My study on co-sponsorship of Kucinich authored bills April 05 to present

[Flabbergasted]

I've heard people claim that Kucinich is not able to put together a coalition and lead.


This is a flat our myth....

(Link not working: go to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d109query.html)


39 bills over two years (20/year)

66% had co-sponsors ranging from 2 to 150

The average for cosponsored bills is 30

and overall 19


Here are my favorites:

H.CON.RES.450 Calling upon the President to appeal to all sides in the current crisis in the Middle East for an immediate cessation of violence and to commit United States diplomats to multi-party negotiations with no preconditions. 34 cosponsors

H.CON.RES.321 Providing that the new permanent Council of Representatives of Iraq is encouraged to debate and vote on whether or not a continued United States military presence in Iraq is desired by the Government of Iraq. 25 cosponsors


H.R.5266 : To provide additional protections for farmers and ranchers that may be harmed economically by genetically engineered seeds, plants, or animals, to ensure fairness for farmers and ranchers in their dealings with biotech companies that sell genetically engineered seeds, plants, or animals, and for other purposes. 5 cosponsors

H.R.6114 : To assist States in establishing a universal prekindergarten program to ensure that all children 3, 4, and 5 years old have access to a high-quality full-day, full-calendar-year prekindergarten education. 32 cosponsors

H.R.6200 : To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require States to conduct Presidential elections using paper ballots and to count those ballots by hand, and for other purposes. 20 cosponsors

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Dennis is the man

he is who we need in the White House.

[rinsd]

2. How many of these have come to a floor vote?

When I try searching for the last 5 years on anything he was a sponsor of that came up for floor vote (passed or defeated), I get no results.

Perhaps I am not very deft with their search engine but I have tried mutiple configurations of my search.

[AnOhioan]

3. I don't know how many came to a floor vote...

Not surprising given that the House was wingnut-controlled for the time in question.

[rinsd]

6. Point taken (nt)

[onenote]

105. DK is many things. Electable as president isn't one of them

Face it, in 2004, he failed to get 10 percent of the vote in his home state's primary (in fact, on the same day, he got nearly twice as much support in the Minnesota primary than in the Ohio primary)

[Flabbergasted]

109. If he had corporate donors and media support he would be elected

[Radical Activist]

110. Sorry but Kucinich would still lose

based on what he did last time. He didn't take full advantage of the fundraising and media opportunities he had in '04. DK doesn't have the right to complain about corporate donors if he doesn't spend time picking up the phone and making fundraising calls himself.

[Flabbergasted]

118. With Hillary's money he'd kick her ass on every issue. Guiliani would come next.

[onenote]

114. and if he had corporate and media support, a lot of his supporters wouldn't

support him because in order to get corporate and media support he would have to adopt different positions and take a different approach as a candidate.

Catch 22 anyone?

[Radical Activist]

119. Even if he didn't change his issues

his supporter would leave because any amount of recognition in the media is proof of being a corporate sell-out, as they say about Obama. Another catch 22.

[John Q. Citizen]

11. How many Dem proposals came to a floor vote in the last six years, total?

[rinsd]

15. I get 71 bills going thru the Democrats last name A thru C

These were bills that were passed or rejected by the House.

Some are simple resolutions.

[rinsd]

16. I get 71 bills going thru the Democrats last name A thru C

These were bills that were passed or rejected by the House.

Some are simple resolutions.

[Flabbergasted]

17. What did you mean by "Point Taken" ?

[rinsd]

20. What do you think point taken means?

It was an acknowledgement of a possible reason for me not getting any results looking for bills/resolutions that Kucinich was the sponsor for coming to a vote.

What we are trying to sort out is whether Kucinich has the ability to get legislation passed. That entails not only getting people on board (which you basically have proven with the co-sponsors research) but getting it thru comittee etc. The fact that the GOP has been in power for the last 6 years makes the 2nd part difficult to assess.

