Here is Kucinich's policy, taken from his website:
Dennis Kucinich's support of equal rights and civil rights for the GLBT community is unsurpassed by any presidential candidate. Indeed, he
entered Congress in the mid-'90s after defeating a Republican incumbent by confronting and overcoming GOP "appeals to anti-gay bigotry," in the words of the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Review. The incumbent had sought to make an issue of Kucinich's support for gay rights and support from Barney Frank.Today, Congressman Kucinich proudly endorses a comprehensive non-discrimination policy, including non-discrimination based on gender identity. His overriding philosophy is that same sex couples and opposite sex couples should be equal in the eyes of the law, including in marriage.
All benefits and legal entitlements available to heterosexual couples should be available to homosexual couples.
Kucinich goes further than supporting civil unions for same-sex couples at the state level; he believes that, much like the Civil Rights legislation of the 1960s,
federal law should protect civil unions, and that no state has a right to abridge basic rights to privacy.
He would support the introduction of federal civil union legislation if the courts do not recognize this intrinsic right.He
supports equal treatment of same-sex couples under Social Security survivor benefits and spousal benefits. He
supports equal adoption rights regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Ultimately, he believes gays should be allowed to marry, as a matter of "equality and justice and fairness," as he told the Boston Globe (4/26/03).He
supports domestic partner benefits to same-sex partners of employees, such as health insurance coverage and hospital visitation rights. He
supports comprehensive sex education and prevention efforts aimed at stemming the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.As President, Dennis Kucinich would end the ban on openly gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals serving in the U.S. armed forces.http://www.kucinich.us/issues/issue_gayrights.htmI'd just like to add that Kucinich represents a mostly conservative district yet managed to be elected against an incumbent Republican in 1996 despite the Republican attacking Kucinich because of his support for gay rights AND because Barney Frank was supporting Dennis.
If he can achieve that sort of win -- and repeat it every two years -- isn't it possible that he can convince the American people to vote for him despite his "too leftist" policies? He obviously can communicate his message very well in speeches and interviews (and perhaps in debates with fewer candidates, or in debates in which he is allowed an amount of time equal to that given to others.) (See footnote.) What he offers the American people with progressive stands on the Iraq war, NAFTA, universal health care, repeal of the Patriot Act, the economy, taxation, etc., will convince people that they can live with his support for gay marriage better than they can live with a lousy economy, a pointless war, etc., just for the sake of keeping the Defense of Marriage Act.
How can any American not want a president who says:
"And it’s time to reverse tax cuts that benefit the already well-to-do, and retain an estate tax. Investing $500 billion to rebuild schools, roads, bridges, ports, and sewage, water and environmental systems will do more to stimulate our economy than tax breaks for the wealthy."
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