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Former Gov. of Vermont and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean stressed the importance of the upcoming election for younger voters during his visit to the University of Maine on Wednesday.
“I don’t know if it’s the most important election in my lifetime, but I know it’s the most important election of your lifetimes,” Dean said. “If you decide you don’t care about it, you get the kind of government we’ve had for the last eight years. This is not normal; we don’t have presidents that don’t care what the Constitution says [and] think it’s OK for Americans to torture prisoners.”
He applauded the university for registering 1,100 students during early voting, but offered a D grade to the students for the day’s turnout, saying he wished for a higher number.
“This is your time to begin to change the direction of your country, to change it to the direction that you will grow up with and your children will grow up with. This is your time; do not blow it.”
Dean spoke highly of Sen. Barack Obama, citing him as someone able to address issues such as Iraq, the economy and health care.
“The difference between John McCain and Barack Obama is 98 years in Iraq,” Dean said. “[Obama] thinks like you. He looks like your generation, knows what they look like, and he wants to bring people together, like your generation.”
Dean said the U.S. is spending $10 billion per month in Iraq.
“We need that $10 billion right here in Maine and the United States of America. We’ve done our jobs in Iraq; we’ve gotten rid of Saddam Hussein. Now let the Iraqis govern themselves, and let us bring that money and our troops back here.”
Dean said health care needs to be available for everyone.
“For John McCain to call that socialism is just plain ignorance,” he said.
The main issues voters need to concern themselves with is how the next president will heal national partisanship and restore the moral authority of the U.S., Dean said.
He cited the Good Friday Accords and the Camp David Accords as examples of policy formed through moral authority.
“You can do those things if you have the moral authority to bring people to the table. If you don’t have the moral authority, people won’t pay any attention to you,” he said. “We need an America that commands moral authority.”
Dean also endorsed Tom Allen for senator to replace the republican incumbent, Susan Collins, saying she voted with President Bush 80 percent of the time. He placed particular emphasis on the Senate race, as the Democratic Party needs to win eight seats in order to have a 60 percent majority in Congress, which would be a filibuster-proof Senate, according to Dean.
“Give us a chance.” Dean said. “If you don’t like us, there’s another election in two years.”
Dean’s speech was met with applause and praise.
“I give a lot of credit to Dean for bringing a youth and energy to the Democratic Party,” Maine House Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono, said.
Voting begins Nov. 4, and voter registration will be available to students when they go to cast their ballot. To register, students need a piece of mail with an on-campus address, as well as some form of photo identification. Voting will be available on campus from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room in Memorial Union.
