God help us if Dean isn't the new DNC chair

[LTRS]

He is the ONLY dem around that seems to get what the real problem is with the party. He is the only one saying exactly what needs to be said:

"In going from record surpluses to record deficits, the Republican Party has relinquished the mantle of fiscal responsibility.

And now they're talking about borrowing another $2 trillion to take benefits away from our Senior Citizens.

In going from record job creation to record job loss, they have abandoned the mantle of economic responsibility.

In cutting health care, education, and community policing programs... and in failing to invest in America's inner cities, or distressed rural communities... they certainly have no desire to even claim the mantle of social responsibility.

In their refusal to embrace real electoral reform or conduct the business in government in the light of day, they are hardly the model of civic responsibility.

In their willingness to change the rules so that their indicted leaders can stay in power, they have even given up any claim on personal responsibility.

And in starting an international conflict based on misleading information, I believe they have abdicated America's moral responsibility, as well.

There is a Party of fiscal responsibility... economic responsibility.... social responsibility... civic responsibility... personal responsibility... and moral responsibility.

It's the Democratic Party.

We need to be able to say strongly, firmly, and proudly what we believe.

Because we are what we believe."

<snip>

And this....

"A little while back, at a fundraiser, a woman came up to me. She identified herself as an evangelical Christian from Texas. I asked her what you are all wondering -- why was she supporting me. She said there were two reasons. The first was that she had a child who had poly-cystic kidney disease, and what that illness made it impossible for their family to get health care.

The second thing she said was, "The other reason we're with you is because evangelical Christians are people of deep conviction, and you're a person of deep conviction. I may not agree with you on everything, but what we want more than anything else from our government is that when something happens to our family or something happens to our country -- it's that the people in office have deep conviction."

And that is what I have been saying for a decade to every politician I meet. Yet none of them get it. Dean gets it. Maybe he can convince the rest of our "leaders" of this simple fact - stop recalibrating and stand up for what you believe in. People will respect you for it and even vote for you, even when they don't agree with you on everything.

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. I honestly think sometimes he's the only one that gets it

He's the only one right for this job.

[Maat]

2. I agree!

And he will be my Democratic leader in any case - and I will support him, his organizations and his efforts. The DNC will not get one penny from me - at least for awhile. They are not representing me. Dean is. Where he goes, my donation money goes. Are you listening, DNC?

[Melodybe]

3. Yes, he is, if they shit on Dean again, we'll have a whole new party

Progressive Democrats are far too sick of Repub lite.

Hello plenty of the repubs I know are sick of the neocons, maybe we could start the Progressive libertarians, I'm cool with that.

[LoZoccolo]

7. Yes, we are sick of Repub lite...

...so let's become moderate Republicans!

[Wisc Badger]

24. Hey could you count me in

I am a recovering Republican, I am becoming more progressive with each passing day.

[ibegurpard]

4. I wouldn't worry about it too much

To be frank, I'm not even sure how effective Dean could be considering the hostility towards him and a populist perspective that exists within a number of strong factions in the Party.

Get involved (if you're not) with DFA and work to make the Party more receptive towards the goals and values that you have.

[DFLforever]

6. I agree. Plus, I'm not at all sure this party can be changed from the top

down. Dean would have to slit a lot of thoats to get the change he wants in the party.

I think essential reforms will be built from the bottom up.

I'd like to see Dean concentrate on DFA and, if he's inclined, run again for the presidency in 2008. I'm a lot more optimistic about the future of DFA than I am of the DNC.

[LoZoccolo]

5. That woman quoted is a dominionist plant.

No she isn't.

[cry baby]

8. Stupid question, how does the DNC chair get chosen?

[DFLforever]

9. By the DNC members from the 50 states (and territories).

It includes all the Democratic state party chairpersons and committee people elected by the states.

[cry baby]

13. We can contact them, can't we, and tell them what we want?

[realFedUp]

14. go to www.drafthoward.com or DLC to find their names and addresses

write away.

[cali]

10. I don't think Dean stands a chance

of becoming DNC chair. The same forces that fought bitterly against him during the primaries, are bent on keeping him marginalized. And yes that includes Hillary and Kerry. They're betting that support for him isn't terribly strong, and hoping that it fades as time goes by. I hope i'm wrong, but I really believe the anti-Dean people will win this one,

[realFedUp]

15. They are throwing everyone into the mix now....

Like Arnold's election out of 135 candidates...
diffusing the votes got him elected.

Kinda like putting Clark into the last
primary...the rent-a-candidates.

[janx]

33. Do you have more info about this?

Funny! How many are involved now?

[Leilani]

38. Clark was a rent-a candidate?

Tell that to the people who drafted him, supported him, & still support him.

Not to mention the fact that many Clark people support Dean as Chair, because they support Wes Clark for many of the same reasons that people support Dean.

