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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
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 Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:21 pm Kerry on the Record: Defense--A Speech |
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This is a speech on Kerry that I made and have given 7 times for my school's Speech and Debate team:
| Quote: | Kerry on the Record: Defense
September 11th, 2001: The most devastating attack on American soil occurred. A plane struck each World Trade Center tower. A plane collided with the Pentagon. And another crashed in Pensylvania. We had a looming threat on our hands that lurked in the background of our country for decades, but until then was not truly realized: It was the threat of world-wide terrorism. In this time of desperate new need for protection of the United States, we are now faced with a choice--a choice of the President of the United States--deciding on our leader. Most of all, in this grave time, we are choosing our Commander-in-Chief--the man who will lead us in this War on Terror.
Since September 11th, President Bush has been a strong leader and Commander-in-Chief for our country and armed forces. And so, I see the choice is clear: looking at the record of this Senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, the opponent, is the wrong choice for America. Voting for the cancellation of a plethora of weapons systems, including the Apache Helicopter, changing his mind on Iraq many times, and not funding our troops shows that we only need to dissect Kerry's record on the military, defense, and intelligence to show he is not good for America. I�m not even going to bring up Kerry�s Vietnam Record, despite his making it the focal point of his campaign. There�s 19 years in the Senate to be told that he would not want to be told.
It is necessary during such a time that we have a strong intelligence service and a strong military, and yet it seems as though Kerry is not too fond of United States Intelligence services and defense. In 1991, Kerry voted to cut spending for defense by 2%, a vote that was cast by only TWENTY-ONE other voters. That same year, Kerry voted to move over $3 billion dollars from defense to social programs, a vote that only 27 others joined him in casting. Let us jump to 1992, when Kerry voted to cut even more money from defense--SIX billion dollars. Both sides countered Kerry�s vote.
In 1993, Kerry presented a plan to Congress to cut the number of Navy submarines and the crews of them, to decrease tactical fighter wings in the Air Force, and dispose of the Navy�s coastal mine-hunting ship program, which would have forced 60,000 members of the armed forces to retire.
In 1995, two years after the first World Trade Center bombing, Kerry voted to freeze defense spending for seven years, which would have cut over $34 billion. Only 27 other senators joined in with him. In 1996, Kerry brought up a bill that would cut defense spending by $6.5 billion. His bill had �no co-sponsors and never came to a floor vote.� Kerry also voted Yea on a 1996 budget resolution, which would have yet again made defense spending for the seven following years become ice. After that, he wanted to cut even more intelligence.
I've just outlined only seven examples. Not only his he wrong there, but perhaps some of the most disturbing aspirations included the fact that he hoped to cancel defense to an extreme. In the start of his 1984 campaign for Senate, Kerry stated his opposition to the B-1 bomber, the B-2 stealth bomber, the Apache Helicopter, the Patriot Missile, the F-15, F-14A, and F-14D fighter jets. And that�s just a shortened version of the list.
And yet he actually voted for the cancellation of and against the following weapons currently used by the United States Military: the F-15, F-16, Persian II missile, the MX-Missile, the B-2 Stealth Bomber, the Apache Helicopter, the Aegis Defense Cruiser, Tomahawk Cruise Missile, and much more. These weapons were absolutely vital in Iraq. According to Brian C. Mooney of The Boston Globe, quote, �Kerry supported the cancellation of a host of weapons systems that have become the basis of the US military-the high-tech munitions and delivery systems on display to the world as they leveled the Iraq regime of Saddam Hussein in a matter of weeks.� How can we trust a man like this in office--a man who also called for the cancellation of missile defense systems in 1984 and voted against funding for missile defense at least 53 times between the years of 1985 and 2000! Much of that was during the Cold War, a time where he pushed for a nuclear freeze when Reagan was winning it! However, he then said on March 10th, 2004 on �Where do the Candidates stand on Foreign Policy,� on an Internet site, that he supports missile defense. And then seven days later, Fox News� Major Garret reported that he said that he would defund missile defense! Where is he on that stance? It�s hard to tell with all the flip-flops, but he�s surely against missile defense, regular defense, and intelligence--one of the few things he�s consistent on.
