Kucinich fought the same power company that caused black outs!

[wheresthemind]

Sorry for repost, but the last one had so many typos and screw ups from last night I decided a new one was best! I was extremely tired last night!

This has yet hit the media or the campaign's site, but it was all the buzz yesterday in Minnesota with Dennis here. It so happens that the VERY power company that Dennis fought tooth and nail with over the privatization of the Cleveland Municipal Power Company, was the same one that caused the back outs!

"Cleveland Magazine offered this summary: Kucinich refused to yield to bankers who gave him a choice: Sell the Municipal Light System to the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. or the city will go into default. The mayor said no.

When Kucinich refused to sell Muny Light, the banks took the unprecedented step of refusing to roll over the city's debt, as is customary. Instead, they pushed the city into default. It turned out the banks were thoroughly interlocked with the private utility, CEI, which would have acquired monopoly status by taking over Muny Light. Five of the six banks held almost 1.8 million shares of CEI stock; of the 11 directors of CEI, eight were also directors of four of the six banks involved.

By holding to his campaign promise and putting principle above politics, he lost his re-election bid and his political career was derailed. But today Kucinich stands vindicated for having confronted the Enron of his day, and for saving the municipal power company. There is little debate, wrote Cleveland Magazine in May 1996, over the value of Muny Light today. Now Cleveland Public Power, it is a proven asset to the city that between 1985 and 1995 saved its customers $195,148,520 over what they would have paid CEI."

-http://www.kucinich.us/issues/issue_publicpower.htm

"FirstEnergy, a power company that provides electricity to 1.4 million customers in Ohio, said in a statement Saturday that some of its lines failed before the blackout and that an alarm system did not signal a problem."

-http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/16/power.outage/index.html

He should realllly get some press for this. The very company he kept from taking over Cleveland's power is the one that causes the biggest blackout in history! Tell your friends!

[revcarol]

1. DK AGAIN "firstest with the mostest!!"

WHY does this not surprise me?

[wheresthemind]

2. he has the most credibility on this issue

than any of the Democrats... Lets hope he uses it!

[graham67]

3. I'm confused...

Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. and First Energy Corp.(owner of the plant that allegedly went haywire) are the same company?

[Minstrel Boy]

5. FirstEnergy owns it

and a bunch of other energy companies in Ohio

[TahitiNut]

15. A little "research" shows ...

Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company Profile

Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company
76 South Main Street
Akron, OHIO
[phone]
The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. The parent company is involved in the business of holding directly or indirectly of all the outstanding common stock of its four principal electric utility operating subsidiaries, Ohio Edison Company, The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, Pennsylvania Power Company and The Teledo Edison Company. The company's revenues are primarily derived from electric services. The company's combined service areas encompass in central and northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Till date the company has expended $28.5 million for year 2000 expenses.
(See here.)

This is part of cancerous corporatism. The general public is infected with the presumption that 'a corporation' is like 'an individual' when, in fact, many major corporations are really conglomeratized like the Borg. Corporations like to portray themselves much like small enterprises, Mom'n'Pop stores, or egalitarian partnerships (even to their own employees in the belly of that beast) when almost nothing could be further from the truth. What most think of as a 'corporation' is often a cluster of many corporations, often hundreds or more, each set up to take advantage of accounting and legal loopholes that mask their financial activities. Make no mistake about it: it's a huge shell game and money laundering scheme. Enron, for example, is really a group of hundreds of corporations and other artificial business entities, many established outside of the US legal and accounting context in order to escape oversight, liability, and taxation. The books of such corporate conglomerates are overwhelmed with various accounting transfers, the purposes of which are often to mask profitability, artificially inflate expenses, and create a fiction of 'competitiveness' that may not exist in reality. If individuals were like corporations, we'd own each other in a kind of hyper-slavery undreamed of even before the Civil War.

[tsipple]

4. Gray Davis Also Smelling Sweeter

Gray stood up to Enron, costing him dear political capital. But it was absolutely the right thing to do, as well all know now.

[wheresthemind]

6. well even if Gray goes down in the recall

he might be able to pull a Dennis and come back hard when people realize what he did!

