What differentiates Deans history as Governor from Kerry's history in Congress is the choices made by each of them at hard moments
As Governor, when faced with the crisis caused by the Bush tax cuts and the decisions needed to be made as a result of this crisis, Deans response was to have the middle class and poor to bear the burden, rather than the rich:
Medicaid cuts will affect thousands of Vermonters
January 23, 2002
By DAVID MACE
Vermont Press Bureau
MONTPELIER — Tens of thousands of Vermonters would see their state health care benefits rolled back or cut off completely under Gov. Howard Dean’s proposed budget, which seeks to wring $16.5 million in savings from Medicaid.
In an effort to curb costs in a rapidly expanding part of the social services budget, Dean is proposing to require many people who got coverage under his expansions of Medicaid programs to pay for a greater share of their health care.
http://timesargus.com/Legislature/Story/41169.htmlWhen offered options that would have made these ccuts unnecessary Deans responses showed who Dean favored and who he did not:
Progressives call for higher taxes for rich
January 25, 2002
By JACK HOFFMAN
Vermont Press Bureau
MONTPELIER — Vermont Progressives renewed their call Thursday for higher taxes on the wealthy in order to avoid some of the budget cuts that Gov. Howard Dean outlined earlier this week.
The Progressives, with support of a couple dozen Democrats and one Republican, proposed two new income tax surcharges. Taxes would go up 12.5 percent on taxable income between $43,000 and $158,000. On taxable income above $158,000, taxes would be increased 25 percent.
Taxable income is the amount left after personal exemptions and deductions have been subtracted from wages, business earnings and other types of income.
Currently, Vermont’s highest income tax rate is 9.5 percent. That is the rate paid on taxable income above $283,000. Under the plan the Progressives proposed Thursday, the highest Vermont tax rate would be 11.88 percent.
-snip-
http://timesargus.nybor.com/Legislature/Story/41293.htmlAnd when the Vermont Senate simply decided to sent Dean the message that they would not allow him to favor the profits of the pharmaceutical industry rather than the poor and middle class, Dean became angry and threatened to veto their decision:
Senate adds money to budget, angers Dean
May 9, 2002
By ROSS SNEYD The Associated Press
MONTPELIER — Senators passed a 2003 state budget Wednesday that the governor made clear he would veto if it ever reached his desk.
Just hours after an angry Gov. Howard Dean leveled a series of charges about how irresponsible he believed the Senate, controlled by his fellow Democrats, was being, senators did precisely what he warned them not to do.
They restored money to a pharmaceutical assistance program that he had slated for elimination, redirected some money to cities and towns to help pay for education, and passed the budget by a 21-8 roll-call vote.
“I believe what the Senate Appropriations Committee presented to you was a budget that listens to what Vermonters have asked us to do,” committee Chairwoman Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille, said just before the vote...
Dean made clear in a morning news conference, though, that he didn’t support either version and he wondered aloud how they could find a compromise that would be to his liking.
-snip-
http://timesargus.com/Legislature/Story/46513.htmlYet it was not just during time of adversity that Dean favor "BIG PILL" over the citizens who had to deal with rising health care costs:
B. Publicity Leading Up To the Passage of Act 64.
Throughout the 1990's there was a well recognized mounting concern about the <*14> corrupting effect of money in politics. Public officials recognized the problem and were calling for change. In 1991, Vermont's Secretary of State, Republican James Douglas spoke out in favor of stronger campaign finance regulation, noting that the need to raise large amounts of money for campaigns had heightened public suspicion of quid pro quo deals being struck between big money contributors and candidates. In 1997 Governor Howard Dean said in an address to the Vermont General Assembly, "money does buy access, and we're kidding ourselves and Vermonters if we deny it." Dean's comment, admirably candid, accelerated public discussion of the matter around the state...
