Kucinich speaks against recall, Prop. 54, tax cuts and heavy defense spend

[LWolf]

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~1726~1635164,00.html

OAKLAND -- From slashing military spending to protecting the environment, Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich brought his liberal gospel to Oakland's Laney College Monday.
He addressed about 200 students and supporters.

Kucinich, a Democratic Congressman from Ohio and former Cleveland mayor, is arguably the most left-wing candidate in the race. He fielded questions in the Laney campus quad for nearly an hour on everything from file sharing to Middle East peace.

He criticized the Bush administration's defense spending and tax cuts and pledged an about-face on foreign and domestic policies. "Let's create a new America," he said, promoting his self- described "holistic world view," which includes defending the rights of workers and immigrants, repealing the Patriot Act and guaranteeing universal health care and quality education from pre-kindergarten to college.

"I'm dedicated to making sure we have jobs for all, health care for all," he said. Kucinich said he aims to cut the defense budget by 15 percent and transfer the resulting $60 billion into the education budget.

The rally was organized by opponents of Proposition 54, an initiative that would prevent California government from tracking citizens and students by race. Kucinich spoke against both the measure and the statewide recall effort against Gov. Gray Davis.

<snip>

[Fovea]

1. Good to see Dennis doing good work for the party.

I hope every national candidate shows up in California to dis the recall and Prop 54, the kind of legislation dear to the hearts of the Klan/Moran wing of the Republican party.

[LWolf]

2. He's all over CA the next couple of weeks.

A peace day event on the 21st, the L.A. county fair, and the worldfest in Van Nuys; there are more, but those are the ones I'll be at.

[genius]

11. He saw through the recall move and Prop 54 right away.

Check out his new flier which calls for opposition to Prop 54.

[leftyandproud]

3. Don't you love this man? Don't you just love this man!!!??

Get behind him DU'ers!!!

It MUST HAPPEN!

[Desertrose]

12. Yes and yes!

I do love this man....
and everyday he wins more & more people over to his vision and strength!!

Go Dennis!!!
We can do this!!!!

Peace
DR

[LWolf]

18. Yes!

Yes, yes, and yes!

:kick:

[genius]

4. Great for Dennis

He is awesome.

[Mairead]

5. "Now, she plans to vote for him"

(from the article)

Kehinde Apara, 20, a sophomore, said she didn't know anything about the candidate before the event. Now, she plans to vote for him.

"I think he's awesome. He's talking about a whole new world vision," Apara said.

[LWolf]

6. I think that's what separates Dennis' supporters

from the pack; we're all people who long to see a "whole new world vision" enacted. We're tired of business and politics as usual. We want to do the work that will help the world evolve to a higher level of consciousness. We want true change and shift in direction.

This is why I support Dennis. I hear many well-meaning dems telling me over and over that the rest of the world outside of the "kucitizens" isn't ready. Maybe. Maybe not. I'm doing the work, and I'm ok with the outcome. I know that the work we do supporting Dennis' campaign will help to bring that shift about in the long run whether or not he is the nominee. I know that he will continue to do important work for us whether he gets the nod this time around or not.

There are many of us out here in America who don't like politics. The whole ritual of promise, proclaim, spin, promote opinion as fact, attack, defend, speak louder, faster, and more aggressively to drown out dissent, and win at any cost. We don't support parties because we don't trust them. Many of us refuse to vote at all because we no longer believe our vote makes any difference. For all of the pragmatists who are focused on politics as usual, I would say: I understand your perspective. I respect your dedication to winning back the white house. And I want you to know this. If you want to bring the silent masses who don't vote back in to the process, and you want to bring them in on the side of progressives, you won't dismiss our issues or our preferred candidates out of hand. You will donate to keep them in til the end, and keep their voice heard. You will refrain from derision. You will support the campaign, even if you choose to spend your vote elsewhere.

[diamondsoul]

7. Jeez, LWolf, I need you in one of my yahoo groups!

I finally got frustrated with some of the people there last night for marginalizing Dennis. It's bad enough we have to put up a defense against the media for that, but to have people supposedly on our side doing it is just plain wrong.

If that sort of attitude prevails I may wind up leaving that group. As it stands I'm sorely tempted however I cannot stand to see misinformation about Kucinich being spread around, and there seems to be some of that on that group.

Something I pointed out last night to that group, and I really think is very strange. Did you notice Dean's campaign really started to take off right about the time Kucinich stepped into the race? No implication or conspiracy thoughts here, it's just a strange coincidence. I am a little curious whether he (Dean) planned to increase his efforts around that time for some reason, or had it suggested to him because of the war. The latter would make sense with so much opposition from the public, and since he'd been out there so long already I think he needed an attention grabber to get things really rolling.

On your basenote, I have to tell you I'm extremely disappointed in the Senate at the moment. The Nuclear reasearch funding being restored just turns my stomach. I actually had a guy try to defend that to me, and I couldn't believe that one either! Cripes who the hell do they want to drop one of these things on?? Feintstein and Kennedy gave amazing presentations on nuclear weapons and the dangers of using even "mini-nukes" and they STILL refunded the research! I absolutely want to see Dennis in the WH after watching that and hearing they voted against the Feinstein/Kennedy amendment! The Republican Senator who heads the committee actually had the nerve to ridicule the House for putting those funds into water projects instead. Amazing. Better to build the most devastating bombs known to man than to work on our water supply problems and energy issues, WTF are these people thinking?!

[LWolf]

8. Well, here I am, diamondsoul!

I don't know if I can handle anymore Yahoo traffic; I'm about 150 emails a day or so as it is. Agghh!

I think the Dean timing thing is coincidental; he's been campaigning for longer. Dennis entered late...he was drafted. The global events at that point were enough to lend plenty of energy to any opposition!

The nukes...amidst all the other bush catastrophes, this has to be the most devastating. We're already using low-level stuff against people with DU bombs. Putting more nukes at the disposal of greedy empire builders...does anyone really believe that bush can't find a way to spin using them?

Hang in there. Dennis is a win/win candidate. If he wins the nomination, we've got an american renaissance. If he doesn't, he's kept our issues front and center, built up more name recognition, and will continue to be a strong voice in congress encouraging our next actual president to support our issues. Keeping his campaign on track through the primaries does nothing but help America.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. That's why I'm supporting him

I'm very cautiously optimistic, but the Dean/Clark or Clark/Dean style-over-substance bandwagons are rolling along with no end in sight.

Still, Dennis' candidacy is bringing new ideas to people who have been exposed only to conventional wisdom (the art of telling people why what they want to do is impossible) all their lives. If nothing else, I want people to think about alternatives to business as usual and to start demanding more of their candidates.

[diamondsoul]

13. I think you hit the struggle we're having with this-

"Still, Dennis' candidacy is bringing new ideas to people who have been exposed only to conventional wisdom (the art of telling people why what they want to do is impossible) all their lives."

That's exactly why the Kucinich campaign needs us volunteers. We have to remind people that WE decide what is possible or impossible, not the media and not the politicians. If we all rally and back the man who promises to do what we want done, it WILL happen because the rest will have no choice but to bow to the will of the people.

[DemBones DemBones]

16. In another thread, I just said, "WE are the people and WE

decide." And I said something about choosing the best candidate, not the one the media wants us to like. Great minds, huh?

Great minds supporting Dennis! :kick: :kick: :kick:

Wishing everyone who knows DK has the best ideas would join us instead of throwing away their vote on someone electable! ;-)

[LWolf]

17. LOL Same wish here.

thanks for getting my morning started off right, DemBones.

Laughter is a healing, uniting thing, and it sure helps to put my biggest frustration into perspective.

:D

[kwolf68]

14. This quote is it

I believe somewhere in the heart and soul of the American people (especially the younger generation) there is dedication to a better America...

I think instinctively people know Bush and the far-right extremists are dangerous, pathological liars leading our nation to a disturbing existence (unless you are the most wealthy).

Dennis Kucinich is the voice of The New America...and it WILL come to fruition one day. DK may be using a walker, but his vision will one day take this nation back and I believe he will be here to see it.

[LWolf]

15. Using a walker? Plural!

Walkers....how didja know? :hi:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=106&topic_id=2498

[genius]

10. The issues are one of Dennis's strength

And he is the kind of person we can trust to change the world.

[Desertrose]

19. Great thread....

timely bump back up!


:hi: LWolf!!

Go Dennis!!!
This is the only man who is not afraid to speak his mind and his heart!


Peace
DR

[LWolf]

20. Not only speaks, but acts on it.

We can count on it.

:hi: DR!

[Le Taz Hot]

21. Thank you, Congressman Kucinich!

We need all the help we can get out here 'cause it's going to be a squeaker!

Dean's back here at the end of the month as well and I've been promised he will again speak out against the recall.

All Democratic Presidential Primary contenders are invited to do the same.

[dpbrown]

22. This is a man who produces change with his whole heart

Someone who follows through for his constituents, and who takes humanitarian and common sense positions. We need him now in this nation. We need a healer.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota