Confederates in Vermont

When Howard Dean said that he wanted to "Be the candidate for guys with confederate flag decals on the back of their pickup trucks," he must not have been paying close enough attention to his own state. Burlington, VT news station WCAX reports that Killington, VT, home to the famed ski resort, wants to secede from the state and join neighboring New Hampshire. They are blaming Howard Dean for their woes.

In 1997, Howard Dean, as governor of the Green Mountain state, implemented a property tax in order to fund schools. He also made it state policy to ignore one of the state's biggest revenue generating towns in order to enrich the bureaucracy of the state government.

"Officials in Killington want the town to secede from Vermont and join the neighboring state because of a dispute over taxes. They say the town's restaurants, inns and other businesses rake in ten (m) million dollars a year for the state -- but gets just a (m) million dollars of state aid in return."

The vote for secession will be put before the just over 1,000 residents of this small New England town in March. If it does secede, it will join the much happier state of New Hampshire, whose residents pay no sales or income tax. If Howard Dean is elected president, will we have to have another Civil or Revolutionary War over the issue of taxes? Will Dean's 'Rebuilding America's Economy' cause the need for another Radical Republican Reconstruction? Don't let Howard Dean tax our country into oblivion.

Is Vermont Safer now that Howard Dean is gone from Power?

My unequivocal answer is YES! The AP has reported that Governor Howard Dean was warned Vermont Yankee, a nuclear power plant in his state, was a vulnerable and attractive target to terrorists as early as 1991. Documents have shown that groups of students got into restricted areas, guns had passed through, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staged a drill where three mock terrorists gained access to it. This prompted the NRC to give Vermont Yankee its worst rating out of all 103 reactors in the United States.

What would one expect the governor of the state to do? He should beef up security, set up oversight, or make the facility less vulnerable to threats. Dean did none of this. When his campaign was recently approached with this information, the press release stated that the NRC ultimately has the authority to deal with these problems. However, the NRC only does oversight, not security, and the governor is supposed to be in charge of asking for no-fly zones over plants, posting national guard or asking for funding for security within the facility.

An report was compiled by the state Audito Elizabeth M. Ready where she stated, "The lack of funding and overarching coordination at the state level directly impacts the ability of the state, local and power plant planners to be adequately prepared for a real emergency at Vermont Yankee." Not until 2002, after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, did Dean create a cabinet-level position to deal with nuclear plant security and demand no-fly zones over nuclear facilities from the federal government. Dean was asleep at the wheel. He has NO credibility on Homeland Security issues. How can we expect this man to be the leader and protector of the free world when he can't keep a small, rural New England state safe?

The Cheese Stands Alone

"Us rural people..."

When all the candidates in Thursday night's debate were asked whether Howard Dean could beat Bush by Ted Koppel, only Dean raised his hand. While this is proof of the lack of direction and subsatance in the news media today, it's also a great shot I hope to see on billboards and television commercials when Bush goes up against Dean in the general election.

The farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the farmer in the dell...
The rat takes the cheese, the rat takes the cheese,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the rat takes the cheese.
The cheese stands alone, the cheese stands alone,
Hi-ho, the derry-o, the cheese stands alone.

Dean's Cabinet

In a Pre-Calculus class-induced haze, I started to think up what Howie Dean's cabinet would look like should wings suddenly sprout from the anterior of pigs, and the little porkers go aflutter, and he sits in the Oval Office. I started to think, why shouldn't the other candidates get the top picks for positions? They've been with Dean all along, running for president, so they should all get a shot.

Secretary of State - Carol Mosley Braun - She has been a U.S. ambassador, showing her superb foreign policy credentials. Also, she had no idea what her college major was when asked, responding "I dunno, maybe Political Science." This goes hand in hand with the disastrous foreign policy Dean will no doubt enact.

Secretary of Defense - Wesley Clark - Only because Dean thought those four stars on Wes' uniform were pretty and the shiny boots make him look like a soldier.

Secretary of Peace - Dennis Kucinich - With Dean's protest of the war and solid backing by anti-war demonstrators, Kucinich, the poster-child for such views, would be perfect for his own proposal of a Department of Peace. This building will no doubt take over the Pentagon, which will then be tie-dyed to get rid of that "nasty, drab, grey color."

Secretary of the Interior - Albert Gore - In his younger days, an environmentalist writer, Gore would be perfect to protect our National Parks. Also, with his recent Grizzly Adams look, Gore would be perfect to fit in with the lumberjacks and birkenstock hippies. He and pals Yogi and Smokey will do all in their power to cut down on pik-a-nik baskets and forest fires.

