Difference between revisions of "Dennis Kucinich"

Revision as of 19:32, July 31, 2007

Dennis Kucinich is a liberal United States Congressman from Ohio and candidate for Democrat presidential primary election in 2008. He served as mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1978 through 1980.

History

Early Life

Kucinich was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1946. For his high school education, Kucinich attended St. John Cantius, in Cleveland. After graduating from high school at the age of 17, Kucinich moved away from home and rented an apartment while enrolling in classes at Cleveland State University. Although he attended Cleveland State University for three year, he eventually received a masters degree in Speech and Communications from Case Western University in 1974. At the age of 23, Kucinich began his political career by running for Cleveland City Counsel.

Mayor

He won the election for City Counsel, and in 1977 ran for mayor of Cleveland and won the election, becoming the youngest person ever to lead a major American city^[1]. Kucinich married Sandra Lee McCarthy who he divorced in 1986^[2]. When he took over the Mayor’s office in Cleveland, he was handed over a city in disastrous economic conditions, all of which would be compounded under his administration. Kucinich refused to grant a major bank in Cleveland, Cleveland Public Power, request for the city to sell one of their municipal utility into the private sector. The disagreement between the bank and the mayor led to greater economic problems, causing the city to become the first to city to fall into default since the Great Depression^[3]. Mayor Kucinich appointed a 19 year old into a key position of office and also placed a 24-year-old, with less then a year experience as a stockbroker, in office as city finance director. Kucinich also got into a fight with the popular Cleveland Police Chief, who he fired on live TV for insubordination. The Cleveland Police Department later went on strike protesting the Mayor’s budget cuts. The public outraged at his policy, gave him the nickname of, "Dennis the Menace,” and called for a recall election^[4]. In 1978, as Kucinich threw out the first pitch wearing a bullet proof vest, nearly all 75,000 fans at the opening of Cleveland Municipal Stadium booed him. The recall took place and Kucinich just survived the recall by only 236 votes^[5].

Congress

In 1979, the disgraced mayor ran for a second term, but lost to a Republican, George Voinovich. With his political future looking bleak, former Mayor Kucinich moved to Los Angeles. He returned to Cleveland in 1994. Here he had success with his business, Kucinich Communications, a company that produced industrial videos and brokered media time for clients. Kucinich ran for State Senator in 1994, and he won the election. He held this position for two terms. In 1996, Kucinich won a race for United States Congress and has been re-elected every two years since. In his last congressional election he received 66% of the Ohio vote. In 2004 Kucinich sought the Democratic Presidential nomination but lost. Kucinich currently is serving his 6th term in Congress, and second time as Democrat presidential primary contender.

Political Positions

Abortion

Kucinich’s position on abortion has been somewhat of a “flip-flop.” During Kucinich’s first three terms at congress he compiled a consistently pro-life record; this earned him a 95-percent approval rating from the National Right to Life Committee in 2000. Kucinich stated that he believed that “life begins at conception”.^[6]” However in 2003, he changed his position, stating that he was “pro-choice” and promised before an Iowa campaign crowed in 2003, "as president, I would protect that right [to abortion], and I would also make sure that appointees to the Supreme Court protected that right."^[7]. The President of the National Abortion Rights Action League, Kate Michelman, stated that, “[Kucinich] understands that this [abortion] is a fundamental freedom. Do I think that's sincere? Yes I do."

Health Care

Like the majority of the Democrat primary candidates, Kucinich supports a type of socialized universal healthcare. He co-sponsored “Medicare for All Act”, with Congressman John Conyer, this bill would create a universal healthcare system. The healthcare system would create a government program that would eliminate private health insures, and buy prescription drugs in large amounts, the estimated cost for Kucinich’s plan would cost the United States about $2.2 trillion a year. until 2013^[8].

Foreign Affairs

Kucinich has said that he supports diplomatic foreign policy but not militaristic. He stated in an NBC News Democrat debate that, “I opposed the idea of using war as a matter of policy. I don't think it reflects America's greatness..”^[9] He calls Bush’s war on terrorism an excuse for aggressive action, similar to the position held by John Edwards. He said that, “Because the fact of the matter is that the global war on terror has been a pretext for aggressive war. As president of the United States, I intend to take America in a different direction, rejecting war as an instrument of policy, reconnecting with the nations of the world, so that we can address the real issues that affect security all over the globe and affect our security at home: getting rid of all nuclear weapons, the United States participating in the chemical weapons convention, the biological weapons convention, the small arms treaty, the landmine treaty, joining the International Criminal Court, signing the Kyoto climate change treaty”. ^[10]

Iraq

Unlike many of his Democratic opponents, Kucinich opposed the war with Iraq since the very beginning. He states that Congress should use its power to withdraw funds from the war. Kucinich bill would, as he stated, “call on the international community to provide peacekeepers and security forces that will move in as our troops leave. But we can’t do that until we determine we’re going to end the occupation. And we will do that when we stop the funding.” ^[11] In 2007, Kucinich said that Vice President, Dick Cheney, should be impeached for ‘lying about Iraq’^[12].

