Author: rjones2818

For those of you who’ve already donated to Dennis’ congressional campaign, thanks!  We know he’s one of the leading progressive voices in Congress, and it would be a shame to lose his voice in the House.
For those of you who support progressives in Congress, but have yet to donate to help keep Dennis in the House, here’s your chance to help Dennis by contributing to his campaign!

Donating is easy!

You can go to Dennis’ campaign site.  There, you’ll be able to click on the Contribute button.  Once you do, you’ll be able to donate by phone, online or via US Mail.

Another easy way to contribute to Dennis’ congressional campaign is to do so via my ActBlue page to Re-elect Dennis.

The primary is March 4, 2008, so now is a very good time to donate and help Dennis keep his House seat!

It’s time for progressives to back a true progressive in his fight to keep his congressional seat.  We know that Dennis is viable for his seat, so there’s no reason not to support him!

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://kucinich.us

Join Dennis’ new organization to support core progressive and Democratic Party values:
http://integritynow.org

Dennis Kucinich, in a speech today, dropped out of the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination.  He is going to concentrate on winning re-nomination and winning his congressional seat.

“I deeply and sincerely believe that we fought the good fight – in large part because of the support from all of you here and from hundreds of thousands of people just like you all across this country. I stood strong because you gave me strength. I spoke out because your voices needed and deserved to be heard. And I told the truth, no matter how unpopular or inconvenient, because, no matter how long it takes, the truth really will set us free.”

“I won’t be President, but I can continue to fight for these important issues as a Congressman…”

It’ll be interesting to see if the ‘progresives’ around the blogosphere decide to support Dennis in his re-election bid.

This campaign began more than a year ago when I saw that leaders in Washington, many in my own party, were intent on continuing a war, a war that has cost the lives of more than 4,000 of our brave young men and women and 1 million innocent Iraqis. A war that will cost this nation 2 trillion dollars and a war that has already cost our Cleveland community over a billion dollars.

At the same time, I saw that the American economy was headed for serious trouble. People were losing their jobs, their health care, their homes, their retirement security. Not just here in Cleveland, but all across the country. And the solutions to those problems don’t reside here in Cleveland. They were created and facilitated by people and policies in Washington D.C. – in the White House, in the U.S. Congress – and on Wall Street.

That’s why I ran for President in the first place: to give those issues the national attention they deserved and to do my best to win the nomination and bring a totally new perspective and a totally new direction to the Office of President of the United States of America.

Instead, we’re going to end up with the same ol’ same ol’, which is what we deserve, ’cause we’ve voted in such a way (and supported through our donations of time and money) as to block out Dennis’ progressive message.

I won’t be President, but I can continue to fight for these important issues as a Congressman, representing the community that is first in my heart, Cleveland, Ohio: issues like the economic rights of people, jobs for all, health care for all, retirement security for all, and social justice for all.  

The great thing about Dennis is that you know he’ll be in there tooth and nail fighting for those principles that stand as a bedrock of the Democratic Party’s core beliefs.  As we’ve seen so often since the Dem’s retook the House and the Senate, there are too few like Dennis in the Congress.  To lose him would be to lose someone who’s right on so many of the issues.  The Gods know we’ve heard enough through the blogosphere of “Dennis is who supports my positions the best, but he’s not….”  Now, you can make a difference in keeping Dennis in the House.

We are losing our nation to a war based on lies, to destruction of our civil liberties and to massive debt.  I tried to get these themes into the debates.  But I was locked out of six debates.  In each and every early primary state, in Iowa, in New Hampshire,  Nevada, South Carolina and California, the American people were denied an opportunity to know that there is a way our of Iraq, there are plans to restore our economy, there is a practical health care plan which means the end of premiums, co-pays and deductibles.  But there was no way to get the message out.  Workers here know about lockouts.  They stop you from being heard.

But workers also know that the fight for economic rights is not about a single day, or a single year, or a single campaign, or a single candidate. It is a lifelong endeavor.  

The only union member who ran for the presidency this term knows about being shut out, and he also knows how to fight back!

So today, we are  re-committing our energies to a government that works for all of us and is open to all of us. A government that stands for economic strength through peace. A government that stands for jobs, for health care, for education.  A government that stands for truth, for civil liberties, and for our Constitution. And it starts again today in Cleveland, Ohio in the heart of America.  

The celebrity obsessed electorate will have someone fighting for them, even if they don’t appreciate it.

From our efforts in Cleveland and around this great country, we’re creating a new force to be reckoned with, a force that will be made up of people, ideas, new technologies and the kind of patriotic verve that has no place for cowardice or compromise. I have been called the Conscience of the Democratic Party.  Our efforts will involve a call to conscience.  A call to integrity.

To those who supported this campaign with their energies and with their hearts, I want you to know that we are transitioning the Presidential campaign into a national movement based on integrity and based on practical ways in which we can affect policies at local and national levels.  I am no longer running for President, but I am intent on saving our nation from the destruction of our economic hopes and from the destruction of our Constitution.  

And all of the energies of all of the people who have been involved in this campaign will be transitioned into a new, national effort to regain control of our government, which seems more and more inaccessible. We are calling that effort “Integrity Now”, and there is a website – http://www.integritynow.org — where we can begin to channel all of that enthusiasm and that commitment from people just like you, and just like me, so we can take positive steps to do what we know is right and in the best interests of this nation.  

And you though you’d heard the last of Dennis on the national stage!  Think again.

So let us begin again, here, today, in Cleveland, Ohio, with a renewed effort to be of service to our community and to our nation. Let us re-focus on what we can do and what we must do, here at home, in Washington, and all across this country to end the war, rebuild this nation, restore truth and justice and integrity to our government. Let’s make the American dream more than a dream. Let’s make it a reality.

IntegrityNow!  It’s not just a good name for a movement, but it’s a clarion call for all Democrats to support the core principles of the Democratic Party.  We know the fight’s a long one, but it’s one we can win.  The party, as it exists today, is a rotted out tree which has yet to blow over.  When that storm comes that does topple the once great tree, there will need to be organiszations there to help rebuild it.

To support Dennis in his reelection bid, go to his congressional campaign site to donate or volunteer.

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://kucinich.us
Because in your heart, you know he’s right!

Dennis Kucinich, the only presidential candidate to support the impeachment of Richard Cheney, has made it official on the floor of the House!  Perhaps W will talke about it during his State of the Union Speech later that evening!
Via the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich created a stink on the House of Representatives floor Wednesday when he announced he’ll introduce a measure to impeach President Bush when Bush delivers his final State of the Union address Jan. 28.

“We already know the State of the Union,” said Kucinich, whose earlier effort to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney has languished in the House Judiciary Committee because of opposition from Democratic leaders. “It’s a lie.”

I ask you, when will any of the other candidates on the Democratic Party be willing to stand up and say about the state of the union that “It’s a lie.”  Yes, it’s blunt.  But we also know it’s true.

Republicans objected to Kucinich’s statements, and the congressman returned to the floor a few minutes later to withdraw his “offending words.” Florida GOP Rep. Cliff Stearns called his remarks a “clear and egregious violation of House rules” and scolded Kucinich for ut tering “personal ac cusations” against Bush and Cheney.

If you haven’t seen it:

Dennis is willing to stand for the Constitution!  With the New Hampshire recount he’s paid for, Dennis has shown that he is willing to stand for the voters of the US!  It’s called leadership!

And in case you forget where your candidate stands on impeachment:

And if you wonder why he’s being kept off the stage during the debates:

Do you support impeachment?  Do you support Single Payer?  Do you support getting out of Iraq now?

If you do, go to Dennis’ campaign site.  You can read his positions on the issues, join his volunteer team through his action page, and you can donate to his campaign.

Dennis Kucinich: It’s called leadership!

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://dennis4president.com
Vote your conscience, choose peace!