Office of Nat'l Drug Ctrl. Policy - Kucinich, again - Though doing double duty, Kucinich could definitely handle these two jobs. He is also the best choice when matched with the views of Dean. When asked during CNN's Rock the Vote whether or not he smoked marijuana, Kucinich responded, "No, but I'd decriminalize it!" Sounds like Howie's kinda guy. After his year as a ski-bum in Aspen, he must be very close to that substance.

Attorney General - John Edwards - Cuz he's a lawya! We really need a guy who thinks all the terrorists in Guantanamo should be freed. We want somebody who shares Dean's mission to drive this nation into the ground.

Secretary of Labor - Dick Gephardt - Dick, of the nine candidates, is the one who has recieved the most union endorsements. He also, over the course of his career spanning some three decades, has had campaigns almost completely funded by unions and union PACs. What we really need for Dean to undo Bush's progress with labor is somebody to let loose the union leadership to corral their membership like cattle, abusing their money without accountability, and making shady backroom political deals with the Democratic Party.

Secretary of Housing & Urban Development - Al Sharpton - We don't expect Dean to take to kindly to the black community after comments about the south rising again, or some such statement. So, he'll put Sharpton, the lightning rod of racial politics into a relatively insignificant post, but one that is also important to the black community.

Secretary of Homeland Security - John Kerry - After completely de-funding the department because Dean cares nothing about our national security, he and Kerry will kick back with their old Yale letter jackets on and tap out a keg.

Yea, as you may or may not have noticed, Joe Lieberman wasn't mentioned in this list. That's only because Gore essentially gave him a slap in the face, kicking him out of the "new wing" of the Party. Dean's going to play some playground politics and nah, nah, na, nah, nah Joe Lieberman until he comes crying back home to Connecticut.

But let us return to reality for a moment. As Al Sharpton put it during the debates about 'bossism' and Tammany Hall-like acts with Gore's endorsement of Dean, "I know how much Al Gore and Howard Dean love the internet. But, 'www Bossism' don't work on my computer!" Dean does the love the internet, he's a computer geek and a slave to the boss system that is so prevalent in the DNC. Look for the field to be narrowed once Howie starts hitting that delete key...*poof* *poof* *poof*

Dean Buys Glass House

Howard Dean clearly never studied his gospel very well. Oh, that's right he grew up in Manhattan. They killed God a long time ago. Jesus tells a group of angry villagers ready to stone an adulterous woman, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." The crowd pauses, then promptly disperses.

Dean starting slinging when he told the Bush administration that it needed to release sensitive documents to the 9/11 Commission. Fair enough, but Howie, look in the mirror.

Daylight laws are an integral part of our democracy. If information is not of a pressing national security concern that it must be kept secret, then all information passed, gathered, collected, and regurgitated by the federal government should be made available to us. It makes us more informed citizens and the government seems more credible.

Dean sees this, but clearly he is an unabashed, unapologetic hypocrite. Governor Dean refuses to release what are in his files from his tenure as Vermont's chief executive. Which leads us to ask, what is he hiding? Most likely it is embarassing memos revealing his contempt and anger toward everybody around him, or shady dealings with state contractors.

Still yet, it could be a secret plan to annex Vermont to Canada. But, then again, why would you want to hide that? People would rejoice! Clearly, there are no pressing national security issues facing Ben & Jerry's commune, so it must be the formerly presented ideas.

Dean came back with another cheap shot today, he said that Bush should release his files, and then he will release his. Well, the records were moved back to the State of Texas by order of the attorney general and a state archivist says that all records of President Bush are available for public viewing. So much for that, Howie!

He also has the audacity to criticize our president on defense issues! George W. Bush has done more than any president in modern history to strengthen both our domestic and international security. He referred to the administration as "those people in the White House who never served a day in their lives overseas." Well, Dean never did either. At least Bush was in the military, albeit the Texas ANG. With Dean criticizing the Pentagon policy of not showing coffins on TV, I wonder if he thinks it alright to show his brother's coffin. His brother recieved a full military burial, 21-gun salute, Marine honor-guard an all after his body was discovered in Cambodia last month. The only problem was, he and his Australian friend were killed by the Khmer Rouge while backpacking the Ho Chi Minh trail as tourists. Neither served a day in American uniform, both got Old Glory draped over their coffins.

If Dean were president...well, former Senator Bob Dole did not mince words on that subject. Dole stated, "I thank God F.D.R. was my commander in chief in WWII. Had it been Howard Dean we would have not participated. This would have saved lives and none of us would have been wounded. Just one little problem: we would have lost our liberty and freedom."

It looks as if engaging in straight talk and honest public debate is inimical to the humours of one Dr. Governor Howard Dean. He follows that ol' saying from Montpelier, "Those who live in grass statehouses must get stoned."

De-Generation: Dean

Howard Dean looks like he is going to be the Democratic nominee for president this coming summer. He should place second in the first primary in Iowa. He should edge out Kerry in New Hampshire, and his Confederate flag comment could score him 2nd or 3rd in South Carolina. Dean is outspending, and more importantly, out-fundraising all his opponents by a wide margin. He has become famous by shattering the previous fundraising record of Bill Clinton by raking in $25,387,493 as of October 15th. The amazing part being that he made it in $73.68, on average, individual donations. Also, he's been lifted up as the anti-war candidate [although, Dennis Kucinich actually was in Congress to vote against the Iraq war]. He has been touted as the "NRA's Candidate" somewhat perjoratively by other Democrats, for his stance on keeping current gun-control while allowing states to decide whether or not they want stricter enforcement. He has also garnered the support of several major unions, previously expected to go to big-labor's old best friend, Dickie Gephardt.

The recent furor over Dean looks as if, barring any cosmic occurrences, that he will win the nomination. He has built a loyal corps of supporters, grassroots activism on the internet and is vehemently anti-Bush, something Democratic primary voters drool over. However, when Dr. Dean wins, somebody should check the charts on the Democratic National Party, I think they may be allergic to liars. They clearly exhibited an adverse reaction when their last 'favorite son' decided to perjur himself.

The Democratic establishment, the machine known as the Democratic Leadership Conference [DLC], which runs the Progressive Policy Insititute [PPI] and holds such luminaries in its ranks as Bill Richardson [D-NM, Gov], Joe Lieberman [D-CT, Sen.], Hillary Clinton [D-NY, Sen.] and Wesley Clark [?-AR, Gen?], is planning to sabotage Dean's candidacy, best evidence shows. Slick Willy [Clinton] busted out Clark to put a stop to Dean's forward momentum, but his inexperience made him DOA. Now, Howard Fineman is predicting in his magical crystal meth ball that Shrill Hill [Clinton] will "rescue" the party at the convention this summer. There have also been predictions that the establishment will throw their support to him after he gets the nomination, but tacitly undermine his campaign by going into impossible Republican districts and campaigning for Dean, leaking statements, or anything that will assure their party is not dissolved before Hillary can take the reins in '08.

Robert Novak sends us the rosiest scenario. Howard Dean, Vermont Governor and M.D. will win the Democratic nomination. He will then become the de facto head of the Democrats. Now, the crack research team that works for the Bush\Cheney '04 campaign, in the White House Communications Office, in the basement of the RNC, will begin the barrage. The candidate who can not keep which baseball team he likes straight, who can not defend a comment he made about winning over more poor, southern, white voters, who can not keep his stories straight in any way, shape or form, will come crashing back to earth. We will pull the plug from his website, let our dogs piss on his "grassroots," and BBQ that good ol' donkey up on our Weber grills. Because, as Novak pointed out, "Dean's torrent of words are being searched in the greatest of detail," and a man who is often the sole member of the press to recieve classified White House documents can certainly be trusted, in my book, to know what is going on in the Bush campaign. Also, currently Bush has $84,583,768, and even though he does not have to worry about a primary, he still has more cash on hand than the top 5 Democratic contenders combined, including Dean. Uh, Doc...the autopsy on this one's gonna be gruesome.

Are You Serious?

After racking my brain for hours...well not really - it only took about five minutes - I've come up with reasons for why the Democratic Presidential Candidates are not taken seriously at all.

First off, Joe Lieberman offers no change from Bush. He is aptly dubbed "Bush Lite" by Howard Dean and has proven this. He wants to maintain the tax cuts, supported the war in Iraq and is a huge supporter of Israel and the Christian Coalition. His platform is even similar to Bush's in the 2000 campaign. In that election, Bush ran on "restoring integrity to the White House." Currently, candidate Lieberman is running on his "Leading with Integrity" plan.

John Edwards was recently endorsed by Dude, Where's My Car? and MTV's Punk'd star, Ashton Kutcher.

Dennis Kucinich has a plan to de-fund the Department of Defense by slashing its current budget by as much as 70%. In its place, he wishes to form a "Department of Peace." I do not lie.

