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Home , Dennis Kucinich

Reprinted from YES! A Journal of Positive Futures Summer 2002 1-800-937-4451 www.yesmagazine.org

When he was the mayor of , stood up to the banks and refused to sell the city’s electric utility. He paid for that decision with his political career, but after years in political exile, he’s back ... The New American Majority

Sarah Ruth van Gelder interviews Rep. Dennis Kucinich

ince winning election to Con- has a lot to offer to the world and ques- ful and prosperous world. These are gress in 1996, US Representa- tions whether our offerings should be people who have a sense of the impor- Stive Dennis Kucinich (D-) in the form of bombs. And it’s a heart tance of integrating spiritual principles has proposed such radical ideas as a that is loyal to democratic principles, with the material world. Department of Peace, universal health and questions whether the care, and action on climate change. is real patriotism. Sarah: How might this America find His speech, “Prayer for America,” got The response came because, for a political expression? Could it happen one standing ovation after another at brief moment, I was able to provide a through the two-party system? an for Democratic Action voice for those feelings, and the email event in in February. Now responses have not stopped. We re- Dennis: I would say in order to re- it is circulating on the Internet, draw- ceived about 18,000 just in one month. main relevant, the two-party system ing thousands of responses. YES! edi- is going to have to become more in tor Sarah Ruth van Gelder asked him Sarah: What potential is there now tune with the issues of peace, the en- about his fall from political grace, and to redefine the political mainstream? vironment, education, economic his startling comeback. equality, opportunity—a whole range Dennis: It’s happening, it’s happen- of concerns that embody a more nur- Sarah Ruth van Gelder: Your ing right now. What I found out from turing and pacific approach to life. “Prayer for America” speech got quite the people I’m hearing from all over an amazing response. What is it about the country is that there’s an America Sarah: Shortly after you were elected your message that is resonating with out there that has not yet been defined, in 1977, you took so many people? but it’s emerging. It’s an America of a stand against the city’s banks and re- people who are neither left nor right, fused to sell the city-owned utility. As Dennis Kucinich: The events of Sep- who care about the quality of life, who a result, you lost your re-election bid tember 11th exacted a searing, emo- are optimistic about the possibilities in 1979 and were out of public life for tional toll on Americans. We have of our country and the world, who some time. been wounded as a nation. But our want to make a difference. This is an heart remains open. It’s a heart that is America made up of people who are Dennis: I campaigned for mayor on still full of love and is troubled by calls creative and nurturing and builders a promise to save the municipal elec- for revenge and retribution. And it’s a and conservers, who want for their tric system. There had been a long ef- heart that still believes that America families and themselves a more peace- fort to privatize our electric system,

YES! A Journal of Positive Futures Summer 2002 PO Box 10818, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 and for years I had led an effort to Sarah: So many people in political corporate influence, and there’s an in- withstand that pressure. Finally, the life might have said, politics is creasing awareness of the heavy cost of council and the mayor prior to my- about compromise. You have to give privatization of public resources. self agreed to sell. I campaigned to save in on some things in order to remain the system, got elected, and my first a player so as to fight another day. Sarah: You won election to Congress act in office was to cancel the sale. taking a seat that had been occupied The private electric company had Dennis: I had a meeting on the morn- by a Republican who had been part of very close business relations with the ing of December 15th with the head ’s team. Then you were banks. The banks let me know that if of the city council and the head of the re-elected twice by a landslide each I didn’t go along with the sale, they largest bank, and that was exactly the time. So there is something about your would not renew the city’s credit. I had discussion we had. The president of message that is resonating and not only reduced the city’s spending by 10 per- the bank told me that only if I agreed within a liberal fringe. cent, but without access to credit—at to sell the municipal electric system a time when I was still paying off bills would he renew the city’s credit, and Dennis: The last time I ran for re- from the previous administration—I if I did agree to the sale, he would give election, I distributed cards saying: knew the city could go into default. the city an additional $50 million “Congressman Dennis Kucinich, So I was being blackmailed. worth of credit. working for a Department of Peace, I knew when I refused to sell, that I said, “Look, I can’t do that. The nuclear disarmament, food safety, hu- I would be ending my political career. utility belongs to the people, it’s not I made the decision to save the elec- mine to sell.” tric system, a decision that turned out So why did I choose to do that? I to be a pivotal moment in my life. guess for me it was a test. Was it more The credit was cut, the city de- important to advance politically? I was faulted, and I lost my bid for re-elec- 32 years old, and I was the youngest tion; I was out of public life, some- mayor of any big city in the country. thing that I had dedicated my life to. There were people talking about me For years, I couldn’t get a job in the being on a fast track for governor or city where I had challenged the banks. senator. There were even stories cir- My marriage fell apart, and I spent a culating that I would do a test visit to lot of time walking streets in a lot of New Hampshire. At the same time I’m major cities trying to figure out how thinking, that’s all illusion. The real- to put a career back together again. ity is in front of me; the reality is I have Eventually, it was understood that an obligation to the people who put the decision was the right thing for me in office to defend their interests Plain Dealer Publishing Co. © published 2001 the people of Cleveland, because that and not to sell them out. electric system that I saved now I didn’t realize it then, but I was man rights, universal health care, edu- US Rep. Dennis provides savings of 25 to 30 percent. really being asked to submit to a view cational opportunities for all, new poli- Kucinich of the world that holds that corporate cies on global warming.” That was my marches with Sarah: I understand the Cleveland values must triumph over the public platform, and I’m in middle America; steelworkers City Council honored you for “hav- good. That’s the decision I had to take you don’t get any more middle America and their ing the courage and foresight to refuse a stand on, and I tell you, it was a time than Cleveland, Ohio. supporters. to sell the city’s municipal electric sys- in America when it was considered Kucinich helped tem.” But during the time when you unseemly, in poor taste, to even raise Sarah: The first item you mentioned save over 1,000 were essentially in exile, what did you the issue. “This is what corporations on that list is a proposal for a Depart- jobs by rallying think about what you had done? say you ought to do, well, just do it!” ment of Peace. How did you get so the community People are now starting to look at interested in this question of peace? when LTV Steel Dennis: I grew up believing that if the overwhelming influence of corpo- threatened to you did the right thing, it always works rations in public life and how the pub- Dennis: My interest started when I close its plant out. I hadn’t ever thought about what lic good can be undermined. People are saw how quickly our nation slipped happens if you do the right thing and now more sensitive to how the public into the bombing attacks on Belgrade then you get blasted. But I never pays an exorbitant cost for electricity, a few years ago. I saw in my own doubted it was the right decision. for fuel, for defense, because of undue Democratic Party individuals who

206/842-0216 • www.yesmagazine.org YES! A Journal of Positive Futures Summer 2002 were otherwise people of good will Sarah: In your “Prayer for America” to prevent monopolization and the suddenly getting swept up in this fu- speech, you set forth the idea of concentration of wealth. Government ror to bomb Belgrade. It was almost America being “an axis of hope” in- is supposed to be at least a referee. Well, like a virus worked its way though the stead of pursuing “an axis of evil.” in this case the referee has walked off consciousness of people. What do you mean by an axis of hope? the field, and the game is lost to the I began what was for me a politi- most brutal and the most powerful. cal as well as a spiritual journey to Dennis: I meant that America could look at the question. I’ve had my own become a nation that lightens the bur- Sarah: Where do you plan to go in personal journey, as a lot of us have, dens of people in this country and terms of your own political career? on how to bring peace into my own around the world, that can help trans- life. I came to understand the rela- form our understanding of the mate- Dennis: In the last six weeks, ever tionship between conditions within rial world through helping create abun- since I gave that speech, my life has oneself and conditions that are cre- dance, that can help transform the un- changed. I am suddenly getting invi- ated in the world. I began to think derstanding of the political world tations to speak all over the country that perhaps war is not inevitable; though creating opportunities for co- from Democratic organizations as well perhaps war is an extension of con- operation between nations, and trans- as environmentalists, peace activists, ditions within ourselves, conditions form our understanding of the spiri- colleges, and community groups. that might lend themselves to heal- tual world through recognizing that There is clearly a hunger for a point of ing, reconciliation, dialogue, medi- nations and people exist on a number view that may not be regularly ex- tation, and prayer. of different levels, one of which is spiri- pressed in the councils of power. So the Department of Peace is to tual, and that spiritual existence con- I have made it a point to person- make nonviolence an organizing prin- nects to the possibilities of this world. ally go through thousands of the email ciple in our society for domestic as well responses, because I want to know what as international policy—in other Sarah: Why is it that the rest of the people think. Over and over, I hear words, to quicken the impulse that is Democratic Party has taken so few people saying, “You said what I feel.” in the world to create more peace. courageous stands lately, like the ones There are a lot of us who feel this way. you’ve been describing? I’ve been given an opportunity to speak The referee has walked off out, and I’m going to continue to be a Dennis: It’s both parties. Politics is not voice for a world of cooperation, of the field, and the game is adequately responding to the needs of peace, of hope, of sustainability. our times, nor to the requirements of lost to the most brutal and the future. One reason is that money Sarah: Do you see yourself involved in the political process has become an in a national campaign of some sort? the most powerful end in itself, and when money equals policy, the public interest is shut out. Dennis: I learned a long time ago that Sarah: Do you think there is a con- Where money equals policy, you have you can’t plan everything. You can only sensus in the US that peace is desirable? an auction, you don’t have a democ- be out there and do what it is that you racy. The democratic system has been do. And I think it was Emerson who Dennis: Of course there is. It’s just highjacked by special interest groups. once wrote, “Live and work, and all that some people think you bring How else can you explain 46 mil- unawares the advancing tide creates for about peace through war. I would sub- lion Americans without health care? Or itself a condition of its own. And the mit that if you want peace, work for senior citizens having to cut their pills question and the answer are one.” So peace. in half in order to extend the life of their I’m going to keep doing what I’m do- We don’t always think about the medication? How can you explain ing and where it leads—I’m open to all fact that the context of our society is widespread pollution despite the fact possibilities. I feel very fortunate to be established through spending close to that there’s technology available to con- doing what I’m doing; I begin every day half of our nation’s discretionary in- trol it? How can you explain things like with a heart full of gratitude. come on defense. And the current ad- cars that aren’t fuel efficient? How can ministration is hoping to take it be- you explain things like reliance on non- See www.thespiritoffreedom.com for yond 50 percent! We have to make renewable sources of energy? Dennis Kucinich’s “Prayer for America” choices about how we want our soci- The political system has broken and a link to Studs Terkle’s call for Kucinich ety structured. down and is failing people. It’s failing to run for president.

YES! A Journal of Positive Futures Summer 2002 PO Box 10818, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110