Dennis Kucinich Discusses the Pressure on Congress Members to Support War

[Brian4Liberty]

Dennis Kucinich Discusses the Pressure on Congress Members to Support War
written by adam dick

Dennis Kucinich proved his antiwar bona fides over 16 years in the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat from Ohio and two campaigns for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. In a new interview with host Chris Hedges at The Chris Hedges Report, Kucinich discusses some of the pressure members of Congress are under that helps ensure that few members speak out against war like he did.

Monetary contributions to the Democratic Party, Kucinich suggests in the interview, are a key reason why antiwar voices are now absent among Democrats in the House who he notes have, in contrast with Republican members, voted unanimously for funding the Ukraine War. Kucinich states that he thinks the Democratic Party’s determination 35 or 40 years ago to take corporate donations contributed much to quashing antiwar action by Democratic members because, “in Washington, he or she who pays the piper, you know, plays the tune, and that’s what’s happened.”

A ”new benchmark” in “slavish obedience to the status quo within the party” in support of war was reached in October, Kucinich asserts, when a group of Democratic House members, after encountering some pushback, quickly retracted their letter to President Joe Biden in which they had requested that Biden consider seeking a diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine War.

Kucinich also notes in the interview the funding of congressional campaigns by the “arms industry” that is “making money hand over fist with the expansion of war” contributes to the limiting of antiwar advocacy in Congress. But, Kucinich adds that such funding is “not all it’s about.” Also important is the influence on Congress members’ constituents of a “heavily mediated environment which supports war.” Kucinich explains:
The request to fund a war goes into the larger, heavily mediated environment which supports a war, and, if you stand against the funding, then your constituents who may be great Americans look at that and they say, “Well, why aren’t you supporting America?”. And I think that members of Congress are always concerned about being caught betwixt and between on what their constituents think as opposed to the doubts that they have.
Another factor Kucinich explains puts pressure on Congress members to support war fueling spending is advocacy from businesses in their districts that profit from such. States Kucinich: “So, what happens is, when the Pentagon budget comes up, there are a parade of various businesses — small and large — who will make appointments with the congressperson or staff and lay out how many jobs are in the district and how important it is to a district business to have this budget passed.”

Further, notes Kucinich in the interview, “peer pressure” and “herd instinct” affect Congress members looking up at the vote board and seeing all the pro military spending and prowar votes coming in from fellow members. This encourages wavering members to fall in line and vote the same way.

Summing up the situation Congress members are in, Kucinich states that “it’s a rare individual” who will risk his political career by acting counter to the “enormous pressure.”
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[Matt Collins]

Coming from the guy who sold out on Obamacare after a ride on AF1

 

[nobody's_hero]

It's probably done through automatic bureaucracy more than anything. I'll bet most members of congress don't even know what conflicts the DoD has taken upon itself to become involved in. That is the saddest part to me. Congress could all go home tomorrow and turn off the lights, and these wars would continue like clockwork.

Although it doesn't help that Congress has shirked its obligations at every opportunity.

 

[vita3]

Kucinich has proven anti-war record.

Good on him, thanks for posting.

 

[jmdrake]

Coming from the guy who sold out on Obamacare after a ride on AF1

So freaking what? Seriously? Our collective failure, shown by this comment, is why this country is in the horrible shape that it is in. We can't build a coalition because we find the FEW THINGS we disagree with people on and make that THE issue when it's not even being discussed! I don't like the fact that Rand Paul signed the Tom Cotton letter to undermine the Iran nuclear deal. But I don't bring that up when Rand is ripping Dr. Fauci a new one.

 

[Occam's Banana]

Coming from the guy who sold out on Obamacare after a ride on AF1

Well, then, I guess he should know, shouldn't he?

So freaking what? Seriously? Our collective failure, shown by this comment, is why this country is in the horrible shape that it is in. We can't build a coalition because we find the FEW THINGS we disagree with people on and make that THE issue when it's not even being discussed! I don't like the fact that Rand Paul signed the Tom Cotton letter to undermine the Iran nuclear deal. But I don't bring that up when Rand is ripping Dr. Fauci a new one.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to jmdrake again.

 

[Matt Collins]

Well, then, I guess he should know, shouldn't he?

Well that was my point.... he is hypocritical on this because he himself caved to pressure on a major issue.

 

[oyarde]

Uncle Denny reminds me of a junior high teacher I had at the white govt school. Says the right things some of the time and spends the rest of his time being a flaming commie that pretty well stands for everyting I hate. I just treat them the same way , buy them a beer , be polite , smile , dont pay attention to anything they say and resist the urge to push them out of the huey and wish them well and hope they have time to repent for sins against humanity.

 

[vita3]

Kucinich brought war crime charges against Bush/Cheney when he served

I don't care about his lefty ways, he's 100% anti-war & has my respect for it.