Several Courageous Votes For Kerry, Not So Courageous For Edwards

[DrFunkenstein]

For people who doubt Kerry's progressive credentials, he is remarkably in line with the very-progressive Public Citizen (founded by Nader).

Here's his voting record there:

http://action.citizen.org/pc/officials/congress/?lvl=C&only_votes=1&azip=02101

His only blight is supporting Fast Track, but that is all-but negated by the Kerry Amendment that Public Citizen vigorously supported.

http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=1112

Kerry often put his neck on the line to promote many progressive issues, but he was not always followed by his Southern colleague:

Energy: Subsidized Insurance for Nuclear Power Plants

Agreed to: 78-21
Edwards: Yea
Kerry: Nay

This vote was on an amendment offered by Sen. George Voinovich to the Senate energy bill, which would reauthorize the Price-Anderson Act. Price-Anderson provides an unfair taxpayer subsidy to nuclear plant operators by limiting their liability to the public in the event of a nuclear accident. This mitigates the industry’s investment risk and dramatically reduces the cost of retaining liability insurance. Estimates of the value of the annual subsidy range from $366 million to $3.4 billion.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=42&chamber=S&congress=1072

Increasing Reliance on Renewable Energy

Rejected: 29-70
Edwards: Nay
Kerry: Yea

A groundbreaking renewable energy portfolio standard - in which Congress would set concrete goals to increase America's reliance on wind and solar energy - was rejected. Amendment 3017, sponsored by Sen. Jeffords, would have mandated that 20% of America's electricity be generated from renewable energy like wind and solar by the year 2020.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=50&chamber=S&congress=1072

Consumer Bankruptcies

Passed: 83-15
Edwards: Yea
Kerry: Nay

This vote was on final passage of an overhaul of bankruptcy law. It would place more restrictions on Americans who file for bankruptcy. The bill would mean more legal and paperwork burdens for lower-income families while creditors gain more opportunities to file lawsuits against borrowers. Also, this dream bill for banks and credit card companies does not require loaners to provide information about how long it would take to pay off the credit balances and what borrowers’ total costs would be if they made minimum payments on their debts.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=36&chamber=S&congress=1071

Energy: Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Site

Agreed to: 60-39
Edwards: Yea
Kerry: Nay

This vote was on whether to override the state of Nevada’s veto and approve the Yucca Mountain nuclear dump (S.J.R. 34), despite broad-based opposition from environmental and public interest organizations. The Department of Energy’s recommendation of the Yucca Mountain site has been plagued by compromised research and numerous safety issues. Far from solving the nuclear waste problem, sending waste to Yucca Mountain would require tens of thousands of radioactive shipments through communities in 44 states.

http://action.citizen.org/pc/issues/votes/?votenum=167&chamber=S&congress=1072

[AP]

1. How about the four or five trade bills on which Edwards NO/Kerry YES?

[TheDonkey]

2. Nice defense of Edward's backwards votes presented by Dr. Funk

[DrFunkenstein]

3. Like Fast Track?

Don't worry. I'm getting to that.

[molly]

4. You go guy!

:toast:

[flpoljunkie]

5. H.R. 3009, the fast track bill, Andean Trade; Edwards voted for it.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00130

A bill to extend the Andean Trade Preference Act, to grant additional trade benefits under that Act, and for other purposes.

(Other purposes, includes the fast track provision.)

[DrFunkenstein]

6. It Was Actually Nader Who Let Me On To Price-Anderson

In "The Nader Reader" (yes, I read the whole friggin' thing, and loved every word of it).

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1583220577.01._PE_PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

"Estimates of the value of the annual subsidy range from $366 million to $3.4 billion."

Price-Anderson limits the insurance that nuclear plants have to pay (which is why they aren't shut down for expenses). Although a meltdown - or attack - could easily do billions upon billions in damage, the are only responsible for a few million.

It is an outrage, and it makes me proud that Kerry took the principled, progressive stand.

[w4rma]

7. Kerry: better on environment/social; Edwards: better on trade/economics nt

[flpoljunkie]

8. Kerry and Edward hold very similar views on trades issues as candidates...

This is a fact. Both would review existing trade treaties to add worker and environmental protections and insist these be a part of any new treaties.