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Warham
06-02-2005, 03:01 PM
Dean Outlines Opportunities for Democrats

By WILL LESTER
The Associated Press
Thursday, June 2, 2005; 12:30 PM

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean told liberal activists Thursday they have an extraordinary opportunity to provide an alternative to the country after more than four years of the "dark, difficult and dishonest vision the Republican Party offers for America."

Dean told the annual meeting of the Campaign for America's Future that a big problem facing the country is "the belief that propaganda and manipulation will succeed in America. I think it will not."

The gathering at a Washington hotel was described by leaders as the "largest gathering of progressives since the November election." Speakers said the Bush administration and GOP power in Washington were the greatest unifying force for Democrats and liberal activists in many years.

The Democratic chairman said Republicans already have control of the White House and Congress and are now trying to seize control of the judiciary. He was referring to the struggle in the Senate over conservative judicial nominees that have drawn unified Democratic opposition.

"I always thought an independent judiciary was important for a strong democracy," Dean said. "This administration is beginning to erode the core of democracy."

"Howard Dean's diatribe today illustrates that the Democrat Party not only lacks leadership but is overflowing with anger," said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt. "Dean's priority is to generate mudslinging headlines rather than engage in substantive debate."

Dean told the activists that it was important for Democrats to outline what they would do if they were in charge and not just criticize the Bush administration.

He called for making pensions portable so they could be taken from one job to the next, while criticizing Bush for his efforts to create private accounts for Social Security while the private pension system is being poorly funded. He was referring to a new government report out this week that says the underfunding of pension plans grew from $39 billion in 2000 to more than $450 billion by September 2004.

"What does he think ordinary Americans live on after they reach 65 years old?" Dean said.

The chairman also called for changes to election laws, making Election Day a holiday or moving it from Tuesday and making it easier for everyone to vote.

He said he supports establishing a law "that says you cannot use a voting machine unless it can be recounted by hand." That line brought the longest sustained applause of the day, reflecting lingering bitterness after reports of voting problems in the close 2004 election.

Warham
06-02-2005, 03:01 PM
Jokes to follow shortly.

FORD
06-02-2005, 03:33 PM
The Doc is right, as usual. Right about the judiciary, right about the voting machines, right about Social Security.

Warham
06-02-2005, 03:35 PM
Yeah, I can see Democrats wanting more paper ballots. Easier to 'find' more hanging chads.

Warham
06-02-2005, 03:36 PM
Why would moving Election Day matter to him? I think what he's really looking for is a way to get felons and illegal immigrants to vote.

Guitar Shark
06-02-2005, 03:53 PM
Dean has not impressed me so far as DNC chair. He needs to be less hostile. He needs to think a bit more before he makes public statements. And he needs to act in such a way that people will start to like him. Because right now, he (and the Dems) are isolating themselves from middle America, which is where the deciding votes come from.

Warham
06-02-2005, 04:07 PM
He's bringing in about half of what the Republicans have made so far this year on donations, and I don't think the conservatives are even trying very hard right now.

Nickdfresh
06-02-2005, 04:44 PM
Originally posted by Warham
He's bringing in about half of what the Republicans have made so far this year on donations, and I don't think the conservatives are even trying very hard right now.

Well, when you whore out the temple to EXXON-MOBIL, you're bound to rake in the bucks...

Warham
06-02-2005, 04:45 PM
George Soros is pretty wealthy. Didn't he make part of his fortune in the oil business?

Nickdfresh
06-02-2005, 04:48 PM
Originally posted by Warham
George Soros is pretty wealthy. Didn't he make part of his fortune in the oil business?

Well, is he for drilling in ANWAR to solve ALL of our energy problems? Wow is BUSH's energy policy full of shit!

FORD
06-02-2005, 05:36 PM
Originally posted by Guitar Shark
Dean has not impressed me so far as DNC chair. He needs to be less hostile. He needs to think a bit more before he makes public statements. And he needs to act in such a way that people will start to like him. Because right now, he (and the Dems) are isolating themselves from middle America, which is where the deciding votes come from.

Middle America elected Dean as DNC chair. And they supported him for the reason that the previously DLC led Terry McUseless regime put too much emphasis on the "safe" Blue states.

Howard Dean was talking about a 50 state strategy last year when he was campaigning himself, and he's still committed to that. And Middle America wants honesty, not bullshit. They know that Hillary's not going to be straight with them. They know the DLC are full of shit. We can't go back to how McUseless did things. Democratic values ARE middle America's values, and the big business corporatist GOP never did give a shit about middle America.