For instance, Kucinich has a fairly low Congressional ranking (which has actually jumped in the last year with his running for Prez and his chairmanship)

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/power_card.tt?id=468

But he is obviously prolific (for lack of a better word) in resolutions and bills (at least in tha last year or so).

[5X]

4. The people that have a problem with Kucinich are the type to chase...

after the rock stars and the popular. People of conscience that
can think past the shallow talking points are more likely to
believe in my choice, the Kooch.

[MonkeyFunk]

5. Or...

maybe some people have a rational aversion to a new-age woo-woo like Kucinich:

Spirit merges with matter to sanctify the universe. Matter transcends to return to spirit. The interchangeability of matter and spirit means the starlit magic of the outermost life of our universe becomes the soul-light magic of the innermost life of our self. The energy of the stars becomes us. We become the energy of the stars. Stardust and spirit unite and we begin: One with the universe. Whole and holy. From one source, endless creative energy, bursting forth, kinetic, elemental. We, the earth, air, water and fire-source of nearly fifteen billion years of cosmic spiraling.

From Kucinich's keynote address to the Dubrovnik Conference on the Alchemy of Peacebuilding, June, 2002

[Flabbergasted]

7. "We need to remember where we came from; to know that we are one.

To understand that we are of an undivided whole: race, color, nationality, creed, gender are beams of light, refracted through one great prism.... We become conscious of the cosmos within us. We hear the music of peace, we hear the music of cooperation, we hear music of love....

Our leaders think the unthinkable and speak of the unspeakable inevitability of nuclear war; of a nuclear attack on New York City, of terrorist attacks throughout our nation; of war against Iraq using nuclear weapons; of biological and chemical weapon attacks on civilian populations; of catastrophic global climate change; of war in outer space. When death (not life) becomes inevitable, we are presented with an opportunity for great clarity, for a great awakening, to rescue the human spirit from the arms of Morpheus through love, through compassion and through integrating spiritual vision and active citizenship to restore peace to our world....


As we aspire to universal brotherhood and sisterhood, we harken to the cry from the heart of the world and respond affirmatively to address through thought, word and deed conditions which give rise to conflict: Economic exploitation, empire building, political oppression, religious intolerance, poverty, disease, famine, homelessness, struggles over control of water, land, minerals, and oil. We realize that what affects anyone, anywhere affects everyone, everywhere. As we help others to heal, we heal ourselves.


Our vision of interconnectedness resonates with new networks of world citizens in nongovernmental organizations linking from numberless centers of energy, expressing the emergence of a new organic whole, seeking unity within and across national lines. New transnational web-based email and telecommunications systems transcend governments and carry within them the power of qualitative transformation of social and political structures and a new sense of creative intelligence. If governments and their leaders, bound by hierarchy and patriarchy, wedded to military might for legitimacy, fail to grasp the implications of an emerging world consciousness for cooperation, for peace and for sustainability, they may become irrelevant....


Active citizenship begins with an envisioning of the desired outcome and a conscious application of spiritual principles. I know. I have worked with the people in my own community. I have seen the dynamic of faith in self, faith in one's ability to change things, faith in one's ability to prevail against the odds through an appeal to the spirit of the world for help, through an appeal to the spirit of community for participation, through an appeal to the spirit of cooperation, which multiplies energy. I have seen citizens challenge conditions without condemning anyone, while invoking principles of non-opposition and inclusion of those who disagree.


I have seen groups of people overcome incredible odds as they become aware they are participating in a cause beyond self and sense the movement of the inexorable which comes from unity. When you feel this principle at work, when you see spiritual principles form the basis of active citizenship, you are reminded once again of the merging of stardust and spirit. There is creativity. There is magic. There is alchemy."

[MonkeyFunk]

9. Yep!

New-age woo-woo stuff.

[Flabbergasted]

12. Essentially repeated by Jesus, Buddha, and scores of other...Its nothing new

and its not "new age" Kucinich is a practicing Catholic.

