Over the last few weeks, I've been reading about U.S. presidential candidate Howard Dean, watching videos of his appearances, learning about his experience and beliefs... and having faith in my country again. While this may sound cliched and I'm sure I'm not the first to say this, Dean is the first politician I can remember learning about that got me truly excited about America and our country's potential.

[ Visit Dean's Web site now -- it's actually interesting and informative! ]

Here are some key aspects of Dean that get me excited:- He's smart and logical
He knows what has worked -- and what hasn't -- in the past, and offers thoughtful, realistic solutions for our nation's problems.

- He's articulate and Presidential
Howard Dean speaks plainly, engagingly, convincingly. I can't imagine him dumbly goading folks with "Bring it on!" or using embarrassingly lame cowboy rhetoric. No, Dean is someone that commands respect. In contrast, I wince every time I hear the Shrub speak. I wince even more when I think about our Dunce-in-Chief meeting with foreign heads-of-state. Bush -- and by extension, our country -- is currently both feared and ridiculed by civilized people and leaders around the world, and understandably so. Bush and his minions have squandered decades of good will, and relegated America to a world pariah.

- He cares about people, especially those who aren't millionaires
What a refreshing change! Instead of giving wads of cash back to those who are already rich, Dean wants to do what he's already done in his home state as Governor -- endeavor to have EVERY man, woman, and child protected with health insurance. Keep people out of prison by providing social services ahead of time (saving lives, and saving millions of dollars!). Actually support education instead of just offering lip service.

- He's smarter about foreign policy than our poser-in-chief
Some folks have dinged Dean about his foreign policy, dumbly claiming that his lack of experience in this area makes him unfit to protect our country. What hogwash! Dean has clearly articulated realistic and reasonable foreign policy ideas, including the no-brainer that Bush has trampled: Maintain a strong military, and deploy our men and women ONLY with sound cause. In fact, Dean is the only presidential candidate who opposed the "gee, I KNOW those weapons are SOMEWHERE!" Iraq war, demonstrating that he's got balls AND smarts. Most importantly, as I suggested above, Dean would undoubtedly be taken more seriously by leaders around the world, and I firmly believe that such strong relationships are the backbone of successful foreign policies.

- He unites rather than divides
Dean consistently speaks of supporting the ties that bind -- or should bind -- our great nation... families, education, our environment... things that are dear to us every day of our lives. He believes in people, he believes that government can be good and do good, he is optimistic rather than cynical, and overall, he's an amazing breath of fresh air.

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If you have broadband, you absolutely MUST check out www.HowardDeanTV.com. You'll be prompted to download a small (NOT spyware) program that downloads broadband, full-screen videos of Dean's speeches and interviews, and after letting that run in the background a while, you'll be able to watch literally hours of Dean footage. This is a great way to hear him speak in more-than-30-second-news-soundbites and really learn what he's about.

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I hope you'll take a moment to learn about Dean and maybe print up one of the cool customizeable posters. I'm not exaggerating when I say from my heart that I think he's one of the few people around now that can help reverse the treacherous course of our country. I think once you learn what he's about, you'll agree.

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