October 11th, 2002: Senator John Kerry votes Yea on the resolution to go to war with Iraq. �George, I said at the time I would have preferred if we had given diplomacy a greater opportunity, but I think it was the right decision to disarm Saddam Hussein, and when the President made the decision, I supported him, and I support the fact that we did disarm him.� That was Mr. Kerry on May 4th, 2003 during the first Democratic Candidates debate sponsored by ABC News. In March of 2003, John Kerry made a promise not to attack President Bush once the war began. However, a few weeks later, when troops were a mere 25 miles from Iraq, Kerry decided to retract his pledge. He stated, �What we need now is not just a regime change in�Iraq, but we need a regime change in the United States.� (Presented in the Boston Globe, �Kerry Says US Needs Its Own �Regime Change,� 4/3/03). First of all, Regime Change in the United States?! President Bush is not a dictator. Next, he promised not to criticize the President during the war. Well, to begin attacking him when troops are just 25 miles from battle was wrong. And on September 2nd, 2003, he claimed that he voted only �to threaten� the use of force. What?
And in an interview with Chris Mathews, host of MSNBC�s Hardball on January 6th, 2004, when asked if he was an anti-war candidate, Kerry replied, �I am [opposed to the war]--Yes, in the sense that I don�t believe the president took us to war as he should have, yes, absolutely.� He later said that he would have made the decision to go to Iraq knowing what we know now. And yet in his speech to the Democratic National Convention, he said that he �won�t be a President who will mislead our country into war� and that he will be a President who will tell the truth. Essentially his statements were accusing Bush of misleading the public on the war and lying to us all. Well then, all I can say is this: Did you mislead our country? You had the EXACT same intelligence as Mr. Bush. You served on the Intelligence Committee. You said in 1997 and 1998 that we had to go into Iraq! You said in the Congressional Record on November 9th, �97, that you believed that Iraq was such �A grave threat to the well-being of our nation that we must use force, unilaterally if necessary." Unilaterally!? That�s different from what you say now. That same day you said that we had an obligation to act on the threat! An obligation! And on November 15th, 1998, you said to Fox News� Tony Snow on �Fox News Sunday� when he asked you if you wanted to remove Saddam that you �believe that I�ve been arguing that for some time within the Intelligence committee and elsewhere.� And in October of 2002 you said that he posed an unacceptable threat and you recently have supported the war. Yet now you say that Bush mislead our country and lied to us and you said on Monday September 6th of this year that we were in the �wrong place at the wrong war at the wrong time.� Well, which is it, Mr. Kerry? Make up your mind. You can�t have two positions at once. Or can you?
Then, there's the issue of funding our troops. �I actually did vote for the $87 Billion, before I voted against it.� Those are Mr. Kerry�s exact words on March 17 2004, after he voted against the $86.5 Billion resolution to fund our troops. When on NBC�s �Meet the Press,� he told Tim Russert, �No, I think we should increase it,� it being funding for the war. He continued to say, �By whatever number of billions of dollars it takes to win.� And yet Kerry voted against the 87 Billion. That must have been when he voted for it. He had also stated that it would be irresponsible for a Senator to vote against the bill to fund our troops, and yet he voted against it! He's complained about little body armor and little equipment for the military--well, this bill gave them what our troops needed!
Kerry keeps flip-flopping and being on the wrong side of every military and defense issue of our day and yesterday. He voted for the cancellation of so many weapons systems and the cuts of so many intelligence programs, and has changed his mind so many times on Iraq and other defense issues, and has voted against funding our troops that there is no way that he can be the next President--the next Commander-in-Chief--of the United States, especially at this point in time.