Reports also described allegations that Governor Dean vetoed a pharmacy bill after collecting $ 6,000 in campaign contributions from drug companies. n10 State Treasurer Paul W. Ruse was "criticized <*16> for financing his campaign with contributions from Wall Street firms with which the state does business." n11 Another article stated that "Ruse even appeared in a magazine advertisement for an investment firm." n12
. The influence of out-of-state donations: "Outside money is one of Howard Dean's specialties. Of the $ 312,290 the governor raised for his 1996 election, 65 percent came from out-of-state contributors: labor unions, Washington lawyer-lobbyists, the health care industry, to name a few of the special interests." n13 For the 1994 election "Dean, for example, received more money from major pharmaceutical manufacturers during the reporting period ($ 11,000) thin he did from people and companies located in Burlington ($ 10,460)." n14 One editorial said, "it's no mystery why out-of-state contributors pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into Vermont campaigns. ... They're trying to buy influence. But the cost is public trust." n15
http://www.brookingsinstitution.org/dybdocroot/gs/cf/headlines/cases/LandellvSorrell.DOCAt the beginning of the 2000 legislative session, Senator Rivers, Vermont Senate President pro tempore Peter Shumlin (D-Putney), and eight other
state senators introduced a new bill related to drug prices, S 300. The bill included provisions to lower drug prices, such as helping people to purchase drugs in Canada; it also provided for direct regulation of drug prices.
S 300 started out without strong independent pharmacist opposition. It did so despite special concerns that they had about price caps. Part of the income that pharmacists earn derives from high markups on drugs sold to people without any discount arrangements. Price controls would reduce pharmacists' incomes to the extent that they would not allow them these high markups.
Pharmacists were told by price control proponents that their net revenue would not be cut by S 300. Proponents asserted that there would be volume increases in drug store sales resulting from the plan that would offset the losses that pharmacists would take on lost markups.
Without vigorous arguments to the contrary, some pharmacists were inclined to accept this logic. As an alternative to S 300, Governor Howard Dean (D) announced that he was working on a waiver request to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) that would lower drug prices. He said that he would ask HCFA to require drug makers participating in the Medicaid program to extend the Medicaid prices for prescription drugs to Vermonters with incomes less than 300 percent of the federal poverty line and those on Medicare.
On 10 February, S 300 passed out of both the Health and Welfare and the Finance Committee unanimously.
-snip-
http://www.metrostate.edu/cgi-bin/troxy/lproxy.cgi/URL-www.press.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_health_politics_policy_and_law/v028/28.1castellblanch.html
On the other hand, Senator Kerry has consistantly fought attempt to cut entitlement programs that assist those on fixed incomes or in poverty need in order to simply live.
Senator Kerry has been one of the primary forces behind numerous acts that have attempted to provide and expand the availability and affordability of health insurace for all:
Kerry Commends NASE Study
Small Business Committee Chairman Seeks Affordable Health Insurance for Small Businesses
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, made the following statement on the release of the National Association of the Self Employed's (NASE) findings regarding small business and health insurance:
"This NASE study is extremely informative -- it paints very clearly the reality of the health insurance crisis facing American small businesses and self-employed workers. Rising health insurance costs are a significant problem for small businesses which struggle with barriers and obstacles different from those facing large employers. The research from NASE further builds the case for real health insurance reform, including assistance to America's small business and self-employed individuals. In the weeks and months ahead, we need to refocus public attention on efforts which reduce the cost of health insurance for small businesses and explore needed reforms in our health insurance market."
http://www.senate.gov/~kerry/high/record.cfm?id=183933
And Senator Kerry was one of the driving forces behind the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). One of the sponsors of this legislation, he began immediately advocating for the act and began other actions designed to reduce the cost of health care. Essentially, this act CREATED COBRA, allowing emplyees to be able to keep their health insurance between jobs.
REGULATORY RELIEF
Senate Finance Committee Introduces Bill
Senator John Kerry along with 10 other members of the Senate Finance Committee, including Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA), introduced regulatory relief legislation November 28 that mirrors in part many of the provisions of bills already approved by the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees (H.R. 2768 and 3046, respectively). S.1738 would require CMS to publish its regulations on one business day of each month, provide new appeal rights for providers and beneficiaries, open contracting to competitive bidding, authorize funds to improve provider training and education, and reform the Medicare overpayment and extrapolation process.
http://www.ashi-hla.org/newsfiles/Public_Policy/Archive/WU%20-%200112.doc
Or the act that created Kid Care, the act that enabled Vermont to begin to find its Dr Dynsaur Program which was started as a state program in 1989, but moved under the medicaid umbrella after the Kennedy Hatch Act was passed in 1997:
Agencies, HMOs debate youth health plan
Steve Robblee
RALEIGH -- State legislators, who lasted through a marathon session this summer, likely will return to the General Assembly early next year to vote on a plan to provide health insurance to perhaps 100,000 uninsured children.
