Some facts, Hoyer vs Murtha on the Issues

[ShaneGR]

Since there are a lot of accusations being fired about concerning Steny Hoyer being DLC and conservative and its a shame that the more liberal Murtha didn't win. I thought I'd take the time to post up how the two stand and are rated on the issues of the day.

Steny Hoyer:

http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Steny_Hoyer.htm

100% Naral Rating
87% ACLU Rating
40% US Council of Corporations Rating
Voted Yes on Embryonic Stem Cell Research
15% Christian Coalition Rating
Voted NO on deterring foreign arms transfers to China. (Jul 2005)
Voted NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding. (Jun 2005)
Voted YES on keeping Cuba travel ban until political prisoners released. (Jul 2001)
Voted YES on $156M to IMF for 3rd-world debt reduction. (Jul 2000)
Voted YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. (May 2000)
Voted YES on $15.2 billion for foreign operations. (Nov 1999)
Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on Iraqi War
22% CATO Rating, Indicating a positive oulook on Fair Trade
F rating by the NRA
100% APHA rating, pro-healthcare
100% SANE record
0% FAIR record, pro-immigration
87% AFL-CIO Rating



John Murtha:

http://www.issues2002.org/PA/John_Murtha.htm

0% NARAL Rating, Anti-Abortion
50% ACLU Rating
43% US COC Rating
53% Christian Coalition Rating
Voted NO on deterring foreign arms transfers to China. (Jul 2005)
Voted NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding. (Jun 2005)
Voted YES on keeping Cuba travel ban until political prisoners released. (Jul 2001)
Voted NO on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored. (May 2001)
Voted YES on $156M to IMF for 3rd-world debt reduction. (Jul 2000)
Voted NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. (May 2000)
Voted YES on $15.2 billion for foreign operations. (Nov 1999)
Voted YES on Iraqi War
40% CATO Rating
Rated A+ by the NRA
44% SANE rating
0% Fair Rating
100% AFL-CIO Rating

[Target_For_Exterm]

1. Thank you. That adds perspective.

I'd hate to become a one issue Democrat. It's so... Republican!

[Vorta]

2. Murtha 50 or 100 on aclu? There are two figs there.

[patrice]

3. I think that 100% is AFL rating.

[ShaneGR]

4. Srry, I edited it

Murtha has a 50% rating with ACLU and a 100% rating with the AFL-CIO.

[patrice]

5. This begs the question about how to address corruption.

I, for one, welcome the whole Corruption discussion. Murtha would make that discussion more likely, though no more necessary.

I'm hoping we can talk about corruption and job performance in some very specific ways. It's ridiculous for us to run screaming from people who are "dirty". Nor should dirt be ignored. Reform should be the issue, not just culpability.

[lapfog_1]

6. Being one of the Murtha supporters here

I *never* said that Murtha was a liberal or progressive.

Murtha, for whatever reasons, came to a conclusion that to preserve our military, we needed to exit Iraq as quickly as possible. Because he was considered to be a hawk in Congress, this sent shock waves through Washington (not so much the nation as very few people outside of DC even knew who he was). And it gave courage to a number of other Dems (and people running for office) to take a decisive stand, not the nuanced stand that Kerry took in the 2004 election. And that is what won us this victory 8 days ago. Not the DLC, not Rahm, not the Democratic values of equality for same sex couples, not women's right to choose, not even anti-globalization and fair trade, not anything else. It was a distinct voice to the American people that said "I don't care how we got here, but where were at now is a mistake and we need to fix it by changing course". That was what won us the election. So a week and two days later, what are we telling those same voters? I think we just told them "Thanks for your vote, but now that we're here, we are going to look at our options in Iraq very carefully, cause, well, the President's commission hasn't made their recommendations yet, and, well, the generals tell us that if we leave right away things there could get worse and, well...... you didn't REALLY want us to stand up to George W. Bush? Did you?"

That's my take away.