Real contender, real economics
I've been pleased to see Howard Dean take on the Republicans and more so with his announced intention to provide support for small business through tax credits, because that is where the real job base in this country resides. He is right when he says that these are jobs that remain in the United States and don't migrate overseas when it becomes cheaper, as he did in Spokane the other day.
I am a globalist economically, yet Dean's economics make sense in terms of how we develop an economy that can thrive in an environment of generally falling manufacturing costs as China and India continue their economic modernization.
According to the New York Times:
The staggering, seemingly spontaneous crowds turning up to meet him — about 10,000 in Seattle on Sunday and a similar number in Bryant Park in Manhattan last night — are unheard of in the days of the race when most candidates concentrate on the early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire and would seem formidable even in October 2004.
The electability issue is almost put to bed, but let's think about the issue of whether it is "being led into the wilderness" to support small business, question military adventurism and seek better healthcare? Frankly, I'm glad that Joe Lieberman isn't vice president, after the things he's been saying about the direction Dean would take the Democratic party. Yes, I believe we need to move past party politics, but I also think that this should be a transition led by a populist, which Dean is, although he is not a left-liberal Democrat and needn't be to qualify as populist.
Most of the polarizing discussion about the wilderness vs. the mainstream is irrelevant to the issues of the campaign, which are being spelled out quite clearly by the people: economy; war and peace; equality vs. privilege; participation vs. government by edict. If we focus on those questions, the wilderness has nothing on the stinging realities that will drive voters to the polls.
Posted by Mitch Ratcliffe at August 27, 2003 09:47 AM | TrackBack