Your Daily Dose Of Clark: Accountability

General Clark introduced us to his Turnaround Plan for America yesterday.

I, Wesley K. Clark, promise to show the leadership to achieve the following five goals by 2008, while reducing the budget deficit each and every year, and to ask the American people to hold me accountable for meeting these goals:

• The typical family's income will increase by $3,000.

• I will put in place policies that will prevent 100,000 premature deaths from environmental causes by 2020.

• 1 million additional students will enroll in higher education.

• 2 million children will be lifted out of poverty, bringing the poverty rate to lowest on record.

• 30 million people who currently lack health insurance will get it.
  

Every President should be held accountable for failing to improve the lives of American families, students, and children. President Bush has failed to lead. I will not. I will hold myself accountable and will provide the leadership and vision that will turn America around and get it moving in the right direction again.

The General will spend each day this week discussing a specific point of his plan. Today, in New Hampshire, he discussed Goal One of his Turnaround Plan: how he plans to improve family income.

Under President Clinton's successful economic strategy, the typical family saw its inflation-adjusted income rise $7,202 in eight years. By turning around President Bush's failed policies and restoring sound economic policies, the American economy will be able to generate the same income growth it achieved in the 1990s. Specifically, Wes Clark proposes:

1. Making job creation job one. Wes Clark has proposed a Job Creation Plan that will take back President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, those making over $200,000 annually, and use the money to jumpstart the economy and create jobs.

2. Restoring fiscal discipline. Wes Clark has proposed a "Savings for America's Future Plan" that will save $2.35 trillion over ten years to reduce the deficit every year and invest in priorities like health care and universal preschool.

3. Promoting economic opportunity for all Americans. Expanding economic opportunity ensures that all Americans will benefit from economic growth. Wes Clark's plans will make preschool universal, make health care more affordable, and invest in education and training.

4. Unleashing the power and ingenuity of America's entrepreneurial spirit. President Bush has supported industry instead of harnessing the power of markets to spur growth, create jobs, protect the environment, and defend the homeland.

5. Creating the conditions for long-run prosperity. Wes Clark's economic strategy is not just about jumpstarting the economy today. He also plans to put in place policies to sustain long-term growth: investments in research and technology, pro-growth tax reform and sustainable energy policies.
   

There's a breakdown of what this plan means to individual states here. Colorado, for example, would gain 18,000 additional college enrollees and 529,146 newly insured. This sounds like an ambitious undertaking, but one that The General is betting his reputation on - something I don't imagine he takes lightly. I'll keep updating as the details of the plan are unveiled this week.

Along the same lines, The General asks us to Imagine an accountable presidency in his new TV ad.

In local Clark news, Keith Trammell over at Colorado For Clark has the first installment of their Grassroots Organizing Manual and Caucus Kit. It has a great collection of information on the Colorado caucuses. While it's oriented towards Clarkies, it is a useful resource for all who are interested in participating. Remember, the 2004 Presidential Primary was cancelled in Colorado, so this is your only chance to have some input on who the Democratic nominee will be.

Lastly, General Clark will be appearing for the full hour tonight at 5 and 9pm Mountain on Hardball with Chris Matthews. This is a very important appearance, so don't miss it!