If Dennis Kucinich is an ideological purist, why does he work with Alcoa and Lockheed Martin?

[Muttocracy]

Sounds like compromise to me.

http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?Docu...

Kucinich: Alcoa to Rebuild Press, Keep Jobs in Cleveland

Washington, Nov 6 -
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) was recently informed that his efforts to keep Alcoa and the 1200 jobs they provide in Cleveland was successful. Kucinich contacted UAW Local 1050, Defense Appropriations Subcommittee ChairmanJohn Murtha (D-PA), Members of the Senate and Alcoa and Lockheed Martin executives to ensure that Alcoa Cleveland would remain operable after learning of a crack in a 50,000 ton press.

“This is great news for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Too many companies race to the bottom and export their skilled labor jobs oversees. Working hard with the United Auto Workers Local 1050 and Appropriations Chairman John Murtha (D-PA), we proved to Alcoa and Lockheed that Cleveland is the best place to find a skilled and motivated labor force. We welcome this renewed investment,” said Kucinich.

In September of 2008, the 50,000 ton press at Alcoa Forged and Cast Products was cracked rendering the press inoperable and putting at risk 1200 valuable jobs. Alcoa estimated a cost of $68 million to fix the press and keep the Alcoa in compliance with their subcontracting requirements to Lockheed Martin.

Alcoa recently informed Kucinich of plans to rebuild and modernize the 50,000 ton press that had cracked putting at risk the company’s operations in Cleveland

“Alcoa Cleveland will remain here and continue to provide good paying jobs for the foreseeable years to come,” added Kucinich.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. Because he's not an ideological purist. He's a cynical, self-promoting asshat. n/t

[HughMoran]

4. He's an anushat?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

8. Well, if he wore a hat.

Maybe he should start.

[HughMoran]

10. A giant butt-hole hat

[Go2Peace]

6. Yes! Dennis is EVIL!! Evil!! He needs to be taken out of office!!

ah yes, and the rest of the dems really are pure and represented the public good with this bill!

It may be better than not doing anything. But when did we start to think that these Dems that were in the majority and sold out to the corporations were actually the better representatives? You going to give them a pass after many of them sold you under the bus in order to keep their own asses rich and in power? I just don't get it.

I support Democrats, but I am not so blinded to think they are "white hats" at this point. This may be a desirable bill, but they failed us big time, they should have given us MUCH better!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

20. No, in fact I'm *not* one of the people...

Dennis is EVIL!! Evil!! He needs to be taken out of office!!

...running around demanding that other states or congressional districts ditch their representatives. People should do what works for them. None of that has anything to do with the fact that I'm perfectly within reasonable boundaries to call a fool a fool.

It may be better than not doing anything.

It IS better than not doing anything. That's what makes him a fool.

This may be a desirable bill, but they failed us big time, they should have given us MUCH better!

If you can give any credible explanation for where we would get a bunch of magical extra votes, I'm all ears.

[bluestateguy]

12. Oh come on now

I'm sure his flip-flopping from pro-life to pro-choice in 2003, just before he decided to run for president in the Democratic primaries, was a TOTAL coincidence.

[underseasurveyor]

33. No that's not his stance

Yes he is pro-life and he doesn't like abortion in his personal beliefs however he said that he would not ever interfere with a womans right to choose.

[flvegan]

37. And you're an idiot. n/t

See, I can do it too.

[AllentownJake]

2. He worked to keep manufacturing jobs in his district

and since it is Ohio I'm guessing Union jobs....wow you guys are reaching.

[spoony]

17. Yeah I'm not really getting the "gotcha" in that.

If Obama did that they'd put it on that list of accomplishments they post every other day. And with good reason, it's an actual accomplishment.

[AllentownJake]

21. It has a certain Glenn Beck quality to it

[madrchsod]

38. where`s the chalk board....!

[HughMoran]

3. So are we saying he's also a hypocrite?

Hmmm, idealist grandstanding backstabber who's also a hypocrite? Did I get that right?

[Desertrose]

5. How do you figure that?

He is keeping US jobs in the US.

Now this is an idealist grandstanding backstabber who's also a hypocrite?

Great logic there. *sarcasm*

[Muttocracy]

9. People are saying he takes the high road on health care just like he does on war.

But he's happy to work with the defense industry when it suits him politically I guess.

[HughMoran]

15. Votes against healthcare on principal

Does other stuff that doesn't align with his principals for his constituents.

Does he also understand that his workers also need healthcare?

[Skittles]

7. OMG HE IS TRYING TO KEEP JOBS IN OHIO

THAT FUCKING ASSHOLE

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Muttocracy]

14. propaganda piece? It's Kucinich's House website. nt

[Go2Peace]

29. You are misrepresenting it and you darn well know. You have exposed yourself

[Muttocracy]

30. funny to say "exposed" when I have a DU profile and you don't

[LoZoccolo]

13. .

