HispanicsForClark.com

Wesley Clark's Views on Important Hispanic Issues and Concerns

(Note: These are positions we believe to be those of General Clark, based on public statements and writing, but these have not been approved or screened by General Clark himself. This page will continue to evolve, as we learn more, and as General Clark continues to speak out on the issues that are important to Hispanics and all Americans.)

“It’s very hard not to think in terms of the welfare of the country, and when you see the country in trouble, in challenge, yes, you’d like to pitch in and help.” -- General Wesley Clark, Meet The Press 6/14/03

General Wesley Clark has a long and distinguished record of service in the armed forces as a positive force for social justice and constructive change.  As a base commander in the early 1980s, his sense of vision inspired him to tackle such complex and then taboo social problems as teenage suicide and spousal abuse among military families.  In addition, General Clark has fought tirelessly to improve the living conditions, healthcare and education of American service men and women.  Given the large proportion of military personnel that are Hispanic, thousands of Hispanic families across the nation have benefited from his achievements in this area. General Clark has fought arduously throughout his career to defend the interests of Hispanics and other minorities, as exemplified by his recent submission to the Supreme Court of an amicus brief in support of affirmative action.  On the foreign policy front, while he recognizes the importance of a strong and active U.S. Military presence throughout the world, General Clark emphasizes the need to proactively work with our foreign partners to resolve potential conflicts through diplomacy. 

DOMESTIC POLICY VIEWS

General Clark on Affirmative Action:  General Clark is a strong supporter of affirmative action, and has demonstrated his convictions in the American values of diversity, pluralism and meritocracy.  General Clark will work tirelessly to provide educational opportunities to Hispanic students, and improve the quality of schools, teachers and resources in Hispanic communities.  

• “I’m in favor of the principle of affirmative action… what you can’t have is you can’t have a society in which we’re not acknowledging that there is a problem in this society with racial discrimination.”  Meet The Press
• "I saw first hand the racial prejudice, the civil disobedience, the intolerance… I've often gone back to that experience. It's something I've related to."  Waging Modern War by Wesley Clark
• “What you can’t have is you can’t have a society in which we’re not acknowledging that there is a problem in this society with racial discrimination. There is, there has been and the reason so many of us filed [an amicus brief in support of the University of Michigan’s affirmative action plan] is we saw the benefits of affirmative action in the United States armed forces. It was essential in restoring the integrity and the effectiveness of the armed forces.”   Meet The Press

General Clark on Immigration:  General Clark is a staunch supporter of immigration because he believes that we are a nation that was built through the hard work and dedication of immigrants.  Thus, he recognizes the important role that immigrants can play in building strong communities and promoting economic development. 

• “We’re a nation of immigrants. We’ve always been that way. We should be encouraging every person from the Indian Institute of Technology that comes to this country to stay in this country ... become an American citizen … [start] a great company. Let’s all be wealthy and prosperous and happy together. Immigration has a vital part to play in that process.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on Economic Growth and Job Creation:  General Clark is committed to creating jobs and wants to help Hispanic entrepreneurs to grow and strengthen their businesses.  General Clark believes in policies that will create a prosperous business environment and will enable Hispanics to achieve the American dream.  

• “I think you’ve got to look five years out when you’re talking about things like job creation … In order to create jobs, we don’t want to change our labor market. What we want to change is the environment in which businesses can grow. We want small businesses to have opportunities for job creation, for growth, for investment, for development. We want to strengthen the ability of this country to create jobs … through the capital markets … through tax incentives where necessary … [and] through immigration.” New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• “We need to put the right kind of demand stimulus back into the economy. A stimulus that’s efficient in terms of how much it costs us, in terms of the deficit. A stimulus that’s fair in terms of rewarding the people who need it the most, not the wealthy. And a stimulus that’s long term … [and] fiscally responsible in terms of not creating huge deficits that our children have to deal with or that we have to deal with ten years out.” New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on Military Service:  General Clark has dedicated his career to military service, and is committed to increasing benefits and improving living conditions for Hispanic military families. 

