A letter from Dean - Democratic Underground

Khephra

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Tue Feb-24-04 07:20 PM
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A letter from Dean

This year did not turn out like we planned. But you should be proud of what we accomplished together. Let me remind you that...

A year ago Bush was considered invincible -- his arrogance was boundless. He alienated long-time foreign allies and bullied both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Few would risk challenging a President with such high approval ratings.

The Bush agenda was becoming the Democratic agenda and the traditional ideals and values of our party were becoming obsolete.

The way to stop Bush is the same way you stop any bully -- you stand up to him! I stood up against Bush on Iraq and again on education and again on tax cuts. I offered Americans a clear choice on the issues.

My message became a movement that initiated new people into political activism, welcomed back those who had left and ultimately reinvigorated the Democratic Party. Over 640,000 people joined my campaign to take our country back.

And we must take our country back. We have just begun to change politics as we know it. Together, we will continue this movement. Many of you have sent in ideas for future activities and as I read more and more of them, I see that our new organization has a bright future to affect change at all levels of our political process.

You helped to create this powerful grassroots movement that captured the imagination of the whole country. We wanted Bush out of the White House and today Bush's re-election is in serious doubt.

What we accomplished together will last beyond a single campaign. We created a movement that reenergized the electoral process and returned political power to individuals.

We fought the good fight together. I will always remember your help and we will keep fighting together.

But before we can take the next step, we must ensure that Dean for America has the funds to shutdown its operation in a professional manner. As of today there is a $400,000 debt owed by the Dean for America campaign for expenses incurred in the last thirty days. Most of these expenses are to small-businessmen, printers who created brochures, yard signs and stationery, family restaurants who provided gallons of coffee and thousands of doughnuts for volunteers, and local merchants who provided buses, microphones and staging equipment.

When these things were ordered we thought we could win key early contests and use the momentum to secure more victories in other states.

But things did not go as we had hoped, creating a deficit in the financial resources we were counting on. Now we are scrambling to retire this debt quickly.

Can you help by making a small contribution today? I won't suggest a specific amount: $250, $100 or even $50 would be appreciated.

If you can, please go to www.DeanforAmerica.com/debtreduction to make a contribution today.

This debt is a huge concern to me. I need the help of good friends like you now.

Our movement will continue. Although I am not yet sure in what form, I promise that you will be the first to know. You have made this all possible and together we will continue the change we have already ignited not just in the Democratic Party, but in the American political process. You are someone I want on my side. I hope you will be there.

Thank you,
Governor Howard Dean M.D.