Candidate supporter questions: Kucinich

[cindyw]

In the interest of calling for civility here, I am posting a separate thread for three of the candidates. If you are a supporter of the other candidates, I urge you to copy this thread and post for your candidate. If you are a supporters answer the following questions.

1)How will your candidate fix the Iraq war situation? Will he pull the troops out? Should the president continue to have sole authority to run this war? How does this war relate to the broader War on Terrorism?

2)How will your candidate fix the economy? How does his ideas sit if the economy improves with out without jobs returning? Does he have a larger plan for economic fairness?

3)How will your candidate lead on the issue of civil rights? Affirmative action, GLBT issues, Patriot act, etc.

4)How will your candidate deal with energy and environment issues? How does this relate back to the issue of jobs?

[redqueen]

1. Some answers:

1)How will your candidate fix the Iraq war situation? Will he pull the troops out? Should the president continue to have sole authority to run this war? How does this war relate to the broader War on Terrorism?

Kucinich's plan with respect to the Iraq war situation is to immediately concede to the UN's member states' demands regarding control over Iraq, in order to gain more administrative, military and economic assistance. He will pull as many troops out as possible, as he recognizes that the American presence in Iraq is the one causing the most hostility. I don't think Kucnich ever believed that a President should have sole authority on war. He has written a great article on the subject (What I learned from the War - this is about the Balkans but addresses the same subject -- control of war).

As to the War on Terror, I belive that Kucinch's vision is to eliminate the reasons for terrorism. I think he recognizes, as many do, that we have the tools to combat terrorism already, but that they're being used ineffectively. I think he alone sees to the root of the problem, that it is the impression of the US as a country who wants to dominate, not work with, other countries; and a country who plays by a different set of rules.


2)How will your candidate fix the economy? How does his ideas sit if the economy improves with out without jobs returning? Does he have a larger plan for economic fairness?

Kucinich believes that we need to invest in America, and in Americans. By creating new public works projects, the same kind of deficit spending FDR used to lift us out of the depression, we'll be providing jobless Americans and their families with income that will drive the economy. The consumer dollar is 2/3 of the economy, so the growth will be nearly immeidate. This kind of 'bubble up' economics works much better than tax cuts (trickle down, or voodoo economics).

He also belives that we should re-invest some of the money by taking it from wasteful programs headed by the Pentagon (V-22 Osprey etc) and instead channel that towards pre-K programs that will not only help working mothers by providing child care so they can work instead of worry about how to pay for expensive daycare services; but will also help in getting children into head start type programs without having the applicants jump through hoops to 'prove eligibility'.

If the economy improves without the job situation improving, it won't make a difference since the drain on social services programs and food banks will not go away, no matter how many are dropped off the unemployment statistics or fall of the jobless claims numbers.

As to his larger plan of economic fairness, I believe Kucinich has mentioned tying CEO incomes to a multiple of the workers', but I'm not sure how solid a plan that is... he tends to come up with a lot of ideas, that aren't really fleshed out, more like he's just brainstorming. However I know he does believe that lower income and average Americans are being unfairly burdened due to loopholes like the offshoring of corporate HQ's.


3)How will your candidate lead on the issue of civil rights? Affirmative action, GLBT issues, Patriot act, etc.

There's so much to address here...

For LGBT issues and more on civil rights, click here.

Affirmative Action is something he firmly defends, and he has been a leader in the fight against the Patriot Act, and has already authored legislation to counter it (Ben Franklin Patriot Act).


4)How will your candidate deal with energy and environment issues? How does this relate back to the issue of jobs?

This is arguably one of the issues he is the most passionate about, because as he is so fond of pointing out, he sees the world as interconnected. All the filth we're spewing into the air and water is becoming us. We breathe that air, and drink and swim and literally absorb that water. We cannot divorce ourselves from what we're doing to the planet.

That being the case, Kucinich believes that a major investment in our future should be charging NASA with a mission to help the private sector to develop clean, renewable energy options (wind, wave, solar, etc.) This will not only start our weaning from oil and coal, but will also provide the newest technology and provide jobs in developing and manufacturing the tools for that technology.


