Primary Election Dates
Jan. 19, 2004 - Iowa Caucus
Jan. 27, 2004 - New Hampshire
Feb. 3, 2004 - South Carolina, Arizona, Missouri
Feb. 24, 2004 - Michigan and Virginia
March 2, 2004 - California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts,
Ohio, Texas, Vermont
March 9, 2004 - Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee
March 16, 2004 - Illinois
April 6, 2004 - Wisconsin
April 27, 2004 - Pennsylvania
May 4, 2004 - North Carolina
May 18, 2004 - Oregon, Kentucky
May 25, 2004 - Arkansas, Washington
May 28-31, 2004 - Libertarian National Convention, Atlanta, GA
June 1, 2004 - Alabama, Mississippi, South Dakota
June 3, 2004 - New Jersey
June 8, 2004 - Montana
July 26-29, 2004 - Democratic National Convention, Boston, MA
Aug. 17, 2004 - Wyoming
Aug. 24, 2004 - Alaska
Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2004 - Republican National Convention, New York, NY
Sept. 11, 2004 - Delaware,Minnesota
Is it just me, or are Wyoming, Alaska, Delaware, and Minnesota relegating themselves to political insignificance? Also, how many delegates do they control?
Minnesota's caucus is March 2. Some of our delegates will be selected during the straw poll at the caucus.
There is one issue that touches millions of lives in a very real way but hardly ever gets talked about by any candidate, and it's one that I believe has the potential to be a real winner for Governor Dean:
Long-term care (LTC)
It's hardly ever discussed because it's very complicated to solve with a magic public policy bullet (state/federal responsibility, etc).
But there are some modest proposals he could put forth and the issue plays to his strengths in several ways: He's a governor AND a doctor so he actually UNDERSTANDS the issue and could probably run circles around the other candidates.
But even more imporantly, his penchant for telling it like it is would be a real asset when it comes to using the issue as a rallying cry for generations to come together to tackle the LTC issue in their communities.
The emerging grassroots nature of his campaign is how he envisions our country to thrive under his leadership -- he's a strong leader, but our problems require all of us to contribute in a real way -- government has a role, but people animate the government. His rallying cry could be that of the original Progressive: "The government is us, you and me!" -- Teddy Roosevelt.
Nursing homes and assisted living communities are full of voters, but they have been largely ghettoized in our communities. The issue looms over the baby boomers in a big way (personally and from a generational perspective). Governor Dean could even appeal to young voters to engage the issue of long-term care and connect with the Greatest Generation (their grandparents) before it's too late.
I may be biased because I study long-term care for a living, but to me it seems like a perfect fit for him. I even know of a great continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in New Hampshire where he could unveal his proposal!
Any thoughts?
I have a nagging suspicion that with such a front loaded primary schedule, candidates won't be weeded out by the press so fast and with so many candidates (and Preportional Allocation of Delegates), this thing could drag on for a long time, with possibly no one gaining a majority. Then being last might be important as candidates try to scoop up final votes.
Does that add up to 50? What about Maine, Nevada, Idaho, ect.
The states not on this list may not have finalized their schedules...or many not have primaries. Some states only have caucuses.
Minnesota has both.
I think the campaign and all of us need to address the electronic voting systems going in all around the country. These machines, under current regulations, provide no paper trail, are controlled entirely by the corporations who make them (one with incredibly tight ties to Repub Chuck Hagel) and could potentially be hacked into. The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (HR 2239) was introduced into the House last week. It needs our support. We need to call our Representatives and alert the media. I hope the campaign speaks up on this issue too as it is as important as anything we can do for Dean.
Dean has spoken out on electronic voting machines. I hope his staff is reviewing HR 2239 and if it is a good bill, that Dean will endorse it. This would give the issue a push. It is terribly important.
