Unless Kucinich can persuade someone besides his wife to vote for him, his environmental vision doesn't mean much.

Dennis Kucinich is so right about every issue and this makes it extremely scary to see that so many American's downplay and even dismiss him and his vision for our country. Personally, I believe most people are all talk and not really upset about the Empire GWB has built for himself and his gang of oil grabbers. With Bush in the role of our leader - thinking and caring about others is "off the table!"

Kucinich is my choice for President. Being a person who thinks, should define us, not jeopardize our well-being. Responsibility and sustainablity are co-dependent: what I do affects others and this must extend to the actions of our government. IF we do not support those who will bring this type of leadership to our country, more of the same that goes on today will continue - and it will get worse the longer this mindset prevails!  

Finally a candidate with integrity, bold ideas and who isn't afraid to speak his mind on the issues.

He has no chance of winning, but I admire his ideas and his life philosophy in general.

It's time for revolutionary thinking in America and Dennis Kucinich is the leader of the pack.  Too many of us are willing to say "Oh, he can't win".  Well, that's what the American Revolution was all about.  The British certainly thought we'd never win.
The only threat to our freedom besides GWB is too many in our Congress and Senate afraid to stand up like Dennis Kucinich.  If enough of us had his fortitude Bush, Cheney and Rice would have been impeached long ago.

This is merely editorial, but the term is dyed in the wool, not died in the wool.

chad

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

- Albert Einstein

I know every Grist reader knows what the current situation in the world is today. We demand radical solutions to solve the tremondous problems were facing. It's obvious the two main democrat candidates we are being fed don't come even close to Kucinich's solutions.

We need to give this candidate the attention he needs, in the debates, and currently as a congressman. One way to do this is to support his current bill H. Res. 333( Dick Cheney's Impeachment). The goal is to impeach Cheney first then Bush.

I know you may say oh that's not going to happen as you would say Dennis Kucinich won't become President. And your right it won't happen...unless the people demand it. Do you still want to be fed only two choices?
Choices you aren't entire 100% satisfied with.We need to create a political situation where we drastically change the way things have been done in the past. Check out worldcantwait[dot]org

We need drastic solutions, like the ones Dennis is pushing, for the problems of the 21st Century.

This is what we want. Are you going to let it pass us by?

THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN THE ONE WE GET IS UP TO US.

I didn't know until this moment that Dennis Kucinich is a vegan.  If everyone were to become a vegan or at least a vegetarian (which I am), our country would take a huge step toward reducing harmful pollutants and CO2 emissions. Obviously, for animal rights activitists (which I am also),the positive result would be the elimination of cruelty to farm animals.  The vast majority of Americans and citizens of most other countries, however, are 100% resistent to even CONSIDERING this lifestyle change.  They seem to believe that animal protein is essential to their well-being - an argument that is completely invalid.

Marylou Noble  

Another thing I feel that should be pointed out is Kucinich's modelling after predecessors like FDR and JFK.  In one of his videos, he speaks of organizing people around "green" issues in the same sense that JFK got everyone united about the mission to the moon.  I feel that it's good news to see him following in the footsteps of previous charismatic leaders.

Why can't we elect someone that actually has a vision? a plan? and, who also seems to have something very, very, very rare -- integrity.

Dennis Kucincich will not win just because I think he might win. Or because I vote for him.  Or because I hold my breath til I turn blue.  In presidential politics, he is a proven, dead-bang loser.  Ralph Nader's has great ideas too.  Bill Clinton won 2 elections and appointed Carol Browner and Mike Dombeck.  Politics is about coaltion-building and appealing to large blocs of voters. Kucinich is a proven zero at accomplishing that task.  

The other candidates (other than Gravel) promise what will be a continuation of the policies since after Carter.  We don't need more of the same.

So, Dave and all the other, "it's a waste of time to vote for Dennis" commentors. . .
Frankly, I wonder what you are doing here.  Go on over to RED STATE with all the other old farts that don't understand quantum physics.  I really don't have time to orient you, but I can pretty much give you the kindergarten version that surely even you can grasp.  "Ill believe it when I see it"- old fart failure paradigm.  OR "You'll see it when you believe it" - Quantum physics.   Stop shooting the solution bearers in the foot, with your whining and histrionics.  The changes that  Dennis Kucinich speaks of,  are not only possible but fueled by everyone in this country and the world, who can see that what has been being done is a death sentence.  There is power in that awakening.  Because you are still diddling around in the old fart loser mentality, does not make you right, or in the majority.  So, either get with the New Math known as quantum physics, and stop condemning vision by your blindness. OR GET OUT OF THE WAY.  BECAUSE VISION IS WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WANT.  BECAUSE THE OTHER OPTION IS EXTINCTION.
GO DENNIS! THE WORLD APPLAUDS YOUR ETHICS AND YOUR VISION !

