Kerry firm on minimum wage
It could be major Senate campaign issue
03-30-96
http://www.s-t.com/daily/03-96/03-30-96/9kerry.htmBy Melissa B. Robinson, Associated Press writer "Sen. Kerry, D-Mass., was at the fore of Senate Democrats' efforts this week to force a vote on raising the minimum wage, in two 45-cent steps over the next two years, to $5.15 an hour. And he has no plans to back off.
"The minimum wage can't even keep a family of three or four above the poverty level," Sen. Kerry charged Thursday, after Democrats could not muster enough support to shut off debate and force a vote on the issue.
"Today's vote is just further evidence of the clear cut difference in priorities between the Republicans and the Democrats," he said.
Sen. Kerry's support of the increase is not surprising. In October, he sponsored a Senate resolution, which does not carry the force of legislation, stating support for an increase. It won a majority but fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage."
A Grist interview with Democratic presidential contender John Kerry
http://www.gristmagazine.com/maindish/kerry092303.asp by Amanda Griscom
23 Sep 2003
He has the jaw and build of Paul Bunyan; he windsurfs, kite-boards, and snowboards; and he's married to Teresa Heinz, one of the most powerful environmental philanthropists in the country. He has his finger on every hot-button environmental issue in D.C., from helping to lead the Senate campaign against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to pushing for improved fuel-efficiency standards to advocating for an aggressive renewable energy development plan. With the exception of that Harley Davidson Wide Glide he likes to parade at campaign events, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) looks to be the ultimate embodiment of Beltway eco-chic.
But what goes on behind the glossy-green public image? What does this presidential candidate's environmental record really look like after his nearly 20 years in the U.S. Senate? Rifle through the archives of the League of Conservation Voters, and you'll find he gets an A+ -- literally. Kerry has a 96-percent lifetime voting record, outscoring all of the other candidates. (Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman comes in second with 93 percent.) Despite concerns that Kerry is a limousine liberal, there seem to be few contradictions between his environmental image and his track record -- a couple of peccadilloes aside. (Beyond his Harley, which he says he'll never relinquish, Kerry the renewables advocate is hesitant to support the Cape Wind project in his own state, likely influenced by his wealthy, beachfront-owning constituents who oppose the wind-energy farm.)
Late one recent night (at 11 p.m. EST, to be exact), Grist tracked Kerry down on the campaign trail -- rather, in the campaign jet, flying from Colorado to Boston -- to discuss his environmental record, President Bush's "New Environmentalism," and balancing his vision for a clean-energy future with his passion for his motorcycle
The Myth of the Rule of Law:
or How the Money Works: The Destruction of Hamilton Securities Group by Catherine Austin Fitts
12 August 2002
http://www.ratical.com/co-globalize/CAFmrl.htmlIn the mid 80s two covert operations of the American government overseen by the National Security Council of the Reagan administration and sanctioned by the highest levels of political authority were exposed. These were the illegal sale of weapons to Iran and the provision of convert aid to the Contra insurgency in Nicaragua in violation of a Congressional vote banning such aid. An independent counsel was appointed to investigate the matter. The investigation resulted in no fewer than fourteen individuals being indicted or convicted of crimes. These included senior members of the National Security Council, the Secretary of Defence, the head of covert operations of the CIA and others. After George Bush was elected president in 1988, he pardoned six of these men. The independent counsel's investigation concluded that a systematic cover-up had been orchestrated to protect the president and the vice president.
The sheer breadth of the covert operations was stunning. Indeed, it involved not only arms sales to Iran but also the solicitation of funds from third party governments as well as from wealthy Americans to pursue a foreign policy agenda in Central America that was not only controversial but illegal. During the course of the independent counsel's investigation, persistent rumours arose that the administration had sanctioned drug trafficking as well as a source of operational funding.