• “In the United States Army, my wife and I fought for 34 years for better living conditions, better working conditions, for truly taking care of the men and women who served in uniform … We learned that the most important asset is not your weapon. It’s the men and women who serve. What you saw … in Iraq wasn’t the weaponry. It was the courage, the competence, the commitment, the toughness, the resolution, the men and women in uniform … and I don’t care what uniform they wear: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force. They are all the same. They came from here. They’re ours and our hearts are there with them in what they do. We built [the] volunteer force because we recognized … the importance of human beings and we invested in human potential.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• “When I was the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe … We fought for better schools, for the children of the men and women who served in Europe. We fought for better housing, for single soldiers and married soldiers. We fought for time off so people could be with their families. We fought for better healthcare and health insurance”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on Education and “Unleashing Human Potential:”  General Clark has a vision for transforming our educational system, enabling Hispanic students to obtain access to a high quality education.  For example, General Clark is committed to providing the tools and incentives our teachers need to achieve high educational standards, such as professional training and higher pay.  Thus, General Clark plans to equip our sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters, to obtain the preparation needed to successfully undertake higher education, earn degrees, and obtain high paying jobs. 

• “We are not [unleashing the human potential] in this society. We’re frittering away the incredible talents and the energies of people all across America … One of the things we did in the United States Army that transformed the Army is we professionalized our membership … I’m looking at American education today, and I think we’ve got to treat our teachers with more respect. I think they’ve got to have more pay. But I think also, they have to have opportunities for professional enhancement and professional advancement … I think that’s the next step in American education.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• "I grew up in an armed forces that treated everyone as a valued member of the team. Everyone got healthcare, and the army cared about the education of everyone's family members. It wasn't the attitude that you find in some places, where people are fending for themselves and the safety net doesn't work." (Source: Waging Modern War)

General Clark on the Tax Cuts:  General Clark believes in alleviating the tax burden paid by working class and middle class Hispanic families.  He believes in the principle of progressive taxation, upon which this nation was built, to ensure that Americans everywhere are given the opportunities they need to achieve the American dream.

• "Taxes are something that you want to have as little of as possible, but you need as much revenue as necessary to meet people’s needs for services.”  Meet The Press
• “[The Bush tax changes] were not efficient in terms of stimulating the kind of demand we need to move the economy back into a recovery mode, a strong recovery and a recovery that provides jobs.” Meet The Press
• “The tax cuts weren’t fair… the people that need the money and deserve the money are the people who are paying less, not the people who are paying more. I thought this country was founded on a principle of progressive taxation. In other words, it’s not only that the more you make, the more you give, but proportionately more because when you don’t have very much money, you need to spend it on the necessities of life. When you have more money, you have room for the luxuries and you should—one of the luxuries and one of the privileges we enjoy is living in this great country.” Meet The Press
• “I mean, you look at the long-run health of the country and the size of the deficit that we’ve incurred and a substantial part of that deficit is result of the tax cuts. You have to ask: “Is this wise, long-run policy?” I think the answer is no.”  Meet The Press

General Clark on Rural Americans:  General Clark believes in supporting Hispanic farmers and migrant workers who work hard every day to sustain our economy.  He believes in enabling them with the tools they need, and recognizes their immense contributions. 

• “I am … really proud of our Senator from Arkansas … and I think she speaks for a lot of us who have gotten to know people in rural America and have seen the enormous hardship, the difficulties and the struggles they go through in their daily lives to earn a living, take care of their families, to be good citizens … They contribute enormously to this country and maybe they are categorized as “working poor,” but they’re certainly not poor in spirit, they’re not poor in generosity, they’re not poor in contribution, and I think our country needs to recognize them, and support them and take care of them.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on the Environment:  General Clark believes in protecting the environment to reduce the risk of asthma, cancer and other diseases that plague our community and are caused by exposure to high levels of pollution.

• “A hundred years out you have to think of the environment and … if you’re going to work the environment … that work has to start today … A hundred years from now, it’s going to be very important that we make America a beautiful, safe land. We want our grandchildren to … love it here … We want [the United States] to be … a national park, a treasure … We can do that but we have to start now.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• "Human beings do affect the environment and all you have to do is fly along the Andes and look at the disappearing glaciers down there and you recognize that there is something called global warming and it's just getting started as China and India modernize." (source – speech at the Council on Foreign Relations)

General Clark on the War on Terror:  Through his distinguished military career, General Clark has amply demonstrated the vision, courage and perseverance needed to fight terrorism.  He believes that we need to do more to protect our nation from terrorism, and that begins by ensuring our first responders have the resources they need to increase homeland security.

