Howard Dean is the latest Democrat to throw his hat into the ring as a presidential candidate.
Here’s why, under no circumstances, will I support the former Vermont governor in this Quixotic bid.
He’s a radical. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I consider myself a radical, too. But, then again, I’m not running for president. But, when I say Dean is radical, it is in the worst sense of the word.
He’s off the charts in his political extremism. He’s not anywhere near the mainstream of American politics. This guy cannot and will not succeed in his run. His real goal, it seems to me, is to push the debate to the fringe.
On NBC’s “Meet the Press” last weekend, he said he would press every state to recognize homosexual marriages. He signed a law recognizing the civil unions of homosexual couples in Vermont.
“I would insist that every state find a way to recognize the same legal rights for gay couples as they do for everybody else,” said Dean. “If a couple goes to Canada and gets married, when they come back, they should have exactly the same legal rights as every other American.”
Hmmm. Interesting logic. By that standard, if Canada adopts a new law legalizing civil unions between humans and another species, these arrangements should be accorded with respect here in the states. If Canada legalizes civil unions between fathers and daughters, then the United States is obligated to respect those laws. If Canada endorses polygamy, then the U.S. is obligated to respect such unions.
Do you see my problem, here, Mr. Dean?
How far out of step with the American people is Mr. Dean?
It should be an indication that no other Democratic presidential candidate has taken such an extraordinary position on homosexual marriage. They may be for it. But they dare not speak it. They understand that most Americans find such unions abhorrent and know where they lead.
Richard Gephardt, Dennis Kucinich, Al Sharpton, John Kerry and Carol Moseley-Braun are all in favor of civil unions for homosexuals, yet none of them have taken the position that Dean has – in support of Canada’s court ruling.
Canadian courts think it is unconstitutional to limit the institution of marriage to unions between men and women. They have determined it is discriminatory to homosexuals to do so – that they are somehow being denied rights to participate in this institution.
It’s true. The institution of marriage does discriminate. So what? It also discriminates against incest. It discriminates against multiple partners. It discriminates against non-human partners. It also discriminates in most states on the basis of age.
This idea that discrimination – meaning the making of a value judgment – is a bad thing demonstrates just how whacky Howard Dean is.
This guy is out there. He is trying to position himself as the “most progressive” of all the candidates – and, depending on your definition of the term, he has been successful.
My guess is the candidacy of Howard Dean will not make the first cut of primaries. His attacks on President Bush’s character exceed the boundaries of good taste and civil politics – even by Democratic Party standards.
That’s why I thought I should write about Howard Dean early on. He’s not likely to be in contention for very long.