The CBC/CNN debate in South Carolina is history.  One of the issues covered was that of Univeral Health Care.  The Big Three each have their plans, which are built upon some form of our current system of health insurance.  The other major plan is HR 676, The Conyers/Kucinich Plan for Medicare for All.
Transcript via CNN.

CLINTON: Well, first of all, my health care program will cover everyone. I don’t leave anybody out. It is a universal system.

It will build on the congressional plan that provides health care for members of Congress, their staffs, government employees, and therefore it is not a new system.

CLINTON: It is not government-run. It has the advantage of being proven, so that we can withstand what will be obviously the attacks coming from the Republicans, and the right, and the drug companies, and the health insurance companies.

It also will give comprehensive health care to everyone. It’s especially important we do that with chronic diseases.

More Clinton:

But we need a universal health care system where we manage chronic diseases, where we get prices down because we can bargain with the drug companies, where we say to the health insurance companies that they must cover everyone, they have to do it at an affordable rate.

And for people who might have some financial challenges, I am proposing health care tax credits that will make health care for everyone affordable.

And I think that that is the right way to go, because if we don’t have everybody in the system, we know what will happen. We will begin to have more and more people who are uninsured.

Here she makes a salient point:

The health care companies will continue to cherry pick. The hidden tax that comes when someone does finally show up at the emergency room will be passed onto everyone else.

So I am adamantly in favor of universal health care. And that means everybody is covered. And we will have a system to make it affordable, but it will be required, as part of shared responsibility, under a new way of making sure that we don’t leave anybody out and provide quality, affordable health care for everyone.

Now for Senator Obama:

JOHNS: Senator Obama, we all know what universal health care is, as Senator Clinton just said, sort of the idea that everybody deserves health care. And I have not been able to sort of zero in on your position on this one question: Does your plan cover the estimated 12 million or so illegal immigrants in the country?

OBAMA: It does not.

JOHNS: Why not?

OBAMA: Well, because I think we’ve got limited resources. And it is important for us that, when we’ve got millions of U.S. citizens that aren’t yet covered, it’s important for us to make sure that they are provided coverage.

I do think that we have an obligation to make sure that children are covered. And we want to make sure that they are not sick in the emergency room.

But the critical issue on these various plans is, how are we going to actually get it done?

More from Senator Obama, with another salient point:

The only way we’re going to be able to overcome the insurance companies, and the drug companies, and the HMOs who are profiting from the current system is if we are having all these negotiations in a public setting, we are very clear about who’s carrying water for the drug companies and the insurance companies, and who is looking out for the families who, day to day, are struggling.

All of us, all three of us have met people every day in our travels across the country who, even if they have health care, are looking at such high premiums that effectively it’s not really health insurance, it’s house insurance.

They’re paying premiums, in case they get hit by a car, they don’t lose their home. But they never go to a doctor.

And we’ve got to put responsibility not just on the next president, but also on Congress to make sure it happens. And that means that we’ve got to have the American people clear about the choices that we face.

And then comes former Senator Edwards:

BLITZER: Senator Edwards, would your plan include the 12 million illegal immigrants? And if not, what happens if they get sick and they wind up in emergency rooms? Who’s going to pay for that?

EDWARDS: Well, it’s a good question. I think, honestly, none of our three plans cover them.

But what I have done is strengthen…

(APPLAUSE)

… strengthen the safety net of the public health system so that our public health clinics, our public hospitals will always be available.

And if that is married to comprehensive immigration reform, so that people who are living here undocumented actually have a chance to become American citizens, then I think they’ve got the opportunity to become part of the plan.

And more from John Edwards:

EDWARDS: In order for the plan to be universal, it has to mandate coverage for everybody.

It was at this point that the sniping (for lack of a better term) started about the differences in the three plans as well as campaign funding started.

Senator Obama made a very interesting point:

They have decided that we should mandate coverage for all adults. I believe that the problem — and understand what that means. A mandate means that, in some fashion, everybody will be forced to buy health insurance.

