Why voting for Kucinich is the ONLY option TODAY

[jmatthan]

Watching the Democratic nomination race from the European Arctic as a international citizen, one wonders how the US Democrats can even think there is another acceptable candidate to Kucinich.

Several threads have shown the very sharp differences between Kucinich and the other two leading candidates. That is something for you to sort out.

However, the most important reason appears to have been left out.

America is now a PARIAH amongst the nations of the world. Its policies are aggressive and not in any way endearing to the community of nations. How do the two leading candidates, Kerry and Edwards bridge this gap?

I have not seen a single statement which makes them seem humble to the world and to bring America back into the world community with any degree of respect.

The way to rid the world of terrorism is by dialogue and an even hand. The power of the sword will never get rid of terrorism. More troops here, there, and everywhere will never rid the world of terrorists. Force breeds more force and it will be against Americans.

The only person who has stood consistently to bring back the greatness of America to be the leader of the world has been Kucinich.

Bush claimed to be a uniter and has proven to be nothing but a divider.

Can anyone explain how the two candidates Kerry and Edwards will be uniters and not continue the work of Bush as a divider. In that lies your answer as for whom you should cast your vote, a very important vote, TODAY.

I have great faith in Mike Malloy who has consistently said that the ONLY Liberal in this race is Dennis Kucinich. And every major American liberal personality I have heard has been over-zealous in praising Dennis Kucinich.

Ignore them at your peril.

Remember that you are now electing a leader for the FREE WORLD and not JUST for America.

Jacob Matthan
http://www.findians.com/educated.html
Oulu, Finland

[Dookus]

1. Nope...

just checked my sample ballot. There are other options.

[LWolf]

21. But none of them

offer the opportunity that Dennis Kucinich does. I want to change my country for the better. I want my country to serve the needs of her people.

Many choices, but only one stands out as offering that hope. Dennis Kucinich.

[MurikanDemocrat]

2. Lemme think about it.... No.

[Syrinx]

3. Vote Kucinich if you want to

But I hope (and think) the majority of Democratic Americans will vote for a candidate that will be able to win the general election. Personally, I think Edwards has a much better shot at beating Bush than Kerry does. But whoever the Democrats nominate is who I'll be voting for. Priority number one: Send Bush Packing. Period.

[revcarol]

6. Believe he is from Finland.(?)

Giving us the view from another nation.He doesn't vote here, but does have a stake in our election, as do the rest of the nations and the peoples of the world.

[Syrinx]

8. okay

So perhaps he doesn't understand the process here. We MUST rid ourselves of the influence of the evil Bush family once and for all. And if that means voting for someone I'm not swooning over (Kerry, or even Edwards) I'm going to do that.

[revcarol]

4. Yes. and Yes. and Yes.

We are about to choose the most powerful person in the world.

The leading candidate believes in pre-emptive war.He wants to continue the war in Iraq. He believes that we can continue to use the world to produce profits for the corporations, with oonly window dressing to be changed.He would continue the "everything Israel does is right regardless of international law or human rights and the Palestinians should just suffer.

I am afraid for my country and for the world, should this man be elected. Bush sent respect for the United States into the toilet, and Kerry would just keep us in the toilet bowl instead of being flushed down.

A man of peace, negotiation, diplomacy who respects other nations and peoples while keeping us strong is what we need right now.Kucinich is the ONLY one.

I think of that statue of liberty in Tienamen Square, and I think of the man who stood alone in front of the tank and I think how low we have sunk in the estimation of the world. Kucinich is the only one who can restore this former respect.

Thank you for your view from the "outside." Pray for us. We're going to need it.

[Indiana_Dem]

5. I'm doing it! n/t

[Lexingtonian]

7. LOL, jmatthan!

Nice try.

In practice the choice is between Edwards (conservative), Kucinich (more Left than liberal), and Kerry (moderate liberal) among Democrats. Then Nader (Left but not liberal) and Bush (Right).

Obviously this country and the world are worst off letting the American Right prevail (again). The American Left and American conservatives are clearly not up to doing competently what will be necessary either.

As you can even see on DU, it's an unhappy learning process, but American voters are rejecting the candidates of the Left and the conservative wings of the Party. The Party and its base are becoming more liberal again.

[tinanator]

25. labels and assertions

equally useless when it is time to do the right thing for all concerned.

[Old and In the Way]

9. DK will make a great House Majority Leader!

[David__77]

10. I am voting for him tomorrow in CA.

So is my spouse. I know that Dennis will not be the nominee. Both Kerry and Edwards are good. But as a progressive, I want to register support for someone who reflects a progressive agenda and really gets to the heart of the matter. And as a gay man, I want to register support for a candidate who support marriage equality.

I'm not voting for him because I want some sort of divisive convention, but because we need to build a new progressive mass movement that is absolutely 100% on the offensive ideologically and will not buy into the right's political traps.

And Kucinich is a true representative of the working class who knows that class politics are of decisive importance. We have to fight the GOP class offensive with a popular class counteroffensive.

[scarletwoman]

18. Building a "new Progressive mass movement" -- YES!

That is precisely why I am voting for Kucinich! This is the PRIMARY, I don't have to suck it up and vote ABB until November, THIS vote is for what I REALLY want!

