Obama, Clinton, Dodd, Biden, and Edwards supporters.

[mmonk]

Where does your candidate stand on the following issues and be as precise as possible. Sometimes, I look at websites and the language of some politicians appear vague while trying to seem specific which is why I ask to be as specific as you know.

Military bases in Iraq
Kyoto
International law and the International Criminal Court
Healthcare
Human rights/universal declaration of human rights
preventive war (I know you might not know this one)


Thanks in advance as I'm really trying to study the stances.

No Kucinich or Richardson supporters please as I think I have a grasp on their positions.

[jillan]

1. Biden supporter here

Rather than write and write, I'll give you a link where he has statements on several of these issues

http://www.joebiden.com/issues/#0007

[mmonk]

3. Thanks

The Iraq situation is fairly detailed.

[peacetheonlyway]

5. nice to meet you pirhana

how about that head to head website, awesome
www.headtohead08.com

and the Friedman saying "he's been ahead of pack on Iraq all along".

I just gave my first $50 donation but wonder, does Biden's campaign seem a little disorganized to you?

I've reached out several times about hosting house parties and now word... odd they would not respond.

[jillan]

7. I though t I was the only Biden supporter on DU

Yes his campaign is in need of help.

I was talking to a guy that lives in Fla, has met Biden before, contacted his campaign wanting to go to South Carolina to volunteer to get a group of students together. Never heard back.

The blog on his website is confusing too. There's really not any room for real discussion. I have emailed the girl that posts telling her that I would be happy to volunteer to help her. Never heard back.

I don't know how to get thru to them.

[peacetheonlyway]

9. we have to keep trying

dean was that way too, he just didn't get the power of the internet.

you don't NOT return emails when people have money burning a hole in their pocket.

let's both try to reach a person by phone and if we succeed tell the other..

[jillan]

11. Same thing with Kerry

It was so frustrating when he was running for Prez, and there was no way to communicate with him.

Now however, he works very close with some of the members of the Kerry group at DU. And you can tell. He has become a better politician since DU got their hands on him.

Wish there was a way to communicate this to Biden's people.

I have emailed Luis Navarro, but again, no response.

I will try and call this week.

In the meantime, I fight for him on the web whenever I have the chance.

[JNelson6563]

13. Yes, keep trying!

I'm not a supporter of any candidate yet but I know this, it can be tough to get a campaign running full speed. I just did a state House race last cycle and where I am such races are *not* rolling in dough. Only a couple of people really handled everything and it took some serious time to get everything together and in place.

If he's in it for the long haul they will get it together soon. Hang in there. :)

Julie

[peacetheonlyway]

14. hey, nice to meet you!! kudos to you for the hard work of a campaign

i won my first state house race this summer.

gay woman in a predominately african american district.

got her invited to churches, found out that people are just people not racial classes.

found out a lot of things that are too damn deep to even express.

running a campaign challenges every ounce of your integrity.

and if you win honestly you feel like you're riding on clouds.

i hope you got good experience.

cause all us dems need to help our candidates.

with honesty and integrity cause what we are going against will use every kind of mud around.

and we still have to win.

[JNelson6563]

27. Back atcha friend!

running a campaign is some seriously tough work. Congratulations on your win! I didn't win my race but knew it wasn't likely. Headway was the goal and we achieved that in spades!

:toast:

Julie

[Byronic]

15. Another one here

I have become a Biden supporter over the past couple of months and can only echo your concerns about the way the campaign is currently being run. There seems to be little attempt at the creation of an on-line community which can raise funds and spread the word. No wonder we all feel so lonely as Biden supporters!

I have also contacted both the campaign, and the web-site team regarding the over-moderation of the Biden Blog (moderating can take hours which kills any hopes of a discussion) but have not received a reply.

Still early days, though, so hope still lives that things will turn around.

[jillan]

17. Hi Byronic!

When you contacted the campaign, was it by phone or by email??

We've got to figure out a way to get thru to his people.
I believe that Biden's poll numbers would be better if they would be more effective in managing the internet. This campaign is happening so early that I am afraid people that would be supporters are thinking of him as a candidate that doesn't have a chance.
Even Bill Maher gave kudos to Biden's plan for Iraq on this weekend's show.

