Dennis Kucinich

 is a Democratic Congressman
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Slavery Reparations
strongly supports
Kucinich believes reparations should be given
Universal Health Care
strongly supports
Universal healthcare proposes a governmental coverage of health care costs rather than citizens paying private insurance companies often exorbitant administrative fees; such a program's aim with Kucinich would be to cover the entire country under a single-payer system, outlined in the prominent "SiCKO Bill" HR 676.
Kyoto Protocol Ratification
supports
An amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which seeks to assign mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations
Economic Sanctions on Iran
against
With Iran's 2003 fruition of their purportedly legitimate nuclear ambition came an international cry for economic sanctions and dialogue with President Ahmadinejad
Assault Weapons Ban
supports
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) provision was signed into law in 1994. The 10 year ban, expiring in 2004, is currently undergoing an inspection of effectiveness and a reinstitution bill in the House of Representatives
Same Sex Marriage
supports
Kucinich stands for gay marriage and same-sex civil unions
Legalized Abortion
supports
Abortion is the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death and has become highly politicized since U.S. Supreme Court intervention in 1973
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Oil Drilling
against
The proposed 2,000 acre Coastal Plains region of the ANWR in Alaska has created a divide between environmentalists, big oil, and political parties alike, sparking a discussion on where and how the US will get its oil, and at what cost
No Child Left Behind Act
against
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has sought to elevate the performance of American schools and student with federal oversight and strict penalties for poor performance and as such has been both attacked and backed by various groups
Constitutional Ban on Flag Desecration
undecided
Voted YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration in June 2003, however, later criticized the amendment.
Capital Punishment
strongly against
Introduced legislation to abolish the death penalty and voted yes on legislation that requires further consideration of death sentence recommendations.
State Children's Health Insurance Program
strongly supports
In October 2007, President Bush vetoed a bill that would expand SCHIP, a program that gives health insurance to uninsured children that cannot qualify for MEDICAID. Over the past 10 years, SCHIP cost $40 billion federal dollars and has covered 7m children
Warrantless Wiretapping
strongly against
Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, President Bush, in a highly contested move, executively ordered the NSA to wiretap communications between U.S. citizens and suspected terrorists
Mandatory Pledge of Allegiance
strongly against
Legalization of Medical Marijuana
strongly supports
Legalization of Drugs
supports
Supports decriminalization od marijuana and rehab over prison for certain drug crimes.
Legalization of Gambling
supports
Prison Reform
supports
The United States currently leads the world in incarceration. It holds 2.1 million people in prisons or jails, thereby sparking public and legislative debates over crime rates, mandatory sentencing, and the growing prison industry.
Mandatory Sentencing
strongly against
Death Penalty for Child Offenders
strongly against
Border Fence
Wants amnesty for all illegal immigrants and seamless borders
The border fence spans two issues: immigration and homeland security. First passed in 2006, the fence has been included in immigration legislation to control illegal immigration flow across the southern border.
Minimum Wage
strongly supports
Affirmative Action
strongly supports
Affirmative action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group, typically minorities and women.
Outsourcing
strongly against
Business wants to preserve the ability to exporting jobs abroad in order to stay competitive. Labor interests wish to limit the extent to which businesses can layoff American workers for cheaper sources of labor in developing countries.
Agricultural Subsidies
strongly supports
Over $55 billion per year are expended on agricultural subsidies under the Farm Bill in the United States. These subsidies keep American farmers in business since their costs would otherwise be too high if forced to compete in undistorted markets.
Free Trade
strongly against
Republicans more often promote free trade to satisfy business interests. Democrats have changed their position on trade. In the 1990s they were supportive of trade agreements but today their position appeals to people who are concerned about losing their j
Corporate Governance
strongly supports
Corporations are largely unregulated in the United States and became even less regulated during the 1990s. The deregulation movement and the American shareholder model led to a devastating series of corporate scandals.
Antitrust Regulation
strongly supports
Antitrust regulation is used to preserve competition in markets. Whereas American law emphasizes strict competition, European and Japanese law emphasize competition with inter-firm collaboration.
Bank Regulation
strongly supports
Regulation that prevents major financial crises by regulating how much capital banks store according to the riskiness of their investments. It also served a number of other functions from ensuring privacy to revealing information on suspected terrorists.
Business Regulation
strongly supports
Compared to other countries, the United States has fewer regulations on businesses but the markets in which businesses operate are not completely unrestricted, contrary to popular belief.
Consumption Tax
against
A tax levied on consumption that can be made progressive by accounting for lower-income earners. It has the potential to solve public financing issues that other forms of taxation cannot and is favored among most economists.
Marriage Tax
supports
