How often does Dennis Kucinich side with the Democratic majority?

[mcablue]

Recently, some have made the claim that representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is some sort of right-winger. Upon first hearing this, one might think "this is bullshit!" But kneejerk reactions are not a good way to verify or deny things. We should instead go to the voting record. According to a database kept by the Washington Post, the following is the percentage of times in which Kucinich sides with each party during :

Voted with Democrats: 92.7%
Voted with Republicans: 7.9% (100-92.7%).

Interesting fact: Kucinich's party-line vote percentage is up slightly (92.7%) compared to the previous Congress (90.7%)



So yeah. It is bullshit.

[johnnie]

1. D-OH

Just saying

[mcablue]

2. Thanks nt

[johnnie]

8. Not nit-picking

He's my representative and I happen to like him. :)

[mcablue]

9. I know. It was a valid observation n/t

[ClassWarrior]

26. Doh!!

LOL

NGU.

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. The more relevant question is, "How often does Dennis side with the American people"?

All Democrats SHOULD be voting for the people, but tragically this is often not the case. Dennis is an exception to that, thank God.

And it's absolutely sickening that the vicious little pathetic puke who calls himself the "Chief of Staff" has ordered this present round of Kucinich bashing, because Dennis dared to speak out against the pointless escalation in Afghanistan.

[ClassWarrior]

27. +1

NGU.

[Dinger]

30. + Another 1 (nt)

[winyanstaz]

47. plus 1

I have also just switched my avatar to a peace symbol because of the words of another poster (Javaman) who urges us all to use the peace symbol in here to show unity against these wars.
I think he has a great idea.
I think it is a great way to show daily with every post exactly where my heart is..I am sick of these wars..I am sick of the fighting and the killing and our troops dying for lies.
I am sure the majority at du are also sick of these wars. The innocent cannot wait..the world needs us to stand for peace.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

54. That is a great idea I am on it n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

60. +++1

[harun]

41. That is the correct question.

[villager]

4. How often does the Democratic majority side with the voters who put them there?

:shrug:

[rwheeler31]

5. Wow was that wrong.

This is Eye popping ly wrong.

[IndianaGreen]

6. How often does the DLC side with the Democratic majority?

[Lyric]

7. How often does the Democratic majority get it right?

:shrug:

[WonderGrunion]

10. How many of those are proceedural votes?

Because on major legislation he seems close to Lieberman in his voting record and his affinity for appearing on Faux News.

[mcablue]

11. Name 10 major pieces of legislation

And let's analyze his votes. If you believe there haven't been 10, we can go with 5.

Data.

[WonderGrunion]

14. Interesting link. Only 35 dems have worse party loyalty scores

That puts Kucinich in the bottom 20% of the Democratic class. Why should I be impressed again?

[mcablue]

19. You're the one that should provide a link, since you speculated about major legislation

And would you say that the reason that Kucinich is at the bottom 20% in his party is because he is more conservative than the average Democrat, or much more liberal?

[WonderGrunion]

23. I don't consider anyone that votes with the Republicans

more than 80% of his own party to be more liberal.

[Bluenorthwest]

37. So you are into lockstep, right or wrong voting. Not me.

[rwheeler31]

12. So is this important ?

[mcablue]

13. Yeah. To debunk claims that he has an "alliance" with conservatives

Which he has in very narrow cases. Those accusing him of having an "alliance" with conservatives do not mention this distinction.

[HughMoran]

18. I'm not sure that those arguments were meant to be taken at face value

Seemed like more of a response to claims that other popular Democrats were garbage because they occasionally buck their party. Using that measure, Kucinich is no better or worse than most Democrats.

[noamnety]

63. An alliance with conservatives

is only okay if you are Obama. Then we call it "reaching across the aisle" and it's a brilliant strategy which we don't understand because we're naive and don't get how washington politics work. :)

[dmallind]

15. So very similar to (and mostly slightly worse than) the Blue Dogs then

But since when was consistency and intellectual honesty a virtue at DU? Strangely his divergences are more likely to be contrary to the official party platform than theirs too.

[mcablue]

21. But how often do conservative Republicans side with the Democratic Party?

Remember, we're debating if it's true that Kucinich is some sort of right-winger with an alliance with right-wingers. Comparing Democrat vs. Democrat is irrelevant in this case.

Is Kucinich similar to the conservative Republicans with whom he agrees regarding the Afghanistan war?

[dmallind]

22. No it's very relevant

Nobody literate could have missed the constant refrain on DU that Blue Dogs are simply Republicans in disguise. And yet they vote less with Republicans than DU Darling Dennis does. The point surely is how much you can vote against the Democratic caucus without being anti-Dem. Why should we hold DK to a different standard from Blue Dogs?

[FrenchieCat]

16. Dennis Kucinich should do what he wants.....

That's the way it should be.

If folks get mad at him,
they can vote him out.

Till then.

[dmallind]

17. And of course you say the same for Bayh and Nelson, right? NT

[FrenchieCat]

20. I don't live in their states.

If I'm passionate about an issue, I might call them,
but I'm not about to start going after politicians,
especially if it is Dennis Kucinich,
because I agree with a lot of what he has to say,
even if some of it couldn't happen
because of the society in which we live,
and the type of media that we have.
Doesn't mean he gets it wrong,
just means it's not realistic considering.

[dmallind]

24. Sure ...but the concept is the same right?

If Indiana and Nebraska Dems care enough they could vote out those guys too - so does that mean they are as OK as DK is?

[FrenchieCat]

28. I guess.

Because even though I don't agree with those particular fellows you name,
and I would write them letters, and I probably wouldn't to Kucinich,
it is their constituents that put them there, and it is their constituents
that can actually take them out.


It's a representative democracy, and that is how it should be.

We have to have a big tent, or we will be a minority again.

As long as we have the media that we do,
and the mindset that we exhibit as a nation,
we have to see the grey, and attempt to go forward as much as we can.

[RufusTFirefly]

25. Some folks are working hard to discredit Kucinich. Or perhaps just his message...

... which often gets lost in the rush to defend this courageous American.

What is their motivation? We can only speculate.

[dmallind]

29. Some folks work hard to "discredit" Blue Dogs too. Maybe we just disagree with him, eh?

[Orsino]

38. When the Blue Dogs tend to work against our interests...

...and Kucinich is working for us more often than nearly anyone else, I don't think I'm going to agree to disagree.

[HamdenRice]

33. And some folks just find Kuch and his rabid Kuchifritos hillarious

and just pointing out the things Kuch says and does is like poking a stick in the monkey cage.

Don't take is so seriously. Kuch is nothing more than the light entertainment of Democratic politics, as is the critique of Kuch.

[winyanstaz]

48. Your posts speak for theirselves.....sheesh :)

[QC]

36. Actually, it's just one headcase doing it, along with the one or two remaining people

here who still take him seriously.

Nothing to worry about, really.

[winyanstaz]

56. I think they are afraid of him and the respect he has gained from the people

because of his record of doing what is right for the people.
They don't want us to think he is correct because the more people stand with him..the more power he gains..and the the less they have.
I think they are mostly right-wingers in dem clothing. Any liberal or dem that cared about the rights and needs of the people wouldnt be bashing Dennis Kucinich.

[winyanstaz]

65. exactly...I gotta agree with that..

[krawhitham]

31. Out of the 242 listed Dems, only 17 WORSE than Kucinich

that is for Congress 110, only 7 percent of all democrats have a worse record

for Congress 111

30 out of 261 are worse than Kucinich
only 11 percent of all democrats have a worse record





People claiming he is a great democrat

Well that is the bullshit.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

34. And this is your daily reminder that context is everything.

Very, very nicely done, sir! :thumbsup:

[Orsino]

39. The profoundly conservative legislation that passes through Congress...

...has little place in judging who or what is "worse."

Voting with the Democratic majority is not necessarily a virtue, and identifying Kucinich's principles with those of the GOP is ludicrous.

