Caucus alliances and strategems

[iowapeacechief]

Misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the Edwards-Kucinich one-day strategic alliance continue to appear on DU every day.

Any such deals in play today that might as well be explained from the start?

This thread is for your questions and explanations.


(Official Kucinich explanation of Iowa caucuses strategy: http://kucinich.us/IA_caucusstrat.php )

[HFishbine]

1. For Kucinch Supporters Who May Need A 2nd Choice

Good luck at the caucuses. If Kucinich doesn't make 15% at your caucus, and you have to chose a second choice, please consider these Dean/Edwards comparisons.

1) On Capital Punishment

In an interview with Tim Russert on MTP, Dean explained that, while he used to be against the death penalty under any circumstances, the murder of Polly Klaus and a similar case in Vermont had him reconsider. (1)

He now believes "the death penalty should be available for extreme and heinous crimes, such as terrorism or the killing of police officers or young children. But it must be carried out with scrupulous fairness." (2) (See footnote for further action Dean would take regarding capital punishment.)

This is certainly a little closer to Kucinich's position than Edwards who voted to pass a bill that would allow children as young as 14 to face the death penalty (3). That bill is now law.

2) On Labor

Edwards twice voted against raising the minimum wage by a mere $1 over three years.(4) He voted to nearly double the number of H-1B visas to allow more foreign workers to enter the country. (5) He also voted to change bankruptcy laws to make it easier for creditors to force debtors into a payment plan. (6)

Dean, on the other hand, supports a myriad of pro-labor positions too numerous to list here. They include card check off for union membership (ask a union person how important that is), signed a bill in Vermont to prohibit permanent replacement of striking workers and would do the same for federal employees, and signed the most sweeping family leave law in the country while governor. (7)

3) On the War

Dean frequently misspoke about being the only candidate to have opposed the war. It was something that made this supporter cringe. However, he was also the only candidate to ever give Kucinich props for his vote against the war on national TV -- on several occasions.

Dean said, time and time again, that he didn't think the evidence at hand supported attacking Iraq. Like Kucinich, Sharpton and Braun, he was among those who never voted for the war.

Edwards, as we know, voted for the war resolution that Kucinich voted against. To this day, he still says that, not only was his vote correct, but that we were right to go to war. He thinks attacking Iraq was the right thing to do.

4) Withdrawing Troops from Iraq

Kucinich and Sharpton are the only candidates who support an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq (within 90 days). None of the candidates however are suggesting we leave a power vacuum. Denise, just like Dean, thinks that the way to get our troops out is to get multi-national forces in and Dean has a very clear and reasonable plan for doing so. (8)

5) Health Care

Only Sharpton and Kucinich favor single-payer health care. The differences between Dean and Edwards are significant. Edwards' proposal would expand health care by mandating that families insure their under-21 children. Those who can afford to purchase coverage through an insurance company will receive tax credits worth roughly $300. Poorer families will be required to pay to enroll their children in CHIPS (a government sponsored child insurance plan). The poorest children, as they are today, will be covered for free. Edwards plan incentivises the purchase of private insurance for children. He offers no solutions for un-insured adults.(9)

Dean's proposal would expand CHIPS to cover people up to age 25 for middle and low income families. Adults who make up to 185% of the poverty level, would also be able to buy into CHIPS. To provide assistance to those who make more than 185% of the poverty level, Dean would create a health system similar to the one offered to federal employees and he'll offer tax breaks to make it more affordable. (10)

It is Dean's plan that offers the broadest coverage. Edwards' plan is more narrow, offers no help to uninsured adults and it would funnel money (by mandate) to insurance companies.

6) Military Spending

Edwards voted to approve Bush's military budget every year he's been in office. (11) Edwards also voted to approve the National Missile Defense System (12) but voted against a bill that would require sanctions against China if they were found to be selling WMD.

Howard Dean pledges to keep our fighting force the most effective in the world, but he is clearly against the development of "battlefield" "bunker busting" or "low yield" nuclear weapons (13)(Edwards? Since he voted for Bush't miliatry bugets, he must favor them).

Dean also would actively seek to make the use of military force obsolete by asserting America's role in the world as a peaceful nation. He would seek to strengthen international alliances and repair damaged relations. He rejects the notion of pre-emptive war (which Edwards embraces to this day) as anything but a last resort and only when absolutely necessary to secure our country. (14)

We haven't even touched on the issues of civil liberties and GLBT rights, on which there are also marked differences between Dean and Edwards, but any honest look at the facts will clearly show that on principles and policies, Dean is far closer to Kucinich than Edwards.




1) http://www.demog.berkeley.edu/~gabriel/dean2004blog/Dean_MTP_June_22_2003.htm

2) http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/cg/index.html?type=page&pagename=policy_statement_civilrights_capitalpunishment

3) http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=2264&can_id=CNC68243

4) http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=2644&can_id=CNC68243

5) http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=2915&can_id=CNC68243

6) http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=2658&can_id=CNC68243

7) http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/cg/index.html?type=page&pagename=policy_statement_labor

8) http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/cg/index.html?type=page&pagename=policy_policy_foreign_iraq_7pointplan

9) http://www.johnedwards2004.com/healthcare-children.asp

10) http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/cg/index.html?type=page&pagename=policy_statement_health

11) http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=CNC68243

12) http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=2187&can_id=CNC68243

13) http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/cg/index.html?type=page&pagename=policy_policy_foreign_issue_nuclearweapons

14) http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/cg/index.html?type=page&pagename=policy_statement_foreign