[Byronic]

29. You're right Pirhana

I think the early start has just startled so many people this time round. It is so intense, so early. The internet will be vital to candidates like Biden, Richardson and Dodd, because only through generating some excitement, and a sense of an online camaraderie, (as Dean did so memorably) can we start to give those poll numbers a nudge.

I contacted both campaign and website thru email. Not the most reliable way probably. We really DO need to get thru to the campaign.

If people want to help they should be gratefully grabbed with both arms.

[Catchawave]

6. I love Joe Biden, the original "Straight Talk Express" guy

I've been in the Edwards' camp since '03, so I should have my bullet points in order, but as the World Evolves, so should our candidates !

http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/

but this JE08 site is more updated:

http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/

Dang, I love all our candidates, so proud to be a Dem :patriot:

[peacetheonlyway]

10. the problem is I love Edwards too

in my book Edwards not a pres. quality yet, he's still too green behind ears.

and my big burn with edwards is this.
he said he'd count all the votes in Ohio and he didn't.

problem was he was part of kerry campaign and kerry sold out american not edwards, but edwards had legal and other standing to make some real noise in Ohio and he didn't.

so bottom line, I would hope for a Biden + edwards ticket and would encourage both candidates to go into Iowa/NH with a partnership to win.

those backroom deals are key to winning iowa caucuses, so we two campaign junkies have to agree now to pump the other campaign while pumping our own.

** I am today forgiving edwards of his past election fraud lack of counting the votes woes and suggesting to all who really don't like Biden to pick Edwards, but no one else!!!

there see how dangerous cooperation can be?

[justgamma]

2. Saw Biden today.

He has an amendment in the Iraq funding bill that says no permanent bases in Iraq. One of the reasons Shrub won't take the money.

[jillan]

4. You saw Biden today?

Tell me everything :)

[peacetheonlyway]

8. trying to respond

first heard of Biden from a longtime peace activist. Biden has been against war in Iraq longer than other candidates and has put more butt on the line to getting our boys home than any of current candidates.

Military bases in Iraq ** abolutely not, sponsored amendment to current iraq funding bill to remove bases

Kyoto **
http://www.joebiden.com/getinformed/opeds?id=0067
Strong Support for rejoining Kyoto even though "he resulting Kyoto protocol, signed by the United States in 1998, was an incomplete blueprint, with some important issues left unresolved."
"Nevertheless, it represented a real win for the U.S. position that any response to the threat of man-made climate change must be based on the best science and the smartest economics."
...
Nevertheless, it represented a real win for the U.S. position that any response to the threat of man-made climate change must be based on the best science and the smartest economics.

International law and the International Criminal Court
Healthcare
Human rights/universal declaration of human rights
preventive war (I know you might not know this one)...
...
We should seize that opportunity and reclaim the leadership role the United States never should have relinquished. We should lead because we have a responsibility to act on a global issue where we can make a difference, we should lead because other nations look to us to set the standard, and we should lead because it is in our national self interest.

International law and the International Criminal Court
** Voted to encouragement of ICC within UN
The U.S. Senate voted 55-45 in 1994 to encourage the establishment of an International
Criminal Court within the United Nations system:
Yeas - 55: Akaka, Baucus, Biden, Bingaman, Boren, Boxer, Bradley, Breaux, Bryan, Bumpers,
Campbell, Chafee, Conrad, Daschle, DeConcini, Dodd, Dorgan, Exon, Feingold, Feinstein,
Glenn,
Graham, Harkin, Hatfield, Inouye, Jeffords, Johnston, Kennedy, Kerrey, Kerry, Kohl,
Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lieberman, Mathews, McConnell, Metzenbaum, Mikulski, Mitchell,
Moseley-Braun, Moynihan, Murray, Nunn, Pell, Pryor, Reid, Riegle, Robb, Rockefeller,
Sarbanes,
Simon, Specter, Wellstone, Wofford.

