Dean Corps puts service back into community

[Rose Siding]

Howard Dean may well be the next president of the United States because of people like Eliot Williamson, Megan Scott, Sally Troxel and Dick Stater. They are part of something called the "Dean Corps" in Iowa, and they are taking politics back to the future by organizing campaign work around community-service projects.

The Democratic presidential hopeful has volunteers who are doing such things as collecting school supplies, participating in river clean-up efforts, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, collecting native prairie seeds for preservation, chopping firewood for a youth camp, banding birds and collecting supplies for food banks. It gives volunteers something to do besides make pestering phone calls to other Democrats, and it's having a big political payoff.

snip>

Zogby analyst John Kenneth White said in a statement released Monday that Dean's support has"surged" in Iowa from only 2 percent in a poll of caucus-goers taken in January. One reason is support among 18- to 24-year-old Democrats. He's getting 39 percent of that vote while the other candidates are all in single digits among that group. more.......

http://www.dmregister.com/opinion/stories/c5917686/22254884.html

[meegbear]

1. Isn't that nice ...

volunteering to whore for your candidate.

Where were these people when these groups and organizations really needed help?

[LuminousX]

2. Holy Crap

You know where these people were? Unmotivated. Who motivated them to start doing community service? Howard Dean.

For crying out loud, even if you think the man is a bigger goon than Bush, give people credit for doing good things.

[deutsey]

3. Unbelievable

People are either "sheeple" when they do nothing (I'm not saying you've called them that, but it's been a common insult on these boards), or they're whores when they get active.

It's no wonder people don't want to get involved in politics.

:shrug:

[MercutioATC]

4. Really nice, meegbear. You're rapidly approaching the coveted #2 spot

for the most classless Dean-basher. Exactly how is contributing time for a good cause "whoring"? Might I sugest that attacking unpaid volunteers simply because they support a different nominee is "whoring" for YOUR chosen candidate in the worst sense of the word?

Y'know, I take my original assessment back. You're in line for the #1 spot if classless attacks are the issue. Even the #1 Dean detractor here has more class than this.

[clar]

8. Hear, hear!

Well said. That post is up there in the pantheon of offensive and nonsensical posts about anything.

[meegbear]

5. I do volunteer ....

doing it for years.

And it's not for because some candidate wants me to or so I can ask people if they've accepted Jesus Christ into their lives.

Do you think they would hand out coats to the homeless or build/fix up a house? Do it for the common good, not to promote someone.

[sfecap]

7. So who do you whore, er, volunteer for?

n/t

[RevolutionStartsNow]

9. Do you think it really matters to the people they are helping?

Do they care if these are Dean people or Jesus people or Hare Krishnas? What counts is the work.

DeanCorps is a great idea, and takes an already-organized and connected bunch of people and puts them to good work. There's not a single negative thing about it.

[LuminousX]

10. Kantian View of Morality?

Is it only a good deed if the person truly wants it to be a good deed in his or her heart, or is it a good deed if good comes from the action no matter what the motive?

I say, whatever gets people out volunteering is a good thing. I don't care if it is Pepsi or Pennzoil trying to boost its corporate image. I don't care if it is Stepford Wife One and Two who have nothing better to do with their time.

Far better they are volunteering than not volunteering.

[Rose Siding]

11. The need is increasing

Overall charitable giving has suffered greatly under Bush. It is only appropriate that it be noted that Dems are the ones who care about such things.

Should campaigns only have fundraisers to by time for TV spots?

What a sad and bitter way to look at the concept of people willing to help others.

[indigo32]

14. Meegbear

I have been volunteering for years too...
and frankly I think what you are saying is just sad. The coolest thing about the Dean campaign is that it's getting people involved and feeling like they can make a difference again.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

6. Yikes

I guess I could have figured someone would make this into a negative.

Damn those Deanies, volunteering to HELP PEOPLE! What will they think of next?

[dsc]

12. I sure hope Dean doesn't cure cancer

because I am sure you would bitch about the taste if he did.

[Nazgul35]

13. ROLFOL...

warn me to put down my drink next time...now my keyboard is sticky....well stickyer

:evilgrin:

[ima_sinnic]

15. tsk--what a bitter attitude

and what has YOUR candidate inspired people to do?

Here in north-central Florida we are collecting school supplies to distribute to needy students/schools. The idea of doing so wouldn't have occurred to me, and even if it had I would have felt overwhelmed at the idea of doing it on my own, that my contribution would be meaningless, and wouldn't have bothered. Dean is a genius at bringing the community together and that is sorely needed.

[Rose Siding]

16. This does exemplify much of the campaign, doesn't it?

Trippi says in the article that it just spread. They didn't have a big push to make it happen this way.

Thanks for the work you're doing, btw.:hi:

[gottaB]

17. This reflects well on Dean

Trippi had no hand in this? Anyway, it's a good thing all around. They should be proud.

[KaraokeKarlton]

18. It's something Dean wanted to do

because of the damage being done by Bush to Americorps, from what I heard at a meetup.

[w4rma]

19. 'A Dean secret weapon in Iowa' by Mark Shields

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/07/28/column.shields.opinion.dean/

[MercutioATC]

20. I'm kicking this to show how low some Dean-bashers will stoop...

.