Dennis Kucinich possible presidential campaign, 2016
From Ballotpedia
- See also: Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich is a potential candidate for the office of President of the United States in 2016. Kucinich was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Ohio. He was first elected in 1996 and served until 2013. Prior to his election, Kucinich served as a member of the Ohio State Senate from 1995 to 1996 and as the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1977 to 1979.[1] Kucinich did not mention any intention to run for president in 2016. Since 2013, Kucinich worked as an independent analyst and as a contributor for Fox News Channel.[2][3] He was particularly critical of American involvement in Syria and Libya and the use of military force against ISIS.[4] Speculation about Kucinich's candidacy was based on his continued articulation of a pacifist approach to foreign affairs and his history of running as a candidate for president in 2004 and 2008.[5][6] According to Sabrina Eaton of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Kucinich told a group of students at the American Conservative Union's CPAC convention that "he's not running for president again in 2016."[7]
On the issues
Economic and fiscal
Taxes
- In 2013, Dennis Kucinich voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels.[8]
- In 2012, Kucinich voted against HR 8, which made the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, also known as the Bush tax cuts, permanent.[9]
- In 2001, Kucinich voted against HR 6 - Marriage Penalty and Family Tax Relief Act.[10]
- In 2001, Kucinich voted against HR 8, which would have repealed "current provisions relating to the basis of property acquired from a decedent," or the "death tax."[11]
- In 1998, Kucinich voted against H.J.Res.111, which proposed requiring "that any bill, resolution, or other legislative measure changing the internal revenue laws shall require for final adoption in each House the concurrence of two-thirds of the Members of that House voting and present, unless the bill is determined at the time of adoption, in a reasonable manner prescribed by law, not to increase the internal revenue by more than a de minimis amount."[12]
Government regulations
- In 2011, Dennis Kucinich voted against HR 1633, a bill that would have limited "Federal regulation of nuisance dust in areas in which such dust is regulated under State, tribal, or local law, and for other purposes."[13]
- In a 2003 debate, Kucinich stated that government has to regulate corporations in order to keep them from withholding information or lying to their shareholders: "We cannot keep our democracy if those who are in charge of handling the engines of our economy are not honest with the American people, are not honest with their shareholders, are not honest with their investors. That’s why there is a role for government here. And that role for government is regulation. That role for government is breaking up the monopolies. That role for government is insisting on public disclosure, insisting on public audits, insisting on restitution whenever someone has been cheated."[14]
International trade
- During his 2008 campaign for president, Dennis Kucinich called for withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).[15]
- In 1998, Kucinich voted against HR 2621 - the Reciprocal Trade Agreement Authorities Act of 1997, which would have given the president the authorization to negotiate free trade agreements.[16]
Budgets
- In 2011, Dennis Kucinich voted against HJRes 2, a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution. The amendment would have prohibited "outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a three-fifths rollcall vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts."[17]
- In 2011, Kucinich voted for HR 2663, which increased the federal debt limit.[18]
- In 2009, Kucinich voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a stimulus bill that spent $825 billion.[19]
- In 2006, Kucinich voted against HR 2890, which would have given the president line-item veto authority by providing "for the expedited consideration of certain proposed rescissions of budget authority."[20]
Agricultural subsidies
- In 2001, Dennis Kucinich voted against HR 2646 - the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, which increased federal spending for farm subsidies and continued certain agricultural programs for five years.[21]
Federal assistance programs
- In 2012, Dennis Kucinich voted against HJRes 118, a resolution that disapproved of the administration waiving work requirements for welfare recipients.[22]
- During his 2008 presidential campaign, Kucinich campaigned on preventing the privatization of social security.[15]
Labor and employment
- In 2011, Dennis Kucinich voted against the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, which sought to "amend the National Labor Relations Act with respect to representation hearings and the timing of elections of labor organizations under that Act."[23]
- In 2007, Kucinich voted in favor of the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that eliminated the vote requirement in order to establish a labor union.[24]
Foreign affairs
Military preparedness and budget
- Dennis Kucinich is a noted pacifist and non-interventionist, and he has continued to make his claims publicly since he left office in 2013. During a 2014 interview with Bill O'Reilly of Fox News, Kucinich said "that war is wrong but not all U.S. military action is so," according to Newsmax.[25]
- Beginning in 2001, Kucinich sponsored HR 2459, a bill to establish a U.S. Department of Peace.[26]
National security
- In a 2014 op-ed, Dennis Kucinich criticized President Barack Obama for his actions against ISIS. He argued that Obama was promoting fear and war.[27]
- In 2013, Kucinich opposed HJRes 68, which authorized limited military force on the ground in Libya.[28]
- During his 2008 presidential campaign, Kucinich campaigned on an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.[15]
- In 2002, Kucinich voted against HR 5005, which created the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.[29]
