Dean Phillips…Following in the Steps of Mondale

Yesterday (October 23), Walter Mondale, Dean Phillips and I participated in a discussion before, during, and after an advertising shoot. Aside from being engaging, it was also reassuring.

When people get older and beyond the pressures of employment, there is a focus on the younger generation. Can they handle the compelling challenges that confront our society or are they self absorbed and centered on satisfying today at the expense of tomorrow?

As our discussions went on, it became increasingly apparent that Dean Phillips is following in Walter Mondale’s footsteps. He is immensely grateful for being adopted into the Phillips family. So much so, that his commitment to serving others has become his life’s mission. All too often, politicians will respond to an inquiry with a political response that suggests too much self-interest. That is not the case with Dean Phillips. His first instinct is the wellbeing of others. That was always the hallmark of Walter Mondale. They both have a sense of decency that separates them from the norms of politics and it is most refreshing.

I remember serving in the Army and, like thousands of other soldiers, evaluating sergeants and officers on the basis of how they would lead in combat. Instinctively, you separated those who would likely be protective of their troops as opposed to those who were more inclined toward self-preservation.

That is a distinction we should make in selecting our candidates and leaders. The acid test is whose interest will they put first?

This is not just a philosophical question.  It is very real. The fact is that if the Republicans control Congress next year, Social Security, Medicare, and health care will all be on the chopping block. That is already in the Republican budgets in both houses of Congress.

Dean Phillips, like Walter Mondale before him, knows the importance of this moment in our history. Is it ethical to reduce life’s most essential services for those heading into retirement in order to pay for a tax cut for the affluent?

Who do you think will protect you…Dean Phillips or Erik Paulsen?

My choice is clear…Dean Phillips.