Dennis Kucinich: Just Imagine

It would be nice if all of the faithful in America would apply their faith constructively for once. Instead of shopping amongst the meatheads on the Republican side or the non-commital shysters on the Democratic side, they should take a look at Kucinich’s platform and believe that he could make it work. Vote him into the presidency and give him four years—if he only accomplishes half of what he would like to, America will be on its way to being the country we were all[1] taught it already was.

Debates and Issues

The video below pulls together Kucinich’s replies during the November 15th debate. Below the video are the most interesting questions and his answers to them from the The Democratic Debate Nov. 15, 2007 Transcript (New York Times).

ALL of Dennis Kucinich's replies @ 11-15-07 Dem. debate (YouTube)

Will you support the Democratic candidate no matter what?

“No. Only if they oppose war as instrument of policy (applause, cheers).”

(the other candidates all said yes.)

Do you support driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants?

“I take issue with your description of people being illegal immigrants. There aren’t any illegal human beings; that’s number one. Number two, they’re undocumented. And I believe that the best way to do it – (applause) – thank you – I believe the best way to deal with this is cancel NAFTA and renegotiate the trade agreement with Mexico. (Cheers, applause.) … You give people a path to legalization, and you work to make sure that you don’t criminalize their status any further. And again, I take exception to the way you frame that question.”

Is the troop increase, as General Petraeus has put forward over these past few months, is it working?

“No, the occupation is fueling the insurgency. In 2003, I put forth a plan to get out of Iraq. I’m actually the only one on this stage who voted against the war, voted against funding the war a hundred percent of the time – (cheers, applause) – and also who has a plan to bring the troops home, and they should be brought home now. … So I’m speaking about a new policy of strength through peace, no more unilateralism, no more preemption, no more first strike – to open dialogue, diplomacy, adherence to international law. (Applause.)”

Do you believe that the people on the stage who voted to fully open trade relations with China bear some of the responsibility for what’s going on right now?

“Well, of course they do; I mean, in the same way that people who voted for the war bear responsibility for what’s going on, people who voted for the Patriot Act bear responsibility for what’s going on … The fact of the matter is, Wolf, it was well known when China trade came up that China doesn’t have environmental quality standards, doesn’t have health standards, doesn’t have workers’ rights, doesn’t permit people to form unions. Everyone knew that.”

Congressman Kucinich, I believe you’re the only person on this stage who had a chance to vote on the Patriot Act right after 9/11, who voted against it right away.

“That’s because I read it. (Laughter, cheers.) … [speaking to audience] I – you’re owed an apology. You really are. And every American should be able to present themselves without having to be further scrutinized based on ethnic identity. … you know, the president of the United States is called upon to make the right decision at the right time. And you’ve seen here tonight people who voted for the war, voted to fund the war, and now they have a different position; people who voted for the Patriot Act, now they have a different position; people who voted for China trade, now they have a different position; people who voted for Yucca Mountain, now they had a different position. Just imagine what it will be like to have a president of the United States who’s right the first time. Just imagine.”

What you are going to do to protect Americans from this kind of harassment?

“It’s called impeachment, and you don’t wait. You do it now. (Cheers, applause.) Now. (Cheers, applause.) Impeach them now.”

Would you insist that any nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court supported abortion rights for women?

“A Kucinich appointment to the Supreme Court would have a litmus test on abortion. It’s a – it’s a question of a woman’s right to choose and a right to privacy. … But a president has to do more than that. A president has to be a healer, and this has been one of the great divides in our country. And so I want to also let the American people know that I’ll stand for prenatal care, postnatal care, child care, a living wage, universal health care, sex education – birth control. We can make abortions less necessary if we have a healer in the White House, and we can also protect a woman’s right to choose. We can do both. (Applause.)”

At another debate, he was told to ask a candidate a question, so he asked himself about health-care (since he probably didn’t get that much airtime, as usual):

Kucinich on Kucinich health plan-Brown&Black Forum (YouTube)

From the Weekly Update 12-03-07 Transcript (Dennis for President):

“The candidate that I have a question to is Congressman Kucinich. Congressman Kucinich, is it true that you’re the only sitting up here, oh yeah, is it true that you’re the only one sitting up here who advocates a universal single-payer not-for-profit healthcare system that would result in all forty-six million Americans who are not insured and another fifty million Americans that are underinsured from being covered? And the answer to that question is: It is true. It is true that I’m the only one up here who advocates a single-payer, not-for-profit system called Medicare For All.”

The only candidate with a plan for everyone. No exceptions.

Even his wife is articulate and passionate about the issues that matter. [Elizabeth] Kucinich campaigns for husband has a good overview:

“A native of Great Britain, Kucinich exhibited much of her idealism from the days when she volunteered to work with Mother Teresa in India in 1996 and worked for an advocate for regional development in Tanzania after receiving her Masters degree at the University of Kent.”

She stumps for her husband’s issues and is articulate on them rather than just simpering in a corner playing the good wife (like our current First Lady). The Kuciniches are forward-looking on so many issue, including acknowledging that “[m]ass transit systems are … desperately needed”, which is an issue not even addressed by other candidates. And we have the infrastructure to work on it, using “NASA [working] on these projects, instead of sending people to the moon” and getting the cash for it by “[taking] the fat out of the Pentagon budget”, another goal you won’t hear from any other candidate though it’s the number one reason America is in such dire financial straits.

The Heroics Of Dennis J. Kucinich by Maryann Mann (The Atlantic Free Press) and The Constitution, the Media and Kucinich by Sean Penn[2] have more information and opinions about Dennis Kucinich. Mann sums things up nicely (as far as I’m concerned)[3] with:

“My admiration for Dennis Kucinich begins with the authenticity of a man who seems possessed of a deft, preternatural ability to resist coercive political pressure and acquiescence to the special-interest briberies which have co-opted Washington D.C. … Dennis Kucinich represents the very best of what America has to offer. Men like him don’t go away. They just need people like us to pay attention.”