Howard Dean Has His Eyes Open
Howard Dean may have lost the nomination in 2004 but his commitment to build up the Democratic Party in all 50 states is looking good. The former governor is also aware of the desperation of Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman and Dennis Hastert and Bill Frist and George W. Bush and a host of other Republicans who aren't missing any tricks to keep as much power as they can. Hat tip to Suburban Guerilla for noticing the article in Raw Story:
The Republicans can't run on Bush's performance and they can't run on the issues. All the right wingers can run on these days is fear, negative ads and divisiveness. If the voters say they've had enough and if enough of them turn out, the Democrats may win a house. To be honest, the Republicans won't lose their majority unless the independents too say it's time to clean house. There may be districts where even a few moderate Republicans may have to say enough is enough until the Republican leaders reform themselves. If Americans want change, they have to vote and turn out in large numbers. That's just the way it is.
Bush is still going to have the veto. The media has awakened somewhat but it will still be half asleep and barely aware that changes are taking place in the world while the Republicans have been feeding at the public trough.
Bush is trying to scare people about the Democrats and once again he conveniently seems to have forgotten about catching Osama bin Laden, except when he's scaring people to get their votes. The truth is Democrats are neighbors, friends, and coworkers with families and concerns like all other Americans. People know that. It's no different for most Republicans who are honest and hardworking. But the Republicans are led by people who don't have much interest in the average American, not when it comes to getting things done instead of just talking about it like Bush has so often done.
Half the Democrats are moderates these days and most of the liberals are now pragmatists; Democrats these days are concerned about a common good that works for everyone and not just the wealthiest 1 per cent of Americans who now control the Republican Party. And Democrats want a foreign policy that's smart, that acknowledges how important it is to work with other nations and how important it is to talk to our enemies and strike hard bargains with them instead of going to war on false pretenses.
Now there's a limit to what Democrats can do if they win a house since Bush will remain president but there will be changes in Washington, and committees in the halls of Congress will be turning a bright shining light on the dark secret corners of the back rooms where lobbyists, cronies, and people hardly interested in the average American do their dirty work. As for Iraq, Congress is going to have to let the experts and the generals have their say and tell us what the options really are, and how we restore our nation's credibility and our place in the world regardless of how it affects Bush's image. And then, in the next two years, though most of us hate talking about politics, we're going to have to start talking about the future of our country because it's important, because we need to make sure there is a future for ourselves, our children and their children.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has used the 25th anniversary of a GOP voter suppression scheme to challenge his Republican counterpart not to attempt to block votes, RAW STORY has learned.
In a letter to RNC chair Ken Mehlman, Dean asks the RNC to pledge it "will refrain from engaging in, assisting in or participating in any" program that could potentially disenfranchise voters in the upcoming midterm elections.
(snip) [The following is part of Dean's letter to Mehlman]
Dear Mr. Chairman:
As the chairmen of the two major national parties, we have a responsibility to encourage people to participate in the political process and aggressively guard their constitutionally protected right to vote. As you know, the modified consent decree in the case of Democratic National Committee v. Republican Committee, C.A. No. 86-3972, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, entered on July 29, 1987, remains in effect. That decree, as you know, resulted from the RNC engaging in so-called "ballot security" programs targeted at challenging minority voters in African American and Hispanic communities.
That consent decree prohibits the RNC from engaging in, assisting in or participating in any "ballot security program," other than "normal poll watch functions," "unless the program (including the method and timing of any challenges resulting from the program) has been determined by this Court to comply with the provisions of the Consent Order and applicable law." Applications by the RNC "for determination of ballot security programs by the Court shall be made following 20 days notice to the DNC which notice shall include a description of the program to be undertaken, the purpose(s) to be served and the reasons why the program complies with the Consent Order and applicable law."
At this point, it is too late for the RNC to comply with the 20 day deadline for notifying the DNC of any intended application to the Court for approval of any ballot security program. We assume, therefore, that the RNC does not intend to apply to the Court for approval of any such program, and that you intend to respect both the letter and the spirit of the law. ...
The Republicans can't run on Bush's performance and they can't run on the issues. All the right wingers can run on these days is fear, negative ads and divisiveness. If the voters say they've had enough and if enough of them turn out, the Democrats may win a house. To be honest, the Republicans won't lose their majority unless the independents too say it's time to clean house. There may be districts where even a few moderate Republicans may have to say enough is enough until the Republican leaders reform themselves. If Americans want change, they have to vote and turn out in large numbers. That's just the way it is.
Bush is still going to have the veto. The media has awakened somewhat but it will still be half asleep and barely aware that changes are taking place in the world while the Republicans have been feeding at the public trough.
Bush is trying to scare people about the Democrats and once again he conveniently seems to have forgotten about catching Osama bin Laden, except when he's scaring people to get their votes. The truth is Democrats are neighbors, friends, and coworkers with families and concerns like all other Americans. People know that. It's no different for most Republicans who are honest and hardworking. But the Republicans are led by people who don't have much interest in the average American, not when it comes to getting things done instead of just talking about it like Bush has so often done.
Half the Democrats are moderates these days and most of the liberals are now pragmatists; Democrats these days are concerned about a common good that works for everyone and not just the wealthiest 1 per cent of Americans who now control the Republican Party. And Democrats want a foreign policy that's smart, that acknowledges how important it is to work with other nations and how important it is to talk to our enemies and strike hard bargains with them instead of going to war on false pretenses.
Now there's a limit to what Democrats can do if they win a house since Bush will remain president but there will be changes in Washington, and committees in the halls of Congress will be turning a bright shining light on the dark secret corners of the back rooms where lobbyists, cronies, and people hardly interested in the average American do their dirty work. As for Iraq, Congress is going to have to let the experts and the generals have their say and tell us what the options really are, and how we restore our nation's credibility and our place in the world regardless of how it affects Bush's image. And then, in the next two years, though most of us hate talking about politics, we're going to have to start talking about the future of our country because it's important, because we need to make sure there is a future for ourselves, our children and their children.
posted by Craig at 11:08 PM
1 Comments:
Third world war, thanks for your brief comment above. Sorry to delete the two copies of your 3,000 word treatise with footnotes but most bloggers consider it rude to tie up the comments section that way.
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