Who Should Progressives Support In 2008?

Thursday, December 20, 2007

The perfect choice in a perfect world would be Mike Gravel or Dennis Kucinich. Unfortunately we do not live in such a perfect world. Neither Gravel or Kucinich have been able to make any real inroads in the lead up to the Democratic primaries. They have been deemed "unelectable" and as such it has become a self fulfilling prophecy thus it feels like a lost cause. What will it really prove if Kucinich gets 3% of the vote instead of 2%?

Liberals who fear losing another general election to a neocon Republican have told themselves that they must choose between the "mainstream" candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards. The problem with these candidates is they are not true progressives. They are more "politics as usual" and while I think any of them would be a far better choice than Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson, John McCain, or Mitt Romney that is not so much because of anything good about the Dem. candidates and more about just how bad the "mainstream" Republican candidates are.

Edwards has become the cause of a lot of liberals who feel that he has at least been talking a bit more in tune with what they believe even if his past actions haven't been so tuneful. One problem is that Edwards is moving to the left this primary season for political reasons, not because he has any real political conviction. Another big problem is that Edwards may be moving to the left but he's still far short of what the left really wants. He talks about bringing home troops from Iraq but he also talks about leaving troops in Iraq. I haven't heard him talk about bringing home our troops from around the world. His foreign policy would certainly be a huge improvement over George Bush's but it falls far short of Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel, and Ron Paul's stances. They are the ones who are right on foreign policy. Foreign policy is a huge issue. It effects us in so many ways. Not only would Ron Paul's foreign policy save a lot of people's lives it would also save a huge amount of money. If you are an anti-war liberal you have to ask yourself why you are supporting someone like John Edwards or Barack Obama when they are so much weaker on the issue of foreign policy than is Ron Paul.

Civil Liberties is another huge issue among most liberals. Again why would you support someone like John Edwards who voted for the patriot act over Ron Paul who is the ultimate champion for civil liberties? I assume that you smoke (or have smoked) marijuana or you at least know someone who has. Edwards policies make you a CRIMINAL. Why would you support someone who thinks you are a criminal? He will not end the War on Drugs. He will not do anything to legalize marijuana. Edwards, Obama, and Clinton are all horribly weak on civil liberties.

As you may have gathered by now, I'm trying to convince liberals to drop the mainstream Democratic machine and join the Ron Paul revolution.

As a liberal myself I feel like I can hopefully convince others to join me.

I feel like to many liberals the two biggest issues in the world are foreign policy and civil liberties and there has been no candidate as strong as Ron Paul on these issues (who has a real shot at winning) in many many many years. I feel it would be a great mistake for us to bypass this possibility just because we do not agree with Paul on all issues.

One of the great things about what is happening with Ron Paul is that it is opening up debate. It is allowing people who have been controlled for years by hot button issues (both by Republicans and Democrats) to actually think rationally and logically about what is really important.

I want liberal voters to tell me why they are not supporting Ron Paul? Let's open up the dialog! Think about this. We could have a president who really believes in our freedoms! A president who really believes in a non interventionist foreign policy (otherwise known as PEACE.) The mainstream democrats are just more of the same. Our political system is CORRUPT! We cannot change it with a small move to the left. It's time for a real change.

Some issues that may be stopping you (a liberal) from supporting Ron Paul:

1. Abortion. The ultimate hot button issue! This has been used by both parties to control your vote for ages. Do you really think this is one of the most important issues facing our country? Yes Ron Paul is pro-life but he is not for federal anti-abortion legislation. He believes strongly in local Government which means in his perfect world each state would make that decision themselves. Yes if this were to happen we may end up with a situation where it's legal in some states and illegal in other states but do you really want to be controlled by that fear? Don't you see how Democrats control by this fear just like Republicans do (but with other issues?) Also consider that W is also pro-life and nothing has changed in the past 8 years. This is a "hot button" issue! We must look past this sort of stuff and look at the big picture. When we are starting unjust wars and losing our civil liberties we cannot continue to be blinded by this nonsense!

