Key votes used for ranking Obama as one of the most liberal
Are the following votes liberal or conservative?
NJ-Limit debate on a measure allowing importation of drugs at prices lower than available in the United States. May 3. (63-28; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) L-3
Block individuals from serving on Food and Drug Administration drug advisory panels if they have conflicts of interest. May 9. (47-47) C-3
Require a study of global-warming effects for federal water projects. May 15. (51-42; 60 votes required because of a unanimous consent agreement) C-2
Create a national action plan for reducing oil consumption by 35 percent by 2030. June 12. (63-30) L-2
Establish a Senate Office of Public Integrity to handle ethics complaints against senators. January 18. (27-71) C-1
Require higher-income Medicare beneficiaries to pay higher premiums for prescription drugs in Medicare Part D. March 22. (44-52) L-3
Allow certain immigrants to stay in the United States while renewing their visas. June 6. (41-57) C-2
Require longer rest periods for U.S. troops sent to war. September 19. (56-44; 60 votes required because of a unanimous consent agreement) C-3
Express the sense of Congress that Iraq should be divided into Shiite, Kurdish, and Sunni federal regions. September 26. (75-23; 60 votes required because of a unanimous consent agreement) L-1
John,
Who do you consider to be the most conservative senator?
Whoever that is, compare B. Hussein Obama’s record against your guy and you will have your answer.
I never said Obama was a conservative. But I do think he is a moderate the same as McCain. The difference being what issues one cares about the most ie Iraq, trade immigration, No Child………….
Ron Paul was the only real conservative running this time.
“Who do you consider to be the most conservative senator”?
It depends on the issue.
It’s a simple question John…you should be able to identify at least one or two senators who most closely identify with your version of “conservatism”.
Nice cherry picking there John. Obama’s Global Poverty Act says everything you need to know about Obama’s degree of liberalism not to mention his laundry list of cradle to grave government programs and his proposal to obliterate our defense programs.
I did not see that in the list from NJ. I posted the link and feel free to pick out any vote. My only point is the lines between conservative and liberal is now a debte.
I never said Obama was conservative.
I think I am closets to Coburn and Webb yet I have not broken it down by issue.
I am for free trade with labor and environmental standards
I am fiscally conservative
I am for cracking down on illegal immigration
I am strong on the 2nd amendment rights
I think social issues should be decided at the STATE level.
I think education is a local issue and No Child Left Behind is a waste
I against being the policeman of the world and nation building
I am strong on ethics reform and full disclosure ie Obama/Coburn is astep in the right direction.
As I said Ron Paul is closest to my views.
John,
Have you not reviewed the list of Obama’s proposed government programs on his website? It’s a socialist’s dream.
The divide between left and right is WIDE and Obama is far left.
Actually with one exception (2nd amendment), you are dead on with Obama.
How can you put Coburn and Webb in the same sentence? Coburn is considered one of the most conservative senators while Webb votes with Harry Reid all the time.
Hoads
How can you defend McCain’s record?
The truth is my candidate lost I am not excited about McCain or Obama.
Bart
You think Obama is fiscally conservative AND for cracking down on illegal immigration?
Obama supports the 2nd amendment?
He supports the D.C. gun ban.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/02/obamas_appeal_depends_on_your.html
“When he was asked by Leon Harris how he reconciles his support for the D.C. gun ban, which was declared unconstitutional by a federal court last year and which bars all handguns not registered before 1976, with his statement that he has “no intention of taking away folks’ guns,” Obama launched into a confusing explanation of “conflicting traditions in this country.”
He ended his monologue by saying, “We can have a reasonable, thoughtful gun control measure that I think respects the Second Amendment and people’s traditions.” But the D.C. gun ban is based on the premise that the Second Amendment doesn’t give individuals the right to own a gun.”