[MonkeyFunk]

19. And I don't want

my President to be my spiritual leader.

[Flabbergasted]

27. So which one will you choose. Is he a new ager or a spiritual leader? nt

[MonkeyFunk]

34. I don't understand your question

New Ager and spiritual leader aren't mutually exclusive. There are plenty of New Age spiritual leaders. I don't want any of them to be President.

I don't want the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Ramtha or Shirley MacLaine, either.

[Flabbergasted]

41. When you said new-ager you looked down but when I brought in Jesus/Buddha you looked up.

[MonkeyFunk]

44. sorry you got that impression

I look down on all forms of magical thinking.

[Flabbergasted]

63. So if someone "Magical Thinking" is not bought up in his political dialog

is it appropriate to judge his service based on it?

[MonkeyFunk]

70. It just adds a little je ne sais quois

but I can judge Kucinich purely on his service alone. It's lacking.

[Flabbergasted]

83. "It just adds"......."a quality or attribute that is difficult to describe or express"

Are we having a political discussion or a spiritual discussion?

[MonkeyFunk]

88. Do you think

everything that is difficult to describe is spiritual?


Describe "blue".

[Flabbergasted]

92. Philosophical Discussion Then?

[MonkeyFunk]

101. No

let's not.

I'm begging you to make a legitimate point, using english sentences and, and hopefully, paragraphs.

[Flabbergasted]

106. Uh I already made my point. What the hell do you think the topic is about.

I've said it. That's what I'm defending.

[eridani]

64. He was asked whether he was a practicing Catholic 4 years ago

His answer-- "I practice all religions."

[Flabbergasted]

74. Same as Ghandi.

[MonkeyFunk]

89. except

Gandhi actually accomplished something.

[Flabbergasted]

93. Kucinich has been incredibly effective.

[MonkeyFunk]

98. Then please

give some examples, and explain why he ranks near the bottom of effective House members.

[Freddie Stubbs]

104. His Iraq withdrawal bill was introduced almost three weeks ago...

And he has only been able to get two Congressmen to cosponsor the bill:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.01234:

You call that effective?

[Flabbergasted]

107. Yes that is very effective considering its vastly more than anyone else in the house is doing.

In addition its still early. Last time I checked a couple days ago there were Zero cosp.

[Freddie Stubbs]

120. So, at this rate he will convince a majority of House Dems by 2009?

[Flabbergasted]

121. Yes.

[Freddie Stubbs]

122. Which is later than the deadline set by the bill Speaker Pelosi is backing

[Flabbergasted]

123. You said by 2009. I have no doubt it would happen sooner. nt

[Flabbergasted]

124. You said by 2009. I have no doubt it would happen sooner. nt

[AtomicKitten]

8. wow

that analysis was certainly self-serving

[rinsd]

10. Shallow talking points like those with a conscience want Kooch?

Sorry you made it easy.

And how is discussing his ability to get legislation passed shallow?

[Flabbergasted]

13. "Point Taken" quote by none other than u.? nt

[rinsd]

18. So how was that shallow?

It was an acknowledgement that he likely hasn't had many bills passed because of Republican control of the House.

That doesn't mean the bills in question would have passed had the House been in Democratic hands as it is now.

[Flabbergasted]

54. Translation..."At the time I was looking for an attack. But since it was ineffective

I conceded and when someone called me on my concession I decided to keep on arguing for the hell of it?

[MonkeyFunk]

56. I doubt that

you can look at the entirely of Kucinich's career and see he's been ineffective. And it's NOT just because Republicans were in charge.

Bernie Sanders has a much higher rating of effectiveness than Kucinich, although their positions are largely identical.

Sanders knows how to play the game. Kucinich either doesn't, or refuses.

[Flabbergasted]

59. You may want to correct that statement.

[MonkeyFunk]

60. which?

