One Democrat, in search of a "No Spin" zone....

[littlejoe]

And, before any of you say anything, I'm not searching for Bill O'Reilly.

First of all, I wouldn't waste my time listening to the man.

No, I'm talking about a "No Spin" zone here at DU.

It has gotten increasingly tougher to have informed debate on issues and candidates, without threads being sabotaged by those among us who have their own agendas.

None of us here know everything about the candidates. I try to learn something new every day. There are things I don't even know about my own candidate, and I pride myself on working hard to stay informed.

Honest debate is very healthy among people with differing points of view.

As Skinner predicted, the level of discourse has deteriorated into a type of "mud wrestling, and I have, at times allowed myself to get caught up in it. It's easy to do when your candidate and your character are under constant slanderous attack.

So I propose a TRUCE. A unilateral disarmament, if you will of animosity and distortion. And I offer hope of a spin-free debate from here on in.

Any takers?

[lastliberalintexas]

1. Irony personified

In another thread, you inaccurately accuse Howard Dean of being affiliated with and/or related to Dean Witter. Yet YOU are now asking for *informed* debate? That's very funny.

[littlejoe]

4. I did. Is my source not correct?

[lastliberalintexas]

7. No source was listed

in the thread I saw. And yes, you are wrong on that. "Dean Witter" was the investment firm founder's full name, which means that Dean was his FIRST name, Witter was his surname. I looked for a cite for you, but the only hits I got in my quick search were to RW websites and Forbes (which requires registration).

Howard Dean's father worked for Dean Witter Reynolds, but there was no relation.


I would love to see more informed debate here, and certainly a more civil tone. But those who live in glass houses...

And Dean's not running anymore- please find someone else to hate. I never really cared for Clark, but I've let the man alone since he dropped out. I just don't understand the fascination some people have here with bashing Dean.

[displacedtexan]

8. Howard's father "worked" for DW? He ran the company.

Howard was born in New York City to Andree Dean, art appraiser; Howard Brush Dean Jr. (deceased), former Dean Witter Reynolds top executive. He graduated from Yale University in 1971 and spent the next few years working as a stock broker. Dean received his doctor of medicine degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1978 and practiced as a physician until he became Governor of Vermont upon the death of Richard A. Snelling. Raised in the Episcopal Church, he became a Congregationalist in 1982.
Dean married Judith Steinberg Dean, M.D. She uses her maiden name (Judith Steinberg) in their joint medical practice to avoid confusion with her husband. Elsewhere she goes by Judith Dean or Judy Dean. She has raised the couple's two children, Paul and Anne, in her Jewish faith.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Dean

[lastliberalintexas]

10. Relevant how?

I didn't say the Deans were poor by any stretch or that his father wasn't a power broker on Wall Street. I was simply pointing out the irony of someone who was asking for *informed* debate when he was (intentionally or not) misinformed about one of our former candidates and was spreading that misinformation around the board.

In the other thread (from today, btw), the original poster implied that the Dean Witter investment firm was a part of the Dean family's vast system of wealth which he was trying to hide from his supporters. I simply pointed out that this was not true, there is no familial relation, and that in order to have *informed* debate one must first BECOME informed.

[littlejoe]

9. I think all of our glass houses could use a little repairing.

[wryter2000]

12. Dean of Dean Witter

Dean of Dean Witter is Howard Dean's father. My source? Howard Dean.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Spin free?? In a politically charged forum???

Never happen.

[leyton]

3. I'd like that.

I'm sick of seeing polls like "What is your reaction to Kerry's stance on gay marriage?" where all the choices are "outraged." And I'm sick of seeing statements like "Kerry and Edwards refuse to join Kucinich in creating jobs" just because the Senators don't support repealing NAFTA. Stuff like that.

But then again, that's why we have all those nice forums down there, starting at Politics & Campaigns (which I like because, despite its slow movement, is almost always civil).

[littlejoe]

5. I tried it a few times, and it is slow. It seems that most of the

action is in this forum.

Maybe we should continue to try 'Politics and Campaigns'.

[leyton]

6. Yeah.

I post in both, but I find that I'm less likely to lose a topic in Politics & Campaigns, where as here they can disappear from the front page in a matter of hours.

[MuseRider]

11. Won't happen

but you are right. I have found my posting has decreased since the rules went away. That is really probably for the best because I sure learn a lot more when I mainly read and not focus on shooting my mouth off.