The progressive case for supporting Dean...

[DannyRed]

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0811-09.htm

A well thought out and well written essay regarding why a progressive, a socialist, or a left-wing democrat might support Dean.

Basically it's a "warts and all" argument.

Dean has lots of flaws, many problems, and all sorts of things that could turn off a progressive/socialist/leftie (like me).

However, his CAMPAIGN is different and exciting...and I think that the campaign is beginning to drive the candidate, and not the other way around.

That's important.

[Warpy]

1. I'll take the warts

...mostly because Dean is not a DLC-blessed, inside the beltway vaccuum jar kind of man. For instance, he's actually practiced as a physician in the past, and knows all the crap the insurance companies are pulling on us. Unlike Lieberman (savely tucked into the insurance lobby's pocket), Dean thinks this stuff should be abolished.

No candidate is going to be all things to all people. For instance, I can't stand Kucinich because of his long history of antichoice votes.

I'll even hold my nose and vote for the dreadful Lieberman in 2004 if the DLC gets its way. After all, it'll be ANYBODY but BUSH!

[tedoll78]

4. The Doc's campaign is so innovative!

And look at all the new voters he'll be bringing into the process. He truly is giving the 50% who don't vote a reason to start voting again.

[Mairead]

5. In fact he wants to keep insurance-company hands in our pockets

He threatened to veto a single-payer plan in Vermont if the legislature passed it. That's been documented here several times.

[tedoll78]

6. Wow. You mean..

.. he's fiscally responsible?

Oh my god!

[dajabr]

7. Why was he going to veto something he wanted to pass?

If it has been documented here several times, I'm sure it's been debunked here several times as well. Please cite a source if you're going to make this assertion.

[indigo32]

9. I'd like to see it too

honestly

[CWebster]

2. An article advocating why Progressives should support Dean

Buried beneath all the smear pieces on why Dean isn't a progressive.

[Larkspur]

3. I thought that Nico Pitney did a very good analysis of why he

a Kucinich supporter will vote for Dean. I sent it to my friend who supports Kucinich for now, but is disappointed in Kucinich not getting more support. This article does a good job of that.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

8. Great article!

Thanks for posting this, Danny.

"Howard Dean is no holy grail, but amidst a trend in our country toward widespread political ignorance and a sort of corporatized proto-fascist nationalism, perhaps it is our patience that is needed now. What we have in Dean is a man who can articulate liberal positions intelligently, passionately, and commandingly, and who has the grassroots/netroots support and an appeal to diverse constituencies that will allow him to defeat George Bush."