America's Eyes Are Watching Ohio: Will Voters Pick People over Corporations and Peace over War?

[Liberal Left]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/America-s-Eyes-Are-Watchin-by-Ruth-Hull-120305-350.html

America's Eyes Are Watching Ohio: Will Voters Pick People over Corporations and Peace over War?

On March 6th in Ohio's 9th Congressional District Democratic Primary, the choices are clear. America will be watching to see if the voters of Ohio have the social conscience to stand up for all Americans and their rights by returning Dennis Kucinich to Congress or whether they will vote in ignorance, selling out to war, tyranny and a loss of rights for women, immigrants, seniors and workers by returning Marcy Kaptur. Will Ohioans make America proud of their intelligence or will they be viewed as having a worse lack of voting skills than the 2000 Palm Beach, Florida voters? Since 2004, Ohioans have had to fight election rigging. They've also had to fight the fact that Ohio was the state that gave George W. Bush a second term. If Kucinich wins by less than a strong majority, the Republicans currently running the Ohio voting machines will be in a position to fix the race for their woman Marcy Kaptur.

FREEDOM VERSUS TYRANNY

Dennis Kucinich led the fight against the Patriot Act, the Real ID Act and all bills authorizing the government to undermine the privacy rights of American citizens. . Marcy Kaptur voted for the Patriot Act, the Real ID Act and for legislation that would allow the government to assassinate American citizens. She supported the right of the government to even look at the library records of American citizens and to override the Constitution with no recourse and no relief for those Americans who are harmed by extreme intrusions and violations of their rights.

KEEP THE TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ VS BRING THEM HOME

Dennis Kucinich led the fight against war with Iraq and has worked tirelessly to end the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Dennis has repeatedly sponsored legislation to bring the troops home. In vote after vote, Marcy Kaptur has worked to keep the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern Countries. She even voted to keep the troops in Iraq. In addition to voting against bringing the troops home, she has voted to fund weapons manufacturers who are taking military funds that should instead go to service personnel. In exchange, these weapons manufacturers are funding Kaptur's campaign, allowing her to place strong misleading ads characterizing opposition to war as opposition to seniors, workers and veterans. Troops continue to die because of Kaptur's continued votes for war.

WAR WITH IRAN VS A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION

Dennis Kucinich opposes war with Iran. Kucinich believes in a peaceful, diplomatic solution to differences. Marcy Kaptur's voting record is leading us to the brink of war with Iran. This war is certain if Kucinich leaves Congress and Kaptur is returned. The 9th March 6th District vote will be largely a referendum on war with Iran.

WORKER'S RIGHTS VS CORPORATE RIGHTS

Kucinich has always been the strongest supporter of worker's rights in Congress. Kucinich believes workers and individuals deserve the rights that Kaptur would remove from the people and give to the corporations. Kaptur has repeatedly voted to allow corporations to subvert employee rights. An example is her vote for HR4 (2006), allowing corporations to cut employee pensions. That same year, she voted for S2803, limiting the liability of corporate mine owners for injuries to miners injured in mining disasters. These are just two of the numerous examples of Kaptur's legislative attacks on workers' rights. In her voting record, she routinely places corporate rights above workers' rights.

SOCIAL SECURITY VS NO SOCIAL SECURITY

Dennis Kucinich has a 100% perfect voting record on Social Security. Marcy Kaptur voted for the largest cut to Social Security in American History (1983, HR1900). Millions of civil service workers either had their Social Security terminated or seriously cut as a result of Kaptur's vote. She has continued to treat Social Security as a privilege.

EQUAL RIGHTS VS SECOND CLASS CITIZENSHIP FOR SOME AMERICANS

Dennis Kucinich believes all Americans deserve equal opportunity. Marcy Kaptur's voting record shows she believes some Americans are more equal than others. She has routinely voted for legislation that makes second class citizens of immigrants, minorities, seniors, and the poor.

IMMIGRANTS: RESPECT VS DISCRIMINATION

Dennis Kucinich supported the Dream Act, which supports equal opportunities for immigrants. Marcy Kaptur voted against it. She has routinely voted for other pieces of legislation that created a second class citizenship for immigrants (such as HR 6095 in 2006, which legalized mistreatment of immigrants).

CHOICE VERSUS COAT HANGERS

The National Abortion and Reproductive Action League (NARAL) has endorsed Dennis Kucinich because of his 100% pro-choice voting record. In contrast, NARAL noted that Kaptur:

(1) Voted with anti-choice politicians on a bill that would ban abortion coverage in state health-insurance exchanges,

(2) Voted to impose tax penalties on small businesses and many individuals who purchase private health plans that include abortion coverage, (2)

(3) Voted to make permanent several restrictions that block many women from accessing abortion care.

(4) Supported an anti-choice amendment to the agriculture bill that would make it more difficult for rural women who use telemedicine to discuss all their options, including abortion, with their doctor.

Kaptur's voting record shows a long history of voting against choice. Ohio women have to decide whether they want to continue having power over decisions related to their bodies by supporting Kucinich or whether they want to go along with doing what the government tells them to do with their bodies under Kaptur.

SAFE FOOD VERSUS POISON

Dennis Kucinich has always been the champion of food safety, notifying the public when legislation is introduced that could undermine food safety. Environmentalists and consumers look to Dennis Kucinich to protect them, or at least notify them, of risks to their food. This food safety watchdog could lose his seat in Congress to corporate food-gutter Marcy Kaptur, leaving Americans in the dark on whether their food is safe. An example of Marcy Kaptur's corporate efforts to keep the public in the dark is HR4167 (2006), wherein she voted to PROHIBIT STATES FROM WARNING PEOPLE about dangerous levels of mercury and lead in food that could result in birth defects and deaths.

