Enron EconomicsThe following are the remarks of Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., as prepared for delivery today in Houston, Texas:
THE PROMISE OF AMERICAThroughout our history, the American people have faced crucial moments of decision. At these moments, it fell upon the people to decide what kind of country America would be.
These decisions weren't just determined by words -- they were backed up by actions.
Through the American Revolution, the abolitionist movement, the labor movement, the civil rights and women's rights movements, America has changed when the people have changed it.
I started this campaign for the presidency with the simple notion that America can be better. I had virtually no staff and no money, but I wanted to talk about health care. I wanted to talk about early childhood development. And I wanted to talk about fiscal responsibility and the importance of balancing the budget.
I offered people a campaign in which they could participate, and they have done so -- beyond anything we imagined. This campaign no longer is mine; it belongs to the people who are building it.
They are revitalizing the political process. Through self-organized Dean Corps events, volunteers are donating to food banks and clothing drives, volunteering at shelters, and cleaning up public spaces. They're connecting with one another and with their communities.
And they have given us a great gift in this campaign: By participating with small donations that have grown into a powerful force, they have freed us from being beholden to any of the special interests. Through their participation they are doing something Washington hasn't done -- enacting real campaign finance reform.
No one thought it was possible. But this is how change begins in America -- it rises from the ground up.
In this campaign, we have begun to see what generations before us realized -- restoration starts with participation, and action is power.
But in the course of this campaign, we have also learned far more of the problems and challenges our nation faces.
I have traveled across this country, and met with Americans from all walks of life.
I have spoken with mothers working two jobs to make ends meet, forced to choose between earning the money to provide for their children and spending the time to raise them.
I have spoken with families who can't understand why, when the president passed a 3 trillion dollar tax cut, their property taxes are higher than ever and their kids go to school in crowded classrooms with fewer school days.
I have spoken with American families who were going deeper in debt to stay above water, taking out one more mortgage and hoping for the best.
I have spoken with people who worked for one company their entire lives, only to lose their pension because of the recklessness of their corporate bosses.
And I have spoken to parents with sons and daughters in the military as our leaders were deciding the fate of their children with hardly any debate on the wisdom and necessity of the invasion of Iraq.
And many parents of our troops are wondering what kind of country their children will come home to, or if they will come home at all.
Over and over, I heard the same questions:
If our country is so rich, why am I barely getting by? If our country is so strong, why are we being made to feel so afraid? If our country is so powerful, why do I feel so powerless?
more can be found at this link:http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10578&JServSessionIdr003=7xm7d5b0z1.app194a&news_iv_ctrl=1301"While the flame may no longer be bright, the light will shine forever" In memory of Charlie Dean, brother of Gov. Dean