Village Voice • Vote Kerry (or Edwards, or Kucinich)

[bigtree]

Kerry for President
Yes, He Can

This wouldn't be such a plausible choice if the front-runner were someone like Joe Lieberman, whose sanctimony hid a host of sins. But nothing in Kerry's public life suggests that he would behave like a Republican. He represents something more subtly objectionable to progressives: Clintonism with a patrician face. Kerry walks and talks like a free-trade Democrat with a commitment to racial and sexual equality. Don't count on him to abrogate NAFTA, but he will act to ease its traumatic impact on American workers. He won't soak the rich, but he will pursue tax policies that strengthen the real backbone of our economy: people of modest means. He'll pursue a foreign policy based on security rather than profiteering or paranoia. He'll end the politics of coded racism and overt homophobia, preserve reproductive rights, stop schemes to despoil the environment, and end Bush's crusade to turn America into a theocratic, authoritarian society. Kerry will give us plenty to complain about, but if politics is the art of the possible, this year it's the art of the bearable—and he's a good deal better than that.

We're sick of hearing about Kerry's horse face or his somnambulant effect on the stump. A fiery speaker with good cheekbones does not a great leader make. We wish it weren't necessary for a presidential candidate to strut his macho stuff, but in the face of Karl Rove's dream machine, apparently it is. We're thankful that Kerry can carry that man thing off without looking like he's out to destroy the world.



More: http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0408/primary.php
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Edwards the Performer
It's the Sex Appeal, Stupid

John Edwards is from the South and, unlike Al Gore, of the South, where trial lawyers are popular heroes. Like most courtroom stars, Edwards is an inspired performer, a quick-witted natural rapper with a Clinton-esque touch. Early on he made class his identity marker, and class is what the election will be about if our side wins. Republicans and, lately, independents have decisively preferred him to Kerry. He has kept his sights on Bush, not other Democrats—even now he's attacking Kerry only on NAFTA and electability itself. Give him more chance than Kerry in North Carolina, Tennessee, and conceivably Arkansas or Georgia as well as Florida, and at least an equal chance in the Midwest. He deserves the opportunity to duke it out with the front-runner on Super Tuesday. Should he win, he's the best candidate, and the party should nominate him, hopefully with minimal bloodshed. Because our eyes should stay on November. Kerry has proven much less of a stiff than he once appeared, and should his fighting style prevail March 2, Edwards should, and likely will, withdraw. If vice-presidential candidates mean anything, he'd make a dandy. Pray he despises Bush enough to put pride aside and give it a shot.



More: http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0408/primary.php
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Kucinich Pulls Left
The Strategic Vote for Progressives

Kucinich is genuinely progressive. As a Congress member from Ohio, Kucinich opposed the war in Iraq and calls for a cabinet-level Department of Peace. He has sponsored legislation advancing rights for people with disabilities, stands up for gay marriage, demands a national living wage, and as he told the Voice in a phone interview last week, he's the only candidate who supports "universal health care, not universal health insurance." He proposes a WPA-like jobs program that would rebuild infrastructure and "whole new industries" in solar and wind-generated energy and he wants to expand funding for the arts—which, he said, waxing rapturous over Shelley, Tennyson, Browning, and Keats, "put us on the path of human evolution."



More: http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0408/primary.php

[MaggieSwanson]

1. My vote: Kucinich

Nice article - thanks for posting it!

[Mairead]

2. Likewise. I'm done with lesser evils.

[bigtree]

4. ABB

:thumbsup:

[scarletwoman]

7. For the primaries, it doesn't HAVE to be ABB!

For the primaries we can vote for what we really believe in!

November is ABB time. Until November, I'm voting for who I really WANT, not just who I DON'T want.

sw

[bigtree]

9. I put this up as a sign of my appreciation for Dennis and the others

ABB means vote for whoever you want to, whenever.

[scarletwoman]

10. Okay -- thanks!

THAT'S a sentiment I can get behind!

sw

[KoKo]

3. Yep, Kucinich. Aside from his other goodies, he supports Arts Funding,

something really lacking even during Clinton. The heyday of "Arts Funding" was during Carter, and much was driven by Bi-Centennial exhibits, but still there was a community appreciation for the arts in America during the 70's and early 80's which we haven't seen since.

[Desertrose]

8. as an artist (& a progressive human being)....Kucinich!

definitely KUCINICH!

great article btw Bigtree :)

Peace
DR

[scarletwoman]

5. My vote too: Kucinich!

What a great article! (the one on Kucinich, of course!) Perfectly encapsulates precisely why I'm voting DK!

Thanks for posting this!

sw

edited to add excerpts:

In the primary, however, New Yorkers have an opportunity to widen the differences between the two parties by using their votes strategically. To keep Kerry from drifting rightward, progressives must make themselves heard as an indispensable constituency demanding universal health care, immigrant rights, an end to the war on the poor, international collaboration in bringing stability and real democracy to Iraq.

There is one way to do that: Vote for Dennis Kucinich. A strong showing by Kucinich not only sends a message, it sends delegates to the convention, where they can fight for progressive planks in the party platform.]

<snip>

The beauty of the strategic vote for Kucinich, though, is that you don't need to have any illusions about him, or even like the guy, to vote your conscience on the issues. Let's elect Kerry in November. But let's tell him now that we won't fall for Clintonian centrism again. (my emphasis)

sw

[KoKo]

6. BTW: This is an excellent post and like the way you excerpted with

the links. Glad "The Voice" did this and you posted it.

[KoKo]

11. This is worth a read the "Village Voice" no matter what your DU persuasion

so, please let's keep this kicked. :kick:

[MaggieSwanson]

12. Agreed! n/t

[scarletwoman]

13. Deserves another kick...

:kick:

[ThirdWheelLegend]

14. Want substance? Vote Dennis Kucinich!

The difference between these 3 pieces. The one on Kucinich is chock full of details on the issues and all about progress.

:)


TWL