Kucinich energizes PBS forum by relating foreign policy failings to growing domestic 'crises'
WASHINGTON D.C. - In a Presidential forum designed to focus on America’s domestic crises – poverty, sub-standard education, job loss, crime, and HIV AIDS – Congressman Dennis Kucinich made a compelling and enthusiastically applauded case that U.S. foreign policy, especially the war in Iraq, is sapping the national resources to solve problems on our own shores.
If the U.S. were not spending more than a trillion dollars on the war in Iraq, Kucinich argued, funds would be available to provide early child care, free pre-kindergarten, and fully funded state-college tuition to help America’s disadvantaged youth prepare for jobs and productive lives. “Stop funding war, and start funding education.
If the U.S. health care system were converted to a not-for-profit system that covered all Americans, the financial burdens and denials of service to upwards of 100 million uninsured or under-insured citizens would be lifted. As would the crushing financial costs that are making many U.S. companies non-competitive. "Michael Moore is right about this – take the profit out of the system." Kucinich co-authored legislation (H.R.676) early this year for a national health insurance plan that film-maker Moore recently endorsed and is promoting.
And, with the cancellation of foreign trade agreements such as NAFTA and the WTO, the U.S. could stop the out-sourcing of millions of U.S. jobs. "A Democratic administration started NAFTA, and a Democratic administration will end NAFTA," said Kucinich to a cheering crowd at the PBS All-American Presidential Forum at Howard University tonight.
Kucinich, the only Democratic Presidential candidate who voted against the original war authorization in 2002 and every subsequent war-funding appropriation, is also the only candidate who has introduced federal legislation to create a national, not-for-profit health insurance plan to cover all Americans. Other candidates, who have proposed plans that include the participation of for-profit insurance and pharmaceutical companies, appeared tonight to give Kucinich previously unexpressed deference by agreeing to the need for a "universal" health care plan.
In addressing the special problems confronting America’s minority populations, Kucinich also re-asserted his opposition to the federal death penalty and mandatory minimum sentencing, and his support of rehabilitation, rather than incarceration for some offenders. His positions drew loud and prolonged applause.
Kucinich also argued against tax breaks for the wealthy and tax breaks for U.S. companies that move their operations off-shore because of the negative impact those actions have on working Americans and job-seekers.
One of his loudest and most energetic responses from the audience came when he and the other candidates were asked a question about Darfur and what action the U.S. should take to end the deadly strife there. Kucinich, reiterating an earlier criticism of U.S. foreign policy, said that the United States must adopt an entirely new perspective toward Africa: ”not just a place that corporations can exploit.” Drawing a parallel to Iraq, Kucinich said, “If Darfur had oil, this administration would be occupying it right now.”
Kucinich published and widely circulated an intelligence analysis in 2002 refuting the Bush Administration’s arguments for invading Iraq. He rallied 125 other members of the House to oppose the war authorization bill. He has since publicly disclosed other documents revealing that the Administration is pressuring the Iraqi government to adopt measures that would turn control of up to 70% of Iraq’s oil to multi-national oil and energy corporations.
