Reply #42: Not attacks? [View All]

[thom1102]

I've excerpted from her posts on this thread. I would really appreciate it if you took a second look at them, and then possibly reassess your statement. To look at someone and there policies and come to the conclusion that while they might look good on paper, their policies are not going to go well with the 50% of the populace who are independent, moderate, swing voters necessary to win the election, is an observation, maybe a judgement. To make the the accusation that he is an elite corporatist, and that since he went into med school at a time when "good human values" were a liablity, and therefore, by inference, Dean has no good human values, these are attacks on his character, not observation.

The original poster excerpted the section where Dean broke down from a larger article (a much larger article) profiling Dean as a person. This was one aspect of an interview which the author chose to focus on. I highly doubt that Dean staged the tears to show his human side. When people ask me about my father, I, too, get upset and often have to take a moment, if it were my little brother, you cna bet it'd be worse. I may be wrong about this, but Dean was always opposed to the war in Iraq, there was no flip flop.

I know, for me, the idea of a department of Peace, seems redundant to me. To me, it is the State Department's job to peacefully pursue American goals on the world stage.

Kucinich has some good ideas, I grant you, but, unfortunately, big media tells the people "I'm ok, you're ok." and the average Joe Sixpack, believes them, because "if it's on TV, the radio, or the newspaper, it's got to be true, right?" They are going to see those big changes as not necessary, and the right is going to reaffirm that idea with ads telling them that Kucinich is another way to spell Communist. So we take little steps, and shift the debate back to our side of the spectrum, where we can truly make lasting changes that will work. Dean is that first step.

I can sit here and say "Kucinich has some good ideas" and credit his supporters for having the courage of their convictions, while disagreeing he is the right way to go. But who in the Kucinich camp can say the same for Dean?


I've met a number of physicians who went into the profession only because it pays well. I find them repellent.

Good human values are not an admission criterion for med school. In fact, when Dr Dean was seeking admission, they were a liability. It's only in recent years that some schools have begun factoring in qualities other than good science scores.

So please, spare us

If Dr Dean weren't a elite corporatist, you wouldn't hear one single word of complaint about him from me. I'd support him enthusiastically.

But he is an elite corporatist. He worked to keep corporate hands in the healthcare till, he's not outraged by the evisceration of our Constitutional rights, he lied (or is bone-ignorant, take your choice) about the science on marijuana and is a drug warrior, he wants to keep the military-industrial complex completely funded at its insanely high levels, and he apparently doesn't care a fig for the plight of the innocent Palestinian people who've been brutalised for over 50 years.

He's a complete business-as-usual elite who will continue to steer us toward the cliff while he transfers money from our pockets into those of his wealthy peers. 'Fiscal conservative' is code for 'spend money on the wealthy, not the poor'.

Do try to build better strawmen

My info comes from his policies He can cry about the loss of his brother, while at the same time happily supporting programs that cause tens of thousands of people to lose their brothers, husbands, fathers, and sons. Also sisters, wives, mothers, and daughters.

It's not rocket science. You don't need a PhD to see this.

In your mind I'm sure you can, but I think you'd find it less easy in the real world