I wrote this a little under four years ago. This time I don't have a candidate. I will vote for

our nominee.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/01/19_dean.html

I was a Gore man in 2000. I know many people found Gore uninspiring. I know people thought he ran a lousy campaign. But I am not one of those people. I think Gore ran one of the best campaigns in modern times and would have made a great President. But our country was robbed.

The next three years have been like the movie, The Lion King. We went from the benevolent and wise rule of President Clinton to the maniacal rule of President Bush. Like Scar, Bush took over in a coup. Like Scar, Bush invited the hyenas to feed upon the land. Like Scar, Bush has laid waste to our country. What was once a place worthy of pride has become a barren wasteland. What was once a peaceful land devoted to expanding the circle of life has become a militaristic nation devoted to invading the Middle East. Like Pride Rock we are in need of a savior.

Our Democratic party has been like Simba. It has wandered in the wilderness singing Hakuta Mikata while the country has been laid waste to. It has been paralyzed by fear and blame manufactured by the treasonous Bush and silly philosophizing by the Timon's and Pumbaa's of our party. Like Simba, it has been lead astray. And like the denizens of Pride Rock we are in a nightmare without end.

Like Rafiki, Dean is knocking some sense into our party. He is showing us our inner Mufasta and the way to prosperity and power. If we want our party to return like Simba did then we need to follow Rafiki's advice like Simba did. The citizens of our country need us like citizens of Pride Rock needed a resurgent Simba.

Clearly I have taken this analogy as far as I can. And yes, I know it is a bit overdrawn. But Bush really is much like Scar. And our country really is much like Pride Rock. And we really do need a resurgent Simba. We really can't afford another term of Bush. The hyenas need to be sent home. And Dean is best positioned to do this.

Dean took on one of the most contentious issues of our time in 2000. Giving gays and lesbians the same relationship rights as their straight siblings was a boldly risky move for a man who would later run for President. When I was growing up the idea I could have anything like a marriage relationship was literally unthinkable. I believed myself doomed to a life similar to that in Crusing or worse one of utter aloneness. Thanks in part to Howard Dean, a gay person who graduates in 2018 will have never lived in a time during which the thought of a gay or lesbian couple having those rights is unimaginable. This is an important issue. It involves serious things and serious people. It is no accident that civil union certificates are looked upon as a holy grail in the gay community. It is tangible proof that we are real citizens with real rights that are taken seriously.

Dean treated us like adults. He told us the truth that full gay marriage made him uncomfortable. But then he fought like Hell for us. He took on the forces of darkness that helped bring about the desolation of our country. They tried to take back Vermont and instead Vermont took them out. Even with leftist challenge Dean got half the vote and a 5th term. Dean risked his career to give a people a right so fundamental that it is hard to think of a person without them as a full citizen. Then he beat the forces of darkness and cemented our rights. He was a real friend and deserves our gratitude.

But this isn't a mercy vote. As impressed as I am with his granting those rights I am more impressed with the fact he won. I know about the ruthlessness of gay rights opponents. I know that no lie is too low, no tactic too base, and no act too hypocritical for the alleged Christians these people are. Dean had to campaign in a bullet proof vest. Something he doesn't often tell people but it is true. Dean will beat these base people.

His record is one of fiscal discipline combined with social and governmental liberalism. Fiscal discipline is necessary in our times. We can't return to the prosperity of the Clinton era without a return to the fiscal values of the Clinton era. Dean's record is one of fiscal sanity and creating jobs in Vermont. While the nation was being turned into a barren wasteland by the current administration, Vermont has run like a well oiled machine. Where the current administration created debt, Dean created surplus. Where the current administration has created uninsured Dean has created insured. Where the current administration had created joblessness and despair, Dean has created wealth and prosperity.

Like any governor, Dean has a record to run on. The comparison of that record with Bush's will win this race for us. And, not only that but Dean will fight back and has experience doing so. He, and his supporters, won't let the distorting demagogues of desolation run amok. We won't let these people win the way they did last time. He showed us that in 2000 and will show us that again.

Dean is a true friend, a real winner, and will be a great President.




I know I won't be as invested in this year's nominee as I would have been in Dean but I will be glad to see Bush go.

If you truly have not found someone to vote for that is because you are not looking or, worse yet, looking for a reason not to vote.

I will have one candidate on my ballot. I am working for a Senate candidate.

I've put myself in Edwards' corner, but I sure do miss the Deanocrat this year.

I have a May primary so my vote is about worthless.