Hagel is an old-school conservative with a history of opposing much of what Democrats stand for [View all]

[oberliner]

Excerpt from The New Yorker:

On economic issues, Hagel supported the Bush tax cuts, the G.O.P.’s calls for a balanced-budget amendment, and the 2001 bankruptcy law that made it harder for credit-card debtors to walk away from their debts. He voted against No Child Left Behind, a ban on drilling in the Arctic, more restrictions on the tobacco industry, and campaign-finance reform. He voted for means-testing Medicare, eliminating fuel-economy standards, and the partial privatization of Social Security. In short, he was a faithful supporter of pro-corporate, trickle-down policies.

When it comes to social issues, Hagel's record is, if anything, even more conservative. A lifelong Roman Catholic, he is strongly anti-abortion and consistently voted to restrict its availability. Based on this history, the abortion rights group NARAL gave him a zero rating, and the National Right to Life Committee gave him a rating of a hundred per cent. He supported teacher-led prayer in schools: the Christian Coalition gave him its top rating of a hundred per cent. He was staunchly in favor of gun rights—he got an “A” rating from the N.R.A.—capital punishment, and the drug war.

Also:

But before the process goes any further, let’s also be clear about Hagel’s over-all record, which also includes a zero rating on military issues from SANE—the Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2013/01/hagels-views-on-israel-arent-the-problem.html#ixzz2HLIwwpdt