A Good word for Dean

[Robert Harris]

Dean is out now, so I put this here rather than in the election section.

In this forum we have seen nothing but bitter vituperative comment5s about Dean and his role as Gov. of Vermont. Knowing nothing about it I have stayed out of the stream of nastiness. But there are those who feel differently -- they kept electing him -- and I will just note that a columnist who is doing a bio has praised him highly as Gov. at the same time as dismissing him as a bad campaigner. Thought some folks might like a look at the other side.

I do not vouch for the accuracy of this guy, just as I do not vouch for what we have read here over the past few months. :)

Howard's End
By JON MARGOLIS

Published: February 19, 2004

[B] ARTON, Vt.
For Vermonters, the portrayal of their centrist former governor as the left-winger in the Democratic presidential race was the second biggest surprise of Howard Dean's brief span of political glory. The biggest was the apparent transformation of a campaign clod into a fiery orator who inspired a movement.

He never tried that at home.

In Vermont, Dr. Dean was never a very good politician. He was quite a good governor. He was a prudent steward of the state's finances. He expanded social services while reducing taxes. During the debate over civil unions in 2000, he not only kept his word but he also kept his cool.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/19/opinion/19MARG.html



Oh well. Doesn't really matter. He is gone as a national candidate now, at least for 4 years. But interesting...

As a campaigner, another story describes him thus

Dean "was kind of like an overheated car," said Emory University political scientist Merle Black. "He blew a gasket before he got to the finish line."

From: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Feb/02192004/nation_w/nation_w.asp

How true.

[SixofNine]

For Vermonters, the portrayal of their centrist former governor as the left-winger in the Democratic presidential race was the second biggest surprise of Howard Dean's brief span of political glory.

I have no reason to disbelieve this, but it was a conscious choice on Dean's part. Remember his (very effective, I thought, for primary season) statement "I'm running from the Democratic wing of the Democratic party."

Brian

[Domh]

Knowing nothing about it I have stayed out of the stream of nastiness.

I do not vouch for what we have read here over the past few months.
Hard to vouch for something one knows nothing about. I would hardly opine about the efficacy of a Manhattan politico I knew only through the bits and pieces I got off the AP. I would tend to trust in the first hand reports from people who LIVE in NYC.

Nastiness? Sure - and well deserved. I invite anybody to take a trip up to Vermont to take a gander at what has changed, and how, during Deans tenure.

Increased social spending? I guess the author must be lumping Methadone Clinics into 'social spending'. We didnt NEED them before Dean came to Vermont from NYC and brought a soft-on-crime attitude with him that resulted in a nice little heroin problem... that is now only burgeoning.

Dean balanced the budget the entire time he was in office, and thats a damn good thing, but it doesnt even come CLOSE to making up for the damage he did to the people of Vermont by driving business out of state, bankrupting family farms, tract-housing and Wal-Marting Chittenden county and burying hard working simple people in a sea of red-tape that would make Marx blush.

Force small town people whose average income is below the poverty level to pay for the schooling of the kids in Stowe where the average income is over 100K yearly?

Just one example of how good Dean was for Vermont. His administration FORCED people to BREAK THE LAW (refuse to partake in the policy, whole towns!) so that they could EAT because they prefered food to partaking in Deans inane socialist chicanery.

Liberal Democrats will gush and spew til the four horsemen ride about how wonderful and great Dean was for 'average folks' and what is truly horrifying is that left-wingers nationwide will believe every word as gospel without checking a single fact for themselves.

Dean was GREAT for Vermont - the tiny minority of the state that is very wealthy, has no family roots in state, and was born into wealth and good fortune.

Dean was a bloody nightmare for VERMONT, the mass of Vermont, the majority of VERMONTERS who were BORN in the state, whose great-great-great grandparents farmed the fields of Vermont and who never asked for anything but an honests days work and a fair shake for their tax dollars.

Dean and his Court appointees and his Legislature come from, and speak for, people who swept into a tiny little New England state, and RAPED it for their own selfish desires. They flooded here in the late 60s and early to mid 70s, running from the Draft and looking for a place to hide away. They saw a simple place full of simple honest people who hadnt changed in over a century, and saw the opportunity to take advantage and secure themselves a nice little corner of the country to make 'theirs'. Trouble is, folks had been living nice and peaceably amongst each other and getting along fine for a long time... and the children of the 60s 'social revolution' simply destroyed that.

It will be a great day when that generation dies, and its children have run away to the cities their parents ran FROM. Vermont will poke its head out from behind the barn, hitch up the team again... and slowly but surely go back to the way of life that has meant happiness, health and a simple and honest prosperity for GENERATIONS before people like Howard Dean came along to MOLD a people who just - didnt - want - any - part - of - it... but in classic Vermont fashion were just too polite to say NO.

[Frodo Lives]

Thanks Dom. :thumbsup:


Yup, Dean and his ilk should be buried up to the neck in a corn field....right about harvest time.

[Robert Harris]

As I said, we have read only nastiness here. I don't fdispute it -- but think the other view is worth noting. :)

[Domh]

As I said, we have read only nastiness here.
I strongly object to your characterization of the truth as 'nastiness', but you are entitled to your opinion, of course - and virtue or a lack thereof in public policy is most certainly in the eye of the beholder.

I know that Frodo is the only other Vermonter here... I find it interesting he agrees with me on this issue.

:thumbsup:

[Frodo Lives]

I do agree. Thanks to Dean, my little area of the world has a major heroin problem. It made me so mad the first time I found used needles in one of the local fishing accesses. He absolutely refuses to listen to anyone with an opinion that is different then his own.

[ShinyTop]

I am not picking a fight and I am not saying anything against what Frodo and Dom have said. But I have wondered how he put so many things into place if the voters did not approve them. Many of the items I have seen objected to did sound like the 20th (or 21st) century coming to people who did not want it. By itself that would normall carry both good and bad. So while I am not saying I don't believe but that I don't understand and would like more information.

[Frodo Lives]

So many of his dealings and lawmakings where behind closed doors. He really catered to the special interest groups during his governorship. One of the things that angered the people of Vermont was when Dean took almost all of the rights away from property owners and gave control to the county and state. But of course all the responsibilities where still there. That way, you couldn't even put up a fence on your land unless it was approved by the county or town, which could take up to several months if at all. But on the other hand, if someone wanders onto your land (because you can't put up a fence yet) and they fall and get hurt, you are still liable.