Southern Blues? et al

Howard Dean has been making the rounds declaring that the Democrats will not give up on southern states. I think this is good. We need to reach out to Democrats and Independent voters and even republicans who do not support Bush's agenda. This is how Dean plans to do it:

"The way we're going to win elections in this country is not to become Republican lite. The way we're going to win elections in this country is to stand up for what we believe in," Dean said."

Absolutely what I've been saying. Its good to finally hear some common sense coming from the leader of the party.

As for "Contrarian" who responded at length to my last post, I couldn't disagree with you more...Your arguement is based on the false assumption that all of the progress that has been made since WWII has been the result of a strong republican, corporate, capitalis, rightwing, moral agenda. This is a fallacy. Allow me to explain why this is so.

"Contrarian" said:
"According to the US Census Bureau, the average American living in poverty today is taller, heavier and healthier than the American troops who stormed Normandy beach on D-Day"

My response:
Well, yes, I can believe that is most likely true. If you recall, however, the US was embroiled in a little event called, "The Great Depression." Any clue what that was? The longest period nongrowth in American history...a result of the stock market crash where millions of Americans lost their money in failed stocks and banks to the greedy corporate cronies who scooped up all of the wealth to protect themselves during an economic downturn and allowing every day people to become destitute? Sound familiar? This was the economy as we entered WWII. Of course people were scrawny and unhealthy. And it was L-I-B-E-R-A-L programs such as the GI Bill and the GI loan program that helped these soldiers rebuild their lives when they returned from war. The GI Bill allowed more than 2million returning WWII soldiers to go to college and the GI Loan program resulted in the largest growth in homeownership ever seen in previous history. This generation of people gave birth to the baby-boomers and helped usher forth the longest period of steady growth in American history. Furthermore, since the GD (Depression mentioned earlier), other L-I-B-E-R-A-L programs such as welfare, WIC and social security helped keep millions more children, adults and seniors from the brink of starvation and destitution.

Now, I'll admit, we cannot live on Liberal programs alone. Corporate growth and the development of small businesses is what keeps us all employed. And employment and business ownership is really what you want for solid economic growth and individual economic security. But sometimes people need help in getting there. And dismantalling social programs designed to give people living in poverty a leg up shows a clear lack of economic morality. Becuase by giving people in need a leg up, we give people the tools to rebuild their own lives and create a stronger society.

Contrarian said:
"Limited government, tax cuts and free trade might lack resonance with people passionate about helping the lowliest in our society. But they may be the most "economically moral" course for our leaders to follow if they promote the healthy free market upon which so many poor Americans derive their economic and social mobility."

My response:
The only reason tax cuts and free trade lack resonance is that they are hollow screeds to follow. Giving more money to the rich is not the most economically moral course. Helping people in need find the tools to fully participate in a free market economy is. And we cannot provide economic and social mobility by leaving it all up to the corporations. The people are the government and when you limit government, you limit the ability of people to participate in that government and create their own economic opportunities. I am not willing to turn my government over to corporations to rule. We have a responsiblity not only to ourselves as individuals, but to society as a whole. Our country is only as strong as its weakest link. If we continue to allow the weakest among us to fall behind, our future will be grim, indeed.