Kucinich At 7% In New Hampshire!!!

The latest Rasmussen poll in New Hampshire shows Dennis Kucinich in fourth place, tied with Bill Richardson at 7%. This shouldn't come as such a surprise, however.

First, Kucinich has already been tied with Richardson in various national polls, such as Rasmussen, Fox, Diego/Hotline. It's really been the early states, like Iowa and New Hampshire that Kucinich has been significantly behind in the polls, a result of the intense money being spent in those states.

But, second, and more significantly, the Kucinich Campaign has been actively working with leadership in the Independent voting community. Jim Mangia, head of Independent Voice, who has been instrumental in introducing Kucinich to other Independents working to reform the political process; meetings with leaders in the national movement like Linda Curtis, director of Independent Texans, and Jacqueline Salit, executive editor of The Neo-Independent magazine and president of the Committee for a Unified Independent Party, which:

mounts political, legal, legislative and organizing challenges to partisan control of the political process. It has pioneered methods of organizing independents without a political party, creating independent voter associations to project the voice of the 35% of the electorate that considers itself independent.

As I posted before, two weeks ago, Kucinich met with and addressed a few hundred Independents in New Hampshire, at a conference sponsored by the New Hampshire Association of Independent Voters, where he received an overwhelmingly positive response. To cheers and rounds of applause he stated:

"The Democrats have learned nothing since 2006," he said. "Back then, the Democrats promised that if they were put back in control (of the House and Senate) that the war in Iraq would end. Now (estimates) predict there won't be an end until at least 2013."

"I want a Democratic party that's responsive to the needs of all Americans . . . (politicians) shouldn't be called upon to be loyal to one political party, we're elected to be loyal to something with much more power – the Constitution."

As Independents are largely a growing number of dissafected Republicans and Democrats seeking genuine political reform, ending the domination of special interests groups in the political process, and positioning themselves aggressively against this war/occupation, Kucinich is the Democrat who can best mobilize these votes in the primary and general election.

Independent voters, who now make up between 35%-42% of the electorate, have nearly grown into the majority in New Hampshire. As Jacqueline Salit noted at the conference:

registered independents in New Hampshire, for instance, have increased from about 28 percent of total voters several years ago to roughly 45 percent today...

"Why are so many (voters) becoming independents?" Salit asked. "Because by declaring ourselves independents, we're saying we don't like what the political parties are doing to our country.

These are the voters who are willing to take a stand. These are the voters who will not be told who is or is not electable. These are the voters that could well decide this election, and could well decide it for Kucinich.

Electability is not a fixed characteristic of a candidate, it doesn't exist in a vaccuum. It's easy to dismiss a candidate polling at 2-3% as unelectable. All one does is point to the polls to effectively undermine any other argument. This, further, provides the media with an excuse to not cover voices like Kucinich, creating a viscious cycle that virtually ensures the polling to remain low.

And this has been Kucinich's major obstacle. It is the first 10-15% that is critical. Once you get there the myth of electability is no longer tenable, forcing more media coverage, exposing more voters, pushing the polls still higher, and opening the door for every Democrat who has ever said, "I like Dennis Kucinich, but..."

So, get ready, America. At 7% we're half way there in New Hampshire!

John Nichols Nails It On Iran and Kucinich

John Nichols, writing for "The Nation", has just written a kind of intellectual "call to arms" regarding, what is quite possibly, the most important issue facing the United States right now: Iran.

Those echoes that Americans are hearing in the noisy-and-getting-noisier debate about Iran are from 2002 and 2003, when members of the current administration were busy spinning the fantasy that the United States needed to attack Iraq.

George "Uranium From Africa" Bush sure sounds like he wants to attack Iran. Just last week, the president said, "I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from (obtaining) the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon."

Dick "Greeted As Liberators" Cheney sure sounds like he wants to attack Iran. This week, the vice president declared: "Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions."

Secretary of State Condoleezza "Mushroom Clouds" Rice sure sounds like she wants to attack Iran. "Unfortunately the Iranian government continues to spurn our offer of open negotiations, instead threatening peace and security by pursuing nuclear technologies that can lead to a nuclear weapon..." Rice said on Thursday, as she announced drastic new sanctions against the country that serious analysts say poses little threat to its neighbors and no real threat to the U.S.

Astutely pointing out the similarities to the pre-war spin on Iraq, to his credit, Nichols has the integrity to go further and point us towards the one and only Democratic candidate possessing both credibility and leadership on Iraq and Iran:

And, as in 2002 and early 2003, the most rational response is coming from Congressman Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio Democrat who says, "After the lies and deception used to lead us to war in Iraq, the belligerent Bush Administration cannot be given leeway with statements that suggest a preemptive attack on Iran is necessary," says Kucinich, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nod who deserves a much better hearing that he has been afforded so far by the media and Democratic power brokers. "We are systematically destroying every available route to restoring peace and security in the Middle East," he adds.

As Kucinich is the only candidate to oppose the invasion from the beginning and consistently oppose the occupation in its entirety, and further been willing to lead on Iran throughout his campaign, Nichols assesment is dead on.

"He's right", Nichols states, only to follow with sad lamentation and ominous warning:

But being right is not always enough in tenuous times.

Being heard is what matters.

And so, to his credit, Nichols is doing his part in enabling Kucinich's voice of clarity to be heard. Will we listen?

If the prospect of a further aggressive action without legitimacy isn't enough, consider Nichols' fundamental argument in the closing of his short essay:

The point here is not a political one... This is about the most fundamental question in a democracy: At a time when talk of war is growing louder, will we hear a real debate or merely the exaggerated echoes of those who have never gotten anything right?

The answer could well be measured by the extent to which Dennis Kucinich and those who stood with him in 2002 and 2003 are afforded the forums that their record of having been able to cut through the spin of the past should afford them in the present.

Nichols is not soliciting votes, supporting Kucinich's Campaign or endorsing him for our highest office, however, he has managed to isolate the essential basis for all three. Kucinich's candidacy is nothing less than our opportunity to reclaim our Country and its Democratic Principles in total. Will we accept?

H.R. 676: True Universal and Comprehensive Healthcare

H.R. 676 is a bill, co-drafted by Dennis Kucinich, which will enact a true universal health care system for the United States. The bill will create a publicly financed, privately delivered healthcare program that provides all U.S. citizens with comprehensive medical coverage, including office visits, hospitalization, emergency care, long term care, prescription drugs, medical equipment, mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment, dental and vision care; with no co-pays, deductibles, or denial of coverage.

Moreover, H.R. 676 provides this comprehensive coverage to all citizens by spending $56 Billion less each year than the current for-profit, private insurance system; the private insurance system that leaves 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; the same system that wastes 31% of every healthcare dollar (roughly $600 billion/yr) on non-healthcare related spending, such as marketing/advertising, an inefficient administration, rating and underwriting clients, denying coverage, and generating corporate profit; the system structured around profit that has undermined quality, affordable coverage, leaving Americans vulnerable to financial ruin in times of need because of excessive co-pays, deductibles, and medication costs.

As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 eliminates the waste by operating with a much more efficient 3% administration cost, utilizing the roughly $600 billion saved each year for actual healthcare and finally guaranteeing the same high quality care for every American. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 creates a healthcare system structured for the purpose of providing the best care to all in the most economically efficient way, rather than maximizing profit. As a not-for-profit system, H.R. 676 finally presents access to healthcare as a basic human right, rather than just another corporate commodity. And, in his support of H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate considering what will truly strengthen and provide security for all Americans, rather than the healthcare industry. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is considering:

Crisis: 46 million Americans uninsured and 50+ million underinsured; medically related bankruptcies, up 2,200% since 1981, account for half of all bankruptcies in this country and, yet ¾ of them were insured at the time. H.R. 676 guarantees full coverage for every American.

Quality: Not only does H.R. 676 provide all Americans with unparalleled quality of coverage, including free choice of provider and complete portability, but it finally allows medical decisions to be made only by those that should: medical professionals. H.R. 676 has the support of over 14,000 physicians and nurses associations because it eliminates the business of private insurance and pharmaceutical companies from influencing medical decisions to save money.

Costs: The private system has utterly failed to control costs as premiums have risen three times faster than inflation and pharmaceuticals go through the roof. H.R. 676 will not only spend $56 billion less, but go further in controlling costs by allocating budgets, eliminating profit and finally having the clout to negotiate fair rates with the pharmaceutical companies.

