Return to Nicholas Johnson's Dennis Kucinich Page
 
 

Note: This page was originally prepared June 25, 2003, before seeing Bob Harris' comparable comparative list, which I recommend you also examine. Both he and I would welcome from you suggestions for additions or revisions or citations to sources.  -- N.J., June 27, 2003.
 
 

Issue	Kucinich	Dean
Abortion	choice protected as essential privacy right; Supreme Court nominees must support; Medicaid funding	supports choice, but poor must pay or do without
Balanced Budget	desirable, but secondary to social needs	a top priority; he says he's "to the right of Bush"
Campaign Finance	advocates public financing of national campaigns	alleged to have cut Vermont's public financing budget as Governor; no comment on public financing of national campaigns
Death penalty	opposes; will work to repeal for federal crimes	favors (for terrorists, death of children or police); but "only after fair trial"
Defense	will transfer DOD $$ from waste and excess to education, environment and health care; will create Department of Peace	"increase military capabilities abroad;" opposes cuts in DOD budget; no comment on Kucinich Department of Peace
Drugs (illegal)	more treatment, less criminalization; supports medical use marijuana	opposes even medical marijuana; advocates more funding for "drug war"
Education	public funded, pre-K through college	no comment
Environment and Energy	invest in alternatives (hydrogen, solar, wind)	"promote use of renewable energy"
Family Farms	will break up agribusiness conglomerate monopolies	no comment
Gun Control	advocates assault weapon ban	has NRA backing; opposes more federal legislation
Health Care	single payer, universal coverage, publicly funded, privately delivered for all; benefits direct to people; reduce pharmaceutical costs and profits not just flow through more tax dollars	profit-driven system; age-specific; health care tax dollars to insurance companies, HMOs, employers, pharmaceutical companies; "absolutely favors" limits on Medicare spending increases
Iraq	as chair of largest House caucus organized 2/3rds Democrats' vote against war resolution	would have delayed 60 days then gone to war (essentially Bush's timetable)
Labor	mandatory "livable wage"; package of "workers' rights;" public works employer of last resort	no comment
Patriot Act	voted against; will repeal	will modify
Sexual Orientation	gay-lesbian "complete equality"	gay-lesbian itemized rights; state, not federal issue
Social Security	will fight to defend age 65 eligibility	"would entertain" increases in eligibility age
Taxation	repeal tax cuts for wealthy; retain estate tax	repeal tax cuts for wealthy; no comment on estate tax
Trade	first act: repeal NAFTA and WTO, substitute bilateral "fair trade" agreements	supports NAFTA
Treaties	will sign ABM, Int'l Criminal Court, Kyoto, Land Mines, others	will "take another look at" Kyoto, but "has concerns"

Here's how Dennis Kucinich summarizes the differences between himself and the others (from a June 27, 2003, letter to supporters):

I offer a fundamentally different vision for the Democratic Party and the nation -- a populist vision that can galvanize heartland voters, inspire new voters and bring back 3rd-party and independent voters into a winning coalition for next November.

Other Democrats promise guns and butter. They say we can't cut a Pentagon budget that rivals the military spending of all other countries combined. I offer common-sense cuts in a bloated military to pay for enhanced domestic programs of environmental cleanup, sustainable jobs programs, fortified Social Security -- at no added expense to middle class taxpayers.

Others propose slow, incremental changes to our bureaucratic, corporate-controlled healthcare system; I offer streamlined national health insurance for all.

Others defend a globalization regime that has driven down labor and environmental standards worldwide. I will replace NAFTA and the WTO with bilateral, fair trade pacts that lift up standards, and protect the planet. I was there in Seattle, marching alongside environmental and union activists.

I led opposition in the House to the illegal, fraudulent Iraq war, and I am still demanding answers every day on Capitol Hill. I'm the only candidate who voted against the so-called "Patriot Act."