National Green Party to Michael Moore: Dems Won't Nominate Kucinich

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The national Green Party says the Democrats and Republicans are "awash" in corporate cash and aren't seriously interested in enacting health care reform. "There are some exceptions among Dems, like Reps. John Conyers (Mich.) and Dennis Kucinich (Oh.), but Rep. Conyers single-payer bill has as little chance of passage as Rep. Kucinich has of getting nominated."

The Green Party sent an open letter to film-maker/activist Michael Moore that congratulates Moore on the successful opening of "Sicko," his latest movie and smack down of America's health care industry. It urged Moore to back Green candidates for Congress, state and local offices:

"Here's the problem: we're not going to get a national plan as long as the political landscape remains limited to two parties addicted to corporate contributions. Republican and Democratic politicians alike refuse to consider any plan that doesn't leave private HMOs and insurance corporations in charge."

The Green's accused the Dems of abandoning President Harry Truman's dream of national health coverage. "Once upon a time, the Democratic Party supported national health coverage and even endorsed in in the Democratic national platform in 1948. But they deleted it from the platform in the 1990s to make room for President Clinton's 'managed care' phony reform scheme, which would have enlarged the power of major insurance firms."

The Greens added that Al Gore has "seen the light" and now supports national health coverage.

Apparently, they have not sent Gore a letter yet urging him to run on the Green Party slate. And he probably wouldn't be interested, because Ralph Nader, the Green party candidate in 2000, cost Gore votes that year. And if Gore had won the White House . . .