Ambassador's Corner

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM AMBASSADOR JOHN BRUTON

September 3, 2008

The Democratic Convention

Last week I attended the Democratic Convention in Denver. I took part in a very impressive programme organized for foreign visitors and diplomats by the National Democratic Institute. The Institute is associated with, but independent of, the Democratic Party and is one of a number of US organizations supported by the National Endowment for Democracy to promote democracy, good governance and the rule of law throughout the world.

The Convention was a spectacular event. I had the good fortune to be on the floor among the delegates from New York for Senator Hillary Clinton’s speech. The speech of Montana Governor, Brian Schweitzer, was one of the funniest and most entertaining of its kind that I have heard.

As well as nominating Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden, the Convention approved the Democratic Party platform for the November Election, entitled “Renewing America’s Promise.” Party platforms get little analysis in the media, which seem to prefer to discuss the “character” or “style” of candidates rather than comparing what they might actually be able to achieve in office.

Among the ideas in the Programme that caught my eye were:

• aggressive efforts to cut costs in the health system, “which will save the typical family $2,500 per year”;

• allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices, promoting importations of safe medicines from developed countries and increasing the use of generic drugs;

• reforming bankruptcy laws so that workers’ retirements are a priority for funding;

• dedicating a portion of the revenues generated by an economy-wide greenhouse gas cap-and-trade programme to promote most efficient use of energy in homes and businesses;

• extra rewards for teachers who teach in underserved areas, take on added responsibilities and consistently excel in the classroom;

• seeking a “world with no nuclear weapons” and negotiating a “verifiable global ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons” and doubling the budget of the IAEA;

• being “willing to consider using military force in circumstances beyond self defense in order to provide for the common security that underpins global stability – to support friends, participate in stability and reconstruction operations, or confront mass atrocities”;

• affirming that “Europe remains America’s indispensable partner. We support the historic project to build a strong European Union that can be an even stronger partner for the United States”;

• on the Middle East, saying that “our starting point must always be our special relationship with Israel” and supporting “$30 billion in assistance to Israel over the next decade to enhance and ensure its security”;

• supporting fatherhood. The platform says “children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and are more likely to commit crime, drop out of school, abuse drugs or end up in prison”;

• in all death row cases, “thorough post-conviction reviews should be available”;

• closing the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay.

Political conventions are always great places to meet people.

I met the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, Waldemar Pawlek.

Among those attending from my home country were the Leader of the Opposition, Enda Kenny; the Leader of the Labour Party, Eamon Gilmore; the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey; and the Minister for Social Welfare, Mary Hanafin. Also present were Olwyn Enright TD, who represents an area close to where Barack Obama’s Irish relatives originated. She was accompanied by her husband, Joe McHugh, who is a newly elected member of the Dáil for Donegal. I was also delighted to meet Ruairi Quinn and Nora Owen. Ruairi was the Minister of Finance and Nora was the Minister for Justice in the 1994-1997 Irish Government which I led as Taoiseach.

I was also delighted to meet the former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson; the former Prime Minister of Canada, Joe Clark; and the former Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, with all of whom I had worked closely in the past in different capacities.

The programme of events organized by the National Democratic Institute for foreign visitors and Ambassadors was particularly informative.

Opinion pollster Geoff Garin told us that in the past year the economy had jumped from 24% to 45% as the top concern of Americans. Concern about dependence on foreign oil has doubled. There has been a ten point increase in the percentage of Americans saying the US should be less active in the world.

Jessica Matthews, of the Carnegie Foundation, expressed concern at the difficulty and delay new Presidents now encounter in having their nominees for important positions approved in Congress. Whereas in the 1960s, nominees for key Pentagon posts could be cleared in a week, the process now takes months, which she considered a serious problem in dealing with urgent policy questions.

I had a meeting at the Convention with senior Democratic officials. We discussed the full range of international issues. I stressed the importance of the Transatlantic Economic Council, a body established between the EU and the US Administration to help clear away non-tariff barriers to transatlantic trade. 

Please send me your comments about this or any of my weekly messages or other EU matters. I look forward to hearing from you!