MONROE - The battle of Main Street vs. Wall Street is going to be key in the race for the White House, according to Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Dean stopped in Monroe on Tuesday afternoon to encourage voter registration and rally support for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and vice presidential running mate Joe Biden.
More than 90 area residents, most displaying buttons and stickers proclaiming support for the Democratic ticket, packed the Lazy Mutt Lounge at Minhas Craft Brewery in downtown Monroe to hear the one-time presidential candidate and enthusiastically applaud his frequent reminders to support the Obama-Biden ticket.
Dean prefaced his pitch by reminding locals that Wisconsin holds a special distinction for him - the state's primary was the last he participated in before dropping out of the 2004 presidential election.
Another important difference that will be crucial in the Nov. 4 election is the difference in leadership. Dean said Obama is a forward-thinking candidate, the candidate of the future, while Republican opponent John McCain is a candidates of the past.
The economy also is crucial. McCain proposed tax cuts for the most wealthy citizens, while Obama wants tax cuts for those making less than $150,000 per year, he said.
"It starts in Monroe," he said. "That's where the jobs are needed, that's where the opportunities are needed."
Although the country is torn over the proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, including differing opinions offered by rally attendees, government intervention is necessary, Dean said.
"We can't let banks go broke," he said.
The difference is in how the bailout is handled. Obama's focus "is on helping people who live on Main Street," Dean said. "It's smarter to help those paying the mortgages" rather than rewarding corporate executives being blamed for the country's current precarious financial situation.
"There's lots of ways it can be done," he said, without offering specific details. But the federal government needs to resolve the crisis so citizens at the local level can get credit and continue to do business.
Dean also chided McCain's position that the United States needs to maintain troops in Iraq.
"Republicans don't understand," he said. "We're spending $10 billion a month in Iraq - we need that money here in Wisconsin." That money should be spent on schools, health care and building infrastructure here at home, Dean noted.
Dean said Obama would push for initiatives such as renewable energy, which would help the economy by creating jobs that can't be outsourced to a foreign country.
"The best stimulus package is to start to rebuild America," he said. "America was not created by people on Wall Street. It was created by people on Main Street."
Dean also called McCain's proposal to tax health care benefits "crazy" and refuted the notion that a free-market approach will work.
"There's no free market in health care," said Dean, who was a practicing physician before becoming governor of Vermont in 1991. Obama's approach to health care reform will be successful because it covers all Americans and also allows people to choose when and to what extent they want to participate in the program.
Wisconsin is expected to be a tough battleground for the candidates, and Dean reminded the audience that Democratic candidate John Kerry won the state by just 11,000 votes in 2004.
"We need help," he said, urging Democrats to get to the polls and "talk to your neighbors."
Rural America is disproportionately affected by economic woes and needs to act against Republicans that make empty promises, he said.
"You have more power than Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh" by spreading the word through face-to-face contact, he said, referring to the popular conservative television talk show hosts.
Dean also stopped in Janesville and Platteville on Tuesday and was scheduled to be in Eau Claire and Menomonie on Wednesday as part of his "Register for Change" bus tour.
In addition to encouraging citizens to register to vote and vote early when possible, he urged voters to support John Waelti, the Democratic challenger for the 80th Assembly seat. More Democrats are needed in the state Assembly so Gov. Jim Doyle and the state senate can affect positive change, he said.
Dean stopped in Monroe on Tuesday afternoon to encourage voter registration and rally support for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and vice presidential running mate Joe Biden.
More than 90 area residents, most displaying buttons and stickers proclaiming support for the Democratic ticket, packed the Lazy Mutt Lounge at Minhas Craft Brewery in downtown Monroe to hear the one-time presidential candidate and enthusiastically applaud his frequent reminders to support the Obama-Biden ticket.
Dean prefaced his pitch by reminding locals that Wisconsin holds a special distinction for him - the state's primary was the last he participated in before dropping out of the 2004 presidential election.
Another important difference that will be crucial in the Nov. 4 election is the difference in leadership. Dean said Obama is a forward-thinking candidate, the candidate of the future, while Republican opponent John McCain is a candidates of the past.
The economy also is crucial. McCain proposed tax cuts for the most wealthy citizens, while Obama wants tax cuts for those making less than $150,000 per year, he said.
"It starts in Monroe," he said. "That's where the jobs are needed, that's where the opportunities are needed."
Although the country is torn over the proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, including differing opinions offered by rally attendees, government intervention is necessary, Dean said.
"We can't let banks go broke," he said.
The difference is in how the bailout is handled. Obama's focus "is on helping people who live on Main Street," Dean said. "It's smarter to help those paying the mortgages" rather than rewarding corporate executives being blamed for the country's current precarious financial situation.
"There's lots of ways it can be done," he said, without offering specific details. But the federal government needs to resolve the crisis so citizens at the local level can get credit and continue to do business.
Dean also chided McCain's position that the United States needs to maintain troops in Iraq.
"Republicans don't understand," he said. "We're spending $10 billion a month in Iraq - we need that money here in Wisconsin." That money should be spent on schools, health care and building infrastructure here at home, Dean noted.
Dean said Obama would push for initiatives such as renewable energy, which would help the economy by creating jobs that can't be outsourced to a foreign country.
"The best stimulus package is to start to rebuild America," he said. "America was not created by people on Wall Street. It was created by people on Main Street."
Dean also called McCain's proposal to tax health care benefits "crazy" and refuted the notion that a free-market approach will work.
"There's no free market in health care," said Dean, who was a practicing physician before becoming governor of Vermont in 1991. Obama's approach to health care reform will be successful because it covers all Americans and also allows people to choose when and to what extent they want to participate in the program.
Wisconsin is expected to be a tough battleground for the candidates, and Dean reminded the audience that Democratic candidate John Kerry won the state by just 11,000 votes in 2004.
"We need help," he said, urging Democrats to get to the polls and "talk to your neighbors."
Rural America is disproportionately affected by economic woes and needs to act against Republicans that make empty promises, he said.
"You have more power than Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh" by spreading the word through face-to-face contact, he said, referring to the popular conservative television talk show hosts.
Dean also stopped in Janesville and Platteville on Tuesday and was scheduled to be in Eau Claire and Menomonie on Wednesday as part of his "Register for Change" bus tour.
In addition to encouraging citizens to register to vote and vote early when possible, he urged voters to support John Waelti, the Democratic challenger for the 80th Assembly seat. More Democrats are needed in the state Assembly so Gov. Jim Doyle and the state senate can affect positive change, he said.