Reply #218: I am greatly amused [View All]

[Nicholas_J]

When people who say they are either progressive or leftist profess support fror Dean, who had a record for being one of the most conservative Governors in the U.S. having been rated as the fifth most conervative Governor in the Nation by the Ultraconservative Cato Institeu in 1996. He was give B grades until 1998, when his state passed a progressive proprty tax, against Deans will, at the behest of the Ultra-Liberal Vermont Supreme Court. That Year, Dean was rated above Tommy Thompson, a current member of Bush's Administration:

A Fiscal Policy Report
Card on America's Governors:1996
by Stephen Moore and Dean Stansel



Although Republicans tended to do somewhat better (their average grade is C+ versus an average grade of C- for Democrats), there were notable exceptions. Two of the top five pre-1994 governors were Democrats: Roy Romer of Colorado and Howard Dean of Vermont. Two of the five most pro-tax-and-spend old governors were Republicans: George Voinovich of Ohio and Marc Racicot of Montana. The worst fiscal record of the new governors was compiled by Rhode Island Republican Lincoln Almond, who is out of step with his northeastern neighbors.

http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-257.html

Deans conservatism as Governor was cited as the reason for Vermont Democrats leaving the Vermont Democratic Party to join the Vermont Progressive Party:


Those who know Dean say he’s no classic liberal
By ROSS SNEYD

Associated Press Writer

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Howard Dean may be many things, say those who worked with him over nearly a dozen years as Vermont governor, but an elitist liberal is hardly one of them.

He’s actually a lot more moderate — many would say conservative — than the reputation he’s built during his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination...

Certainly the Democratic caucus was never 100 percent behind him and where there were differences, it was around how progressive or how moderate he was," Chard said.

Rivers blames Dean for helping a third political party to flourish in Vermont that many say siphons votes from Democrats. "The Progressive Party gained some momentum during his years as governor because he was so conservative," Rivers said, although she said she still may support Dean for president.

http://premium1.fosters.com/2003/news/may_03/may_19/news/reg_vt0519a.asp

In fact, of all of the candidates for the democratic nomination, Dean was the only one who ever had a formal republican organization to back up his campaigns for governor, and did fundraising for him:


Some Republicans back Dean
By TRACY SCHMALER Vermont Press Bureau

MONTPELIER - Democratic Gov. Howard Dean got a boost from the other side Thursday when a group of prominent Republicans turned out to support his re-election bid.

Led by South Burlington attorney William Gilbert, a core group of 11 Republicans said they believed Dean has proven his ability to lead the state in a fiscally responsible direction and for that reason, and his nine years of experience, he is their choice over GOP candidate Ruth Dwyer...


Even Dean acknowledged that his fiscal policy was the common ground he shared with the nine men and two women at the table, most of whom admitted to voting for Dean in the last election.

The group, known as "Republicans for Dean" represents the first organized GOP endorsement for Dean in any of his five campaigns.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/election2000/repbackdean.html

Of one thing I am certain. It is not the other candidates who should be apologizing for their past records.