Reply #12: A vote for Dean is a vote for powerlessness UNTIL the Convention [View All]

[dpbrown]

Dean's not running. He can no longer keep the issues he was championing at the forefront of debate from now until the Convention, and even then may not wield as much influence as he and his supporters hope. Voting for someone other than the progressive remaining in the race smothers the chance that progressive issues will be talked about from now until the Convention. A "statement vote" for Dean doesn't mean as much as a vote for a candidate who is still in the race.

The best that can be hoped for from continued support of Dean is that the Convention will be forced to build a coalition with his delegates in order to get a majority - same as with Dennis, but Dennis is still in the race. The difference is that by choosing Dean in the primary, you're now choosing no one to represent your views from now until the Convention.

I don't think really committed Dean supporters may switch, but in my opinion, switching to a candidate that is still in the race will have more of an effect on the Party through:

1. Enhanced media coverage of the progressive that's actually still running for the nomination,

and

2. Forcing the progressive issues that are still important to be discussed at debates.

By dropping out, Dean took himself off the table of being able to push forward his agenda. Kucinich is still pushing forward a progressive agenda. No progressive who began with Dean, and who is satisfied to have his or her voice silenced until the Convention, ought to remain steadfast and cast his or her primary vote for Dean.

Only Kucinich remains to keep progressive issues on the front burner throughout the rest of the nomination season.

Only Kucinich can give voice to the concerns of former Dean supporters worried about the direction the Party is taking.

Only Kucinich is still in the race.

In my opinion, Dean supporters ought to, while gritting their teeth if they have to, vote for Kucinich in order to keep both a) the fight for the soul of the Party, and b) the anti-war message on the FRONT burner from now until the Convention.

To continue to support Dean, even though he's not running, is to choose to silence the voice of the remaining progressive in the race.

Obviously I don't know what's going on in the heads of all Dean supporters, but I wouldn't want to sit on my hands and watch my issues wither from now until the Convention on the hope that by NOT running, Dean will wield enough clout at the Convention to once again bring those issues to life, and I wouldn't want to cast a Democratic protest vote in the primary, knowing that my candidate wasn't even trying to win anymore and that the platform was going to be written by the winning candidate regardless.

I think Dean supporters do the best thing they can do for both progressive values and for keeping alive the hope of retaking our Party from "insiders" by switching to Kucinich now.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota