Kucinich to Obama: Be ‘bolder’ or ‘we could lose our country’

[NorthCarolina]

WASHINGTON -- Deeply disillusioned last week by his party's insufficient response to the recession, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) said Thursday he views President Obama's State of the Union as a step in the right direction but urged him to "be much bolder."



"It would be helpful if he could take a page from Franklin Roosevelt," Kucinich told Raw Story in an exclusive interview. "FDR saw the need for broad structural changes in the economy and also the need for government to invest and put America back to work."

"If we can't fix our economic injustices and improve the standard of living for regular people, we could lose our country."

While Obama explicitly called for a new "jobs bill" in the speech, he didn't put forth many details. What kinds of reforms would Kucinich like to see?

"We need investments on a massive scale -- in the areas of job creation, health care, education, housing. That could change everything."

"Is there still time? Yes," he added. "But we lost a year. And now we need the president to truly rally the nation in a ringing, clarion call for economic reform. The Democratic Party must demonstrate to the people that it has the ability to govern."

"Wall Street cannot be left to its own designs," he added. "We allowed that and the economy collapsed, in an orgy of deregulation and exotic financial instruments."

The congressman's support for financial regulatory reform has been echoed by many Democrats and met with skepticism from Republicans, who warn over-regulating will stifle innovation.

Kucinich, a widely respected progressive champion, said Obama "underestimates his own ability to lift up the nation, and that's why I would advise him to look to do great things. If he calls upon the nation to take bold measures, I think the nation would respond."

"He could still be the transformational leader that so many have seen him to be," he said.

Link: http://rawstory.com/2010/01/kucinich-we-lost-year-could-lose-america/

[winyanstaz]

1. I am proud of Kucinich....

I am also very happy with Obama's speech.
I agree with Kucinich though...Obama must be stronger and bolder and focus on the economy now.

[stray cat]

2. Kucinich has passed alot of excellent legislation with his boldness

[harkadog]

7. What has Obama passed with his unboldness?

[Cha]

8. That little whiny weinie? Big talk from the sidelines.

[tomp]

14. that all you got... "whiny weinie"? nt

barack obama is a sellout piece of crap...which you obviously prefer.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

17. "Whiney weinie" --

That tells a whole lot about you, right there.

[suzie]

22. This week's 15 minutes of Kucinich Komplaints.

[reggie the dog]

24. hey, sanders is a socialist, why dont you go rip on him too

[reggie the dog]

23. at least he is not an unlce tom

[Jamastiene]

3. K&R

That is what I was thinking too.

[depakid]

4. Bold and Obama have never belonged in the same sentence

Anyone looking at the record of his career can see that quite clearly- pining for it is about like Obama pining for bipartisanship.

Ain't gonna happen- because it's not in the nature of the actors.

[bvar22]

5. K&R for Kucinich.

Kucinich is one of the few members still in THIS Democratic Party:

"In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

The right of every family to a decent home;

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

The right to a good education.

All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.---FDR

THAT is the Democratic Party I joined 42 years ago.
THAT is the Democratic Party Kucinich still fights for.
and THAT is the reason I support Dennis Kucinich.


”Unlike the other candidates, I am not funded by those corporate interests.
I owe them no loyalty, and they have no influence over me or my policies.” ---Dennis Kucinich

[bertman]

9. Excellent, bvar22. You speak for me as well.

[Lorien]

11. Well said. nt

[DisgustedInMN]

12. Barack should take some ..

.. lessons in leadership from DK. Everything Obama pretends to be, Dennis actually is.

[bvar22]

18. I lioke that,

and may borrow it for a sig line if you don't mind!

Everything Obama pretends to be,
Dennis actually is.

[DisgustedInMN]

20. You are more ..

... than welcome to use it anytime you please.

[suzie]

21. Wrong place.

[reggie the dog]

25. GOD DAMNED RIGHT!!!!!

I cut, pasted and saved the speech, thank you so much.

[bvar22]

26. That was an excerpt from FDR's Economic Bill of Rights.

Google it for the whole speech.
It is well worth the read.
It is a shame that THOSE values are NOT welcome in most of what passes for today's "Democratic Party".

Anyone who does NOT enthusiastically SUPPORT the RIGHTS enumerated in FDR's Economic Bill of RIGHTS
IS my political enemy no matter which letter they have after their name.

[showpan]

6. Dennis has always been

one of the few who actually believes in the people. I wish he and a couple of others would start a real movement because this country is already lost, most of us just don't realize it yet.

[bertman]

10. Thanks for posting that, NorthCarolina. From a fellow Tarheel. rec.

[Vidar]

13. Obama is a bold speaker, but his actions tell a different tale.

[tom_paine]

15. Already lost, Dennis. n/t

[azul]

16. What we need, needed, is a bold Attorney General and justice dept.

Not a bold secretary of war or a bold head of CIA or a bold NSA director.

Why is the president not bold enough to do his job and lead this administration with moral if not intellectual integrity? Who is in charge verily?

[emsimon33]

19. You can always count on Kucinich for the truth