Why I support Howard Dean

[Clem]

I see things happening in this country that I don’t like. The rich seem to be getting richer; the poor seem to be getting poorer. The divide between Republicans and Democrats in this country of ours is wider than it has ever been before.

Dr. Dean inspires me. He has given me hope that maybe we truly can begin to change the way things are done. I believe that Dr. Dean really can make a serious and positive change to the system. He’s straight forward and doesn’t back down. He has done things that have been controversial in his state because he felt they were the right thing to do. He isn’t boring. He has passion. He has great ideas. And above all, he stands for things I believe in and has proven that he has gotten things done as governor of Vermont.

A lot of people are worried that he can’t beat Bush and I want to point out a few things. His impeccable record in 11 years in Vermont includes balancing the budget, increasing minimum wage, and at the same time lowering taxes. 99% of kids there are eligible for health care and he’s improved education across the board. He signed the first domestic partners law in the country. He stood up against Bush’s war while Kerry and Edwards voted for it.

Right now, John Kerry is getting all the press. The press is saying that Dr. Dean is a sinking ship. I couldn’t disagree more. The media decides to say what they say and the majority of the public just follow. What the press is saying is Fox-Newsified garbage. Bill Clinton lost in Iowa and New Hampshire and served two terms in the White House. In fact, when it comes to delegates needed, Dean is a mere 100 below John Kerry. Of course, the news doesn’t seem to pay much attention to this fact, but it should.

It’s important that we pay closer attention to the things that matter. Make your own mind who is more “electable”. Don’t get me wrong. I want to beat George Bush, but I truly believe that only Dr. Dean can do it. John Kerry says the right things but if you look at his record, it just doesn’t stand up. He voted for the Iraq war and NOT the Persian Gulf War. He voted for No Child Left Behind even though it is one of the biggest unfunded mandates in recent history. He says he is against special interests but his record shows that he has bent to those same special interests while in the Senate on a frequent basis.

I ask that you look past the portrayal of Dean on the news and read what he says. He inspires me along with thousands of other people who until now have felt ignored by our politicians. Those politicians that say one thing and do another. Dr. Dean is not one of those politicians.

When all is said and done, there are going to be three camps in the next election. Those who love George Bush and will vote for him no matter what, those who hate George Bush and will vote for whichever Democrat is the candidate and all those people who will tune out and not vote because they won’t think it matters. The first two groups pretty much cancel each other out. The one that matters is that 50% of the eligible citizens that don’t vote. Dr. Dean will change that. He and only he will be able to get that third group of people to register to vote and to vote for him. Not John Kerry. Dr. Dean is a breath of fresh air and I hope that you take the time to look at him.

Real people donate to him. Real people like him. THAT is how we’ll make real change in this country.

As Dr. Dean says and says well, “It’s time we take our country back!!!!”

[gWbush is Mabus]

1. thank you...i agree completely

well written too :)

[Anwen]

2. I hear ya, Clem.

Well said. :)

[Ninga]

3. From one Howard Dean Special Interest,

to another, hugs and kisses!

[THUNDER HANDS]

4. I'm happy for you

Now, could you please cut the anti-Kerry threads down to say, like, 50 instead of 100, please? :)

[blm]

5. Dr, Dean says one thing NOW but acted opposite as Governor.

When Dean was IN power he used it to promote the corporatist and centrist agenda.

Now that he is campaigning he turns to populist rhetoric.

That's called saying one thing while doing another.

[alexwcovington]

7. No.

Dean displayed the best example of pragmatic progressivism in his 11 years in office. Let's face it, getting the "liberal agenda" through a Republican legislature is tough. He did it -- by making it not seem that far out.

It's making the left look centrist again. If you call that "centrist" you must be out there.

[blm]

9. Dean had a Democratic legislature and fought the progressives on most

every issue.

He tried to push electricity deregulation for years and the Dems fought him back.

You really should read up on his time in Vermont. He never even received ONE endorsement from the Sierra Club for any of his races there because of his procorporate stances.

That's pretty shameful for a Democrat.

[dsc]

10. not the whole time

The House was Republican both when he started and when he ended. It was Democratic for some of the time too.

[EXE619K]

13. True sign of leadership:

Ability to denounce your own for the interest of the people.

[MercutioATC]

14. Thanks for dumping on yet another positive Dean thread.

Can't we all just leave the positive threads alone?

