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Howard Dean, Apathy Bashing Machine?

American Politics Needs a Shot in The Arm

By JONATHAN CETEL

American Democracy suffers from an epidemic of political apathy. With less than half of its eligible voters casting ballots in the 2000 Presidential election, the phrase “consent of the majority” has become an ironic expression of the failure of politicians to generate mass support from their citizens. The severity of our “crisis of indifference” is most apparent in the 18-24 demographic, where less than a third (32%) of eligible voters participated in the 2000 election. Political neophytes, motivated by idealism and naiveté, should be the ones most engaged in the political process. Alas, the opposite is true – voters now begin the ballgame disillusioned.

Apathy not only undermines the foundation of American government, it also undermines the foundation of liberal arts education. Although the idea may be antiquated, the purpose of a classical liberal arts education is the “education of the whole student.” A well-rounded student should not only be versed in the arts and the sciences, he should be empowered with the skills necessary for civic participation, as well. The ideal liberal arts student, therefore, is active in both the domain of the mind and the domain of the local/global community.

This was certainly the ethos throughout the 60’s, as campus activists mobilized thousands of college voters to support candidates like McGovern, McCarthy, Kennedy, and even a pig. (thank you Abbie Hoffman, Brandeis class of ‘59).

Many people have brainstormed possible sources of this problem. They blame post-Watergate skepticism of authority, middle-class complacency, and a two-party system that alienates minority views, among others. I’d like to think the problem is a lot simpler than these.

Maybe, just maybe, there hasn’t been the right candidate to inspire a generation of political enthusiasts. And maybe, just maybe, Howard Dean can reverse the trend.

Four months ago, Dr. Dean was an unheard of governor from a politically negligible state. Now he is leading some polls, (and slightly trailing behind General Wesley Clark in others) making him the top contender for the Democratic nomination in the 2004 election. He is currently destroying the other Democratic candidates in the area of fundraising, breaking records for most money raised in a quarter. This record-setting money is not coming from “Ken Lay and the boys,” (as Dean proudly reports) the money is coming from the explosively energized supporters of his campaign.

This energy is due, in part, to the campaign’s ability to mobilize supporters using the Internet. From Dean house parties to Dean blogs, www.deanforamerica.com has proven to be a valuable resource for mass mobilization (as well as great material for Doonesbury cartoons). And what age group represents a significant percentage of the interns, bloggers, and campaign volunteers? That’s right — the 18-24 year olds.

In fact, the success of the campaign to generate support from college campuses prompted a cnn.com cover story on Oct 3 with the headline “Howard Dean connecting with college students.” College supporters, who have their own website, (www.generationDean.com) “have rallied behind the former Vermont governor with a fervor that some political scientists compare to a 1960’s-style campus activism,” according to the article.

There are two factors involved in this ostensible change. First, Bush’s aggressive foreign policy has polarized the country, galvanizing those who opposed the war with Iraq and the subsequent occupation. In addition, the widespread mistrust of Bush has inspired concerned citizens to search for a political authority capable of dealing with the complexities of the post September 11^th world. As a New York Times article from October 7 says, “Experts said that the image of politically disconnected young people began to change after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. And just when the young started paying attention, along came Howard Dean, 54, who casts himself as a plain-spoken anti-politician who promises to tell the truth.”

Howard Dean’s “truth” is, in fact, simple and direct. He strongly opposed the war with Iraq, arguing that Hussein did not present an immediate threat that justified military intervention. He instead calls for a foreign policy that fosters international cooperation – one that restores America’s international reputation.

On the domestic front, Howard Dean strongly opposes Bush’s tax plan. Cutting taxes during a recession, according to his stump speeches, is irresponsible fiscal policy. Providing greater economic benefits to the top 1% of the country at the expense of the lower classes is simply unjust fiscal policy. Dean wants to use the money from those tax cuts to create programs that help all Americans (i.e. universal health care, Homeland Security, and investment in job creation).

At every Dean rally or event, hundreds of people proudly wear VOTE HEALTHCARE pins to show support for the former governor. Howard Dean is adamant about universal healthcare and has the record to show it. 96% of children in Vermont (a state that ranks 26^th in wealth) are insured. There are 60 million uninsured Americans, according to a Congressional Budget Office survey – a statistic that Dean most certainly wants to address.

Is all the hoopla over Dean really justified? Critics contend that Dean is just another politician, albeit one who has successfully manipulated his supporters by using lingual tactics (calling the movement “grassroots” to aggrandize it), technological tactics (using the Internet to make supporters feel influential), and, of course, political tactics (launching a campaign of anti-Bushism and, thereby, exploiting voters’ disillusionment with the current administration).

My response to these criticisms is more a request: Go to one Dean rally and then return to me and argue that the Dean enthusiasm is superficial or that Dean’s platform is empty rhetoric. Howard Dean is a unique politician; he is a man with a vision of America in line with Americans. He is a man who represents the “Democratic wing of the Democratic party.”

If you disagree entirely, so be it – as long as you join the political ballgame to oppose me. Go out and make your opinion heard. Go make liberal arts education meaningful again. And go make American Democracy a democracy again.

Jonathan Cetel '06 is an Editor-in-chief for The Watch