I've had enough of corrupt politicians and policies that hinge on business interests instead of AMERICAN interests.  As far as I'm concerned, the environment is a matter of health care and national security.  Kucinich is a breath of fresh air!

By the way, just for the record: Dennis doesn't accept donations from labor organizations (unions) or corporations.  Guess what.  Obama, Clinton, and Edwards do.  Let's show the country that you don't need millions of dollars to get elected-- it should no longer be about money.  Man(and woman)power.

And I'll vote for him again in 2008. He's no doubt the most sincere when it comes to environmental and animal protection policies.

as we call him on Cleveland's west side, is my Congressman. I have voted for him, worked for him, given him money, and always have his sign on my tree lawn. He is the real article. One of the best, shoe leather politicians in the state of Ohio. He runs and wins the old way. He is a million miles to the left of his constituency, but they continue to send him back to Congress because he fights for what he believes in. In an era when politicians are constantly polling and focus grouping to see what they will say, Dennis says what he means. If you like it, fine. If you don't like it, fine. But people respect that in him and they vote for him. Why? Because he is Dennis, and you don't need to say anything else in these parts.  

I liked two things in his interview. The Works Green Administration, and his forthright opposition to the war in Iraq and American militarism.

Now, how about voting for him? Well, I will quote the late great Molly Ivins, who said she votes her heart in primaries, and her head in the general election. In Ohio, I will vote my heart and vote for Dennis. Then I will see what my head says.

Randy Cunningham

I like people who walk the talk and with respect to the environment, Mr Kucinich ostensibly does this more than Mr. Edwards with his 28000 ft2 house.

Beyond that, however, it sounds like Kucinich would do to the whole country what he did to Cleveland as mayor.  He is the only mayor of Cleveland whose portrait is not hanging in City Hall.  He is regarded as one the worst big-city mayors of all time

Let met think about this, a US energy structure with no coal and no nuclear?  

I can't imagine how anyone can take this geek seriously.

I could sit down and criticize Dennis into the night and continue the next day. But....

The reason that Kucinich had a disaster at city hall was in part due to an overly pugnacious style of politics that alienated potential allies and encouraged his opponents. Those opponents by and large were the great corporate powers of the city. The banks, the utility companies, the real estate industry basically launched a campaign to destabilize and in truth overthrow his administration. Not that some of his own actions, didn't play into their hands. Dennis's sin? He did not drop his drawers, bend over, spread his cheeks and let the corporadoes have their pleasure like most of the other mayors of Cleveland have. In short he was not a corporate whore - for which the city fathers have never forgiven him.  

But he did save the city municipal power system, an accomplishment for which even his former enemies have had to credit him with. And no one, but no one, has ever made Dennis kiss their ring, or bow down to them.  

Randy Cunningham

As an Ohioan from another part of the state who didn't give Dennis enough of a look before, I am quite impressed.  Dennis is not just saying what he thinks people want to hear.  He's got it right on the issues covered in this Grist interview.  I mean, home run.   Yeah, if he drove a hybrid or biodiesel, or electric vehicle wouldn't that be cool.  But I do believe he is correct in his assessments of where we need to go in terms of sustainable energy sources.  Anyone who bucks the utilities here in this state, is asking for it.

I like that Dennis is leading positively by example, e.g. his vegan lifestyle.
At this point, I look forward to voting for Dennis in the primaries, and in the general election to follow.  It can't be soon enough!

It's Third Down and 25, on our own 5 yard line. Obama and Hillary are on the field too, but they're wanting to run a scramble play.  We need a passing game to get us up where we need to go by 2020, and Kucinich is lining up some receivers with the wind, the solar, and the conservation, not to mention the peace.  It's time to give him the ball.

our only hope it seems
Peace
Senor Pescado

randino and 2wheelsgood made some good points.  

I have been looking at the web sites of the candidates from a New York times link and Kucinich is the only one who says something that is truly visionary. I do not know if he really has a chance against all the big money but I am going to vote for him.

He is visionary and idealistic and I believe that perhaps we are ready for a real change. Certainly all the pragmatists and political politicians are not doing very well right now. Dennis is the only one with a real vision of what we can do.

He is right that the candidates with connection to wall street and big money and big industry would find it very hard to make any real changes in our energy policies. that is probaalby the real reason that solar roofs and green local energy  and electric cars are not being promulgated by any of the others. I only hope we can make it happen.
Vote for Dennis Kucinich!

Ellie

Because I really don't want to live another 4-8 years with another puppet in the White House.