[winyanstaz]

57. worse for those that want to tear this nation apart and use the Constitution for butt wipe ..

is what that is.
Kucinich stands up for the people. It's not his "party right or wrong"...but rather he is keeping his word to uphold the Constitution.
Something which those that hate America would like to stop him from doing.
And if people have to point out right from wrong to these people..then they are obviously a few bricks short of a full load anyways.

[HamdenRice]

32. You need to compare him to other Democrats. By that measure he's one of the worst

And most votes are on trivial procedural matters. When an important substantive vote is at stake, Kooch is unreliable.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

35. Does this make Kooch the ultimate blue dog?

:shrug:

[brentspeak]

62. He's not a whore for Wall St. and corporate America interests is what you meant to say

[winyanstaz]

66. so what you are saying is..Dennis has not sold us out.

[Freddie Stubbs]

40. Less often Bart Stupak:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/house/party-voters/

[lame54]

42. majority of democrats voted for the patriot act

[nichomachus]

43. I'm more interested

In how often the Democratic Party sides with Dennis Kucinich. That would impress me more. Dennis is usually right -- the party, not so much.

[LWolf]

44. As often as the Democratic majority is correct on an issue. nt

[zulchzulu]

45. Some troubling recent votes from Kucinich where he voted with Republicans

Voted with Republicans:

Energy Law Amendments (Cap and Trade)
HR 2454

Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct
H Res 744

Stimulus Continuing Appropriations
HR 2638

Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010
HR 2996

http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=318

[quakerboy]

46. Im pretty sure it depends.

If he does something some here at DU dislike, it is almost never, he is a woman hating RW'r.

If he ever wins a presidential primary, however, he will be touted all over the news as the most liberal democrat in the house, ever.

But the reality is: who cares. I dont care one iota how often he or anyone else votes with any majority or minority or party or group. My question is instead how often did he vote for the values I believe in, and how often against?

[depakid]

49. The real questions are- how often does Kucinich do what's right

in a blind taste test?

And- if on taking such a test one's self- why don't more folks?

[ZombieHorde]

50. "some have made the claim that representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is some sort of right-winger"

Nobody who follows politics actually believes DK is a right-winger, the claims are made as flamebait.

[Life Long Dem]

51. What's with all these peace avatars now?

Everyone turn into a peace hippie all of a sudden? :hippie:

[winyanstaz]

55. Its a way of showing solidarity about ending these wars.

and after all...isn't Obama a Nobel Peace Prize winner? I am sure he is for Peace too.
You know the peace sign isnt just for peace.
The circle stood for the people coming together and the crows foot was also the sign of the Healer.
It therefor stands not just for peace but for coming together as a people to heal this Nation.
It can also show unity in bringing our troops home safe again and supporting them in their endeavors as peace keepers.
Yes We Can.

[jeanpalmer]

52. Kucinich for President

We need a real Democrat.

[onenote]

53. michael moore for president

why not support him? he has as much chance of getting elected as kucinich.

[winyanstaz]

58. Hmm Dennis Kucinich/Michele Moore.......

Wouldnt that make the right-wingers implode or what?

[NoPasaran]

59. Yeah, they'd implode all the way to the White House

[winyanstaz]

61. Not if Americans keep waking up to the fact that both parties now have sold us out.....

We need a new party..with candidates that can carry the day...
It might not be Kucinich or Moore...but we sure need some heros now.

[NYC Liberal]

64. I don't mind Kucinich. It's some of his supporters

who think he can do no wrong that get annoying. (Actually that's true for any politician).

And I think Kucinich is more effective in Congress than he would be as president. A president really does have to wine and dine and do a lot of compromising by virtue of the fact that he represents all 300 million people in the country. In Congress, Kucinich can focus on the issues that he wants to instead of having to deal with anything and everything that happens in the world.

[vinylsolution]

67. Obi-Wan Kucinich votes for what's right....

... which is far more important than mindless party loyalty.

Try explaining that kind of principled approach to a Republican....