Get rid of Bush - Who are the alternatives?

Howard Dean

(abridged from www.azcentral.com )

www.deanforameria.com

DEAN ON THE ISSUES

Iraq: "I opposed President Bush's war in Iraq from the beginning. While Saddam Hussein's regime was clearly evil and needed to be disarmed, it did not present an immediate threat to U.S. security that would justify going to war, particularly going to war alone. Today we are paying the price."

Immigration: "I will work to regularize the inevitable future migration of labor in a way that makes economic and humanitarian sense. Deaths in the desert do neither. I will work to ensure that immigrants who are detained by the Department of Homeland Security are afforded their basic civil rights and that our concern for national security does not become another excuse for racial profiling."

Abortion rights: "I have been a strong supporter of a woman's right to reproductive freedom my entire life. I believe that the right to privacy is enshrined in the Constitution. As President, I would do everything in my power to preserve that right." Affirmative action: "I am delighted that the Supreme Court has upheld the principle of affirmative action in education. This was a victory for the civil rights of all Americans. In her majority opinion Justice O'Connor suggests that race-sensitive affirmative action will no longer be necessary in 25 years. If Justice O'Connor is saying that these programs should fade away when they are no longer needed, I agree wholeheartedly. If she is predicting that the need will disappear within 25 years, I hope she's right, but we should wait and see. If she is setting a deadline, regardless of realities, then she is mistaken, and perhaps a future Court will make an adjustment."

Racial profiling: "As President, I will direct my Attorney General to use regulatory authority under existing anti-discrimination laws the 1964 Civil Rights Act to define racial profiling as discrimination, and to withhold federal funds from departments that violate those regulations."

Gun control: "I believe the federal gun laws we have -- like the Brady Bill -- are important, and I would veto any attempt to repeal or gut them. The Assault Weapons Ban expires next year, and it should be renewed."

Capital punishment: "Capital punishment is an emotional issue, but supporters and opponents can agree that the death penalty should only be imposed after a fair trial."

On the economy, Dean says he will:

• Repeal the Bush tax cuts, and use those funds to pay for universal health care, homeland security, and investments in job creation that benefit all Americans.
• Set the nation on the path to a balanced budget, recognizing that we cannot have social or economic justice without a sound fiscal foundation.
• Create a fairer and simpler system of taxation.
• Assure that Social Security and Medicare are adequately funded to meet the needs of the next generation of retirees.