Dean's progressively lousy record - Dean = Bush [View All]

[Jeff002]

I'm a frustrated democrat again this time around, and it's for the same reason as back in 2000. People who pose themselves as activists for the issues of the left, label themselves supporters of democracy, yet who are anything but. Back in 2000, we had Nader, who was found to be an out and out hypocrite and liar.. this time around we have Howard Dean. My frustration comes from the right wing controlled media who latched onto Dean as soon as Rove annointed him the candidate of choice.. and now Dean gets top billing at every possible opportunity. No one discusses the fact that his record in Vermont is not the great feat he claims it to be. His legacy in that state is grossly substandard care for the needy, there is no real prescription drug plan in place, schools are woefully underfunded.. the economy is bad everywhere, but in Vermont, it was just as bad in the '90s for the poor as it is now for everyone else. Yet Dean is lauded as a wunderkind, and it's undeserved. He attempts to manipulate the discussion of the primary, by attacking first and ever the bully, cries foul when his opponents rebut his accusations. He's helped in this endeavor by a press that delights in trashing democrats like John Kerry, Dick Gephardt, John Edwards and others.

Of course, should Dean win the nomination, then the republicans will take off the kid gloves and Dean will get the hosing he really richly deserves.. but that won't help us. The information on Dean is out there.. for anyone willing to use the internet for research. Here are some of the things I've found to start with.

Dean backs rationing medical care in Vermont
By John Zicconi (sorry if the url is so long, the site seems to be down and the only hard copy I found online is the cached version on google.com. I have hyperlinked it to my name if that's easier for you.)
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:dIXubTUiHgIJ:www.stowereporter.com/community/dean39.shtml+stowereporter+Dean+ration&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
(10/02/00) Vermont. - "Patients should be told to take their business elsewhere if they objected," he said, before a gathering at the Stowe Mountain Resort last week. "Doing this would be controversial, Dean acknowledged. But it would help small businesses by containing health-care costs," he said.

Of course, 2 days after he made the above announcement Dean, made this announcement:
Dean promises health coverage for all by 2002
October 4, 2000 By FREDERICK BEVER Vermont Press Bureau http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/News/State/Story/13593.html

Dental care for low-income residents abysmal, Sanders says February 4, 2001 By MIKE ECKEL AP
http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/News/State/Story/19669.html

And here's a real kicker.. this was just announced yesterday.. further confirmation about the hole Dean has left Vermont in..
Vermont’s working poor to be billed for Medicaid By DARREN M. ALLEN Vermont Press Bureau
October 14, 2003
http://www.rutlandherald.com/News/Story/73093.html

A Special Report about Governor Howard Dean's Agriculture Department - From Vermonters for a Clean Environment, Inc. March 20, 2002
http://www.vtce.org/deancrisisagvt.html
Why isn't Vermont taking renewable energy seriously? (Dean rejects windpower push's coal) by Sam Corner
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/Columnists/Sam/0324045549.htm

Governor Howard Dean talks about coal-fired power plant By Nancy Bazilchuk Free Press Staff Writer
N.H. environmentalists worry about coal-fired plant in Vermont
By J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press, 3/21/2001
Dean calls for new coal-fired power plant in Vermont, later backs off
By David Gram, Associated Press, 3/21/2001
Why is Gov. Dean brushing aside strategies for energy conservation?
Dean replacing critics on environmental advisory panel April 8, 2001,
public.http://www.vtce.org/deanoncoal.html

Nearly a fifth of the roughly $111,000 collected in its first months by Dean's presidential political action committee, the Fund for a Healthy America, came from people with ties to Vermont's electric utilities. (AP, 2.27.02)
Over the years, the governor has sided with the utilities on many of the most pressing issues, including the push for deregulation of the electric industry. (AP, 2.27.02)

Over the years, Gov. Dean has sided with the utilities on many of the most pressing issues, including the push for deregulation of the electric industry, and later backing away from that as a goal. (AP, 2.27.02)

Dean was sued by several newspapers to release his daily schedules (hiding meetings with IBM and other execs). (RHO, 4.23.02)

In answer to the question "Who would be your model as a vice president?" Dean replied: "Dick Cheney." (NYT, 7.14.02)

Dean on civil liberties
http://rutlandherald.com/Archive/Articles/Article/31792

Here's something else I found, further confirmation on Dean's corruption, The Time's Argus report of the energy companies who have been funding Dean's PAC. No ties to special interests, eh?

Dean raises money from energy sources
February 27, 2002 By David Gram
http://timesargus.nybor.com/Legislature/Story/43125.html

So Deanies, tell us how Dean is going to fight for you, maybe he'll fight for you if you're a wealthy CEO.. and you line his pockets. If you happen to be sincere, you honestly need to evaluate your reasoning for supporting a Howard Dean who is every bit as bad as Bush.

