Howard Dean spoke at Georgia for Democracy

[Cookie wookie]

yesterday to a standing-room only crowd of (a rough guess) about 100-150, where no press was allowed. There are more ways for doctors to heal people than pills and hospitals, at least that was true for Dr. Dean last night. His talk was relaxed, positive, inspiring and full of the promise of what can be done, if "we the people" work from the ground up. I went feeling so discouraged about the previous day's events in DC, with Gonzales and the results of the Joint Session of Congress certifying electoral college vote count and left feeling some healing of my spirit and energy to continue with activism.

His introductory remarks were brief and followed by opening the floor to questions, of which there were enough to keep him there all night, from the looks of the hands raised, that is if he had had the time. It seemed to the writer that he would have stayed until everyone had a chance to ask their questions if the organizers hadn't skillfully disengaged him, as he was scheduled to speak at a Society of Friends meeting later among other activities planned for his visit to Atlanta, GA.

Topics included the need for election reform (high priority for him), instant runoff voting (he supports), and the need for progressives to set the agenda and frame the issues and to not let that be done by the republicans.

He recommended that people read, "Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate -- The Essential Guide for Progressives," by George Lakoff (with foreword by Dean). He said it "...opened up my mind about what the possibilities are. . . .We have to set the agenda and frame the issues."

"We're building a community, a family, an American community," he said. And that has to be done from the ground up. Recognizing the success of some in the audience in running for office in this election, he said we need to run for local offices, for school boards, county and state offices.

On voting, he said that we need uniform federal regulations, and must have the position of Secretary's of State, in particular, to be nonpartisan.

I've posted photographs of the event at the following links (with permission to link from this DU post from Atlanta.indymedia.org).

http://atlanta.indymedia.org/media/all/display/7730/index.php
http://atlanta.indymedia.org/media/all/display/7729/index.php?limit_start=
http://atlanta.indymedia.org/media/all/display/7728/index.php?limit_start=
http://atlanta.indymedia.org/media/all/display/7726/index.php?limit_start=
http://atlanta.indymedia.org/media/all/display/7725/index.php?limit_start=
http://atlanta.indymedia.org/media/all/display/7724/index.php?limit_start=