Families: As H.R. 676 is funded through tax dollars, 95% of families will pay less for health care than they do now. Under the current private system, the average family premium is up to $11,000/yr. However, under H.R.676, a family of three making $40,000/yr. will spend roughly 1,900/yr. For comprehensive coverage without any additional costs, such as co-pays,
deductibles or prescription medications.

Businesses: The current private system places a heavy burden on businesses to provide
healthcare for employees, the average employer contributing $2,600 per employee. Under H.R. 676 the average would drop to about $1,600. This financial strain handicaps U.S. businesses competing in the world market.

The for-profit system requires non-healthcare related spending and waste to operate, the whole system designed to create income, not care. In supporting H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is the only presidential candidate who offers a solution for high quality, true universal health care in this country: eliminating the for-profit, private insurance system. In supporting H.R. 676 Dennis Kucinich is able to finally guarantee all Americans the security of affordable and fully comprehensive coverage. And through H.R. 676, Dennis Kucinich is reaching out to all Americans, bringing them together, to face the for-profit, private healthcare system and once again reclaim our responsibility as a great nation.

Kucinich and Domestic Policy Subcommittee Produce Results

Earlier this month, a seven month investigation by the Domestic Policy Subcommittee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee into the quality and availability of denatl care to Medicaid enrolled children in Maryland, found that:

10,780 children had not seen a dentist in four or more consecutive years; few of the dentists claimed by UnitedHealth Group to be in their network actually provided dentistry to children enrolled by United; and that a single dental office provided more than a third of all dental care in Prince George’s County, where Deamonte Drive lived and died.

The investigation was prompted by the death of 12-year old Deamonte Driver, who died of a brain infection caused by tooth decay; targically, an outcome easily prevented by routine dentist visits. After a review of thousands of records produced by United HealthCare, the Domestic Policy Subcommittee issued findings in an October 2, 2007 letter to the Company. Which, United Healthcare originally disputed.

However, in a letter to Domestic Policy Subcommittee Chairman, Dennis Kucinich, United conceded that the findings were accurate. Said Kucinich:

“United’s admission proves what the Subcommittee has been saying all along. Medicaid-eligible children in Maryland do not receive the dental care to which the law entitles them and for which taxpayers pay,” Kucinich said. “This Subcommittee will continue its investigation into dentistry for Medicaid-eligible children.”

Kucinich has been advocating for a truly universal, non-profit health care system that would provide not only all medically necessary treatments, but full dental, vision and mental health coverages. Under the Kucinich health care plan embodied in H.R. 676 all children and ALL AMERICANS would have comprehensive coverage, regardless of income, to ensure preventable tragedies like Donald Driver do not occur.

Please support H.R. 676 and Dennis Kucinich:

Kucinich's Open Call To Progressives

Dennis Kucinich submitted a clear statement to Democracy For America Presidential Pulse Poll, outlining his bold leadership as the Progressive candidate in this election. As I can't really improve upon his clear and compelling words, I need only quote his letter:

Dear Democracy for America members,

I am writing to you to ask you for your support because you, as much or more than any group of voters in this nation, recognize the real issues confronting our country, the real solutions, and the shortcomings and failures of many of our political leaders in addressing them.

I know that many of you agree with me that half measures, compromises, misguided thinking and hollow rhetoric are not the answers. They are symptomatic of the problems, and, to a regrettable extent, the causes of the problems. That’s why we are in a war, and why we’re moving ever closer to another. That’s why our Constitutional rights and protections are being violated every day. Why 47 millions Americans are uninsured and another 50 million are under-insured. Why millions of American jobs have been outsourced. And every other issue that we, as progressive and independent-thinking Democrats stand for is pushed aside.

DFA members have the power to change that by supporting the one and only candidate who isn’t afraid to say what he believes - what you believe - and who won’t back down.

On the war in Iraq and the move to extend it to Iran, Kucinich stated:

I am the only Democratic presidential candidate who campaigned against and voted against the war authorization resolution in 2002 and every supplemental appropriation since. Five years ago, I presented evidence to my colleagues in the House and Senate based on my own intelligence analysis which showed that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction and was not a direct threat to the U.S. or our allies. I shared that analysis with my Congressional colleagues and rallied more than 120 members to vote against the authorization.

The defense offered by other candidates - “If I knew then what I know now” - is a feeble excuse for making the wrong decision when it mattered most to make the right decision. Many of us did know then because we weren’t tricked or bullied by the White House. We knew it was wrong, and we knew the consequences. So did you.

But what makes the newfound anti-war claims of some other candidates even more indefensible is that they voted to continue funding the war, year after year, at least until their Presidential campaigns began. It’s simply not enough to say you oppose the war now when you continued to fund it time and time again.

Right now, the war is fully funded until early next year. There is more than enough money available to bring all of our troops and equipment home within a few months, but the Congressional leadership is unwilling to challenge the President.

My plan, embodied in HR 1234, would end the war, end the occupation, establish an international security and peacekeeping force, begin the process of reconciliation, and provide the kind of support needed for reconstruction.

My target is not 2013. My target is three months after taking office.

But in the meantime, we in the Congress, with your support, must use every means at our disposal to force the White House to act now to bring our troops home. And, we must use every means at our disposal to stop the White House from launching a new war on Iran with the same flimsy, deceptive and outright fraudulent claims it used five years ago.

After failing to deliver what it promised in last year’s election, the Democratic leadership has a moral obligation, overdue, to live up to its word to the American people. Please cast your vote:

On Civil Liberties:

I am the only Democrat running for President who voted against the unconstitutional and illegal U.S.A Patriot Act. The other candidates were wrong then, and various federal court rulings have made that abundantly clear. We can’t condone the shredding of our Constitution in the name of “national security.” And we can’t support leaders, candidates or policies that do. Please cast your vote:

On Health Care:

I am the only Presidential candidate who supports a truly universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care system to cover all Americans. Every other plan preserves, and in some cases, enhances the role of private, for-profit insurance companies that make their billions by not providing coverage. Forcing Americans to buy private insurance denies the moral obligation of this nation to provide coverage for its citizens. Any scheme that provides subsidies or other financial incentives to for-profit providers to make coverage less expensive or more accessible is just that: a scheme. It further enriches the insurers, at taxpayers’ expense, and would still not guarantee full coverage or universal availability.

Michael Moore has endorsed my health care plan (HR 676), as have thousands of physicians, nurses, and labor union members. It’s time to catch up to the rest of the industrialized nations and declare that health care is a right, not a commodity that some people can afford and others can’t. No other candidate is willing to take on those insurance companies. I am. And I believe that you are, too. Please cast your vote

On Equal Rights:

I am the only candidate running for president who supports full marriage equality. I believe marriage equality is a defining issue for the 21st century. Any two people who love each other should not be denied the right to share their love with each other. The other candidates disagree. Once again, they are wrong.

If we don’t stand up for this issue - vote our hearts and our consciences - the Democratic Party and the Democratic candidates will continue to ignore the issue of marriage equality and continue falling back on “civil unions” as a more “acceptable” alternative. It is not acceptable. You know it, and I know it. Please cast your vote

On Accountability:

I am only the presidential candidate willing to demand the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney. Every pair of DFA eyes reading this e-mail knows that this President and this Vice President have committed serious crimes worthy of impeachment. This it not a personal attack against the Vice President. It is about the sanctity of the Constitution. This democracy must be protected against leaders who have no regard for the Constitution or the rule of law. The mechanism for taking action against such leaders is impeachment. We, the people, have not only the right but the obligation to stop this. HR 333, which I introduced, is the appropriate recourse under the law to hold those leaders accountable and answerable.

Again, the Congressional leadership and the other candidates are unwilling to take the kind of action that our Constitution, our laws, and our beliefs demand that we take. And again, they are wrong. Please cast your vote

Kucinich closed the letter

My candidacy for President of the United States is about who we are as Americans. It is about who we are as Democrats. It is about who we are as progressives. There are clear distinctions between my friends in this race and me — major differences on every issue of importance to me and to you.

I stand proudly for my core beliefs. Only if you and others with the courage to hold the Party and its candidates accountable will we be able to make progress on a real agenda for real change in this nation. And by doing what’s right, all of us together, we can send a proud and powerful message that we know what - and who - is wrong. And, very simply, we’ve had enough.