I hope this has been helpful. :)

For more information, interested parties can click here. Or here. (Thanks, Tinoire!)

[JohnKleeb]

2. Good answer redqueen

I loved "What I learned from the Balkans", I have family in that region myself. Oh on jobs I may add, some problems simliar to FDR's WPA's programs, I think that was the WPA, and the CCC. He wants to rebuilt the country too. Great man and candiate thats why I support him. Yes thank you Tiniore, that was great, shes so awesome, if theres anyone other than DK himself to thank for getting me involved with Kucinich for president, its her. :yourock: Your hard work and devoution to a peaceful world and your fatih will pay off I know.

[Thomas Jefferson]

3. Kucinich's positions as I understand them

1) He will stop the profiteering in Iraq and turn the authority for the contracts over to the U.N. and the Iraqi people. This will pave the way for the U.N. to replace our troops with theirs. They won't do it currently because of the profiteering. Iraq does not relate to the broader war on terrorism except that it makes everyone madder at the U.S. and more likely to attack us. Ending the profiteering and pulling our troops out will make it safer at home and elsewhere as fewer people will hate us.

2)He will start fixing the economy by eliminating repealing the upper class tax cuts and cutting the pork. A lot of contractors are getting a lot of money for programs that don't work, such as Star Wars. Dennis has seen the reports showing which programs are absolute failures. There is also a lot of profiteering going on in the awarding of contracts. By cutting all this, Dennis will have more than enough money to provide for the programs he wants to put in place, such as Universal Health Care and college for all kids as well as increasing funds to current programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, etc. He is planning an extensive works programs similar to the one that put people back to work during the time of FDR.

He is the only candidate who wants to repeal NAFTA and withdraw from the WTO and thereby bring jobs back to America.

3) Dennis is the author of the Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act which repeals USA-PATRIOT. Earlier this year he included his repeal of the sneak and peek provisions of USA-PATRIOT as part of the commerce bill. This passed the House by over a 2/3 margin. He is the only candidate who voted against USA-PATRIOT.

Dennis is the only candidate who will use Roe v. Wade as a litmus test for judicial nominees. The others may or may not appoint anti-choice justices.

He is pro-affirmative action.

His Department of Peace will change the way Americans treat Americans and others. It will create a whole new climate of respect within the United States.

4)Dennis is one of the strongest environmentalists in Congress. He opposed Yucca Mountain. Dean pushed for Yucca and Edwards voted for it. Dennis intends to make the environment a priority and this will also create jobs as a result of switching from fossil fuels to alternate safe energy sources. Dennis is also pro-environmental in his oposition to the nuclear build-up. The Haniford nuclear weapons plant contaminated most of southern Washington and northern Oregon and this type of garbage won't happen under Dennis.

[redqueen]

4. Whoa

How could I have forgotten to mention getting rid of NAFTA / WTO?!

D'oh!

Thanks TJ, great job! :)

[cindyw]

5. I just love Kucinich supporters. Always able to keep up with a positive

opportunity!

[JohnKleeb]

6. Thanks

Feeling quite good after explaining why I have supported him. One of the reasons why I like him is that he has many "specialities" one could call Gephardt for example's speciality would be labor or lets say health care. Dennis has many of these, thats why I support him, he fights for civil rights hard, workers rights, the environment, and much more. Its not easy being down in the polls but having this man as a candiate is just about the best feeling, hes so likable and I respect him highly.

[redqueen]

7. Woohoo!

:D

I'm so energized today... don't know what it is... but thanks for your compliment. :)

I wish there were a dancin' smiley, cause that's what I feel like doin' right now!

:grouphug:

[JohnKleeb]

8. Yep

I feel great today. I feel like singing lol and I hate to sing.

[redqueen]

9. My gramma would say, "That's the Spirit in ya!"

That's great to hear... when you're not into singing but your heart feels that elation... what else can compare with that?!

[JohnKleeb]

10. I would probably sing I dont know really

I know. Music really helps ya know. I think his book is gonna help him out for the good really. I am gonna read it and I am so happy really at the moment. For all our tough breaks I think overall we are doing good, being that you know maybe people are liking him more than the polls show, I sure do hope so, but also that hes speaking out on things that the others dont dream about.