The Democratic platform: We’re gonna do stuff

The WashPost has the advanced copy of the Democratic Party’s 2004 platform, one that bears “the strong imprint of Sen. John F. Kerry.” Therefore, it’s full of flip-flops, vacillations, equivocations, and non-specifics.

The platform says Bush's doctrine of preemption has cost the United States the support of traditional allies and accuses the administration of repeatedly missing opportunities to attract international support for the mission in Iraq.

Ugh...are they still on this? Every time the Dems bemoan the absence of croissant-eaters in the Iraqi coalition force, they denigrate our true allies. Enough already. Even the Economist notes that Jacques Chirac is engaging in a petty vendetta against America that helps nobody, least of all the Iraqis.

Moving on to the next flip-flop:

A Democratic administration will "restore responsibility to our budget" by rolling back part of Bush's tax cut, eliminating some corporate tax breaks, enacting tough spending caps and other means, the document says. But it also outlines a long list of new spending initiatives or tax cuts for health care, education and other domestic needs.

The platform takes a transparent stand on the war in Iraq:

The 16,000-word document skirts some potentially divisive issues within the party, particularly with regard to Iraq. A strong majority of Democrats believes it was a mistake for the president to launch the war in Iraq, but the platform says only, "People of good will disagree about whether America should have gone to war in Iraq."

Even John Kerry agrees to disagree with himself! But he’ll be a President who puts America first, except when he puts it second:

The platform says, "With John Kerry as commander-in-chief, we will never wait for a green light from abroad when our safety is at stake, but we must enlist those whose support we need for ultimate victory."

And if we can’t enlist their help, we won’t move forward? Huh? Can somebody explain to me what this statement means?

Republicans have consistently challenged Kerry to prove that he can pay for all his proposals and still cut the deficit in half in four years, as he has pledged. The draft platform does not answer that question, in part because it contains no spending estimates.

The platform is 16,000 words long – with no spending estimates. But it addresses the elephant in the room, the inescapable insolvency of Social Security once the baby boomers flood the system and tax revenues are outstripped by entitlement payments:

On the two big entitlement programs that face strain as the Baby Boom generation retires, Social Security and Medicare, the platform pledges to fight any efforts to privatize either and, while promising reform, offers no specifics other than to say that the best thing for Social Security is a return to fiscal discipline.

Which the Democrats will restore with crushing taxes and massive spending programs. Or not. Who can tell?

Extra: Captain Ed expands on how the Dems spit on our true allies in “Democrats walk the fantasy plank with platform”