A task force involving several state health agencies has been formed to suggest ways North Carolina can spend $79.5 million in federal funds. Dr. David Bruton, secretary of the state Health and Human Services Department, will take the task force's proposals to a special legislative committee.
The full legislature must approve the plan, which then would be submitted to the federal government.
"My sense is that this is a real positive topic, and the legislature will respond real well to this," said Tom Vitaglione, the task force's coordinator. "There's really nothing controversial about it."
-snip-
http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/1997/10/20/story7.html
This act began like as the Kerry-Kennedy Act, a year earlier, and before that was an act presented by Senator Kerry and ANOTHER Senator who's name I cannot remember.
Primarily, Senator Kerry's act required a larger amount of federral funding than Republicans were comfortable with, so they came in the bill was made bi-partisan, in order to reduce the federal percentages that existed under the Kennedy/Kerry version. Which had the Federal Government agreeing to cover 75 percent of the states cost to cover children if the states would bring up coverage to those up to 300 percent above poverty.
Hatch brought this down so that childrens coverage was suject to the same 60/40 percent ratio that all other medicaid coverage is subect to.
Again, Dean as governor, has been reported to have attemnpted to cut out programs that benefited the poor, elderly, blind and handicapped not only when state funds were being cut by republicans, but also during the Clinton years when funding to the states was raised:
-snip-
http://premium1.fosters.com/2003/news/may%5F03/may%5F19/news/reg%5Fvt0519a.asp
One might even state that the need to cut programs while the state faced defucits MIGHT be justifiable if there were no viable alterantives. But even when the states were more than adequately funded, Deans fiscal conservatism over-rode his commitment to social programs>
And this is what it is all about. Choices. The choices a candidate has made under fire, under the gun, under public scrutiny.
Deans decisions were made, and those decisions targetted the poor and the most vulnerable members of his state, those on fixed incomes or in utter destitution.
Kerry has never made such a decision or entertained such an idea.
While the case that was to determine whetther gays were going to be given civil unions or not, from 1996 to December 20th, 1999, Dean remained silent and would not answer questions about supporting the civil rights gays.
For incumbent Governor Howard Brush Dean III, it was a fight he never asked for. The four-term governor (two-year terms in Vermont), had refused for years to publicly state his position on gay marriage. Dean is a Yale graduate (1971) and a medical doctor. Fiscal conservatism and universal health care are his issues. Dr. Dean describes his seat on the mandala of politics as that of a "passionate centrist." Again and again he told the public he would not comment on the same-sex marriage issue because it was a matter before the court.
-snip-
http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/3867
Yet John Kerry got up in front of the Congressional Armed Services comittee and stated out loud, for all to hear:
John Kerry
Three-Term Senator Has Stellar Record
on Gay Civil Rights By Mark Shields
By Mark Shields
Kerry: For the Record
-------------------
Workplace Discrimination
Co-sponsor of the Employ-ment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill that would ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Hate Crimes
Co-sponsor of a strong hate
crimes prevention measure, the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act.
HIV/AIDS
Co-sponsor of the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which would expand Medicaid to people living with HIV, and supports science-based prevention programs.
Gay Civil Rights Bill
Authored the Senate version of the Civil Rights Amendments Act of 1985,
a comprehensive gay civil rights bill that would have covered discrimination in employment, housing and credit.
-snip-
http://www.hrc.org/publications/hrcq/hrcq03sp/kerry.asp
A decade before Howard Dean was waffling and trying to avoid the issue on gay civil unions, Kerry was AUTHORED the Senates Gay Civil Rights Legislation.
He has had one of the Highest lifetime ratings from the Human Rights Campaign, the most active Pro-Gay Advocacy organizations in the U.S. if not the World, and for the last four years has had a perfect score from them.
Finally Kerry's ratings from conservative organizations rating his conservatism has made Kerry one of the democrats most targeted for his liberalism. Kerry has been given failing grades by conservative organizations for his entire carreer.
These organizations do not rate governors, but the Cato Institute does lets see Deans ratings
-snip-
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/09/22/3f6e88292a071
>"Fiscal conservatism is on the rise in the states," Moore and Stansel
>conclude. They write that pursuing low tax rates and expenditure controls
>is "the new governing doctrine in the nation's state capitals."
