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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Congressman Dennis Kucinich Nathan White (202)225-5871 |
Kucinich: Why Is It We Have Finite Resources for Health Care but Unlimited Money for War?
WASHINGTON - November 6 - Following a statement on the Floor of the House of Representative, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement:
"Why is it we have finite resources for health care but unlimited money for war?
"The inequities in our economy are piling up: trillions for war, trillions for Wall Street and tens of billions for the insurance companies. Banks and other corporations are sitting on piles of cash of taxpayer's money while firing workers, cutting pay and denying small businesses money to survive.
"People are losing their homes, their jobs, their health, their investments, their retirement security; yet there is unlimited money for war, Wall Street and insurance companies, but very little money for jobs on Main Street.
"Unlimited money to blow up things in Iraq and Afghanistan, and relatively little money to build things in the US.
"The Administration may soon bring to Congress a request for an additional $50 billion for war. I can tell you that a Democratic version of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is no more acceptable than a Republican version of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Trillions for war and Wall Street, billions for insurance companies... When we were promised change, we weren't thinking that we give a dollar and get back two cents."
24 Comments so far
Show AllHere's what I'm still trying to wrap my mind around: For over 30 years, billions of taxpayer dollars have gone into corporate welfare, always on the theory that they would use this money to create "good, family-supporting jobs" right here. They didn't. They grabbed the money and ran, using it to move our jobs to foreign nations. We have lost thousands upon thousands of jobs. (A moment I'll always remember: One evening I was listening to the evening news while reading an online Russian news site. As I listened to the newscaster report the latest Ford Motor plant closings, I was reading about the brand new Ford Motor plant just outside of Moscow.) And yet, we keep re-playing the same plan. Instead of investing in infrastructure that is so desperately needed, we give it to corporations so they can shut our jobs down and move our factories and offices to foreign countries.
I've wondered for years how we can have endless funds to finance our serial wars, yet can't afford to aid those who are in great need here at home. We can justify massive corporate welfare, we can justify our serial wars, yet we can't justify the whole 6% of the budget that used to be used for AFDC for impoverished families. When we know that not everyone can work, and that there aren't nearly enough jobs for all who can, why are we opposed to providing humanitarian aid to those who are left out -- the way we do provide aid to the poor in foreign countries.
We ramble on about being a peace-loving people, even though we are engaged in war more than any other country on Earth. We insist we believe in freedom and justice while we imprison a greater percentage of the population than any nation on Earth. We crow about American wealth, even though nearly all of it is in the hands of a few. Our education system is now inferior to that of most nations. Need I mention our health care system?
"I've wondered for years how we can have endless funds to finance our serial wars, yet can't afford to aid those who are in great need here at home."
I think our wars are also in service to the corporations. Iraq was especially obvious, since it had nothing to do with 9/11, no WMD, and lots of oil. Afghanistan is less obvious, but its location for piping Central Asian oil to Saudi Arabian refineries had been noted for decades. And it helps surround Iran, another oil center with too much independence.
As long as it serves international corporations and the people who own them, our military will get all the money it needs. And a lot of the technology it is developing and utilizing to survey, track, and immobilize individuals in Iraqi cities and the Afghan countryside will eventually be used on Americans when we realize we've been had.
Perhaps all Americans know this already in their bones. For many years some have been saying America is effectively a police state. It explains why the structure of authority is not presently under siege; why the military/industrial complex is venerated and assiduously serviced.
Americans just have to take responsibility for this. The malignancy has been growing up for well over half a century. The cause lurks somewhere in the mind of all Americans. They have to eradicate the cancer or America will die, creating and feeding off a massive lower class that revolts increasingly as the Colosseum of warfare no longer satisfies.
Maybe it should. Working towards making the states independent could be the most efficient way of doing this while incurring the least human and economic loss. It may also allow Americans to kill each other in their passée excesses of patriotic fervour, which is altogether more just than their killing of others all over the world.
PS.
