From MoveOn PAC.....Howard Dean answers questions

[AnnInLa]

Email from MoveOn PAC...2 weeks ago, PAC members were asked to submit questions to the contenders for Dem chair. Here are Howard Dean's answers to the top most-asked questions. Copied from an email I just got from MoveOn PAC:


1) What will you do to insure that all voters,in each state, have access to a universally transparent, accountable voting system?
-- Sylvia S Pinyan, retired teacher
(January 27, 2005; Winston Salem, NC)

If elected Chair of the DNC, I intend to work with Members of Congress, the stateDemocratic parties, secretaries of state, the Democratic Governors' Association,other stakeholders, and the grassroots to ensure that every legitimate voter -- regardlessof their political affiliation -- is able to vote and have their vote counted. Wemust address the obstacles that some voters in some locations faced this past November,like inadequate numbers of voting machines at certain polling locations, faulty electronicvoting machines, and voting rolls that failed to include some properly registeredvoters' names. And critically, we must take steps to ensure the verifiability ofall electronic voting. For instance, we need to use the referendum process (in statesthat allow this) to ban unverifiable voting machines and to protect voters from partisansecretaries of state.

2) What would be your list of 'ideals,'things the Democratic Party stands for and will fight for?
-- Tom Peters, commercial fisherman
(January 26, 2005; Eureka, CA)

Whether you call them ideals or moral values, there are a number of basic principlesthat I believe the Democratic Party should stand up and fight for. Here are a few:a livable wage is a moral value. Affordable health care is a moral value. A decenteducation is a moral value. A common sense foreign policy is a moral value. A healthyenvironment is a moral value. The feeling of community that comes from full participationin our democracy is a moral value. It is a moral value to make sure that we do notsaddle our children and grandchildren with our debt.

3) What will be your strategy for sendingthe message that a progressive agenda is as much about "moral values" asis the Republican agenda, ie: that economic justice and equality, tolerance, civilrights and environmental protection are ethical and moral matters?
-- Anna Schwartz, physician
(January 26, 2005; Hastings-on-Hudson, NY)

I believe that there are no red states or blue states, just American states. AndI am confident that Americans will vote for Democrats in Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Montana and allover the Untied States if we show up, knock on their doors, introduce ourselves,and tell them what we stand for. But we will not win by being "Republican-lite"-- Democrats must have the courage of our convictions. Every chance we get, Democratsneed to stand up for what we believe in, frame the debate, and call for reform. Eachtime that we do this we drive home the point that our progressive agenda is rightwhere the majority of Americans are. Because Democrats -- not Republicans -- arethe party of fiscal responsibility, economic responsibility, social responsibility,civic responsibility, personal responsibility, and moral responsibility.

4) What is your plan for creating an effectiveDemocratic message machine to clearly and powerfully present our point of view?
-- Lynn O'Connell, advertising
(January 26, 2005; Alexandria, VA)

I am running for DNC Chair because I want to reform the Democratic Party and makeit a truly national party. Improving the Democrat's message machine will be criticalto our success. To drive home the point that we are where the majority of Americansare on the issues, we have to better integrate national and state party operations-- the success of the former depends directly on the success of the latter. Two,taking a bottom-up approach to the development of the Party's message, we need toset core principles that define the Democratic Party and what we stand for. Three,the Party must take advantage of cutting-edge Internet technology to fundraise, organize,and communicate with our supporters. And four, we must strengthen our political institutionsand leadership institutes to promote our leaders and our ideas. All of this won'tbe easy and it won't happen overnight. It will require exceptional cooperation betweenthe National Party and the State Parties, unprecedented use of the grassroots, unparalleledmessage discipline, and significant financial support. But taking the White Houseand Congress and every other office back from George Bush and the Republicans willmake all of our time and effort worth it.

5) Many people like myself were energizedduring the 2004 presidential election. I volunteered to canvas neighborhoods andI made phone calls for democratic candidates. I made my first financial contributionsfor a political cause. How are you going to keep people like me involved? Do youwant to keep people like me involved?
-- Lisa Scerbo, photographer
(January 26, 2005; Mechanicville,NY)

It was new supporters like you that were one of the bright spots in the last electioncycle. If I am elected DNC Chair, we intend to make the Democratic Party a trulynational party by becoming competitive in every race, in every district, in everystate and territory. We need you and other grassroots volunteers to stay involved-- our vision won't become a reality without your help. And we will keep you involvedby building on our grassroots successes, expanding community-building initiativeslike Meetup, and getting ordinary people to run for office. It is time we supportall Democrats carrying the message of reform.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC
Not authorized by any canidate or candidate's committee.