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Now
Can You be a Real Anti-War Politician
in a Pro-War Party?
Dennis
Kucinich's Strange Mission
By KEVIN ZEESE
On December 12, 2006 the anti-war movement
got a standard bearer on the road to the White House. Rep. Dennis
Kucinich, former mayor of Cleveland (the youngest person ever
elected to be mayor of a major city) and a five term Congressman
announced his second run for the presidency.
In his announcement he made
the centerpiece of his campaign opposition to the Iraq War.
Further, he is running against the leadership of the Democratic
Party who is supporting the continued funding of the war. Rep.
Kucinich said:
"On November 7th, the
people voted for a new direction for our nation. They voted for
the Democrats because they expected us to end the occupation
and to bring the troops home from Iraq. On October 1st Congress
appropriated $70 billion for the war in Iraq. The money is in
the pipeline right now to bring the troops home. Unfortunately
our Democratic leaders have already announced they will support
an additional appropriation for the war of up to $160 billion
dollars. Not only are we not listening to the voters and taking
steps to withdraw our forces quickly, we are actually planning
to spend twice as much on the war as we did last year! Somebody
didn't get the message. And unfortunately it is the leadership
of the Democratic Party and the consequences may be disastrous
for our party, our nation and the world."
Iraq War
Results in Making Problems at Home Worse
Kucinich gets a 99% rating
from Peace Majority Report but his campaign will not be a single
issue campaign. Rep. Kucinich shows how all issues are impacted
by the illegal and disastrous war and occupation of Iraq. Kucinich
highlights the economic failures in Ohio and the nation because
of the nation's "misplaced national priorities," he
sees factories and businesses, large and small, closing, people
losing their jobs, their middle class status weakening and many
pushed into poverty, people losing their homes and their retirement.
He notes the millions of Americans without health insurance
and the many more who are underinsured. He describes cities,
schools, and the nation's infrastructure crippled by debts and
lack of funds. Kucinich notes the rising cost of energy that
is further tightening the already tight budgets of Americans.
And, he sees the loss of opportunity describing "millions
of entrepreneurs whose ingenuity will create new jobs by bringing
forth advanced clean energy technologies being starved for capital."
What is the root cause of these
problems? "The war, tax cuts for the already privileged,
and our trade policies have become a massive engine to redistribute
upwards the wealth of our nation and to transfer our national
wealth out of the country," says Kucinch noting further
such policies are "inherently un-American." For Rep.
Kucinich they are un-American because we are the "United"
States and these types of policies do not unite us, they divide
us.
Kucinich has a history of standing
strong for peace and justice against powerful interests. He
lost his mayorship of Cleveland when in 1978 he stood up to Cleveland
Banks who were insisting he sell Cleveland's 70 year old municipally-owned
electric system to a private corporation that the banks had a
financial interest in. While he lost re-election the next year,
in 1998 the Cleveland City Council honored him for, "having
the courage and foresight to refuse to sell the city's municipal
electric system." And, in Congress he has championed causes
he views as right, no matter how they are perceived by the establishment.
For example, he has urged a Department of Peace because he believes
that peace, not war, is inevitable, if we are willing to work
for peace.
Lessons
from the 2004 Campaign
In the last presidential run,
Kucinich's anti-war stands were muffled by the loud campaign
of Howard Dean. When the progressive, Internet advocacy group,
MoveOn, ran their on-line primary, Kucinich received 24% coming
in second to Dean who received 44%. By the time Dean imploded
it was too late for Kucinich to gain momentum. Kucinich ran
in all the primaries only endorsing Kerry just before the convention.
Many were disappointed when he endorsed Kerry who ran to "manage
the war" better rather than end it.
This time around Kucinich may
be the only clear peace candidate. The other Democrats tend
to criticize the war, say change is needed and call for the beginning
of a troop reduction but none call for a complete withdrawal
in the foreseeable future. So, Kucinich has a clearer message
at a time when anti-war sentiment in public opinion is rising
steadily.
However, even with this I've
already heard from 2004 Kucinich supporters who are not as excited
this time. Why? Some Kucitizens see his involvement inside the
Democratic Party as problematic because they have learned that
neither of the wealthy, special interest funded parties can really
stand for the people. They worry, as one 2004 Kucinich supporter
told me, he serves as a "gatekeeper to keep folks from leaving
the party." As another supporter said on a Kucinich discussion
list:
"I must admit to being
still struck by Dennis' eloquence when he is permitted his moments
on television, and I too gave an incredible amount of time and
energy last time around. But I know many of us are convinced
there is no room for progressive thought inside the Democratic
Party. The 'relief valve' Tony speaks of, sometimes called the
'border collie' role by others, is dead on. I respect Dennis
and don't regret one moment or dollar I spent. But I think it
may be a waste of time for him to run again as a Democrat. The
left will back him less than last time, given four more years
of proof that Democrats don't share any of our priorities; the
'realists' and electability freaks are emboldened by the midterm
results, and I expect even more bullying this time around."
Some are particularly upset
about his endorsement of John Kerry despite views that
are very different from Kucinich's on key issues like the war,
Patriot Act and corporate globalization. Many past supporters
are uncomfortable giving a megaphone to someone who, if he is
unsuccessful, will cheer on candidates like Hillary Clinton or
Barak Obama who are not even advocating a complete withdrawal
from Iraq and remain quietly supportive of military action against
Iran.
Rep. Kucinich needs to reassure
these anti-war voters that they are not throwing away their vote
on the pro-war Democratic Party leadership by supporting Kucinich,
and that he will not be keeping anti-war Democrats in the party
if there is an anti-war alternative outside the party. He needs
to be an uncompromising anti-war, anti-corporate candidate who
will not endorse a pro-war Democrat if he fails to win.
He will have a steep, uphill
climb against the monied candidates who represent the dominant
DLC center of the party, candidates like Vilsack, Clinton, Obama
and Biden. Certainly during the Democratic primaries Kucinich
is the anti-war candidate and if he can reassure voters
that he is an uncompromising anti-war candidate he deserves support
from all voters opposed to the Iraq War.
CounterPunch
Speakers Bureau Sick of sit-on-the-Fence speakers, tongue-tied and timid?
CounterPunch Editors Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St Clair
are available to speak forcefully on ALL the burning issues,
as are other CounterPunchers seasoned in stump oratory. Call
CounterPunch Speakers Bureau, 1-800-840-3683. Or email beckyg@counterpunch.org.
