Kissmas In Connecticut (a long list of issues deal breakers for me)

[displacedtexan]

I just posted this on my blog:

Kissmas In Connecticut (Update)

It's not just the war, Joe. At least, not for me. You started losing my support right after the 2000 presidential election (and I wasn't too keen on your VP run, either. Your self-proclaimed moral superiority to President Clinton was unattractive, to say the least.)

Yes, you either voted for or voiced support for a great many Democratic Party initiatives, but there were deal breakers for me as the 2004 presidential election approached (and many since then).

I should've told you so to your face that day in July, 2003, when I shook your hand on Massachusetts Ave... after I'd just signed onto the Kerry campaign. But I thought it would be rude.

Here are my deal breakers, Joe. I suspect the people of Connecticut agree on some of them:


Rated 40% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)

Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy. (Jul 2001)

Death penalty for egregious crimes, but applied fairly. (Jan 2004)

Rated 50% by CURE, indicating mixed votes on rehabilitation. (Dec 2000)

Support public school choice; experiment with private choice. (Jan 2004)

Supports charter schools, private education savings accounts. (Aug 2000)

Voted YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)

Cheney energy bill was imperfect but good for CT. (Jul 2006)

Religion is the foundation of environmentalism. (Oct 2000)

Rated 42% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment. (Dec 2003)

With Bill Bennett, “Silver Sewer Awards” for immoral videos. (Aug 2000)

Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence. (Aug 2000)

Bush Recession will become Dean Depression. (Sep 2003)

Voted YES on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade. (Jul 2005)

Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006)

Licensing & registration violate fundamental right to guns. (May 2003)

Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)

Too large health programs will force tax increases. (Sep 2003)

Supports health insurance industry (based in Hartford CT). (Aug 2000)

Limited lawsuits against HMOs and automakers. (Jan 2000)

Last thing we want is to release dangerous Gitmo detainees. (Jul 2006)

The president has the right to act alone. (Jan 2004)

Unwavering support for our troops in battle. (Jan 2004)

Win the hearts and minds of the Muslim world. (Jan 2004)

Prosecute War on Terror, even if unpopular. (Sep 2003)

9/11 requires strength abroad to provide security at home. (May 2003)

More $ for weapons; including SDI recently. (Aug 2000)

Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)

Rated 10% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record. (Dec 2003)

Earn citizenship only after 11 years of waiting within rules. (Jul 2006)

One-time earned legalization for undocumented immigrants. (Jan 2004)

Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)

Trade creates jobs, despite it being unpopular to unions. (Sep 2003)

Clinton’s affair was inappropriate, immoral, & harmful. (Aug 2000)

Religion fills “vacuum of values” & provides common ground. (Oct 2000)

Freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion. (Aug 2000)

Voted YES on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (Sep 2005)

New Democrat: "Third Way" instead of left-right debate. (Nov 2000)

OK to invest (Social Security) in private markets, a little. (Aug 2000)

Zoning, ratings, & code of conduct to keep Internet safe. (Jun 2000)

Leadership means consistency on war views. (Oct 2003)

Failure is not an option in War on Terror. (Sep 2003)

Overthrowing Saddam was right, and we can't abandon Iraq now. (Jul 2006)

Getting out too soon will be a disaster for Iraq and for us. (Jul 2006)

Saddam's overthrow caused Libya & Iran to capitulate. (Jan 2004)

We made the right decision to send soldiers to Iraq. (Jan 2004)

Iraq victory opens door to Israeli-Palestinian peace. (Jan 2004)

US and world are safer with homicidal maniac Saddam gone. (Jan 2004)

Stabilize Iraq before pulling out the troops. (Dec 2003)

$87B for Iraq was unpopular, but that's leadership. (Nov 2003)

$87B to never leave American troops without support. (Sep 2003)
Not an inch of difference from Bush on Iraq. (Sep 2003)

Purpose of war is to let Iraqis control Iraq. (Sep 2003)

Send more US troops to Iraq, with UN force. (Sep 2003)

Iraq was a heroic struggle against enemies of civilization. (Sep 2003)

Saddam was a threat; we did the right thing by invading. (May 2003)

Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)


Don't go away mad, Joe. Just go away. Or accept a Bush appointment... But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for one, Joe. Where's Zell Miller these days?

[bigscott]

1. very nice summary

thanks - I dont necessarily agree that these are all deal-breakers but it DOES show some of the less intelligent out there that this is NOT a one-issue campaign

[displacedtexan]

2. Those particular issues are my personal deal breakers.

And I know they're not the same for everyone. Hey,
we're Democrats, after all. We think! We decide!

Thanks for the kind reply post!