jake's mom

2.12.2005

Howard Dean, the DNC, liberalism and framing.

Democratic leadership around the country has finally figured it out. We need to stop moving center, create a unified party and actually stand up proudly for what we believe in. Step one of this plan? Give Howard Dean the reigns, and see what he can do.

I've read a lot of negative press recently on Mr. Dean, claiming he's some sort of "ultra-liberal" (read 'communist'). However, I just don't see the comparison standing up. He's certainly more fiscally conservative than our current President, and I believe his moral grounding will attract many people that may have voted the other way in '04. As people stop listening to spin and start thinking on their own I'm sure this will become quite apparent.


"They all say, 'He's so liberal,'" Dean said. "Well, if liberal is balancing budgets, please do call me a liberal. ... If you want jobs and investment in the country, you're going to have to have a Democrat because the Republicans simply can't handle money."

"I am in the center," he said. "I balanced budgets. The president hasn't done so. I believe that states have the right to make their own gun laws, after enforcing the federal laws vigorously. There's nothing that's not centrist about me." CNN.


It's also apparent that Dean seriously grasped important framing concepts from linguist George Lakoff (as mentioned in this previous post).


"The way I hope to deal with that problem [of discussing democratic values], is not to abandon our core principles, but talk about them in a different way," he said.

Democrats are not pro-abortion, but "we are the party in favor of allowing women to make up their own minds about their health care," Dean, a physician, said.

Democrats are not for gay marriage, but "we are the party that has always believed in equal rights under the law for all people," he said.

"We are the party of moral values," Dean said. "There is nothing moral about cutting 300 million dollars that is used to feed starving children." SF Chronicle.


It'll be interesting to see the future of the DNC, and I think it will be a rosy one.
posted by brian at 11:15 AM | Permalink

0 Comment(s) - Click to View/Hide

 

 
 


[ contributors ]
-contact us-
C
brian
nick
jp

[ links ]
friends
curious character
common sense dancing
phonograph
relative path
takecover!
politics
american progress
daily kos
democracy for america
talking points memo
andrew tobias
tech
engadget
slashdot
tunes
angels twenty
coolfer
kexp
largehearted boy
soma fm
stereogum
the big ticket
ttiktda


Add to MyYahoo This page is powered by Blogger.