what do you think of this platform by presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich?

Question

2008 Presidential campaign
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Kucinich to run for U.S. presidentOn December 11, 2006 in a speech delivered at Cleveland City Hall, Kucinich announced he would seek the nomination of the Democratic Party for President in 2008. [1]

His Platform for 2008 Includes:

Creating a single-payer system of universal health care that provides full coverage for all Americans.
The Immediate Withdrawal of All U.S. Forces from Iraq and replacing them with an international security force.
Guaranteed Quality Education for All, including Free Pre-K and College for All who want it.
Immediate withdrawal from the WTO ( World Trade Organization )and NAFTA ( North America Free Trade Agreement).
Repealing the USA PATRIOT Act.
Fostering a World of International Cooperation.
Abolishing the Death Penalty.
Environmental renewal and clean energy.
Preventing the privatization of social security.
Providing Full social security benefits at age 65.

Creating a cabinet-level "Department of Peace"
Ratifying the ABM Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.
Introducing reforms to bring about instant-runoff voting.
Protecting a Woman's Right-to-Choose while decreasing the number of abortions performed in the U.S.
Ending the war on drugs.
Legalizing same-sex marriage.
Creating a balance Between Workers and Corporations.
Restoring Rural Communities and Family Farms. more info at the website below..what parts of his platform do you like or dislike?

http://kucinich.us/

I would not consider it hot air since he votes and introduces bills in accordance with his beliefs and he is thought to be the most honest and highly principled man in congress. I meet him and heard him speak a number of times and he is the most highly principled person I ever met and I'm in my mid 50's. He may not get to impliment it due to the powers that be, but he is NOT full of hot air.

well over 50% want to leave Iraq..something like 26% immediately and 36% within a year I just read this poll an hour ago so so he is not outside the mainstream since that's about 2/3rds of the country. Ohio is trying to get universal health care on the ballot and it is much cheaper (even the government accountability office says( than what we have now.. there are plenty of people who do not think they are bad ideas.

as stated universal health care is cheaper than what we have now. I gathered about 1200 petition signatures for universal health care act and I forget figures ut in Ohio alone we would save multi millions in savings from ceo salaries and insurance profitsd and paperwork see this website for details and answers to common questions.
http://spanohio.org/content/view/37/78/

in previous election, he planned to cut 20% from the military budget to fund free health care, college, and preschool, and other needs and still had tons to spare.

he is hardly a moran. It was widely stated in numerous articles last election (I read over 600 pages of articles on him) that he was easily the most intelligent candidate running. I am the parent of two gifted kids and wanted to teach gifted kids (but no jobs) and did many observations at numerous gifted classes and am VERY adept picking it out as many relaives are gifted and he is highly gifted. He sees possibilities that you are blind to and he not only has wonderful ieas, he has foresight and common sense. I think ou just parrot your druggie talk show hosts.

Jamie as US congress' only and longtime vegan, Dennis has a personal belief on many environmental issues. His issues stances are discussed more fully at his website kucinich.us

if you forget the website..you can reach it by typing thenextpresident.info also

under Bush we have 20% more abortions and it is at the highest rate ever since roe v wade. This is because 20% of abortions are done for economic reasons. If a person has no job, works 2 or 3 low paying jobs or has no medical insurance they are less likety to choose life. Just by voting and having democrats in power, 880 unborn lives a day are saved. Democratic policies save more more life than Republican rhetoric, but prolifers would rather choose people who talk prolife but whose policies lead to more death. In addition, I believe Kucinich is hoping to via his dept of peace and teaching children from a young age peace concepts that when they are older they will be more likely to chose life.

Answer 1

His Platform for 2008 Includes:

Creating a single-payer system of universal health care that provides full coverage for all Americans.

YES wonderful--we are one of only 2 civilized nations without it..it is badly needed..45 million have no health care, many millions are underinsured, and many pay way too high co-pays and deductables and as you explained the governments studies show it is cheaper than what we have now. It is the greed of the medical industry and insurance that keep us from it and cheaper drugs than the ones the same companies give to Canada


The Immediate Withdrawal of All U.S. Forces from Iraq and replacing them with an international security force.

YES--This is the mandate politicians received from the people in November..thanks for pointing out the statistic of those many Americans who agree with him..as a representative, his job is to represent the wishes of the people...and getting out of Iraq is CLEARLY the wish of the American people. Not only has Dennis voted against the war, but he is the only presidential candidate with the consistency with his anti-war beliefs to ALSO vote against funding the war appropriations.