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For the Record, I gave this at a special Speech and Debate event, then gave it 3 times for the 3 rounds at that event, and got an Excellent award (2nd best for Speeches) and this past Saturday I won a Superior award, which is the best for speeches!
Last edited by Republican_Man on Sun Oct 10, 2004 11:34 am; edited 1 time in total
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Zeke Zabertini
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| Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:32 pm |
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Very well-done. I may disagree with you, but you are undeniably eloquent. Persuasive, even.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
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| Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:34 pm |
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| Zeke Zabertini wrote: | | Very well-done. I may disagree with you, but you are undeniably eloquent. Persuasive, even. |
Well, thank you 
You should see how forceful I am and good at giving it--I was told that by several adults afterwards. I'm re-doing that speech tomorrow for my speech and debate team. Then, the weekend before the election I plan on making a new Kerry speech, perhaps comparing the two candidates.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Zeke Zabertini
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| Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:40 pm |
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Hopelessly partisan and biased, no doubt. That's your charm, I suppose. I can't claim your force or persuasiveness, but if you're interested you can look at my own little political bit. It's on my "this is me" board. Second-to-last post. We make a good pair online, but I fear we'd try to kill one another in person.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
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| Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:42 pm |
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| Zeke Zabertini wrote: | | Hopelessly partisan and biased, no doubt. That's your charm, I suppose. I can't claim your force or persuasiveness, but if you're interested you can look at my own little political bit. It's on my "this is me" board. Second-to-last post. We make a good pair online, but I fear we'd try to kill one another in person. |
lol, sure 
And of course I'm partisan and biased, but my speech presents no-spin facts, my friend. And even an extremely Liberal Speech & Debate coach thought that I did a great job presenting it, just he didn't like the speech.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Zeke Zabertini
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| Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:45 pm |
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Oh, hell yes. I enjoyed it immensely. It's very, vey well-written; and from what you say your presentation was just as impressive. I don't have to agree with what you're saying to recognize your speechwriting talent. I myself have an almost painful analytical style. My end products are informative, but not much else.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
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| Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:48 pm |
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| Zeke Zabertini wrote: | | Oh, hell yes. I enjoyed it immensely. It's very, vey well-written; and from what you say your presentation was just as impressive. I don't have to agree with what you're saying to recognize your speechwriting talent. I myself have an almost painful analytical style. My end products are informative, but not much else. |
Well thank you very much for that complement, my friend!
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Kyre
Commodore
Joined: 15 Mar 2002
Posts: 1263
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| Sat Oct 02, 2004 8:30 am |
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Because defense is the only factor in choosing a president of the United States these days, is it? I really don't know. I'd be worried if someone answered yes though. But like I've said before, both choices for the voters seem like a crappy deal, if you ask me.
Which of course, you didn't.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
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| Sat Oct 02, 2004 7:27 pm |
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| Kyre wrote: | Because defense is the only factor in choosing a president of the United States these days, is it? I really don't know. I'd be worried if someone answered yes though. But like I've said before, both choices for the voters seem like a crappy deal, if you ask me.
Which of course, you didn't. |
Yeah, I never said that, but it is the MOST important issue of our day, though, because of Terrorism, etc.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Sun Oct 10, 2004 11:34 am |
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For the Record, I gave this at a special Speech and Debate event, then gave it 3 times for the 3 rounds at that event, and got an Excellent award (2nd best for Speeches) and this past Saturday I won a Superior award, which is the best for speeches!
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Hitchhiker
Rear Admiral
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Sun Oct 10, 2004 2:39 pm |
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| Kyre wrote: | Because defense is the only factor in choosing a president of the United States these days, is it? I really don't know. I'd be worried if someone answered yes though. But like I've said before, both choices for the voters seem like a crappy deal, if you ask me.
Which of course, you didn't. |
But you can't effectively defend against terrorism, unless you mean it in the context of the best defense is a strong offense, which at this time would be economically and diplomatically unwise.
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