Nays - 45: Bennett, Bond, Brown, Burns, Byrd, Coats, Cochran, Cohen, Coverdell, Craig,
D'Amato, Danforth, Dole, Domenici, Durenberger, Faircloth, Ford, Gorton, Gramm, Grassley,
Gregg,


Healthcare
*** return to privacy of health records !! yay he gets one of key issues
*** allow alternative care providers to be covered too (homeopaths)
*** relieve businesses of costs of catastrophic cases
"Joe Biden believes we need to take three steps to contain the cost of health care: modernize the system, simplify the system and reduce errors. He supports the transition to secure electronic records so that people can provide their doctors and nurses with vital medical information in real time. He believes there should be a uniform, efficient system to submit claims."
Joe Biden believes the path toward a 21st century health care system starts with the most vulnerable in our society. He would expand health insurance for children and relieve families and businesses of the burden of expensive catastrophic cases. He supports states that are pursuing innovative alternatives to make sure that everyone has access to health care and believes we should use data from these states to evaluate what works best in providing affordable access to health care for all.
http://www.joebiden.com/issues/#0003

Human rights/universal declaration of human rights
Although the United States has long claimed to be at the forefront of the women's rights movement, failing to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) hurts women in the US and diminishes the US's credibility when it critiques other countries' records on women's rights. By ratifying CEDAW, the US would send a strong message that it is serious about the protection of women's human rights around the world. Ratification would also enable the US to nominate experts to the CEDAW Committee, and thereby be in a position to take part in interpreting CEDAW.

United States Ratification of CEDAW

The United States is the only industrialized country that has not ratified CEDAW. By not ratifying, the US is in the company of countries like Iran, Sudan, and Somalia.

CEDAW has been in limbo in the US Senate since President Carter signed it and sent it to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a vote in 1980. Not only did the Senate Foreign Relations Committee fail to vote on CEDAW at that time, it failed to even hold a hearing on it until 1990, ten years later. In 1993, sixty-eight senators signed a letter asking President Clinton to support ratification of CEDAW. After a thirteen-to-five favorable vote (with one abstention) by the Foreign Relations Committee in 1994, a group of conservative senators blocked a Senate floor vote on CEDAW.

In June 2002, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on CEDAW. On July 30, 2002, the Committee voted twelve to seven in favor of sending CEDAW to the full Senate for ratification.

The votes IN FAVOR of ratification of CEDAW were:

Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

preventive war (I know you might not know this one)
** diametrically opposed

[mmonk]

20. Very good.

Thanks

[peacetheonlyway]

25. love your quote and your sibel

picture.

so many courageous americans.

so many more of us then the bad guys.

why are they still in power?

my favorite personal quote, 'the truth, whether sooner or later will always be known, and truth, is eternal from the moment of its inception, while falsehood, entertains always a limited lifetime.'

[mmonk]

26. Great quote you gave.

Hope Sibel has her chance to speak soon (a lot harder to get anyone in government to let her than I thought it would be).

[JohnLocke]

12. Here

Military bases in Iraq
" wants to begin bringing the troops home quickly and he is steadfastly opposed to the construction of permanent bases."
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?pid=151739

Chris Matthews: “Are you in favor of permanent US military bases in Iraq?”
Sen. Edwards: “Absolutely not.”
http://www.yesh.com/blog/2007/01/14/edwards-and-permanent-military-bases-in-iraq/

Kyoto
Yes; see http://rfdblog.com/2007/01/four-questons-for-john-edwards.html#links

"A quick overview of Edwards' stances on major issues should look pretty appealing to enviros: On energy matters, he has voted against drilling in the Arctic five times, supported a standard that would require 10 percent of America's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020, and consistently voted to increase CAFE standards. On global warming, he has rebuked the Bush administration for pulling out of the Kyoto treaty and he supports the McCain-Lieberman bill that would establish a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. He also supported the "roadless rule," and he opposed Bush's Healthy Forests plan, cuts to the Superfund program, and efforts to weaken the Clean Water Act and arsenic standards for drinking water...
Edwards' most aggressive efforts have been on clean air: Last year, he led the fight against Clean Air Act rollbacks in the Senate, pushing to delay Bush's proposed changes to the act's new-source review (NSR) provisions until more research had been done on the public-health consequences. "Edwards has clearly emerged as one of the most dogged new-source review champions -- a wonky issue that does not exactly score you a whole lot of glamour points on Capitol Hill," said Chris Miller, a staffer at the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. "Meaning he did it because he believes in it."