Guaranteed Quality Education for All, including Free Pre-K and College for All who want it.

YES- also badly needed as education costs rise and less people can afford coolege. Since our technological and advancing world requires higher levels of education, and since education is the only proven way out of poverty, it needs to be given a much higher priority in politics than it currently is..this will also help schools since people don't want to fund due to property taxes rising..our money should be spent on this worthy goal instead of killing people.

immediate withdrawal from the WTO ( World Trade Organization )and NAFTA ( North America Free Trade Agreement).

YES-- absolutely,,this is taking away our jobs and competitive edge and badly hurting America as so many jobs are outsourced.


Repealing the USA PATRIOT Act.

YES--this is a nightmare..if not revoked needs to be extremely revised Ben Franklin said that "those who give up essential freedoms for a little security deserve neither."


Fostering a World of International Cooperation.

YES, via his dept of peace idea and reparations he wants to give. Our place as a world leader--a city on the hill has dropped--many now hate america since Bush took over and this puts us at added risks of terrorist attacks. America needs to demonstrate to the world a sense of diplomancy and co-operation rather than a big bully like it does now.


Abolishing the Death Penalty.

NO but we do need to make the justice system more equitable and provide non-oerworked public defenders or limit their caseloads, so that the poor and minorities do not disproportionately receive the death penalty while the rich do not.


Environmental renewal and clean energy.

yes..badly needed and rarely talked about by candidates. We need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and go to alternative energy. We need to break up factory farms and their enviromental damage and return to the safer and more humanely raised animals and animal products and organigally grown and safe produce. Profit needs to be lessoned in food manufacturing if it is done at the detriment of the envionment and people's health. Global warming needs to be addressed. GMO and non reproducing seeds in the hands of people like Monsanto needs to be outlawed until vigerous testing proves they pose no threat to the environment and health. There is a myriad of issues to be addressed here.

Preventing the privatization of social security.

YES--this will ruin this program if it is privatised...so many people paid into S.S. for years and this could very possibly harm the many old and disabled people and their quality of life


Providing Full social security benefits at age 65.

YES--just the other day, my republican brother agreed with this ..we are getting more and more education and working to later and later years to the detriment of our families and health. We need to rethink our priorities.

Creating a cabinet-level "Department of Peace"

YES--this comprehensive program would help prevent violence in the home, community, racial and police violence, and prevent world conflicts via diplomacy etc. It even has a section for animal abuse..He wants to spend 1% of military budet..a small price to address the rampant violence in the home, community, and nation, and world that ruins so many lives. I heard him explain it once and it was so visionary.

Ratifying the ABM Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.

YES--we should not be one of the few nations not signing onto the kyoto and call ourselves a leader whwn we take a backseat to reducing emissions..we come across as so selfish and we violated so many of our treaties This needs to be rectified..if we violate multiple treaties we signed as we did under Bush, how can we expect other nationss not to do the same. This is quite hypocritical.

Introducing reforms to bring about instant-runoff voting.

YES -So important--this is crucial to having a viable 3rd party allowing people to vote their conscience but, at the same time, not hurt their 2nd choice and help their last choice by default giving people a choice and seeing the real numbers of people who would support a 3rd party candidates if not worried about helping accidentally the opposition party. This will enable us to place in office honest and enthusiastic people with real ideas for positive change by replacing the leaders in both parties who are corrupt, party tools, and under the thumb of corporations. IRV is so important to reviving our democracy and country and also making it a real democracy..

Protecting a Woman's Right-to-Choose while decreasing the number of abortions performed in the U.S.

NO although working to reduce the number of abortions is great, I am a very prolife liberal. I feel abortion is wrong. At the same time, people need to have compassion and aid for the women in these crises situations..I believe this can be done better than it is and realize that abortion will likely not be reversed in multiplee years..in the menatime, we are working to reduce abortions.

Ending the war on drugs.

Yes--but I don't see how we would, but would like to hear his thoughts on it-

legalizing same-sex marriage.

no but I would still vote for him as this is not by far the most important issues and if it happened, I'd be ok with it. I have given this issue a lot of thought and my thoughts are not as oppsed as I opnce was as I reevaluate my beliefs with time, knowledge, and compassion.

Creating a balance Between Workers and Corporations.

yes--it is so out of balance, it isn't funny..this is not government of, for, and by the people anymore but of, for, and by the corporations. Balance is badly needed and it takes courage for a politician to say so in the current environment of money taking such a huge place in the altering of elections.

Restoring Rural Communities and Family Farms.

yes, agribusinesses are ruining the country and food not to mention cruel to the animals. They are causing huge environmental damge and unsanitary as well as creating monopolies over free market systems.

