If you want to know where Murtha stands on a variety of issues...

[VelmaD]

I have a link:
http://www.ontheissues.org/PA/John_Murtha.htm

Definitely a mixed bag. He has a crap rating from NARAL, which is pretty important to me. There are some other gems in there as well, like supporting the flag desecration consitutional amendment and voting to make federal death penalty appeals harder.

Some good stuff too, like oposition to school vouchers and voting no on making the Patriot Act permanent.

I really don't like most of his stands related to crime and the rights of the accused and convicted. He voted against replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment...that bothers me a lot.

But he voted against random drug tests for federal employees.

But he voted for the Bush administration's energy policy and against raising CAFE standars.

But he voted against permanent MFN status for China.

But he voted against bans on soft money contributions.

What do you do with someone who the AFL-CIO gave a 100% pro-union voting score but that NARAL gave a 0%?

I highly encourage people to go read.

[Greeby]

1. Doesn't mean all the Dems are gonna vote the same way

If he makes it, I somehow doubt he'll be a Majority Leader like Delay, who ensured lockstep voting through laundered PAC money

[VelmaD]

2. My biggest problem...

is that I don't like the idea of the second most powerful representative of my party being someone who does not seem to really believe that I am an equal human being with the right to control my own life and make decisions for myself.

[GymGeekAus]

3. Seems like an unfair summary of the anti-abortion position.

After all, their intrinsic assumption is that there is another life involved in the decision.

[VelmaD]

5. Yes, but their other intrinsic assumption...

seems to me to be that the life of the woman matters not at all. The man even voted yes on banning funding for family planning in US foreign aid. He doesn't just get a 0% from NARAL, he has also gotten a 0% rating from Planned Parenthood...he's not just anti-choice. If you check out this site he also seems to have some issues with birth control.
http://www.ppaction.org/ppvotes/person-vote.html?person_id=17819

[GymGeekAus]

7. Which are not issues I think should be federalized.

At least, not to the point that the lobbies on both sides seem to think they should be.

Just like with gun control. Different communities set different standards, within the Constitutional framework.

[VelmaD]

10. I disagree strenuously

Women's basic fundamental right to control their own body should NOT be left up to the whim of the local electorate. Just because I was born in a red state full of mouth-breathing morons does not mean I shouldn't have the same rights as other Americans.

[Lars39]

8. Man's voting like a damn Neanderthal.

:grr:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. This Should Be My Last Post On This Topic...

He seems to be getting a pass here because he's a vociferous opponent of the Iraq War...

[Crowdance]

4. I agree, VelmaD

Our party needs to stand plainly in favor of women's human rights, and electing Murtha to that position will cast further doubt on the party's position.

[Sapphocrat]

11. Ditto...

...as a woman. And as a lesbian. (Check his record on LGBT equality.)

[movonne]

6. He will follow Pelosi...he is her man...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. The Flag Burning Vote Sticks In My Craw..

eom