Now, John has been honest that that may mean taking money out of people’s paychecks in order to make sure that they’re covered. Senator Clinton has not been clear about how that mandate would be enforced.

But I believe the problem is not that folks are trying to avoid getting health care; the problem is they can’t afford it.

For those of you who think that the Massachusetts model is best:

OBAMA: Now, what is happening in Massachusetts right now — there are articles being written about it — which is that folks are having to pay fines and they don’t have health care. They’d rather go ahead and take the fine because they can’t afford the coverage.

Fascinating stuff.  We have the Big Three all keeping the underlying system of insurance and saying that their improvements will lead to Universal coverage.

Then there’s HR 676:

What Is National Health Insurance (NHI)?

To begin with, it is NOT “Socialized Medicine”, far from it in fact.  Also, it does not mean that our medical system will be taken over by the government and run like the post office as many of our opposition friends would mistakenly have you believe.

The government doesn’t ‘take over’ the medical system?

Basically, House Resolution (H.R.) 676, the “New Expanded Medicare” bill now in sub-committee in the House of Representatives simply creates a new and far more functional “single payer” method of paying for medical services while leaving the medical system itself completely alone and intact.  This will eliminate the hundreds of complicated and redundant payment plans currently imposed on the system by private “for profit” health insurance companies and save literally BILLIONS of dollars every year by eliminating such wasteful duplication.  This will allow your doctors offices and hospitals to function much more efficiently and serve your needs much more effectively as well.   Just imagine what a huge benefit this will be!

So HR 676 will act as a payment clearinghouse for doctors as they do their work.  It also offers something our current system doesn’t: Efficiency!

Here’s are some of the benefits of HR 676:

1. Every citizen of the US will be covered from birth to death.
2. No more pre-existing conditions to be excluded from coverage.
3. No more expensive deductibles or co-pays.
4. All prescription medications will be covered.
5. All dental and eye care will be included.
6. Mental health and substance abuse care will be fully covered.
7. Long term and nursing home services will be included.
8. You will always choose your own doctors and hospitals.
9. Costs of coverage will be assessed on a sliding scale basis.
10. Tremendously simplified system of medical administration
11. Total portability – your coverage not tied to any job or location.
12. Existing Medicare benefits for those over 65 will remain the same or be vastly improved in many cases.

Needless to say, that’s a system worth supporting!  And for those of the candidates and supporters who are worried about the size of the change:

Change is indeed often a very scary thing to most people, but when the need is so great and the proposed changes are so much better than the status quo, maybe changing to a NHI system in the USA is something that we can all think about supporting, whether you are a moderate, liberal or conservative, after giving it a lot of careful study and thought.

Don’t let the Repugs keep us from Universal Health Care.  Don’t let the Blue Dog Democrats keep us from an efficient Single Payer system.  Don’t let the big three candidates keep us from a Not-for-Profit system.  Don’t let the insurance companies stop HR 676 by whining “What happens to us?” (we know they’ll find new avenues to be insured.)

If you support HR 676, the Universal Single-Payer Not-for-Profit System for Health Care, contact your congressperson here!

If you want to support a candidate for President who supports HR 676, you still have the choice.  Go to the Dennis Kucinich campaign site, where you can donate or volunteer your time!

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://dennis4president.com
Vote your conscience, choose peace!

From Dennis Kucinich’s campaign site: http://www.dennis4president.com/go/homepage-items/the-rev.-dr.-martin-luther-king-jr.-the-legacy-rem
embered,-the-message-that-should-not-be-forgotten/
The homage that Americans pay today to the inspiring life and lasting legacy of Dr. King is a fitting tribute to this leader who spoke so eloquently of peace, of social justice, and of equal rights under the law and under the moral covenant that established and guides this great nation. But, as we survey the grim realities of today, across this country and around the world, that rightful homage also has the somber ring of a faint and distant eulogy for a man and a message from another time.
That other time that we remember and honor was then. But, more than ever, it is also now.

