My Two for One Candidacy of Change and Experience

IRAQ

Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards have said that all the candidates have about the same position on Iraq. Well, that is just not true. I would pull all of our troops out as quickly as possible. I would not leave any combat troops behind. They all would leave troops behind indefinitely -- up to 75,000 by some estimates. That is a serious difference; American lives hang in the balance.

Over the past few days, General David Petraeus has stood up and clearly stated his position on the war to the American people. I respect him for doing so. He is doing the best he can to support the George Bush-Dick Cheney position on Iraq. The problem is that the position is disastrous. There is no longer a military solution to the debacle in Iraq. Numerous independent reports confirm the obvious: we are not making real strategic progress. Our troops are dying in the midst of a civil war. The Iraqis will not take the necessary steps toward political reconciliation until we make it clear that we are leaving their country for good.

Unlike General Petraeus, some of my opponents in the race for the Democratic nomination have been less forthcoming about their positions. At the ABC presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa, I asked the other candidates point blank: How many troops would you leave behind? 25,000? 50,000? 75,000? For how long would you leave them?

I did not get an answer. I am still waiting -- and so are the American people. We got into this mess in Iraq because we did not pay enough attention. We did not scrutinize exactly what our leaders were telling us. Now is the time to debate these matters in detail, not after we have picked our nominee. I have laid out my plans explicitly. Unlike some in this race, you know where I stand. Our troops have performed magnificently, but they have become targets in a civil war. We must get all of our troops out and get them out now. I believe any plan short of this unnecessarily risks extending a tragic war. Only when all of our troops are out can the diplomatic work begin to reconcile the parties, rebuild the country, and stabilize the region.

I am the one candidate in this race with a straightforward plan to end this war and the international experience to make it happen.

EDUCATION

Education is the key to our country's future. It may not be a sexy topic, but it should be one of the top issues discussed in this presidential campaign. We can no longer turn our backs on the needs of our public schools and teachers. We must once and for all get rid of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In many urban areas of this nation, nearly half of the students don't graduate from high school on time. That is unacceptable in America! When I am president, we are going to bring real help to our public schools. Pay higher wages to teachers. Create math and science innovation academies so our kids can compete in the 21st century. As president, I will set a national goal- American students will be #1 in the world in math and science within 15 years.

President Bush promised to be the education president. That promise got about as far as his promise not to run an arrogant foreign policy. NCLB has been a failure because like everything else the Bush administration does, after the photo-ops, the policy got stuck in a drawer and forgotten about. Well, we cannot afford to forget about our children. Schools that are in trouble need help, not punishment. That is the basic problem with NCLB -- it hurts the schools that most need help. Few things motivate me more to serve as President of the United States than the opportunity to lead on the issue of education.

HEALTH CARE

The quality of life for your child should not depend on how much money you make. Health care is literally a life and death issue for large segments of our country. We have a moral obligation to act. My plan would guarantee affordable coverage for every American. The plan will achieve its goal without creating new levels of bureaucracy. Anyone can choose to keep his or her own coverage if so desired. For veterans, I will create a Heroes' Health Card to provide the care they need. We cannot afford to fail on health care -- we need a president with a record of getting things done. In New Mexico, I offered coverage for every child under the age of 12. My "Insure New Mexico" initiative expanded health insurance for working families. I increased the number of immunizations and doubled the number of school health clinics for children. Universal coverage is not merely a pipe dreamv -- I will implement it. I am the candidate with a record of results.

Comments

[ddellapiana]

Hey, Bill, what about your position on civil rights, specifically the GLBT community? Sorry, but I saw you on a presidential one-on-one on the Logo channel and I'm singularly unimpressed. While I may agree with some of your positions, there's not enough for me to vote for you, particularly since I am a proud member of a gay family with two small children.

[Vajara]

Yes, a vote for Gov. Richardson is a sure vote for our troops and the pull out. Mr. Richardson is a great choice for these times and I hope he can carry the Democrats into the presidency.

I am a New Mexican and we are seeing great progress because this leader is a progressive. Do forgive him for a slip on the gay marriage issue. He can learn from his errors and this is more than we can say for any "R."

Hang in there, Bill.

[shelleybear]

Bill, I like you.
I really do.
Even if you did put your foot in your mouth on the whole "Is Being Gay a Choice" issue.
However like all the other candidates who bandy about the phrase "Universal Health Care" you still insist on using the existing corporate structure to implement it. These are the same robber barons who have been bleeding us dry and denying service for years.
And you want to give them tax dollars to continue screwing things up?
Look, if you want advice on how I"d do it, leave me a message under the old oak with an email address.

[HBeachbum]

Governor: The dropout rate in high schools in New Mexico is 50%. Why don't you fix the problems at home first?

[soulrebeljc]

Governor Richardson,
As a candidate for New Mexico's First District Congressional Seat, I'd like you to be honest about your plans for health care coverage. Why will you not support the Health Security Act, which your own Health Care Task Force analyzed against 2 other health care reform proposals? The Health Security Act is the ONLY proposal studied by your task force that saves the people of New Mexico money (300-400 million/yr), and it is the only proposal that fully covers ALL New Mexico citizens. The Health Security Act also is the reform proposal that is the most efficient, spending a higher proportion of health care dollars on actual health care and reducing the proportionate cost of administration. The HSA is the only reform proposal that makes sense for the citizens of New Mexico - and yet you have made clear that you will not support it, because it cuts private insurance companies OUT of the loop. Come clean, Governor Richardson, and tell people that your greatest business sector campaign donors are the insurance and finance companies. They donated almost 3 million dollars to your 2006 gubernatorial race, over twice the dollar amount of the next greatest business sector donors.
Stop this pandering to insurance companies, Governor Richardson, and support the Health Security Act in New Mexico, the legislation that your own task force has made clear is the best option for all New Mexicans. Private insurance companies have no inherent right to play any role in health care, especially not since they are the major factor in how poorly our current health care system operates. Truth is, private insurance companies are not in the business of health care, they are in the business of making money. When we rely on them to make our health care decisions, we put our lives at risk. They are killers.
Do the right thing, Governor. Support the HSA now.
Sincerely, and in Peace,
Jason Call
www.Call4Democracy.org