2. Health Care. While this is my 3rd biggest issue (after foreign policy and civil liberties) It is a distant 3rd in comparison. I do believe in Dennis Kucinich's plan for single payer health care. But I do not think that Edwards, Clinton's, or Obama's plans are going to be a great improvement over what we have now. If you look at how the health care problem has spiraled out of control you will see that it's only got worse with federal intervention. Also consider that in a Ron Paul world each state would be able to make the decision of having universal health care or not. If some states can show that it works well then perhaps eventually it would spread all over the country.

3. Gun Control. Interesting topic, but really, is this the issue you want to select the next president of the country over? It seems to me that we are allowing ourselves to be controlled when we vote on issues like this.

Liberals: Tell me why I am wrong! Explain to me why I am a traitor to the Democratic party!

I have voted straight Democrat my entire life but if the general election comes down to Ron Paul vs. insert name of politics as usual Democrat here I will vote for Ron Paul.

Let us have the peace and civil liberties that we deserve.

Why Vote For Someone Who Thinks You're A Criminal?

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

There are two democrats (Mike Gravel & Dennis Kucinich) and one republican (Ron Paul) running for president who are for the legalization of marijuana. If you are a marijuana smoker why would you even consider voting for anyone else? These are the only candidates who do not consider you a criminal for what you put in your own body.

Even if you do not currently smoke marijuana, perhaps you have tried it in the past. Probably you have friends and family who smoke marijuana or who have smoked marijuana. Do you truly feel that these people are CRIMINALS because of what they put in their own body?

There are millions of Americans who are marijuana smokers and many millions more who have smoked it or who have friends or family members who have done so. If these millions of people stand up for themselves and for their civil liberties and actually go out and vote for Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, or Mike Gravel perhaps things can begin to truly change for the better in this country.

They are counting on you being disinterested & uninformed! Wake up! Over 700,000 people are arrested in America every year for marijuana related offenses. This is an outrage! The government should not be allowed to tell us what we are allowed to smoke! There are *real* criminals out there who are a real danger to society.

The drug war is an incredible waste of money. Think of where the money spent on the drug war could be spent instead? Education, health care. What reason is there for a drug war? There is none.

Marijuana prohibition today is counter productive just like alcohol prohibition was in the 1920s. Prohibition creates crime by making something that reasonable people enjoy doing illegal. This not only makes citizens who are not doing anything wrong criminals, it also creates a criminal element to supply the needs of those that want the prohibited item.

On top of the fact that the drug war is a waste of money and counter productive it's also plain wrong and anti-American. It's wrong for the government to tell us what we can put in our bodies. It's wrong for people to be treated like criminals for doing nothing but smoking pot or growing a marijuana plant in their backyard.

End The War On Drugs: Vote For Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, or Mike Gravel.

EMail To CBS Evening News

Thursday, December 06, 2007

The following is an email I sent to CBS Evening News about their exclusion of Ron Paul & Dennis Kucinich from their new series on the presidential candidates.

***Send Your Own Email***

Hello,

Why are Ron Paul & Dennis Kucinich being excluded from your series on the candidates? The only candidates (other than Mike Gravel of course whom the MSM has already shut out) who offer any real alternative to a corporate controlled war mongering anti-civil liberties government?

I can understand that you may be able to make a reasonable argument that Kucinich does not have enough of a following to meet the criteria of being a "top candidate" but certainly Ron Paul does. Paul is most likely going to top all other Republicans for money raised in the fourth quarter. He recently set the record for most money raised in a single day and he is likely to top that record again on December 16th. Furthermore Ron Paul is easily the most searched candidate on the internet and his website receives far more traffic than any other candidate's website.

It's obvious that Ron Paul has a considerable following despite his low numbers in some national polls. It also must be noted that his name has been systematically removed from some of these national polls to make his support seem lower than it actually is. On top of that, much of Paul's support comes from independents and democrats who are not going to be polled in a Republican only poll. Paul is likely to be a serious challenger in all Republican primaries which allow non-registered Republicans to vote.