In his speech at Riverside Church in New York City, on April 4, 1967, Dr. King spoke of one war that was destroying the aspirations of the people of two nations – the people of the United States and the people of Vietnam.

The Vietnam War resulted in the deaths of 4 million Vietnamese civilians in a nation of about 40 million – 10% of the total population of Vietnam. Americans lost 58,202 soldiers in that war. And in hard, cold numbers, the Vietnam War cost the United States the equivalent of $662 billion in today’s dollars.  

So far, today, this no-end-in-sight war against Iraq has resulted in the deaths of more than 1 million innocent Iraqis in a nation of 25 million. Four thousand of our best and bravest have died, and nearly 29,000 have been wounded. In hard, cold numbers, the Iraq War will cost the United States more than $2 trillion.

What would Dr. King say today? What would his message be to the President, to the U.S. Congress, and to the American people? It would be, I deeply believe, the same as it was more than 30 years ago: Iraq is a war that is destroying the aspirations of the people of two nations – the people of the United States and the people of Iraq.

And, it was only two years ago that the leadership of the Democratic Party, without invoking Dr. King but aligning itself with the powerful principles that he espoused, promised an end to the abuse of political power and an end to the war that was devastating the people of two nations. And Americans, believing that promise that we would “be free at last” from the policies that morally and economically enslaved this nation and unrepentantly took control of another, elected a new Democratic leadership in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate.

Tragically, in the two years since, nothing has changed. The policies of this President persist and prevail. The Congress yields and subjugates itself time and time again. And the powerful, righteous, and universal message of Dr. King has been forgotten.

Dr. King’s concluding remarks in his Riverside Church speech called for an end to the disintegration of humanity brought about by war: “Somehow this madness must end,” he implored.  

It is not in our power to bring Dr. King back, but it is within our power to resurrect his spirit in our daily lives and in the policies of the government that we elect to represent and lead us. He demonstrated throughout his entire life that social and economic justice are achieved not through compromising what we believe, but rather, committing to what we believe – whatever the odds.

In this crucial year for the future of our nation and the future of our world, today is the day to remember Dr. King’s words, embrace his spirit, and fortify ourselves with the message that he left for us.

It is time, once again, to ask what we can do to forge ahead – in our votes, in our support, and in everything we do — to reach that place where his words, his strength, and his optimism become more than a legacy. They become the policy and mission of this nation:  “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I’m free at last.”

Dennis Kucinich

From Dennis’ campaign site site:

Kucinich wins presidential endorsement from key Mexican American organization

Ohio Congressman and Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich gained a significant endorsement today from the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), a progressive advocacy organization based in California and well known for its work in the areas of civil and human rights.

Just a thought:  Why, if a candidate is deemed non-viable by the news media and the blogosphere’s aristocracy, would a major organization choose to endorse Dennis Kucinich?

The endorsement of Kucinich from MAPA for the upcoming California Democratic Primary was decided after a vote by the organization’s members earlier in the day. A statement accompany the endorsement, which was announced by MAPA President Nativo Lopez, said:

“We concurred that Dennis Kucinich is the most consistent candidate with the principles of MAPA and the interests of the Latino voters, workers, families, and youth, and of all American voters.

Fascinating!  An endorsement based on someone sticking to their principles.  Who’d have thought it?

“He has consistently called for and demanded an end to the war against the sovereign people of Iraq and an immediate return of U.S. troops to their families. He has consistently fought for and advocated in favor of a single-payer not-for-profit health care system, which accords with the material and spiritual interests of all Americans, irrespective of any medical pre-conditions, age, immigration status, or income. He has clearly articulated that the U.S. Healthcare system does not need the insurance companies as middlemen or money men to act as go betweens to the medical professionals and the patients.

And for those of you who think someone else presented their health care proposal first: HR 676, the Conyers/Kucinich plan for Medicare for All

“This is the candidate who does not accept corporate contributions and steadfastly supports public financing of elections as a way to rid the system of special money interests who buy and sell our politicians.