If Ohio voters vote for Kaptur, American parents will find themselves blaming Ohio voters for birth defects and child deaths that could be prevented by keeping watchdog Kucinich in Congress and removing safety-gutter Marcy Kaptur.

SAFE, CLEAN ENERGY VERSUS FUKUSHIMAS AND OIL GUTTING OF ENVIRONMENT

Did Ohioan's learn anything from Fukushima? Nuclear energy is not safe. The new plants being contracted for in the United States are of Fukushima design, and Marcy Kaptur is a strong supporter of these nuclear plants. Nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons manufacturers can always count on Kaptur's support in Congress.

In contrast, Dennis Kucinich has a long history of warning the public of dangers of nuclear power and of saying "no" to endangering the public with these unsafe and life-threatening power plants. Unlike Kaptur, Kucinich also opposes nuclear weapons.

While Dennis Kucinich is a champion of the environment, the oil corporations have Kaptur in their pocket. Recently, she affirmed her support for the oil corporations by voting for the Keystone Pipeline.

FREE INTERNET VERSUS INTERNET FOR THE FEW

With Kucinich, you can count having access to Internet. Kaptur has worked to limit access to the Internet, and she has also voted to limit access to the air waves. An example of her work in limiting the right to use the Internet was DOPA (AKA --the Destroy the Internet bill) (Roll Call 405, 2006). She has voted for other telecommunications and Internet bills that show she is no friend to those who want to continue receiving independent information on the Net or by radio or TV.

DEMOCRAT VERSUS REPUBLICAN

Dennis Kucinich has the support and endorsement of liberal/progressive Democrats and leaders like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Barney Frank, Noam Chomsky, David Swanson, Warren Beatty, Sean Penn, James Cromwell, Daniel Ellsberg, Mimi Kennedy, Medea Benjamin, Norman Solomon, Tim Carpenter, Andrea Miller, Tom Hayden, Jodie Evans, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Ray McGovern, Carolyn Eisenberg, Steve Cobble, Jeff Cohen, Sandy Davies, Mike Ferner, and David Shreve, the Patrick Henry Democratic Club of America, Progressive Democrats of America, in addition to endorsements of certain local Democratic papers and local Democratic organizations, such as the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Marcy Kaptur is also backed by some Democratic Groups and by the actor credited with destroying the Screen Actors Guild. Her strongest political backers are top Republicans, such as Bob Dole and George Voinovich, who know a Republican when they see one. It is interesting that the Republicans are backing Marcy Kaptur while the most respected progressive Democrats are backing Dennis Kucinich. Kucinich's main fear is that the Republicans will determine the winner of the Democratic Primary, thereby putting their Republican voice, Marcy Kaptur, back into Congress for two more years of Republican legislation.

These are just some of the differences. Over the years, the Patrick Henry Democratic Club of America rated the voting records of members of Congress on areas of human rights, civil rights, immigrant rights, senior rights, workers' rights Social Security, peace, freedom, choice and other issues and gave Dennis Kucinich a 100% rating. Kaptur had a very poor rating in all those areas. Go to Thomas.loc.gov to review the votes.

AMERICANS WILL JUDGE OHIO BY THE MARCH 6TH VOTE

In the eyes of Democrats across America, it is Ohio and not Kucinich that is on trial on March 6th.

States throughout America tried to lure Dennis Kucinich to run in Congressional districts where they could guarantee him as many terms in Congress as he wished. However, Kucinich's loyalty was to Ohio and so he turned down state after state.

In California, voters asked Kucinich to run for the seat Lynn Woolsey was vacating. It would have been a certain victory for him. Californians were sad that he was so loyal to Ohio. The same was true with people in Washington state, New York, and other states across the country who tried but couldn't convince him to run in their state.

Now, Americans who wanted Kucinich to run in their state are looking at Ohio with mixed feelings. Was Kucinich's loyalty to Ohio misplaced? All Americans could lose depending on whether Ohioans have the integrity and intelligence to vote their own interests. People across America are angry that there is even a question as to whether Ohio's 9th Congressional District will support him on March 6th. But this is tempered with hope that Ohioans are wise enough to do the right thing.

The fear that Americans have is that, if there is a two year gap in Kucinich's presence in Congress, the consequences could result in devastating wars, further erosion of workers' rights, the death of Social Security, unprecedented intrusions into the privacy of regular Americans and an unrecoverable hit on the right to vote in future elections. This is a loss Americans cannot afford to suffer. Ohioans will incur unprecedented anger from Americans, across the country, if voting ignorance in that state orchestrates in a disaster of such a dangerous magnitude.

In voting on March 6th, Ohioans need to ask themselves whether they want to let down their country and let down regular Americans who rely on having someone in Congress with the integrity and courage of Dennis Kucinich.

The 99% across America are hoping they can count on Ohio 9th Congressional District to vote for the 99%"s Dennis Kucinich and against the candidate of the Republicans and the corporate weapons manufacturers. Returning Kucinich is the best way Ohioans can take pride in themselves and their ability to vote. It will assure Americans that Ohioans can be trusted to do the right thing.

On March 6th, Americans will know if Ohioans voted in ignorance or wisdom, for peace or war, for choice or coat hangers, for real people or corporations, for freedom or tyranny and for the 99% or the 1%. America will be rooting for Kucinich and for an election of integrity in Ohio.

[saras]

1. It sounds like a job for.....................................electronic voting machines!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Good luck to Ohio.............and all of us.n/t

[TheWraith]

3. Well, that's not at all laden with hyperbole and bullshit.

They seem to have forgotten that Kaptur is a Democrat, not a Republican, and a Democrat with just as good of a liberal record as Kucinich, without the embarrassments.