WurfWhile

It was a great line by Dean - and there were more than lines at tonight’s DNC Fundraiser at the Adams Street Elephant & Castle in Chicago. I didn’t take notes, so this is from memory. Dean made a number of major points about what Democrats, all Democrats, need to run on in the upcoming elections if they’re to be successful, including improving the jobs and economic outlook, national healthcare and making this country built by immigrants friendly again towards immigrants. He also emphasized the need for greater diversity in the Democratic Party among the people running it and running for office - saying Democrats need to look like the rest of the nation.

Jobs and the Economy

Dean suggested that a future area of economic and job growth would be renewable energy. Beyond reducing our dependence on foreign oil and limited fossil fuels, renewable energy could be a real growth industry. He pointed to creating fuel out of sugar cane among other types of bio-energy we could produce to power vehicles instead of gas, and suggested that one of the only good things in the recent CAFTA law (put in there by pressure from the U.S. sugar industry) was money for the sugar industry to start developing ethanol fuel like Brazil.

National Healthcare

It’s the moral thing to do according to Dean - and while he doesn’t want to dictate how we get there, all American’s should have national healthcare. It’s an issue all Democrats should run on. It’s time to join much of the rest of the world in providing this basic need to all Americans. Even the Costa Ricans have it….

Immigration

The Patriot Act, according to Dean, has created a drain of world talent that used to come to the United States, and often stayed here, helping our economy and our competitiveness. Because of Patriot Act restrictions, Australia is now the top destination for foreigner scientists. While Dean suggested that it is ultimately better to have an education system that will provide for more home-grown scientists, until we are there immigration helps us.

Dean also suggested that immigrants that come to the United States who are productive and law abiding should have some legal way of staying and continuing to contribute to our society. In most cases they’re only trying to feed their families, and as a nation of immigrants we should understand the desire to better one’s lot in life. Dean suggested that Republicans, following Tom Tancredo were likely to try to use immigration as a major wedge issue in the upcoming elections. It was in this context, and the context of ethnicity, that Dean spoke of the need for unity, saying the United States has always been better when we’ve been more inclusive. “You can’t build a better America by tearing us apart at the seams”

Diversity in the Democratic Party

Dean suggested that Democrats need to have greater diversity in those people running for office and running the party. It is our future, and the sooner we embrace it the better we will do.

The packed room was very receptive to Dean’s positive message. It also was heartening to hear that the DNC will have a 50 state paid organization by the end of this year. Democrats have work to do - but we can do it.