And you wonder about the media blackout (sorry Edwards fans, you’ve not seen media blackouts ’til you follow the Kucinich campaign.  Study up!  You have something to look forward to).

“Kucinich, the grandson of an immigrant, has most consistently articulated a fair and humane option for immigration reform that accords with the interests of all American workers who have the right to protect their jobs, and also immigrants who are contributing to the wealth of America and therefore deserve to obtain legal status in a fair and judicious way. He has opposed the construction of border walls, unlike the other top tier candidates who voted in favor of constructing the wall along the Mexico and U.S. border.

It’ll probably be Hugo Chavez who stands on the other side and says “Mr. (Mrs.) President, tear down this wall!”  Well, unless Dennis is elected President.

“He has most astutely opposed the type of ‘free trade’ policies pursued by this and former administrations as detrimental to the U.S. economy and workers, and which result in the export of millions of jobs, and also result in undermining the economies of our neighbors, which in turn are forced to expel their workers as new migrants to the U.S. He has called for the repeal of NAFTA and has advocated for the prospect of fair trade.

Let’s face it, the others will try to fix NAFTA and the WTO.  Yeah, right.

“It is for these reasons that MAPA formally endorses citizen Congressman Dennis Kucinich for the Democratic Party presidential candidate.”

It’s time for progressives to stand up for the progressive candidate in the race!

And, to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. on the day when we honor him, why not

Give the Candidates the MLK Test.  You might be surprised who passes!

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://dennis4president.com
Vote your conscience, choose peace!

The New Hampshire Primary recount started yesterday.  Paid for by the Dennis Kucinich campaign, the recount may or may not show a change of the winner of the event.  Even so, after one day, we’ve found enough out to be able to say that the recount is worth every penny!
Here’s some information via Bradblog:

Here’s his headline and sub-headlines:

NH CONTEST: DIEBOLD MISCOUNTS REPORTED ACROSS MANY CANDIDATES, WARDS, IN FIRST DAY OF ELECTION CONTEST HAND COUNTS

Also: Diebold Memory Cards Unaccounted For; Public Record Request by Election Integrity Advocates on Ground Reveal 550+ Votes Read as Blank by Op-Scanner in Stratham…

Clinton, Kucinich Observers There, Nobody from Obama or Edwards, Says Election Attorney…

And here’s a header on the latest:

LATEST OUT OF NH: Disparities being found during hand-counts of ballots, in many wards, many candidates. Diebold op-scan memory cards unaccounted for at the moment, Secretary of State (SoS) doesn’t track them after elections, doesn’t track error reports during elections. LHS Associates (see below) handles all of it instead, according to reports on the ground. Public records request reveals hundreds of ballots in one area scanned as blank due to incorrect ink used on ballots, and other problems on LHS problem report forms.

Not recounting New Hampshire (and to be honest, any other state which doesn’t hand count paper ballots) allows that the balloting is on the up-and-up, no questions asked.

Think of it, 550+ ballots in one town were miscounted by the machines.  Think of that.  Of course, thankfully, there were paper ballots to count by hand.  Did we know this happened prior to the recount?  I hadn’t read it.

I spoke with Bev Harris of http://BlackBoxVoting.org, who is also on the ground in NH, and she asks: “If it wasn’t 550 ballots, but just 55 or so in some places, would they even have seen it and known to recount ALL of the ballots?”

Would we know about the missing memory cards?  Nope.  We now know that the state doesn’t handle the cards or keep track of them after the election!  Doesn’t that make you feel all that much safer when you go out to vote?  No?  I didn’t think so!

Here’s the link to the Secretary of State’s recount page.

If you’re from New Hampshire, and can get out to watch this thing as it goes down, I would suggest that you do!  It’s good to see that there are more than just Kucinich supporters behind checking out the recount!

If we’ve found this out on the first day, think what we’ll find as the recount goes on!  If you wish to support the recount, you can go to the Kucinich campaign’s website to donate, or you can go to ActBlue and donate directly for the recount!

