Howard Dean is stepping down as head of the Democratic National Committee. During Dean's tenure, the DNC set the stage for this year's electoral victories:
After a failed presidential bid in 2004, Dean took over the DNC with the controversial mission of building credible political operations in all 50 states. Grass-roots -- and net-roots -- activists, who propelled Dean's presidential bid and helped get him elected party chairman, embraced the strategy. But the party's Washington political establishment bristled at using resources in deeply Republican states such as Mississippi and Idaho, insisting the money was better spent in places where Democrats were more likely to win.
I said this before, but if it weren't for the DNC, I wouldn't be blogging or involved in Montana politics. It was a short notice in the Missoula Independent about a meeting with a DNC representative in Missoula that brought me out of my political un-activism to where I am today: a two-bit hack with tens of readers. I couldn't have done it without Dean.
The opening from Howard Dean's coming-out speech at the California State Democratic Convention, on March 15, 2003:
What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting the President's unilateral intervention in Iraq?
What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting tax cuts, which have bankrupted this country and given us the largest deficit in the history of the United States?
What I want to know is why the Congress is fighting over the Patient's Bill of Rights? The Patient's Bill of Rights is a good bill, but not one more person gets health insurance and it's not 5 cents cheaper.
What I want to know is why the Democrats in Congress aren't standing up for us, joining every other industrialized country on the face of the Earth in providing health insurance for every man, woman and child in America.
What I want to know is why so many folks in Congress are voting for the President's Education Bill-- "The No School Board Left Standing Bill"-- the largest unfunded mandate in the history of our educational system!
As Paul Wellstone said-- as Sheila Kuehl said when she endorsed me-- I am Howard Dean, and I'm here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.
Interesting to note all of Dean's proposals now seem matter of course, but back in the dark days of 2003, universal health care and an end to the Iraq War seemed as realistic as putting a man on Mars.
Anyway, the DNC needs cash after putting all of its chips on the table these past four years. I think a nice thank-you note in the form of a donation is appropriate...
Oh, yeah. And today's his birthday, too... |
