Reply #27: Some guy from Missouri answers... [View All]

[Duder]

will he sign Kyoto?

'He wouldn't sign it as is. He argues that the accord--since "it doesn't require the underdeveloped countries to do anything about greenhouse gases"--would "have the effect of moving the steel industry or other industries that pollute into countries where there are no requirements to improve their situation with greenhouse gasses." He wouldn't dump the treaty, as Bush did. Instead, he would continue to negotiate to make changes.'

will he raise the mpg standards on cars and SUV's?

Dean says: 'We need to create stricter standards and better incentives for fuel-efficient vehicles. My proposal is to make CAFE standards the same for SUVs as they are for the regular fleet. The technology to do that exists today. Ford will be coming out with a 35-mile-per-gallon, hybrid-engine SUV model this year. Lexus has one. People want SUVs and now they can get SUVs and trucks with good mileage standards. The CAFE standard would force a significant portion of the fleet to be hybrids in order to meet the average. I was one of four governors that had a standard requiring a certain percentage of cars sold in our state to be electric vehicles.'

will he promote renewable sources of energy?

Dean says: 'I want renewables. Wind is here. The Europeans are far ahead of us. We've lost our technological edge. The federal government needs to get involved in a positive way to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Solar is here. We ought to be making more aggressive investments there. In Vermont, the standard I supported is that every additional megawatt we use from now until 2010 must be renewable. On a federal level, I would set a standard of 15 percent renewables by 2010 and 20 percent by 2020 or higher – maybe 25 percent. We can do that.'

It's easy to be an environmentalist in Vermont, but when it comes to getting the whole nation to do it...Will Dean rollback Bush's rollbacks of the Clean Water Act or Clean Air Act?

In reference to the Bush environmental policy: 'What environmental policy? He has none. It's appalling. Essentially what he's done is try to undo most of the environmental policy in the last 50 years. Drilling in the national parks is essentially his solution to the energy dilemma. Gutting the Clean Air Act and daring to call it Clear Skies. Opening wilderness to more logging under the guise of Healthy Forests. He's even threatening our national monuments. The assaults are sweeping. He has the worst environmental record of any president since before Theodore Roosevelt. You can't rely on this president's word on any domestic agendas – least of all environmental issues.'

Fiscally I know Dean is a conservative. But will he implment tax cuts for the rich?

No. He wants to do away with the Bush tax cuts and get back to Clinton taxation combined with a Clinton economy.

Will he balance the budget at the expense of the lower classes?

I feel he believes strongly balanced budgets protect the lower classes by making services sustainable.

Will he privatize health care?

No. Here's a couple of links for more details:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/13/dean.healthcare/

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_statement_health

Will I regret my vote in Nov. of 2004 if I vote for Dean?

No, but you might if you don't.

He's better than Bush, but is Kerry better?

Fork Kerry, he's done. Here's an interesting analysis of what might happen should Biden enter the race: http://www.notgeniuses.com/archives/000345.html

As for the Greens this excerpt from a volunteer gives a different perspective then what you've been previously given:

'SHERRY, VA - While the Democratic treatment of Greens is sometimes all too true, it certainly isn't always true. At least not in the Dean campaign. Though I salvaged the Nader ballot drive in VA, served as chair of the VA Greens, ran twice as a Green candidate, was one of two VA delegates to the national party, I have been warmly welcomed in the Dean campaign. I am coordinating the statewide efforts to get Dean on the primary ballot and working with former Lieutenant Governor Don Beyer and quite a few members of the VA Democratic Party, as well as hundreds of other volunteers who for the first time are getting involved in a political campaign. Several former Green friends are working with me. The experience we bring to this campaign is valuable and valued. Though two or three volunteers questioned my Green "support" (what an understatement) initially, that no longer happens. I didn't beg for readmittance to the Democrats, simply volunteered to do the job that needed to be done. And no insults.'

Some of the environmental answers given are from Dean's Grist interview which you can read here: http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16059