
John Kerry does not understand these points, nor is he likely to.
Red
posted by redcrabtree | 3:37 PM
6 Comments:
I don't think Kerry meant to suggest that he would not use preemption if other countries disapproved of it. What Kerry was trying to say, from my observations, was that he would consider the world (i.e. opinions, history, varied potential outcomes for the United States and other countries) in making decisions. This protocol doesn't preclude the US from protecting itself, even through preemption.
I'm glad to see that even blogs can be used to proselytize...and around two words that are being "spun" (ala O'rielly Factor).
The elections will be interesting and I can't wait for the remaining debates.
That's right Kurt, I am part of the vast right wing conspiracy. Kudo's to you for recognizing that!
By the way it is O'Reilly. When one attempts to look intelligent spelling counts.
Red
Red,
I know it's "O'Rielly"; did you think that catching me on a misplaced lowercase "r" was going to support what you're trying to suggest with that post? I also noted that you preferred to comment on that insignificant item other than the substance of my post. It's a blog, dude, posts are supposed to be glib and primarily for fun. Besides, don't you post to get people to read, respond and engage? Or is it to vent, exorcise and work out transference issues?
You are part of the right wing conspiracy inasmuch as I am part of the left wing conspiracy. There is no need to subsume my thoughts and beliefs into your view of what is considered "the liberal conspiracy". In fact, we can do without the "conspiracy" talk and recognize each other as two sides of the same coin because we both want wants best for our country and the world but have differing views on how to achieve "the best".
Kerry voter, Illinois.
May the better man win.
If you don't mind, i'll peruse your blog for a while.
-K
Red, FYI, it would be "kudos". When you spell it "kudo's" it makes it possessive, like if you had a pet monkey and his name was Kudo and were speaking of "Kudo's toy". Then again, i'm sure you know that.
When you're trying to make other people who are intelligent not look intelligent by isolating and drawing attention to insignificant typing errors, spelling counts ten fold.
..."global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons."
In this quote, Kerry's sentence clearly indicates his meaning behind the term "global test". He [Kerry] goes on to say that a global test is something that "...your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing...".
In light of this, it would seem that Kerry wasn't suggesting that a "global test" was another way of saying that he would seek approval of other nations before he dictates policy.
..."global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons."
In this quote, Kerry's sentence clearly indicates his meaning behind the term "global test". He [Kerry] goes on to say that a global test is something that "...your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing...".
In light of this, it would seem that Kerry wasn't suggesting that a "global test" was another way of saying that he would seek approval of other nations before he dictates policy.
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