Interview with Congressional candidate Dennis Kucinich on the genocide in Gaza and the corruption of the two party system.

The Chris Hedges Report

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The presidential election in November looks set to pit Donald Trump, who will most likely dismantle what is left of our decayed democracy, against Joe Biden, who is a full partner in the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. Not, for most of us, a palatable choice. The two ruling parties, who have foisted these candidates on the public, have at the same time conspired with their corporate sponsors to block third parties and independents, along with mavericks such as Bernie Sanders, from running viable campaigns. The only groups that consistently win in our elections are the militarists, corporations and the billionaire class, who, of course, fund and stage manage the electoral farce. On all of the major issues – endless war, trade deals, deindustrialization, government surveillance, the steady decline of social services including a for-profit health care system that allows corporations to prey on the sick, the bloated prison population and militarized police – there is little daylight between the two ruling parties. How can we reclaim our democracy and provide real and meaningful political alternatives? Are we forever condemned to the diminishing returns offered by the least-worst option? Is there a way to create an electoral system that is not captive to big money and dominated by groups such as the Israel lobby? Joining me to discuss the state of our anemic democracy – a system the political philosopher Sheldon Wolin referred to as inverted totalitarianism -- is Dennis Kucinich. Dennis served as U.S. Representative from Ohio’s 10^th Congressional district from 1997 to 2013, losing his seat when the Democratic Party engineered redistricting that forced him to run in the newly-drawn 9^th district. He was a presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008, running on an anti-war platform during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a strong advocate for unions, the restoration of our civil liberties and singer-payer health care. Dennis, who briefly served as Bobby Kennedy’s campaign manager, is currently running as an independent in Ohio’s 7^th Congressional district.

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