• “I think that Americans today understand that national security is personal security. We need to devote the resources and the attention necessary, not only to attack Al Qaeda abroad, but to ensure that citizens in our cities … are safe and protected.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on the Patriot Act:  General Clark is concerned with the Patriot Act, racial profiling and the erosion of our civil liberties.  General Clark believes in protecting the civil liberties and freedom of all Americans, as our forefathers intended when they wrote our constitution.

• “I think we have to be very careful of the Patriot Act. It was passed at a time of enormous perception of threat in this country. It was passed without full legislative analysis and review … I think the Patriot Act needs a good, open air, public review, in the sunshine, before we retain it or modify it, or add to it.” New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• “A hundred years out you have to think your legal, constitutional institutions … If you’re going to work … those institutions, that work has to start today because it takes a hundred years to work effectively and protect the great gifts we’ve been given in this country.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• “I think one of the risks you have in this operation is that you’re giving up some of the essentials of what it is in America to have justice, liberty and the rule of law. I think you’ve got to be very, very careful when you abridge those rights to prosecute the war on terrorists. So I think that needs to be carefully looked at.”  Meet The Press
• "One of the things about the war on terror that I am disturbed about is that we've essentially suspended habeas corpus. Which is something that's only been done once in American history and then only for a very brief period. When I go back and think about the atmosphere in which the PATRIOT Act was passed, it begs for a reconsideration and review.”  (source – Salon.com interview)
•  “We’ve got a set of hearings that need to be conducted to look at what happened that caused 9/11. That really hasn’t been done yet. You know, a basic principle of military operations is you conduct an after-action review. When the action’s over you bring people together. The commander, the subordinates, the staff members. You ask yourself what happened, why, and how do we fix it the next time? As far as I know, this has never been done about the essential failure at 9/11. Then moving beyond that, it needs to be looked at in terms of the whole intelligence effort and how it’s connected to the policy effort. And these are matters that probably cannot be aired fully in public but I think that the American people and their representatives have to be involved in this. This is essential in terms of the legitimacy and trust in our elected leadership and our way of government.”  Meet The Press

General Clark on his Vision for America:  General Clark has an inspirational domestic and international vision to move America forward into the future.

• “I think there’s a vision for America not only internationally but domestically. I think it’s really urgent that we as Americans find our way. We’re in a new century. It’s a new time. There are new challenges. But there are also great opportunities out there for this country. We’re the most powerful country in the world. We have the strongest set of institutions and values of any country in the world. We have some of the greatest people in the world. We need to pull it together and move this country forward. Forget about the fear, forget about the anger, and let’s move ahead and work our potential for the future.” New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

FOREIGN POLICY VIEWS

General Clark on the War in Afghanistan:  General Clark has the leadership and experience to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban, and is committed to providing the tools and resources needed to free the Iraqi people from the stranglehold of terrorists.

• “We have today unfinished business in Afghanistan …When we knocked the Taliban government out, we didn’t catch Osama Bin Laden, we didn’t … destroy Al Qaeda there and we still have … a large and some say growing number of Taliban supporters … We’ve got to stay the course in Afghanistan, and we’ve got to get serious about the Marshall Plan that was promised but hasn’t yet been delivered.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on the War in Iraq:  While General Clark did not view Iraq as an immediate danger to our national security, he believes in establishing a sustainable Iraqi regime where the Iraqi people's political and economic rights are respected. 

• “I wasn’t one of those who was anxious to get into Iraq … I always doubted that there was an imminent danger that required us to do it. Nevertheless, we’re there now … so what we have to do is … establish legitimacy, [create] public order over there, … and staying engaged in the region and work for peace as an effective intermediary between the contending parties in the Middle East so we don’t attract more anger and more hostility in the region.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• “We’ve got to work in Iraq and we should be there and work so long and help to reconstruct that country. We took it, we own it, and we need to give it back to the Iraqi people in a better condition and with a hope for a future. But we need to be there and work and fulfill those responsibilities. We need to face up and tell the truth about what a long term commitment that’s going to be and what the burden is. But we Americans took that responsibility on ourselves.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on Peace in the Middle East:  General Clark believes we need to work with the Arab world to resolve finally bring peace to the Middle East. 

