Al Gore Essay, Research Paper
Al Gore
Running mate:
Sen. Joe Lieberman.
Current position:
Vice president of the United States
Political experience: Vice-President of the United
States (1993-present); US senator from Tennessee
(1985-1993); candidate for the Democratic
nomination for president (1987-1988); US
representative from Tennessee, (1977-1985)
Work experience: farmer (1973-1990); investigative
reporter, editorial writer, The Tennessean
(1971-1976); home builder and land developer,
Tanglewood Home Builders Co. (1971-1976)
Party affiliation:
Democrat
Educational background:
• B.A., Harvard University, 1969;
• Vanderbilt University Law School, 1974-76.
Military experience:
• U.S. Army, 1969-1971
Spouse:
Mary Elizabeth “Tipper” Aitcheson Gore
Children:
Karenna, Kristin, Sarah, Albert
Religion:
Baptist
Birthdate:
March 31, 1948 in Washington D.C.
Why he wants to be president: “I want to keep our
prosperity going, and I know how to do it. I want to
do it the right way – not by letting people fend for
themselves, or hoping for crumbs of compassion.” June
1999, announcing his candidacy
George W. Bush
Running mate: Dick Cheney
Current position: Governor of Texas
Born: July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut, the
eldest son of former President George Bush. Grew up
in Midland, Texas. Attempting to become the second
president’s son to occupy the White House. First was
the 6th president John Quincy Adams, son of the
second President John Adams.
Political experience: Governor of Texas
(1995-present); adviser and speechwriter for his
father’s presidential campaign (1987-88); Republican
nominee for US representative from Texas’ 19th
district (1978)
Work experience: managing general partner, Texas
Rangers baseball team (1989-94); consultant, Harken
Energy Corporation (1986); president, Spectrum
Corporation (1984-86); founder and CEO, Bush
Exploration (1975-84)
Party affiliation:
Republican
Educational background:
• B.A., Yale University, 1968;
• M.B.A., Harvard University, 1975.
Military experience:
Pilot in the Texas Air National Guard, 1968-73
Spouse:
Laura Welch Bush
Children:
Twin daughters Barbara and Jenna
Religion:
Methodist, renewed faith aged 40 after
counselling from evangelist
Billy Graham. Jesus is his favorite philosopher or
thinker because “he
changed my heart”
Birthdate:
July 6, 1946
Contact information:
• George W. Bush for President,
(512) 637-2000;
• Governor’s office, (512) 463-2000.
Why he wants to be president: “I think our country is ready for a fresh
start after a season of cynicism.” Speech, February 2,
South Carolina.
Democratic platform backs open
trade, death penalty
News-Journal Wire Services
ST. LOUIS – Pushing a centrist agenda, the Democrats’ platform
committee drafted a statement of principles calling for open trade,
teacher certification and continued support for the death penalty
despite objections from liberal, education and labor interest groups.
The policy positions dovetail with the agenda of Vice President Al
Gore, the Democratic presidential candidate who also supports
capital punishment despite growing debate nationwide about its
fairness.
Meeting Friday, the committee added an amendment to the death
penalty plank in the party platform, calling for DNA evidence to be
used when appropriate and for efforts to ensure defendants
effective legal counsel, which is in line with Gore’s view.
“Some believe serious consideration ought to be given to repealing
the death penalty,” said Gerald Shea, assistant to the president for
government affairs of the AFL-CIO, citing differences of opinion on
the committee. “I think the party is committed to being tough on
crime.”
The Democratic Party spent the past decade trying to shake a
soft-on-crime image that Republicans promoted.
Texas Gov. George W. Bush, Gore’s Republican opponent, has
come under fire for heading a state with the nation’s highest number
of executions: more than 130 since Bush took office in 1995.
North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, who oversees the draft committee,
said he believes Democrats will support the stand.
“There are differences in the party about the death penalty,” he said.
“But the vice president and I support it in certain cases.”
The draft committee will submit the document to the platform
committee on July 29 in Cleveland. Democrats will weigh final
approval during their national convention, Aug. 14-17, in Los
Angeles.
“I believe it’s a platform the Vice President Gore can run on, and it’s
a platform he can win on,” said Hunt.