[Flabbergasted]

62. I doubt that you can look at the "entirely" of Kucinich's career and see he's been "ineffective"

[MonkeyFunk]

72. I certainly can.

see how easy it is to use one-sentence responses?

[Flabbergasted]

77. You wrote that sentence. YOU WROTE THAT SENTENCE.

I was just trying to correct your errors.

[MonkeyFunk]

91. Now THAT

convinces me of the rightness of your views. :eyes:

[Flabbergasted]

94. Not at all. I was just trying to get the statement right so we could have a debate.

[MonkeyFunk]

97. excuse my frustration

but how the fuck can we have a debate when you post nothing but single-line distractions? You've posted almost nothing of substance beyond one-fragment post titles.

Express a real view. It often takes more than 5 words.

[mvd]

99. You have provided some examples in your OP, but..

here are more:

- He's been honored by groups like the AFL-CIO of Cleveland, the Department of Veterans' affairs, and The Sierra Club

- Has sponsored and co-sponsored bills on National Health Care, preserving social security, ending the death penalty, providing universal kindergarden, repealing the Patriot Act, lowering taxes for working class families, and worked on a bipartisan bill to bring our armed forces home from Iraq by the end of 2006. The time period has already passed.

[rinsd]

103. Huh?

We're trying to discuss his effectiveness at getting legislation passed.

"I conceded and when someone called me on my concession I decided to keep on arguing for the hell of it"

LOL. I acknowledged a point, went to see if the point was true and discovered that other Democrats had in fact gotten things out of committee and to floor vote. Now I believe some of his legislation may have seen more advancement in a Democratically controlled Congress but his record is what it is. I also posted info how Kucinich had a low ranking of influence in Congress.

[Flabbergasted]

14. Dupe

[JI7]

58. hahah

[Radical Activist]

111. Bull

I know that's the "I'm more liberal and cooler than you" superiority that some DK supporters like to clothe themselves with. Barack Obama is a person of conscience with substance AND he has a chance of winning. This isn't 2004. We have a real progressive with a chance this time.

[Greyhound]

21. "My mind is made up, don't try to confuse me with facts".

"Reality is what I perceive it to be, for I am the keeper of truth".

"He can't possibly win, so even though he has the ideas to fix this country, I'm not going to support him. I'd rather back a winner than the right candidate".
:kick:

[MonkeyFunk]

22. "Reality is what I perceive it to be"

sounds like something from Kucinich speech.

[AnOhioan]

23. Give it up already

We get it..you don't like Dennis. Thanks for the kick though.

[MonkeyFunk]

25. Very happy to kick this

I want people to see his new-age views.

[AnOhioan]

26. No problem here....some folks may actually like the fact..

that he speaks from his heart. He may not appeal to all but really, so what? He is who he is, and I find that incredibly refreshing.

[MonkeyFunk]

28. Oh

I'm sure many people will like it. But far more will dislike it. His approach to science and rationality is no better than Bush's faith-based science. It's just the other side of the same coin.

[AnOhioan]

30. Dennis has no problem with science.....

or rationality. In fact, his platform is the most rational of all the candidates. (The speech you quoted notwithstanding). I myself cringed at that speech, but it was just one speech.

[MonkeyFunk]

31. I disagree

he believes in chemtrails, is close to Transcendental Meditation, and wants to ban "mind control".

He's a litany of whacky new-age beliefs.

[AnOhioan]

37. Ever here of MKULTRA?

Project MKULTRA (also known as MK-ULTRA) was the code name for a CIA mind-control research program that began in the 1950s. There is much published evidence that the project involved not only the use of drugs to manipulate persons, but also the use of electronic signals to alter brain functioning.

It was first brought to wide public attention by the U.S. Congress (in the form of the Church Committee) and a presidential commission (known as the Rockefeller Commission) and also to the U.S. Senate.