• “We need to work the Middle East. The senseless fighting between Israel and the Palestinians has gone on too long. We need to stay engaged in that but we need to bring on some other actors as well. We should get the Saudis deeply committed to stopping this fight. We should bring the Jordanians and the Egyptians fully in … We need to think about how the Syrians and the Iranians can be engaged in [stopping this fight] also.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on North Korea:  General Clark believes in engaging in dialogue, rather than confrontational rhetoric, in order to avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings.

• “We need to be talking to the North Koreans. They don’t want war. We don’t want war. But you know truth is, there are very few wars that begin by design. Most war begins as a result of miscalculation and accident and ratchet intentions that people aren’t smart enough to stop … There is a risk in the situation in North Korea and our government needs to engage in that situation now. Not only working multi-laterally, but working bi-laterally with North Korea to turn off the tap on the nuclear weapons production and work so that regime doesn’t feel compelled to either proliferate or strike out.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark on International Affairs, International Security and Foreign Policy:  General Clark believes in working together with our neighbors, allies, and international institutions to maintain peace in the world and enhance international security.

• “I remember when I was in Europe and trying to work there, people would ask me [questions about my exit strategy and mission creep] as though America really shouldn’t be involved in the world outside its own borders. Tragically, 9/11 brought all that to bear and now we can see that we are involved outside our borders. We just don’t have a compelling strategy on how to do it. It seems to me, if you’re going to build that strategy, you have to start with the ideas that Americans understand and can believe in. Ideas that are historically routed in our culture and the way we think about things. And I would suggest there are three ideas: The first of these ideas is that we are an inclusive nation … We’re a nation of immigrants … We’re the custodian of a 228-year old idea of human dignity and freedom … We proselytize, we sell our ideas, we market our ideas, we bring people here and we show them our ideas. And hopefully we live our values as well. We’re an inclusive society.  Secondly, we’ve always believed in, at least in the last half century, in international organizations.  And finally, we’ve found many times in our experience that it’s best to use force only as a last resort. Yes, we’ve got to have the strongest military in the world, and we’ve got it now and we should do everything we can to protect it, preserve it, and continue to strengthen it. Every bit that we need, we should provide. And yes, the President should have the right … if this country is threatened … to strike preemptively to prevent an attack on us … But beyond that, we should be very reluctant to use force. It has incredible, difficult and unintended consequences, which we are once again beginning to see as we deal with the situation in Iraq.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• “We need to be working with our allies in Europe. We need a strong trans-Atlantic partnership … because, that’s the region in the world where more people agree with us and support us and share our values and our heritage than any other place in the world. We’re the biggest investors in each other’s nations … We have to strengthen our relationship with our European allies. Then we have to go out and we have to … forge new relationships that will bring other governments in to really be committed to work with us in the control of international terrorism, harmonizing laws, sharing information, training and working with police forces.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting
• “The simple truth is that Americans at home and abroad are safer if our country is liked, rather than feared, and if our leaders are admired, rather than disliked. That affects all of us as Americans. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t protect ourselves when it’s necessary but it does mean that we have to pay due attention to the regard of others and you’re not going to solve the problem of America’s image by Madison Avenue gimmickry and slick brochures. It’s about America’s conduct in the world. People love America out there. People even in the Islamic world love the United States. They vote with their feet. They want to come here and live. They want to live under the laws, and the kind of society that we have. But there’s concern about the direction of the government and about our incredible power and the fact that we seem to use it without full consultation and full appreciation of the views of others … What is important is that Americans at home should understand that their safety is enhanced and our prosperity and future is enhanced if we’re liked, admired, and respected around the world. We have the values, we have the means to do it, we just have to live our values and treat others with the kind of respect that we expect from them with regard to the way they treat us.”  New Democrat Network Annual Meeting

General Clark and his wife Gert are devout Christians who firmly believe in the importance of family values and have a strong sense of community.  Currently, they live in Little Rock, Arkansas where he grew up and graduated from high school. They have one son, Wesley, who lives in New York City.