The
Kerry
campaign had
planned to run advertising in the fall but decided against it when poll
numbers were not encouraging. This prompted the Democratic Party
of Arkansas to launch its own effort; under the direction of chairman
Ron Oliver the party raised
about $130,000 in two weeks to run an independent ad campaign.
Radio ads
featuring Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.), former Transportation Secretary
Rodney Slater, and former Senator and governor Dale Bumpers ran
starting October 20; one featuring former President Bill Clinton
started airing
October 25.
Bill Clinton: This is Bill Clinton. Four years
ago, when I left office, America enjoyed unprecedented
prosperity-rising middle-class incomes, declining poverty, a budget
surplus, respect and cooperation in the world.
Republicans have reversed our
policies, with huge tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, massive tax
giveaways to drug companies, no bid contracts for favored firms like
Halliburton. As a result, we've gone from surpluses to
deficits-the first four years with job losses in over 70 years,
declining incomes, rising poverty, exploding health care costs and lost
coverage.
We haven't had the funds to invest in
Homeland Security priorities, like checking containers in ports and
airports for weapons of mass destruction, or for adequate equipment for
our troops. We've cut 500,000 kids out of after school and
140,000 unemployed workers out of their job training.
This election offers a big
choice. America and Arkansas can do better. I hope you'll
join me in supporting the Democrats November 2nd.
Dale
Bumpers: Hello, this is Dale
Bumpers. Most of us were taught as children that we had a solemn
duty to leave the world better than when we came into it.
But the current Republican administration has mortgaged our children's
future to the point that it has become virtually impossible for them to
honor that principle.
Think about this: It took 190 years
for this nation to accumulate the first trillion dollars in debt.
And this administration has added a trillion dollars to that debt in
just four years. Worse yet, a big portion of it was to give a
whopping tax cut to the richest people in America.
Instead of giving hope and promise to
those we love most, this administration chose to honor the rich.
Our national debt is so huge now, we're having to depend on the
Japanese, the Chinese and other nations to help us finance it.
Foreign investments in helping us finance our debt have increased 76
percent in just the past four years.
This is Dale Bumpers. Please
join me on November 2nd to change the direction of our country. Let's
keep faith with our children.
Dale
Bumpers: This is Dale
Bumpers. This message is not about politics; it's about simple
arithmetic. Think about this: in 1945, there were 42 workers for
every Social Security beneficiary. Today, there are only 3.4
workers for each beneficiary, and the number is still declining.
Some changes in Social Security are
obviously in order, but this administration wants to privatize Social
Security - that is, allow workers to invest some of their contributions
in things like the stock market, and pay that much less into the fund
that we use to pay Social Security benefits today.
So ask yourself this question: Where
would the money come from to pay today's beneficiaries? Nobody
seems to have an answer. Social Security needs to be fixed, but
privatization is not a solution. On the contrary, it would be a
disaster.
You can keep this from
happening. Join me in voting Democratic on November 2nd.
This is Dale Bumpers.
Wesley
Clark: This is General Wesley
Clark. I grew up in Arkansas, spent my life in the Army, lived
all over the world. But my heart has always been right here, in
our state. Today we're hearing a lot about this upcoming
election, and it's confusing. So here are some facts you can use
to decide for yourself.
Fact: The current administration's
cut by half the funding to state and local governments for emergency
responders. That means we're not getting what we need to train
and equip the men and women we count on in a crisis.
Fact: The current administration's
cut funding for the successful COPS program. That means police
departments here in our state are being shortchanged and stretched thin.
After over 30 years defending this
nation in uniform, I know the importance of democracy. We all
have to do our part, use our freedoms-and that means vote this November
2nd. The stakes have never been higher. Thanks for
listening. Vote Democratic.
Rodney
Slater: I'm Rodney
Slater. The current administration in Washington has begun to use
the word "liberal" a lot. This is not the first time they've
resorted to using that label.
The Republicans called Franklin
Roosevelt a "liberal" when he proposed Social Security and rural
electrification, and they fiercely opposed both.
They called Harry Truman a "liberal"
when he said the military must be integrated, and when he called for
universal health care.
They called Lyndon Johnson a
"liberal" when he proposed Medicare and civil rights, and they called
Medicare "socialized medicine" and resisted it.
Of course, like a broken record, they
called John Kennedy and Bill Clinton "liberals."
Think where the nation would be
without these great programs instituted by some of America's greatest
presidents, Democrats all. Programs that make us stronger are
what America's all about.
If you agree, please join me November
2nd in voting for change in this country-Democratic change. Thank
you.