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August 26, 2008 at 21:51:04

Headlined on 8/26/08:
Dennis Kucinich's Rousing Speech Wakes Up America at the DNC

by Meryl Ann Butler

www.opednews.com

 

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Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) raised spirits as his speech, given to wild cheers and shouts of “Go! Dennis!”   lifted participants out of their seats at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008.

Dennis rocked! 

Now there is a great leader in action!

Transcript:

Hello fellow Democrats! Are you ready for November?

(This one’s for you, Stephanie.)

Fellow Democrats, lets go to Election Day … its Election Day,  2008.

And we Democrats are giving America a wake-up call.

Wake up, America!

 

 
Dennis Kucinich Photo credit: Robin Rae Swanson

 

 In 2001, the oil companies, the war contractors and the neo con-artists seized the economy and added 4 trillion dollars of unproductive spending to the national debt. We now pay four times more for defense, three times more for gasoline and home heating oil, and twice what we paid for health care. 


Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, their homes, their health care, their pensions. Trillions of dollars for an unnecessary war paid for with borrowed money.

Tens of billions of dollars in cash and weapons disappeared into thin air, at the cost of the lives of our troops and innocent Iraqis, while all the president's oilmen are maneuvering to grab Iraq's oil. 



Borrowed money to bomb bridges in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan—no money to rebuild bridges in America.

Money to start a hot war with Iran—now we have another cold war with Russia,

And the American economy has become a game of Russian roulette. 



Now, if there were an Olympics for misleading, mismanaging and misappropriating, this administration would take the gold!

World records for violations of national and international laws.

They want another four-year term to continue to alienate our allies, spend our children's inheritance, and hollow out the economy. 

We cannot afford another Republican administration.


Dennis Kucinich Photo credit: Robin Rae Swanson

Wake up, America!

The insurance companies took over health care.

Wake up, America!

The pharmaceutical companies took over drug pricing. 



Wake up, America!

The speculators took over Wall Street!

Wake up, America!

They want your Social Security.

Wake up, America.

Multinational corporations took over our trade policies, factories are closing, good paying jobs are being lost. 



Wake up, America!

We went into Iraq for oil. The oil companies want more! War against Iran will mean $10-a-gallon gasoline.

The oil administration, they want to drill more, into your wallet.

Wake up, America!

Those war contractors want more. An Iran war will cost $5-10 trillion. 



Now, this administration can tap our phones—but they can't tap our creative spirit.

They can open our mail, but they can't open economic opportunities.

They can track our every move, but they lost track of the economy while the cost of food, gasoline and electricity skyrockets.

Now, they have skillfully played our post-9/11 fears, and they’ve allowed the few to profit at the expense of the many.

 Every day we get the color orange—while the oil companies, the insurance companies, the speculators, the war contractors—get the color green.

Wake up, America!

Now, this is not a call for you to take a new direction from right to left.

This is call for you to go from down to up!

Up with the rights of workers!

Up with wages!

Up with fair trade!

Up with creating millions of good paying jobs, rebuilding our bridges, our water systems, our sewer systems, our ports.

Up with creating millions of sustainable energy jobs to lower the cost of energy, lower carbon emission, and protect the environment! 



Up with health care for all!

Up with education for all!

Up with home ownership!

Up with guaranteed retirement benefits!

Up with peace!

Up with prosperity!

Up with the Democratic Party!

Up with Obama-Biden!



Wake up, America!   Wake up, America!   Wake up, America!


Photo: www.susanweingartner.com (detail)

 

www.merylannbutler.com

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author and educator who counts First Lady Dolley Payne Todd Madison as well as two signers of the Articles of Confederation among her ancestors. Mary Ball, mother of George Washington is in the ancestral lineage of Butler's great grandmother, Blanche Ball. Grateful to know that the blood of America's founding mothers and fathers runs in her veins, Butler has been newly filled with matriotism as a direct result of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Lest she appear too uppity, it should be revealed that she also has family ties to James Butler Hickok, better known as Wild Bill. Butler has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled enlightenment for the past two decades. A native of NYC, her response to 9-11 was to pen an invitation to healing through creativity, entitled, "90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Stitch in an Afternoon" (Krause 2006). They don't call quilts "comforters" for nothing! www.90minutequilts.com Butler was faculty advisor for "The Love for All Mankind/Anti-Apartheid Quilt" project at ENMU (1993), now in the collection of the Hon. Nelson Mandela. As Arts Advisor for the Center for Improving U.S.- Soviet Relations (CIUSSR) Baltimore, MD; her activities included the "First U.S.-Soviet Childrens' Peace Quilt Exchange" (1987-88), an historic project chronicled in the media of both countries. Citizen diplomacy trips to the U.S.S.R. in 1987 and 1988 included lectures and presentations to fashion designers, craftspeople and artists in Odessa, Moscow, Kiev and St.Petersburg, in which she focused on the topic of creating global peace through international art exchanges. Butler is the proud mother of a daughter and seven stepchildren (all grown), and a passel o' grand younguns. It is to these new generations that she dedicates her political activism. Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.,

 

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27 comments

Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic."
John Sanchez Jr.Midwesterner, veteran of VietNam era naval service, I still feel an obligation to defend the Constitution against "all enemies, foreign and domestic."

We see that when you're running the country...

you can help yourself to all the trillions that aren't there. If Kucinich could have done that with his campaign, he probably would have been a lot more successful.

by John Sanchez Jr. (6 articles, 0 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 1266 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 9:19:17 AM
 


If I had my way, I would tear this old building down.
SamsonIf I had my way, I would tear this old building down.

farce

Oh, so now he's trying to blame the Republicans for all the stuff the Democrats have an equal part in creating.  And note carefully that he's bashing the Republicans on stuff the Democrats have no intention of changing if elected.  Sorry, but this is just a farce.

Also, I noticed he was conspiculously absent at the rally before Sunday's anti-war march.  I guess ol' Dennis only does dissent when its been officially approved by the DNC.

by Samson (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 40 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 6:12:49 AM
 


I have achieved nothing of consequence apart from raising children in a way that they would excel where I failed. And they are on good tracks.
ramsheyiI have achieved nothing of consequence apart from raising children in a way that they would excel where I failed. And they are on good tracks.

How About 9/11 ?

Where is his courage when it comes to 9/11 massmurder ? He knows at least and surely much more than we do about perpetrators inside the government. Why didn't he call for an honest unbiased investigation into what really happenend?

9/11 was the biggest crime of Bush administration, and the vilest crime against US citizens ever. Kucinich has the obligation to come out as whistleblower and unmask the criminals if he has guts and moral principles. Unfortunately he is as much part of the Establishment as the puppet presidential candidates. As such he is a farce, a fake, a shame. Nothing to be proud about.

by ramsheyi (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 524 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 6:34:22 AM
 


In 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Focused mainly on elections, her blogs also address religious, gender, sexual and racial equality, as well as environmental issues; and are sprinkled with book and film reviews on various topics. She spent most of her working life as a legal investigator for private lawyers, and five years as an editor. She currently serves as a senior editor at OpEdNews.

All material offered here is the property of Rady A...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Rady AnandaIn 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Focused mainly on elections, her blogs also address religious, gender, sexual and racial equality, as well as environmental issues; and are sprinkled with book and film reviews on various topics. She spent most of her working life as a legal investigator for private lawyers, and five years as an editor. She currently serves as a senior editor at OpEdNews.

All material offered here is the property of Rady A...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Dennis is in the wrong party

I loved just about everything he said, but no one of conscience would vote for a Democrat given how they helped pass the PATRIOT Acts, the Military Commissions Act, the Help America Vote Act, the new FISA bill and on ad nauseum, working with the neocons to turn this once great nation into a police state with fake elections, where corporations rule instead of We the People.

I like what Naomi Klein had to say about Obama http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/link.php?id=67240

by Rady Ananda (124 articles, 283 quicklinks, 36 diaries, 1061 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 6:48:23 AM
 


An artist and musician.
boomerangAn artist and musician.

Ra Ra In A Box

Cheerleading one party of a two-party system is not "Revolution"; and that is what is needed to actuate real Change...or we all get MORE of the SAME. 

DK is pointing to "some" of the problems, but leaves out polarizing issues like 9/11 investigations, investigations of Congress complicity, dismantling of the MIC, Corporate whoring with the nation's political arm, investigations of Fraudulent and Illegal actions by the Federal Reserve and corrupt Treasury, etc., ad nauseum.  DK is proposing working "within" the system to "fix" the system -- and any intelligent person should see the bogus picture this feint paints.  All the king's horses and all the king's men need to fall down, fall down, fall down. 

Having a corrupt system investigate itself, or expect it to even police itself (certainly not "fix" itself) is simply posturing...posing...and we've seen enough of this over the last 8 years to understand what it is -- Another SLAP in the face of the people. 

I'm sorry, I liked DK, and appreciate the impeachment activities and all, but grandstanding for the Dems and coming into line with the rest of these operatives (Losers -- they are shamefully corrupt and complicit in our loss of freedoms, and the continuation of crimes against all that is humane) does not give me faith or hope.  The people will get what they deserve, not what they want, and choosing the lesser evil still results in more evil, no? 

A rousing Wake Up call to us all would involve a Revolution of Thought outside the bounds of our current system and reality -- it would change the reality that has been imposed by the neoCons (they said they make reality, and they have).  Effective change will come from true "outside" activities acting upon the inner circle. 

Like the PNAC realization, a catalyst is needed (to flip their strategy around).  That will come from a Revolution of Thought in the People.  (ala...WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!)  Why do you think the Communist dictators sought to remove "thinkers"?  They were dangerous to the State.  But it is stupid to think you can police people's thoughts, and cause them to 'not think' for any length of time.  Thus, we have seen throughout history Authoritarian nations fall in upon themselves by their own corruption, greed and hubris, or be conquered eventually.

So we must THINK Outside the Box, to Change what is in the Box.  This is why I Think DK is missing the boat here.

by boomerang (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 306 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 8:14:43 AM
 


Richard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.
Richard MynickRichard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.

Actually, the speech was fundamentally dishonest, though

he at least deserves credit for specifically naming some of the major problems, which is more than the other Dem Party frauds will do.

Let's examine a selection of Kucinich's claims. He complained, among other things, that

The pharmaceutical companies took over drug pricing. Multinational corporations took over our trade policies, factories are closing..... Those war contractors want more. ... Now, this administration can tap our phones....The speculators took over Wall Street!....Tens of billions of dollars in cash and weapons disappeared into thin air, at the cost of the lives of our troops and innocent Iraqis, while all the president's oilmen are maneuvering to grab Iraq's oil....

So he's pointing to how corporate power & the military-industrial complex has taken over the whole national policy-making apparatus. That's true as far as it goes -- but what Kucinich fails to mention is that his stinking party has consistently supported all the major initiatives of those powerful lobbies. His party, and its candidates, never said a word against the Wall St speculators, or the war contractors, or drug companies. They SUPPORTED the FISA endorsement of govt spying. They voted for all the wars, the occupation re-fundings, & went along with Bush in pretending that these wars were based on "fighting terrorism," instead of on grabbing oil (which Kucinich -- almost alone among Democrats, & to his credit -- is at least candid enough to admit).

So when he winds up his speech by saying, "Up with the Democratic Party! Up with Obama-Biden!", he's really saying, "Elect the very same people who helped bring all these disasters upon us, and who never fought against any of it!" This is a fundamentally false analysis. Today's disasters are thoroughly bipartisan. It isn't Bush, it isn't the Republicans -- it's both parties working as full collaborators & partners, to subordinate the national life to corporate dominance.

by Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1214 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 10:07:10 AM
 


Margaret Bassett is an 86-year old, currently living in senior housing, with a lifelong interest in political conumbrums. She hopes to hold out for one more presidential election. Bachelors from State University of Iowa (1944) and Masters from Roosevelt University (1975) help to unravel important requirements for modern communication. Early introduction to computer science (1966) trumps them. It's payback time. She's been "entitled" so long she hopes to find some good coming off the keyboa...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Margaret BassettMargaret Bassett is an 86-year old, currently living in senior housing, with a lifelong interest in political conumbrums. She hopes to hold out for one more presidential election. Bachelors from State University of Iowa (1944) and Masters from Roosevelt University (1975) help to unravel important requirements for modern communication. Early introduction to computer science (1966) trumps them. It's payback time. She's been "entitled" so long she hopes to find some good coming off the keyboa...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Thanks for the video, Meryl Ann

I would have been mad at myself if I never got to see Kinetic Kucinich. With a long night ahead I did chores for a few minutes and came back to an uproar and the announcement that its was DK who had spoken. I'm a woman who spent 5 hours with him at midnight in the House. A woman who says it over and over again that he's too valuable as a Congressman to be a mere president. And also I'm a woman who knows he has documented smarts on communication skills. But that kind of uproar! Enjoyed the presentation. And I hope it translates at the Ohio polls.

Looked at the ratings, Meryl Ann, and sorry--one is not a sample. So after I get off his page, I'll rate you right up there with the best of writers.

by Margaret Bassett (31 articles, 1969 quicklinks, 30 diaries, 1282 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 10:31:56 AM
 


A concerned citizen that has researched enough to know what is really going is NOTHING like what we are told by the media.
Roger ThomasA concerned citizen that has researched enough to know what is really going is NOTHING like what we are told by the media.

Same thing they said in 2006

Are the wars over? Are the troops back from their missions of aggression for Israel? Are they calling for an INDEPENDANT investigation of the 9/11 hoax?

Of course not. Nothing will change.

by Roger Thomas (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 10:51:23 AM
 


a concerned citizen and supporter of a new Coalition 3rd Party; as well as the Open Source Energy Movement!
Steve Windisch (jibbguy)a concerned citizen and supporter of a new Coalition 3rd Party; as well as the Open Source Energy Movement!

Maybe you want to see him out of Congress ...?

These anti-Kucinich comments here are absurd. Blaming him for the sins of the Dem party is ridiculous.... This is like blaming the French Resistance train workers for allowing the Germans to run trains during the Occupation.

His opinion, as clearly stated in the past, is to try and work reform from WITHIN. Whether you agree with this strategy or not; is far from the point. It is HIS strategy, for good or ill, and considering his relative position and accomplishments verses the naysayers, i trust his judgment over theirs.   

I am very familiar with Cleveland's 10th District. It would NEVER vote for an Independent, it is NOT San Fransisco, lol. So if your wish to see him out of Congress, then continue to push for his becoming completely ostracized and shunned by the system. Otherwise give the man some credit for doing what he can, so he can continue to be one of the very few Congresspersons who gives a damn about what we have to say... And who actually works hard for the policies we want to see. 

Or, perhaps some of you think he is some sort of mutant with super-powers... That despite having the full weight of the entire fascist corporate Establishment after him, he can somehow defeat them alone? And so you are mad at him for not bothering to do so, lol? Go back to your graphic novels.  

Maybe some people should WAKE UP to what real politics is about: It is not about making quixotic stands that get you thrown out of Congress, when you have serious work there yet to do.... Especially when you are one of the very few who represent a large part of our society who are otherwise completely ignored. 

It IS about getting the most done that you can; and if playing the game , just a hair shy of getting totally shunned, is what it takes... Then thank God he does that.

I am surprised that more peeps here did not comment on the subtle and radical quality of the speech.. Not the tone, which on the surface was decidedly un-subtle and a rousing populist old-time revival... But the "subversive" message behind the "Wake Up Call": Aimed at the delegates and the American people in general. He was telling them that there is a secret oligarchy running the show, including the Party. Lol, it was certainly a unique message at that convention.

How the hell did he get away with saying that, in the den of the "enemy" lol? That's genius. And shows not only intelligence and courage; but leadership.

"....-Up Obama and Biden!": Think about it...

Bravo, Dennis!

by Steve Windisch (jibbguy) (14 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 222 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 11:34:36 AM
 


B.Soc.Sci (Aus). Helped start an Organic Food Co-op and a Local Energy Transfer System (goods & services exchange, no cash). Lived near permaculture's Bill Mollison for a time, saw semi barren land transformed into gardens and orchards. Worked in a Community Support Center. Currently in NZ/ Aotearoa.
AuroraB.Soc.Sci (Aus). Helped start an Organic Food Co-op and a Local Energy Transfer System (goods & services exchange, no cash). Lived near permaculture's Bill Mollison for a time, saw semi barren land transformed into gardens and orchards. Worked in a Community Support Center. Currently in NZ/ Aotearoa.

C-Span link

"These anti-Kucinich comments here are absurd. Blaming him for the sins of the Dem party is ridiculous.... This is like blaming the French Resistance train workers for allowing the Germans to run trains during the Occupation."

Totally, totally agree. 
Here is the C-Span video of Dennis's speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVp9cWOcZ7g

"But the "subversive" message behind the "Wake Up Call": Aimed at the delegates and the American people in general. He was telling them that there is a secret oligarchy running the show, including the Party."

Yes,  he seems to be trying to wake people up at a deeper level.

by Aurora (0 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 354 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 1:29:57 PM
 


Richard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.
Richard MynickRichard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.

Kucinich fans are excited by him only because he seems to

speak substance & truth -- when compared to the rest of the phonies in his party. And I agree that if you have only heard mainstream Democrats talk, then you hear Kucinich talk, you feel like you're "finally hearing the truth." (I know that feeling well, having worked for Kucinich in 2004.)

But that's only because your basis for comparison is the rest of his hopelessly dishonest party. Kucinich's truthtelling pales in comparison to Ralph Nader, and Ralph Nader's truthtelling pales in comparison to serious leftists.

Your analogy to the French resistance is poorly chosen. Look at the end of Dennis's speech -- he's telling people that pro-war corporatists like Obama & Biden (who in no way represent "change" or even Kucinich's own views) are going to bring the needed change to US politics. That's just telling fairy tales to people, to give them that kind of false & misleading advice.  Dennis did even worse at the 2004 convention, where he completely caved in to the pro-war Kerry campaign, & gave a speech that made him sound like he'd had a lobotomy. At least last night he sounded like himself -- but when the Kerryites put the screws to him in '04, he complied with everything they demanded.

by Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1214 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 1:46:20 PM
 


August Adams is a CPA and holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. He is an activist striving to create a fair and just world for all.
August AdamsAugust Adams is a CPA and holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. He is an activist striving to create a fair and just world for all.

Dennis's Speech and the reaction of the crowd

You know, it's amazing to watch the reaction of the crowd when Dennis speaks.  He's speaking about the real issues and the truth behind how we have gotten where we are today.

The crowd was energized, excited, ready to work.

But Obama didn't select a Dennis Kuccinich or otherwise Progressive VP.  The democratic party isn't on board with the Progressive agenda.

I'm still not feeling a Dem vote.  We were betrayed in 11/06 and I have little confidence if they can't even speak a Progressive agenda that we'll see any relevant change at all.

And the MSM - let his rousing speech just fall down the rabbit hole.  

Pass it along to your friends via e-mail and You Tube... 

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 458 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 1:18:45 PM
 


An artist and musician.
boomerangAn artist and musician.

Addendum for D

To clarify, Dennis has huevos grande, is idealistic and compassionate about standing up for people's rights, worked and fought to bring impeachment articles while surrounded by a bunch of stinking piranhas, and stands for moral values and humanity.  For this and more he deserves our gratitude and support as a "person" of power and charisma willing to swim against the tide of corruption, money & power madness, and conscience-less exploitation of the people.  Yes, Bravo Mr. Kucinich!

Yet, I am tired of waiting for the ANESTHESIA to wear off so the people will really feel the PAIN that has been inflicted upon them.  When it gets to that point, the rotten Structures of political, business, medical, military, media and other mutated arms of exploitation may be cut off and discarded...no longer performing the function(s) they were designed to do.  This body is sick.  Working from within the organism to urge the other cells (people) to fight off the disease is a good thing.  Go D!  We need more than Band-Aids for sure...radical surgery to repair the damage from the disease.

by boomerang (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 306 comments) on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 3:13:03 PM