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<H1 class=title>Freedom Rider: Farewell Congressman Kucinich</H1>
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<DIV id=node-12935 class="node odd full-node node-type-blog">
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<DIV class=submitted>Wed, 03/14/2012 - 01:43 — Margaret Kimberley</DIV></DIV>
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<LI class=vocab-term><A title=""
href="http://blackagendareport.com/category/us-politics/obama-health-care"
rel=tag>Obama health care</A> | </LI>
<LI class=vocab-term><A title=""
href="http://blackagendareport.com/category/us-politics/kucinich-defeated"
rel=tag>Kucinich defeated</A></LI></UL></DIV>
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<P> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><B>b</B></FONT></FONT><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><B>y BAR editor and senior columnist
Margaret Kimberley</B></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">With the gerrymandered defeat of Dennis
Kucinich, the Congress has lost its last, best progressive. “Called crazy or
wacky, Kucinich is nothing more than what other Democrats ought to be.” Kucinich
stood firm, when all in the Progressive and Black Caucuses folded. “If there is
no room for one, not even </FONT><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><I>one</I></FONT><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif"> true
Democrat, then there should no longer be any allegiance to that
party.”</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT color=#280099><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=4><B>Freedom Rider: Farewell Congressman
Kucinich</B></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><B>b</B></FONT></FONT><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><B>y BAR editor and senior columnist
Margaret Kimberley</B></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align=center><FONT
color=#2323dc>“<FONT face=Times><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><I>His eight terms in congress will end
this year because he was not tolerated by the
rulers.”</I></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=2>If America were a democracy in the truest
sense of the word, our political representatives would in fact represent our
interests. They would fight for public education and against wars. We would have
single payer health care and affordable housing. Banks would not be permitted to
devastate our communities with red lining or foreclosures and the top 1%
wouldn’t be allowed to create bubble economies which create havoc around the
world.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">But our country is a democracy in name
only. We do get to cast our votes periodically, but anyone who does want to
represent the interests of the people is not tolerated by this
system.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">Dennis Kucinich is such a person. His
eight terms in congress will end this year because he was not tolerated by the
rulers. Kucinich’s congressional career ended because of the time honored yet
often corrupt process of gerrymandering districts. Electoral district lines are
redrawn every ten years based on census data, and because the state of Ohio lost
population, it also lost congressional seats. </FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">The Ohio rulers in the Republican-run
state legislature decided to redraw lines which pitted two Democratic
incumbents, Dennis Kucinich and Marcy Kaptur, against one another. The new
district was mostly made up of Kaptur’s old district, and Kucinich was defeated
in the primary election.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align=center><FONT
color=#2323dc>“<FONT face=Times><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><I>Anyone who wants to represent the
interests of the people is not tolerated by this
system.”</I></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">The corporate media and their pundits were
always quick to dismiss Kucinich, and wasted no time in kicking him now that he
is down and out. Called crazy or wacky, Kucinich is nothing more than what other
Democrats ought to be. He represents the interests of most Americans, and calls
out the powerful for their abuse.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">The rightward shift in American politics
puts anyone who truly believes in democracy on the outs. When Kucinich sponsored
articles of impeachment against George W. Bush, his effort was righteous but
doomed, and doomed by his own. </FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">His fellow Democrats couldn’t get behind
him because some of them were collaborators with the Bush regime. Then Speaker
Nancy Pelosi couldn’t support articles of impeachment which charged Bush with
the crime of torture because she was briefed on and tacitly supported the
practice. It is but one example of why Kucinich’s political career was also
doomed, and why he finally was unable to dodge that last
bullet.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">Dennis Kucinich stood up when no one else
would. In 2006, when the first reports surfaced indicating a death toll of
</FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><U><A
href="http://blackagendareport.com/content/kucinich-black-candidate"><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif">1 million Iraqis</FONT></A></U></FONT><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"> at the hands of the United States, it was Kucinich,
alone among members of congress, who demanded answers. Not one other member of
Congress, not from the Progressive Caucus, or the Congressional Black Caucus