On the Senate floor in 1977, Senator Ted Kennedy said:

The Deputy Director of the CIA revealed that over thirty universities and institutions were involved in an 'extensive testing and experimentation' program which included covert drug tests on unwitting citizens 'at all social levels, high and low, native Americans and foreign.' Several of these tests involved the administration of LSD to 'unwitting subjects in social situations.' At least one death, that of Dr. Olson, resulted from these activities. The Agency itself acknowledged that these tests made little scientific sense. The agents doing the monitoring were not qualified scientific observers.

More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MKULTRA

The CIA has fooled around with this stuff...I think a bill banning such work is a good thing.

Transcendental Meditation is not so new agey as you think. It is similar to what Buddhists do when chanting...and Buddhism has been around for centuries

[MonkeyFunk]

42. Let's not get into a discussion of

the individual beliefs and try to convince each other of their truth value.

They are not mainstream scientific beliefs. TM'ers cannot fly.

I want a president grounded in reality.

[AnOhioan]

43. I never said TM was scientific.....

I merely pointed out that it is not new age thinking. And Dennis is very grounded in reality. He has fact based ideas regarding healthcare, GM foods, fair trade, etc. Visit his website and do some reading...you just might come away with a different impression. http://kucinich.us/issues

[MonkeyFunk]

46. What's funny

is that you, and others in this thread, assume that we don't like Kucinich only because we're unfamiliar with him. (I have to say the same thing to evangelical Christians. I know who you're talking about - I'm just not interested.) That simply isn't the case. I've read his positions, and I'm quite familiar with them.

I agree with him on some issues, disagree with him on others. Combined with his ineffectual leadership and total inability to run a campaign or get elected to anything higher than the office he currently holds, I find him an unattractive candidate.

Look, I generally don't get involved in the candidate-bashing wars. I think they're silly. I was responding to somebody who claimed the only reason people didn't support Kucinich was because they were mindless sheep. I think there are plenty of real, logical, rational and powerful reasons not to support him.

[AnOhioan]

48. Excuse me for my assumption....

I honestly have found that the majority of people who don't like Dennis have not ever read his platform. You have, apparently, and made your decision based upon what you read. I do not ascribe mindlessness to anyone (with the exception of diehard wignuts) and I can respect your decision. I may not agree with it but to each their own.

[eridani]

71. He's going in the direction that I want our party and the country to go

My support is not based on assuming that he'll win, but that as many Kucinich delegates in Denver as possible will take us in that direction. At the convention (should I become a delegate), I'll sell my support to either Obama or Edwards in return for backing off the anti-Iran saber rattling or real universal health care.

[eridani]

68. End the war, end outsourcing, get real universal health care

It hardly gets more real and down to earth than that.

[eridani]

67. No different from Obama talking about his spirituality

I think that both are talking about their own experiences, not prescribing norms for anybody.

[Flabbergasted]

29. He' the essence of midstream America

and truly catholic.

[MonkeyFunk]

33. Man

I don't know what stream you're living in, but I've met very few people who subscribe to the ideas promoted in the speech I quoted above. and I live in a very liberal area.

[Flabbergasted]

38. The Clinton impeachment trial emphasized that people really think your personal life is your

fucking personal life, characterized by his approval rating afterward. Kucinich didn't get a blow job and he is quite mainstream. Most people are sheep to the media and can't see it.

[MonkeyFunk]

40. well it's not his "personal life"

it's his beliefs about the nature of reality. I don't want an alchemist to hold high office.

And how do you know he didn't get a blowjob? I'm not saying it's impossible, but...

[Flabbergasted]

45. Find a dictionary and define "personal life" and "political service".

Then look at the constitution: "Separation of Church and State".

Kucinich has never brought up non-mainstream Christian topics in any discussion he has ever officially made at any event during his entire political career.

He has never politically tried to force any belief that would be construed by anyone as "non-traditional"


And frankly Jesus, whom he is a follower, is considered the Prince of Peace. BTW this is also the meaning of the word "Allah".

[MonkeyFunk]

47. I'm not saying

he's tried to force his beliefs on anyone... well, except when he was anti-choice.