For the people who were prowar because Saddam is a bad man, Dean should remind them of OJ Simpson:
The Iraq war is OJ Simpson all over again. OJ killed his wife. But he was acquitted because the police were racist, planted evidence, and lied in the courtroom. The defense attorneys knew OJ was guilty, but they had a monetary and power interest in sucessfully defending him. It was the police that gave the defense a way to win.
Saddam has committed crimes. But his removal will be ridiculed because the Bush Administration was misleading with its evidence. France, Russia, and China knew Saddam was guilty, but they had a monetary and power interest in opposing the war. It was the Bush WH that gave them a reason to oppose the war.
We know OJ killed his wife. But the police screwed up. We know Saddam is bad. But the Bush WH screwed up.
Joe Angelli
I like it a lot. I hope Joe Trippi is reading us today.
Thanks for the thread Anna.
If any of you good men and women out there would like to start an Independents for Dean website, or if you are a registered Independent who wants to make your interest in or support for Dean known, click on my email link below and send me a short message. I would like to gauge how much interest there is in such a website or subcampaign within Dean for America. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Scott
Joe - I agree about Long Term Care. I call LTC the MIDDLE class estate tax of 100%.
Voting machines - Commonweal Institute has a good collection of links to articles and resources on this subject at http://
www.commonwealinstitute.o...chineLinks.html
Love the blog..and the intelligent, informed views you guys let us read...my .02 cents again..I'm trying to galvanize our SF for Dean group for something concrete, rather than the organic, grassroots chaotic efforts we have going on..and this is the little idea I have in mind.."Pick on the Press..."...simply saying, let's make each Wednesday the day we all choose ONE noted Media figure whose support we want and all channel our efforts, phone, email, fax, letters..in the same direction, proactively using our strength in numbers rather than waiting to react...anyone agree and want to set up a voting site for nominations...I nominate Chris Matthews for next Wednesday...there's 1,000 of us in SF...anyone else on board?
Funny, i first heard about Gov. Dean in my graduate policy analysis class when we were debating long term care, and Marilyn Moon of the Urban Institute (one of the foremost medicare experts) on Medicare, mentioned how no political leader had ever mentioned it...except this Gov. from VT. i got intrigued by that mention and whoa--now i'm in the heart of Dean HQ in VT.
Again, Anna, thanks so much for this thread -- great idea!!!!
I think the big news this week is the stunning decline of once-mighty John Kerry. He just had three huge blows dealt to his campaign:
1)drop in IA poll vs. Gephardt and Dean
2)announcement that he can't use wife's fortune
3)"defection" of Garry South, who had been talking for months like a Kerry supporter, to the Lieberman campaign.
While this doesn't sow up the nomination for Dean, it's simply shocking from a candidate who once forced Al Gore out of the race by showing within four points of Gore in New Hampshire. I agree with Chris Andersen that this race is now between Gephardt and Dean. What do you think?
re: LTC...
IHL -- it may not warrant a separate entry in the "On the Issues" feature of the Dean for America site, but there must be a way to get the word out about how Vermont in the last 10 years is an exemplar of promoting home & community based long-term care options and reducing rates of institutionalization??
But the reality of LTC is that we'll always need some level of formal, group care and we still have 17,000 nursing homes that are caring for a very frail population of 1.6 million elders. Nobody is satisified with the status quo, not even the owner/operators of nursing homes who are demonized for doing a job that few others want to even think about.
Most nursing homes are as old as me (33 yrs) and most operaters can't even get financing to maintain/build new facilities (because of uncertainty in the government reimbursement streams).
IHL, as you no doubt learned in your public policy class (Marilyn Moon is a rock star!), the government played a major role in all those homes being built. Perhaps it's time for a reinvestment act to build the next generation, something along the lines of the Greenhouse model that Dr. Bill Thomas is proposing?http://thegreenhouseproject.com/
We need to create LTC communities that aren't toxic to live and work in...there are many other models/options out there, they just need someone like a President Dean to champion!
The subtext of it all (in terms of campaigning) is getting the message across that LTC can be an opportunity for people in their communities to connect with elders and find MEANING in their stories. All those old timers are out there just waiting to be engaged by us younger folks...and they VOTE! 
