Howard Dean, the Dem Party and our national message

[mandyky]

I was a Dean supporter in the primaries and last night reaffirmed why. Dean was on the Daily Show last week, and Jon S asked about our message (other than griping about the GOP). I had been chewing on that one for a week. Last night on Hardball Dean had already assilimilated the Daily Show glitch when he dealt with Tweety.

As for a national message, I think we need to triangulate a few GOP messages. Smaller government and states' rights come to mind. We also need to encourage Dem Governors and state legislatures to turn their governments into experimental labs for ideas about dealing with corporations and providing healthcare and education.

Gov. Switzer (sp) in Montana had a good idea about the tax on stores like WalMart. Howard Dean as a Gov was able to turn healthcare into a middle class entitlement. As for education, I wonder if states have the power to start and in-state community corps (sort of like the peace corps). They could offer students to have their education paid for if they pledge to work in underdeveloped and poor areas of the state (inner cities, Indian Reservations, areas like Appalachia). This would seem to be easier to do in states that are Commonwealths, too.

[hollowdweller]

1. Maximum personal liberty, but with a social safety net will win for us.

Address internet and credit privacy issues.

Address the emminent domain fiasco.

Address warantless searches

Stay away from gun control issues.

Raise the min wage

Do at least SOMETHING to address outsourcing.

Slow health care inflation.

Do SOMETHING to give working Americans more time at home and more time to spend with their families.

Encourage alternative fuels and fuel efficiency.

Many of the divisive social issues that the GOP has scored points on could be neutralized if the Dems embraced personal liberty and privacy on more issues and then used that as a justification for opposing some of the more regressive initiatives the GOP is pushing regarding these.

[mandyky]

2. On outsourcing and other corporate responsibility

I think Dems need to come up with a Billof Rights and Responsibilities. If the corporations get tax breaks, they need to be responsible. If they out source jobs they should have tarrifs placed on goods comingbackinto the country.