With the recent information that has come out about Iran in the NIE report it's clear that Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, and Mike Gravel have been the only candidates speaking any sense about that situation. All the other candidates have been on the wrong track.

It's clear that those in power do not want Ron Paul to be heard. Journalism should not be a tool of corporations. It should not be the tool of an elite class who benefit from a war mongering Government. The American people are hungry for real change and are tired of politics as usual.

Show some journalistic integrity. I'm sure some of you must have had some integrity at some point. Why did you get into journalism in the first place?

The "Ron Paul Revolution" is real. Stop ignoring it. Stop marginalizing it. Do your job and report on the real issues. Politics shouldn't be about some American Idol style popularity contest about who has a $400 haircut and who loves Jesus the most so on and so forth. This election is about who can stop the warmongering and who can bring the American people the freedoms that we deserve.

Thank You.

Dennis Kucinich Is For True Universal Health Care

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

While the front runners Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards give lip service to "universal" health care their plans fall far short of actually providing it.

Dennis Kucinich on the other hand has sponsored a true single payer universal health care plan that will cover every single American. Kucinich's plan is endorsed by Michael Moore.

Watch this video of Kucinich asking himself a question about universal health care:

Who Will Stand Up For Our Civil Liberties?

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Which presidential candidates will stand up for our civil liberties? I think there should be no bigger issue than our civil liberties. Our civil liberties are what makes us free. They are the very basis of what it's supposed to mean to be in a free society. If we do not have them, then we are not free. This "freedom" that we supposedly have? It's nothing but an illusion.

Do you know what does not make us free? Do you know what has nothing to do with our freedom? Invading other countries to "install democracy." Spending billions of dollars for a bloated military that is largely unnecessary. Spending ridiculous amounts of money and resources on organizations like the DEA that do little more than harass the people of our country.

What is the biggest threat to our freedom? It's not "terrorists" and it's not definitely not Iraq. It's our own government. It's our government which jails people for doing things that should be protected by the constitution (smoking marijuana for an excellent example.) It's our government which is detaining people without giving them their rights because they are "suspected terrorists." It's our government which is tapping the phones of American citizens without a warrant!

So again I ask: Which presidential candidates will stand up for our civil liberties? Unfortunately the list is very short: Mike Gravel, Ron Paul, and Dennis Kucinich. Among the many reasons why these three candidates stand out from the crowd is that these are the only three candidates who have openly spoke out for the legalization of marijuana.

If you are not for the legalization of marijuana then you are part of an oppressive force against the very basic fabric of what it means to be an American. End Of Story. There is no reasonable argument that anyone can give that someone should be jailed for doing nothing more than smoking or growing marijuana. It should be every Americans right to put whatever they want into their own body and to grow whatever they want on their own property. If you are not hurting someone else, then you should be absolutely free to do whatever you want. What is the justification for marijuana being illegal while much more harmful & dangerous drugs are being sold every hour on television (pharmaceuticals)? When drugs like cigarettes & alcohol which are responsible for thousands of deaths every year are legal.

To be clear, I'm not advocating that these other drugs be illegal. Not at all. What I'm saying is what is the justification for the illegality of marijuana in a society where much more dangerous drugs are illegal. There is none. I cannot think of a better example of our civil liberties being trampled on than the "War on Drugs." The "War on Drugs" is a war on the American people.

These three candidates (Mike Gravel, Ron Paul, & Dennis Kucinich) are also the most strongly against the war in Iraq and the Patriot Act. If you are a true American then you know how despicable these things are. How much money they've wasted. How many innocent people's lives they've ended. And how many of our civil liberties have been taken away under the guise of "protecting us."

Why would even consider a lukewarm candidate that won't stand up for your rights and do what's right for America? Barack Obama? Hillary Clinton? John Edwards? Sure they are all a million times better than George W Bush or Rudolph Giuliani, but what is that saying? Is that really the standard that we judge candidates by? Don't we deserve more? This is supposed to be the land of the free.