- Kucinich voted against H.R.3162 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001.[30]
International relations
- During a 2014 interview with Bill O'Reilly of Fox News, Dennis Kucinich stated that action taken by the United States behind the scenes in the Ukraine allowed Russia to invade the country.[25]
- In a 2014 article for the Huffington Post, Kucinich argued for what he believes the role of the United States in the world should be. He wrote, "Let 2015 be the year that we recreate at home an empire of democracy, a true citadel of freedom, and stop the plotting, the interventions, the wars, and the calamitous reach for world domination. This will require a concerted effort, to demand Congress and President Obama stop funding military build-ups, stop funding nuclear escalation, begin to disestablish the global US military empire and start taking care of things at home. Americans are ready."[31]
- During his 2008 campaign for president, Kucinich opposed Israel using military force and called for Israel to recognize the Palestinian right to self-determination.[32]
Domestic
Federalism
Government accountability
- In 2011, Dennis Kucinich, along with nine other congressmen, sued President Barack Obama for violating the 1973 War Powers Resolution.[33]
- In 2007, Kucinich voted in favor of HR 2102 - the Free Flow of Information Act, which, among other things, proposed providing reporters with more protections against being forced to reveal sources.[34]
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- In 1998, Dennis Kucinich voted against HJRes 78, a Constitutional amendment which proposed securing "the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience, neither the United States nor any State shall establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed; and (2) neither the United States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion."[35]
Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- During his 2008 campaign, Dennis Kucinich campaigned on strengthening gun control laws.[15]
Crime and justice
- During his 2008 presidential campaign, Dennis Kucinich campaigned on abolishing the death penalty.[15]
- In 2006, Kucinich sponsored HR 4923, a bill that sought to "abolish the death penalty under Federal law."[36]
Natural resources
Energy production
- In 2011, Dennis Kucinich voted against HR 1230, which directed "the Secretary of the Interior to conduct specified proposed offshore oil and gas lease sales" in the Gulf of Mexico and off the shores of Virginia.[37]
- During his 2008 campaign, Kucinich campaigned on banning offshore drilling.[15]
- In 2001, Kucinich voted in favor of an amendment to HR 4 - the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Bill that extended the ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).[38]
Keystone XL Pipeline
- Dennis Kucinich opposed the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline on the grounds that it would lead to higher gas prices, citing a study from the Natural Resources Defense Council.[39]
Fracking
- In a December 2014 tweet, Dennis Kucinich praised Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York, for banning fracking in the state.[40]
Climate change
- During his 2008 campaign, Dennis Kucinich campaigned on ratifying the Kyoto protocol to fight global warming.[15]
Cap and trade
- In 2009, Dennis Kucinich voted against H.R.2454 - the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which would have established a cap and trade policy for energy.[41]
Environmental Protection Agency
- In 2009, Dennis Kucinich voted against the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which would have barred the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases.[41]
Healthcare
- In 2010, Dennis Kucinich co-sponsored HR 676, which proposed creating a universal healthcare system.[42]
- In 2009, Kucinich voted in favor of H.R. 3590 - the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare."[43]
- During his 2008 presidential campaign, Kucinich campaigned on creating a single-payer, universal healthcare plan.[15]
Immigration
- In 2010, Dennis Kucinich voted in favor of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2010, or DREAM Act of 2010. The act authorized "the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel the removal of, and adjust to conditional nonimmigrant status" of certain aliens under the age of 30.[44]
- In 2006, Kucinich voted against HR 6095, which proposed affirming "the inherent authority of State and local law enforcement to assist in the enforcement of immigration laws, to provide for effective prosecution of alien smugglers, and to reform immigration litigation procedures."[45]
Education
- During his 2008 presidential campaign, Dennis Kucinich campaigned on providing a free education from preschool through college.[15]
Abortion
- In 2000, Dennis Kucinich voted against H.Amdt.1017 to H.R.4871, which "sought to strike section 509 which prohibits funds in the bill from being expended to pay for an abortion, or any administrative expenses connected to any Federal employee health plan which provides benefits or coverage for abortions."[46]
- Kucinich has twice voted to ban partial-birth abortions. In 1997, Kucinich voted for HR 1122 - the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1997.[47] In 2000, Kucinich voted for HR 3660 - the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2000.[48]
Gay rights
- During his 2008 presidential campaign, Dennis Kucinich campaigned on legalizing same-sex marriage.[15]
- In 2006, Kucinich voted against H.J.Res. 88, which sought to define marriage in the United States as consisting "only of the union of a man and a woman."[49]
On The Issues Vote Match
- See also: On The Issues Vote Match
On The Issues conducts a VoteMatch analysis of elected officials based on 20 issue areas. Rather than relying on incumbents to complete the quiz themselves, the VoteMatch analysis is conducted using voting records, statements to the media, debate transcripts, or citations from books authored by or about the candidate.[50]
The table below contains the results of analysis compiled by staff at On The Issues.
