This diary was written and researched out of my curiosity about the Kucinich phenomenon. I keep hearing, "Kucinich is a flake." "Kucinich isn't a serious candidate." "Kucinich is right on the issues, but he can't get elected." What is so very wrong with the candidate who has always been on the right side of Iraq, on the right side of national health care, and on the right side of most issues important to progressives. rjones2818's recent diary has all the youtube links to Kucinich's consistently progressive stands. The diary got few comments, as did lluscher's recent Kucinich diary.
There is more to the Dennis Kucinich story to be tracked......
below the fold:
Dennis has detractors who have some history with him.
You know, there were hundreds if not thousands (0+ / 0-)
of people JUST here in Cleveland alone who, whether they were listening to Dennis or not (and fewer and fewer do all the time for good reason), were just as much against the war. And if Dennis was SO darned prescient, that makes it even more criminal on his part that he chose to use the most abrasive, alienating and lone-ranger-style tactics to desseminate his message when he should have been working to persuade people. Dennis may have the right positions but he's close to useless in terms of moving toward accomplishing any of them.
A new beginning for Ohio: The adults have taken over!
by anastasia p on Sat Jul 28, 2007 at 09:33:39 PM EDT
The Kucinich initiatives on impeachment and ending Iraq have been commendable. Overall his Peace College initiative and his diplomatic approach to foreign policy as well has his liberal and progressive domestic social policies seem the remedies this war-weary country needs. I'm trying to puzzle out the mystery of Dennis, the man who is so right on almost all of the issues, but who can annoy even supporters. What are the missing pieces in the Kucinich puzzle?
Part of it is the American penchant for charisma. We like star quality in our leadership as it reads so well on public media. Hillary has it, Obama has almost an overabundance of charisma, Edwards can have it, and they shine more brightly on a public platform than the other candidates do because of it.
Dennis can appear stodgy. Dennis can appear rigid. Dennis can appear priggish and self-righteous, which can be a turn-off. But Dennis can also speak from his heart to the issues, and he seems, from his lengthy term of service in public life, to be a very principled individual. And his basic integrity is something of great value in this era of the ongoing compromise with principle seen in our present leadership.
Kucinich receives short shrift in media. Here, last election cycle, was a typical interview harping on Kucinich's one percent of support rather than questioning him further on policy. Dennis adroitly slips in his message, which resonates even more strongly today than it did in '06. His passion for his positions is also very much in evidence, as is his anger at Democrats who play power politics over practicing politics for the general good.
Dennis is right on New Orleans.
Dennis is the one attacking the NOLA corruption (3+ / 0-)
Just read this over at Mike Malloy's.
On June 26, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee in the House of Representatives, convened a hearing to investigate the origins of the abuses perpetrated by subcontractors and other employers against those working to clean up New Orleans. The subcommittee heard testimony from advocates, attorneys, organizers, DOL officials, and a man named Jeffrey Steele.
When it comes right down to it, it's always Kucinich who's fighting the good fight. Who never backs down. Who always has his spine.
by Pen on Sat Jul 28, 2007 at 10:18:10 PM EDT
Pen posted another interesting bit on the "kook" label that continually hovers around Dennis' head.
yeah, it's called corporate control of the (3+ / 0-)
Democratic Party.
Ever notice how any candidate who is not in the corporate pocket is labelled a kook? Notice how those who go suck up to Rupert Murdoch are labelled the front runners? Notice how when you point out that some Dem presidential candidates don't really have the people's interests at heart and are in the corporate pocket you get immediately attacked?
Ever notice this is EXACTLY how right wingnut websites do things as well?
Draw your own conclusions but everyone knows the right wingnuts certainly have infiltrated DKos. And everyone knows how organized these guys are.
by Pen on Sun Jul 29, 2007 at 03:02:38 AM EDT
Quequeg wrote a well-researched diary on Kucinich's opposition to corporatism. The impact of the guest worker program on the American worker will be profound. Quequeg also notes the program basically precludes immigrant workers from seeking higher wages from other employers and confines them to one employer. For labor, be it domestic or immigrant, this seems a lose/lose situation. The startling difference of the Kucinich position is very clear.
The following scores reflect the legislative record on guest worker visas. (If the number is above 50, this indicates a record of generally voting to reduce these visas. Below 50, indicates a record of generally voting to increase these visas.)
97 - Kucinich
51 - All Members in House (average score)
40 - All Members in Senate (average score)
31 - Edwards
12 - Hillary
10 - Obama
House Senate Edwards
So, the next time you hear one of the "top-tier" candidates talking about how their plans to invest in alternative energy would create millions of jobs for American workers, you should think to yourself "millions of jobs for American guest workers", because that appears to be the vision of job-creation these leaders would like to pursue.
There was a good summary on the Kucinich difference by CrashingThoseGates:
Which are offering real and bold policy change? (2+ / 0-)
Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel are.
John Edwards has moved a bit in that direction, but when you break it all down, on issue after issue, we need what Dennis Kucinich brings to the table far more than he needs us (our votes). Elections are really not a choice between men, (or women), but they are a choice between policies and advocacy. We need to stop looking at Elections through the lense of personalities and focus on who is the best advocate.
Dennis Kucinich is the advocate that can really reform the Nation:
. Single Payer, non-profit, Gauranteed Heath Care.
. End NAFTA, CAFTA, North American Union, WTO, etc.
. Reincarnate John Kennedy's 1963 "Strategy of Peace" as the new organizing principle of our government.
. Prosecute Dick Cheney (and possibly other NeoCons) to reestablish that we are a Nation of Laws (and not an 'anything goes' Nation).
. End the Iraq Occupation right away and shut down the 14 U.S. Miliary Bases, Gitmo, and Abu Grahib.
. A National Green Technology public works project to both reverse the effects of global climate change and create new jobs & markets.
. Abolish touch screen electonic voting machines.
. Restore the Fairness in Broadcasting Act.
. Keep the Internet free (net neutrality) from monopolistic control and censorship.
. Repeal the Orwellian "Patriot Act" and restore Habaeus Corpus and full Civil Liberties. . End no child left behind.
_______
Isn't this the change that we all really want to see in this Country?
This is the only way we are going to ever undo all the damage of the last 7+ years.
A vote for Dennis Kucinich, is a vote for this type of genuine transformation change and reform. No one else out there really offers that possibility.
I can tell you this for sure, Hillary Clinton is not going to be the fix.
by CrashingThoseGates
Dennis asks for your vote.
A few years of casual observation of Kucinich, some reading on blogs and in media, and a few hours of research on this site, haven't really filled in the pieces of the Kucinich puzzle. I can only conclude that the basic reasons for opposition to the Dennis Kucinich candidacy for presidency are his politics, and that the right in this country and in the Democratic Party have attempted, as best they can, to marginalize his positions and the man himself.
For America, this is a national tragedy. Kucinich may not be The Great Communicator, or the Author of Camelot, or radiate Obama or Clinton wattage, and he may also have tendencies to be self-righteous and abrasive, but on issues at the heart of solid, progressive policies that will truly lead America in a better direction for herself and the rest of the planet, Dennis Kucinich has much to offer as a leader.