I just finished reading "You Have the Power"

[Geek_Girl]

By Howard Dean, he has some great insight about our political party and where it needs to go. Just curious how much power does he hold in the party and how do progressive democrats push him to the top?

[cali]

1. It's hard to know

how much power he wields within the party, but he's definitely a force in democratic politics.

[Eloriel]

2. Not much within the party

The party, remember, was the force primarily behind his "defeat." Kerry has, however, made some use of him though not all that directly. He goes around the country stumping for Kerry, and I don't know of any of the other candidates who do as much. He's a popular guest on many cable news programs, including the "fake news" show we all love so much, as well as Bill Maher, etc.

Fortunately, NOT being all that powerful within the parth is to his and our benefit. Hard to be a proper gadfly when you're in the full embrace of the powerful.

I am myself forevermore a Dean Democrat. I do NOT want him anywhere in a Kerry administration, I do NOT want him heading up the DNC, I want him outside stirring the pot, energizing the base, recruiting and campaigning and financing other Dean Democrats so we CAN take our party back and take our country back.

[Dookus]

4. If by

"the party" you mean democratic voters, then yes, they were the force behind his defeat. They failed to vote for him.

[mandyky]

5. Actually Gephart fell on the sword for Kerry

Hope he knows why he did not get the VP position.

Howard Dean got KOed because for a minute we Democrats thought having a military record would be a plus. As we have learned from the "swiftless lying vets", a military record can be a double edged sword.

We have not heard the last of Howard Dean. As a matter of fact, Kerry's feet will held to the fire by Dean, Jesse Jackson and others. If the first 4 years doesn't bring results, I hope Dean runs again.

[madfloridian]

7. If you really want to go there, Dookus, I have all my rhetoric down pat.

The Iowa chose our nominee stuff, you know.

Read his book. Think about it. Then get back to us.

[Dookus]

8. Yeah

I know you have it down pat. You also have it all wrong.

[Eric J in MN]

3. Dean isn't seeking a party position. He wants

www.democracyforamerica.com to be as big as The Christian Coalition.

[shance]

6. DFA will surpass anything like the Christian Coalition. DFA is inclusive

and the Christian Coaalition is only conditionally inclusive and more exclusive, requiring conformity to principles that only support one unified belief.

When organizations only support one unified belief, that seems to reveal that they find every different and/or alternative belief as being inferior to theirs and/or invalid.

Its kind of a like a fraternity or sorority that thinks they are the best on campus and everyone else doesnt matter.

DFA is in a totally different league and realm than the Christian Coalition. Its long past the days of limited, remain in the box kind of thinking.

Seems to me DFA and all the members value inclusion, community, involvement in local/Federal issues, interdependence and working with all groups of all kinds, creating more possibilities and less limitations for Americans.

One thing I have seen that has made DeanforAmerica and Democracy for America is what it stands FOR and not what it stands against. I think that is the key difference. Its not invested in focusing on limitations and/or limited, rigid, fear based belief systems, like the beliefs instilled with organizations which don't seem to encourage independent, critical (and creative*) thinking.