[tinanator]

14. No.

Californians realize exactly what he DIDNT DO. You cannot compare Mr Prison Industry with Dennis Kucinich in any way shape or form. Not that the recall is right, but his position and failure to act is nearly indefensible. Check his contributor list, he owed more to P,G&E than he felt he owed to the consumers. Kucinich is the answer, and Davis is really just the question.

[eablair3]

16. something smells alright wrt Davis

I don't see the comparison between Kucinich and Davis at all. Could you provide some more detail? I don't follow this one at all.

Kucinich stood up to them and refused to sign the deals even under enormous pressure.

Davis caved, and signed huge contracts enabling the few energy companies to make billions. Only after signing the contracts did he decide to "fight" claiming that he was under economic duress when he signed the contracts.

The only comparison I see is the comparison of opposites.

To mention Davis in the same breadth with Kucinich is a disservice to Dennis K.

[wheresthemind]

7. bump

(500th post!!!)

[Desertrose]

8. This deserves another kick up!

:kick:

Something is fishy with this whole blackout...what about the big stock sales hours before it happened?

I am looking for the thread about it....

hmmmmm......

Peace
DR

[bloom]

9. touché to Kucinich!

:bounce:

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

10. Thank God Kucinich is running!

Who else is standing up to corporate power?

[AP]

11. I don't know why this guy isn't MUCH more popular with DU'ers

Notwithstanding my relentless promotion of John Edwards, I have to say that this really makes me like Kucinich alot. Kucinich is the real fighter of all the candidates.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

12. because most of DU is too upper middle class to appreciate Kucinich

Look at the polls done - the largest group at DU makes 75-100k, two to three times the median income for Americans. Yuppies often dream of joining the wealthy half-of-one-percent, and idolize and identify with the elites. Same reason why Dean is the #1 DU candidate. DU is obviously not representative of the Democratic party, by a long shot.

[bloom]

13. Income or not

I am surprised also - I think of DUers as being more idealistic/progressive.

[Desertrose]

18. Really...man, how'd I miss that poll?

I guess once again....I am in the bottom of the $$ %...

But reading a lot of these posts & threads...it's clear there are many here who do not know (or remember) how it feels to have no money- no backup (savings,retirement plans etc) and no healthcare.

I know - I live it every day....and that is one of the things I love about Dennis-
he remembers what it felt like and how it really isn't that difficult to simply want to help another person.

His ideas benefit everyone...except the greedy...

...as a thought to those who are so concerned to holding on to the material goodies they have ....guys, its basically all an illusion ....ever try to hold on to an illusion......??

Ya can't...not for long....
Peace
DR

[blindpig]

20. 75/100k?

no wonder there are so many "let's not really rock the boat" moderates around here. very discouraging!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

21. now I understand all the pro-corporate "libertarian" rhetoric

After seeing the poll, I realized why there are so many centrist, pro-corporate, pro-NAFTA types on DU - the exact sort of people who supposedly benefit from corporate trade policies.

Well not quite - a few more years of NAFTA/GATT/CAFTA and the rest, and those 75k-100k jobs are going away. Perhaps I'll come back here and gloat at the misfortunes of the turncoat Dems who sold us out.

Instant Karmas gonna get you yuppies :) And just to really piss you off, here's a little quote from the *New Testament* (gasp horror)

"Woe unto you, you rich people, weep and wail for the misery that is coming upon you"

[diamondsoul]

17. Companion link, DK interview on topic

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/08/18/1418203

Listen to or watch phone interview with DK.

[Bushknew]

19. Kucinich is who I believe and trust in the most but

I feel Clark can beat W. Most likely, IÕll vote for Kucinich in the primaries then for
Clark in the elections, unless I find out Clark is not a real progressive Dem.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

22. Clark/Kucinich!

works for me

[bpilgrim]

24. KUCINICH/DEAN

:wow:

peace

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

26. the point is to have a *progressive* not a centrist like Dean

Clark will probably turn out to be a centrist, and we DON'T want two on the ticket. Let the centrist Clark pick a progressive as VP, and we have a winning ticket.

Dean can be Secretary of Health and Human Services, a job he is qualified for.

[bpilgrim]

29. so why couldn't DEAN be the moderate

a role he's been good at with his years of experiance governing.

remember clinton :bounce:

:hi:

peace

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

30. we don't need another moderate, we need a progressive

Clark has all the good qualities of Dean, with none of the bad qualities, so if we have to go with a moderate centrist, why not a winner like Clark?

