Democratic hopeful pledges a social, economic agenda
Originally published in the Daily Texan
Democratic hopeful pledges a social, economic agenda
By Stuart Reeves (Daily Texan Staff)
August 11, 2003
Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich focused on the effects of the current administration's foreign policy decisions on defense, trade and the environment during a campaign stop in Austin Saturday.
Kucinich, a Democratic congressman from Ohio, decried the war in Iraq, pledged to cut the Department of Defense budget by 15 percent and pledged to halt the production of nuclear weapons in the United States.
"The U.S. must lead the way. It's not just nuclear weapons. We must stop the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons as well," Kucinich said, speaking before about 300 people at a rally for the Campus Greens National Convention.
Kucinich also said as president, he will make rejoining the Kyoto environmental treaty a priority.
If elected, Kucinich pledged to cancel the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, pull the country out of the World Trade Organization and forgive third-world debt.
"We will return to bilateral trade, and it will be based on human and workers' rights," Kucinich said. "Workers' rights are human rights, and they will be in our trade agreements. We will not deal with any country that lowers the human standard."
Kucinich's domestic agenda promised the money cut from the national defense budget would find its way back to health care, housing and veterans affairs.
"As president, I plan to return this country to a social and economic agenda instead of preparing for wars that are not worthy of our humanity. We will make nonviolence the basis of our community. Let's go forward and recreate this country," Kucinich said.
Kucinich received a supportive introduction from activist and former Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, who emceed the event at the Austin Music Hall.
"A lot of people have asked what we are doing inviting a non-Green to this event. Let me remind you that [Ralph] Nader was a non-Green, too," Biafra said. "How can we get Democrats in the community to vote for a Green candidate if we don't talk to them? This is a man that has gone out of his way to talk to us."
Reactions to Kucinich's speech were mixed.
Marlys Williams, who traveled from Denton to attend the convention, had little faith in Kucinich or David Cobb, the national Green Party's general legal counsel.
"It seems like they'll say anything to the crowd they are speaking to. I think it is all rhetoric," Williams said. "I want to see Jello run for president again."
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