So in conclusion, he is the ideal candidate..excellent platform and smart, honest, compassionate as well. We need to fight for what we want, rather than dismiss it as impossible. Nothing is impossible if people fight and pray and work for it.

Go Dennis!!

Answer 2

I support it 100%, also I think his best idea was his 2011 National Emergency Employment Defence Act that would have brought the Federal Reserve under control of the Treasury.


Kucinich is a Democrat in the tradition of FDR-JFK-LBJ, A real Democrat.

He should have been elected, Kucinich as President, with Elizabeth Warren as Vice-President, that is a dream ticket!.

Ron Paul can be secretary of State.

Answer 3

As an Ohioan i have to say. No way.

Sure he has a few good ideas, but he swamps them with the bad ideas.

Universal Health care - bad
Leaving Iraq - Bad
Quality Education - Ok, not a bad idea, but he will want more money for a system that already could work well with the funds it has.
WTO and NAFTA - Bad
Patriot act repeal - Egad a bad idea
International Cooperation- Great wonderful.
Death Penalty - Good idea, but i think he'll make it more costly and ineffective.
Privatization of Social Security- Social Security didn't work for my great grand mother and under the present ideals it will most certainly not work for me.
Bennies at 65 - Great idea, but total pipe dream.

I am sure that he is a nice guy, great dinner conversation but i would not vote for him on this platform.

Answer 4

How can he GUARANTEE that the soldiers in Iraq are replaced with an international security force? As if an american president has the authority to commit the soldiers of others nations to a place he decides.Kucinich can say all he wants, he'll never get elected. End of story.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

I'd like to see how he plans to pay for the health care, environmental renewal, and social security aspects. It's one thing to make grand statements; it's another to actually acomplish them.
As for trade, Kucinich and his protectionist compatriots (like Sherrod Brown) simply don't understand economics. Pulling out of the WTO and NAFTA is bad news. Protectionism was a large part of the cause of the Great Depression.
In Iraq, where does he expect this international security force to come from?
What does he plan to do to bring about this world of international cooperation (while decreasing international trade)?
And the school crap is straight out of the former Soviet Union's constitution. Maybe we could establish farm collectives and govern ourselves through local soviets all subject to the larger supreme soviet. Then in fifty to seventy-five years we, too, could live in the wonderful paradise that is Russia today.
Kucinich is a moron.

Answer 7

Sounds wonderful............many of the issues are not something the President can bring about without strong non partisan support in Congress which is unlikely....

We tried to get an international force in Iraq whenb we wnet in....few takers....

Free education for all is a great concept!! Who's footing the bill?

Healthcare for all is equally appealing!! Who's paying for that??

Ditto for full SS benefits...how do we pay for that as SS has fewer & fewer folks paying in?

Sounds like a lot of pie in the sky promises he can't reasonably hope to deliver upon......that's my take....& I'm a liberal optomist who believes in reaching for the sky....BUT

Answer 8

He is my PERFECT candidate, but I'll never get to vote gor hime.

He's too far from the center for the Democratic powers to accept.

Answer 9

HATE
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Creating a single-payer system of universal health care (It will NEVER work. I support making health care affordable for the poor and regulating out-of-control costs of pharmaceutical companies and medical supplies.)

Preventing the privatization of social security.
(We should be encouraged to have both, not get rid of it entirely because the elitists of course will be taken care of and poorer people will get screwed.)

Abolishing the death penalty. (We need to reform our prisoners though, so prison is not a revolving door.)

LOVE
--------------------------------------------
Guaranteed Quality Education for All, including Free Pre-K and College for All who want it.
(I love this and our country can and should afford it because we should focus on technology and producing a more intelligent workforce.)

Ratifying the ABM Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.
(Yes! Please SOMEONE do something about our environment!)

Ending the war on drugs.
(You can't win wars on nouns. i.e. terrorism!)

Answer 10

"Here comes Santa Clause, here comes Santa Clause, right down Santa Clause Lane. ......"

Seriously though, I have only one thing to say about his abortion stance.

HOW does he plan on reducing the number of abortions being performed??? What kind of magic trick can cause a reduction? One of the most basic tenets of feminism is that the right to have an abortion is part-and-parcel of the (alledged) "right to privacy." They also proclaim (at a very high decible level) "Keep your laws off my body!!" If Dennis Kucinich has some kind of plan to reduce the number of abortions being performed, what is that plan and how can he accomplish it without violating that (alledged) "right to privacy" ???