N.M. governor: America needs 'new realism'

[Judi Lynn]

N.M. governor: America needs 'new realism'
By BARRY MASSEY, Associated Press Writer
24 minutes ago

SANTA FE, N.M. - America needs a "new realism" in its foreign policy and a concerted push for energy independence to safeguard national security, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a former U.N. ambassador, said Saturday.

What the Bush administration has failed to understand is that while diplomacy without power is weak, power without diplomacy is blind," Richardson said in the Democrats' weekly radio address.

Richardson pointed to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants, escalating violence in Iraq, the stalemate with North Korea over its missile and nuclear programs and rising oil prices as evidence that "the world around us in on the verge of spiraling out of control."
(snip)

"We are Democrats and we stand for diplomacy, not threats; bridges, not walls; alliances, not isolation," he said.
(snip/...)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060729/ap_on_go_co/democrats_diplomacy

[Warpy]

1. Gee, nothing about a fair deal for people

who live in this country, just a lot of stuff about international relations.

That's why I'd love to see him as Secretary of State.

I'd hate to see him elected president.

[blonndee]

10. Here's what he said about domestic issues (in this article):

And remember, this is just a weekly radio address.

<snip>
On the domestic front, Richardson said, "We need a man-on-the-moon effort to reduce our dependency on foreign oil — go from 65 percent to 20 percent by 2015."

He recommended investing in alternative and renewable energy sources, "green buildings" that use technology and materials to save energy and improved fuel efficiency of cars and trucks.

He urged Congress to approve immigration legislation that included "a path to legalization for the 11 million immigrants already here."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060729/ap_on_go_co/democrats_diplomacy

[Warpy]

12. And that does WHAT for working people?

It gives the corporate something to use so they'll start doing R&D on renewable energy, more tax giveaways plus the cheap immigrant labor they're all clamoring for so they don't have to pay standard wages.

[blonndee]

13. Well, this was a response to Bush's weekly address,

if I understand correctly. I know a lot of people think Richardson is too DLC, and I may agree after I read up more on him. But I don't think not including those issues in this particular address is a problem, that's all.

[rodeodance]

2. WH et al are still stuck in the old way of thinking, Richardson gets it!

...."We are Democrats and we stand for diplomacy, not threats; bridges, not walls; alliances, not isolation," he said.
(snip/...)

[rodeodance]

3. richardson 'gets it"---has crossed over to 'postmodernism" way of

thinking about the world and relations within it.

[IndianaGreen]

4. The world has changed a lot since Bush took power in 2001

one of the changes is that the United States is now perceived as the greatest threat to peace since the Third Reich.

The damage done to America by Bush is generational, it will take decades to repair the damage. Never again shall an American President be referred as "the leader of the free world."

Richardson gets it, but we are in worse shape than that.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

6. You are absolutely correct, the damage this administration has

done will take decades to overcome.

[WhiteTara]

15. with a war crimes tribunal

I think we could speed the process of healing.

[krkaufman]

17. "Never again..."

I have hopes that this can be fixed, someday; and have the hope that a President Gore in 2009 would be a rapid turnaround -- given that the international community loves the guy.

[zann725]

5. How 'bout plain ol' "Realism"...is all? Real 'truthiness,' for once.

Nothing "new" about Truth..."REAL Truth.

[Kagemusha]

7. Many think realism is a barrier, the worst basis to make policy by.

Perhaps that's highly unfortunate. But there does need to be some basis besides pure realism also.

[MichiganVote]

8. What part of America?

I'd settle for ANY realism on the part of those elite segments of America that fight the majority of wage earners for:

The right to the benefits of the very same Social Security taxes average wage earners PAID for

Clean air and water as opposed to yet another press release about the likes of society soft porn star, Paris Hilton

A plan, any plan, on paper, with accountability for the military re: Iraq, Afghanistan and now, Israel

Adequate health care. Not cheap health care, not limited health care---adequate health care. As it is now, Kevorkian is starting to look like a medical lightweight compared to what this administration is doing to discourage health and well being.

Freedom of choice, fully, completely and entirely. Its time for people to quit trying to legislate the bedroom. Its never worked and it never will.

Stem cell everything.

And for heaven's sake, reign in the oil companies. They are going to bankrupt this country.

[acmejack]

9. The latest talking points from DLC Central.

Thank you Bill.

[blonndee]

11. How so? n/t

[DrRang]

14. Richardson has a very good record on pushing for

energy sanity. He's managed to get significant solar and wind energy programs started, tax cuts for renewables, and a powerful start to a commuter rail system along the more heavily populated Central Rio Grande corridor. He's pushed for a higher minimum wage (died in committee on last day of legislature), has supported cleaning up predatory lending, and his lt. gov. has muscled through pre-kindergarten programs. He's also tried to stop some of the more disgusting attempted rapes of the environment. He ain't perfect, but I think he's done a pretty good job in New Mexico, a schizo Red-Blue state at the bottom of the poverty lists.

[Zorra]

16. He's starting to sound like Dennis Kucinich.

And that's a really, really good thing.