Dennis Kucinich continues to be, for me, the epitome of what a politician should be, and of what I would love to see more of in American politics. He focuses little on what is wrong, and focuses much on how to make things right, in both his Victory speech and on yesterday's CNN interview.

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Dennis Kucinich continues to be, for me, the epitome of what a politician should be, and of what I would love to see more of in American politics. He focuses little on what is wrong, and focuses much on how to make things right.

In the last couple of days, two OEN articles: Barbara Fredrickson's "Keep Stoking the Positivity-Our Future Depends on It",  and Sandy Sand's "Omigawd, Obama Sparkled on 60 Minutes Interview," focused on the benefits of the positive. Sitafa Harden's diary today was about gratitude.  I'm thrilled to see these "feel-good" messages grace the space on OEN.

Kucinich exemplifies these positive qualities for me. I have heard him live dozens of times, and he always begins with appreciation, and leaves his listeners uplifted, instilling his exciting vision of forward movement toward progressive goals.

In his victory speech (see video below) he said:

"What we ran is a campaign based on principle, a campaign based on service, because that's what our politics represents. We have a politics that tries to connect with people's hearts, that tries to relate to people's practical aspirations. So we never got into the exchanges that people were trying to bait us into..."

"... We have to get ready to help create a new nation here ... the last time that the United States had this potential for dramatic change was 1932 ...we have to be ready to catch this wave ...and that's what I intend to be part of...I am so fortunate to have your support ...thank you, thank you, thank you."

The man knows the value of positive focus and appreciation. Here's hoping Obama understands the value of including Kucinich in his cabinet. Ohio's loss can only be the country's -and the world's-gain.

Yesterday's CNN segment,  "Obama is Practicing Peace" included Obama, John Ridley, and Kucinich and the topic of intra-national as well as international peace. Kucinich says,

"...this is what  politics should really be about ... the art of drawing in new possibilities..."  and  he goes on to respond with heartfelt vision to an excellent question about the Department of Peace.

Yeah, Dennis Kucinich is still rockin' my world! 

Authors Website: http://www.OceanViewArts.com

Authors Bio:

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author, educator and OpedNews Managing Editor who has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled wellbeing since she was a hippie. She began writing for OpEdNews in Feb, 2004. She became a Senior Editor in August 2012 and Managing Editor in January, 2013. In June, 2015, the combined views on her articles, diaries and quick link contributions topped one million. She was particularly happy that her article about Bree Newsome removing the Confederate flag was the one that put her past the million mark.

Her art in a wide variety of media can be seen on her YouTube video, "Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGs2r_66QE

A NYC native, 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), which is a bestseller in the craft field. The sequel, MORE 90-Minute Quilts: 20+ Quick and Easy Projects With Triangles and Squares was released in April, 2011. Her popular video, How to Stitch a Quilt in 90 Minutes with Meryl Ann Butler can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrShGOQaJQ8

She has been active in a number of international, arts-related projects as a citizen diplomat, and was arts advisor to Baltimore's CIUSSR (Center for Improving US-Soviet Relations), 1987-89. She made two trips to the former USSR in 1987 and 1988 to speak to artists, craftpeople and fashion designers on the topic of utilizing the arts as a tool for global wellbeing. She created the historical "First US-Soviet Children's Peace Quilt Exchange Project" in 1987-88, which was the first time a reciprocal quilt was given to the US from the former USSR.

Her artwork is in collections across the globe.

Meryl Ann is a founding member of The Labyrinth Society and has been building labyrinths since 1992. She publishes an annual article about the topic on OpEdNews on World Labyrinth Day, the first Saturday in May.

OpEdNews Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in "Beyond Surviving: How to Thrive in Challenging Times" at https://www.opednews.com/articles/Beyond-Surviving--How-to-by-Joan-Brunwasser-Anxiety_Appreciation_Coronavirus_Creativity-200318-988.html

Find out more about Meryl Ann's artistic life in "OEN Managing Ed, Meryl Ann Butler, Featured on the Other Side of the Byline" at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/OEN-Managing-Ed-Meryl-Ann-in-Life_Arts-Artistic_Artists_Quilt-170917-615.html

On Feb 11, 2017, Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in Pink Power: Sister March, Norfolk, VA at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Pink-Power-Sister-March--by-Joan-Brunwasser-Pussy-Hats-170212-681.html

"Creativity and Healing: The Work of Meryl Ann Butler" by Burl Hall is at
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Creativity-and-Healing--T-by-Burl-Hall-130414-18.html

Burl and Merry Hall interviewed Meryl Ann on their BlogTalk radio show, "Envision This," at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/envision-this/2013/04/11/meryl-ann-butler-art-as-a-medicine-for-the-soul

Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html
Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.