For more information on my record, please visit my website — I want DFA members to have direct and constant contact with my campaign. I urge you at any time to reach out to our campaign’s national field director, Vin Gopal, by e-mailing him at vin.gopal(at)kucinich.us

I hope to earn your vote in this very important presidential poll.

Kucinich Will Force Impeachment Vote Before Thanksgiving

Tuesday night in a nationwide phone call organized by Progressive Democrats of America, Dennis Kucinich reportedly announced:

he will go before the U.S. House of Representatives on a point of personal privilege to move the impeachment of Dick Cheney.  Mr. Kucinich stated he will bring the impeachment forward before Thanksgiving.

Kucinich introduced articles of impeachment against Vice President, Dick Cheney, back in April. H.R. 333 consists of three articles of impeachment, with supporting examples:

1.) In his conduct while Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of Vice President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to justify the use of the United States Armed Forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests

2.) In his conduct while Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of Vice President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda in order to justify the use of the United States Armed Forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests

3.) In his conduct while Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of Vice President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat to the United States, and done so with the United States proven capability to carry out such threats, thus undermining the national security of the United States

Kucinich also provided roughly 50 supporting documents for the articles, on his Congressional website.

Over 80 cities/towns have now passed impeachment resolutions, with 50 more pending, and major polls, such as Zogby, have indicated a majority of Americans support impeachment proceedings. However, the MSM and members of Congress have failed to listen to the American people.

H.R. 333 has picked up 21 cosponsors, far short of what is needed to start proceedings, and House Speaker Pelosi has continually insisted that impeachment is "off the table".

But, as Kucinich holds nothing higher than his duties to defend the Constitution and represent the people of the United States, Kucinich is making sure that it gets back on. When asked about the Congress' failures to protect the Constituion, at the San Mateo Presidential Straw Poll, Kucinich replied:

"If Congress did the right thing, they would be talking ... about impeachment...

"I introduced House Resolution 333 because I heard from the American people and they said they wanted some response to make Dick Cheney accountable for the statements that he made that took us into a war based on lies. And the statements he made that would take us into a conflict against Iran. Again, more lies.

"The President is now openly invoking the specter of World War III with respect to Iran. He ought to be held accountable also. I'm the only member of Congress who stepped forward on the issue of making Dick Cheney accountable. And now we have 21 members who've joined me. That's a step in the right direction. But I'm going to go beyond that. I'm going to call a privileged resolution, at which point, would force a vote --- at least if it's only on a procedural motion --- members are going to have to confront this issue of impeachment. They're not going to escape it. This is a question of defending our Constitution. It really is."

Kucinich proves yet again his courage and leadership in Representative Democracy against fear and political calculation. He proves that he will not play party politics if it is against the interests of the United States and American citizens. He proves, again, his credentials for holding our highest office. Support Dennis Kucinich!

Kuchinich Weekly Update

Bush's Tin Drum

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer."
-Henry David Thoreau

If Thoreau is right, when you consider that as George Bush and his Administration smack that war drum, louder and louder, and our Democratic "frontunners" hawk, "all options are on the table", you start to wonder if maybe these candidates are just marching along with Bush's mad beat-right into Iran. Thankfully, we have Dennis Kucinich.

The latest Bush war-thumping this past week had Bush barking in his characteristically misleading and outrageuos rhetoric:

"I take the threat of Iran with a nuclear weapon very seriously. I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have (sic) the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon."

Kucinich though, hearing a different drummer (call it reason, call it security, call it evidence), responded by saying that:

by raising the specter of a possible World War III predicated on Iran's nuclear energy ambitions, "the White House rodeo cowboy has gone dangerously too far and precipitously too close to igniting the war he claims to be trying to avoid."

"You can worry about the apocalypse, or, you can ensure it by manipulating intelligence and, with pre-meditation, put your finger on the trigger that will make Iran the next deadly domino in the President's irresponsible and irrational approach to the complex and sensitive political issues that make the region a more volatile tinder box than ever before."

"If the President continues policies that fuel the extremists in Iraq because of our continued occupation, and if he continues rallying support in Congress for possible aggression against Iran, he is purposely fulfilling his own prophesy and sentencing this nation and its brave sons and daughters to a war that never ends and a newer, bigger war that will be even more horrific."

As the only candidate to provide leadership in opposing the Iraq invasion and occupation consistently, as well as the only candidate to provide leadership against aggressive actions in Iran, Kucinich definitely has not been marching behind Bush and these democratic "frontrunners".

In fact, he has been the only candidate leading on what may turn out to be our only way to avoid another war in Iran: Removing the Drummer!

The invasion and occupation of Iraq, Kucinich said, "provide overwhelming evidence that the President and his cohorts in the administration and in the Congress deceived the American people, lied to them, and violated their Constitutional oaths of office."

"Using that wholly fraudulent proposition to springboard to an attack on Iran is not only constitutionally impeachable, it is patently criminal under the laws of this nation"

And this country needs to start marching to the beat of a different drummer. This country needs to start marching with Dennis Kucinich!

Accountability on Iran

   The war drums for Iran are beating loud and clear. Bush's placing their state army unit on the terrorist list, an uprecedented and unbelievable move, and his high gear "nuclear holocaust" rhetoric are just a couple more ridiculous episodes in his pre-emptive, corporate-war-economy policy known as "the war on terror". Confounding the latest intelligence concerning Iran's perceived threat with a dangerous sense of wish fulfillment, Iran has some how become more immediatedly threatening. Amazingly, Bush and company have answered the overwhelming public call for ending the war in Iraq and withdrawing from the region with a scheme to actually expand the war further and attack another country.

We know where Bush stands on Iran. If his increased fear mongering in the media, escalation of military presence in the gulf, and request for increasing the new "Iraq" supplemental by $50 Billion aren't enough, keep in mind his vow that he "will not leave office without resolving Iran". As diplolacy is a slow process, likely to last more than his time left in office (though, very reasonably, able to be accomplished within the 5-10 years we have before a nuclear Iran), we should know what to expect.

  However, where exactly do the Democratic candidates stand? With all of the above mentioned events recently regarding Iran, the "frontrunners" are noticeably silent. A quick check to their websites will show that neither Clinton, Edwards, nor Obama released statements addressing the Iran issue. This is curious as they issued statements on everything from the Iraq progess report to Chinese imports. Doesn't this grave threat of further war warrant some clear statment, a responsible address?

  Though it is certainly politically expedient to remain as silent and equivocal on the issue as possible, we who will soon be casting our votes cannot. I think it is entirely reasonable to expect statements on their positions now, before any action is taken (And let me painfully remind everyone that action may even be taken before Bush consults with Congress: courtesy of the Democratic majority who so curiously removed the provision in an earlier supplemental that would require the administration to do so). I think it is reasonable to demand accountability.

  We must have them on record, either for or against further military action in Iran, with a detailed defense of their position. We can't let them dance around and hope to blame someone else when it goes wrong, as it almost certainly will. However, calling for accountability is not enough. We have to demand leadership on their positions.

  If there is such a thing as an "audition for the presidency" this may well be it. I can't think of a more important issue right now than the direction we take in the region. For if, we extend the war into Iran, I think it goes without saying that the occupation of Iraq will continue and, moreover, that we will be seriously endangering the brave troops stationed there. It could completely destabalize the region, as well as the world econoomy through skyrocketing oil prices. Further, our national security will certainly be affected too. To call this situation critical would be quite an understatement. And yet these candidates are effectively silent?

  If they support an attack on Iran, regardless of how insane I would consider it, they can only show the leadership of our highest office by addressing the American people, convincing us of their position, and lobbying for support in Washington. If they take opposition to military action we should know what solution they propose and, most importantly, should witness their leadership in gaining oppositional support and enactment of possible preventive measures; civil action, legislation, or even impeachment.  

  This can't be stressed enough. If these candidates are against this war they need to use their public platform to speak out and try to prevent this war. As frontrunners who garner more than enough political clout and media exposure they could very well prove instrumental in preventing an attack. If they support military action, then we need to know. In either case, we will hold them accountable.

  As the media will undoubtedly jump on board,beating the drums like they did for Iraq, many may not be aware that some candidates have been speaking out. Dennis Kucinich in particular has once again taken up the leadership to do the heavy lifting for the party. A visit to his site shows a candidate willing to outline his position, take a stand and lead, just as he did in 2002. Forget about the money race, media market shares or public image. This is what marks a "serious candidate".