My position is that someone whose beliefs are so flakey shouldn't be President.

[Flabbergasted]

49. Thank You. That is truly what I hoped you would bring up.

Now lets have a real discussion about someone who has integrity in his political beliefs. I also realize that there are times when he has pandered to achieve a larger purpose but I believe it is to his credit. If you follow his career for 40 odd years you will not find any other candidate who has maintained his integrity such as Dennis. No one.

[MonkeyFunk]

51. Unlike many here

I don't find "integrity in his political beliefs" to be all that much of a benefit.

If I want purity, I'll talk to my dog. I want an effective political leader who can accomplish something in the direction I want to go. For all of Kucinich's so-called integrity, he's got a piss-poor record of actually accomplishing any of it.

I don't consider politics an ethos, a morality, a spiritual lifestyle. It's an ongoing battle against opposing forces, and integrity rarely enters into it. Cynical, perhaps, but I've studied enough history to know it's the truth.

[Flabbergasted]

52. Integrity plays into politics when it is truly necessary. Like now.

[MonkeyFunk]

53. but then

I would argue that Kucinich's integrity is a product of selective memory on the part of his adherents.

I don't find his previous views on abortion or flag-burning, and his subsequent change of position, to be signs of great integrity. But that's fine - as I said, I don't expect pure consistency in politicians. I only object to the notion that somehow Kucinich has an integrity that is lacking in others, when I think the changes he's made were purely the result of political expediency.

I like political expediency. It gets things done. But let's not pretend it's something other than it is.

[Flabbergasted]

55. I acknowledged that already. Are these traditional Views of a "New Ager"?

Take a stand?

[MonkeyFunk]

57. this discussion

would be much easier if you'd put your thoughts into full sentences and paragraphs, and make a clear point.

I have no idea what you're trying to say here.

[Flabbergasted]

61. 1.) At first you argued that he was a mystic kook. Then you argued that he was a flag loving....

anti-choice conservative? Which one is it?

[MonkeyFunk]

73. It's not hard to understand

those comments were in response to different posts.

He is a mystical kook. He's also a pandering politician. He's also an ineffective one.

[Flabbergasted]

78. Exactly. That's my points. You are offering an argument with inconsistent statements?

[MonkeyFunk]

90. Instead of making

what, in my opinion, are very lame attacks on my STYLE of argument, why not address the issues I raise? The things you're scanning this thread for and pointing out as inconsistencies aren't even inconsistent. You're grasping.

[Flabbergasted]

96. Switching from Kucinich is a "Kook" to a "Conservative" within the same topic is

not a style of argument.

[sellitman]

102. Not a fan of integrity?

I have just the party for you. Unfortunately its not one espoused here on DU. Dennis is my choice because of his platforms now. Not a speech he wrote 5 years ago or his record in a Republican Congress where very few were allowed to have impact. He was a great mayor who saved the city of Cleveland tax payers tons of $$. He his a free thinker who has liberal values that closely match my own. I also don't agree with all his ideas buy I agree with enough of them to proudly send him money whenever I can. What more are you looking for? There ain't one perfect candidate anywheres.

[mvd]

95. Someone who thinks outside the box is someone we need

Kucinich is that person IMO. Even when I disagree with something, I admire the way he thinks. Nothing he has said will harm anyone. Bush and his neurosis does.

[Greyhound]

76. But someone that advocates virtual enslavement to corporate interests

is sane?

How does one become so terribly judgmental, and simultaneously, so tragically twisted? Never mind I don't want to know, I'm just glad you're not brainwashed and live in 'reality'.

[SaveElmer]

24. Funny how every imaginable slur, insult, false accusation is perfectly ok...

Where say Hillary Clinton is concerned...

But express any doubt on Saint Dennis, or God forbid bring up his poor record of accomplishment...well that is just going too far!!!