[Retired500]

Governor, I support the call from Jason Call for immediate support of the New Mexico Health Security Act. Insurance companies had their chance and failed. We are all just one serious illness away from bankrupcy most seeking court protection from creditors had health insurance, Due to insurance company policies on pre-existing conditions and rescinded policies to improve the bottom line. Also denials for "experimental" newer treatments for cancer. New Mexico now has premiums higher than those of the national average with over 400,000 uninsured New Mexicans. According to the blog from New Mexico State Senator Dede Feldman " The Governor publicaly stated he is against any plan that does not have a role for the insurance companies, although he is in favor or insurance reforms". Band Aid approaches. We need to have public funded health care in New Mexico (real reform), we all have to take ownership for the moral injustices to our citizens and get the insurance industry out of dictating our public health system. According to the New York Times, industry experts are estimating that profits may reach $60 Billion, on a combination of higher premimums along the coasts, no major payout for natural disasters and strong investment returns. Several studies have shown a majority of taxpayers and citizens across the political divide perfer a truly universal system over our current system. I think it is time to listen to the people.

Michael McGinnis
New Mexico Resident

[vippy]

If we elect Hillary we will deserve what is
coming to us - more of the same. Hillary has
never addressed real issues.
If she gets the nomination I shall vote Republican for it won't make a bit of difference.

[barriosbabe]

Arianna, why is it that when I post a polite but critical view of Richardson it never gets posted here? Signed, a devoted but wondering fan!

[rmirman]

Your views are excellent. However your health care plan is complicated, quite unnecessarily. It seems to be a requirement for any "realistic" plan to be unnecessarily complicated and expensive. For a universal health care plan, with maximum freedom and minimal red tape and complications see
randomabsurdities.wordpress.com

[Spookcatcher]

Governor, sir, my most important concern is to take upon the most intensive broadest investigations and the subsequent prosecution of all those whio enabled the inappropriate and destructive laws, procedures, and activities we now live under. Quite frankly i want a President that is going to kick over ALL the rocks and expose the Fascist operatives within our Government and Institutions. This Presidency that has virtually made the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights irrelevant. Including but not limited to the covert operation (9/11) being protracted into an excuse for an illegal overthrow, war, and occupation of another Sovereign Nation (Iraq), an act of total mischaracterization of American Ideals. Will YOU, if elected, be afraid to uncover the Fascists that controls this nations Legal, Financial, and Social Direction, and all our Governmental functions? Will you bring into the process of our Lawmaking a return to Civil rights, and the checks and balances of a government uninfluenced by business and special interests, but lead us towards common good, and accountability for every taxdollar?.

[dcazal01]

I was looking at the polls and it seems that the race for the dems nomination is over, Hillary will be the democratic candidate for president, it seems really far fetched that Richardson or Biden can beat her. Guys it is over HRC won. Look at the polls at Realclearpolitics the numbers do not lie.

In the 4-5 month left not even Obama can beat her. She got 46 percent in the last CNN poll IT IS OVER SHE WON.

[barriosbabe]

Richardson is a terrible candidate and last on my list. His mantra on healthcare - 'no new bureaucracy' - is the typical pro-profit, pro-insurance company bull we do not need. He even admits this on his website issues section, saying: 'My plan uses proven, existing models to expand coverage to those who currently don't have it.' Ridiculous. Have you seen SICKO? Do you really want to call the failing system 'proven'? Yikes! Sounds like pandering to thos that have some and fear the boogie man created by the right .... the lie that single payer conyers style means socialized medicine (it doesn't).

[ProfessorVP]

Bill Richardson is an old-fashioned kind of buffoon. The type that gooses women in elevators, makes ribald, creaky jokes of the Dean Martin Roast variety, and occasionally drops his guard and says what he thinks of gays. He is likely really running for vice president, but if he even gets that slot at nominations time, a flood of TMI will come out of New Mexico about his boorish behavior.

[EllisGill]

Richardson is pro diplomacy & pro middle East diplomacy (Iran, etc). Which makes Richardson a true man of peace. Obama & Richardson are talking pro-peace. They are correct.

[KRANKY]

Governor Richardson,
You are my candidate.
You have the most comprehensive, far reaching programs among all of the candidates.
Your position on this illegal, contrived, war for profit benefitting the bush cadre, has been clear and definitive.

It is quite obvious to me that Bill Richardson is the most qualified, and the most intelligent running for POTUS.
He can quickly rectify the mistakes of the last administration, and bring America together!

[ThomasDoubting]

Senator with all that experience, I am surprised that you do not seem to be aware, that the major reason why people are begging for a Free, universal, single-pay­er,not-for­-profit, health care system, as proposed by Dennis Kucinich, is because the Insurance Companies are robbing us. If you are not allowed to speak, against the Insurance Companies, because of the money that they are paying you, I think that you should admit it, and not tell us that paying someones' insurance premiums, is solving the health care crises. Some people think that each of the Democratic candidates have a health care plan. They do, but they all protect the Insurance Companies, and keep them involved, except of course Dennis Kucinich..­.Medicare for All

[ThomasDoubting]

Senator?? I know that you are really a Governor!