Please join PDACNM for an evening with Dennis Kucinich
November 10, 2021
6:00 PM on Zoom
Corrected Link: Direct Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 825 0454 5357
Passcode: 058459
Dennis Kucinich
Kucinich was elected mayor of Cleveland in 1977 and served in that position until 1979.[13] At age 31, he was the youngest mayor of a major city in the United States,[7] earning him the nickname “the boy mayor of Cleveland”.[14] Kucinich’s tenure as mayor is often regarded as one of the most tumultuous in Cleveland’s history.[14][15]
After Kucinich refused to sell Municipal Light (now Cleveland Public Power), Cleveland’s publicly owned electric utility, the Cleveland mafia sought to murder him in a contract killing.[why?] A hit man from Maryland planned to shoot him in the head during the Columbus Day Parade, but the plot fell apart when Kucinich was hospitalized and missed the event. When the city fell into default shortly thereafter, the mafia leaders called off the contract killer.[16]
The Cleveland Trust Company suddenly required all the city’s debts be paid in full, forcing the city into default, after news of Kucinich’s refusal to sell the city utility. For years, these debts were routinely rolled over, pending future payment, until Kucinich’s announcement was made public. In 1998, the Cleveland City Council honored him for having had the “courage and foresight” to stand up to the banks, which saved the city an estimated $195 million between 1985 and 1995. Dennis was also a candidate in the 2004 and 2008 Democratic primaries for president. (From Wikileaks).
The Epic Battle Against Corporate Power
Dennis will be speaking about the book he authored The Division of Light and Power, which catalogues his experiences in Cleveland as a City Counselor and subsequently as Mayor. He will link these experiences to what is happening currently. Among the themes from which he will select are:
- Public ownership vs. privatization of utilities
- Corruption – media (fake news), business, politics
- The value of personal courage and the constructive role of loyalty to principle
- A divided United States of “Haves” and “Have Nots”
- Authoritarianism: Its presence and its potential for destruction.
This should be a lively discussion on the issues that most concern us today. Please spread the word to your family, friends and organizations.