John Kerry will not stop talking about his Vietnam record. I mean it's great and all that he fought for our country, but you have not taken any lessons from that. Remember when protesters spit on you and your fellow vets when you got back state-side? Well, your flip-flopping on Iraq policy and refusal to support the troops is tantamount to what we did in the Vietnam pull-out and what Clinton did in Somalia. The only people getting hurt by this are the troops and the innocent people of Iraq.

Gephardt should not be discounted for his views, which are for the most part, intellectually honest. However, his use of the phrase "miserable failure" to describe President Bush and his policies has come out of his mouth more times than the F-bomb was dropped by Al Pacino in Scarface.

Carol Mosely Braun, when asked about her major in college responded with, "I dunno...I think...maybe, Political Science...or something like that."

Howard Dean, in the first Congressional Black Caucus debate, stated his favorite song was Jaspora by Wycelf Jean. Notably, a black singer. The base pandering of this statement is the least of it though. Take a look at the lyrics and decide for yourself. [Note: No English is spoken at all in the entire song]

Depwi mwen piti mwen te kite ayiti
Gen sa ki al Brooklyn gen sa ki al Miami
Poukisa jamariken toujou di se jamariken?
Men ayisyen pè di li se ayisyen
Poukisa ou pè di non'w se Samyèl?
Poukisa ou pè di'w ave'k Israyèl?
Poukisa chak swa wap domi ak Jezabèl?
Ou pè di fanm ayisyen ke yo bèl?
Pa'm nan bèl

So, yea, you get the idea.

Last but not least, the most fundamental reason the candidates are not taken seriously: Al Sharpton.

Flower-Powered Howard

Howard Dean once again showed his ignorance on national television when quizzed about national security (by another liberal throwing him a softball) on August 11th's Buchanan & Press. (The other time being when he fumbled through his whole appearance on Tim Russert's Meet the Press, screeching about how we needed more troops in Iraq, yet failing to show that he actually knew how many troops were already there).

PRESS: Do you think President Bush misled the American people in making the case for the war in Iraq?
DEAN: Yes, I do. I believe he said four things that weren’t true. One, that the Iraqis were purchasing uranium from Niger. Two, that the Iraqis had a relationship with al Qaeda. Three, that-the vice president said that they were about to get the-get atomic weapons. And I’ve forgotten what the fourth one was.
PRESS: For the Osama bin Laden connection...
DEAN: No, the Osama bin Laden that I already talked about, the al Qaeda. The fourth was Secretary Rumsfeld’s statement that he knew exactly where the weapons were. I actually expected that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, but we had control of Iraq for 12 years with no-fly zones. We controlled the Soviet Union for 50 years. I think it was a mistake to go into Iraq in the long run. Now that we’re there, we’re stuck there, and the administration has no plan for how to deal with it, and we cannot leave because losing the peace is not an option. We cannot leave Iraq. The president never thought about that when we were getting into Iraq.

Ah, Howie, where to start? First off, the easy one, President Bush did not say Iraq was purchasing uranium from Niger, he stated simply that "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." For the Brits to claim the Iraqis had "sought" something is far less of a claim than saying they were outright purchasing it. Also, as public sentiment has shifted these past weeks since the DNC launched ads making claims just short of the fact that the President lied. The British government has now opened their own investigation into the matter, because as the president honestly stated, it was "British intelligence." It is clear that the ball is now in the Brits' court.

Skipping to the third point, that there was no al-Qaeda connection. There was, and still is a strong al-Qaeda presence along the Iranian border, inside Iraq. Also, Ayman al-Zawiqiri, a known high-ranking Qaeda operative was nursed back to health in one of Saddam's state-run hospitals inside Baghdad. It is hard to believe that with the iron grip Hussein had on all his people that an international terrorist was given aid and comfort in the hear of his empire.

Dean's other contention that we controlled the Soviet Union for 50 years is also bogus. If we had controlled them, we wouldn't of had to fight Korea, Vietnam, or communist rebels throughout South America and we certainly would not have come to the brink of nuclear war with them over some nukes for 'Cuba's self-defense.' However, it is true we controlled Iraq for 12 years, but only now do we have a president with the cajones to do anything about it. Bush, Sr. kowtowed to diplomatic pressure. Clinton kneeled to...oh wait, that was to him. I won't even get into your fumbling about your fourth point and its complete lack of veracity once you actually did manage to spit it out. Anyhoward, you're just shooting yourself in the foot on this national security issue. You would make a great president: balancing budgets, getting good ratings from the NRA, and being socially tolerant. However, when you act as if you completely despise the military and resent all that it has done and protected us from throughout history, then you've crossed a line.