[HughMoran]

18. stop it!!!

I'm dying here!

[EndersDame]

16. Congrats you posted the first thread I UnRec'd!

Dennis has done more for the benefit of his home state and his country than you or I have as an elected official but please continue posting bravely away from the comfort of your computer chair in your basement

[Truth2Tell]

19. Because he's nothing near an ideological purist.

That's just a childish meme pushed by the corporate trolls on DU. Dennis doesn't oppose this insurance industry bailout bill because it isn't "perfect." He opposes it because it is BAD. You know, the opposite of good? It moves us backward in the fight to deliver healthcare to uninsured Americans. I'm sure he would be happy to support a bill that did good, even a little bit of good.

[Muttocracy]

28. some on DU are saying he's a purist

e.g., http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
"DK is unyielding in his principles....
..and integrity."

[Barack_America]

22. Because compromising on purity is okay when it's HIS ass on the line.

Just not when it's the asses of his constituents.

[ecstatic]

23. Kucinich's dream running mate Dr. Ron Paul: Healthcare Is Not A Right!

Ron Paul's solution to the healthcare crisis, not surprisingly, is to get the government out of healthcare altogether.

...

Call it the liberal-libertarian ticket, where left meets right and Democrat Dennis Kucinich picks Republican Ron Paul to be his vice president.

Kucinich, the Cleveland congressman running in a longshot bid to become president, suggested it himself today.

"I'm thinking about Ron Paul" as a running mate, Kucinich told a crowd of about 70 supporters at a house party here, one of numerous stops throughout New Hampshire over the Thanksgiving weekend. A Kucinich-Paul administration could bring people together "to balance the energies in this country," Kucinich said.

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2007/11/if_kucinich_w...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjaMLuOpj38

[Enrique]

24. so Kucinich claims to be against jobs at corporations?

I didn't realize that was his position.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

25. He saves manufacturing jobs in his district...

... and that's a bad thing?

This OP exemplifies my grandmother's Old Country proverb: "If you want to beat a dog you can always find a stick."

[Barack_America]

26. But the jobs are not pure.

Sure they feed and clothe those families, but the products produced are used for evil.

Many progressives voted for this bill tonight, though they had hoped for something more. But not Dennis, the bill was not pure enough for his vote.

Interesting how Dennis's purity test varies when it's his ass on the line?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. No, it's all part of doing what he thinks is best for his constituents

What is this, Official Pile on Dennis Night at DU?

Good God, there's nothing as obnoxious as a blind party loyalist. You guys are the mirror image of the Republicans.

[Barack_America]

31. You're right. Nothing is always better than imperfection.

If you're starving, why accept soup when you can hold out for the possibility lobster?

That's what Dennis is basically saying to his constituents, constituents from a very poor district, I might add. "I will not allow you soup when I think you deserve lobster".

[provis99]

32. this bill is worse than nothing.

It mandates prison time, fer chrissakes! Read the goddamn Joint Committee on Taxation report! Up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines for not paying a tax penalty if you don't have insurance!

[Barack_America]

35. In case you hadn't noticed, some people in this country are wiling to go to prison....

....in order to get health care.

That is the state of affairs now.

Also, do you happen to be against the payment of taxes? I believe the penalties you noted are standard penalties for the refusal to pay taxes.

[Fumesucker]

41. Umm.. Under this bill if you don't purchase private health insurance you'll get sent to prison..

And if you think health care in prison is worth a fuck then I suggest you get sent to prison and find out for yourself just how bad it is.

Paying private insurance is not a fucking tax, taxes are paid to the government by definition, private insurers are not a government entity.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[madrchsod]

36. well i guess they could have had the chinese buy the press

fix it and either lease it back,sell it for scrap,or send it back to china. they would love to have a press that big for pennies on the dollar.
the chinese took apart an entire steel mill in california and sent the entire mill back to china.

[Vidar]

39. Unrecommended because Kucinich actually cares about those who elected him.

[mmonk]

40. Is the new insurance bill going to keep jobs here in the states?

[Echo In Light]

45. +1

[DemBones DemBones]

42. All politicians work to get/keep jobs in their district.

It's not wrong unless they accept excessive contributions from the companies they work to keep or locate in their districts.

Dennis isn't rich, unlike most in Congress, so I doubt he's getting excessive contributions.

[B Calm]

43. Works to keep union jobs. Thanks for the OP, but your headline . . .

[TheKentuckian]

44. Loses purity in the face of jobs in his district? (nt)