There is a paradox we need to understand. The mess is so huge it is a wonderful opportunity. Americans have stooped so low they are now positioned to gain a unique place in history. That is if Americans are still capable.
Reparations will be hundreds, even thousands of times cheaper than continuing the war. Performed with humility and generosity in consultation with and in acknowledgement of the needs, not of America and not in any way for profit but simply for the people of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and most certainly not as the leaders but as part of an imaginative international team, they will spiritually, educationally and economically, gainfully employ hundreds of thousands of Americans of all ages.
It is a dream but it is time to live it.
What many people out here want to know is why in America there is no similar outrage over the deaths of hundreds of thousand of people in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Pakistan.
They ask what it is with Americans? Do those dying in the places mentioned deserve it? Is it their fault America invaded? Don't blame those in the world who, even without any opinion as to a conspiracy, are beginning to think that 9/11 is a cruel joke arising from the stupidity of a nation that has long been turning on itself, its greed leading it to tear at its belly.
No people who pay no heed to the screams of those they are killing should be listened to calling for attention even while they persist in doing the killing.
It is clear that the external problem is the internal problem in America. That Americans do not hear it means that Americans do not deserve to be heard. And increasingly they are not in the wider world.
Most cruelly, even their own government despises them.
Nobody is happy out here. It is long past time to shift the focus, both for the good of the world and America.
Allow me explode a myth to help shift the focus. Democracy can be great but democracy does not rule. It is people who rule. It matters not how the rulers are chosen. Those who allow/obey their rulers to kill others are responsible. Out here America is held responsible and Americans are inescapably responsible for America.
Nobody wants anybody hurt but Americans have to bring their government down.
Then of course there is the matter of reparations. Much the same applies for global warming.
Do something!
Kucinich: Why Is It We Have Finite Resources for Health Care but Unlimited Money for War?
Because of corrupt war profiteering, wall street CEOS THAT BUY OUR CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT.
We want prison for corrupt law makers and white house officials who push war. Obama is just another AIPAC gopher. Imprison AIPAC people and othe zionist traitors and we have a chance. Until then the "change" we get isn't even two cents; it's Orwellian change (i.e. NO CHANGE).
Kucinich: Why Is It We Have Finite Resources for Health Care but Unlimited Money for War?
Because of corrupt war profiteering, wall street CEOS THAT BUY OUR CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT.
We want prison for corrupt law makers and white house officials who push war. Obama is just another AIPAC gopher. Imprison AIPAC people and othe zionist traitors and we have a chance. Until then the "change" we get isn't even two cents; it's Orwellian change (i.e. NO CHANGE).
KUCINICH FOR PRESIDENT !
Simple truth, simply stated. Thank you DK.
I wonder how many papers will pick up this press release.
Joe
Maybe you should pass it on to your friends.
Kucinich is absolutely correct. American policy morals are upside down.
More people need to hear this.
Pass it on.
Rep. Kucinich, you're my hero! 'Why' questions are often difficult to answer, but here are some responses, with more 'why questions'from me:
Basic answer to your 'why' question is that U.S. has undergone a military/industrial/corporate coup de etat since the late 1940's, culminating in the stolen election Bush years, and it's been done in accordance with all the dictates (i.e. buy out and control the mass media) of a Media 101 Campaign which enables a total power grab:
a. Vote is gone - each time "It's going to be a close election." is spun on any of the neo-con networks, or in the oh so biased and bought out newspapers and magazines, a warning 'here comes Diebold' bell should ring. Why hasn't the DOJ gone after the folks who hired the software consultant to create vote switch software (see movie "The Uncounted"), and investigate sstellite based vote fraud?
b. Civil rights are in the toilet, and that's where the high level spin from the 'terrorism/industrial complex', (Gen. Colin Powell's words), wants to keep 'em. Why is Pres. Obama, the attorney/civil rights booster and "change" advocate, falling for all the 'work on the economy only' manipulation? Why won't he push for the prosecution of Bush era criminals and torturers (both internationally and in our country's many fusion and super fusion centers) as a first step in restoring our civil rights?
