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Politics : HOWARD DEAN -THE NEXT PRESIDENT? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Raymond Duray who wrote (2785)	2/6/2004 10:06:37 PM
From: Ann Corrigan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3079

Welcome aboard, Raymond. Somehow this one got past Killer: FEBRUARY 6, 2004 The Two John Kerrys Will we get the populist or the lord of special interests? by Doug Ireland John Kerry is a man with two faces. There’s the fire-breathing populist whose thundering stump speeches against special interests made him Comeback Kerry, who won in Iowa and New Hampshire and became the Democrats’ indisputable front-runner. And then there’s Corporate Kerry, who has taken more money from lobbyists in the last 15 years than any other senator, according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission data compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) — and who has repeatedly carried water for the special interests that smothered him in campaign cash. Comeback Kerry would also like to be known as Campaign Reform Kerry, the principal co-sponsor, with the late Paul Wellstone, of the Clean Money, Clean Elections bill that would take special-interest cash out of politics in federal elections and replace it with full public financing of campaigns. Kerry has repeatedly boasted of this on the stump — as in the January 6 debate, when he said proudly, “Paul Wellstone and I together wrote the Clean Elections law.” In the 106th, 107th and 108th Congresses, Kerry’s name was on the bill, which has yet to become law. Then Wellstone, the Senate’s liberal conscience, died — and Kerry started running for president. Guess what? In the current, 108th Congress, Cautious Kerry, the decorated war hero, went AWOL, refusing to reintroduce the bill he now boasts about — leaving it with no sponsor in the Senate. On primary night in New Hampshire, in his victory speech, Kerry again repeated the applause line that won for him: “I have a message for the influence peddlers and the special interests: We’re coming. You’re going. And don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” “It’s very hard for Kerry to utter this rhetoric without some hollowness to it,” according to Charles Lewis, the former investigative journalist who heads the Center for Public Integrity and whose quadrennial series of books on The Buying of the President have become best-sellers. Kerry, Lewis says, “has been brought to you by special interests.” Example: Kerry’s “largest campaign contributor lobbies on behalf of telecommunication interests,” and Kerry “pushed the legislative priorities of its clients in the wireless industry,” according to research for the CPI’s 2004 book (available on its Web site). That contributor, the powerhouse Boston law firm and lobbying shop Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, is where Kerry’s brother Cameron — a major Kerry-campaign insider — works, and where Kerry’s former chief of staff, David Leiter, is a lobbyist. Mintz, Levin has given at least $231,000 to Kerry. According to CPI, Mintz, Levin advertises communications law among its areas of expertise and lobbies on behalf of wireless-industry clients such as AT&T Wireless Service, XO Communications Inc. and the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. CTIA is the trade association of the wireless industry. The center found that CTIA-affiliated companies and their employees have contributed at least $152,000 to Kerry and that since 1999 Kerry has taken positions that closely reflect the legislative agenda of CTIA. He sponsored two bills that CTIA lobbied for and co-sponsored six more. Not only do Kerry’s assiduous efforts on behalf of the telecommunications industry help his brother’s clients, a big chunk of the combined fortune of Kerry and his wife — perhaps as much as $47.1 million — is in telecommunications stock affected by the pro-CTIA legislation Kerry has carried. Another example is the deregulation of the securities industry. An industry-windfall bill with an Orwellian name, the Securities Litigation Reform Act, was promise number nine in Newt Gingrich’s Contract on America. It stripped legal protections from defrauded investors and made it harder for them to recover damages with a “loser pays” provision; repealed application of the federal rackets law to financial transactions; and sharply curtailed monitoring of Wall Street abuses. A 1995 New York Times editorial called this boon to investment bankers, securities manipulators, and Enron/WorldCom-style corporations and their frauding go-go execs “a threat to American civil justice.” But Kerry not only voted for the bill, he voted to override Bill Clinton’s veto of it. Kerry’s reward: He’s raked in $1,669,000 in contributions from the special interests that benefited from the law, like FleetBoston Financial, CitiGroup, Goldman Sachs and other similar firms. In this week’s Newsweek, crack investigative reporter Michael Isikoff — in an article entitled “Cash and Kerry” — unveils letters from Kerry to Johnny Chung, a star of the 1996 campaign-finance scandals, who pleaded guilty to giving $28,000 illegally to Kerry’s and Bill Clinton’s campaigns (the money turned out to have come from wire transfers by the head of Chinese military intelligence). In 1996, Kerry — in the fight of his life for re-election against then-Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld — helped grease the way for getting a corporation run by one of Chung’s cronies listed on the stock exchange by arranging a private meeting with the SEC. Kerry’s reward: Chung raised him $10,000 at a Beverly Hills fund-raiser. Kerry has always claimed he never knew Chung until the fund-raiser — but the Newsweek revelations show Kerry, in a handwritten“Dear Johnny” letter, wrote to Chung months earlier that “It means a lot to have someone like you on my team as I face the toughest race of my career.” Newsweek adds that Kerry used his position as a member of the Senate Finance Committee to collect $3 million from firms with an