Bush's Latest Will Cost More Than $42 Billion

Continuing this course will not only cost more money, but many more lives. Though close to 4,000 U.S. troops, along with an estimated 1 million Iraqis, are now dead, and the Bush Administration is now asking for more money to send more men, women and children to their deaths:

The Bush administration on Monday asked Congress for nearly $46 billion in additional war spending for 2008, calling on U.S. lawmakers to approve the money before adjourning for the holidays.

"Parts of this war are complicated, but one part is not -- and that is that America should do what it takes to support our troops and protect our people," Bush said in an appearance with members of veterans groups at the White House.

Most of the $45.9 billion request is for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing the expected cost of those conflicts to more than $192 billion for the budget year that began this month.

The administration has already sought $147 billion for 2008. Most of that money goes to Iraq, which is currently costing the Pentagon an estimated $2 billion a week.

But, "Parts of this war are complicated, but one part is not -- and that is that America should do what it takes to support our troops and protect our people"? Though it is certain that parts of this war are complicated and that America should do everything it takes to support our troops, only George Bush and his Administration could make this doubly a lie?

The first and most transparent lie is calling it a "war". It is no longer a war:

Outrageous amounts of men, women and children are dying every day, but this is not a war. This is an occupation.

That's the word that neither side likes to use, but it's the only word to describe it. The Republicans want to play offense in the occupation and the Democrats want to play defense in the occupation, but at the end of the day it's still an occupation. It is an occupation based upon oil and privatization, an occupation based upon big business and reconstruction contracts. It is an occupation that is the cause of the violence and instability in Iraq and it is an occupation that we have to start looking at if we are going to stabalize Iraq and bring peace and security there, as well as in America.

And it is this occupation of Iraq that is fueling the insurgency, the instability and the death; something becoming painfully obvious to just about everyone except the Bush Administration, Republicans and the Democratic Presidential "frontrunners".

Consider an ABC poll from April which found that 97% of Sunnis and 83% of Shia opposed the presence of U.S. military. This same poll also indicated that the entire infrastructure is growing steadily worse, as the availability of power, clean water and jobs are declining. Worse yet, last month a BBC poll found that 60% of Iraqis approved of attacks on U.S. forces. The same poll found 70% of Iraqis saying that security has been steadily deteriorating, even with the surge in troops.

But, if you had any doubts left, take a look at the MSNBC article from last week:

At a Baghdad jail for prisoners who have attacked U.S. forces, everyone — to a man — says it was the U.S. occupation of Iraq that drove them to violence. And they are not alone. Across the Middle East and South Asia, the same story can be heard in Internet cafes, mosques, safe houses and prisons.

“The U.S. says this war is part of the global war on terrorism,” Saedi Farhan, an Iraqi engineer who took part in an attack on U.S. forces, said in a weekend interview with NBC News. "But people here say that the war has increased fanaticism and brought terrorism to Iraq."

And with these facts staring us in the face we see George Bush staring at us with a second, even grosser, lie: that supporting the troops means appropriating more money to continue the occupation. Continuing this occupation only ensures more of them to die! Supporting the troops means one thing: ending the occupation and bringing these brave men and women back to their their country, their homes, their families.

Dennis Kucinich, the only Democratic Candidate to consistently oppose this war/occupation from the start to the end, spoke out again today-against Bush and this occupation:

“Equating support for the troops with funding to continue the war is cheap political rhetoric. Americans have made it very clear that they want the troops out of Iraq. This money will only keep them there indefinitely.

“Nearly 4,000 Americans have died and an estimated one million innocent Iraqis have perished in an unjust and unnecessary war. How much more carnage has to go on before the President considers supporting the troops by bringing them home?”

He reminded everyone that we can end this war anytime we want, by not presenting, or simply blocking a bill rather than hiding behind the phony political excuse that we don't have the votes to override a veto. That is, he has been the only candidate with the will to tell us the truth about our options:

“We do not have to fund the war. The Democratic leadership must tell the President NO to any additional funding. No legislation is required. No vote is required. We have the money to bring the troops home. It does not require a vote. The only thing required is honesty, integrity and a willingness to end the war.”

And as the only candidate to accept these truths, Kucinich is the only candidate to offer a plan that fully ends the occupation, stabalizes the region and brings all of the troops home: H.R 1234. His plan will:

(1) the United States should end the occupation of Iraq immediately, simultaneously with the introduction of a United Nations-led international peacekeeping force pursuant to an agreement with nations within the region and which incorporates the terms and conditions specified in section 1;

(2) the Department of Defense should use readily available existing funds to bring all United States troops and necessary equipment home while a political settlement is being negotiated and preparations are made for a transition to an international security and peacekeeping force;

(3) the Department of Defense should order a simultaneous return of all United States contractors and subcontractors and turn over all contracting work to the Iraqi Government;

(4) the United Nations should be encouraged to prepare an international security and peacekeeping force to be deployed to Iraq, replacing United States troops who then return home;

(5) the United States should provide funding for a United Nations peacekeeping mission, in which 50 percent of the peacekeeping troops should come from nations with large Muslim populations;

(6) the international security force, under United Nations direction, should remain in place until the Iraqi Government is capable of handling its own security;

(7) the Iraqi Government, with assistance from the United Nations, should immediately restart the failed reconstruction program in Iraq and rebuild roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and other public facilities, houses, and factories with jobs and job training going to local Iraqis;

(8) the Iraqi Government, in an act of political sovereignty, should set aside initiatives to privatize Iraqi oil interests or other national assets and abandon all efforts, whether at the behest of the United States or otherwise, to change Iraqi national law to facilitate privatization;

(9) the Iraq Government, in an act of political sovereignty, should set forth a plan to stabilize Iraq's cost for food and energy, on par to what the prices were before the United States invasion and occupation;

(10) the Iraqi Government, in an act of political sovereignty, should strive for economic sovereignty for Iraq by working with the world community to restore Iraq's fiscal integrity without structural readjustment measures of the International Monetary Funds or the World Bank;

(11) the United States should initiate a reparations program for the loss of Iraqi lives, physical and emotional injuries, and damage to property, which should include an effort to rescue the tens of thousands of Iraqi orphans from lives of destitution; and

(12) the United States should refrain from any covert operations in Iraq and any attempts to destabilize the Iraqi Government.

Support Dennis Kucinich and an end to this occupation!

Getting Rid of Fear, Getting Rid of Fascism, and Getting Back to America

“I object to any immunity for telecommunications companies and demand a full accounting of these companies’ involvement to Congress and to the American public. When corporations cooperate with the government to strip people of their Constitutional rights, that is a text book description of fascism. There must not be any place in America for this type of conduct.”
-Dennis Kucinich

And, so wandered Dennis Kucinich; alone again; alone into that uncharted 2008 Presidential Candidate territory, called courage; called clarity; called "getting to the heart of an issue and speaking about it honestly"!

This is Kucinich territory; the place where only he would confront the lies to go to war and oppose it for what it actually was: a war for oil. This is the same place that he now stands alone, in speaking out and providing leadership against agressive actions against Iran. It's that oh, so lonely, place in this election where Kucinich finds himself the only candidate willing to address the real problem of our current health care system; the extreme waste of the for-profit system; and offer a truly universal not-for-profit system. It is the place that roots out the cause of our $800 Billion trade deficit, human and worker's rights abuses, and environmental ruin by repealing our trade agreements; speaks out out about Iraqi exploitation and oil privatization; cuts the bloated Pentagon budget for universal education, K-College; takes the Declaration of Independence at its word and gives equal rights to all Americans instead of only some; and considers the Constitution the first and final reason to stand up to this Administration to begin an impeachment investigation.

It really is amazing that so many "common sense", and "common good", positions could be held by him alone, yet they are. Speaking for, and taking action in the name of, the American people, always trumps "politics" for Kucinich and he's proven it, again and again. Yet, how sad that there is a difference between the two! The whole idea behind Representative Democracy is speaking and taking action for the people. But, what other Democrat, besides Kucinich is willing to choose the poeple over politics? What other candidate is willing to take on the war machine and reject war as an instrument of policy; take on insurance and pharmaceutical companies to offer not-for-profit health care, take on corporate power involved in our trade agreements; take on this Administration?