http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2004/07/16/griscom-edwards/
http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/energy/new-energy-economy/
http://www.blueclimate.com/blueclimate/2006/12/john_edwards_id.html

International law and the International Criminal Court
Yes.
http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2004/07/16/griscom-edwards/

Healthcare
"We have to stop using words like ‘access to health care’ when we know with certainty those words
mean something less than universal care. Who are you willing to leave behind without the care he
needs? Which family? Which child? We need a truly universal solution, and we need it now."
"The time has come for a universal health care reform that covers everyone, cuts costs, and provides
better care."
http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/health-care/

Edwards Stands Out On Health Care Debate (The Nation)
http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/health-care/nation20070324/

America's seniors & children victimized by healthcare cuts. (Jun 2005)
Double the funding to fight the global AIDS epidemic. (Oct 2004)
Support allowing prescription drugs into the US from Canada. (Oct 2004)
Bush has no plan to address the health care crisis. (Aug 2004)
It is morally wrong to leave so many Americans uninsured. (Aug 2004)
Start providing health insurance for every child in America. (Aug 2004)
Provide a bonus for states to get children insured. (Aug 2004)
More help to those who fall through the cracks of the system. (Aug 2004)
Provide a real patients' bill of rights. (Jul 2004)
Cover every child and vulnerable adults. (Mar 2004)
Health care should be viewed in larger context of poverty. (Feb 2004)
A new system to prevent malpractice insurance hikes. (Jan 2004)
Bush's Rx plan helps HMOs-help seniors instead. (Jan 2004)
Cap on damages for personal injuries is discriminatory. (Jan 2004)
Med-mal cases are about accountability for mistakes. (Dec 2003)
Campbell verdict empowered nurses & informed consent. (Dec 2003)
Children First: insure every child, by law. (Sep 2003)
Cover 3m Hispanic kids & have National Translation Center. (Sep 2003)
Require health insurance for every child. (Aug 2003)
Bush works for big HMOs and big pharma; I stand up for you. (May 2003)
Health care crisis requires fighting big corporations. (May 2003)
Gephardt's plan gives working people's money to corporations. (May 2003)
Voted NO on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada. (Jul 2002)
Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)
Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000)
Voted NO on limiting self-employment health deduction. (Jul 1999)
Let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations. (May 2003)
Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record. (Dec 2003)
End government propaganda on Medicare bill. (Mar 2004)
http://www.ontheissues.org/John_Edwards.htm

Human rights/universal declaration of human rights
http://outonthestoop.blogspot.com/2006/12/john-edwards-words-about-human-rights.html

[Catchawave]

16. Damn You JohnLocke...

I meant to include your DU diary link in my comment above, it's the BEST JRE source for information on the DU :toast:

:kick: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/JohnLocke/161

[mmonk]

21. Thanks.

Good detail

[Tejanocrat]

31. This is a VERY helpful post. It ought to be its own separate topic.

[zulchzulu]

18. Here are some issue responses from Barack Obama

Military bases in Iraq

"As Obama shook my hand I told him I had a question, "What about those permanent bases?", I asked. I found I had his complete attention too, as he stared into my eyes never batting a lash nor hesitating a second as he replied "No permanent bases." I said "Ok then" and left, reassured that this is a guy who isn't on the PNAC train. Later as I thought about our interaction I realized that he hadn't given any mixed signals, as his non verbal communication matched his verbals, which is why I trusted what he said completely. So, long story short... this is a guy who tells the truth and can be trusted."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/8/154913/3468

"We would make clear in such a scenario that the United States would not be maintaining permanent military bases in Iraq, but would do what was necessary to help prevent a total collapse of the Iraqi state and further polarization of Iraqi society."
-Barack Obama
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Y1HgMsKABq8J:www.thechicagocouncil.org/UserFiles/File/Obama%2520Remarks%2520%2520_11-20-06_.pdf+obama+Military+bases+in+Iraq&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=17&gl=us&client=safari