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://dennis4president.com
Vote your conscience, choose peace!

On the day after his birthday celebration, and with the argument over his legacy going on amongst the big two Democratic candidates, perhaps it’s a good time to look at how MLKjr might look upon the Democratic candidates.
In a fascinating article/Radio commentary, Glen Ford of blackagendareport.com suggests that we should Give the Candidates the MLK Test.

The “hope-la” and “change-la” emanating from the Obama and Clinton campaigns turned sour as Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday approached. The two front-running candidates and their corporate media-megaphones found themselves on shaky ground when the subject turned to the actual history of MLK and his antagonist/ally, President Lyndon Johnson. The vapidity of the debate revealed, once again, the shallowness of American political discourse, which has been stripped bare of relevance to past, present or future realities. Fortunately, Dr. King left a voluminous record of his own political analyses. Rather than allow them to blather further, the candidates should be tested on the question: What would Dr. King do? All but one would fail.

more:

Dr. King said the “triple evils” of his day were militarism, racism, and economic exploitation. In his brilliant April 4, 1967 speech at New York’s Riverside Church, Dr. King showed the interaction of all three “evils” in the world;

Let’s look at militarism.  The big two candidates suggest that we should increase the size of our military (Obama by 100k and Hillary by 80k).  They’ve both said all options are on the table for a war with Iran.  Neither guarantees to pull all of the troops out of Iraq post haste and bring them home (no, basing them in Kuwait doesn’t count).  Needless to say, both candidates do not pass the miltarism test.  Of course, John Edwards failed by co-sponsoring the IRW (Note: JE’s not mentioned in the commentary).  Militarism feeds racism and economic disparity by sucking funds into the military-industrial-media complex and away from ideas such as Univeral Health Care.

Of course, there is one candidate who passes the test:

The only candidate who would pass the Martin Luther King Test is Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose platform for peace, truly universal health care, a living wage, and an end to corporate domination of American life harkens back to that “shining moment” in the Sixties that King mentioned, when there were “hopes” and “new beginnings.” But the corporate media has caused the Kucinich campaign to disappear from coverage and televised debate.

You see, there is an actual difference in the candidates for President on the Democratic side.  There is a candidate who stands for the beliefs of MLKjr and the aspirations of the citizens of the United States.  There is a candidate who’s not funded by the corporations, hedge funds and health insurance companies.  Indeed, there is a true progressive Democrat running for President.  You just won’t hear about him through the military-industrial-media complex.

If you wish to support the true progessive Democrat running for President, you can go to Dennis’ campaign page and donate online, via US Mail or by phone at 1.877.413.3664.

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://dennis4president.com
Vote your conscience, choose peace!

NBC/GE is holding a presidential debate in Nevada tomorrow, January 15, 2008!  They had invited four candidates to the event, as all of them had met NBC/GE’s criteria for the event.  The four candidates were to be JE, HRC, BO and DK!
Ah, but invitations can be withdrawn, particularly when NBC/GE decides to rewite their criteria!  And three happy candidates will be on the stage!  JE (even though the MSM has ‘blacked him out…yeah, right), HRC and BO!

Talk about the possibilities for labeling NBC/GE as ‘worst persons in the world.’

And just what does NBC/GE not want you to hear and see tomorrow?  What bothers them enough to look like foolish MSMers to rewite their criteria and rescind an invitation?

Or maybe:

Or this:

How about this:

Here’s some more they don’t want you to hear:

They surely don’t want you to hear about possible voting irregularites, now do they?

And, the Gods know, they don’t want any mention of the ‘I’ word:

Y’know, I can’t really say I blame them.  After all, NBC is the television arm of one of the largest military contractors in the country!  Imagine them allowing a fair amount of time for someone who’s led the fight against the occupation of Iraq and who’s never voted to fund said occupation.  Dennis probably wasn’t someone who was on NBC/GE’s Christmas card list.