Kucinich's above quote was in response to the Senate Intelligence Committee vote to immunize telecommunications companies from civil lawsuits for tapping Americans’ phones and computer without court approval. He has already sent letters to

the Chairmen and CEOs of the nation’s largest telecommunications companies in May 2006, demanding they reveal to Congress their dealings with the National Security Agency (NSA).

The letters sent to the heads of Verizon, Qwest, BellSouth and AT&T specifically ask if NSA employees forced telecommunications companies, through coercion, to comply with the NSA illegal domestic spying program.

“It is imperative the telecommunications companies reveal everything they and their employees know about this illegal request,” Kucinich stated in the letter. “You have a responsibility to safeguard our democracy by revealing potentially illegal activities of the NSA to Congress.

“In light of these allegations, I urge you to reveal to Congress the nature of (your) discussions with NSA. Specifically, did any NSA official make coercive statements to any of your employees? Did the NSA make any legal arguments for their request of this information? And did the NSA suggest it was your company’s patriotic duty to adhere to such a request?” Kucinich also asked in the letter.

We know Kucinich will continue to stand up for the American people:

“Why should telecommunications companies be held above the law? If we permit our constitutional rights to be watered down out of fear, we have given up important foundations of our democracy. Congress must stand firm and defend the Constitution.”

“I want to get to the bottom of this Administration’s aggressive abuse on Americans’ civil liberties.”

And now we need to stand up as well. We need to get rid of the fear. We need to get back to America. We need to support Dennis Kucinich!

Kucinich Goes Postmodern

The 35 Percenters have given us wondefully informed, yet playful and enertaining, dose of political commentary. In this acid-tongued, straight-shooting satire, an ordinary evening dinner at the Cleavers' turns into a political critique involving the most important issues of the 2008 Election; our swiftly fading nostalgia-Americana is forced to confront the current world of poltical corruption and corporate threats to democracy. Time to wake up?

Think, "What's Up Tiger Lily" with political purpose. Or, Kucinich gone postmodern...

Is This Why Dennis Kucinich Doesn't Poll Higher???

There's a lot of theories as to why Dennis Kucinich hasn't been registering well in the polls, but look at this:

My New Hampshire phone rings (caller ID 000-000-0000 WTF?)and I pick it up out of curiosity. "This is (talking like a magpie so I haven’t got a clue what the name of the company is) Research. Would you like to be part of a poll for the Democratic presidential primary candidate?" I agree and the woman rapidly reads the list of candidates. "Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Dodd, Biden and Richardson." I say, "Kucinich." The woman on the phone says "Who?" I say, "Kucinich. Dennis Kucinich." I hear coaching in the background - apparently the call is being monitored. "I’m sorry, but Dennis Kucinich is not on our list. Is there anyone on the list I gave you who you would vote for?"

So there you have it. Kucinich is down in the polls because he isn’t included in the polls . . . and you can forget about Gravel, too.

Now, I can't say for sure whether or not this is true, but given some of the ways in which Kucinich has been discriminated against so far in this election, his name not being on the pollster's list seems entirely plausible to me. Consider the following:

1.)Kucinich is regularly considered as "third tier" behind Richardson, Biden and Dodd. Though, the criteria for such an evaluation is absolutely lacking. Kucinich polls ahead of Dodd in pretty much every poll that I've seen and trades places with both Richardson and Biden depending on the given poll. The most honest way to describe it would be to say that, below the top three "frontrunners", all is uncertain.

2.)The media regularly neglects Kucinich even in issues of factual claims. For example, months ago, when John Edwards first released his health care plan, both he and the majority of media frequently claimed that he was the only one to release a plan with detail. Yet, Kucinich's H.R. 676 had already gained the support of over 60 Represenatitives and 14,000 physicians.

This is similar to Gov. Richardson and the media claiming that the Governor is the only candidate who will withdraw ALL troops from Iraq, even though Kucinich has been talking about this for months.

3.)The media not only regularly neglects Kucinich from factual claims as stated above, and coverage in general, but has even been involved in incidents of willful distortion. If you arent't familiar with the ABC debacle, involving cropping of pictures and tampering with polls, please read about it here.

4.)Media outlets, Debate Forums and other organizations have gone out of their way to heavily restrict and/or completely eliminate Kucinich from the debate themselves. Examples inculde the above ABC debate in which Stephanopholous didn't ask Kucinich for about a half an hour and the most recent elimination from the health care debate, sponsored by AARP. It is important to note that AARP is one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington, spending over $36 million alone in 2005 lobbying Congress, as well as playing a part in the passage of the Medicare Part D legislation in 2003. As Kucinich, is the only candidate to call for the elimination of the private insurance system his elimination probably has far less to do with thier excuse.

So, forgive me if I see some plausibility in the possible pollster fraud. The fact is, Dennis Kucinich is taking on the most powerful organizations in the country: Military-Industrial, Insurance and pharmaceutical Companies, Corporate Trade Agreements for starters. However, as powerful as these sectors are we still have the power of votes; we have numbers. And it is time to stand up with Dennis Kucinich and take back our country. It's time to use our numbers against their dollars. It's time to support Dennis Kucinich!

New Kucinich Newsroom Update

Kucinich Requests Information On Hunt Oil Deal

Dennis Kucinich and Henry Waxman, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sent a letter to Hunt Oil Company CEO Ray Hunt and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker requesting information about a recent oil exploration contract Hunt Oil signed with Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government.

As I've written in earlier posts, Hunt Oil made a deal with KRG(Kurdistan Regional Government), which increased tensions within Iraq and alarmed the U.S. because of its potential to undermine the potential for Iraqi stability through a national oil program and deny privatization to multinational oil companies, such as Hunt Oil. The deal raised further questions because of the CEO Ray Hunt's ties to the Bush Administration:

Hunt, who is also on the board of Halliburton, has been a key fundraiser for President George W. Bush, who named him to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.

Kucinich, the only candidate who seems to even be aware of the problems with Iraqi Oil privatization; as well as the only candidate who called the war one of oil from the beginning; had promised to investigate the matter and this looks to be the first step. We'll see how Hunt and Crocker react. Regardless, we know how Kucinich will: thoughtfully, courageous and fair.

Kucinich, Independents, and Applause

Dennis Kucinich received rousing applause this Sunday, at a conference sponsored by the New Hampshire Association of Independent Voters. Kucinich addressed the conference, along with Mike Gravel and Jacqueline Salit; executive editor of The Neo-Independent magazine and president of the Committee for a Unified Independent Party, which:

mounts political, legal, legislative and organizing challenges to partisan control of the political process. It has pioneered methods of organizing independents without a political party, creating independent voter associations to project the voice of the 35% of the electorate that considers itself independent

Voters registering as non-partisan, independent are steadily growing in numbers as dissafected Republican and Democratic party members steadily withdraw. Staunchly against the Iraq war/occupation, dissillusioned with the corrupting influence of special interests, alienated through political partisanship, and pursuing genuine reform, the Independent Vote is gradually becoming more and more critical in deciding elections. As, Pew research Center reported about the Democratic sweep in 2006:

In an election that proved to be a referendum on Bush and Iraq, political independents cast the deciding votes.

While registered independents now account for more than 35% of U.S. voters, nowhere has the increase been more significant than New Hampshire. As Salit noted:

registered independents in New Hampshire, for instance, have increased from about 28 percent of total voters several years ago to roughly 45 percent today...

"Why are so many (voters) becoming independents?" Salit asked. "Because by declaring ourselves independents, we're saying we don't like what the political parties are doing to our country.

Dennis Kucinich, who is the only candidate consistently opposing this war, free from special interest corruption, aggresively pursuing reforms, and instituting policies in the best interests of Americans rather than political party, is the ideal "Independent Democrat" in this race. And, keeping in mind those 2006 elections, Kucinich let them know it:

"The Democrats have learned nothing since 2006," he said. "Back then, the Democrats promised that if they were put back in control (of the House and Senate) that the war in Iraq would end. Now (estimates) predict there won't be an end until at least 2013."

"I want a Democratic party that's responsive to the needs of all Americans . . . (politicians) shouldn't be called upon to be loyal to one political party, we're elected to be loyal to something with much more power – the Constitution," he said to a round of applause.

That could serve as the most self-evident, sober and important campaign slogan this election, but, sadly, it is only Kucinich who can back it up through his actions and campaign platform; something that could well get the Independents behind him.