>
>Three governors have outstanding records on fiscal restraint and receive
>"A" grades: George Pataki of New York, Steve Merrill of New Hampshire and
>Fife Symington of Arizona.
>
>Four governors receive "F" grades: Gaston Caperton of West Virginia, Tom
>Carper of Delaware, Lawton Chiles of Florida and George Voinovich of Ohio.
>
>While Republicans generally earn higher scores than Democrats, party
>affiliation is not a major predictor of fiscal restraint. Among the
>governors elected before 1993, two of the top five are Democrats: Roy
>Romer of Colorado and Howard Dean of Vermont.
http://civic.net/civic-values.archive/199607/msg00229.html
Can you imagine that, George Voinovich getting an F from the Cato Institute when Dean Gets a much better than passing grade of "B"
http://civic.net/civic-values.archive/199607/msg00229.html
In the end, who we and why we choose them should untimately be based on what THEY have chosen in the past, and not hollow campaign slogans made while trying to get elected.
While Dean was governor, his support largely came from the conservative side of the spectrum:
Some Republicans back Dean
By TRACY SCHMALER Vermont Press Bureau
MONTPELIER - Democratic Gov. Howard Dean got a boost from the other side Thursday when a group of prominent Republicans turned out to support his re-election bid.
Led by South Burlington attorney William Gilbert, a core group of 11 Republicans said they believed Dean has proven his ability to lead the state in a fiscally responsible direction and for that reason, and his nine years of experience, he is their choice over GOP candidate Ruth Dwyer.
"In my judgment, in the last nine years Governor Dean has served the whole state of Vermont well," said Stephan Morse, former speaker of the House.
-snip-
http://www.rutlandherald.com/election2000/repbackdean.html
Since Dean would have a tough time getting Republican support running as a Democrat for President, it simply became necerssary for Dean to do an image makeover, while trying to kick over the traces of his excepttionally conservative image and record for his ENTIRE political career.
Dean may not be one of the New Republicans, represented by the Neo-Con's who now are the power behind Republican and Conservative politics, but he most closely resembles those pre-Reagan Republicans he has been compared to:
Indeed, as Norman Solomon observes, there's a real disconnect between Dean's media image and his record.
"But the Democratic Leadership Council need not despair. Most of the nation's political journalists, including pro-Democrat pundits, insist that the party should not nominate someone too far 'left' -- which usually means anybody who's appreciably more progressive than the DLC. That bias helps to account for the frequent mislabeling of Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor who has risen to the top tier of contenders for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.
After Dean officially announced his campaign on June 23, some news stories identified him with the left. It's a case of mistaken identity. 'He's really a classic Rockefeller Republican -- a fiscal conservative and social liberal,' according to University of Vermont political scientist Garrison Nelson."
http://www.motherjones.com/news/dailymojo/2003/27/we_473_02.html#one
One of the problems with the people who Dean is bringing into the political system is that they are simply unable to tell their right hands from their left hands. Or the political right from the political left.
If Dean becomes the "Democratic Nominee" and nominal leader of the Democratic Party, the democratic party will no longer exist as a force for liberalism in the United States. It will simply mean that the U.S. have TWO conservative parties, and no liberal or progressive alternatives. It will simply have one moderately conservative party, and one ultra-conservative party, and the hopes of those like Grover Norquist to end liberalism and reduce governmernt to a size that will allow it to be drwined in a bathtub will be realized.
Those who beleive that Dean will cause the rebirth of the Democratic Party or object to the DLC and the centrist move of the Democratic Party to become more like the Republican Party by appealing to the "Reagan Democrats" are sadly mistaken.
Dean simply has a record of a candidate who has moved much father to the ceter and right than the DLC that his early supporters have vociferously criticized.
Washington will no longer operate with a "Business as Usual" attitute, but a Business is EVERYTHING" attitute.
Again, we must choose a candidate on the choices they HAVE made, not on ones they promise us in order to get uys to beleive they have OUR interests at heart.
Dean has clearly and always been on the side of the powerful special interests in his state. His decisions lead one to no other conclusion that he will do so as president.
John Kerry has never made decisions that favored the powerful and the wealthy over the average citizen.
Hamurabi, the father of the worlds first law code stated that the first duty of government isto protect the powerless from the powerful.
He couldnt have known John Kerry, but must have had someone much like him in mind when he said that.
EDITED BY ADMIN FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(56 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