[janx]

31. I'm not so sure about that...

It isn't as if he went away after the primaries or anything...It's really funny when you think about it, because I'm sure there were some who thought he would.

[zara]

11. Need something more powerful...

and more open to manipulation than "God"; the Republicans have co-opted that cultural icon for the time being.

[Walt Starr]

12. The DNC Chairmanship is the canary in a coal mine for me

I'll make my choices for my political future based solely upon what happens with that position.

[Cuban_Liberal]

16. As you say, Dr. Dean 'gets it'.

John Edwards 'gets it', too, and I predict he'll be our (winning) nominee in 2008.

[LTRS]

19. John Edwards "gets it" - how so?

He talks about the environment and the need to reduce dependency on foreign oil, then voted against fuel efficiency standards. He also railed against bills he voted FOR like trade, NCLB, patriot act, Iraq war, etc, etc, etc.

Is it too much to ask for a politician who practices what he preaches?

[Cuban_Liberal]

21. That tactic is exactly the same one Bush used against Kerry.

Take one vote, and then distort it beyond any semblance of reality.

[LTRS]

28. I just named off FIVE votes, not one

And if votes don't matter, why don't we just vote for republicans. How they vote is pretty much ALL that matters.

[Cuban_Liberal]

30. You picked five individual votes.

You neglect to mention whether they are procedural votes, votes in committee, votes on a conference resolution, or what. That's exactly what Bush did.

[LTRS]

32. Well let me mention it now....

they were votes on actual bills, meaning the passage of legislation. Aren't people interested enough in politics to hang out here supposed to know how our representatives in congress vote? Not to be rude, but I am kind of amazed that you would champion someone without knowing their voting record. That is what republicans do.

[Cuban_Liberal]

34. The votes, please? S.B. numbers?

I do know his voting record, actually, which is why I say he 'gets it'.

[LTRS]

40. Oh knock it off - you're not kidding anyone here

You know damn well he voted for the Iraq war, for the patriot act, for NCLB, and plenty of free trade policies including China. You can easily look up the fact that he voted against CAFE standards many times. Let's not play games here, okay?

[Cuban_Liberal]

42. You're right-- he did.

I'd point out that all of those passed overwhelmingly. I opposed the war VIGOROUSLY, and marched against it, etc. . However, I prefer to look at a candidate as the sum of his or her parts, and Edwards is a formaidable candidate in that regard. He is far more in touch with most Americans than most of the other candidates who ran.

[LTRS]

44. Maybe you have lost site of the thread topic

The topic is that we need politicians who will stand up for what they believe in, and voting for all those things, then campaigning against them is not standing up for what you SAY you believe in.

Edwards voted with the GOP 76% of the time in 2002, then recalibrated in 2003 in prep for a run for president and only voted with them 41% of the time.

And guess what, as long as we hail those kind of actions as heroic, they will continue.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DFLforever]

20. Yes, I know

But in my state, Minnesota, he seems to have overwhelming support among the party activists, at least per the straw polls being taken at DFL/DNC listening meetings in the state.

I voted for him in one, although personally I think he'd be wasting his time and talent at the DNC. I don't have much faith in the future of the party at the national level. It'll be some time imo before they'll recover from this recent series of defeats.

[Cuban_Liberal]

22. His support in IL is overwhelming, too.

I hardly know anyone on the state central committe who isn't pulling for him.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DFLforever]

27. I think people who work on party business

and elections, the people who with their time, skill, and money support the party, who run the campaigns and win office, i.e., the activists, are in the best place to identify leaders of the party, don't you?

If not, tell me a better or more democratic way of doing it.

[ibegurpard]

36. Okay, you say we don't need the party to be divided right now

Are you going to hold your tongue if he DOES get it? Get in line to support him like many of his supporters did for a candidate they were less than enthusiastic about? Unity is a two-way street.

[Guava Jelly]

18. I am no deaneac but DEAN would be great as Head of DNC.

WORD ON THAT
from a Clarkie

[Razorback_Democrat]

25. I think Dean would be great

for the RNC fundraising letters

just put Dean and Hillary's names and faces and they will raise millions and millions of dollars

I didn't like Dean before

I don't like him now

I hope someone else gets the job

[JaneQPublic]

26. Any Dem with a backbone is great for RNC fundraising letters

You know who you'll never see in them?

Joe Lieberman, Al From, and all the other Bush Lite Dems who think the way to beat the Repugs is to join them.

Our concern shouldn't be whether we fire up the GOP base; rather, it should be whether we fire of the Democratic base. Howard Dean can do that.

[Quill Pen]

45. Thanks for epitomizing our number one problem...

...second-guessing every move we make by measuring it against the Neanderthal opinions of knee-jerk Repug voters.