Sorry to go on and on!
obJeff:
Can't speak to all the rest of your schedule, but Wisconsin's primary is February 17--the only state to hold a primary that day.
My thread for the open thread here: Too many people are complaining that the "Dean for America"-flavored merchandise (bumper stickers, buttons, signs) does not make it clear that Dean is running for president. I was tabling tonight at Milwaukee's PrideFest, and far too many people commented on this ambiguity. Time for a new slogan?
The Virginia primary is on February 10th and not the 24th
Some states have early dates for Presidential primary (to increase their influence in selecting nominee) and later primary dates for state or local offices (to reduce campaign length, probably favor incumbents, etc). I know Delaware's Prez primary is early this year, so that must be the date for local primary.
OTOH, maybe there are a few states that should select delegates after convention ;-\
So many issues, so little time. I'd like to see more emphasis on the Environment. First, this is one area where the Reps acknowledge that they are weakest. Second, the Guv has a good track record, although he doesn't talk about it enough.
I truly believe that he's an environmentalist at his core. One minor, but telling, indicator of this is the Governor's portrait that he selected as he left office. No, its not of him in front of the state house looking like a statesman. The large portrait is of the Guv in a canoe on a Vermont lake in the autumn. He seems to have spent quite a bit of time, enjoying the great outdoors, hiking and canoeing, and I believe really appreciates the need to keep the environment whole for future generations.
But, he only provides soundbites on the use of ethanol. So, maybe we can help by highlighting all that he's done in Vermont and how he might approach the serious issues of how this administration is selling our wilderness to the highest bidders.
I want my environment back!
Mr. Angelelli:
As a severely physically disabled person [quadriplegic, same injury as Christopher Reeve] with parents nearing their 60s, I too worry about LTC issues. I agree that Dr. Dean could make a huge impact and gather a lot of votes by discussing that issue and informing the public of how he handled things in Vermont.
I feel Dr. Dean should also discuss the issue of medical research as well; medical care paid for by the government through Medicare and Medicaid is a huge financial drain and is definitely a problem that could be offloaded by investing in it. Politically, it would also be big. I would venture to guess that almost every American has a friend or loved one who suffers from a disability or disease.
Like you, my opinion may be biased. However, it is an issue I believe to be important for many Americans.
-Steven
I'm a little late on this thread, but I would like to see Dr. Dean talk more about corporate accountability. I went to the Campaign for America's Future Conference this week and the session that stood out most was the one with Arrianna Huffington talking about the CEO "pigs at the trough." She said, and I think she's right, that this could be a huge issue for a Democratic candidate willing to take it on, because it's another one of those things that has very broad public interest. Gov. Dean could easily take a position, for instance, on off-shore tax shelters in Bermuda for one, which the IRS estimates costs the U.S. government about $70 billion a year. It's ridiculous, and someone needs to be a leader on this issue. If I don't feel like paying my taxes this year, I don't get to establish a PO Box in Bermuda to avoid them. Why should a corporation have any greater right?
jen, one thing about corporate responsibility that Dean has said is that if a corporation has an overseas headquarter, it cannot be considered an American company, and can't have any defense contracts.
What I want to know is how we get people to register and vote?
How do we get people to run for lesser office who are in basic agreement with Dean?
How do we make the democratic message the dominant and more popular one?
How do we turn around the statehouses and city councils while we're at it?
How do we get more people to speak up, show up and get involved?
That's it. Unless something whacky happens in the next few months, Dean is my man. He is "electable" and seems to know how to walk the tightrope for groups like gun advocates and religious folk.
So, how do we time this? Given that Americans have no memory, when should the groundswell really begin?
That's it. Unless something whacky happens in the next few months, Dean is my man. He is "electable" and seems to know how to walk the tightrope for groups like gun advocates and religious folk.
So, how do we time this? Given that Americans have no memory, when should the groundswell really begin?