Centerfield

GOOD FOR THOSE STILL UNDECIDED

If someone is undecided (hard to believe at this late date) and is thinking about not voting because they don't see a difference between Bush & Kerry (they are soooo different), The American Voice: A Pocket Guide To Election Issues breaks it down for you.

Here are some key issues for most Americans and some legislative votes that show the differences between the parties.

The website has charts.

USA PATRIOT Act Amendment
The amendment to the USA PATRIOT Act would have restricted authorities from acquiring information from libraries, bookstores, and other businesses. A "yes" vote is a vote to approve the amendment. 93 percent of Democrats voted "yes". 90 percent of Republicans voted "no". (July 8, 2004)

Class Action Fairness Act
The bill moves class action lawsuits from state courts to federal courts. In the Senate, over 80 percent of Republicans voted for the bill. Over 80 percent of Democrats voted against it. (July 8, 2004)

Same-sex Marriage Bill
The bill approves a Constitutional Amendment that prohibited same-sex marriages. This was a cloture vote. Almost 90 percent of Repulicans in the Senate voted to approve the bill. Over 90 percent of Democrats voted against the bill. (July 14, 2004)

Spending Control Act
The bill imposes spending controls but does not require spending reductions to offset tax reductions nor does it allow tax increases to offset spendind increases. The White House describes the bill in this way: "This proposal recognizes that spending is the problem. Tax increases could not be used to offset mandatory spending under this proposal. And it would not subject tax relier legislation to pay-as-you-go procedures." In the House of Representatives, almost 65 percent of Republicans voted for the bill and 95 percent of Democrats voted against it.(June 25, 2004)

Fighting global warming by reducing carbon emissions
About 85 percent of Republicans voted against. About 75 percent of Democrats voted for the proposal.(October 30, 2003)

Reducing the concentration of media ownership
On a resolution disapproving of the Federal Communications Commission decision to allow greater concentrated ownership of newspapers, t.v. and radio stations, 95 percent of the Senate Democrats voted in favor; 80 percent of the Senate Republicans voted against.(September 16, 2003)

Easing access to inexpensive imported prescription drugs
The bill died in the Senate. Some 60 percent of Republicans voted against it; 75 percent of Democrats voted for it.(July 23, 2003)

Prohibiting discrimination by employers against gays
This bill died in the Senate. Over 80 percent of the Senate Republicans voted against it; over 90 percent of the Senate Democrats voted for it.(September 10, 1996)
CHART

Eliminating the Estate Tax
In the House, 98 percent of Republicans voted in favor of a bill elimintating the Estate Tax; nearly 70 percent of Democrats voted against it.(June 18, 2003)

Raising the minimum wage
In the House 60 percent of Republicans voted against raising the minimum wage over two years from $3.35 to $4.25 an hour; only 4 percent of Democrats did so. (May 23, 1996) In the Senate 100 percent of Democrats voted for the raise; 40 percent of Republicans voted against it. (August 2, 1996)

Reducing the ability of local, state and federal governments to regulate imports of goods, services and capital from Mexico and Canada
In the vote on the North American Free Trade Agreement, 2/3 of the House Republicans voted in favor while 60 percent of the House Democrats voted against.(November 17, 1993) In the Senate Republicans voted 4-1 in favor while a slim majority of Democrats voted against. (November 30, 1993)

The NAFTA vote reveals another possible distinction between the two major political parties. Republicans appear to have more party discipline. NAFTA, we should recall, was aggressively supported by Democratic President Bill Clinton but a majority of his own party voted against it.