Kucinich and progressive politics

[Akagi]

Tonight I saw Dennis Kucinich speak at Smith College and I must say I was incredibly moved. I found him articulate, honest and committed to changing not only American politics but the fate of our entire planet. During a particularly charged session of question and answer a local lesbian woman asked Kucinich what his opinion on the President's support of a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. A packed house gave her a standing ovation and Kucinich himself was moved to leave stage and embrace her for her elequence and courage. He then launched into a powerful condemnation of writing hatred and inequality into the US constitution. He also adressed enviromental concerns and forging a society where the mentality that war was inevitable could be replaced by one of a peaceful existance. I know he is currently a fringe candidate for the elections but he raised a very important point. Why should peace be on the fringe of American politics? Do we really want to keep fighting wars and destroying our enviroments? Why should progressive politics be dismissed as somehow unAmerican? I'd like to hear peoples opinions of his positions and the reasons they would support other candidates. Also please if your just gonna be like, "he is a commie wacko" please at least have the decency to try and explain your opinion.

[Poetic_Justice]

But he still thinks that the government should have legislative powers in regards to marriage? :(
How disappointing. But still, cheers to any candidate who stands up to the hegemony of the Democrats and Republicans.

[Akagi]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Poetic_Justice,)
But he still thinks that the government should have legislative powers in regards to marriage? :(
How disappointing. But still, cheers to any candidate who stands up to the hegemony of the Democrats and Republicans.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

then why do you think that the government should be able to define it by banning it? I thought we lived in a country where the church and state were seperate.

[Poetic_Justice]

I don't think the government shoul ban it... Where did you pull that assumption out of? I never once said the government should ban it. I said the government should not legislate marriage.

When government and the Church coeist in one society, there can be no seperation, just a hypocritical and misinformed notion of seperation.

[Edge]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Poetic_Justice,)
But still, cheers to any candidate who stands up to the hegemony of the Democrats and Republicans.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> uh.. He's a democrat. You're joking. Right?

[Edge]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Poetic_Justice,)
I said the government should not legislate marriage.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
agreed.
</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Poetic_Justice,)

When government and the Church coeist in one society, there can be no seperation, just a hypocritical and misinformed notion of seperation.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>Total separation between religion and state is a myth. Even secular humanism is a religion. Pick the one that matches your philosophy and build a society on it...

[Poetic_Justice]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Edge,)
</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Poetic_Justice,)
But still, cheers to any candidate who stands up to the hegemony of the Democrats and Republicans.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> uh.. He's a democrat.You're joking. Right?<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
aaah, sorry, can't say I know your mates candidates that well, except for Kerry and Clark and Dean(he's dropped out, right?), and Lieberman's running too, eh?
The original poster said that some people called him a commie wacko, I therefore assumed he was socialist or green party, but I assumed wrong and amde an ass out of, well you know how it goes... sorry bout that mate.

[Akagi]

Hes just more left than any of the other candidates and thus people have often dismissed him as being socialist.

[AnonT]

He does have some socialistic views, like nationalizing health care and childcare. I disagree with him on those issues.
However, I do appreciate his attempt to bring up issues like marijuana legalization and gay rights in his campaign.

[Edge]

With respect, he has not been dismissed as a socialist. He has shown himself to be a socialist, and dismissed. Even the hard line socialist base of the Democrat party faithful found his views extreme. If your supporters on the left think you too far left, then you've realy got a problem.

[bentodd]

I disagree with him on many issues. First National healthcare would only force people to pay for insurance where they can only see an MD. Here in Vermont we have a huge medicaid program but I see a Natropathic Doctor ND. This is not covered by state insurance. This would effectivly remove even more choices from patients.

Second I belive he is a strong supporter of public schools which I also don't agree with. My son is home schooled because of the problems with public schools. Children who are home schooled score up to 80% higher on standaredized tests as public school students.

If you want something done right do it you self. How much do you trust your government? Why would you trust them to educate your kids.

[GodBlessAmerica]

Quote by: Akagi Tonight I saw Dennis Kucinich speak at Smith College and I must say I was incredibly moved. I found him articulate, honest and committed to changing not only American politics but the fate of our entire planet. .

Yes, he would be committed to change and he does have his backers in America for sure.

Take Back Our Country in 2004!:
National 2004 Elections Conference, Communist Party USA
January 31, 2004, New York City

Dennis Kucinich, who co-chairs the Progressive Caucus in Congress, is playing a singularly courageous role by offering a strong, anti-monopoly program connecting the necessity to cut the military budget with the crying economic needs of working people. He does not give an inch in the debates, although his organization on the ground is uneven, and often attracts those who do not understand the need for broad outreach and unity to defeat the ultra-right. Democrats who show support for this advanced program by voting for Kucinich in the primaries are helping shift the debate and thereby contributing toward a stronger fight against Bush.
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/583/1/117/


Political Action Remarks
First published 10/20/2001 00:00 by the Communist Party, USA
Report given at the National Committee Meeting

We have also duplicated a list of the 57 members of the Progressive Caucus. There are different political trends within this Caucus. Those who are most advanced need visible support, like Jan Schakowsky, Cynthia McKinney, Hilda Solice, Dennis Kucinich
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/271/1/56/

[belverron]

Quote by: bentodd Second I belive he is a strong supporter of public schools which I also don't agree with. My son is home schooled because of the problems with public schools. Children who are home schooled score up to 80% higher on standaredized tests as public school students.