Clark could be a progressive, but I'm assuming he's not, since he won't come out and say it. Dean we know isn't a progressive, and not a liberal, as his supporters proudly state.

Simple fact is there is ZERO strategic reason to have Dean in the race.

[bpilgrim]

23. can't beat the chimp? i find that hard to believe if people got to hear

his message... seems to be 'work'n' fer ole DEAN though ;->

go KUCINICH :bounce:

besides, you can only vote for the winner of the primary so it might be kucinich and u wouldn't have a CHOICE... u never know ;-)

peace

[Bushknew]

36. Hi bpilgrim, I Ôm torn because

I believe in Kucinich and his message but

Clark would take away the Republicans are better for national security argument.

War Fear and lies are all what Bush has, and Clark is the only one I think that has the credibility to challenge Bush on the war.

[dpbrown]

28. Zogby has Bush losing to an unnamed Democrat

__Bush Re-Elect Drops to 42%-47% - Tied with Unnamed Dem

"A Zogby poll released today shows that when asked if George Bush deserves re-election, only 46% of Americans said yes and a narrow majority, 47%, said it is time for someone new. The poll, with a margin of error of +/- 3%, on a generic 2004 ballot between Bush and a Democratic candidate, Bush received 47% of support, and a Democratic candidate received 44%, putting the Bush and a Democratic candidate in a statistical dead heat still a year before the Democratic candidate is selected. The second poll, released yesterday by Fox News/Opinion Dynamics and published in National Journal's Hotline showed should the 2004 election be held today, those planning to reelect Bush had dropped to 42%."

http://www.zogby.com/Soundbites/ReadClips.dbm?ID=5528

Electability is not the issue. The Democrat nominated is going to be the next President of the United States. We are being called upon to nominate the best Democrat from those vying for the nomination.

Dennis Kucinich is, in my opinion, head and shoulders above every other Democrat running on issues that should run like blood in the veins of all Democrats: Universal Health Care, Worker's Rights, an End to the Death Penalty, the Disbanding of the School of the Americas, the Demilitarization of Space...the list goes on and on.

On each of these issues, these core Democratic beliefs, Dennis Kucinich is unwavering in his bold support of the answer that will benefit the public the most.

For us to waver in our support for him in the face of his unwavering fight for us is nothing less than a betrayal of our dream of living in a better nation.

We can do better than that, and now is the time.

Dennis Kucinich for President of the United States of America.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[Tinoire]

25. Jeez.

Keep going Dennis! We're behind you 100% As are Veterans for Peace. As are the laborers, progressives and minorities.

Keep kicking ass!

[dpbrown]

27. "All in a days work"

This man's dedication to the public trust he serves is something I have rarely ever seen in my lifetime.

I don't care who you compare him to: Wellstone, RFK, Ghandi - Kucinich compares favorably with every person who has ever been lionized for fighting selflessly to protect the public trust.

Dennis' battles should all be shouted from the highest rooftops, this not the least among them.

Go, Dennis!!!!!

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[blm]

31. Damn straight, he did!

I saw it go down. The man is a hero.

[JanMichael]

32. A true Progressive Populist. DK would make a great President!

I dig the guy.

[Clete]

33. But he wouldn't get elected. He's too liberal.

I think he would make a fine VP though and that would set him up to run for President if the Dems win in 2004.

[JanMichael]

35. I used to think that but how do you figure if he can win the nomination...

...that automatically means he'll lose the General?

Fact is he's not exactly the front runner now, if he's to win the Dem nomination some collosal things must happen and soon.

If that does occur, then what?

[Oracle]

34. Support Dennis Kucinich, send him all your spare change...

https://www.kucinich.us/contribute.php

[theHandpuppet]

37. You know...

As much as I truly admire Kucinich -- and that is a great deal -- what really holds me back from actively supporting him is my nagging distrust that he will vigorously defend a woman's right to choose. I feel very uneasy about Kucinich on this one issue, but it is an issue which makes or breaks my support for him as a Presidential candidate.

I do believe, however, that if the Ohio papers run with this story as they should, Dennis could unseat Taft (that inept slimeball) and be our next governor of Ohio.