I initially wanted Hillary because she is a woman (yes, it IS because she is a woman goshdarnit, how else do you think the feminist movement will move forward, not to mention how long it will take for another qualified woman to run for the White House?), but quite honestly I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn't stick with someone who really understands the link between prosperity and the environment.

Kucinich knows his stuff. Smart guy. Articulate. Confidant. And check out that wife of his. I'm hoping America is ready for him this time. Please, please, please be ready for it!

I'm the Sea Biscuit of this campaign" -Dennis Kucinich

Vote for SEABISCUIT in 2008!<

How can you say nuclear power is the "safest" option? Not only does the waste last forever (as in if we convert completely to nuclear, since it's the safest, our landfills won't be just filled with plastics, metal, and glass, but radioactive waste), but cost of uranium is slated to ramp up significantly by 2023, as low-cost uranium will run out by then (as estimated by the Community Environmental Council). Also, nuclear energy's greenhouse gas emissions benefits are really not as good as is advertised--it is *certainly not emission free.

More on topic, Kucinich definitely has the right view in mind, and people need to vote for what they actually think is right. If people are content to lie down and be stepped all over even if they have the power and will to rise off the ground, our country will never see a large change in the area of environmental issues.

Dennis is the ONLY US Presidential candidate I EVER contributed money to. He got my vote last time around, and he'll get my vote until he is electric president!

Not "electric president", "ELECTED president"!!!

Forgive me, Dennis!!

You can vote pragmatically, like Davedenali says or you can vote for the candidate who best embodies your beliefs.  It's great when that's the same person, but it rarely if ever is if you're a true environmentalist.  So let's look at where these two voting strategies will likely lead.

Most people to the left of mainstream Americans (for simplicity I include environmentalists, liberals, progressives, and radicals) vote pragmatically, which is often voting for the evil of two lessers.  The ONLY result this strategy is capable of producing is maintaining the status quo.  Sure, things under, say Clinton, would probably not be as bad as things under, say McCain, but the status quo will be maintained in all significant respects (Iran would still stand a good chance of being attacked by the U.S., the U.S. will continue to consume gluttonous amounts of everything, etc.).  Also, it should be noted that a right wing Democrat like Clinton is virtually indistinguishable in her politics from a liberal Republican like Guiliani, meaning there would be virtually no difference between them.

If, on the other hand, you stick to voting for candidates who embody your political views, you will be seen as "wasting" your vote because your candidate has "no chance" of winning (I would argue that those who vote for the evil of the lessers are actually the ones wasting their votes).  While the "no chance" claim is a self-fulfilling prophecy, we should be clear that the U.S. is a very right wing country, and a great candidate like Dennis Kucinich has very little realistic chance of ever even winning the Democratic primary, let alone the presidency (if he were elected president, those whose power and money he'd reduce or eliminate, like those who own and run the coal, oil, and auto industries, would probably have him killed).  So you can certainly support and vote for good candidates, but you can't realistically expect them to win anything except election to local offices with relatively small constituencies.

HOWEVER, voting for quality candidates is the ONLY way, through electoral politics, to build toward real change.  You might not see it in your lifetime or even in your grandchildrens', but it at least has a chance to accomplish meaningful, significant change.  Those like Dave who advocate against voting for people like Dennis Kucinich because the latter won't sell out or cave in to the moneyed interests either don't want significant change or are too afraid of doing what it takes to accomplish it, which might be sacrificing battles in order to win the war.  The reason that pragmatic politics "is about coalition-building and appealing to large blocs of voters," as Dave put it, is that it's also about maintaining the status quo (one way of maintaining the status quo is to appeal to the lowest common denominator, i.e., large blocs of voters).  If you don't like the status quo, vote and work for someone like Kucinich who will actually do something to change it, not for candidates who are supported by moneyed interests and won't do anything to cause meaningful change.

Dennis Kucinich is the only one of all the candidates that is telling the truth and is thus dismissed by the corporate lie machine (the media) and by the Wall Street greed machine. All the rest of the candidates are already bought and paid for and whoever from this group is elected, it will be the same old same old. I will caucus for Dennis because it is the right thing to do.

they have this massive internet-driven grass-roots campaign that a lot of progressives have joined, out of desperation.

where is ours for the true visionary of this election, who is not only against the war in iraq (which is where Paul gets most of his lefty votes), but who has the only even slightly fiscally and environmentally responsible platform?

decentralizing power generation, and decentralizing power (political and corporate) are the cornerstones of democracy.  we have been barreling towards totalitarianism, with bush being the ultimate scary tyrant so far, and we need to reclaim our country.

one man, one vote.  if everyone votes for him, he will win - who will you convince today?