It's time for we progressives to stand up for ourselves and for our vision of what the U.S. could be if true equality, social justice, and an enlightened policy of People before profits were the norm instead of "fringe".

This is my message: a MUCH better world is possible -- and it begins with US!

sw

[countmyvote4real]

11. I am voting DK. It's the primary. It's not a time to rollover.

Does he have a chance to win? I doubt it. This is the United fucked up States of America that even bothers to vote about real issues. It's even worse in the GE.

So, if I can at least make a slight imprint to register my preference for progress, this is my only chance. In the GE, I'll have to salute phony baloney ABB (except Nader).

I'm a good soldier when it comes down to it, but this is the primary. We need universal single payer health care. That should be in the constitution, if it's not already implied. It also strongly suggests that equal is equal. Fuck Kerry and Edwards for playing it safe and to leave that up to the states to decide who gets to be equal in America. Their rhetoric is so blah, blah, blah.

I will have to curse my GE ABB vote, so this is my only chance to say, "I told you so."

I'm voting DK.

[Piperay]

12. I'm voting for Kucinich

I know that he won't get the nomination but I want to have my vote register for someone who is not one of the in crowd and since Clark is out of the running my vote in the CA Primary goes to DK! :-)

[jsw_81]

13. No thanks

The fact of the matter is that Dennis Kucinich is a fringe nobody who only appeals to a tiny segment of the American electorate: the fringe left.

He is NOT electable and will NEVER be president. Deal with it.

[DemBones DemBones]

22. A fringe nobody who only appeals to the fringe left?

NOT electable? Will NEVER be president? Deal with it?

Pretty harsh words. . . still pissed about the debate when Dennis brought up Kerry's call for 400,000 more troops, and Kerry's IWR vote? Truth hurts?

You know, I've been willing to forgive Kerry's IWR vote, but if Kerry supporters start putting on attitude towards DK, who's the most honest man running, my spirit of forgiveness and Democratic loyalty could evaporate.

John Kerry will need us fringe lefties, tiny segment of the electorate that we may be, in November. It would hurt him if we stayed home or voted for Nader or a third party candidate. Maybe it's not too SMART for Kerry supporters to piss us off.

[Evil_Dewers]

29. "John Kerry will need us fringe lefties.

tiny segment of the electorate that we may be, in November. It would hurt him if we stayed home or voted for Nader or a third party candidate. Maybe it's not too SMART for Kerry supporters to piss us off."

---

I'm sick of being "threatened" by the Deaniacs, Naderites and Kucinichians. Hey, to cut your own throats to spite us really is suicidal.

Do whatever you want, but I don't ever want to hear you bitch about Bush again if he wins.

[tinanator]

26. so who are you looking to influence

and how?

[asthmaticeog]

35. Your agressive rhetoric

is pointless, but telling. You sound defensive, you insult your opposition and you SHOUT your negatives. Take a deep breath.

I voted for Kucinich today. I know fully well that he'll never be president. And I'm to the left of the mainstream, certainly, but I'm hardly fringe - I make my SUV payments on time every time and I don't reflexively hate police officers. I voted for Dennis Kucinich because I hope he can make it to the convention with enough delegates to shape the party's platform. In the debates I've seen, neither Kerry nor Edwards seemed able to give a direct answer to a straightforward question if you put their balls in a vise. I don't trust these wafflers, these dissemblers to develop the party platform without any checks from the party's progessive wing. If this scenario doesn't happen (it may well not), I can "deal with it" just fine - will of the voters, I won't argue the point, and whoever the nominee is has my vote locked up this November. But I voted for Dennis today, because this is the primary and he'd be the kind of presidential I'd like my country to have. It's my vote, I didn't waste it because casting it achieved my objective for it, and your hostility makes me sad for this party.

[Mairead]

14. Well said, Jacob, thank you!

And to the folks who are voting DK: Thank you, too. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we DO win? If we can get the word out, it's still not too late--Kerry only has 1/6 of the votes so far, 1/3 of what he needs for the barest majority.

We could win, we really could. And wouldn't THAT be a treat, hearing the pundits try to spin it!

[jsw_81]

15. No, you couldn't

Kucinich would have to win something like 90 percent of the remaining delegates to win the nomination. It ain't gonna happen.

[lcordero]

16. It's the ONLY option for me

After I vote for him, later on tonight there will be one less Democrat and one more independent on the voter rolls...that will be me.

[RebelOne]

17. I'm in Georgia and I will be voting today for Kucinich.

[snoochie]

19. Thanks for that post, Jacob

The whole world is watching us.

I'm voting for Kucinich next week.

[Mairead]

20. That's really something to remember: the whole world is watching

Thanks for the reminder, Snoochie!

[Desertrose]

23. probably with baited breath,too

lets show em that we have a clue!


I wish I could vote again for DK...and who knows. maybe I'll get a chance !

DK ...we need you!!!!


Peace
DR

[Mairead]

36. Yeah, I bet!

Department of Nearly-Complete Non-Sequiturs: I wonder how it ended up being spelled 'baited'. That always conjures up the image of a cat's sardine breath.

[redqueen]

38. 'bate' isn't very common - so the more common 'bait' is used

I think only 'abated' is frequently used now.

Yeah I know, I'm a nerd. :)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. I'll be voting for Kucinich

in my precinct caucus tonight.

For the first time since 1972, I'm actually proud to vote for my candidate instead of saying, "Well, at least he's not a Republican."

[frogbison]

28. I wrote to voters in New Hampshire...

called voters in Ohio, showed my support with a yard sign and bumper sticker, my signature in all emails said: "To learn more about a presidential candidate with a clear vision to restore America as a land of integrity and a beacon of hope for the world, visit http://www.kucinich.us/"

I still don't feel that I have done near enough to get the BEST man elected to the presidency. (Thanks to all who have worked so hard.) But, today, I did one other thing, I voted my heart, I voted for Dennis Kucinich,

And you should too!

(edited for spelling)

[redqueen]

27. Damn straight! The Whole Word is Watching!

If Kerry's got it so locked up, vote for someone who sends a message that you want more than just continuation of the status quo!


US Representative Dennis J. Kucinich
New York City
Saturday, February 15, 2003

Inner Space

One of the Columbia astronauts is said to have looked upon the earth from the silence of outer space and said to fellow voyagers: "Look! The whole world is reflected in the iris of my eye." As she watched the whole world, the whole world is watching us to see what is reflected in our eyes, the light of peace or the fires of war. We who gather carry a vision of peace. We see the world as one. We carry a vision of human unity. We see the world undivided. Today and tomorrow we act on that vision.

To those leaders in our country struggling in inner space, those who have war in their eyes and in their hearts and would project it upon the world: The whole world is watching. "Look, the whole world is reflected in the iris of my eye." America is reflected in the irises of billions of eyes. The whole world is watching to see if the power of our morality is greater than the power which would unleash our weapons. Peaceful coexistence or war. The whole world is watching. A fist or an open hand. The whole world is watching. First use of nuclear weapons or leadership in global disarmament. The whole world is watching. Bombs or bread to the Iraqi people, to the Iranian people, to the North Korean people. The whole world is watching.

Some in the name of peace, prepare us for war, in the name of liberty, prepare us for submission, in the name of courage, prepare us to be fearful. Let all Americans challenge war, submission and fear! Some power has ruled there is no permit to march today. Yet we are on the march. The direction of peace is forward! We are on the march. The direction of human unity is forward! We are on the march. The direction of political change is forward. We are on the march. We will either bring an end to war or we will bring an end to a war-like administration. We are on the march!

Two hundred and fourteen years ago the First Congress standing upon the holy ground of a new Constitution met in this city. Their permit came from the Declaration of Independence. The same High Power which entrusted them entrusts us with the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. We call upon the Spirit of the Founders to guide us as we create a new world where all may live in peace.

The United States, brought forth by the power of human unity, seeks to be reborn. We invoke the Spirit of Freedom. We hear the cadence of courage echo across the ages: "Life, Liberty, pursuit of Happiness." Once again, the hour has come for us to stand for unity, even as our government tells us we must follow it into war. Once again the hour has come for us to be strong of heart. The direction of human unity is forward. We are on the march. It is our government which must follow, or be swept aside. Thank you.

[RichM]

30. You're right, Jacob, but most US Democrats don't understand the

situation as well as you do. If you grow up in the US, you get brainwashed without realizing it. It's not unusual for Europeans to understand what the US is all about, better than most Americans do.

There's a connection between the aggressiveness of American policy, which you mentioned, and the aggression that saturates American culture. This is reflected in American attitudes like a desire to win at all costs, even if you have to sacrifice all principles to do so. This gives rise to what Democrats here now call "electability."

Given a choice between a physically short man with great visionary ideas, and a tall distinguished-looking man with mediocre conformist ideas, Americans will vote for the latter every time, while cruelly ridiculing & laughing at the former.

For the most part, America is a nation of ignorant bullies and cowards. We can be relied upon to make the most selfish & short-sighted choices, almost every time. As a people, we really don't deserve a Dennis Kucinich. We deserve a George W. Bush, or a Bush enabler like Kerry. It's a shame that the rest of the world is going to have to suffer with the results of our gutlessness & mediocrity.

[goodhue]

31. sad but true

But it can all change in a moment.
No point waiting for america to wake up.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
Vote Kucinich!

[Mairead]

37. "we are the ones we have been waiting for"

What a beautiful insight--it's positively zen-like!

Thank you!

[Donkey007]

32. I will vote Kucinich or Sharpton if Clark

is not on the ballet in my state. Wouldn't that be a hoot....if everyone voted for Kucinich on the "WHat the hell" issue and he won. :hi: :kick:

[Desertrose]

33. DK kick

:kick:

[dpbrown]

34. Boy, you got that right.

The US is out of the world community.

DK is the option for getting back in.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[RebelOne]

39. I just returned from voting for DK.

Even though I know he doesn't have a chance of being nominated, I thought I would show my support for him. Cause it look like Kerry is going to have a clean sweep of all the Southern states.