Dennis and change, or the DLC?

[LWolf]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/Nation/DB88CD9E7D0290E586256D920032A060?OpenDocument&Headline=Kucinich+the+street+fighter+jabs+from+left+in+uphill+fight

This is a long article, and I think it presents a good, realistic look at Dennis, including strengths and challenges.

The part about the DLC really drew my attention. They "caution against harsh criticism of GWB?" How the hell are we going to beat bush with any candidate if they are convinced that America loves him to much to criticize him?

<snip>

Singer-songwriters Willie Nelson and Ani DiFranco are among the stars
signed on to his campaign. When he agreed last month to do concerts for
Kucinich, Nelson said that big corporations have plenty of clout in
Washington and that Kucinich "fights for the unrepresented."

But Kucinich isn't winning friends among party centrists like Ed
Kilgore, policy director of the Democratic Leadership Council. Kilgore
argues that Democrats must stress national security issues to compete,
quite the opposite of Kucinich's approach. And he cautions against harsh
criticism of President George W. Bush because, he says, many Americans
like their president.

"One way to look at Dennis Kucinich's campaign is that he pushes the
whole field to the left," Kilgore said. "The other way is that he
provides the other candidates an opportunity to distinguish themselves."

For "fundamental change"

Kucinich shows no signs of moderating his approach despite such ready
dismissals by some in his party. He advocates a nationalized health insurance system that provides universal care, including dental, at no charge and also pays for prescriptions.

He vows that his first act as president would be to withdraw the United States from both the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization, both of which he blames for job losses and diminished worker protections.

He wants to establish a Department of Peace and proposes slashing the
Pentagon budget by 15 percent and using the money for education.

Campaigning in Pittsburgh last week in front of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, he said: "The new distribution of wealth is not only causing the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, but the middle class is beginning to isappear under a wave of bankruptcies, credit cards maxed out, job losses, industry closings."

"Americans are confronted with a reality that many candidates for
president are not even in touch with. So they blather on with
bumper-sticker nostrums and forget the underlying economic challenges
facing America."

"There's a game being played in this election early on, which is to try to be a little bit different than Bush, but not to change the system too much. . . . My candidacy is about fundamental change in the system."

[JohnKleeb]

1. great article it seems I have even more in common with Dennis than I thoug

I knew he had a heart problem that also disqualifies me for military service as well. I didnt know he was a baseball ethuisanist, no offense Dennis I still cant get over losing the ACLS in 1997 lol but at least you guys won it legitly you didnt do what that Jeffrey Meier did. I didnt know he played football either. This is a great article confirms a lot about him how he struggled yet he will perservere in the end.

[AnAmerican]

2. Thanks for posting this one

"Corporate control of government is going up; the hand of corporations is reaching into our electoral process, able to assure the election of candidates who have nothing in common with the American people."


I love this quote. How true...and how sad, for all of us.



"Everybody hammered him, and they kept beating on him for 14 or 15 years, until they found out he was right," said Greg Somerville, who was a linesman for the city-owned power company that Kucinich refused to sell.
Somerville, who occasionally volunteers for Kucinich, was referring to the city's declaration in the early 1990s that Kucinich's decision not to sell the utility had saved city residents millions of dollars. The utility was so grateful that its managers later named a building for Kucinich, who adopted the light bulb for a campaign logo when he ran successfully for Congress in 1996"


Another example of Dennis acting in the interest of his constituents...not himself.



"Meanwhile, Kucinich's detractors continue to paint him as an impossible long shot and a political gadfly, albeit one with a message.
Kucinich replies that he has stuck around this long, has workers in 37 states, money in the bank and more on the way in the federal match.
"I realize I am considered a long shot. But that's OK; I'm comfortable in that role. I've been a long shot all my life. For me, that's life. Is there any other way to do it? We'll just have to see how I do in the early states; that will tell how much potential this campaign has," he said."


Time, and the primaries, will tell. My money is on Dennis beating the odds, yet again.

[JohnKleeb]

3. that was a great article

I found out that me and Kucinich had much in common. I am not poor as he was or poor at all and I am about average height but thats the exception. I loved playing baseball growing up I still love it, and a heart condition as well, and we do what we do because we belive in it and its right. The Dennis Kucinich Building :) I would love to visit.

[LWolf]

5. My money, and my hopes as well.

At this point, a free democratic America may be a longshot. The really great thing about longshots is that, when they pay off, they pay off in a really big way. A few small differences, but not too different from *, or change in a big way. Not a tough choice for me.

[revcarol]

4. And NAFTA and the WTO only need a little tweaking,

and the Patriot Act is mostly OK, just change this section,

and we can't reduce defense expenditures in "this time of terror,"

And none of the other candidates are addressing the egregious Taft-Hartley Act,


OOOH, THERE i GO WITH THIS CANDIDATE BASHING, OOOOOH, MY BAD.

The DLC way of doing things no longer hacks it. The fundamental changes the people are demanding WILL be accomplished in a non-violent way during DK's first or second administration, to the benefit of the WHOLE COUNTRY.

[JohnKleeb]

6. revcarol you remember me talking about a long time ago

how Taft-Hartley must be repealed. When I heard Dennis talk about that really made me committed to him. People are gonna love President Kucinich I tell you. Besides it feels great to have a candiate with a beautiful vision and you can connect with him on things, we both love baseball, are liberals, and have heart conditions, and much more.

[Mairead]

7. There's a beautiful quote about Dennis from former political opponent

George Forbes, a Black man who was President of the City Council when Dennis was Mayor:

"Nobody likes him but the people"

[LWolf]

8. What a telling statement!

Dennis Kucinich. The people's candidate.

[diamondsoul]

9. Now that's one that should be on the

website. People should see that statement.

[genius]

10. Excellent post.

A recent survey of anti-Bush activists and others showed that 68% of these people were leaning towards Dennis. It was discussed in an article in debateusa.com

[Desertrose]

11. "Nobody likes him but the people"

Oh...so true!!!!
what a great quote!!!


Wait til after Labor Day...I just have an awesome feeling about his campaign....

AZ is making some major stuff happening here...and I'm sure other states as well!!!

Thanks for the great thread LWolf :loveya:

Peace
DR

[dpbrown]

12. Don't settle for less

Don't settle for less on universal single payer health care.
Don't settle for less on the death penalty.
Don't settle for less on empowering farmers in distribution networks.
Don't settle for less on a nation safer from gun violence.
Don't settle for less on NAFTA and WTO.
Don't settle for less on repeal of the USAPATRIOT Act.
Don't settle for less on saving the middle class.
Don't settle for less on getting out of Iraq.
Don't settle for less on saying no to the inevitability of violence in society.
Don't settle for less on empowering public education.

After 15 years of the last 23 years with a Republican President, we've been beaten down to a depression of low expectations.

We don't need incremental change. We don't need to whisper to ourselves "it'll never pass" and wag our finger disapprovingly at the (we tell ourselves) few idealists left in the world.

The world hates Bush, and despite the fawning of the lapdog media, that message is getting through to more and more people.

We need to clean house. We need to clean the White House of the filth of trickle-down forced redistribution of wealth to the upper classes. We need to clean the White House of the pathetic sycophancy to the polluting "old" energy monopolies. We need to clean the White House of the lie of "what's in it for me?" We need to clean the White House of the Project for the New American Century.

We need Dennis Kucinich.

We don't need a "tinkerer."

Dennis J. Kucinich for President of the United States of America!

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[LWolf]

13. I'm with you 100%, Dan.

We have a few months to wake up the courage of the democratic voters.

A huge job; in my local republican stronghold, I know about 10 other dems. I'm traveling 60-90 minutes away (depending on LA freeway traffic) to work with a group of Kucinich supporters. Still, I'm confident. Our next upcoming event is a booth at the LA county fair; Willy is playing and Dennis will be there at some point.

[diamondsoul]

14. kick for a great article. n/t

[Desertrose]

15. a Labor Day message from Dennis

LABOR DAY MESSAGE TO SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS:

Congressman Dennis Kucinich commented on President George W. Bush's
Labor Day 2003 visit to Northeast Ohio:

"Of all days to use Ohio as a political backdrop, the president -
no friend of working people - has chosen Labor Day. I hope his
tour of the state will include the empty factories and bankrupt
corporations."


Go Dennis!!!!

peace
DR


edit-thank heavens we can now edit subject lines :loveya: admin,thx

[JohnKleeb]

16. I love this fella

He is the best on the issues, he's a great story of the poor kid who became mayor and now that poor kid will be president, and above else he examplifies the working class ideal hes in congress whenever he can.

[Karmadillo]

17. My head says Kerry, but after reading this article and Tinoire's thread,

my heart says my head should maybe rethink.

[JohnKleeb]

18. come and join us karma

[diamondsoul]

19. Follow your heart, Karma.

That's what Kucinich followers are all about. Dennis Kucinich said we have to get back to the Heart of America, to the heart of each American. That's how we can win.

[genius]

20. Dennis is exactly the kind of leader we need.

All those who are working on his campaign can feel proud that they are working for a candidate that will really change the world for the better.