America was founded on the ideals of freedom from tyranny and oppressive governments. Let us be truly American again, let us be truly free.

Learn more about these candidates that speak the truth and believe in your right to exercise your civil liberties:

Mike Gravel, Ron Paul, & Dennis Kucinich.

Health Care Rankings

Saturday, July 28, 2007

With our country in dire need of health care reform and the implementation of a universal health care system there will be some people spreading much misinformation in order to keep the system as is. Those people are bought and paid for by the health insurance industry and this includes many politicians. People who speak out against universal health care are either lying or ignorant.

Below you'll find the most up to date world wide health care rankings by the World Health Organization. Consider that every country on this list except for the United States has a universal health care system. Think of this list the next time you hear someone lying: Rudy Giuliani Lies About Health Care.

1. France
2. Italy
3. San Marino
4. Andorra
5. Malta
6. Singapore
7. Spain
8. Oman
9. Austria
10. Japan
11. Norway
12. Portugal
13. Monaco
14. Greece
15. Iceland
16. Luxembourg
17. Netherlands
18. United Kingdom
19. Ireland
20. Switzerland
21. Belgium
22. Colombia
23. Sweden
24. Cyprus
25. Germany
26. Saudi Arabia
27. United Arab Emirates
28. Israel
29. Morocco
30. Canada
31. Finland
32. Australia
33. Chile
34. Denmark
35. Dominica
36. Costa Rica
37. USA

Also consider that the US spends by far the most money per person on health care of any of these countries. Why are we getting so little return on so much money spent? Because of the corrupt system we have in place which benefits the very rich health insurance companies and their investors but not the people of this country.

It's obviously well past time for a change. We cannot afford to support any presidential candidate who does not have a true single payer universal health care system ready to go. Right now Dennis Kucinich has the best plan of any of the candidates. Read about Kucinich's health care plan.

Dennis Kucinich interview with Bill Maher

Friday, July 27, 2007

This is not a particularly recent interview (4/27/07) but it is a good one. Kucinich is in great form.

Dennis Kucinich speaks about impeachment.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Dennis Kucinich urges conversation about impeachment:

Dennis Kucinich is in the hospital with food poisoning

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Democrat candidate for president Dennis Kucinich is in the hospital with food poisoning. His spokesman Andy Juniewicz said Kucinich is improving and should be out of the hospital in a day or two.

Money In The 2008 Presidential Election - Open Secrets

Monday, July 16, 2007

You can follow the money in the 2008 presidential election at OpenSecrets.org

I think it's extremely unfortunate the great role that money plays in our political system. Those that really challenge our current system and the corporations that control it are not getting the money they need to compete.

While real political junkies like me and you (I'm assuming since you're reading this site) may read up on the candidates positions, the average voter does not. They are voting based on the commercials and media coverage they see. The commercials that some candidates cannot afford and the media coverage that barely mentions those candidates except to marginalize their candidacies.

If only the candidates who want to bring real change (Mike Gravel & Dennis Kucinich) could get the same exposure the "top tier" candidates are getting.

I'm positive that if the American people were to be well informed on the issues and to know where the candidates stood on those issues that this election would come down to Gravel vs. Kucinich: Who has the better plan for America?

It's not Hillary Clinton and it's certainly not Rudy Giuliani. These people represent nothing but politics as usual. Corporate sponsored politicians who will likely do little to better our country (Clinton) or even worse continue down the same path as George W. Bush (Guiliani.)

Hillary Clinton and John Edwards caught on tape

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Senator Hillary Clinton and former Senator John Edwards try to remove the "lesser" candidates from the debates. Why? Perhaps the truths that Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel are speaking are getting in their way? It's hard for them to pretend to be anti-war or like they are going to do anything about health care when there are candidates talking on the same stage actually speaking truth on these subjects!

The Clip:


Dennis Kucinich's Response: