Dennis Kucinich -- The Most Important Man in Congress

For more than 14 years, one man steadfastly has stood up for the American people in Congress. This man refuses to take corporate contributions. He refuses to sell out. He has risked his career and everything he has time and time again to be there for you and me. He led the fight against the war and the Patriot Act. He fought for single-payer -- not for profit -- health care. He stood up and demanded impeachment after a corrupt President lied America into a war. He has done so much more than any other person in Congress, now or from an historical perspective, for the people of America. This man is Dennis Kucinich.

Dennis was a born hero. As the oldest of seven children, he learned to care early about the needs of others. His family moved 21 times when he was young and sometimes lived out of a car.

As he grew up, Kucinich became the youngest mayor of Cleveland, risking his life and his career to keep the campaign promise of stopping a takeover of the city-owned power company. He was successful, and saved the people of Cleveland hundreds of millions of dollars. Eventually, the city erected a building in his honor to let the world know how grateful the people of Cleveland were to their hero, Dennis Kucinich.

Later, in Congress, Kucinich refused time and time again to sell out to corporations and special interests. He continually put his career on the line to put people first. It paid off. In election after election, the people have come through for Kucinich, showing that honesty and integrity do count.

In 2001, Congress, paranoid and under George W. Bush's spell, overwhelming adopted the USA PATRIOT Act, which was the beginning of the end of freedom in America. Member after member of Congress caved in to this totalitarian bill. But Dennis Kucinich, along with Cynthia McKinney, Maxine Waters, Russ Feingold, and others led the battle for the rights of American people. Kucinich continued to lead fight after fight against further attacks on the civil rights and liberties of Americans. He led the opposition to the war in Iraq and opposition to the funding for the war in Iraq. 

Kucinich worked to put America back on track, introducing bills to restore civil liberties, for universal non-profit, single-payer health care, to bring home the troops, to end the death penalty -- and other bills aimed at restoring sanity to the American Government.

After Israel started bombing Lebanon, Kucinich went to Lebanon and visited the graves of children who had died. He worked for a Middle East cease-fire, introducing a bill and educating the public on the issues. This fight for peace was irrespective of the party in the White House, this year leading the Congressional opposition to the NATO attack on the Libyan people.

If Japan had listened to Kucinich, Fukushima never would have occurred. Kucinich is a top leader in the fight against nuclear power and against the threat of a Fukushima happening here.

Two Americans had courage to introduce bills to impeach George W. Bush and Dick Cheney for high crimes. In 2006, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney introduced Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice. In 2007, Dennis Kucinich introduced Articles of Impeachment against Dick Cheney and in 2008, he introduced Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush. Though Kucinich had co-sponsors, the majority of Congress was too busy taking money from the defense industry to sign onto bills that characterized lying us into wars as a crime.

Here is a picture of Kucinich from his 2004 Presidential campaign with the youth chairman of the Patrick Henry Democratic Club (Natasha H), one of the many children who knew the importance of putting the best man into the White House. Natasha, now a UC Berkeley student, continues to be one of Kucinich's biggest supporters.  

Kucinich's accomplishments are too numerous to mention in one article or even 10 articles. His track record and accomplishments are unparalleled in Congress. Without him, the American people would lose their spokesman.

The people of Ohio have been very lucky to have Kucinich as their representative. People in other states across America would love to have that honor. When Ohio was redistricted, massive numbers of people from states throughout the country tried to lure the popular Congressman to their state. Absent election rigging, it appears that Dennis will still represent Ohio in Congress, as the majority of his new district contains most of the Democrats from his old district.

Today (October 8) is Dennis Kucinich's birthday. As Kucinich is the voice of the people, it is really the people's day. A good way to honor the American people would be to make October 8 a national holiday!