Kucinich v. Dean
Where broad
agreement exists, I've omitted the issue to save space.
I've also omitted issues where one candidate has no stated position I could
find,
even though this is a measure of a candidate's relative concern for and familiarity
with issues.
The main sources are the candidates' own websites, plus a whole lot of searching
via Google.
I can't promise every
detail is correct; this is one guy's best effort.
Full disclosure:
I have several friends on the Kucinich campaign, and I supported him when this
started.
A few months ago, I was even going to join up, but since I'm in the media, decided
it was better to be independent.
I was also very interested in Dean for a while, around February and March, until
I decided to support Kucinich.
Make of that whatever you will.
Finally,
Dean is basically a good guy, and if he's nominated I'll vote for him in a heartbeat.
It's just that it's simply not accurate to refer to him as a progressive candidate.
As he told Salon: "I
don't mind being characterized as 'liberal' -- I just don't happen to think
it's true."
I'm also not saying that Kucinich's positions are the "right" ones
on every issue;
I just personally agree with him on most of them, and I think other progressives
will, too.
PS: I had not the slightest idea how many people would visit this page.
According to Memeufacture, a link here from TalkLeft quickly spread all over
the liberal blogosphere.
Thanks, cool, great -- but I'm not an expert, just a guy trying to figure this
out.
I've tried to correct any mistakes brought to my attention, but I do make them.
Do your own research and thinking.
Issue |
Dennis
Kucinich |
Howard
Dean |
Health
care plan |
Canadian-style
single-payer system, extending the successes of Medicare, financed by
a tax on employers lower than the current cost of private insurance |
Complex 4-prong plan, extending multiple state and federal programs piecemeal, combined with tax credits and incentives, all of which Dean claims is more likely to become law, but still won't cover everyone |
Death
penalty |
Opposes |
Favors
for "extreme" crimes like terrorism or the killing of a police
officer, although critical of Bush administration's "careless"
approach to executions |
Roe
v. Wade |
Pro-life
until recently; now the only candidate pledging to make Roe v. Wade a
"litmus test" for appointing federal judges |
Pro-choice,
but refuses to make Roe v. Wade a litmus test for federal judges |
Kyoto
treaty |
Supports |
Says
we must "take another look," but has "concerns" about
some provisions |
Patriot
Act |
Only
presidential candidate who personally voted against it |
Would
repeal "parts," but also wants to expand intelligence agencies;
praises Russ Feingold as only Senator who opposed the act, ignoring
Kucinich's vocal House opposition, falsely implying no other candidate
opposed the Patriot Act |
NAFTA/WTO |
Full
withdrawal, to replace with fair trade; opposes "fast track"
treatment of any future trade legislation; personally marched in Seattle
protests |
Notes
problems with "free" trade, suggesting the need for inclusion
of human rights, environmental, and labor standards in trade agreements
-- but still pro-NAFTA |
"Star
Wars" ballistic missile system |
Would
abolish; has sponsored legislation banning weapons from space |
Would
cut only 1/8 of the funding, transferring it to international threat-reduction
programs |
Pentagon
waste |
Would
cut Pentagon programs which don't even work, like the V-22, F-22, and
"Star Wars," and demand accountability for over a $1 trillion
in "lost" funds |
Disagrees
with any proposed Pentagon cutbacks, and advocates aggressive expansion
of intelligence, police, and special forces |
Balanced
budget |
A
long-term goal, but deficits may be necessary in the short run for economic
and social investment |
A
main priority -- even equating it with social progress: "we cannot
have social justice without a sound fiscal foundation" -- describing
himself as "to the right of Bush" on the issue |
Gun
control |
Supports
federal gun control legislation, and sponsored a bill calling for child
safety devices on all new handguns |
Supports
closing the gun show loophole, but opposes other new federal regulation;
considers guns a states' rights issue; an "A" rating from NRA
most of his career |
Medical
marijuana |
Supports
compassionate use |
Firmly
opposed, although promises to abide by a proposed FDA evaluation |
War
on drugs |
Proposes
European-style treatment of addiction as a medical, not criminal problem,
with attendant reductions in crime and violence |
Has
accepted National Governors Association position: more federal funding
for all aspects of the drug war; however, also speaks of drug use as a
medical problem, and has called the War on Drugs a failure; website and
recent speeches simply do not clarify what policies he would pursue, as
far as I can tell |
Gay
rights |
Believes
gay and straight couples should be 100% equal before the law, including
Social Security and domestic-partner benefits; supports federal civil
union legislation |
Signed
a civil union (not gay marriage) bill, but opposes similar national laws
as a states' rights issue |
Energy |
Supports
investment in solar, wind, ocean, and other clean energy; risked career
to prevent a power monopoly in Cleveland, saving taxpayers over $200 million |
Supports
investment in alternative energy and energy efficiency; however,
has sided with Vermont state utilities on most issues |
Political
experience |
Has held local, state, and federal office for a total of 17 years. Four-term member of Congress, since 1997. Currently chair of the Progressive Caucus, largest Democratic caucus in Congress. |
Vermont
state legislator, 1982-86; Lt. Governor, 1986-91; Governor, 1991-2002.
Former chair, National Governors Association. |
Iraq
war |
Opposed
staunchly from the beginning, has never wavered |
Firmly
opposed, before, although he told the L.A. Times in January that
he would support unilateral action if Iraq had WMDs; softened his rhetoric
again in March, once the war began, explaining in conservative South Carolina,
"it's hard to criticize the President when you've got troops in the
field... we all have got to support the troops;" now again firmly
opposed, and highly vocal |
Personal |
Lifelong
member of the working class. Grew up so poor that his family lived in
a car more than once. Currently a vegan. |
Patrician
upbringing. Speaks harshly about negative environmental impact of SUVs.
Drives an SUV (a Chevy Suburban). |
Wellstone
connections |
Wellstone
was a proud member of the Progressive Caucus, which Kucinich leads |
Stole
the "democratic wing of the democratic party" line from Wellstone
after his death |
Ambition |
Began
campaign late, in part because he was busy organizing anti-war voices
in Congress |
Vermont
newspapers had to sue to get Dean's 2002 schedule as Governor; Dean spent
almost all of the year out the state, and didn't want his constituents
to know |
Home
state |
Ohio,
21 electoral votes |
Vermont,
3 electoral votes |
Back to this site's Kucinich page, featuring Kucinich Komix by Scott Bateman