Warham
06-02-2005, 05:39 PM
Originally posted by FORD
And Middle America wants honesty, not bullshit.

Must be why John Kerry lost last year...

Guitar Shark
06-02-2005, 05:46 PM
Originally posted by FORD
Democratic values ARE middle America's values, and the big business corporatist GOP never did give a shit about middle America.

You know that and I know that, but most of middle America does not. Right now, I don't think Dean is succeeding in crafting a message that will "sell", much less communicating it.

FORD
06-02-2005, 06:05 PM
Originally posted by Warham
Must be why John Kerry lost last year...

It was certainly part of the reason. Judas was under orders from the DLC not to take a strong position on anything

Warham
06-02-2005, 06:06 PM
And to think that the NY and LA Times actually believed Kerry won those three debates handily. ;)

FORD
06-02-2005, 06:15 PM
Originally posted by Guitar Shark
You know that and I know that, but most of middle America does not. Right now, I don't think Dean is succeeding in crafting a message that will "sell", much less communicating it.

If all you know of his message is what's been taken out of context by a corporate media that is known to hate him, it would be easy to come to that conclusion.

Dean calls it like it is. And that's not always going to be a pretty message, given the current state of things in this country. People out there KNOW this country is going the wrong direction. They just need to know there is a way back to what America should be.

Warham
06-02-2005, 06:18 PM
Dean's definately not PC with his comments, especially when speaking in hotels in front of progressive thinkers.

I think you all know where I was going to go with this.

Cathedral
06-02-2005, 06:23 PM
Originally posted by Nickdfresh
Well, is he for drilling in ANWAR to solve ALL of our energy problems? Wow is BUSH's energy policy full of shit!

I don't know if i can distinguish a difference between where a drill enteres the earth if it is still entering the earth.

A hole anywhere will have the same effect will it not?

I think the whole preservation idea about drilling for oil is a bust concept.
Especially when self appointed enviromentalists think and firmly believe that drilling over there is better than right here.

I see it as splitting hairs.

When a catepiller chews on a leaf it doesn't matter where it chews on it the damage will be the same, just in a different spot.

If you want to use oil rigs in an argument i think the position of STOP DRILLING, PERIOD! should be the way to go.

Damage is still damage, geography be damned.
The devil is in the details on everything under the sun, brotha'... ;)

Cathedral
06-02-2005, 06:35 PM
Originally posted by FORD
Middle America elected Dean as DNC chair. And they supported him for the reason that the previously DLC led Terry McUseless regime put too much emphasis on the "safe" Blue states.

Howard Dean was talking about a 50 state strategy last year when he was campaigning himself, and he's still committed to that. And Middle America wants honesty, not bullshit. They know that Hillary's not going to be straight with them. They know the DLC are full of shit. We can't go back to how McUseless did things. Democratic values ARE middle America's values, and the big business corporatist GOP never did give a shit about middle America.

Damn, you made me laugh while taking a drink with this one.

I agree Middle America wants honesty, the punchline is in that people expect it to come from a politician, lol, that's crazy thinking if you believe that.

And Democratic values are most certainly NOT Middle America's values, you're lying to yourself there, Ford.
The Democratic party currently has no core set of values to speak of anyway, if so Dean would have way more fucking support than he does.
This country is split in half, but the Democratic party is in a freefall that they cannot stop, and they are trying desperately, i'll give you that.
The Democrats biggest problem is that they are rejecting anything from the center and it's ripping the party to shreds.

I just find myself in a position where i don't have a clue who would represent Middle America, or the Whole of America for that matter.

But you all can keep choking each other with the spin if you want, I trust no one to serve my best interests or my values but myself.

It's time to wake up and stop being pawns to the people who are supposed to be answering to us, not the other way around.

Warham
06-02-2005, 06:41 PM
This must be why Jesus wasn't a politician during the first advent. :D

diamondD
06-02-2005, 09:25 PM
Kinda ironic you say Demorcratic values are middle America values, when mid-America picked a Republican for President. You had nothing but contempt for them then.


Contradicting yourself at every opportunity to try to make a point won't win any votes.

FORD
06-03-2005, 09:57 AM
http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/www.democrats.org/images/banners/50statestrategy.gif

The Democratic Party is committed to winning elections at every level in every region of the country, and we're getting started right now with a massive effort to fund organizers on the ground in every state.