interest in the committee’s work. With all this sort of thing in Kerry’s past and present, it’s no wonder that the Center for Responsive Politics’ director, Larry Noble, told the Washington Post that “it’s harder for someone like Kerry to take on” Bush over special interests “because he’s taken money from . . . a lot of the same” corporate sectors. The fat cats have flocked to Kerry: 55 percent of his presidential campaign’s cash comes from $2,000 contributors, meaning he’s closing in on Bush (who gets 73 percent from such big-check writers), according to The New York Times. There’s more. Kerry the “populist” voted in 2000 to shred the Community Reinvestment Act, which obliged banks to service impoverished areas and lend them money. Kerry voted just two years ago to repeal the Public Utility Holding Company Act, designed to keep energy prices to consumers low by forbidding utilities companies to invest speculatively in businesses outside the energy field. Kerry’s Janus-like profile isn’t confined just to serving the special interests while denouncing them to win the Democratic nomination. He voted for the blank check for war in Iraq — and now denounces Bush for “lies” he once believed. On October 9, 2002, Kerry told the Senate, “Why is Saddam Hussein attempting to develop nuclear weapons when most nations don’t even try? . . . Iraq has chemical and biological weapons . . . Iraq is developing unmanned aerial vehicles capable of delivering chemical- and biological-warfare agents.” Of course, every single one of those statements about Iraq has since been proved to be empty rhetoric. So, the question before Democratic voters is: If you cast your ballot for John Kerry, which one will you get?

To: Raymond Duray who wrote (2785)	2/6/2004 11:30:28 PM
From: Raymond Duray	Respond to of 3079

SANTA BARBARA, CA DEAN Delegate Explains the Terrain.... Intro by Not In Our Name, Santa Barbara -- The 2004 Presidential race will be an ongoing opportunity for peace activists and other progressives to influence national policies. Local activist Susan Epstein is running to be a Dean Delegate at the Democratic National Convention, and hopes to influence the Party's future direction. Her message is below. John ------------------------------ <COPY> Hi! I'm running to be a Dean Delegate at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and would be honored to have your vote and to represent our area. California Delegates will be elected this weekend at local caucuses. In order to vote, you need to attend the Dean Delegate Caucus this Sunday at 2:50 in Santa Barbara. There is more information on the Caucus at the bottom of this message. Please forward this message to anyone who might be interested. Why I want to be a Dean Delegate: For more than a year I've spent all my non-parenting time working hard to educate people about George W. Bush's failed policies, and about why Howard Dean would make one of the best Presidents in our history. I care deeply about our country and its people, and believe a Dean Administration would do so much good for our nation and for the world. Governor Dean's record of delivering health care coverage to all children in his state, improving public schools, preserving the environment, and balancing budgets, combined with his courage to speak the truth, his passion for social justice, and his commitment to restoring honor and integrity to America's reputation around the world is inspiring to me. I studied all the Presidential candidates in great depth and determined that Dean would be the candidate most able to beat Bush. Although the Dean campaign made some strategic errors during December and January and John Kerry has become the front-runner, I believe it is still possible that Democratic voters will soon return to Dean and choose him as their nominee because they will want a leader with conviction, and because Democrats are tired of settling for a candidate and will instead see Dean as a candidate they can be excited to campaign for and vote for. If I am elected a Delegate and am able to participate in the Democratic National Convention, it will be a real dream come true for me! One of my earliest memories is watching both political parties' national conventions with my family every four years. I believe this year's Democratic National Convention will be a particularly important one, as the 2000 election and the 2002 Congressional elections left a leadership void, and the Presidential candidates are vying for the heart and soul of the Party. Whether Howard Dean is the Party's nominee or not, "Dean Democrats" will play a crucial role at the Convention in defining what it means to be a Democrat and what the Party will stand for. Why I'd Ask You to Vote for Me: Below is a brief summary of the volunteer work I have done for the Dean campaign and to educate people in Santa Barbara County about George W. Bush's failed policies: DEAN CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEER WORK: -Coordinator of Dean House Parties for Central California (from Ventura through Santa Cruz and the Inland Valley); these casual, grassroots parties raised more than $20,000 in small contributions and brought hundreds of new people into the campaign. -Very active member of the Santa Barbara for Dean Coordinating Council, the Media Committee (writing press releases, talking to local reporters and editors about Governor Dean), the Outreach Committee (organizing Dean visibility events), and the Fundraising and Events Committee. -Frequent presenter at Dean Meetups in Santa Barbara and work closely with Meetup hosts throughout the Central Coast on recruiting house party hosts, including union members, nurses, and teachers. -Traveled to Iowa to canvass for Dean in the icy snow the weekend prior to the Caucus; this was my first time leaving my two preschool-age kids overnight; my wonderful husband had so much fun with the kids that he offered that I could leave again in July for the Democratic National Convention, if I'm elected as a Delegate. -Organized transportation to see Howard Dean speak in Los