Independents could well decide this election and, let me say, that they have a unique ability in deciding it for Kucinich. For there is one thing that stands in Kucinich's Democratic nomination; a single word word which continually dogs his whole campaign: electability. But, I tell you, these Independents stand outside party lines and have been dogged by too many words, too many labels throughout their political struggle. They have proved they will take a stand and they may stand for Dennis Kucinich. If they do Kucinich's candidacy will explode. If you get Kucinich up to 10% in the polls(which Independents could easily accomlish), with a little more money to invest, the lightning is out of the bottle. This country is only waiting...

Kucinich Will Introduce Legislation to Prevent Oil Privatization

Dennis Kucinich has the been the only candidate willing to consistently speak out against the unjust efforts to privatize the national oil wealth of the Iraqi people to multinational oil companies. He was the first to speak out against the hydrocarbon law, a key Iraqi benchmark of the Bush Administartion, which, in effect, would privatize over 90% of Iraqi Oil reserves to multinational companies, particularly U.S. oil companies. Further, it not only gives the rights to these oil companies to do business in Iraq, but enables them to have power in making the decisions over the contracts themselves. That is, a Federal Council is established to make decisions upon oil contract negotiations, which allows these private oil companies to be represented on the "Federal" board and thus influencing the approval and terms of contracts.

However, as this national oil law continually failed to pass through the Iraqi parliament, alternative developments ensued. As I posted before, these oil companies found a way around the problem: pressure the Federal Authority by making what is, according to Iraq's oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani, not, illegal regional deals. And it doesn't hurt to have some friends:

CBS/AP) Texas' Hunt Oil Co. and Kurdistan's regional government said they have signed a production-sharing contract for petroleum exploration in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, the first such deal since the Kurds passed their own oil and gas law in August.

Hunt, who is also on the board of Halliburton, has been a key fundraiser for President George W. Bush, who named him to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.

Kucinich immediately weighed in on the matter, calling for a Congressional investigation:

“The recent oil deal between the U.S.-based Hunt Oil Company and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) raises questions. Hunt Oil, a privately held oil company based in Texas and its founder, Ray Hunt, have close ties to Vice President Cheney and are large donors to President Bush.

“The deal also appears to undercut the goal of oil revenue sharing but is predictably consistent with the Administration’s attempt to privatize Iraqi oil assets. Both Hunt Oil Company and Kurdistan are strong allies with the Bush Administration.

“As I have said for five years, this war is about oil. The Bush Administration desires private control of Iraqi oil, but we have no right to force Iraq to give up control of their oil. We have no right to set preconditions to Iraq which lead Iraq to giving up control of their oil. The Constitution of Iraq designates that the oil of Iraq is the property for all Iraqi people.

“I am calling for a Congressional investigation to determine the role the Administration may have played in the Hunt-Kurdistan deal, the effect the deal will have on the oil revenue sharing plan and the attempt by the Administration to privatize Iraqi oil.

“The Administration misled Congress and the media into thinking that oil legislation was about ‘fair distribution.’”

Kurdistan kept up this pressure by making more deals the following week:

Tensions between Baghdad and the KRG grew as the yearlong oil law negotiations continued. They severely escalated after the KRG announced the PSC with Hunt Oil, the first U.S. firm to enter Iraq since the war and the first contract since the Kurds passed their own regional oil law. Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani immediately called the deal "illegal" and said only the first four of the nearly 10 deals the KRG signed would be upheld.

The KRG responded in measure, saying Shahristani should either work harder to pass a federal law or resign. The KRG is a semiautonomous region in the north. Its own security force protects the area, which has seen little violence compared with the rest of the country since the war. As a result, it has had modest economic development and eyes the potential of the oil sector as a major step toward progress.

The latest development came today, from a UPI report, stating that Hunt did meet with White House Officials prior to the deal. And Kucinich addressed it:

“The Bush Administration has been pressing for the privatization of Iraq’s oil. This move by Hunt Oil, with its numerous connections to the President, would seem to advance that goal. The deal would seem to pressure the central Iraq government to capitulate, since the Hunt Oil deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government would be a precedent that the Iraq government could hardly ignore.

He also reiterated his concerns that privatizing iraq's oil will have, not only for Iraq, but the U.S. as well:

“I’m concerned that if we don’t reverse the “war for oil” policy, many negative consequences for the United States could follow. I think it would prevent any hope of an emerging peace process in the Middle East,” Kucinich said.

Earlier this year Congress passed and the President signed the supplemental Iraq funding bill that included a limitation on the U.S. government controlling Iraqi oil, which leaves private control of Iraq’s oil resources by U.S. oil companies on the table. Sec. 3301 states no funds can be expended by the United States Government “To exercise United States control over any oil resource of Iraq.” There is no similar prohibition on oil companies.

As usual, Kucinich is standing up for the people of America, as the world, rather than large corporations. And as, usual he is as forward looking and practical in his views, as his solutions:

“This Congress failed to prohibit oil companies from taking advantage of the U.S. invasion. I intend to close this major loophole by introducing legislation to prohibit U.S oil companies from gaining financial interests or financial control of Iraq’s oil resources,” Kucinich said.

On September 18, 2007, Kucinich sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging an immediate investigation into Hunt Oil Company’s recent production sharing agreement for petroleum exploration with Kurdistan.

“The war in Iraq is a stain on American history. Let us not further besmirch our nation by participating in an outrageous exploitation of a nation, which is in shambles due to the U.S. intervention,” Kucinich said in an hour-long speech on the floor of the House of Representatives on May 23, 2007.

Kucinich for President.

How Couldn't You Want Him As President?

A very good interview with Kucinich. Kucinich is the most passionate, most genuine Democrat of the bunch. When you hear him towards the end talking about this lack in the Democratic Party to stand up for the people, to Represent the people; the direction this party has been falling and he says "That's what i am, a Democrat"; you start to regain some faith again.

I just can't figure how you people couldn't want him be our President.

Kucinich's Speech at the Congresso Was Profound

I attended the Latino Congresso this weekend in Los Angeles. The Congresso had it's first meeting last year and based upon it's success the delegates decided to make the Congresso an annual event. From the Press Release:

In September 2006, history was made with the first comprehensive gathering of Latino organizational leaders, elected officials, and activists at all levels since 1977. Some 2,000 leaders from 20 states and 700 organizations and elective offices gathered and agreed on action strategies and policy positions on 64 key topics of vital concern to our community, nation and world.

The event took place at the Sheraton, in downtown Los Angeles, for five days: Friday, October 5th to Tuesday, October 9th; over 3,000 leaders convening. Focused on empowering Latinos in the political process, the Congresso was represented from all over the Country and highlighted by a Delegate Resolution Proposals, voter registration drives, and various workshops that covered topics such as mobilizing the Latino vote, census and Redistricting, Immigration, Election System Reform, Globalization and the effect of Trade Agreements like NAFTA, the War in Iraq, War on Terror, U.S. Foreign Policy and 9/11.

The Kucinich Campaign participated at the Delegate Level, passing two resolutions: one calling for the Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff’s Department to shut down a telephone hotline set up to encourage people to report the whereabouts and activities of persons the callers suspect of being in the country illegally and the second resolution denounced the Minutemen Project as one that “promotes violence, hatred, racism and discrimination, which are not representative traits of the honorable and just American society that has a rich legacy of immigration and inclusiveness.”

On Saturday Elizabeth Kucinich:

addressed a luncheon audience of 800 people from 20 different states and spoke of the effects of the Iraq war and globalization on the Latino community. She told the delegates her husband has introduced a bill in Congress, HR 1234, designed to bring U.S. troops and contractors home in three months while a multi-national peace-keeping force works to assist the Iraqi people.

Referring to the Minuteman Project protesters outside the hotel, Mrs. Kucinich said they were “victims of an administration that has squandered billions of dollars of American resources on an illegal war, while the scarcity of health care and quality education has made minorities the scapegoats of people who are angry about the direction of America.”

Dennis Kucinich arrived late Saturday night, participating in a peace concert, and on Sunday Morning he delivered the speech transcribed below. I was in attendance and can only say that the energy in the room was profound. That a Presidential Candidate can have such a genuine connection to the people has become too foreign an idea within our political structure. Dennis' experience at the State, City and National/Congressional level can not be underestimated.

