1:12 p.m. - January 13, 2004
On Dean and his Cabinet vision: You really mean it?
So Dean�s tired of being a pin-cushion, fending off attacks from his rivals before the caucuses. Does he imagine Democratic politics to be an us versus them strategem so soon, as if he�s already become his party�s nominee? It�s all fair game, Dean, and you have to learn to roll better with the punches instead of becoming defensive and irritated when a line of questioning has you against the wall. I�ve read in the media that Dean doesn�t enjoy being the focal point of criticism, or pointed questions or comments, and the bits of television footage I�ve seen support the premise.
A few comments:
When Sharpton inquired into people of color on Dean�s gubernatorial cabinet, Dean came across as peeved and indignant. I suppose he would, given Vermont is 96% white, so perhaps diversity isn�t readily available. Yet what was laughable to me was his assertion that if President, his cabinet would reflect America. A laudable goal � I said laudable, not laughable � so let us rely on the U.S. Census to figure out what a cabinet that looks like America would actually look like:
Dean�s Cabinet of America
12% will be Californians53.7% will be women (that's more than half, and equality being what it is, I'd like to see a female Joint Chiefs of Staff)
75.1% will be white
12.3% will be black
13.5% will be Hispanic
.9% will be Native American
3.6% will be Asian
5.5 will be �other�
2.4% will be biracial
11.1% will be an immigrant
of that 11.1%, 72% will be legal
of that 11.1%, 28% will be undocumented, primarily Spanish-speaking
24.4% will have a B.A. or higher
35.4 will be the median age, meaning half will be younger, half will be older
12.4% will live in poverty (wonder which Cabinet member wants this honor?)
33% will be affiliated with the Democratic party
32% will be affiliated with the Republican party
28% will be independents (meaning they mostly don't care for ideology, just common sense)
7% will be affiliated with another party
8% will have incomes over $150,000 per year
13% will have incomes $100,000 - $149,000 per year
32% will have incomes $50,000 - $99,000 per year
38% will have incomes $30,000 - $49,000 per year
9% will qualify for food stamps and other federal and state assistance (which Cabinet member will tout the wonder of government cheese, I wonder)
Somehow, I think Dean�s off-the-cuff idealism won�t translate into a true representation of the American people. Why say things you don't mean and cannot possibly follow up on, unless you don't expect peopel to hold you to your word? And isn't that one of his planks - holding fast to one's word?
I'd be interested in Dean if I knew more about him. Rallying the troops by being anti-Bush is effective in gathering the disenfranchised, but let's talk more about the issues, eh?