These charges were successfully deflected with respect to the independent counsel's investigation, but did not go away. They were examined separately by a Congressional committee chaired by Senator John Kerry, which established that the Contras had indeed been involved in drug trafficking and that elements of the US government had been aware of it.
It was not until Gary Webb's Dark Alliance expos originally published in the San Jose Mercury News that the government's links to drug trafficking in the United States became established beyond a reasonable doubt. This in itself is curious, because Webb was hardly the first investigator to document the links between American intelligence and narcotics. Alfred McCoy, writing in the 70s, had documented the involvement of the CIA and the military in heroin and opium trafficking in Southeast Asia. Indeed, narcotics had been a source of covert funding and political leverage for years, extending at least as far back as the invasion of Sicily during World War Two. In retrospect, what was so startling about Iran-Contra was the scale of the financing operations involved, which reached even into the American banking system and included various forms of financial fraud. This gave the operation a link to the scandals that enveloped the savings and loan industry in the late 80s. Most observers do not connect these apparently diverse events when in fact they are part of a whole.
Senator Kerry Speaks Before the Senate on Police Corps Funding
Thursday, November 15, 2001
http://www.kerry.senate.gov/low/record.cfm?id=181965MR. KERRY. Mr. President, I am pleased to vote for the Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary (CJS) conference report today. This legislation is critical to our continuing efforts to fight terrorism and increase homeland security.
I am troubled, however, that the conference report appropriates only $14.4 million for the Police Corps program, an amount which I believe is insufficient to adequately fund this critically important program. I strongly support the $30 million level of funding that was included in the Senate version of the CJS appropriations bill. The CJS conference report before us today slashes the budget of the Police Corps program in half. Mr. President, it is more important now than ever before that we work to ensure that Americans feel safe within their communities and that our nation’s police forces have strong federal support.
The Police Corps program helps police and sheriffs’ departments to increase the number of officers with advanced education and training. It provides federal scholarships to highly motivated students who agree to serve as police officers or sheriffs’ deputies for at least four years. Participants in the program are assigned to areas of the country that are in the most desperate need for additional officers. All of the participants serve on community patrol.
Cosponsored Gramm-Rudman-Hollings bipartisan deficit reduction Act. Kerry was one of the earliest Democrats to sign on to the effort to address the growing budget deficit.
Secured assistance for families of Agent Orange victims: Kerry cosponsored and worked to pass the Agent Orange Benefits Act to extend health care benefits to children of Vietnam Veterans who suffer from spina bifida. <1995 VA-HUD Approp>
Passed international anti-money laundering law: John Kerry proposed and passed anti-money laundering amendment that forced negotiations with foreign banks to keep records of US currency transactions of $10,000 & up and established penalties for countries engaged in money laundering. <1988: S Amdt 3697, HR 5210, #374, passed 85-3>
Introduced bill to significantly increase commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS: Kerry introduced, along with Senator Bill Frist (R-TN), the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria Act. The bill would increase the U.S. governments funding of international HIV/AIDS efforts from approximately $1.7 billion in 2003 to $1.9 billion in 2004. This effort led to the unanimous passage in May 2003 the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria Act of 2003. AIDS activists characterized Kerry as one of Congress top leaders on HIV/AIDS policy.
Passed law addressing nurse shortage: Kerry introduced and passed the Nurse Reinvestment Act, to address the current shortage of Nurses in the medical profession.
Expanded early childhood development efforts: Kerry introduced legislation to expand state and local early childhood development efforts, including education, child care and health care for children between birth and six years old. At the end of 2000, a version of this bipartisan legislation was signed into law. .
Strengthened protection of seals, dolphin, whales and other marine mammals: Kerry sponsored legislation that extended and strengthened laws protecting Marine Mammals from commercial fishing.
Introduced plan that expanded childrens health insurance coverage: Kerry and Kennedy drafted an innovative plan to help states expand health care coverage for children in the 104th Congress. Their plan served as the framework for the Childrens Health Insurance Program in 1997
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