Dean Outlines Opportunities for Democrats

[sabra]

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http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=1043132&tw=wn_wire_story

Dean Outlines Opportunities for Democrats

By WILL LESTER Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- 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."

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[Eloriel]

1. Atta boy!

Love that truth telling, as well as his framing of issues.

Thanks for posting this!

[realFedUp]

2. Good to have these conferences....

at least the press covers them some of the time.

[Iowa]

3. I question this line...

"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'."

I'm glad he's making this point, but I don't really buy his conclusion (that propaganda will not succeed in America). It all comes down to how many in America are half-wits who will swallow almost anything, if the right buttons are pushed. I tend to believe that those who are easily manipulated outnumber the rest, and the battle will almost always be won by the best manipulators - which is why I believe that massive numbers of morons will continue to happily vote against their own interests and take the rest of us down with them.

Ultimately, the most accomplished demagogues will succeed. I hope I'm wrong.

[Cha]

5. Dean says he "thinks" it will

not..and optimist or not..I'm glad he's going with it.

[Iowa]

7. Yeah, that's exactly what I said...

Dean doesn't "think" propaganda and manipulation will succeed. I "think" it will succeed.

I also said I'm glad he's saying it.

The point is simply this: I don't buy into the pollyannaish belief that the citizens who will now swallow almost anything (as long as the right buttons are pushed) will suddenly change. But I don't "think" Dean "thinks" that either. I suspect he's just trying to push the right buttons.

[Cha]

4. Wouldn't this be Fine?..

"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."

I know I've seen reports of Clark talking about a "Election Day a holiday", too! Millions of Dems are working on Tuesdays..it would be so grand to have it off to go Vote..like the Aussies do.

[XemaSab]

8. The only catch

is that if, say, you made it a monday and had monday off, people would leave town for the 3 day weekend and not vote. I know I'd be like, "well, I can leave town friday night and get back in monday before the polls close" and I'd budget my time to do so, but you never know when there's going to be traffic, ya know?

I think having election tuesday off would be great, though.

[0rganism]

6. "This administration is *beginning* to erode the core of democracy"?

Isn't that the beginning of an understatement?