Specifically:
-On trade, the proposed policy does not address the issue of
favored trade status for China, which has been a source of
contention within the party and among big labor. But it encourages
the need to “aggressively open new markets in which to sell our
goods – at home and abroad.” Major industrial unions have
opposed the context and tone of such language.
Democrats included a pledge to educate American workers so that
they can compete for jobs in a global economy. The platform also
vows to protect human rights and the environment.
“It’s not the kind of document we would write,” said the Shea of the
AFL-CIO, which has endorsed Gore. “But in the context of it being
an outside group’s document, we believe our issues were
addressed.”
-On education, the draft calls for federally required teacher
certification and a “rigorous test” for all new teachers despite
opposition from some teachers organizations.
“Teachers should be answerable for what goes on in the
classroom,” the draft states. “Bad teachers who are out there
should not be allowed to sully the reputation of the teaching
profession.”
Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers,
said teachers need to be treated fairly and ensured of due process.
“We’re not shying away from accountability,” she said. “What we’re
trying to do is to make sure that the field we are playing on is level
and that we have the tools to do the job.”
The committee also included language requiring schools that fail to
improve to be shutdown or placed under new leadership.
Mary Elizabeth Teasley, director of government relations for
National Education Association, offered an amendment to ensure
that schools and teachers are rewarded for making positive
differences in the classroom.
Finally, Democrats reaffirmed their commitment to abortion rights.
But Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton, a co-chair of the
platform committee, said the party should work to reduce the
numbers of abortion in America.
“This is a debate within our party,” she said. “We could go in the
back room and hide it. But we’re putting it out on the table, just like
trade.”
- Highlights of points included Friday in the proposed Democratic
platform:
Trade:
-Knock down the barriers to fair trade. Enforce worker rights, human
rights and environmental protection in those agreements.
-Work to repeal Republican Freedom to Farm Act that has resulted
in years of low prices and necessitated billion dollar bailouts.
Education:
-Have fully qualified, well-trained teachers in every classroom – and
every teacher should pass a rigorous test to get there.
-Every failing school in America should be turned around – or shut
down and reopened under new leadership.
-Ensure that no high school student graduates without mastering the
basics of reading and math.
-Allow parents to choose the best public school for their children.
-Make high-quality preschool fully available to every family in every
community.
-Close the achievement gap between minority students and the rest
of America’s students.
-Children deserve schools of safety and classrooms that are free of
fear.
-Zero-tolerance policy towards guns in schools.
-Each school should institute strict, firm and fair discipline policies.
Expand family leave law to make sure parents can attend
parent-teacher conferences without fear of job loss.
-Make college education as universal as high school with tax
deductions for tuition and fees.
Fiscal Discipline:
-Wipe out national debt by 2012.
-Give middle-class families tax cuts that would allow them to save
for college, invest in job skills and lifelong learning, pay for health
insurance, afford child care, eliminate marriage penalty for working
families, care for elderly or disabled loved ones, invest in clean cars
and clean homes, and build additional security for retirement.
Retirement Security:
-Create Retirement Savings Plus – voluntary, tax-free, personally
controlled, privately managed savings accounts with a government
match that help couples build a nest egg of up to $400,000. It would
allow Americans to save and invest on top of Social Security’s
guaranteed benefit.
Crime:
-In death penalty cases, DNA tests should be used in all appropriate
circumstances and defendants should have effective assistance of
counsel.
-Mandatory child safety locks on guns to protect children.
-Require photo license identification, full background check and gun
safety test to buy new handgun.
-Give states and communities another 100,000 prosecutors to fight
gun crime.
-End racial profiling.
-Ensure drug and alcohol treatment for criminals. Impose strict
supervision of prisoners after release, and insist they stay off drugs.
In return, help them make it in work place.
-Give victims voice in trial and other proceedings.
Abortion and birth control:
-Stand behind every woman’s right to choose, consistent with Roe
vs, Wade and regardless of ability to pay.
-Support contraceptive research, family planning, comprehensive
family life education and policies that support healthy childbearing.
Health Care:
-Guantee access to affordable health care for every child. Expand
coverage to working families and make coverage affordable for
small businesses.
-Allow Americans age 55 to 65 to buy into the Medicare program.
-Add prescription drug benefit to Medicare.
-Invest in biomedical research to fight disease.
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