Trade

Kucinich does not support free trade agreements such as NAFTA. He has stated that as President, one of his first acts would be to end NAFTA. He also said that he wants to end other trade agreements such as the World Trade Organization and GATT. He says that free trade agreements must end because of United States citizen’s jobs are lost by the trade agreements, and also the lack of worker right provisions in the agreements. In replacement of the multilateral trade agreements, Kucinich supports bilateral trade^[13].

Gun Control

In 2003, Kucinich was given an F by the National Rifle Association in regards to gun control, indicating a pro-gun control record. Kucinich voted no on prohibiting suing gun makers and seller for gun misuse, he also voted no on decreasing gun waiting period from three days to one^[14].

Energy and Oil

Kucinich support the raising of CAFÉ standards from 27.5 mpg to 40 for cars and 40 mpg for SUV’s. He voted no on opening ANWR for oil drilling. He supports the use of renewable sources to replace fossil fuels, he stated, “I would lead this country on a new energy initiative. In the same way that President Kennedy decided to bring the academic and spiritual resources of this country to reach the moon, I intend to have a journey to planet Earth about sustainable and renewable energy. By the year 2010, I'll call upon Americans to assist in creating a program, not only of conservation, but of moving to renewable energy, away from oil, nuclear and coal, and towards wind and solar and geothermal, green hydrogen and biomass.”^[15]

Immigration

In 2004, Kucinich said that, “We also ought to agree that there ought to be amnesty for anyone who has been working in this country and would otherwise be denied rights.” He got a 0% rating from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, mostly because of his ardent support for a path for citizenship for illegal immigrants. Kucinich also does not support the building of a fence between Mexico and the United States border. He also voted against a bill that would help in hospital’s reporting of illegal alien’s treatment^[16].

Democratic Primary Campaign

Support

On December 11, 2006, Dennis Kucinich announced that he would again run for the Democrat presidential nomination. Seen as a lower tier candidate, Kucinich lashed out at his Democrat opponents, calling them hypocritical for funding the Iraq War, “Trust in the Democratic Party is on the line... What kind of credibility will our party have if we say we are opposed to the war, but continue to fund it?” Despite his push for the liberal base, Kucinich still remains as a lower tier candidate, poll numbers show that only 1% of Democrats voters support him^[17].

Funding

In first quarter fundraising Kucinich raised $756,567, more then 25 million behind the first quarter leader Hillary Clinton^[18]. The second quarter fundraising for Kucinich was not released by his campaign. Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel also did not release fund raising estimates^[19].

Primary Debates

After a July 2007 democrat primary debate, presidential primary candidate John Edwards said in a conversation with Hillary Clinton that "We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group.” Clinton agreed, and stated that the candidates they needed to cut were “not serious." Being a lower tier candidate, Kucinich attacked Edwards, "This is a serious matter, and I'm calling him on it," Kucinich said. "Whispering, trying to rig an election, then denying what's going on and making excuses. It all reflects a consistent lack of integrity."^[20]

References

1. ↑ http://kucinich.house.gov/Biography/
2. ↑ http://www.nndb.com/people/763/000024691/
3. ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/primaries/kucinich_bio.html
4. ↑ http://www.nndb.com/people/763/000024691/
5. ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/primaries/kucinich_bio.html
6. ↑ http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-enrich022003.asp National Review, “Kucinich Choice”
7. ↑ http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-enrich022003.asp National Review, “Kucinich Choice”
8. ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june03/kucinich_05-29.html
9. ↑ NBC News Debate Transcript, http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-042607-krg-debate_part1.1023b3ba.html
10. ↑ Votes and statements on foreign policy, http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Dennis_Kucinich_Foreign_Policy.htm, NBC News Debate Transcript, http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-042607-krg-debate_part1.1023b3ba.html
11. ↑ NBC News Debate Transcript, http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-042607-krg-debate_part1.1023b3ba.html
12. ↑ On the Issues, http://www.ontheissues.org/Government_Reform.htm#Dennis_Kucinich
13. ↑ http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Dennis_Kucinich_Free_Trade.htm
14. ↑ http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Dennis_Kucinich_Gun_Control.htm
15. ↑ http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Dennis_Kucinich_Energy_+_Oil.htm
16. ↑ http://www.ontheissues.org/Dennis_Kucinich_VoteMatch.htm
17. ↑ Poll Numbers, http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08dem.htm
18. ↑ http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/democrat-obama-nears-clinton-first-quarter/story.aspx?guid=%7B841BDC61-B47D-4A74-87DB-1D3D49961CF4%7D
19. ↑ http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/tag/second-quarter-fundraising/
20. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/13/AR2007071301891.html?hpid=sec-politics

External Links

• Congressional Website