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Dennis Kucinich on Principles & Values
Democratic Representative (OH-10); Democratic Candidate for President
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Day 1: Pull out of Iraq, NAFTA, and the WTO
Q: After the inauguration, what would be your first action as president?A: If the US occupation of Iraq has not ended, I will go to the UN for a resolution to bring our troops home in 90 days, putting the UN in control of the oil, the contracting, and
the cause of Iraqi self-governance. If this has happened, my first action will be to repeal the NAFTA, withdraw from the WTO, and replace them with bilateral trade agreements based on workers' rights, human rights, and environmental quality principles.
Source: Associated Press policy Q&A, "DAY 1"
Jan 25, 2004
Endorsed by Natural Law Party's 2000 presidential nominee
In this little pocket of Iowa, houses are built to face the rising sun, something called yogic flying is a popular pastime and Dennis Kucinich is a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. Kucinich has become a phenomenon in
Fairfield, population 9,500. Fairfield is not a typical Iowan town. The home of Maharishi University of Management and a center of the Global Country of World Peace, Fairfield and the surrounding area is home to 2,000 practitioners of Transcendental
Meditation who began settling there in the early 1970's. "The main appeal is that he has established himself vocally as a peace candidate," said John Hagelin, a Fairfield resident and the founder of the New Age-oriented Natural Law Party, who himself has
run for president several times. "This is a town dedicated to peace, to work for peace for the world and to radiate peace in the world." Hagelin has endorsed Kucinich for President.
Source: [X-ref Hagelin] Jennifer 8. Lee, New York Times
Jan 18, 2004
His campaign's lack of media coverage becomes a media story
Q: How do you feel about the lack of media attention your campaign is generating? A: The media is now covering the story of the media not covering our campaign so I think we are about to get a surge of coverage. Meanwhile, even with little
media coverage, we have been able to organize a grass roots campaign in 50 states. Just think of how fast we will take off when the media realizes that our campaign is on the verge of becoming the surprise of the 2004 primary election season.
Source: Concord Monitor / WashingtonPost.com on-line Q&A
Nov 4, 2003
Will run for House and President simultaneously
Q: Several Democratic candidates have abandoned their seats in the US Senate at a time when the party needs every seat it can get. If your presidential bid fails, will you run against Sen. George Voinovich?
A: Senator Lieberman ran for re-election to the Senate and for Vice President at the same time. Ohio law permits me to run for both the House of Representatives and President. I expect to take an oath of office at the Capitol in January of 2005.
Source: Concord Monitor / WashingtonPost.com on-line Q&A
Nov 4, 2003
A Green Democrat, but will support Dem nominee over Green
Q: Assuming that you do not win the Democratic nomination for president, and given the similarity of your positions to those of the Green Party and Ralph Nader, would you support the Green Party's presidential candidate or throw your weight towards a
more conservative Democrat? A: Ralph Nader and I have been friends for nearly thirty years. When I needed help saving Cleveland's municipal electric system 25 years ago, Ralph came forward to help. He and I share many ideals and goals.
I have a great deal of respect for the Greens and I consider myself a Green Democrat. However, I want to make the Democratic Party more relevant. That is why I am running as a Democrat. I believe my presence in the campaign is already moving the entire
party in a more progressive direction. Just think how progressive it will become when I am the nominee and when I take the oath of office. I will certainly support the Democratic nominee. It should be easy because I expect to be the Democratic nominee.
Source: Concord Monitor / WashingtonPost.com on-line Q&A
Nov 4, 2003
Favorite song: John Lennon, "Imagine"
This is for the Gen X crowd, and it's very personal. What's your favorite song?- MOSELEY BRAUN: What's my favorite song? "You Gotta Be."
- SHARPTON: My favorite song is James Brown's song on the Republican Party, "Talking Loud, Saying Nothing."
- KERRY: Bruce Springsteen, "No Surrender."
- DEAN: One you've never heard of, Wycliffe Jean, "Jaspora" [Creole for "Diaspora"]
- LIEBERMAN: Well, you know, like a good politician, I'm going to take two.
Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow, remember that one? And the classic Frank Sinatra, "My Way." We're going to do it our way in 2004.
- KUCINICH: John Lennon, "Imagine," as in imagine a new America.
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GEPHARDT: Bruce Springsteen, "Born In The USA."
- GRAHAM: Jimmy Buffet, "Changes In Attitude, Changes In Latitudes." We're going to change some attitudes and latitudes.
Source: Congressional Black Caucus Institute debate
Sep 9, 2003
Grew up poor, so is attuned to the concerns of the people
When I was growing up in Cleveland, the oldest of 7 children, my parents never owned a home. We lived in 21 different places by the time I was 17, including a couple cars, and sometimes we were the only Caucasian family in neighborhoods of color.
And because of that experience in growing up in the inner city, I became attuned to the concerns that people have about jobs, about health care, about education, about housing. And so, when I became mayor of Cleveland, I was determined to unite the
community, to unite whites and blacks and all people of color, and to create conditions where we truly address the social and economic needs of the people.
