Kucinich Proposes Pentagon Budget Cut

[kayell]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030728/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_2004_kucinich_4

OTTUMWA, Iowa - Rep. Dennis Kucinich called for a $60 billion effort to provide universal preschool and proposed paying for the plan with a 15 percent cut in Pentagon spending.

"The Pentagon budget has just gone through the roof," Kucinich said at a forum on Sunday. "We need a critical analysis and a real effort to claim back money from the Pentagon."

The Democratic presidential candidate from Ohio didn't specify all the spending cuts he would push, but did single out a missile defense program that would have a dim future should he win the White House. He promised broad cuts.

snip

Kucinich linked the soaring Pentagon spending with what he called President Bush's aggressive and largely unilateral foreign policy and said defense spending could be trimmed if the U.S. adopted a more cooperative stance with other countries.

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[Cha]

1. Bless Dennis's heart! That will go over well with those

psycho & sycophants in Congress.

[Larkspur]

2. Kucinich has just made himself the real "McGovern" type candidate

While I'd like the Pentagon budget to be cut, it just is not practical with our War on Terrorism, etc.. Rove will eat Kucinich alive over this policy.

[Dhalgren]

3. Yeah,

let's not do the right thing, let's just do what Rove will let us "get away with". Sometimes it's better for a person to standup and tell the truth, to be "honest" with the voters - not just say whatever Republicans think can get one elected.

[DemBones DemBones]

6. RIGHT ON!!! Constant appeasement of the right wing does not

work. Dennis Kucinich represents a district that was formerly represented by a conservative and he wins each election by a bigger margin than his last. I think that's because he's honest and takes care of his constituents, not because they all agree with every one of his positions. People place a lot of value on honesty.

[BeFree]

4. Just 15%?

While 15% adds up to a lot of money, 15% is not a large enough slice. It needs to be 50%. Hell, the Pentagon is missing billions and billions as it is.

America needs no standing Army. The War budget should be the least of our taxes. Spending to keep humans alive should far exceed any monies expended to kill us.

[Trek234]

8. Bull shit

"it just is not practical with our War on Terrorism"

There are COUNTLESS programs the Pentagon in NO way needs for national security or the "war" on terrorism.

An example you say? Ok

Americas Army "an Army game that provides civilians with an inside perspective and a virtual role in the force." (and that incidentally costs a couple million in tax dollars) You can download this fun PC game for FREE from http://www.americasarmy.com/.

Yes, the Pentagon just SO needs those millions of dollars for civilian PC video games. My god, Osama would be blowing us all up with out it right now.

[DarkPhenyx]

5. He just cut his own throat.

There is no way he'll get elected now.

[Tinoire]

7. You and Larkspur have a valid point but

this is EXACTLY why I'm voting for him- for the prospect of a real change. I'll be amazed if DK makes it but at the same time, I believe he can because a lot of people are tired of all the waste and fluff in the system.

I also think that this is what will re-attract a lot of the people we lost (or never had) the last elections.

Our system needs such an over-haul that I just can't see supporting the status quo.

[DemBones DemBones]

11. Real change is definitely what is needed -- not a moderate

Democrat. Too much needs fixing now!

(Psst! Check your e-mail.)

[leftyandproud]

19. yes!

I'm so sick of these wishy washy DLC types!!!

[Muddleoftheroad]

18. And exactly

Why most of the rest of America won't. (Yes, myself included. Thanks Mr. K. for making THAT choice simple.)

[Trek234]

9. He cut with throat with republicans, hawks, and the paranoid

who think big bad Osama is going to blow them up every second of every day unless ungodly sums of money are going to the pentagon.

Dennis could easily appeal to people by presenting FACTS of just how cutting the pentagon budget (the tiny bit he has suggested) will not harm anyone. Of course with clever sound bites for the sheep like "Wouldn't it be nice when the Pentagon had to run a bake sale to pay for X needless program that costed millions of dollars while little Timmy had to run one to get a math book?"

[genius]

15. The Republican Party really needs you Star Wars supporters.

If you are going to attack Democrats for being REAL Democrats, wouldn't the Republican Party be a better place for you? At this point, if pro-Star Wars Dean gets the nomination, I'll write in "Al Gore." Even Lieberman is better than Dean. I don't see why millions of kids should have to miss out on college so Bush and Dean can have their Star War toys.

[revcarol]

10. S/B: DK Wants 15% Defense-Industry Cut; Cold War Weapons Out!

Subheadline: Supports Active Duty Troops and Vets

He wants to do away with V-22 Osprey, F-22, no WMD's in space, no NEW NUKES like the nuke bunker-buster,....

Supports E-1's and E2's, and O-1's and O-2's getting the whole raise the Repug Congress and the President promised, the renigged on, supports repealing the cuts to the military school system ,supports the repair of dilapidated military housing(also a repug promise)...etc.
Supports restoring complete funding to vets in categories 7& 8,stopping privatization of vets' clinics....

[The White Rose]

12. He's too good to win the primary, I hope.

Because if he gets anywhere near the Whitehouse, they'll kill him just like RFK...

[Teacher4dean04]

13. Not pragmatic...

...but you've gotta love his position. I respect DK a lot, and in a perfect world everything he wants to do could get done. I can see why he's gaining in popularity.

[kayell]

16. What's not pragmatic?

he wants to cut the pentagon budget by getting rid of the useless fat, and then use that money in a way that benefits people rather than defense contractors. He wants to rebuild the infrastructure of this country and provide jobs. Kucinich has very practical plans to do the things he has proposed. Just because a candidates isn't DLC centrist doesnt make them not pragmatic. Unless that is defined as selling out cause we're scared of what the nasty repubs might say.

[genius]

14. Thank goodness there's one candidate who opposes war

and death. Dennis has a plan to save our economy whle saving lives and the pro-war candidates (especially Dean who only wanted the Iraq war stayed for 60 days) keep saying that being geninely anti-war will cost someone the election.

[Desertrose]

17. With so many soldiers dying in Iraq

it would seem to me there is a growing number of souls tired of seeing the carnage...losing family members,loved ones...

Dennis Kucinich offers an altenative to all the insanity.

I really believe there are a great many ready to embrace the thought that perhaps there IS another choice besides the runaway spending for the over the top military budget.....

Dennis is a caring human, he would never screw the troops...his priority is & always has been the PEOPLE of this country- not corporations or govt bureacracy -not even his own EGO....

If DK cuts the pentagon budget you can be damn sure, the average GI would not be holding the dirty end of the stick....unlike the joke who resides ( albeit not too often) in the WH currently.

It is time for a big change...I think if the American people are offered the true and entire plan DK has set forth, they will support him overwhelmingly. The tricky part seems to be in getting the media to give him a shot...obviously they do not want his words to receive widespread press...probably because because he makes too much sense....gives the power back to the people....guess *they* don't want to lose control over all us sheeple....then how could they continue telling us DK can't win- LOL!

Peace
DR

[realFedUp]

20. Lotta pork in the Pentagon...

It's ok with me...get rid of the Harrier first. In fact
the Marines shouldn't be in the flying business at all.

[ScotTissue]

21. Kinda nice to have Dennis K in the race

His candidacy isn't going anywhere.

[OrAnarch]

22. This is stupid

A) Cut more, B) divert funds to something a little more useful.

In various child development circles, there are some cohort studies showing a negative impact from preschool attendance.

Hell...id cut it by 90%, give all the funds to socialized healthcare and the peace corp.