Yet, you have failed them. You have failed to talk about single-payer health care and instead advocate a mix of Medicare and private insurance. You have failed to talk about how no human beings are illegal and truly connect with immigrants who suffer under the “Gestapo” of federal agents who continuously raid immigrant homes and disrupt immigrant lives. You voted for a bankruptcy bill which made predatory lenders happier than ever to be part of America. You failed to mention the problem of voter disenfranchisement in America and stick up for your brothers and sisters in America. You ignore racism and classism believing that we are all one and there is no divide, which makes it easy for you to articulate policy. Like the current leaders in South Africa who have forgotten the apartheid struggle, you have conveniently forgotten the civil rights movement in America which so vibrantly erupted in the Sixties.
You are terribly un-imaginative, un-creative, and un-inspirational in your policies and while you talk a good rhetoric game, you have little to offer in the way of hope for Americans. You may have written the best book on hope since Martin Luther King Jr. said “I have a dream” but you are no MLK Jr. and at this rate, will never be.
If I had to grade the performances of each of the candidates, I would say, in order of appearance:
Edwards B
Kucinich A
Clinton F
Dodd A+
Obama C-
Dennis Kucinich brought the audience to their feet when he walked up and showed off his watch with Our Lady of Guadalupe on it and then started speaking Spanish. He also drew applause for pulling out his Constitution. Chris Dodd, for the first time, spoke about how little time he gets to speak in debates and was pleased to speak in this forum. He gets the highest grade because he made the focus of his responses his record and the legislation he has authored, supported, and passed; it’s what Kucinich has been doing all along and what I wish all politicians would do.
Now, I would like to explore some of these candidates’ stances on predatory lending, immigration, health care, and especially the impact of farm factory corporations on agriculture further. But let me first say, if you have not watched the forum, keep checking YouTube or Community Change for video of the event. And after that, check back later for an open dialogue on the candidates' stances on the issues covered in the forum held today.
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