Because of my life experience and because of my public life experience, I have the
ability to lead this nation and to bring all people together and to lift up the cause of this nation so that we once again become a nation that comes from the heart and reconnect with our optimism to really create a nation that we can all be proud of.
Source: Congressional Black Caucus Institute debate
Sep 9, 2003
Sacrificed political career to save city utility ownership
Kucinich was elected mayor on a promise that he would not sell off or privatize the beloved and trusted city-owned power system, though Cleveland was deeply in debt. By holding to his campaign promise and putting principle above politics,
he lost his re-election bid and his political career was derailed. But today Kucinich stands vindicated for having confronted the Enron of his day, and for saving the municipal power company.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues"
Aug 1, 2003
Broccoli would be welcomed in first vegetarian White House
Q: Would you be the first vegetarian president? A: I don't know. I should research that, but maybe.
Q: Former President Bush opposed broccoli.
A: Broccoli would be welcomed in my White House, and vegetarians would be welcomed in my White House.
Source: Interview on WBUR (Boston NPR) 90.9 FM
May 14, 2003
Grass-roots campaign to take back America for the people
I've been a councilman, a mayor, a state senator and now a congressman. I offer a different vision for America. one which separates me from the other candidates. I'm the only candidate for president who will take this country away from fear, from war,
and tax giveaways, and use America's peace dividend for guaranteed health care for all. Take the profit out of health care. I'm the only one who will stop privatization of Social Security and bring the retirement age back to age 65. As president,
I will cancel NAFTA and WTO. I'll restore our manufacturing jobs. Save our family farms. Create full employment programs, create new jobs by rebuilding our cities and schools. As president, I will repeal the PATRIOT Act, to regain for all Americans the
sacred right of privacy in our homes, our libraries, our schools.
This is a grass-roots campaign to take back America for the people. Join me, for your cities, your towns, your farms, and your campuses. Join me, and let's take back America.
Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC
May 3, 2003
Declaration of human economic rights of the American people
Just as FDR proclaimed the Four Freedoms, it is time for us to reclaim our freedoms and mission as the party of the people, with a declaration of the human economic rights of the American people.- We have a right to a job.
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We have a right to quality health care.
- We have a right to a good education.
- We have a right to decent housing.
- We have a right to food fit to eat.
- We have a right to water fit to drink.
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We have a right to be free from fear.
- We have a right to be free from war.
- We have a right to be human.
In the months ahead, I will travel the nation with this message.
I will ask for your support and, if I am the nominee of this party, together we will ead this party to victory, this nation to greatness, this world to peace.
Source: Speech to the DNC, in Prayer for America, p.137
Feb 22, 2003
Long list of legislative priorities in Congress
CONGRESS MUST: Protect Social Security. Preserve full Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Keep pension funds from being raided. Ensure economic security by building a high-skill, high-wage economy. Protect rights of workers to organize, to strike, to have
a safe workplace. Provide more funds for education at all levels. Enact stiffer penalties for criminal use of guns. Protect our air, water and land. Provide competition between utility companies. Secure our country with a more efficient military defense.
Source: 1996 Congressional National Political Awareness Test
Jul 2, 1996
Religious affiliation: Catholic.
Kucinich : religious affiliation:
The Adherents.com website is an independent project and is not supported by or affiliated with any organization (academic, religious, or otherwise).
What’s an adherent?
The most common definition used in broad compilations of statistical data is somebody who claims to belong to or worship in a religion. This is the self-identification method of determining who is an adherent of what religion, and it is the method used in most national surveys and polls.
Such factors as religious service attendance, belief, practice, familiarity with doctrine, belief in certain creeds, etc., may be important to sociologists, religious leaders, and others. But these are measures of religiosity and are usually not used academically to define a person’s membership in a particular religion. It is important to recognize there are various levels of adherence, or membership within religious traditions or religious bodies. There’s no single definition, and sources of adherent statistics do not always make it clear what definition they are using.
Source: Adherents.com web site 00-ADH11 on Nov 7, 2000
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Kucinich adopted of the Congressional Progressive Caucus:
The members of the Progressive Caucus share a common belief in the principles of social and economic justice, non-discrimination, and tolerance in America and in our relationships with other countries. We also seek to embody and give voice to national priorities which reflect the interests and needs of all the American people, not just the wealthy and the powerful. Our purpose is to present thoughtful, positive, practical solutions to the problems confronting America and the world. In the post-Cold War era, we believe our nation’s priorities must change with the times and reflect new realities.
Accordingly, we support curbs on wasteful, inefficient government spending at the Pentagon and elsewhere, a more progressive tax system in which wealthier taxpayers and corporations pay their fair share, adequate funding for social programs that are designed to extend help to low and middle-income Americans in need, and trade policies that increase the exports of more American products and encourage the creation of jobs and investment in America.
Source: Congressional Progressive Caucus website 01-CPC0 on Oct 9, 2001