Candidate Profile: Dennis Kucinich
November 30, 2007
Dennis Kucinich started his political career right out of college, picking up a seat in Cleveland’s city council. At age 31 he was elected mayor of Cleveland, though is short tenure was overshadowed by a battle against selling the city’s municipal electric utility. In more recent politics he is known for staunch opposition to the war in Iraq and for introducing US House Resolution 333, calling for the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney on grounds that he lied to Congress. The resolution has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but there are mixed opinions about its viability. Here are the facts:
Born: Ohio, 1946
Party: Democrat
Pre-politics Career: None noted
Political Experience: Cleveland City Council member, 1969-?, 1983-1985; Clerk of Court, Cleveland, 1975-1977; Mayor of Cleveland, 1977-1979; U.S. Representative (Ohio), 1997-Present
The Issues:
Iraq
“Dennis Kucinich is the only Democrat running for President who has voted against authorizing the war in Iraq and against funding its continuation…. Diplomacy and a return to statesmanship as the path [sic] to strong international leadership.” (Official campaign website)
Illegal Immigration
“Congressman Kucinich also supported changes to the immigration bill regarding better enforcement of employer sanctions against firms that hire undocumented aliens.” (Kucinich’s House office website)
“…will clear out the backlog in the naturalization process and offer immigrants a clear road map to citizenship.” (Associated Press, Jan 2004)
Health Care
“In Congress, Representative Dennis Kucinich has co-authored HR 676, legislation which would establish Medicare for All - a universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care system” (Official campaign website)
Tax Reform
“Right now we know that those who are in the highest brackets are not paying a fair share.” (Democratic debate in Washington, D.C., June 2007)
Energy/The Environment
“A Kucinich administration would immediately put the United States in the forefront of solving the global warming crisis by rejoining the Kyoto accord and implementing its recommendations. On the domestic front, I am an original co-sponsor in the House of Representatives of HR 1950, the Safe Climate Act of 2007. This is an act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate…”
“…use our country’s leadership in sustainable energy production to provide jobs to Americans, to reduce energy use here at home, and to partner with developing nations to provide their people with inexpensive, local renewable-energy technologies.”
(Official campaign website)
Abortion
“Congressman Kucinich does not believe in abortion. He does, however, believe in choice. The Congressman has always believed in the goal of reducing the need for abortions…. the Congressman has stood behind programs that teach sex education, domestic family planning and promote the use of contraception…. Congressman Kucinich believes that women have the right to determine their reproductive choices, and he believes that criminalizing abortion is unconstitutional. The Congressman does not believe that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.” (Kucinich’s House website)
Same-sex Marriage
“…if our Constitution really means what it says, that all are created equal, if it really means what it says, that there should be equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender should have the same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the ability to have a civil marriage ceremony.” (Democratic debate in South Carolina, July 2007)