As he addressed the audience with such genuine commitment, such resolve in his responsibility as our Representative, he did so intimately. He spoke frequently in Spanish(which, I apologize, is limited in this transcription). He spoke with the knowledge that informs his stance on the issues, as with the sentiments that tie us together as a Country, as human beings. Hearing him, I couldn't help but tell myself that this is the People's Candidate, no matter how many polls or news outlets try to tell us otherwise; that this is an honest Respresentative, our fellow American and our brother; that there is a confidence in his ideas, his beliefs, his promises, his words, that I have not experienced with any other Candidate. That I support him for President always follows from these thoughts and feelings.

So I couldn't help, but tell everyone else too. And to give people the same opportunity to hear his speech. Though it won't be quite the same as being there, I hope you will read it.

Dennis Kucinich Addressing the Congresso:

I’m so grateful to be with you this morning. It’s such an honor. When I am with this community, I realize the real connection I have, from the heart, (el corazón). It’s a connection that transcends the issues, but it connects us to the issues at the same time.

When I started my career in politics forty years ago in Cleveland, the Puerto Rican population was growing, and there were a lot of problems between that community and the police. And so when I finally got elected to city council with the help of the Puerto Rican community, the first thing I did was to take a Spanish language course, so that I could better understand and communicate with members of the Latino community. One of the things we first discovered in the city council was the fact that the police were arresting Latinos without reading them their rights, in direct violation of the Miranda decision. So if someone didn’t speak English, they didn’t have any rights. The police didn’t understand that even if people couldn’t speak English, it didn’t mean that those people shouldn’t have rights. So I was responsible for causing the Cleveland Police to have to learn the Miranda rights in Spanish and carry a card with them.

Now the people in the Administration of George Bush better remember their Miranda rights, because when I’m elected President I’m going to see that they are arrested. I’m not kidding here! I want to let you to know something; how I feel about what’s happened to our country. We have been led into a war based upon lies — an unjust a war. We’ve seen our civil liberties taken away because of lies. The President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense are all part of this. They’re going to be held accountable under the law. If someone runs a traffic light, they’ll get a ticket here. There are a million dead Iraqis and almost 4,000 dead American soldiers as a result of this war. Where is the accountability? What’s happened is that our constitution is being torn up. And in this toxic environment, the Administration, in its never-ending quest for more scapegoats, focuses on immigrants. You know it and I know it. And we see, unfortunately, the failure of the Democratic Party to stand up to this Administration.

I’m going to give you an example of something that occurred a couple of weeks ago. We had the bill on children’s health care that we passed out of the House and it covered all children, including the children of legal immigrants: about 600,000 children. But because of some Republicans in the Senate, who said, “Look, we’re not dealing with any immigrants,” it doesn’t even matter if they’re legal at this point, the Democrats wouldn’t fight to keep it in the Bill. They took it out. So they brought the bill back to the House, without 600,000 children of immigrants who are legal. Now, think about what that means. It means that we are in so much fear in this country that our children are now being affected by it. You see, I happen to believe that all children, whether they are the children of those that are documented or not, should be covered for their health care. When our politics has gotten to the point where we start to divide our children into various camps, where we start to separate our children from one another, we set the stage for the splitting of the Nation. I want to see our Nation united together. It is time that we had a President who understood that human unity is what makes for peace. And that when we impose the wrath of the law that is unjust, what we’re doing is we’re stopping peace from happening. So, I’m running for President to make sure that all the people in America know that they have someone who they can count on, and know that they will have a President who will stand up for them. And I will tell you today that the Latino community, in particular, has a right to expect that all the candidates will stand in front of you and say, “Yes. We must have a path to legalization. Yes. There must be a way for people to work in this country, if they want to live in Mexico. Yes. We must take down that wall!”

Isn’t it interesting how famous Ronald Reagan became for saying, “Mr. Gorbachev, take down that wall.” Oh, how far we’ve come from those days. When President Reagan said, “Take down that wall,” and President Bush now says, “Build up a wall,” where are we going as a nation?

I believe the way the immigrant community is treated, whether documented or not, reflects the direction and future of America. We must believe that our brothers and sisters, Latinos and all of the other ethnic groups, are essential to who we are as Americans. We are forgetting what it is that made this country great. We are forgetting that the Statue of Liberty was there for all nationalities. Maybe it would be helpful if we put Emma Lazarus’s poem into Spanish, where she said, “Give me your tired, give me your poor.”

This is at the base of the Statue of Liberty. “Give me your tired, your poor/your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse of your teeming shores/Send these, the homeless, the tempest tossed to me.”

Those powerful, heartfelt sentiments welcomed generations of immigrants to our country; welcomed people in America to a beacon of freedom. We know that there have always been challenges, which have confronted each group that has come to this country. But never before in America have we had a discussion about having to send millions of people back across the border. Never before in America have we seen this attempt to divide us so deeply. And never before in America has there been a need to unite us so totally. And that’s what my candidacy for President of the United States is all about. It is about the imperative of human unity. It is that — we are all one.

So we have to make sure, as the unity blueprint for immigration reform is being talked about, that we protect the well-being and safety of immigrant and U.S. citizen children alike. We must make sure we achieve faithful enforcement of immigration laws by reinstating the jurisdiction of Federal Courts to review agency decisions. We have to stop these raids. We have to stop it. They are not worthy of the United States of America. We need to make sure that workers’ rights are protected. This is why I say that as President, my first act in office will be to cancel NAFTA and the WTO. We all know what happened when NAFTA was being considered. The corporations went to the Mexico legislature and said, “Pass this. It will mean better living, better lives for the people of Mexico. Wages will go up. There will be prosperity.” What happened? It passed, and wages went down. People lost jobs and fled north into the waiting arms of corporations. And the corporations said, “Yes. Come and work for us, but don’t worry about what you’re going to be paid, because it won’t be much. You will have no rights; no rights to organize, or to collective bargaining.” South of the border workers were faced with the same thing. Corporations achieved enormous control with the passage of NAFTA. People were not given a chance for their basic rights to be protected.

So when I say cancel NAFTA, what I mean is that we go to Mexico and renegotiate a trade agreement. And what are the principles of that trade agreement? That all workers will have the right to organize, the right to collective bargaining, the right to strike, the right to decent wages and benefits, the right to a secure retirement, the right to a safe workplace. It will mean prohibitions on child labor, slave labor, and prison labor. It will mean that the air and the water are protected. It is time to have a President of the United States who will stand up for workers, who will stand up for immigrants, who will stand up for working immigrants, who will stand up for those who have documents, who will stand up for those who don’t have documents, who will stand up for human beings. We must realize that there is no such thing as an illegal human being. We need a President who will stand up for the people!

We understand that there needs to be a realistic framework for future migration. No one’s saying that there shouldn’t be an attempt to create some flow back and forth across the borders that makes sense. But, that’s not what’s happening. When you hear what is going on in Marico County —what is that hotline about but an encouragement of a kind of fascism? People reporting each other, what’s that about? You get reported for speaking Spanish? When I was in the Ohio state legislature as a state senator there was an attempt to pass an English-only bill, and I rose and spoke about it. I gave a speech in Spanish objecting the English only. Let me tell you about how I defeated the bill: I pointed out that the founding documents of the state of Ohio were in German. So here we are in a county where people are saying “solamente.” It would be good if every child had a working knowledge of the English language, and that our children receive the kind of education where they learn to read and write English perfectly. I have a proposal that’s already been introduced in the Congress; one that I am getting ready to re-introduce in a couple of weeks for a universal pre-kindergarten. Children ages three, four, and five will have access to full-time daycare. How many of our parents, particularly working mothers, realize that if you don’t have quality daycare, you are paying as much for daycare as you are paying for a college education? You work almost the whole week just to pay for daycare, so by the time you are through working you don’t have much left at all, and you still have to worry about benefits like healthcare. What I am talking about is this: A universal pre-kindergarten daycare, where children ages three, four, and five will have access to full- time day care, fully paid, where they will learn things like music, art, reading skills, social skills and they would also learn languages. So we say all of the children in this country should learn languages like Spanish so they can reach out to the wider world. We can give our children the gift of knowing that there is a big world out there and not shut ourselves out from it, but say we are one with the world. So our children should be given this gift of learning languages at a young age, and this fear of the other will not exist anymore. This is such an important opportunity for our nation. However, in order to go from where we are to where we hope to be, there are a few things we have to do.