Angeles for Dean supporters from Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo. -Hand-wrote letters to undecided Iowa voters, and received one nice reply from a rural Iowan that she and her husband would caucus for Dean and tell their friends. -Frequent poster to the official campaign Web log (or "Blog") and have seen a few of my suggestions incorporated by the campaign (although you never know if they thought of the same idea on their ownŠ) Wrote an entry on the main Blog in November and was mentioned twice in entries written by Zephyr Teachout, the Dean Campaign Outreach Coordinator. For some fun photos of my involvement with the Dean campaign, check out commons-old.deanforamerica.com OTHER LOCAL ACTIVISM -One of the lead organizers of Peace Congress-- 5,000 people from the Central Coast area marched on State Street in the first protest of its kind in over 30 years, and many participated in forums held on various peace topics during MLK weekend 2003. My leadership roles included strategic planning and communications. I also emailed Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket to ask him to perform as a benefit for the local peace movement; he then donated full proceeds of a SOhO gig to the weekly Santa Barbara peace marches. -Founder and Coordinator of the Santa Barbara Bill of Rights Defense Committee (http://www.sb-bordc.org ), a coalition of more than 50 local organizations and individuals that led the effort to pass a City Resolution Protecting Civil Liberties (also known as the "anti-Patriot Act resolution"). The City of Santa Barbara passed the resolution on August 27, 2003! Also helped the UCSB Associated Students pass a similar resolution. -Founder and Coordinator of the California Bill of Rights Defense Committee (http://www.calbordc.org ), a coalition of California ACLU affiliates and local BORDCs that is working on a California State Resolution and leads efforts to lobby the California Congressional Delegation to repeal or block so-called "anti-terrorism" legislation and to pass legislation that will protect civil liberties. In this role, I have consulted with grassroots leaders in various cities statewide on their local resolution efforts (including the Southern and Central California cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, Goleta, San Luis Obispo, Ojai, Cambria, and Ventura). -Speaker at various forums during 2003 including those sponsored by League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara in October, Lompoc Coalition for Peace and Justice in July, a dozen co-hosting organizations at the Faulkner Gallery in the public library in March (ACLU, SBCAN, Fund for SB, Nuclear-Age Peace Foundation, Green Party, United Nations Association, and more), and League of Women Voters of Santa Maria in October; scheduled to speak at UCSB on homeland security, anti-terrorism legislation, and civil liberties this upcoming April 27. -Published an Op-Ed in the News-Press, a Voices piece in the Independent, and an article in HopeDance. -Interviewed during the past year in the Santa Barbara News-Press, the Independent, the Goleta Valley Voice, the Beacon, KEYT, KCOY, KCLU, KSBY, and the Washington Post. -Lead organizer of the July 4th float in the annual State St Parade that included a giant replica of the Bill of Rights, a sign that said "Is the 'Patriot' Act Patriotic?", 75 local children and adults in red, white, and blue, a PA system playing "This Land is Your Land" and a huge "Protect Our Civil Liberties" banner. Many local progressives thanked us for organizing this float and for re-claiming patriotism and the American flag. -Member of Santa Barbara Playgroups, Democratic Women, Santa Barbara Community Action Network, Not in Our Name, ACLU, Tikkun Community, People's Coalition, Fairview Gardens Community Sustainable Agriculture Program, and more! PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE CAUCUS EARLY AS DOORS WILL BE LOCKED AT 3:00. - Only those who arrive BEFORE 3:00 can vote - The Caucus will end by 5:00 and you cannot vote until after the speakers (which will probably be between 4:00 and 5:00). When you enter the Caucus, you'll sign in. You need to live in the 23rd Congressional District. The 23rd Congressional District is the one for which Lois Capps is the Congressional Representative; it goes from Oxnard up through San Luis Obispo County along the Coast. If you are not a registered Democrat, you'll need to register as a Democrat at the Caucus (they'll have registration forms right there). By the way, some people (especially Greens) are registering as Democrats just to vote for Dean in the 3/2 Primary, and then plan to re-register (Green) afterwards. <Some Text deleted> "I'd also like to say that whatever it is that Howard Dean knows -- or whatever it is that he eats for breakfast every morning -- if I could give it to every other Democratic office holder and would-be office holder, we would immediately become the majority in the Congress and we would have about 35 governors. I have to tell you, I think a big part of it is just producing for people, actually doing what you say you're going to do at election time." -- Bill Clinton, November 12, 1997 "I have one life and one chance to make it count for something . . . I'm free to choose what that something is, and the something I've chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands -- this is not optional -- my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference." -- Jimmy Carter "I have worked my entire life to empower people and give them a sense of ownership, and so it is natural that I am joining Governor Dean's campaign because it is based around the ideal that the power to govern comes from the people. Everyday, his campaign is demonstrating how individuals can unite to effect change at the highest levels of government." -- Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder (with Cesar Chavez) of United Farm Workers of America ******* If you have a bona fide need to contact Ms. Epstein, let me know and I can provide her phone, fax and email.... RGD