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God, Guns, and Gays Dan Brown
God, guns, and gays. These are the three themes that Republicans use to divide America.
Republicans need a divided America to ignite passions that cause people to vote against their economic interests.
I went to the Democratic Party national convention in Boston as a delegate pledged to Ohio Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich. I understand, as Rep. Kucinich understands, that invading a nation that had nothing to do with 9/11 and that did not represent a threat to America was wrong, and we should get out. I believe, as Rep. Kucinich believes, that we need to make peace a guiding principle in our society and in the world, in order to address the real weapons of mass destruction: poverty, racism, homelessness, joblessness, and ignorance. I am convinced, as Rep. Kucinich is convinced, that the profiteering privatization of common resources, as symbolized by Halliburton and United Defense sweetheart deals in Iraq, lies at the rotten center of corporate control of the political strings in this nation and the world.
I took those core principles to the Democratic Party national convention in Boston, and I voted for John Kerry. In his endorsement of Senator Kerry, Rep. Kucinich explained that the arguments about how to build a better America, how to confront corporatism, and how to get out of Iraq belong INSIDE the Democratic Party, not outside of it.
In one sense, it was difficult to let go of my strong desire to vote for Rep. Kucinich at convention in order to signal my complete endorsement of his voice, his passion, and his message of hope. And what would the people who elected me think? But as Rep. Kucinich explained, it is only through working together, inside the Democratic Party, as he has done and continues to do, that progressives will continue to have a seat at the table, burning a passionate grassroots fire beneath the party and the nation to reclaim the soul of democracy.
There was another difference that influenced my choice at convention, between voting for the Democratic standard-bearer then already endorsed by Rep. Kucinich, and casting a symbolic protest vote the meaning of which would have been interpreted by many, including other progressives from the Dean and Edwards groups, as abandonment of the fight for principle in favor of a doctrinaire vote of rejection of the inside path. This vote of rejection would have been a rejection of the only path to progressive change that the people for whom Dennis Kucinich is continuing to fight, now with our help, will continue to have. This vote of rejection of the process and the party would have taken the focus off of the benefit to be had by highlighting Rep. Kucinich's ongoing fight against the real weapons of mass destruction.
Incremental progress is better than continued dramatic loss.
A Kerry administration makes it possible that Rep. Kucinich or like-minded individuals can become part of that government (a level of influence above just having a lobbying effect on that government, or successfully resisting or protesting that government). And that's because (and the way these things go a primary reason) Dennis Kucinich is INSIDE the party.
Compared to Rep. Kucinich, there are at least two reasons why any Nader platform is a pipedream: 1) He will never gain control over the reins of government himself, because a constituency that thrives on pedantic rejection of the broad in favor of the narrow values division over progress and will never be strong enough to afford him wide acceptance; and 2) By obstinately placing himself outside the process, he will never be in a position to bring either one of the major political parties all the way to his position. Therefore, as rosy-sounding a platform as Nader may espouse, it will never come to pass through his efforts, so it's a promise with no meaning.
Rejecting incremental progress ensures continued dramatic loss.
However, since 2000, a brave populist Democrat has risen inside the party to pragmatically and courageously fight for certain clear, traditional, liberal Democratic Party principles - and that Democrat is Ohio Representative Dennis J. Kucinich.
I was not privy to the discussions between Kucinich, pragmatic politician, strategic thinker, and long-term visionary, and John Kerry, but I do know one thing - Dennis Kucinich carried the weight of fighting against the real weapons of mass destruction: poverty, racism, homelessness, joblessness, and ignorance - all the way to the Convention. He fought against the odds to raise the profile of issues that should define the Democratic Party, and encouraged thousands to pick up the banner and enter the fight for the soul of the Democratic Party. As a result of his efforts, those issues are now part of the everyday discussion of Democrats everywhere. The struggle is just joined. Wielding progressive influence over the Democratic Party before it implodes is a herculean task now shared by all of us, not just Dennis.
Dennis said that the next step in bringing the Democratic Party back to its liberal populist roots is getting a Democrat into the White House. My interpretation of his direction on this matter was to obtain the best possible result at the Convention (somewhat, while pushing the envelope) according to the nominee's rules - preaching unity to the outside world while building relationships with insiders and educating and energizing new constituencies to the power of progressive action. I'm neither bright enough, nor courageous enough, nor whatever else enough to second guess a man who's proven himself over and over again in the political crucible, while I haven't.
Nader's been invited to work inside, and to thereby stand a chance of getting some of his ideas into play. He's refused. Dennis is ALREADY inside, and because of his integrity and selflessness I followed this brave politician's lead and did what he thought was right, knowing that the Convention was just one step along the way as we focus "like a laser beam" on making the Democratic Party into a "viable opposition party."
I trusted Dennis because Dennis trusted me.
Dennis positioned us as well as he could for the next step, that of influencing the Kerry administration. More than that, he laid the groundwork to make it possible to continue to be positioned for the steps after that, continuing to exert more influence over the makeup and philosophy and direction of the Democratic Party. We will be there before we know it, by playing nice when we have to, and using our leverage when we need to.
I was pledged to Dennis Kucinich, and therefore I followed his lead in casting my vote.
I can support the Democratic Party and its nominee because it has Dennis in it. And it has Donna, and Faith, and Alex, and John and Rebekah and Jed and Seema and Bill and Laurie and Krysta and Sharon and Kirsten (some of the many other Minnesota Kucinich delegates and volunteers in Boston) - and others, maybe even you.
The Republicans don't have that. The Republicans don't have progressive power, they don't have a connection to people, they don't have a moral center. As long as the Democratic Party has Dennis, it does.
For me, it's not a long leap then to being able to follow the direction of my chosen candidate, Dennis Kucinich, when he says that we have a responsibility to become united. For me, I can believe him when he assures me that the Democratic Party and the nominee are internalizing more of the progressive message. For me, supporting the nominee and participating in the process in the manner that my candidate suggests is not a break with the constituency that elected me to carry the message of Dennis Kucinich to Boston, but rather a fulfillment of my responsibility.
For me, my mandate was a pledge to support putting the government of the United States of America in the hands of the party that has Dennis Kucinich in it - and working forward from there to put that party itself in the hands of progressive populists.
There was no greater way I could find that I could honor the commitment I had been given.
Democrats don't need a divided America. Republicans do. And as long as the Democratic Party has Dennis Kucinich, it will have a soul.
Fear ends. Hope begins.
John Kerry for President.
Dan Brown CD4 Kucinich Delegate St. Paul, Minnesota
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