| On The Issues Vote Quiz[51] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Issues | Social Issues | ||
| Issue | Stance | Issue | Stance |
| Legally require hiring women & minorities | Strongly Favors | Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right | Favors |
| Expand Obamacare | Strongly Favors | Comfortable with same-sex marriage | Strongly Favors |
| Vouchers for school choice | Strongly Opposes | Keep God in the public sphere | Opposes |
| Absolute right to gun ownership | Strongly Opposes | No "rights" to clean air and water | Strongly Opposes |
| Higher taxes on the wealthy | Strongly Favors | Stricter punishment reduces crime | Strongly Opposes |
| Support & expand free trade | Strongly Opposes | Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens | Strongly Favors |
| More enforcement of the right to vote | Strongly Favors | Maintain U.S. sovereignty from UN | Strongly Opposes |
| Prioritize green energy | Strongly Favors | Expand the military | Strongly Opposes |
| Stimulus better than market-led recovery | Strongly Favors | Stay out of Iran | Strongly Favors |
| Privatize Social Security | Strongly Opposes | Never legalize marijuana | Strongly Opposes |
| Note: Information last updated: May 20, 2015.[50] If you notice the rating has changed, email us. | |||
Political savvy
Character
- See also: Dennis Kucinich possible presidential campaign, 2016/Character
Principles
- Dennis Kucinich's reputation was largely based on his record of pacifist voting. Huffington Post referred to Kucinich as the "loudest anti-war voice" in Congress.[52] Politico has called Kucinich "an old-school lunch-bucket Democrat" and "a passionate and quixotic crusader for a liberal worldview."[53]
- Kucinich strongly opposed the 2002 Iraq war. He filed a resolution to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney in 2007.[54] In 2008 Kucinich filed a resolution for impeachment of President George W. Bush.[55]
Communications
- See also: Dennis Kucinich possible presidential campaign, 2016/Communications
Overall presence
- During his time as Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, Dennis Kucinich was described by Frank Kuznik of Cleveland Magazine as having a "defiant personality."[56]
- Politico's Jonathan Allen and Alex Isenstadt noted that some of Kucinich's reputation is built on his eccentricities. They wrote, "Critics deride him as a kook, pointing to his acknowledgment in a presidential debate that he had seen an unidentified flying object and referring to a lawsuit he once filed over an olive pit."[57]
Past speeches and interviews
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Past debates
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Political and leadership attributes
- See also: Dennis Kucinich possible presidential campaign, 2016/Political and leadership attributes
Leadership positions
- Dennis Kucinich was a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.[58]
- Kucinich served on the United States House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, the United States House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and as the raking member of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending.[59]
Noteworthy events
- At age 31, Dennis Kucinich was the youngest mayor of a major city when he was elected Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.[60]
Elections and campaign finance
- As of December 2014, Dennis Kucinich Action PAC had a debt of $11,000.[61]
- In 2012, redistricting put Kucinich in the same district as Democratic incumbent, Marcy Kaptur, and he lost the primary by 16 points.[62]
- In 2004 and 2008, Kucinich sought the Democratic nomination for president. In 2004, despite not doing well in the primary contests, Kucinich only ended his campaign a few days before the Democratic convention. In 2008, Kucinich dropped his bid for the nomination in January.[63][64]
- In 1996, Kucinich was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 10th Congressional District. He went on to win re-election to his seat six times.[65]
- Kucinich was elected Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio in 1976, at the age of 31.[66]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Dennis + Kucinich + 2016
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Biographical Directory of U.S. Congress, "Kucinich," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Dennis Kucinich, "Dennis Kucinich," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Fox News, "Dennis Kucinich," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Fox News, "Ten reasons to vote against the use of military force," March 11, 2015]
- ↑ American Thinker, "Dennis Kucinich in 2016?" August 2, 2014
- ↑ Huffington Post, "We Can Negotiate Peace in Gaza: Here's How," July 30, 2014
- ↑ Cleveland.com, "Ex-Rep. Dennis Kucinich takes to the CPAC convention stage," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. House "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 659" accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ New York Times, "House Vote 545 - Passes Bush-Era Tax Cut Extension," accessed February 2, 2015
- ↑ U.S. House, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 75," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. House, "Final Vote Results For Roll Call 84," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.J. Res 111," accessed April 23, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 1633 (112th): Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "Transcript to CNBC/WSJ Democratic Presidential debate," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 15.9 Dennis Kucinich for President, "Issues," April 23, 2008