I would like you to take the time to evaluate Howard Dean's real record on the environment, which his campaign works hard to hide from the public. Dean is no environmentalist, he's no man for the people. Read the articles, etc.. on the sites I list below. There are also quotes with sources, for example, AP for AP wire w/dates of articles. You might have to pay for the articles unless you have access to lexus-nexus.

A Special Report about Governor Howard Dean's Agriculture Department - From Vermonters for a Clean Environment, Inc. March 20, 2002
http://www.vtce.org/deancrisisagvt.html
Why isn't Vermont taking renewable energy seriously? (Dean rejects windpower push's coal) by Sam Corner
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/Columnists/Sam/0324045549.htm

Governor Howard Dean talks about coal-fired power plant By Nancy Bazilchuk Free Press Staff Writer
N.H. environmentalists worry about coal-fired plant in Vermont
By J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press, 3/21/2001
Dean calls for new coal-fired power plant in Vermont, later backs off
By David Gram, Associated Press, 3/21/2001
Why is Gov. Dean brushing aside strategies for energy conservation?
Dean replacing critics on environmental advisory panel April 8, 2001,
public.http://www.vtce.org/deanoncoal.html

Nearly a fifth of the roughly $111,000 collected in its first months by Dean's presidential political action committee, the Fund for a Healthy America, came from people with ties to Vermont's electric utilities. (AP, 2.27.02)
Over the years, the governor has sided with the utilities on many of the most pressing issues, including the push for deregulation of the electric industry. (AP, 2.27.02)

Over the years, Gov. Dean has sided with the utilities on many of the most pressing issues, including the push for deregulation of the electric industry, and later backing away from that as a goal. (AP, 2.27.02)

Dean was sued by several newspapers to release his daily schedules (hiding meetings with IBM and other execs). (RHO, 4.23.02)

In answer to the question "Who would be your model as a vice president?" Dean replied: "Dick Cheney." (NYT, 7.14.02)

Dean on civil liberties
http://rutlandherald.com/Archive/Articles/Article/31792

Published on Monday, April 14, 2003 by CommonDreams.org
As Baghdad Falls Howard Dean Folds Back into the National Security Establishment
by Charles Knight

"In effect this supposedly 'anti-war' Democrat has announced his support for a policy in which Washington will decide which countries are allowed to have nuclear weapons and will reserve for itself the right to forcefully disarm those who do not voluntarily disarm by U.S. dictate. In this crucial regard Dean's position is in close accordance with the Bush doctrine of coercive disarmament and preventive war."
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0414-09.htm
I would like you to take the time to evaluate Howard Dean's real record on the environment, which his campaign works hard to hide from the public. Dean is no environmentalist, he's no man for the people. Read the articles, etc.. on the sites I list below. There are also quotes with sources, for example, AP for AP wire w/dates of articles. You might have to pay for the articles unless you have access to lexus-nexus.

Published on Monday, April 14, 2003 by CommonDreams.org
As Baghdad Falls Howard Dean Folds Back into the National Security Establishment
by Charles Knight

"In effect this supposedly 'anti-war' Democrat has announced his support for a policy in which Washington will decide which countries are allowed to have nuclear weapons and will reserve for itself the right to forcefully disarm those who do not voluntarily disarm by U.S. dictate. In this crucial regard Dean's position is in close accordance with the Bush doctrine of coercive disarmament and preventive war."
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0414-09.htm

On January 31, Dean told Ron Brownstein of the Los Angeles Times that "if Bush presents what he considered to be persuasive evidence that Iraq still had weapons of mass destruction, he would support military action, even without U.N. authorization."

On Feb. 20, Dean told Salon.com that "if the U.N. in the end chooses not to enforce its own resolutions, then the U.S. should give Saddam
30 to 60 days to disarm, and if he doesn't, unilateral action is a regrettable, but unavoidable, choice."

Dean’s Rhetorical Twister By Jim Geraghty
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-geraghty032803.asp

"Dean has won cheers from Democratic audiences by saying he would not have voted for the war resolution his congressional rivals helped pass, saying it is "the wrong war at the wrong time." But he has said he would support military action if it was proved Iraq had WMD and refused to disarm within 60 days.
Axelrod said Dean has not always been clear about his own position, pointing to his refusal to say whether the troops should be pulled out of Iraq at a Wednesday night appearance in Boston.
Last week, Dean told reporters in Washington the troops must stay and finish the fight now that they are on the ground. " Source: http://www.primarymonitor.com/news/stories2003/nh__war_democrats_2003.shtml