c. Economy is bust, and even total idiots can figure out that that one was contrived, both for the greedy banks/corporations - especially the oil and insurance bastards/military-industrial power and greed addicts - and, also, to keep our young folks forced to enlist. Why isn't Pres. Obama seeing that high unemployment that goes with this broken economy insures a populace that must enlist in the military vs. be drafted?
d. Education is "every child left behind," and that too has happened for a reason. Why doesn't Pres. Obama call that one as it is - a purposeful dummying down in order to keep folks non-questioning, non-critical thinking, and easily spun? IT'S TIME TO UNDO THE COUP!
As always, Dennis Kucinich speaks truth to power.
And he backs it up with his votes. No empty rhetoric with this man.
NO to War funding.
NO to the bailout for the Insurance Industry.
Dennis is effective in Congress. We have a VOICE.
Imagine what he WILL do as President.
WE need to give HIM our support as he has consistently supported US.
These are postmodern days, these things are supposed to be crumbling, they've been crumbling for a long time now. It's time to level out the heirarchy. So who is going to do it? Do we do a countdown and then all get up off the collective couch at once? Where do we call for action? Do we recruit the unemployed? Do we take out bad loans and advertise for the revolution? How do we keep the right wing survivalists with their guns and eagerness to start race wars out of this? If we could de-program a lot of Americans, as to "the real history of the U.S. since the end of WWII and the plans of Milton Freedman et. al." maybe we could get the right people on the right side all at the same time. Is there any other way? Should someone talk to Dennis about this?
Don't worry there will be unlimited $$ for healthcare as soon as you get corraled into believing you voted in fed insurance. And when you are paying out the nose for it because you voted it in you will also believe they are not funding other programs with it. Since when have governments solved any problems. Not counting the problems they created to make you think they solved them. Intelligence is believed by the ignorant. Everybody else reacts to money.
"Why is it we have finite resources for health care but unlimited money for war?"
Because war-making is a big portion of our national economy (meaning generating lots of jobs and profits for war-making products manufacturers), and because they have oil. We are addicted to oil and will do ANYTHING, including put ourselves and our children in harms way, kill, maim, burn, bomb, and spend our last dime to get it.
We need to quit, and leave the rest of it where it is- mostly in the ground.
I hope we all contact congressman Kucinich's office to congratulate him on his November 6th statements that reflect a very SANE human being!
Dennis has earned everyone's admiration He is a hero.He is honest.He is great.He stood outside in the snow,while inside, Emperor OBOMBA did his hitler plagerismic oratory that hypnotized his cult followers.Dennis spoke truth whenever he could but it was lost on the OBOMBA idolators.Diebolds clinched the deal.We are a fascist nation/dictatorship,the coup began when President Rahm Immanual took office.We are the united states of Israel.
There always is money for war - peace will have to wait...even if it kills us.
CORP IS BORG.
Corp is not only "artificial" human, it is Anti-human.
Both war and health care should be revenue-neutral. That would result in less war and better health.
CORP IS BORG.
I'm thinking a firing squad would be JUSTICE....I'll never vote democrat or republican, they are identical twins.
If only Kucinich were president..........
Kucinich is fantastic. Very few of the Congressional leeches are willing to actually represent the best interests of their consituents. He is one of the extremely few that are worth their pay and much more. Can you imagine what could be done if every Congressman believed as he does? The American people would think they'd all died and gone to Heaven! I'm not holding my breath as there are still way too many Conservative Republicans throwing monkey wrenches into the works wherever possible to satisfy their masters who have already bought and paid for the damage they do. Most of them belong in prison. We all know that but nothing is ever done about it.
Excuse me, Archie, but there is a dem president and dem control of both houses, including the magik 60 in the senate. How can you possibly put the blame on the repubs?
Well said, Kucinich is exactly the kind of person we need in the White House!
So well said: "Most of them belong in prison."
Thanks