Professor for President?

A nonaffiliated political group has started a campaign to enlist Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs to run for president. Sachs is one of the world’s most renowned economists, and his globe-trotting, high-profile work on Third World poverty-related issues has made him a sort of academic Bono.

From Sachs for President:

Based on his extensive work in the United States and around the world, we believe that Dr. Sachs is the most qualified, experienced and capable person for the position of president. Throughout his career as an economist and advocate, he has shown a level of statesmanship that has long been missing from American politics ? concern for people of all races and nationalities, promotion of sustainable development and improving the lives of the disadvantaged, and an incredible commitment to speaking hard truths to power. These admirable qualities are desperately lacking in American government today, and we believe that Dr. Sachs is the person most capable of bringing those ideals into the political sphere.

Should he decide to run, the “Sachs for President Draft Committee” makes no effort to advocate a political party or political platform for Dr. Sachs. We are simply highlighting the aspects of Dr. Sachs’ work that make him the best candidate for the American presidency. The “Sachs for President Draft Committee” seeks to inform the American public on issues to which Dr. Sachs has dedicated himself ? such as poverty reduction, spending priorities, sustainable development, ethical and responsible government policies, the economic and human costs of war, and the need for improved education and health care for the people of the United States and the world.

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