We could put Jesus Christ on the ballot, and the RNC fundraising letters would call him "soft on terror" and "tax-and-spend." Doesn't matter who you pick, the RNC's going to demonize him. And that's their job, quite frankly. Getting emotional, gut reactions from their base keeps the money flowing.

Our job isn't to pander to 'pugs. Our job is to build a party that reflects the values of the people who work to make the party possible, not the values of the people seeking to destroy the party. A party with a platform of standing tall rather than bending over.

[Lexingtonian]

29. It's too late now, baby....

pace Carole King....

No, Dean doesn't 'get it'. If "responsibility", i.e. good management/governance, were really what the electorate were looking for Dubya would be in Crawford now.

Dean would be a disaster as DNC Chair. Yes, I know you diehards for him want him to get a consolation prize and want to rearrange deck chairs on the Titanic (you call it "reform" of the Party). The political error involved is painful and fundamental. Not that I don't like the man, but his overall 'strategy' is a loser. He's a second tier politician, he's forever marketing his good understanding of Vermont circa 1990 as generalizable to the whole country in 2004, and I hate to tell you that the Mayberry America he represents and speaks for is lost forever- he can't bring it back, it never really was, and it isn't the future in any case. It's what you diehards love about him- but it's a lost cause. It's not an attempt to answer the things of the Modern Age that cause the anxiety: it's a Valium prescription.

(I can't say I like any of the other choices for DNC Chair much; at this point I'd want Terry MacAuliffe to stay on and continue doing the fundraising half of the job. And someone like Bill Clinton doing the inner unity part of the work.)

[LTRS]

35. So, no reform needed in your opinion?

Is that it? Everything is hunky dory with the DLC telling us if only we were more like republicans we would win?

Nah, the problem is we have wussie politicians and no message machine, and even your pal Terry will tell you that if you ask him.

[YNGW]

37. Something tells me McAuliffe & Co,....

.... don't consider the latest round of Dem pols to be "wussie politicians and no message machine(s)", nor would they say so if you asked them.

[LTRS]

41. Um, no he wouldn't say it in public

.. and he wouldn't use the word wussie. But yeah, I think he DOES think that. Have you ever had a chance to sit down and talk with him? I have. I can safetly say his greatest frustration is the problem of getting the pols in our party to stay on message and to unify on a message. No question about it.

[chieftain]

43. I don't understand your point other than your disdain for Dean .

Leaving aside the confusing coupling of Vermont and Mayberry , I gather that you believe we cannot win so we might as well stick with MacAuliffe . I don't know whether Dean or anyone else can turn the Party around but I do know that defeatism and resignation are sure recipes for disaster .
I was not for Dean in the Primaries , so I am not looking for a consolation prize . I want a Democrat with a spine and an ability to talk sense to the American people . MacAuliffe is a miserable TV presence . On the other hand , when Dean is interviewed he gives short , comprehensible and persuasive comments . We need a fighter and a communicator and this former Clarkie and then proud supporter of John Kerry thinks that Dean is that person .

[Tippy]

39. Tell Your DNC Members to draft and vote for Howard Dean

< http://drafthoward.com/click/p/sign/>

On Edit:

If enough contacts are made it will make a difference...Idealy I would like to see each county party jump on this band wagon...So Get involved don't sit on your hands and expect someone else to do it...

[GeorgeBushytail]

46. Tell your DNC member that Dean will hurt medical marijuana patients

Howard Dean has the worst position on medical marijuana of all major Democratic candidates.

I use medical marijuana for my epilepsy and thalamic pain syndrome and I don't want a DNC chair who will make my life more of a hell than it is.

He torpedoed a reasonable medical mj law that was about to pass when he was governor of Vermont.

Now he says the issue needs study, study, study. Thanks, Howard. Kick me when I'm down.

http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr030403.html

"Howard Dean is unique among Democratic candidates," said Bruce Mirken, director of communications for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). "He is the only candidate who has successfully killed a medical marijuana bill. Because of Dean's actions, cancer and AIDS patients in Vermont who use medical marijuana still face up to six months in jail. The 80 percent of Americans who support protecting medical marijuana patients want a candidate who will end the federal war on the sick."

I'm not usually a one-issue voter, but this is a life and death issue for me.

[janx]

47. I don't know where you are getting this information or why, but--

Dean wants the FDA to put a rubber stamp on medical marijuana. He knows darn well that even though many states, like mine, have voted to legalize it, the Feds will just come in and nullify our votes--that is, after all, what they always do.

For medical marijuana laws to stick, medical pot should be studied and approved by the FDA. That way, the Ashcroft types will have no power to do what they have been doing.

[GeorgeBushytail]

48. Google "Howard Dean Medical Marijuana"

and read some of the articles and then tell me what you think.

This issue has been studies for decades. The US set up a medical marijuana program in the 70's after previous studies.

[janx]

49. The FDA needs to approve it.

Until that happens, all of the state referenda in the U.S. aren't going to help you or people like you.