[Flabbergasted]

32. Elmer you know as well as I do, that, that is easilly flipped on it's ass. nt

[SaveElmer]

35. Only if you have your head in the sand...nt

[Flabbergasted]

36. Good reply however you have always been more than willing to attack K and Praise H

[SaveElmer]

39. One of the few unfortunately...

If you think the scope of the criticism at DU, of Dennis Kucinich is anywhere near comparable to that of Hillary, you truly are not paying attention...

[Flabbergasted]

50. Most people don't even know who Kucinich is. It doesn't take a lot.

[SaveElmer]

65. Yeah I have looked at his record more than most...

There just isn't alot of there there...poor mayor, thin record of congressional accomplishment...and a habit of throwing red meat proposals at "progressives" with no record of even attempting to back them up with action...other than running for President...

And if it were anyone else in the field, he would be considered a world class flip-flopper...

Sorry, there is nothing in his background that would indicate he would be a good, or even competent President...

[AtomicKitten]

66. I tend to agree.

I organized some fundraisers for him in 2004 when he spoke in our town and met him a few times. I like what he has to say but, as you pointed out, his actual record of accomplishment is pretty anorexic.

[SaveElmer]

69. It;s actually kind of a waste...

There are plenty of folks that are as progressive as Kucinich, who have solid records of accomplishment...Bernie Sanders and Paul Wellstone leap to mind.

If Kucinich really buckled down, got into the political muck, and was willing to spend a little of his political capital, he could be a successful legislator. He's a smart guy. But apparently he would rather spend his time in pointless pursuit of the Presidency...

[Flabbergasted]

81. Paul is sharing eternity with god. Bernie....here ya go

Sanders' political career began in 1971, when he joined the anti-Vietnam War Liberty Union Party in Vermont. Sanders was an unsuccessful independent candidate for election to the Senate in 1972 and 1974, as well as for governor of Vermont in 1972, 1976 and 1986. In his initial campaign Sanders received only two percent of the vote, but in subsequent races for Senate and Governor were slightly more successful, with Sanders' highest vote tally being six percent.

In 1977, Sanders resigned from the Liberty Union party and worked as a writer and the director of the non-profit American People's Historical Society. In 1981, at the suggestion of his friend Richard Sugarman, a religion professor at the University of Vermont, Sanders ran for mayor of Burlington and defeated six-term Democratic incumbent Gordon Paquette by 12 votes, in a three-way contest. (An independent candidate, Richard Bove, split the Democratic vote after losing the primary to Paquette).

Increasingly popular because of his successful revitalization of Burlington's downtown area, Sanders won three more terms, defeating both Democratic and Republican candidates. In his last run for mayor, in 1987, he defeated a candidate endorsed by both major parties.

During his first term, supporters of Sanders formed the Progressive Coalition, forerunner of the Vermont Progressive Party. The Progressives never held more than six seats on the 13-member city council, but held enough votes to keep the council from overriding Sanders's vetoes. Under Sanders, Burlington became the first city in the country to fund community-trust housing. His administration also sued the local cable television provider and won considerably reduced rates and a substantial cash settlement.

Sanders ran for governor for the third time in 1986. He finished third with 14.5 percent of the vote, which was enough to deny incumbent Democrat Madeleine Kunin a majority; she was elected by the state legislature. In 1988, when six-term incumbent Representative Jim Jeffords made a successful run for the Senate, Sanders ran for Jefford's vacated seat in the House. Sanders narrowly lost to Peter P. Smith, the former lieutenant governor and the 1986 Republican candidate for governor. Sanders again ran against Smith in 1990. In one of the biggest upsets in recent political history, he took 56 percent of the vote and defeated Smith by 16 points, becoming the first independent member of the House since 1950.


Many hardships just like Kucinich but just as effective.

[SaveElmer]

82. Sorry...Sanders is head and shoulders above Kucinich...

In both effectiveness and accomplishment....

