This four term governor of Vermont is running for President. He’s different, with substance and genuine ideas. He’s still flying below the talking heads radar, however the buzz on him is positive and building, with some serious Democratic web polls now ranking him in first place.
He’s not doctrinaire left-wing or right-wing. He supported, grudgingly, gay marriage and also less control of guns. You might call him Libertarian, except Vermonters have been this way long before Libertarians existed. It goes without saying he believes in a solid wall between Church and State.
Howard Dean is
Pro choice
Pro universal health care
He’s an MD who worked hard to get Vermonters excellent health care. However, apparently the state can no longer afford it.
Pro Israel
“One of our biggest security threats is our energy policy. The money which helped finance Osama bin Laden’s attacks was our money. Because of our dependence on Middle East oil, the U.S. sent money to Saudi Arabia, which was used in part to fund the fundamentalist Islamic schools in Pakistan and elsewhere which teach hatred of Christians, Jews and Americans. These schools have become fertile recruiting territory for Al Qaeda.”
Pro environment, solar, alt fuel
This ties in with his pro-Israel support, as he believes U.S. over-reliance on Saudi oil indirectly funds terrorists and hurts Israel.
Anti gun control
“If you say “gun control” in Vermont or Tennessee, or Colorado, people think you want to take away their hunting rifle. If you say “gun control” New York or L.A., people are happy to see Uzi’s or illegal handguns taken off the streets. I think Vermont ought to be able to have a different set of laws than California.”
As Gov. of VT, he
Balanced the budget, kept it balanced, and lowered taxes.
Reluctantly supported gays having “civil unions” (marriage in all but name).
In short, a fascinating candidate, with unusual views on some issues. His recent buddying up to Ariel Sharon is unnerving. Do we need more of the same blind support of Israel to the exclusion of Palestinians? Will that bring peace? It hasn’t so far.
However, he appears to have given actual thought to the issues, rather than mouthing what spinmeisters tell him to say. And that alone makes him different, and worth watching.
This just in from the newly launched Political State Report, a Vermonter’s negative view of Dean.
Links
Howard Dean for America (official website).
Howard Dean blog.
UK Times, in depth aticle.