General Wesley Clark

General Wesley Clark, Democratic candidate for President, was born in Chicago in 1944. In 1962 he entered the United States Military Academy and launched a 38-year military career that included participation in Vietnam, command of the Army's National Training Center during the Persian Gulf War, efforts to end the war in Bosnia, and positions as the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Southern Command and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, among other achievements

"I'm running to bring back the core ideals of our democracy – personal liberty, open debate, and opportunity for all," Clark announces on his official campaign website (http://www.clark04.com). The four-star general has drafted numerous plans that aim to improve American policies, both domestically and in foreign affairs.

In his first term as president, Clark would like to initiate a "turnaround plan" that seeks to increase family income, reduce air pollution, promote higher education, help children in poverty and extend health care to more Americans. Under Clark's turnaround plan, the average American household would have a $3,000 increase in income, and the government would establish policies that will aim to prevent 100,000 deaths from polluted air by 2020. Furthermore, Clark plans to provide a Universal College Grant of $6,000 to college students, making the first years of college free for most students and enabling 1 million more people to attend college by 2008. Clark's policy also includes efforts to help children living in poverty and Americans without healthcare.

In addition, Clark plans to cut taxes for the average family and launch a success strategy for U.S. involvement in Iraq that involves more assistance from allies, using U.S. resources wisely and helping the Iraqis establish a "truly representative" government. In terms of job-creation, Clark wants to initiate a Homeland and Economic Security Plan to set aside $40 billion for the next two years to increase jobs to quickly "fill in gaps in America's homeland security…and provide a jumpstart for job-creation," according to the campaign website.

General Wesley Clark's policies include numerous other proposals aimed to improve America's economy, health care, education, foreign policy, national security and environment. "President Bush has failed to lead – I will not," Clark declares on his website. "I will hold myself accountable and will provide the leadership and vision that will turn American around and get it moving in the right direction again."