What are Clark's positions?

[alexwcovington]

He's only given vague details... pro-choice... new foreign policy, etc.

If he's going to have any chance-- he needs to take stances on health care, social security, and whatnot -- and he's gonna have to put them up on his website so we all can see...

Until then, though -- anybody have a clue?

[mmm]

1. Eventually Clark will post views on his website

he should, however, provide this disclaimer:

The views posted here are not necessarily my own.
If elected I reserve the right to punch, staple, bend, mutilate
and delete any or all of the above.

[boxster]

9. There are plenty of other sources for information,

including the board on which you posted this helpful viewpoint. Though, to many posters, it's just easier to assume that Clark didn't even exist more than two or three weeks ago.

By the way, if you think that ANY politician can keep all of his or her campaign promises, you're way too much of an idealist.

[boxster]

2. Have you looked?

Try issues2000.org, for one.

Try reading some of his recent speeches.

Try reading transcripts of the debate.

There's plenty of information around; you just have to take the time to look.

Considering how much has been posted on this exact question over the past two weeks, you really shouldn't have to look too hard.

[hackwriter]

3. Is there any track record we can find?

Talk is cheap. He can post positions all he wants to, how do I know? Dean at least has a track record.

Here's what I want to see from Clark, in the absence of a legislative track record:

1) records of support for and/or donations to charities and political organizations

2) Op-ed pieces over the last 10 years

3) Transcripts of news conferences prior to this year that indicate his positions on various issues.

In the absence of that, I can't help but think of Clark as a blank slate onto which people are projecting their hopes. That's not enough for me.

[sandnsea]

5. Programs on military bases

It shouldn't be too tough to find what changes he advocated in the military and on his bases in order to better evaluate his policies. I've seen a few, but I think there ought to be alot more if he is truly a progressive at heart.

[boxster]

7. "That's not enough for me."

I seriously doubt that Dr. Dean can substantiate every one of his positions with either a vote or an action. Does that mean we should discount everything he says that isn't substantiated or that doesn't have a related vote as Governor of Vermont? That appears to be your logic, but I highly doubt that would be acceptable to you.

No offense, but even with 10 years of op-ed pieces from Clark (quite a convenient request for you, by the way, since he was obviously in the military for much of that 10 years), I rather doubt it would likely be enough for you anyway.

"Transcripts of news conferences prior to this year"

Well, considering he's been writing editorials and giving speeches since before and shortly after 9/11 re: Iraq and numerous other issues, there's obviously plenty of documentation more than a year old.

Obviously, it's just easier to summarily dismiss him as a blank slate and/or assume he's lying about all of his positions.

[hackwriter]

10. A bit defensive, aren't we?

Did I say I wouldn't support him?

Did I say he was a phony?

It seems to me that all I did was ask for something indicating a track record of his positions.

Why so heated?

[boxster]

12. "That's not enough for me."

Did I say I wouldn't support him?

Yes, I'd say that you did.

Unless you feel there is another interpretation for: "That's not enough for me"

[RandomUser]

8. There was a thread in GD

that listed progressive accomplishments of his (actual actions, not just campaign words) over the years, along with links to documents and sources. This was a couple of weeks ago, so is probably buried in the archives, but you might have some luck running a forum search.

Off the top of my head, he pushed for education programs for military families -- there was a link to where he asked budgeters for more money to focus on personal living conditions instead of just weapons.

He helped establish affordable day care by involving the spouses of miltary personnel. Hiring a purely professional staff would have made daycare unaffordable for more military families on a low budget. So he created a program where military spouses were hired to help in daycare, giving them a source of extra income, more time with their children, and making it more affordable for low budget military families.

He was involved in saving an endangered desert turtle species near a military base he was at, possibly somewhere in texas.

He helped write an Amicus Curae brief in favor of affirmative action in the Michigan case before the Supreme Court.

He's got two books and numerous articles out, where he attacks the logic of the PNAC, and has spoken strongly of the need for multinational cooperation to promote peace and democracy.

He was once part of a volunteer program to help poor inner city kids.

There's probably more.

If you can find the thread, there were links to references to all this stuff. Or search the web, or wait for someone more informed than me to drop by :)

[wyldwolf]

13. Is this the new Dem Purity Test?

[AWD]

4. Ummmm...

.....what do you want them to be?

Sincerely,
Wesley Clark

[eileen_d]

15. P.S.

Dean has the exact same answer.

[JaneQPublic]

6. Here's a good site for checking out candidate's positions on the issues

http://www.issues2000.org/default.htm

[alexwcovington]

11. Seems a bit undetailed

Overall decent information. Clark seems fairly liberal; Now he can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk?

[4thepeople]

14. Anyone know Clark's position on "tort reform"?

I have done a fair bit of checking and I can't seem to find anything on Clark's position on "tort reform." The Bush Administration, along with conservative Republicans in Congress and in many states have been pushing various kinds of "tort reform" in the last two years, aimed at helping out their corporate donors and screwing individual rights. For some reason, members of the general public don't seem to care about this until something bad happens to them and they find out the civil justice system has been mutilated beyond recoginition by "tort reform." I want to know what Clark thinks about this situation.