Dean Blames Democrats (And Bush) For Lousy Economy

DES MOINES, Iowa - Presidential hopeful Howard Dean is dismissing Democrats in Washington as too timid to challenge President Bush's economic policies, arguing that their reticence reflects a fear of losing.

The former Vermont governor plans to offer a more detailed economic plan in September, but he is using a campaign swing through Iowa this week to try to distinguish himself from his foes for the nomination while criticizing party leaders willing to compromise.

"Too many Democrats in Washington have become so afraid of losing that they have remained silent or only halfheartedly fought the very agenda that is destroying the democratic dream of America," said Dean in remarks prepared for delivery to a union hall audience Wednesday.

He is trying to broaden his appeal by focusing on the economy. His effort comes, however, as centrist Democrats, including many who gathered in Philadelphia this week, expressed real fear that his candidacy and possible nomination will mean ruin for the party next November against President Bush.

The former Vermont governor, who often cites his record on balancing the state budget, proposed several economic steps, including an increase in the minimum wage, broadening unemployment insurance to cover part-time workers, more money for cash-strapped states and expanding high-speed Internet access. The cost and additional details will come in September, he said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030729/ap_on_el_pr/dean_economy_3

This must be what he means by being on the Democratic wing of the Party. Once again, I ask the question - Why can't Dean run on the strength of his platform, rather than making himself taller by stepping on other Democrats? The proposals from the last paragraph are excellent. Why alienate the people who are actually going to legislate them?

The timid Democrats are precisely the centrists that he claims to represent. The liberal end continues to rack up impressive voting records. It's the Zell Miller's in the Party that go along with the Bush program. But Dean condemns the whole Party out of hand. The same Democrats that are fighting to keep the Federal Courts free of conservative idealogues, fighting to keep ANWR safe.

There are ways of lighting fires under people's butts without insulting them. As a teacher, I know this first-hand. You don't tell a kid "You're lazy." You say "You can work harder than that," or "You're better than that." It's called people-skills.

I like where Dean is coming from with his policies. I like his fire, when it goes in the right direction. I don't like the negativity that keeps popping its head up. Hey, I think the DLC sucks, too. But that doesn't mean you have to act like them.

Burn it all down and start over. We are going to lose in 2004 one way or the other. It is time for a massive change in the Democratic Party.

Anarchy in the USA! Burn, baby, burn! Disco Inferno!

these are the same "centrists" who have been coddled for a dozen years now, and have done very little except continue to lose to the Republicans - from '94 it's been nothing but downhill (except for a single presidential election), and now they want to be coddled some more. Time to try a different tack - criticize them for what they are and hope they actually stand up and say enough, and remember what party they supposedly represent. Since when is Zell Miller a centrist anyway?