[Flabbergasted]

84. Your opinion And He's not running. So if you like progressives support K.

[SaveElmer]

85. Would rather have someone...

With demonstrated competence, and who can deal with others effectively...

I was using Sanders and Wellstone as examples of those progressives that could get things done...Kucinich has not shown that thus far...and pointless pursuit of the Presidency will not help him get there...

[mvd]

86. Personally, I like both Kucinich and Sanders

They're equal. And think they'd both be great Presidents. It's not an either-or.

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

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[Flabbergasted]

80. He was an exceptional mayor, a great business man and a true progressive.

[mvd]

87. He's been an unwavering supporter of worker's rights

He has not been a lightweight.

[eridani]

100. The corporate class punishing him for saving public power in Cleveland--

--makes him a poor mayor? I'd say that saving hundreds of millions of dollars for Cleveland consumers counts as a major accomplishment.

[Radical Activist]

112. "I'll make all candidates sound less progressive than they are"

"if they aren't Dennis Kucinich."

[mvd]

75. Kucinich is great in all respects

I'm glad he'll be in the debates to at least keep the others honest.

[rcbarron]

108. Dennis is a good man

Dennis should at least be included in the mainline dems messaging because even thought he is quite liberal in his thinking he's been the only one that's been right for the lat 10 years. Maybe we should start listening to his message even if he's not the best messenger.

www.barron.blog.com

[Radical Activist]

113. The worst part is that Dennis hurts the progressive cause.

People assume he does poorly because he's a liberal and that makes it more difficult for other liberals to get elected. Kucinich's reasons for being a poor candidate have a lot more to do with his own mismanagement of his campaign than his ideology. He's making things more difficult for a progressive with a chance of winning.

[Greyhound]

115. DK's biggest problem as a candidate is the fact that his biggest enemy is

the Democratic Party "leadership". Not only does he not pander to the corporate overlords, he actively fights them on behalf of working class people, and that makes the Democratic money people very angry.

The most indicative example is how he sacrificed his Mayoral office and put the city into default to stop the giveaway of Cleveland's power company to the energy industry. He was roundly criticized and lost the election because of it, but he knew it was the right thing to do, so he did it. That is leadership and that is what our party is sorely lacking. It should also be noted that, about a decade later, he was recognized by the council for saving the people of Cleveland $200 million by stopping the sale.

[Radical Activist]

116. dupe

dupe

[Radical Activist]

117. Dennis is his own biggest problem.

Let me know if he hires a campaign manager this time who has worked on a campaign before. Then I might consider taking him halfway seriously.
Also, there are Democratic Party money people who agree with Dennis on many issues. Why hasn't he been able to get money from them?

[Greyhound]

125. Campaign staff is indeed a consistent weakness in his campaign,

and believe me when I tell you that I am frustrated with it. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about that.

As for Democratic Party money people, I doubt that you, or anyone else, can name even one. The movers and shakers in the party are in fundamental opposition to his philosophy of people before profits. One of the most consistent themes in his national career in Democratic politics is, and always has been, that he is constantly stifled by the party itself. One need look no further than committee chairmanships he was just denied with the new majority.

For me, the bottom line is he is the only candidate that is promoting the changes this nation desperately needs to save itself and, at this point in the process, it is our duty to support those goals and the candidate advocating them, if for no other reason than to at least show the other candidates that these issues are important to us. Don't forget Harry Truman's statement that, "Given the choice between a Republican, and someone that acts like a Republican, the real Republican will win all the time".

If you think the ongoing mass slaughter in Iraq is acceptable, or that corporate rule over our national policy is a good idea, or that Americans don't need or deserve the education and health care that the rest of the industrialized world enjoys, or that the decimation of our standard of living and our middle class is a good idea, then you should support one of the "popular kids" running. If not, Dennis Kucinich is currently the only candidate available.
:kick:

[Flabbergasted]

126. Nice Post

[Greyhound]

127. Thanks, I hope he reads it.

:kick: