SD Watch disappoints me today. One caucus victory, a few strong polls, and the otherwise estimable Mr. Epp jumps ship from Edwards to Obama.
As much as I like and regard John Edwards, the candidate I have been supporting for the Democratic nomination for President, I think Barack Obama is the candidate of change. He is our era's JFK--young, handsome, articulate, charismatic--and most importantly--full of hope and inspiration [Todd Epp, "I Am Powerless Over Obama -- Todd's Man-Crush," SD Watch, 2008.01.08].
Todd has written a check to Obama. The Edwards banner still flies on SD Watch (as of this posting), but Todd has changed his text to declare his support for Obama.
Now I can't blame a guy for changing his mind and being willing to declare that change publicly. But if we're talking change, Dennis Kucinich remains the only candidate to outline serious policy changes for America:
- Real universal health care -- not this private-insurance Romney/Clinton-care malarkey, but the good guaranteed single-payer not-for-profit stuff they have in France that puts them at the top of the world's health care rankings and would save 101,000 lives a year in America.
- Department of Peace -- no war forever, troops home ASAP, total paradigm shift in foreign policy from anyone else in the race.
- Repeal the PATRIOT Act -- who else has the guts to defend the Constitution that passionately?
If we are witnessing a Clinton collapse (and I'll admit, I'm hoping so), then what a perfect time for the Kucinich insurgency to pick up all the new undecideds! We might be duking it out right to the South Dakota primary (and that's what I'm really wishing for).
If Obama ends up the nominee, I'll be able to get behind him (especially if he picks Kucinich as his running mate -- show me real change, Barack!). But until then, I will continue to proudly fly the Kucinich banner (and so should you!). Hooray for exciting elections!
Department of Peace? I too would love to see that and would love to have no war forever. But even the Bible says there will always be wars and rumors of wars. People being people, there will always be certain people for whatever reasons will cause wars, hate, etc. No war is an ideal but is unattainable in this world. What are we supposed to do as a nation when we are threatened or attacked? Giving in is not an option, as shown by those who tried to appease Hitler prior to WWII. Didn't work then, and certainly won't work against Islamic Jihadists now. Nonnie
ReplyDeleteDepartment of Peace doesn't mean we get rid of the Department of War/Defense. Dennis just makes violence more of a last resort and seeks to rebuild diplomatic bridges that GW Bush has damaged.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree -- I'm a little more hawkish than Dennis. There are bad dudes who will use our best intentions against us no matter what. There are evil regimes with whom there is no negotiating. And alas, there are times when we have to go to war.
But just the fact that Dennis talks about a Department of Peace shows how really different his thinking is from the typical cookie-cutter candidates who are bought and paid for by the corporate kleptocracy.