[alexwcovington]

6. Oy Oy Oy!

Well said!

[NoPasaran]

8. Pretty much the way I feel

What sealed the deal for me is that Dean seems to say what he really thinks, not just what the audience wants to hear.

[Gin]

12. I support him too.....question re: Kerry is this true?

His wife, her ex..and her dad were skull & bonesmen....if true..
that's even more disgusting.

Dean has my vote...no matter what. I do not want.. same old same old.. even if the face is different.

[JohnKleeb]

17. Teresa's dad was Portuegese

Heinz? not sure about him, but he was a republican but a good one from what I read. Vote Dean in the primary if thats what you believe in and please consider the nom. Kerry and Dean are both good guys, I just prefer Kerry for my reasons and you have your reasons for Dean.

[calimary]

19. That was among the things that pushed me toward Dean, plus

his anger mirrored my own. Plus the fact that he wasn't afraid to stand up and speak out with that anger, and put it in everybody's faces. As a frustrated Dem, beginning during the Clinton persecution and raised to the boiling point with Selection 2000, I have been writing, emailing, phoning, faxing, petitioning, complaining, begging, coaxing, demanding, pleading, ANYTHINGing, to get Democrats in positions of "power" to start showing some backbone. I have been doing all of that for about as long as bush has been in his stolen office. Only since the advent of Howard Dean has ANYBODY demonstrated the courage and conviction to stand up to bush - with the exception of Robert Byrd, who'd speak out forcefully in the Senate - to a mostly empty chamber (everybody else was hiding, I guess). I got the VERY clear impression that the only Democrat who was listening, interested in this, or sharing this feeling himself, was Howard Dean. The ONLY one.

So Kerry and Edwards and Clark and all the rest of 'em can come and start getting worked up. I'd celebrate this and tell 'em "IT'S ABOUT F---ING TIME!!!!!" I'm glad they finally got there. I still believe strongly they did because Howard went ahead of 'em and cleared the path. NONE of this would have happened without Howard having taken the first step, and proving to everyone that it could and should be done. If Howard hadn't started making a stink and raising money and drawing so much attention to his campaign - fueled by anger and angry fellow Dems, the others would probably still be tip-toeing around trying not to offend any eggshells.

I will certainly support any of those other guys if they turn out to be THE guy for us. Kerry certainly. Edwards certainly. Clark certainly. But my heart will ALWAYS belong to "Hollerin' Howard."

[zoeyfong]

11. The recent Dean slide indicates that dems will need to lose a few more

times with their 'move right' strategy, before rank and file dem voters realize that this is not a winning strategy. I think that a lot of dean supporters simply decided to play it 'safe' and vote for kerry, who as far as i am concerned is only negligibly better than bush. The whole thing is very discouraging for me, because it shows that even with a candidate as energizing as dean and with issues of war and peace and national integrity at stake, voters are at heart very fearful of real change.

[oasis]

15. The addition of 3 right wingers to the Supreme Court would be my idea of

"real change".

[JNelson6563]

16. nice post

Well done. :toast:

Julie

[ShadowCabinet]

18. Kick n/t

[Jax]

20. Thank you

Will be caucusing for Dean tomorrow in Washington State.

Jax

[Oreegone]

21. Howard Dean

The man that represents true change in American politics....The media is so threatened by him, there was no mention of the $700,000 he raised today. You know they really don't want to be re-regulated like Dr. Dean promised.

[ShadowCabinet]

23. Actually, we've topped $1 million so far.

And it doesn't look like it's stopping. Someone on the Dean blog suggested tripling the number to 2.1 million because it appears the 1.4 million doubling will be exceeded.

I was kind of getting down on how things were going for Gov. Dean. But seeing the enthusiasm and speed with which everyone answered the call for help made me dig deep and contribute again! Call us what you will, but the Dean supporters are phenomenal!

Can you imagine the spin if we can actually pull all of this out of the fire for Dean? The campaign that was "dead" being "resurrected" by it's supporters and turning things around. Americans love the underdog, always have, always will. Show them that the underdog has a chance of winning and beating the big guy and they will support him to the end.

I am so praying that the Dean campaign turns into Seabiscuit. The ugly little horse that goes on to beat War Admiral!

[LiberalTexan]

22. I donated again this week

Hubby and I are with Dr. Dean till the bitter end. Texas Primary March 9th baby! :)