Let Washington Do It...For Your Own Good

After listening to John McCain's brand of experienced Senatorial leadership on a range of issues, Dennis Kucinich represented quite the contrast in style - and substance. Rep. Kucinich, Democrat from Ohio, was taller than I had pictured. I usually see him in photos with his statuesque bride from England towering over him. Standing alone behind the podium, however, he looked less like Alfred E. Newman and more like a serious contender. He is not a serious contender at this point, and even quipped that he is now polling above the margin of error for the first time ("I poll, therefore I am.").

Kucinich seemed uncomfortable, sticking closely to his notes, fidgeting, making one feel that he was giving this talk for the first time. As we will learn later, very little said by the candidates is being said for the first time.

He spoke haltingly about the "re-enchantment of the world", and the imperative to reconnect with nature and rediscover man's place in the natural world. "We are one with nature," he said. Even the crowd wearing hemp sweaters and carrying backpacks made of 100% recycled materials (in psychedelic colors of course) was barely following his line of thought. He sounded more like a cult guru than a presidential aspirant. Eventually, he found his stump speech stride.

He made the connection between global warming and global 'warring' - wars are fought over scarce goods, and oil is the king of scarce goods. He warned the audience that compartmentalized thinking leads to curing symptoms instead of root problems. He urged us to view the global warming issue in a holistic way, and investigate all the interconnections, to the economy, to the federal budget, to our foreign policy. His clearest statement was that NAFTA and the WTO were created to produce profits and not to protect/preserve resources.

Then the Kucinich Plan: a WGA (Works Green Administration), similar to FDR's WPA and other programs known only by their initials. The government would accelerate the greening of the world, and create jobs in the process. In the Q&A part of his talk, he promised to support a government take over of the oil companies in this country if they don't not begin taking serious, substantive steps to reverse our dependence on oil and other non-renewable sources of energy. In fact, he unabashedly said, "I believe in public ownership of a lot of things." That's a quote. Excuse me, that's not liberalism, that's communism, comrade.

The second half of his address showed much conviction, much energy, much honesty. It showed little practicality, and little to convince us of electability, but it was dramatic. I'm not surprised that his "green" stance hasn't translated into any campaign green for him. Even the tree huggers in attendance were a bit reluctant to have the US government run the oil industry.

After this speech, a nice gentleman from the NH Electric Company stopped by, and showed me 2 photos he had taken of Marra in the foreground with John McCain in the background. He promised to email them to me. Marra was becoming a celebrity in the front row, being at least 30 years younger than the rest of the audience around us. She was listening, asking what certain issues were all about, and taking notes. The severe fatigue from the long drive had yet to strike her, but it was coming. Mike Huckabee was next...

JS