The Value of Acting First

We all know poker is a game of position. The later the position, the more information you have to make decisions. This is a good thing.
But, what is rarely discussed are the advantages of being in an early position. Sure, you don't have as much information, but you can initiate action. This can be more valuable than you may think.
Let's take a look at a hand last night:
It's 4 am and its nearing the end of the session. We are playing 3 handed (2/4 NLHE), and everyone has $400+ in front of them.
Dean (imagine Mr. Wilson from Dennis the Menace) has the button and The Juice and I have S, B blinds respectively. Dean limps, Juice limps and I look at A,3. Normally 3 handed any Ace is a raising hand, but I just check.
The flop comes A, 5, 3 rainbow. Nice flop for me, but there is some danger of a straight (especially considering everyone limped). The Juice bets out $15, I make it $50, Dean calls and The Juice goes all in.
So what can he have? Knowing Juice it could be anything from two pair 3s and 5s to gutshot draw or a 5 alone. I can't put him on a set, or an ace since he would have raised preflop if that was the case. I go all-in as well, casting a wary eye on Dean ( a pretty tight player, but willing to take a flyer on occassion). He ponders for a long minute or two. He announces he has top two pair, and puts me on a set. He turns them over and folds. Long sigh of release from me.
The Juice turns over a pure bluff (9,6 right Juice?) and I win a nice pot.
In this case Dean was a victim of too much information. He had two all ins in front of him.With this 'info' he folds (I am certainly open the idea he should have called anyway).
I benefited from knowing the player ahead of me (juice-super aggressive) and Dean (extremely tight). However if I had the button, and The Juice goes all in, AND THEN Dean goes all in, I have to know I am beat. But by acting before the person with the better hand (but by no means the nut hand) I was able to pull the pot, and leave Dean shaking his head at his no call.