Correlation or causation?

[Gorgo]

Quote by: GodBlessAmerica Yes, he would be committed to change and he does have his backers in America for sure.

What is your point? It would be better to support criminals like Bush and Clinton?

[GodBlessAmerica]

Quote by: Gorgo What is your point? It would be better to support criminals like Bush and Clinton?

Oh, a guy who the communists support isn't such a stable choice?

Americans heard him debate in the Democrat Presidential primaries before and even the Democrats thought he was pathetic.

He got nearly no vote after the beginning.

Most of America that has heard this guy debate have thought he was a lunatic.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: bentodd How much do you trust your government? Why would you trust them to educate your kids.

bentodd, you dumpster diver! Talk about resurrecting old threads...! but you're right, I don't trust the government in the least. I don't favor public schools either; government indoctrination camps, I call 'em...

What I like about Rep. Kucinich is his idea for a new cabinet level Department of Peace. I think this is an idea whose time has arrived.

Quote by: GodBlessAmerica Most of America that has heard this guy debate have thought he was a lunatic.

Obviously not his constituents who elected him to a positon more influential than any of us... Actually, "most of America" thinks what they are told to think, at least for a while until the wet garbage begins to fester, heh. Then they go, "What's that smell?"

Too bad for Dubya, he kinda overstayed his welcome. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...l_x.htm?csp=34

President Bush's popularity has sunk to the lowest levels of his presidency, the Gallup poll organization said Friday.

[GodBlessAmerica]

What I like about Rep. Kucinich is his idea for a new cabinet level Department of Peace. I think this is an idea whose time has arrived.

Excellent idea, he should personally start in Iraq with the guys who were cutting all those heads off.
He should debate with them his ideas for peace and see if he can get away without being a foot shorter after his visit.

IMO, those who elected him to office would probably have elected a ham sandwich to office if it said Democrat on the ballot.

[Gorgo]

Quote by: GodBlessAmerica Oh, a guy who the communists support isn't such a stable choice? Americans heard him debate in the Democrat Presidential primaries before and even the Democrats thought he was pathetic. He got nearly no vote after the beginning. Most of America that has heard this guy debate have thought he was a lunatic.

Again, he may be a lunatic, and it may be wrong that people belong to parties that you don't agree with. However, your choice is to support criminal behavior, and that's just going too far.

[righthand]

Quote by: PatrickHenry Too bad for Dubya, he kinda overstayed his welcome. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...l_x.htm?csp=34

A good source PH. When I saw the headline Bush popularity at all-time low, poll finds I checked to see if it was before or after his latest 'delivery'

The poll of 1,007 adults was conducted Monday through Thursday, a period overlapping the president's series of speeches defending his Iraq war policies.

but when you tie that in with ANOTHER LOST OPPORTUNITY by David Frun, his former speech writer then it would little matter if it was before or after.

And after these elaborate preparations, the president says ... nothing that he has not said a hundred times before. If a president continues to do that, he is himself teaching the public and the media to ignore him - especially when the words seem (as his speech yesterday to the VFW seemed) utterly to ignore the past three months of real-world events.

Seems we must have been right all along. I'll leave it to the expert on LIES to call this one. Where's god when you need him/her?

I had started to think that the US was copying Iran where a 'higher body' decides who can be a candidate.

Quote by: GodBlessAmerica Most of America that has heard this guy debate have thought he was a lunatic. PH Obviously not his constituents who elected him to a position more influential than any of us... Actually, "most of America" thinks what they are told to think, at least for a while until the wet garbage begins to fester, heh. Then they go, "What's that smell?"

Candidates are still by free choice, ain't they? Robertson doesn't have to vet them? You do still need LOADS and LOADS of MONEY. Does that mean that the people with money, decide who candidates are. I suppose the blessing on a church person is more than helpful in certain areas too. So, except for the money, it's not much different than Iran really!

If anyone is still feeling any little good nature towards me, could you explain something? The idea of registering for a party. Any info.

Also where ever the right to vote is and the registering for same. Is the standard the same in all States or is it down to the State and so the party in power to decide how it's implemented. If the latter, it certainly does not seem democratic!

[Athena]

I heard Kucinich speak at the U of O and was very moved by his speech. He pointed out when 911 happened we had the whole world on our side. He said, we should have taken time to greive, and we should have taken advantage a time when the when the whole world was on our side, instead of allignate the whole world!

The subject of universal health care really pissed me off! We should either right the market with universal health care, or completely eliminate all health insurance, so everyone must pay out of the pocket for all health care. The market was corrupted with health insurance, causing the cost of medical care to sky rocket. What we have today is very wrong, and should be corrected.

Kucinich is Catholic and like Jack Kennedy in that way. I believe he could inspire our nation and the world to new heights of human achievements and good will. The biggest problem I see and he seriously needs to address, is he has no wife. I have strong feelings about having a first lady, and seriously wish he would suggest how that position would be filled. Smile, about marriage law, okay I confess to having a lot of emotion tied up with the need for traditional families, but I am not Christian. We need a first lady, because we need to maintain family values, and our leader should be a role model of those values. This is the biggest problem with Kucinich, and I seriously regret this.