As president, Kucinich says he’d pull out of NAFTA
SEASIDE — Presidential candi-
date Dennis Kucinich — a card-carry-
ing member of Theatrical Stage Em-
ployees Local 600 — vowed to bring
the principles of the labor movement
to the Oval Office if he is elected pres-
ident.
Speaking to more than 200 dele-
gates and guests attending the opening
“Hello Party” at the Oregon AFL-
CIO’s 50th convention, Kucinich, a
six-term Democratic congressman
from Ohio, said he would instill the
principles that founded the labor
movement back into the White House.
“The union movement was found-
ed on the same principles as the
founding fathers of America: life, lib-
erty and the pursuit of happiness,” he
said.
“It’s time to reawaken the beauty of
the labor movement ... it takes only
courage to reclaim this country.”
The national AFL-CIO tracks con-
gressional voting records through its
Committee On Political Education.
Kucinich has a lifetime COPE voting
record of 97 percent.
Kucinich said that on his very first
day in office he would withdraw from
the North American Free Trade
Agreement and the World Trade Orga-
nization.
“NAFTA is a powerful reason for
Ohio congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich meets with
members of Oregon labor movement during Hello Party at Oregon AFL-
CIO convention in Seaside.
the decline in America’s living stan-
dards, “he said. “NAFTA was about
cheap labor. I know that.”
NAFTA changed the dynamic for
labor at the bargaining table, he con-
tinued, with threats by corporations to
move to Mexico. “Once that hap-
pened, unions lost the clout needed to
get a good deal for workers.”
Kucinich reminded the audience
that it was a Democratic president
who established NAFTA. “And in that
next election, Democrats lost.”
Kucinich said he is the only candi-
date running for president willing to
take on the health insurance industry.
“If ever there is a time to end the for-
profit health care system, it is now,” he
said.
Kucinich co-authored HR 676, a
national health care bill that would in-
stitute a single-payer health care sys-
tem in the U.S. by expanding the
Medicare system to every resident.
Convention delegates later passed a
resolution endorsing the legislation.
“I know that politicians are taking
money from the insurance industry to
make sure there is no national health
insurance,” he said.
As president, Kucinich said he also
would prosecute President Bush, Vice
President Dick Cheney, Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, former Sec-
retary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
“and all those responsible for going to
war based on lies. To me, it’s a matter
of simple justice.”
Kucinich then blasted fellow De-
mocrats in Congress for not having
the guts to start an impeachment
process on Bush and Cheney. “What
would it take if not this?” he asked.
Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom
Chamberlain said every presidential
candidate — both Democrat and Re-
publican — was invited to speak at the
convention. Democratic hopeful John
Edwards addressed delegates Oct. 9.
(See article on Page 1.)
The Oregon AFL-CIO holds a con-
vention every two years. The last time
the group met in Seaside the conven-
tion ended on Sept. 11, 2001.
AFL-CIO offers to
train members who
run for public office
SPRINGFIELD — The AFL-CIO
has for years appealed to rank-and-file
union activists and union leaders to run
for public office. Now it’s offering to
train those ready to answer the call.
A two-day “Labor Campaign
School” is planned for Dec. 14-15 at the
Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 290
Training Center in Springfield. Candi-
dates, campaign managers and cam-
paign treasurers will learn the nuts and
bolts of running for office, including
budgeting and expenditure reporting,
volunteer recruitment, and how to com-
municate with voters and the media.
Class materials and meals will be
provided at no charge to candidates who
are accepted to participate.
The training is sponsored by the
Lane County Labor Council and the
Oregon AFL-CIO.
“We welcome candidates from any
political party who will fight for afford-
able health care, secure retirement, de-
cent wages, good schools and strong
communities — basically, the same
things our unions fight for every day,”
said Pat Riggs-Henson, executive sec-
retary-treasurer of the Lane County
Central Labor Council.
For more information, call Riggs-
Henson at 541-915-3100.
Karl Bik, Co-Chairman
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PAGE 12
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
©2007 Union Bank of California, N.A. Member FDIC
OCTOBER 19, 2007