Come to think about it, if I were the other candidates, I wouldn’t want Dennis on the stage either.  After all, he might bring up Universal Single Payer Health Care.  Since the others don’t support that, why would they want to have Dennis reminding of that?  And then there’s that pesky business of the Patriot Act, along with no nuke on the table for Iran, getting our troops out of Iraq by 2013 and that always pesky impeachment thing!

Hmmmm…it works out fine for NBC/GE and the big three Democratic candidates.  I wonder….

As always, now more than ever,

Go Dennis!
http://dennis4president.com
Vote your conscience, choose peace!

Update: Dennis wins his suit, is to be on stage tomorrow!!!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/14/183555/961/476/436852

Well, the big three only supporters have their wish.  The January 15 debate will now be a three centerist candidate confab!
From Dennis4president.com

NBC un-plugs Kucinich from Presidential debate  

Re-writes criteria to exclude candidate with ‘dissenting’ positions

Less than 44 hours after NBC sent a congratulatory note and an invitation to Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich to participate in the Jan. 15 Democratic Presidential debate in Las Vegas, the network notified the campaign this morning it was changing it announced criteria, rescinding its invitation, and excluding Kucinich from the debate.

NBC Political Director Chuck Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that, although Kucinich had met the qualification criteria publicly announced on December 28, the network was “re-doing” the criteria, excluding Kucinich, and planning to invite only Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and former senator John Edwards.

So, Dennis meets their criteria for the debate.  NBC even sends Dennis a congratulatory letter and an invitation to the debate.  Ah, but since it’s their microphone, they can call a re-do anytime they want, and they did.  Class act, NBC, don’t you think?

The criteria announced last month included a fourth-place or better showing in a national poll. The USA/Gallup poll earlier this month showed Kucinich in fourth place among the Democratic contenders.

In an email to the Kucinich campaign at 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9, Democratic Party debates consultant Jenny Backus wrote:

“Congratulations on another hard-fought contest. Now that New Hampshire is over, we are on to Nevada and our Presidential Debate on Tuesday January 15. This letter serves as an official invitation for your candidate to participate in the Nevada Presidential Debate at Cashman Theatre in downtown Las Vegas. You have met the criteria set by NBC and the Debate.”

Not that it really matters, right?  All centerism, all the time!  Just what this party needs!  I wonder if Keith will cover this on ‘Countdown.’  Probably not, since Dennis doesn’t exist on ‘Countdown’ as far as I can tell.  Maybe Rachel Maddow will mention it next time she’s on the air.

Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that the network had decided to change the criteria and limit participation in the debate to only three candidates.

The centerists should be happy!  Why?

Kucinich is the only remaining Democratic Presidential candidate who: voted against the original Iraq War authorization in 2002 and every war-funding measure since; voted against the so-called Patriot Act; advocates a national, not-for-profit health system that covers all Americans; has called for the repeal of NAFTA and withdrawal from the WTO; and proposes a national back-to-work program (Works Green Administration) patterned after the Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA).

Hey, it’s not like NBC is owned by General Electric (one of the nation’s leading, if not the leading, military contractors).  Oh…they are?  Hmmmm….

The Kucinich campaign, which filed an emergency complaint with the Federal Communications Commission last week because of ABC’s decision to exclude the candidate from a nationally televised debate, is considering legal action to address “the blatant disregard of the public interest in silencing public debate that dissents with the views of NBC, its parent company, GE, and all of the military contractors and their candidate-funding corporate interests. Corporate control of the media is one issue. Corporate media control of the information that is allowed to reach American citizens is much more dangerous, much more sinister, and much more un-American.”

Sinister and un-american!  It’s time for the tin-foil hats!  Except, NBC admits that they re-did the criteria so that only the three centerists would appear on the stage.  Changing the rules in the middle of a contest?  How WWE of NBC!

“When `big media’ exert their unbridled control over what Americans can see, hear, and read, then the Constitutional power and right of the citizens to vote is being vetoed by multi-billion corporations that want the votes to go their way,” the Kucinich campaign said.

And what GE wants America to hear fromt the Democrats is the centerist position.  Period.