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 2621 (105th): Reciprocal Trade Agreement Authorities Act of 1997," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.J.Res.2 - Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.2663 - America Pays Its Bills Act of 2011," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.1 - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 4890 (109th): Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 2646 (107th): Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.J.Res.118 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of Family Assistance of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to waiver and expenditure authority under section 1115 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) with respect to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 3094 (112th): Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.800 - Employee Free Choice Act of 2007," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Newsmax, "Dennis Kucinich Blames US Meddling for Russian Invasion," March 4, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.2459 - To establish a Department of Peace," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "The Real Reason We Are Bombing Syria," September 23, 2014
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.J.Res. 68 (112th): Authorizing the limited use of the United States Armed Forces in support of the NATO mission in Libya.," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.5005 - Homeland Security Act of 2002," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.3162 - Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "New Year's Resolution for America," December 31, 2014
- ↑ Council on Foreign Relations, "Dennis Kucinich," accessed February 2, 2015
- ↑ Slate, "Can You Sue the President?" June 16, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 2102 (110th): Free Flow of Information Act of 2007," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.J.Res.78," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 4923 (109th): Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.1230 - Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ CSPAN, "H.R. 4 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge bill," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Rep. Kucinich: Keystone approval will cause gas prices to rise," May 22, 2012
- ↑ Twitter, "Dennis Kucinich on Twitter," December 17, 2014
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 U.S. Congress, "H.R.2454 - American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.676 - United States National Health Insurance Act (or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act)," accessed February 2, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 3590 (111th): Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.5281 - Removal Clarification Act of 2010," accessed February 2, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 6095 (109th): Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.Amdt.1017 to H.R.4871," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress, "H.R.1122 - Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1997," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.R. 3660 (106th): Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2000," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.J.Res. 88 (109th): Marriage Protection Amendment," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 On The Issues, "Dennis Kucinich Vote Match," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ The questions in the quiz are broken down into two sections: social and economic. In social questions, liberals and Libertarians agree in choosing the less-government answers, while conservatives and populists agree in choosing the more restrictive answers. For the economic questions, conservatives and Libertarians agree in choosing the less-government answers, while liberals and populists agree in choosing the more restrictive answers.
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Dennis Kucinich Blasts Congress For Lack Of War Vote: 'We Have A Constitutional Crisis,'" accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Dennis Kucinich loss is end of an era," accessed February 2, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Congress "H.Res.333 - Impeaching Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ GovTrack, "H.Res. 1258 (110th): Impeaching George W. Bush, President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Cleveland Magazine, "Kucinich on the Couch," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Dennis Kucinich loss is end of an era," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Slate, "Profile: Dennis Kucinich," accessed February 3, 2015
- ↑ Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich, Proudly Serving Ohio's 10th District, "Biography"
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Kucinich's hard childhood a 'gift' yielding strength, compassion," September 7, 2003
- ↑ Open Secrets, "Kucinich Action PAC," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Democratic House of Representatives: March 6, 2012," accessed February 3, 2015
- ↑ New York Times, "The 2004 Campaign: Campaign Briefing -- The Democrats; Kucinich Endorses Kerry," accessed February 3, 2015
- ↑ Dennis Kucinich for President, "Kucinich withdraws from Presidential race," accessed February 3, 2015
- ↑ Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, "Election Statistics," accessed February 3, 2015
- ↑ Fox News Channel, "Dennis Kucinich," accessed April 21, 2015
