BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign

Subject: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: Alice
Date: 29 Jun 03 - 05:16 PM

The Dean campaign for the presidential nomination is building in momentum. It is interesting to see the impact of internet communication creating grassroots connections. With the web site making it easy for online users to meet in person in their own town, there is a growing number of people meeting to organize their support for Dean. They contact each other through a page at http://dean2004.meetup.com/. The campaign suggests that Dean supporters meet once a month and plan activities that both aid their community and raise awareness of Dean's campaign. I like the idea that he is promoting doing something that is constructive for local communities instead of people just rallying for their candidate.

You can follow the action here:

http://www.blogforamerica.com/

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jun 03 - 12:31 AM

Thanks, Alice. I have pretty much decided he's the one I want to support.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: Frankham
Date: 30 Jun 03 - 07:21 PM

Have y'all seen this? This was found on Alternet. I won't print all of it since you can see it on Alternet which can be reached through search engines.


The article is:
Dean Not Progressive on Mideast
By Ahmed Nassef, AlterNet
June 30, 2003

It states that he is closer to a hawk when it comes to the Israeli/Palestinian question.

The article states:
And when asked whether his views are closer to the dovish Americans for Peace Now (APN) or the right-wing, Sharon-supporting American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), he stated unequivocally in an interview with the Jewish weekly The Forward, "My view is closer to AIPAC's view."
"At one time the Peace Now view was important, but now Israel is under enormous pressure. We have to stop terrorism before peace negotiations," he said.

What's the difference between Dean and Bush? What does this mean, we have to stop terrorism before there can be peace? I think he has he cart before the horse.

The article continues:

Similarly, Dean's official campaign position on solving the Palestinian-Israeli problem is that "terrorism against Israel must end," but there is no mention of the Israeli violence that has resulted in over 2,391 deaths since September 2000.

Not a balanced view I think. More:

Last December, Dean told the Jerusalem Post that he unequivocally supported $8 billion in U.S. loan guarantees for Israel. "I believe that by providing Israel with the loan guarantees ... the US will be advancing its own interest," he said.

I'm certainly not sure of this. It's not a peaceful solution to the Mideast crisis.

The article continues:

On the illegal Israeli settlements, Dean seems to be waffling of late. A pro-Dean blog quotes his campaign as calling for the ultimate removal of only "a number of existing settlements."
Dean called last month for "ultimately dismantling the settlements." So which one is it?


In fact, Dean's alignment with AIPAC and their right-wing politics goes much deeper than aligning with the group's platform. Last year, he named Steven Grossman, a former AIPAC head, as his campaign's chief fundraiser. Soon after, he flew to Israel on an AIPAC-sponsored junket.

Whose pocket is he in?


And in a telling statement about whether a President Dean would act any differently toward Iran than the Bush neocons, Dean also told The Forward, "The United States has to ... take a much harder line on Iran and Saudi Arabia because they're funding terrorism."
In fact, Dean thinks President Bush is way too soft on Iran. In a March appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation," Dean explained that "[President Bush] is beholden to the Saudis and the Iranians," something that would certainly come as a surprise to the current regime leaders in Iran who've been labeled as part of an alleged "Axis of Evil" by the current U.S. president.


Dean even left open the possibility of preemptive strikes against that country in that interview, adding that "we have to be very, very careful of Iran."

What are we getting into here? Tougher hardline on Iran than Bush?

He also has a doubious record on gun control and welfare reform.

I won't be supporting him. He is not much different than Bush.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: Alice
Date: 30 Jun 03 - 07:36 PM

I was reading earlier today that the average donation to Dean is about $60. His surge of financial support in the past week since his Meet The Press appearance has come from Americans who are feeling that their one voice and vote may make a difference, even though they don't have big money. We'll see.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: Alice
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 12:21 PM

For those who would like a good source of info on what Dean stands for, there is an interview online at the NPR web site (read transcript or listen to audio).

http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/democrats2004/dean.html

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: toadfrog
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 10:54 PM

Another interesting question is his experience and competence. Being from the West, I don't know much about him. Anyone know where to go for a good neutral evaluation of Dean?

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 12:28 AM

I heard him say on NPR that he did NOT support Bush's actions in Iraq, so I am wondering about the efficacy of the above info. I'd like to know more about non-biased info on him, too, as I'd pretty made up my mind to support him, as have some other friends. This certainly gives me something to think about.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 01:00 AM

Kat, here is a source of his recent speeches:

Dean Speeches Archive

Here is a PDF file of a summary of where Dean stands on the
issues (1MB).
Howard Dean ON THE ISSUES

Subject: RE: BS: blogforamerica.com Dean Campaign
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 10:12 PM

Thanks, Alice, I appreciate it.

Spaw mentioned on the Willie Nelson thread that he thinks Dean and Kicinich(sp) might be a good combo.