His Global Poverty Act Bill, besides committing the U.S. to contributing .7% of GDP to global poverty, requires the President to develop a comprehensive policy to align with UNs Millennium Goals Declaration. In that, nations must commit to banning “small arms and light weapons”
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/obamas-global-tax-proposal-up-for-senate-vote/
Here is the UN definition of “small arms”:
http://www.un.org/events/smallarms2006/faq.html
““Small arms” are, broadly speaking, weapons designed for individual use. They include, inter alia, revolvers and self-loading pistols, rifles and carbines, sub-machine guns, assault rifles and light machine guns.”
John,
I think you would agree 100% with these statements from Obama’s website on fiscal policy and immigration….tell me I’m wrong:
Fiscal
“The cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and states of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on. . . . If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we’d see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies.”
Immigration
“The time to fix our broken immigration system is now… We need stronger enforcement on the border and at the workplace… But for reform to work, we also must respond to what pulls people to America… Where we can reunite families, we should. Where we can bring in more foreign-born workers with the skills our economy needs, we should”
I would,do you?
Hoads
Why do you support McCain?
Mr Konop,
Thanks for the list!
Obama for President !
——————————
January 20, 2009.
The End of an Error.
David
You are now for Obama?
John,
I don’t support McCain but he will get my vote because Obama is frightening.
hoads, do you think McCain’s experience as one of the Keating Five will help him to navigate our nation out of its current financial crisis?
captain menace,
Just as much as William Ayers, Bernadine Dohm and especially Nadhmi Auchi will help Obama navigate our country’s defense.
Oh and Tony Rezko seems to have taught Obama a thing or two about special financing for Obama’s Georgian mansion in Hyde Park.
John,
No to both.
WHY
bb: How can you have a beef with “If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we’d see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies.”???
Obama doesn’t even explain HOW we should reduce the debt. (What if it were by reducing entitlements?)
Are you just opposed fiscal responsibility as a concept?
Lefty,
It’s not about having a beef with the statement, moreso the person making the statement.
Show me where Obama has EVER spoken about tax or entitlement reform (beyond soundbites).
His stump speech includes calls for tax increases, fully funding entitlements, adding new entitlements like mandated healthcare.
Fiscal responsibility is not a liberal principle.
On Social Security, Obama says:
“Obama believes that the first place to look for ways to strengthen Social Security is the payroll tax system. Currently, the Social Security payroll tax applies to only the first $97,500 a worker makes. Obama supports increasing the maximum amount of earnings covered by Social Security and he will work with Congress and the American people to choose a payroll tax reform package that will keep Social Security solvent for at least the next half century.”
In other words, he will raise taxes, not reform the antiquated system that should at the very least offer private alternatives for those of us who know we will never see a dime of the contributions made during our careers.
Lefty,
Read beyond the soundbites — http://www.barackobama.com
John,
My original point that you disputed is your alignment on issues with Obama. You have a candidate who you can agree with on about 90% of the time…when will you be joining Team Hussein Obama?
And again I ask, how can you include Coburn and Webb in the same sentence as if they are both conservatives?
I tried to lookup McCain’s position on Social Security…he does not even list it under his Issues section…wonder if he knows there is such a program and how f’d up it has become?
On spending and reform I am very close with Colburn.
Also I have issues on spending with Obama.
I understand that John, but how can you put Coburn and Webb in the same sentence as if they are both conservatives….Webb is a Harry Reid buttboy liberal.
bb/JohnKonop: Obama consistently and strongly calls for PAYGO.
Got any problems with that?
A balanced budget is more important than tax cuts for the rich. That’s a liberal principle.
Lefty,
It is one thing to call for PAYGO, quite another to implement it as you expand government, raise taxes and surrender to terrorists. He cannot accomplish his stated goals in a PAYGO method…it just ain’t possible.
bb: PAYGO will govern his actual spending. And how are raising taxes (on the rich, back to the level that supported the late ’90s economic boom) and raising spending incompatable?
Lefty,
How do you qualify the “rich”?
And why should those who fall into the “rich” category be responsible for even more of the tax burden?
The late 90s boom was a result of the private sector discovering the internet…it had nothing to do with Clinton over taxing American citizens.