A provision in American tax code that levies higher taxes on couples with equal incomes than singles or couples with disparate incomes. Over half of couples actually benefit from this provision. The penalty was eliminated as a part of the 2001 tax cuts.
Flat Tax
strongly against
A flat tax is a tax on income or consumption at a set rate. It differs from from income or consumption taxes that use sliding scale "brackets" that are determined by income earned.
Estate Tax
strongly supports
The estate tax, aka "death tax" is a tax levied on the largest estates in the U.S. after an individual's death. Opposed by fiscal conservatives, it has been significantly reduced by Pres. Bush in 2001 and is set to end in 2010.
Bush Tax Cuts
strongly against
From 2001-2004, Congress approved legislation introduced by President Bush that would significantly reduce taxes in order to stimulate the economy. Pres. Bush has received criticism for pursuing a policy that largely benefits America's wealthiest citizens.
Animal Welfare
Significant protection regulation and funding for enforcement of laws (livestock, wild, lab, entertainment, pets)
Animal Welfare in the US is regulated by 3 federal laws and state statues. Currently, pets and wildlife are protected from acts of cruelty. Livestock and lab animals are granted limited protections and there is no legislation for purpose-bred birds.
Fuel Efficiency Regulation
supports
The large automotive industry has prevented any effective change from occurring in fuel efficiency standards since 1975 until the Senate passed a bill in June of 2007 that would require a 10 mpg increase in efficiency by car manufacturers.
Energy Independence
strongly supports
A popular campaign that promises to reduce oil imports for security purposes and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Legislation in 2005 and 2007 have attempted, although poorly, to address American dependency.
School Vouchers
strongly against
Public Preschool
strongly supports
Financial Aid for Students
strongly supports
Partitioning of Iraq
against
There is increasing support for partitioning post-war Iraq along ethno-religious lines. This would in effect create a Kurdistan, Sunnistan and Shiastan under the umbrella of a de-centralized
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
strongly supports
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT) is an international treaty opened for signature in 1968 and currently signed by 189 nations to stop the production of nuclear weapons, disarm current weapons and peacefully use nuclear technology.
Dialogue with Rogue World Leaders
supports
With the leaders of Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba increasingly vocal about their opposition to the U.S., talk of a potential dialogue with such leaders is becoming a central political issue with international implications.
Unification of Korea
supports
Darfur Intervention
Sufficiently fund peacekeeping and intervention
The United States was the first country to call the situation in the western province of Sudan a genocide. Since then, Congress and the Bush administration have imposed sanctions on the Sudanese government for its part in prolonging the conflict.
Genetically Engineered Foods
strongly against
Welfare Programs
strongly supports
Social Security Reform
strongly against
All affluent countries are faced with aging populations and the retirement of the large postwar generation which will soon overwhelm public pension systems. President Bush made pension reform an issue in his 2004 reelection campaign.
Iraq War Withdrawal
strongly supports
Democrats and Republicans in congress are considering various withdrawal and exit proposals as America's support for the war plummets.
Gays in the Military
strongly supports
Previously, homosexuals were banned from joining the armed forces. Under current law, non-heterosexual behavior cannot be discussed or investigated and is subject to discharge.
Iraq Troop Surge
strongly against
The Iraq Troop Surge was announced by President George W. Bush on January 10, 2007 as a new strategy for securing regions of Iraq by increasing the number of American troops.
Military Draft
strongly against
The military draft, which makes military service mandatory, has been used several times in U.S. history before it was ended in 1973. Declining troop levels as a result of the Iraq war have made the draft a renewed possibility.
Militarization of Space
strongly against
The Cold War triggered a race between U.S. and the USSR to militarize space and develop new space weaponry technologies. Since the end of the war, space weapons have been used in various ways to support military ground operations.
Guantanamo
strongly against
A U.S. military detention and interrogation facility located in Cuba that holds suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives. It has received international attention for violating international law by engaging in torture and holding captives indefinitely with
Manned Mission to Mars
supports
Since the end of the Apollo program, which successfully placed a man on the moon, there have been rumors of a manned mission to the Red Planet.
Net Neutrality
supports
Lunar Base Construction
supports
Public Display of 10 Commandments
against
The Separation of Church and State
strongly supports
Electoral College Reform
strongly against
Line-Item Veto
against
Public Campaign Financing
supports
Patriot Act
strongly against
Dennis Kucinich is opposed to the Patriot Act, and is the only 2008 Democratic presidential candidate who voted against it.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
strongly supports
The FISA prescribes procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and collection of "foreign intelligence information" between "foreign powers and its agents", this may include American citizens and permanent residents engaged in espionage.

Co-sponsor: To reiterate the exclusivity of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 as the sole authority to permit the conduct of electronic surveillance, to modernize surveillance authorities, and for other purposes.

Latest Major Action:11/2/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.