Number one, we have to break the fear that is holding so many of our fellow citizens captive. It’s not only the fear of the other; it’s the fear that people will not be safe. You know and I know that the war against the people of Iraq has made this country less safe. You know and I know that it is important to have a President who not only rejects the war against Iraq, who not only rejects a war against Iran, but who rejects war as an instrument of policy. It is time to have a President who truly stands for peace.

Dr. King understood this, forty years ago when he said the war in Vietnam was destroying the people of two nations. We don’t have enough money to build bridges in this country, yet we blow them up in Iraq. We don’t have money to build schools in this country, but we have seen schools and hospitals and other institutions destroyed in Iraq. We cannot take care of matters here at home, and yet we have leaders who want to go all around the world and tell people what to do. Let’s come back home. Let’s take care of things here. Let’s have a country that we can be proud of, with housing for all and jobs for all and education for all and healthcare for all. That’s the kind of America that people will love; the kind of America that will be an example to people all over the world as a country that you believe in, a country that you want to see succeed. Are we ready to take the path towards that kind of an America?

I want to conclude with an issue that I see as the number one domestic issue affecting America. And that’s the issue of healthcare. This issue affects every family in this country. We all know that people cannot afford healthcare in this country. People can’t afford to be sick, and they can’t afford to get well. We have a situation where these insurance companies are making a lot of money. But we have to ask how they are making that money? For instance, car dealers make money. Shoe salesmen make money. How do these private insurance companies make money? They make money by not providing healthcare. What is going on in this country? The more they deny you healthcare, the more money they make. So doctors are on the phone with you saying, “No, you cannot have that test, no, you cannot have that procedure.” The insurance companies are playing doctor now. People are not getting the care they are paying for. But then there are 47 million Americans who don’t have any insurance at all. And you know what? The largest percentage happens to be Latino. You know this, and I know this. So isn’t it time we recognize in America that we should have the same kind of care for its people that every other industrialized nation has?

That’s why I am the co-author of a bill, HR 676, Medicare for all, a not-for- profit health care system — one that covers everyone. It is time to break the hold that these private insurance companies have on our political system; a political system that is failing the American people. We need to reclaim it, so that we can restore the health of the American people. It is time to have a not-for-profit heath care system that covers everyone. Half the bankruptcies in America are due to people who cannot pay their medical bills, so they just go bankrupt. We all know that in households throughout the country, where families discuss this everyday, that someone says, “Honey I don’t feel well, but I can’t go to the doctor because we can’t afford it.” People forego the care that they need, until they end up in an emergency room very ill, and the costs go through the roof at that point.

Our system is not about caring for people, it is about caring for profits and insurance companies. The system that I am talking about is a not-for-profit system, and it will have enough money for vision care, dental care, mental health care, long-term care, and prescription drugs. Healthcare today is being used to accelerate the wealth of the rich. We need to reclaim the system so all people will have the money for their healthcare, and also for other things, like housing. You know, I started an investigation a couple of months ago about these mortgage companies that were going into communities of people of color and selling these sub-prime loans creating a wave of bankruptcies. The housing needs of America are greater than ever. Healthcare needs are greater than ever. The job needs of America are greater than ever. The need for higher wages is greater than ever. The need for a fair and just immigration policy is greater than ever. The need to stand for peace is greater than ever. Our system is failing the American people. My candidacy is about rallying the American people to defend their basic human and economic rights. This is our moment to reclaim our nation. This is our moment to restore our nation; our moment to say what America really stands for. This is our moment to say we are part of this country; we helped build this country; we helped make this country what it is. And we are not going to let anyone take this country away from us, whether it’s for oil or for money or for blood. This is our nation, and we will reclaim it. We will restore it, and we will call it the United States of America for all the people. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Kucinich For President!

Kucinich Calls For the Congress To Stand Firm On Civil Liberties

Dennis Kucinich, speaking about the new Wiretapping Bill, called on Congress to stand firm in protecting the civil liberties against the Bush Adminstration's fear tactics:

“It has been proven over and over again that the Bush Administration cannot be trusted with surveillance powers. This Administration has actively violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by engaging in surveillance of Americans without warrants. The Administration violated our Constitution by hiding this fact from Congress and the American public,” Kucinich said...

The Democrats cannot shrink from this fight. We must demand that the President cease his attacks on our civil liberties. I will continue to oppose attempts by Congress to pass unwarranted, fear provoking legislation that sanctions oppression against the American people"

Kucinich has been one of the few consistently willing to stand up to this Administration, opposing the Iraq War from the start, dismissing the "nuclear holocaust" rhetoric against Iran, voting against the PATRIOT Act and the original FISA legislation. Given the track record of this Administration, Kucinich added a bold touch:

The only legislation that should come to the floor in this Congress is legislation that would limit the powers of this rogue presidency. Democrats must take back the power granted to Congress by the Constitution.

Those who use fear to gain power are themselves subverting democracy. This Congress must not accept this false choice and defend Americans and their Constitution from the politics of fear.

Kucinich Hits The Dems Where It Hurts

From the Kucinich Campaign Website:

WASHINGTON, DC - On the 5th anniversary of Congressional authorization to go to war in Iraq, Ohio Congressman and Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich today demanded that the Democratic leadership of the Congress honor its commitment to voters and demand that funds already appropriated to continue the war be used, instead, to bring all U.S. troops home beginning immediately.

That part we've heard throughout DK's speeches, debates; whenever he can, because he's passionaltely against this occupation that has killed an estimated 1 million Iraqis and almost 4,000 U.S. soldiers.

However, Kucinich goes on and hits the Dems where it realy hurts: their anti-war postures!

"If they don't, then they're just as responsible as the President for continuing this illegal and immoral war," said Kucinich, "and open to accusations of fraud upon the American people for promising during last year's elections that Democratic control of the Congress would mean an end to the war. Instead of ending the war, the leadership has knuckled under time and time again and given the President every dollar he's asked for to continue it."

By delaying a vote until early next year on the Defense Department's $190 billion appropriation bill, the Democratic leaders of the House and the Senate have tacitly acknowledged that the war effort is already fully funded for the next several months, Kucinich said. "The leadership needs to force a showdown with the President and demand that those billions of dollars be used to bring our troops home now." He estimated the cost to withdraw all troops and equipment at between $5 billion and $10 billion. "That money is there right now. There is no excuse not to use it to bring our troops home."

Thank you, Dennis Kucinich! "If they don't, then they're just as responsible as the President for continuing this illegal and immoral war." That is exactly the point. The Dems want, desperately, to avoid accepting any responsibility for this war. Let me repeat that: all the other Democratic Candidates, hoping to hold our highest office; hold our highest position of responsibility; will not accept any for a tragedy affecting our whole Country, as well as the world. How's that?

It's "George Bush's War" they say. Yet, they say it as millions are killed, maimed, homeless, humiliated. I've argued in an earlier diary why this type of thinking and negligent passivity sticks us right where we are: An occupying nation in Iraq. And so I am truly proud that Dennis Kucinich is claiming his responsibility as a leader. But, responsibility and leadership are nothing new to Kucinich.

From his own 2002 Intelligence analysis:

"A unilateral attack on Iraq by the United States will cause instability and chaos in the region and sow the seeds of future conflicts all over the world."

"Unilateral action against Iraq will cost the United States the support of the world community, adversely affecting the war on terrorism."

"There is no credible evidence that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction."

"There is no connection between Iraq and the events of 9/11."

All true and only the beginning of his effort to cancel this unjust and illegal action. Again and again he has spoken out against the war, the occupation that it became, the unjust oil privatization, agressive actions in Iran, and of course, the misleadings and the lies.

Of course, there's Bush, who, Kucinich states, "lied about the reasons to go to war in the first place..." But, then there's the Dems themseleves:

Democratic protestations that they don't have the votes to block additional funding "is a hoax. You don't need votes. All we need is the backbone to exercise our Constitutional authority and the integrity to keep our word to the voters to do what we said we would do: end this war. Now."

the Democratic Party has broken its word to the voters last year about taking steps to end it"

Kucinich is, quite literally, the soul of the Democratic Party. He's everything that Democrats say they stand for, but don't, and his challenge and criticisms of the Democratic party are nothing more than a defense of it:

It's time for an end to the lies, an end to broken promises, and an end to the war."

It's time for a Democratic Party and a Democratic President.