joined him. It is that kind of bravery which finally cost him his political
career.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align=center><FONT
color=#2323dc>“<FONT face=Times><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><I>He finally was unable to dodge that
last bullet.</I></FONT></FONT><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT
size=3><I>”</I></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">If there can be any criticism of Kucinich
it should be leveled over his support of Barack Obama’s </FONT><FONT
color=#0000ff><U><A
href="http://www.blackagendareport.com/?q=content/obama-inc-triumphs-kucinich-folds-his-hand-health-care"><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif">health care plan</FONT></A></U></FONT><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif">. For many years Kucinich was steadfast in his support
of single payer health care, Medicare for all. But Obama was having none of it,
and as always crushed the party’s progressive wing in order to get his way. He
threatened to campaign against any Democrats who wouldn’t support his wolf in
sheep’s clothing corporate health care bail out. Kucinich succumbed to the Obama
steamroller and lived to see another day in 2010, but his number was up in 2012
and he will soon be a former member of congress.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">In an era when presidential campaign
spending hits the 1 billion dollar mark, and the once progressive Congressional
Black Caucus is as corporate controlled as any other, the likelihood of true
democracy is slim. The pressures which compromised Kucinich in the health care
debate and which finally took him out altogether will not permit his like to
emerge again.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">In an era when representing the desires of
the people makes one a political outlaw, it is time to ask some hard questions.
If there is no room for one, not even one true Democrat, then there should no
longer be any allegiance to that party. When the attorney general in a
Democratic administration asserts a government right to assassinate at will,
then it is passed time to leave that party behind.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align=center><FONT
color=#2323dc>“<FONT face=Times><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif"><FONT size=3><I>The pressures which compromised
Kucinich in the health care debate and which finally took him out altogether
will not permit his like to emerge
again.”</I></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">If Dennis Kucinich, who was truly antiwar,
is shown the door, while the drone-dropping Obama sits in the oval office, then
we know everything we need to know. Supporting the Democratic Party is a losing
proposition, as Kucinich discovered when his support of the health care bill
only postponed his inevitable political demise. We should laud the many
courageous stands he took on our behalf, but learn a lesson from that
experience. </FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">Hopefully Kucinich will find other ways to
make a political impact. His voice is an important one, and shouldn’t be
silenced because he is now out of office. Perhaps being out of Congress will
give him greater power, the power to move people to political action without the
constraints of party loyalty. It is difficult to imagine a better person for the
job.</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.06in; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT face=Times><FONT
size=2><FONT color=#280099><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif"><I>Margaret
Kimberley's Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted
elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well as at
</I></FONT></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><U><A
href="http://freedomrider.blogspot.com/" target=_blank><FONT color=#280099><FONT
face="Arial, sans-serif">http://freedomrider.blogspot.com.</FONT></FONT></A></U></FONT><FONT
color=#280099> </FONT><FONT color=#280099><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif"><I>Ms.
Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at
Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgendaReport.com</I></FONT></FONT><FONT
color=#280099><FONT face="Arial, sans-serif">.</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<DIV id=group-id-tids-2506 class="advertisement group-tids-2506"> </DIV>
<DIV class="advertisement group-tids-2506">Comments </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV id=comments class=block><A id=comment-32615></A>
<DIV class="comment odd clear-block">
<H3 class=title><A class=active
href="http://blackagendareport.com/content/freedom-rider-farewell-congressman-kucinich#comment-32615">I
don't know what Obomber and</A></H3>
<DIV class=submitted><SPAN class=comment-name>beverly</SPAN> - <SPAN
class=comment-date>03/14/2012 - 21:40</SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=content>
<P>I don't know what Obomber and henchmen said to Kucinich when they had him on
Air Force One (probably threatened his and/or his family's lives) to get him to
vote for that horrid health deform bill. If threat didn't involve bodily
harm, Kucinich should have taken the high road and voted his conscience.
The party had been dirisive and dismissive of him for years. Even if
voting no cost him re-election, he had in enough years to qualify for a nice
pension and certainly could have supplemented his income with a professor gig at
a liberal arts college. Voting yes did him no good; I'm sure most party
money went to Kaptur's campaign, not
Kucinich's. </P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>