Daily Democrat: A positive discussion about Howard Dean

[Skinner]

In an effort to provide for some enlightening discussion, rather than partisan flaming, the administrators have decided to post regular threads about the candidates for the Democratic nomination which are reserved for positive discussion only. These threads will be called the "Daily Democrat".

Currently, we intend to post two Daily Democrat discussion threads per day. If a particular thread becomes too long, then the moderators will open additional threads as necessary. These discussion threads will be allowed to stay open until the next two Daily Democrat threads are opened at some point the following day.

THE RULES

The rules for these Daily Democrat candidate threads are as follows. (For the purposes of these rules, the candidate who is the subject of the thread is referred to as the "Daily Democrat".)

1. You are welcome to post anything positive about the Daily Democrat. You can explain why you support that person. You can dispel myths about that candidate. You can discuss that person's positions on various issues. Whatever.

2. You are allowed to favorably compare the Daily Democrat to other candidates, provided that you are not unnecessarily inflammatory or antagonistic to the other candidates.

3. You may not post attacks of any kind against the Daily Democrat. Furthermore, you cannot post criticism and try to pass it off as a compliment ("I enthusiastically support candidate X because he ruined his state's economy!")

4. You may not discuss the supporters of any candidate (that goes for the the Daily Democrat, or any other candidate).

5. Undecided voters are encouraged to ask questions about the Daily Democrat in order to better inform their choice. Note that criticism disguised as a question will not be allowed.

6. You may not start another discussion thread for the purposes of responding to comments made in the "Daily Democrat" thread. Sorry -- you just have to suck it up and let the positive discussion continue uninterrupted.

7. I will not babysit the Daily Democrat thread, because I believe it will not be necessary. It is the responsibility of every member to know and follow the rules. Deliberate disruption of the Daily Democrat thread, or efforts by opponents to influence the Daily Democrat thread, will result in the banning of the individual(s) responsible.

8. I reserve the right to change the rules as necessary to make this work.

TIMING

We will discuss two Daily Democrats per day, and cycle through the list of presidential candidates in modified alphabetical order.

12/13 - Wesley Clark ...... and ... Dennis Kucinich
12/14 - NO DAILY DEMOCRAT THREAD
12/15 - Howard Dean ....... and ... Joe Lieberman
12/16 - John Edwards ...... and ... Carol Moseley Braun
12/17 - Dick Gephardt ..... and ... Al Sharpton
12/18 - John Kerry ........ and ... Wesley Clark
12/19 - Dennis Kucinich ... and ... Howard Dean
12/20 - Joe Lieberman ..... and ... John Edwards
12/21 - Carol Moseley Braun and ... Dick Gephardt
12/22 - Al Sharpton ....... and ... John Kerry
12/23 - Wesley Clark ...... and ... Dennis Kucinich
12/24 - Etc...

LET'S GET STARTED

Here's your chance for some positive discussion of Howard Dean! Who wants to start it off?

[UrbScotty]

1. Dean on preparation, protection, and prevention of terrorism

A circle of preparation and response to ensure that the resources are available immediately at the local and state level to enable first-responders to mitigate the effects of any future attack and cope with the consequences of such an attack without compromising our civil liberties;

A circle of protection to defend our critical infrastructure and borders;

A circle of prevention, in cooperation with Russia and our allies, to reduce the chances that weapons of mass destruction (WMD) will fall into the hands of terrorists or states that mean us harm and to promote the principles of democracy, tolerance, human rights, and equal access for women in societies that have heretofore been breeding grounds for terrorists.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_policy_homelandsecurity

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Was just watching CNN International in the UK,

the day after Saddam's capture, and there is Howard Dean, live, making a foreign policy speech. The guy has cajones!

[Q3JR4]

3. Civil Unions

He was the only governor to sign a civil union registry into law. All the Dem. candidates support civil unions in one form or another, but Dean was the only one to act on it.


:yourock: Howard Dean

[newyawker99]

25. Hi Q3JR4!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[maddezmom]

4. Howard Dean has a great grassroot campaign. :)

[CMT]

5. Dean gets it

he understands that Democrats were sick and tired of being lackeys for the Bush agenda and he stood up to them. That is why he went from nowhere to being the front runner for the democratic nomination.

[bobthedrummer]

6. Howard Dean has always been my second choice

He'll get this Dennis Kucinich supporter's vote if chosen.

Dean can beat Bush IMO.

[rbnyc]

33. I'm with you. (nt)

[Qutzupalotl]

7. He stays on message.

He has a talent for seeing what's wrong with our country's direction, and saying what he'll do to fix it. Fits right in with his "The Doctor Is In!" mantra.

He has a great voice and a lot of charisma.

He fights back when attacked.

[Speck Tater]

8. I was kinda impressed by Dean...

Then I met him face to face and listened to him talk.

All politicans are scum, of course, but Dean stand head and shoulders above all the others I am familiar with. He has the kind of integrity that DC has been sadly lacking in recent years.

No, I don't aqgree with him on all the issues, but I do agree with his approach to process, and that, in the final analysis, is probably more important.

[quaker bill]

30. Dean will only thrive

Howard Dean's campaign transcends the war issue like no one else's. He has a broader vision for the country than the single issue politics of the past. People in the campaign can feel it.

You simply get the impression of an authentic person running for President as opposed to the packaged and handled politicians of the past.

The other thing I like about Dean is his ability to function in context with current events. He does not continue to attempt to beat marketshare out of old ideas when their time has passed, he instead offers up new and larger challenges.

Packaged politicians like Bush* offer a tax-cut as the cure for any and all maladies. Others out there have their pet policies. Being an authentic leader, Dean might just change his mind on the treatment, when the symptoms suggest that is the right thing to do. Those of limited vision call this a flip/flop, I call it sane and sober pragmatism. We could use some of this in the Whitehouse for a change.

[slinkerwink]

9. Dean just came out with a great foreign policy speech!

[Padraig18]

10. He's not the least bit afraid of Karl Rove, * OR the BFEE!

:thumbsup:

[DemOutWest]

12. Environment

Please someone tell me how Dean rates with the environment. How did he do in Vermont?

I am concerned with allegations regarding some energy companies and IBM. I know that these stories might be negatives started by others.

The environment is one of the issues that will help me to determine how to vote in November 2004. Green vs. Dean (if it is Dean).

[Padraig18]

13. Environmental policy statement and links to his record:

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_statement_environment

:hi:

Thanks for considering Gov. Dean!

[Redneck Socialist]

19. League of Conservation Voters

They have profiles of all the candidates.

http://www.lcv.org/

[boxster]

11. He has exceeded everyone's expectations in fundraising.

Maybe even his own.

[killbotfactory]

14. His foreign policy vision will make the US and the world safer

His speech today kicked all sorts of butt. It's the antidote to pipedream neocon stupidity.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10993

[frogfromthenorth2]

15. He does not...

Look, act or talk like a chimp which is going to be a great change if he becomes president. He did a very difficult thing by capturing the interest of people who had no interest in politics. He has the charisma to kick Bush's butt!

[ldoolin]

16. Howard Dean understands...

...why Ralph Nader happened, and what has to be done to make sure Ralph Nader doesn't happen again: Give the liberal wing of the Democratic Party a place in the party again.

He's a centrist who knows what it will take to make the Democratic Party successful at the polls, namely, to return to being a big tent party representing the common people, and not to snub anybody.

[realFedUp]

17. He gave a great speech in LA today with Christopher Warren

by his side.
Read it at http://www.deanforamerica

click on the blog.

[eissa]

18. He has this great habit

of speaking out during the most inopportune times. Whether it's signing the gay civil unions bill, or coming out against an elective war, he says what he thinks, and that shows leadership and courage. Personally, I will always appreciate his coming out so strongly against this administration at a time when it seemed the entire country was banging the drums of war. He is genuinely concerned about health care, especially for the working poor, and has a record of providing it in his state. He has a great laugh :-)

[David Zephyr]

20. Howard Dean Knows How to Run A National Campaign.

Undisputable.

[Upfront]

21. Dr. Dean

Seems to be in the lead on most issues, and makes news almost every day. He makes a great deal of common sense when he speaks. He can flat out fire up a croud. He will make a great President.

[shivaji]

22. This INDEPENDENT voter is stringly leaning towards Dr. Dean

I like his honesty. He seems to have core beliefs. He will not say something to simply please the current audience. I may not agree with all of his positions but I feel he is not a slickster. He does not change his positions monthly. I can trust this man.

But most of all, I like his in your face personality. I like my president to be bold, and not act like a whimpering me too. He looks robust and healthy. He does not look gaunt, or abnormally thin, or almost like a homosexual aids candidate.

I like that he is pro-abortion, pro-guns, pro-balanced budgets, pro-universal health care.

I am sure he will defend the country against all real and perceived terrorists threats as needed.

On edit: read STRONGLY in place of STRINGLY in the title...sorry for the typo.

[slinkerwink]

23. that's alright about the typo

:-)

[Duder]

24. Dean, coming soon...

[Sterling]

26. Dean thinks Bush Knew!

At least he thinks we should be looking into the possibility. This is very important. It seems pukes will preemtivly attack Dean on this issue which will backfire and help bring attention to an issue that will end conservitism in the US for 50 years or more.

[mzmolly]

27. Howard Dean speaks for me and has not let me down

:)

[AntiCoup2K4]

28. Howard Dean doesn't trust George Bush Jr OR Terry McAuliffe

and neither do I :-)

Both the PNAC "Republicans" and Pink Tutu "Democrats" are history and the Doctor's the one with the cure for this disease!

[KaraokeKarlton]

29. Dean has GREAT ideas for foreign policy!

After listening to the Q & A part of his foreign policy speech on C-Span I have to say that he hit a grand slam on the questions! So much for the Saddam capture hurting him...he just neutralized that.

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful!

[Cha]

31. I've been gathering signatures for Govenor Dean

to be on the New York primary ballot and having the greatest conversations with People about who Howard Dean is and what he stands for. This is the Best Grassroots Campaign!

And Dean leads in one of my former STates...
"The latest poll out of Arizona, an important February 3rd primary state, shows that the grassroots work have put Howard Dean in the lead"

[rbnyc]

32. He recognizes the rift within the Democratic Party...

...and has positioned himself on the side that appeals to me, that is the anti-corporate, grass-roots, grown-from-the-bottom-up side. His campaign is a referendum on the party. And IMHO it’s a referendum that needs to happen.

And I do think he can beat Bush.

[IronLionZion]

34. Dean does not take shit from anyone

He tells it like it is ... and it will be very embarrassing when Dean tears Bush's heart out and throws it in his face in the presidential debates. Bush doesn't stand a chance against any of our guys during the debates!

If Dean wins the nomination, The good Senators Kerry, Lieberman, Edwards, and Congressman Gephardt will stay in Congress to fight for the progressive values we all hold dear.

oh and two words: Cult Figure ... I mean GRASS ROOTS!!!

(NO that is not criticism. Dean's charisma and passion make his supporters love him. People give up their jobs to work in his campaign...FOR FREE!)