The ultimate goal? An active, effective group of Democrats organized in every single precinct in the country. Here's what we're doing to get there:

1. The Democratic Party is hiring organizers chosen by the state parties in every state -- experienced local activists who know their communities.
2. We bring those organizers together for summits where they can learn from each other the best practices for getting organized to win elections.
3. Armed with the knowledge they've shared with each other, Democratic organizers return to the states and recruit and train leaders at the local level.
4. Those local leaders recruit more leaders and volunteers until every single precinct in their area has a trained, effective organization of Democrats dedicated to winning votes for Democrats.

http://a9.g.akamai.net/f/9/8082/5m/democratic1.download.akamai.com/8082/images/nationofbluethermo.png

BigBadBrian
06-03-2005, 10:17 AM
Originally posted by Warham
Jokes to follow shortly.

Yeah, in the form of more Dean statements.

:gulp:

BigBadBrian
06-03-2005, 10:19 AM
Originally posted by Guitar Shark
Dean has not impressed me so far as DNC chair. He needs to be less hostile. He needs to think a bit more before he makes public statements. And he needs to act in such a way that people will start to like him. Because right now, he (and the Dems) are isolating themselves from middle America, which is where the deciding votes come from.

Exactly. Dean took the defeat ( both his and Kerry's) personal. It shows.

Guitar Shark
06-03-2005, 11:00 AM
Yep.

He has some good ideas, and clearly a lot of energy. But he comes on too strong. He's too "in your face."

By the way, this new "50 state strategy" is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard. Yeah, that'll work. :rolleyes: I'm hoping it's just a ploy to raise money and that he doesn't actually believe in it.

FORD
06-03-2005, 11:15 AM
Originally posted by Guitar Shark
Yep.

He has some good ideas, and clearly a lot of energy. But he comes on too strong. He's too "in your face."

By the way, this new "50 state strategy" is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard. Yeah, that'll work. :rolleyes: I'm hoping it's just a ploy to raise money and that he doesn't actually believe in it.

If a 50 state strategy is a "bad idea", then what's a better one?

Some of Dean's greatest support in the campaign for DNC chair came from the so-called "red states". Obviously, the Democrats in those states know that the top down - DLC/central party control model was not working. It may not be easy getting those states back, especially given the shit that they swallow from the Robertson/Dobson/Falwell crowd, but the old regime in the party had written them off entirely. How much time did Kerry even spend in the South?

The Republicans have nothing to offer these people except paranoia about fictional "terraists" and sickening distortions of religion. What's wrong with speaking to "middle America" about the issues that REALLY matter?

Guitar Shark
06-03-2005, 11:30 AM
FORD, I admire your optimism, but this strategy just won't work. Who cares where Dean's support came from? We're talking about the presidency, not the DNC chair. Barring some unforeseen disaster caused by the current administration (and I mean WAY worse than we've already seen), there is literally ZERO chance that the Dems will be able to take any of the key "red states" in the next election. Think about it... Kerry/Edwards couldn't even win S. Carolina, Edwards' home state. Gore lost his home state of Tennessee in the 2000 election. Those states are just too solidly red. The Dems are WASTING valuable time and resources by campaigning there. It's stupid.

academic punk
06-03-2005, 01:58 PM
Originally posted by Guitar Shark


By the way, this new "50 state strategy" is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard. Yeah, that'll work. :rolleyes: I'm hoping it's just a ploy to raise money and that he doesn't actually believe in it.

For a lawyer, I'm surprsied you would say this.

OF COURSE there will be regions and states that will be emphasized. But NO ONE would ever say that. "Yeah, we'll focus on the northeast and parts of the wouth. Screw South Dakota." NO, anyone wants to at the least maintain the illusion of inclusiveness.

Kind of like Bush in the last election. Has the Republican convention here in the city so he can get his photo-op in front of the pile of rubble (five blocks from where I'm currently sitting) and say how much he cares about this town, now that the campaigns over (and he lost NYC by a vote of 8 to 2, and that should tell you something) he's chaning promises of funding and requesting the return of over a million dollars in victims aid.

Guitar Shark
06-03-2005, 07:37 PM
Originally posted by academic punk
For a lawyer, I'm surprsied you would say this.


Don't be surprised, we say a shitload of dumbass stuff.