A simple leader
speakeasy's presidential candidate profile
By Jacqlyn Breymaier, Copy Editor
October 15, 2007 | 10:48 a.m.
Behind the names and glitter of famous politicians including Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama, stands Chris Dodd, the current senator of Connecticut. While other candidates may have front-runner status, Dodd stands strong with his policies and belief in America.
His history: Chris Dodd was instilled with the importance of community service by his father Thomas Dodd, one of the head prosecutors at the Nuremberg trials, and his mother Grace. Dodd joined the Peace Corps in 1966, working in the Dominican Republic where he helped to build schools and hospitals throughout its rural communities. Dodd has experience working for those around him whether it is giving back to communities or leading them into the 21st century. Dodd graduated from Providence College and went on to attain a law degree from Louisville School of Law in 1972. Dodd then moved to New London where he practiced law until 1974 when he was elected into Congress. He was proceeded to be elected into the U.S. Senate in 1980, becoming the youngest person elected to Senate in Connecticut’s history. Dodd has been given a plethora of awards that range from “Senator of the Decade” by the National Head Start Association to the “Lifetime Leadership Award for Quality Child Care” by the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). He currently lives in East Haddam with his wife Jackie and two daughters Grace and Christina.
His policies: Early childhood education: Dodd is a strong believer in the education of America. He has worked to expand access to Head Start, a national program that prepares children for learning. Dodd has strived to ensure that this program is properly funded and believes that education should begin young, even before kindergarten, with pre-kindergarten programs. A recent study done by Rand Corporation Study revealed that “high-quality universal pre-kindergarten would return to society $2 to $4 for every $1 invested,” bringing money back to our communities. Dodd has united with Senator Ted Kennedy to attain money in support this pre-kindergarten cause. Higher education: Dodd heads the fight to make college more affordable by raising Pell Grants and reducing the cost of student loans. He also wants to reform the student loan process to ensure that federal dollars are going to students’ aid instead of to corporate profits. Along with making colleges more affordable, he wants to provide the option of free community colleges to every American so that everyone has the chance for a higher education. Dodd believes that in today’s world, a higher education is essential to succeed in society, and he is willing to find ways to make it affordable and realistic for all. Energy independence and innovation: Dodd believes that energy has higher stakes than any other issue. With global warming and our dependency on the Middle East, energy is an issue in which we all have a stake. He has devised a plan that will not only reverse the effects of global warming but will also jumpstart our American economy and end our dependence overseas. Dodd’s plan consists of: -Reducing 80% of greenhouse gas emission by 2050 by instituting “cap-and-trade” rules that will reduce carbon emissions and ultimately reverse the effects of global warming. -Creating a corporate carbon tax to discourage big corporate polluters. The revenue from these taxes will then fund research and development and set up of longer lasting resources such as wind, solar, geothermal, ethanol and other biofuels. -Raising fuel standards to 50 m.p.h. by 2017 and making these and other fuel efficient appliances affordable to average Americans with things such as tax credits and rebates. -Investing in biofuels and other clean energy technologies produced by American farmers instead of sending our dollars overseas. -Increasing access to affordable and convenient mass transit across the United States. -Through these carefully thought out plans Americans can not only lead the way in fuel economy but can also help stop and reverse global warming. With the help of Dodd, America will not need to depend on the Middle East for oil; we will be able to rely on one another and bring our dollars back into the American society. The War in Iraq: According to Dodd, we must have a “surge of diplomacy, not a surge of troops” in Iraq. He has devised a plan to set a deadline tied with funding in which we can safely move U.S. soldiers out of Iraq by March 31, 2008. He believes that in order to re-establish America as a leader, and to regain the respect we have lost as a nation, we must strengthen our alliances. Once these alliances are tightly formed, international institutions can be rebuilt to fight terrorism and enhance our own security. Behind Dodd, America can reestablish the honor, the respect and the security that we have lost. Dodd has the experience and the knowledge that is needed for a president. Where other candidates have ideas, he has answers. Under a president such as Chris Dodd, America can again lead.