"Senator Obama introduced legislation in January 2007 to offer a responsible alternative to President Bush's failed escalation policy. The legislation commences redeployment of U.S. forces no later than May 1, 2007 with the goal of removing all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008 -- a date consistent with the bipartisan Iraq Study Group's expectations. "
www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/


Kyoto

"Obama is an original cosponsor of legislation to establish limits on greenhouse gas emissions. To remain below these limits, the bill encourages the market to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gases, rewarding cost-effective approaches through a system of tradeable allowances. Revenues generated from this program will be directed to helping industries and individuals most affected by the limits, and also to fund research and development of new, more efficient, energy technologies."
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/

Senator Obama supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 100 percent in 2005.
Senator Obama supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 88 percent in 2005.
Senator Obama supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 95 percent in 2005.
On the votes that the Illinois Environmental Council considered to be the most important in 2003, Senator Obama voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

International law and the International Criminal Court

"I did not hear Mr. Gonzales repudiate two and a half years of official U.S. policy which has defined torture so narrowly that only organ failure and death would qualify. A policy that he himself appears to have helped develop the dubious legal rationale for. Imagine that. If the entire world accepted the definition contained in the Department of Justice memos, we can only imagine what atrocities might befall our American POWs. How, in a world without such basic constraints would we feel about sending our sons and daughters to war? How, if we are willing to rationalize torture through legalisms and semantics, can we claim to our children, and the children of the world, that America is different, and represents a higher moral standard?

This policy isn't just a moral failure, it's a violation of half a century of international law. Yet while Mr. Gonzales' job was White House Counsel, he said nothing to the President."
- Barack Obama

http://obama.senate.gov/news/050203-floor_statement_from_senator_barack_obama_on_the_nomination_of_alberto_gonzales_for_attorney_general/index.html

Healthcare

Obama expects his presidency to be judged on whether he provides high-quality affordable health care coverage for all by the end of his first term. We are not short on ideas to address the problem, but what we have lacked is consensus and political will. With the help of your insight, Barack will develop a health care plan that builds on our common experiences and builds the political momentum to enact real reform.

Much more: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/

Human rights/universal declaration of human rights

Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 94 percent in 2005.

In 2006 Citizens for Global Solutions gave Senator Obama a rating of A+.

In 2006, The Genocide Intervention Network--Darfur Scores assigned Senator Obama a grade of A+ based on voting records, bill sponsorship and other activities related to ending the genocide in Darfur.

2005-Senator Obama supported the interests of the Friends Committee on National Legislation 92 percent in 2005-2006.

In 2005 Citizens for Global Solutions gave Senator Obama a rating of A-.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Peace Action 89 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Latin America Working Group 50 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the PeacePAC 100 percent in 2005.

Preventive war

"I would also argue that we have the right to take unilateral military action to eliminate an imminent threat to our security -- so long as an imminent threat is understood to be a nation, group, or individual that is actively preparing to strike U.S. targets (or allies with which the United States has mutual defense agreements), and has or will have the means to do so in the immediate future. Al Qaeda qualifies under this standard, and we can and should carry out strikes against them wherever we can. Iraq under Saddam Hussein did not meet this standard, which is why our invasion was such a strategic blunder."

http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2007/02/obama_on_preven.html

[mmonk]

22. Thanks

[Tejanocrat]

30. This is a VERY helpful post. It ought to be its own separate topic.

[illinoisprogressive]

19. Here is what I know about my candidate:

1. no bases
2. for kyoto and working against global warming.
3. Being a former Constitutional Professor, is highly respectful of treaties and the international courts
4. Universal health care. Did the bill here to cover those under 18 without insurance.
5. Very much a human rights believer
6. No dumb wars

My candidate is my senator: Barack obama
hope this helps. some of what is not on his sight we know about here in illinois from his previous campaign and record in the State

[mmonk]

23. Thanks

Good to know.

[benny05]

28. One small thing

Obama did not do the bill to cover all kids in Illinois. He was on a task force that recommended it, but he did not do the bill. It was done after he left.

[mmonk]

24. Thanks. What I was hoping to see. I will keep this thread

Also would like to hear from Dodd and Clinton supporters too.