Imagine an election where you tell the majority of your constituents not to vote.  Leaders of the Democratic Party are thinking of sending the biggest part of the Democratic Party's membership, the anti-war part, packing between now and the 2008 general election.  Democratic leaders are working on getting people accustomed to the idea that the Democrats may nominate a candidate who supported the war or who votes on a regular basis for war funding.

Peace activists are signing the following pledge and have vowed not to vote for any such candidate.

"The lives of my family members and of the people and children in my community, my state,  my country and my planet matter to me. I will not support or vote for any Presidential Candidate who voted for the War in Iraq or who has voted for the funding of the Iraq War or Occupation.  I will not support or vote for any Presidential candidate who does not call for an immediate end to funding of the Occupation of Iraq and the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq.  I will not support or vote for any Presidential Candidate who does not agree to denounce and oppose any military action against the country of Iran or any other nation which has not attacked the United States.  In keeping this pledge not to support a pro-war Presidential candidate, I am giving the gift of of peace to those I care about."  http://votepeace.info/pledge.html

The Democratic Party is not a majority party.  Independents, the vast majority of whom, oppose the war, are needed for a victory in a general election.  However, independents are vowing not to support a candidate who voted for the war or who has voted for war funding.

If the Democratic peace base and the independents fail to support the Democratic nominee, how many states can the Democratic nominee win?  Probably zero.  Which candidates will collect zero electoral votes?  Their names are John Edwards, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton,  Chris Dodd, and Joe Biden..  Bill Richardson has an  Enron-type scandal in his background that is serious enough to prevent him from getting the support of most Americans.  That leaves Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gavel.  Mike Gavel has as much as said he is not serious.  In the first debate, Gavel suggested alternative candidates to support.  The remaining Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich is the only one who will receive the support of the majority of Democrats and of the independents.

Dennis Kucinich has an additional asset.  He is above reproach.  He tells the people his position on the issues and votes accordingly.  His positions are mainstream. Some of his key positions are as follows.

1.  Dennis wants an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq.  Immediate does not mean in 2008, 2009, 2010 or some timetable date.  The vast majority of Americans agree with Dennis Kucinich. and oppose the longterm timetable plans of other candidates  Immediate withdrawal is mainstream.  

2. Dennis  wants universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care.  While the other candidates want to raise taxes so they can give your loot to the insurance companies, Dennis wants the health care funds to go to health care.  His plan is all-encompassing and inexpensive.  That is because we are already turning over massive funds to the insurance companies.  Most Americans would prefer that the money went to health care than to insurance companies.  Universal not-for-profit health care is mainstream.

3. Dennis Kucinich plans to create a Department of Peace and Nonviolence.  The majority of Americans want peace and nonviolence prioritized.  The Department of Peace and Nonviolence is mainstream.

4. Dennis plans to cancel NAFTA and withdraw from the WTO.  The California Democratic Party adopted a resolution in 2005 calling for cancellation of NAFTA and withdrawal from the WTO. It was unanimously adopted.  NAFTA and the WTO are responsible for the loss of millions of American jobs.  Americans want their jobs back.  Cancellation of NAFTA and withdrawal from the WTO are mainstream.

5.  Dennis opposes war with Iran.  Other candidates have spoken in favor of a strike on Iran.  Most Americans oppose war with Iran.  Most American teenagers hope they won't be drafted and forced to go to wa with Iran. Opposition to war with Iran is mainstream.

6.  Dennis wants to protect the environment.  While all the other candidates, except Gavel, have supported dangerous projects that threaten the environment, Dennis Kucinich's voting record is consistent in being  pro-environment.  Dennis is the only Presidential candidate who has worked to stop threats to the food and water supply.  Americans don't want environmental hazzards or toxic food and water. Protection of the environement, food and water is mainstream.

 7. Dennis Kucinich plans to makes support for choice a litmus test for judicial nominees. No other candidate has taken  that strong  pro-choice stance. Edwards, Obama, Biden, Clinton and Dodd have all voted for anti-choice judicial nomineees.  America is pro-choice like Dennis.  Support for choice is mainstream.

8.  Dennis Kucinich supports a return to paper ballots.  Most Americans prefer a return to paper ballots.  Paper ballots are mainstream.

Other candidates will try to say that spending health care dollars on people instead of insurance companies is out of the mainstream.   Other candidates will say ending an occupation that never should have started is out of the mainstream.  Other candidates will say that opposing a strike on a country with oil is out of the mainstram.  Other candidates will say having nonviolence is out of the mainstream. Other candidates will say doing what it takes to bring the jobs back here is out of the mainstream.  They will say that foregoing the technology of Diebold for a return to paper ballots is out of the mainstream.  What is out of the mainstream are their claims that what Americans want is out of the mainstream.

Other candidates use their corporate dollars to try to convince the Americans people that a candidate who supports the people cannot win.  Those other candidates are the ones who are unelectable.   It is important that Democratic leaders have the strength of character to stand up to this lie.

On November 7, 2006, the voters gave the Democratic Party a trial run.  Without media or monetary support, the voters voted for peace and impeachment. Dennis is the only Presidential candidate carrying out that mandate.  Other candidates have flunked the test.  On November 4, 2008,  Dennis Kucinich is the only Democatic candidate for whom the voters will stand up and vote.

Copyright © 2007 by Natasha H.

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