The Possibilities of Politics

[redqueen]

link


Dennis with Judge Capers.
Photo: Karen Kilroy

Dennis Kucinich talks about our vision as a society and how paying attention to the details can help make our nation stronger. Watch the video, listen to the audio, or read the text transcript, below.


"See, we have to remember that when a society cares for people, miracles happen. When a society cares for people, people that are given the opportunity to be able to expand their lives and to have their lives achieve great meaning. That's why every office that I've ever held has been about creating a measurement of what that office ought to represent for the people of a community.

"If it was City Council it's about responsiveness, a government about being there when the people call, it's about making sure that government works at that local level, at that level where there's closest contact. It's about mayor, who is making sure the institutions of a community serve to support the work of government and have a reciprocal relationship making sure that government in the public interest helped to unfold a whole range of services in a community.

"As Congressman of the United States, I've had the opportunity to be a spokesperson for the City of Cleveland, and in a way for all America, on the basic social and economic concerns, which people have today, which are concerns that are not being met.

"And as a candidate for president, I'm determined to bring to the White House a whole new vision of what a society can be about, a whole new vision of the possibilities of politics and how they can help create peace and prosperity. So this campaign has been a whole new path towards peace and prosperity. Which requires new thinking, which requires a new approach, which requires a new analysis of how we got to where we are and where we can go from here to create a new society.

"There are so many people whose lives depend on the decisions that we make. There is so much riding on the outcome, not just of an election, but on the outcome of a society which must begin to concentrate on people's practical aspirations. Aspirations for jobs, for housing, for health care, for education, for retirement security, and for peace. These are practical aspirations.

"And my experience as a city politician has been with the practical aspirations that people have. Oh, it started out years ago, you know this city taught me a lot. This city taught me how to make sure the chuckholes got filled. Oh, yes. Dale Miller, we served in council and we both know what it means. When people call and have a barking dog, they want you to take care of it. If there's a street light out, they want you to take care of it. They want to make sure that if a recreation facility needs help you're there, if a house isn't being kept up they want to make sure it's being taken care of.

"People have confidence in their neighborhoods and the community process. That's what helps sustain a city. And you know what? There's a time when we have to remember that type of thinking can help sustain a nation if we pay attention to the details. And America's not paying attention to details today. It is not. Let's talk about the details of America."

[goodhue]

1. the details of America

worth talking about

[redqueen]

2. No kidding - we should start with the details about FREE TRADE

We need a crash remedial course ASAP!