What Do You Know About Kerry's Voting Record?(what's going on?)

[ItsMyParty]

Apparently Bush will launch a 64 million dollar ad campaign and campaign speeches Monday blasting Kerry's voting record--of course, it will be selective pieces of legislation and totally distorted and twisted. I "assume" that for every 1 vote that might not fly well in this election, Kerry has a 101 that would please the people. That's where my frustration begins........

I saw Kerry being interviewed this a.m. When his Senate years came up, I never saw anyone avoid and change a subject as fast as he did. That not only gives the repubs fodder but it stands out like a sore thumb! The Kerry campaign needs to immediately sit down and put together a collage of his voting over the years, talk about it on the stump and in ads and make it a part of an overall theme of "fighting for and caring about" the American people. This issue is the only thing Bush has to go against Kerry while we have things to push in Bush's face on every issue. For hell's bells sake, why is the campaign acting this way?? Bush will rail it right into Kerry's face during the debates and all the way to November. Surely, someone in Kerry's campaign can put together a powerful case for what John has stood for all these years in Congress. This absoulutely has to be addressed and come Monday Kerry is going to be on the "run" instead of "running" for president. They can't let Bush define Kerry's years of public service---John has to define it.

[Catch22Dem]

1. Here are the bills he's sponsored/co-sponsored

http://kerry.senate.gov/text/congress/legislation.html

[TexasSissy]

12. That's a great link. Thanks. I'm going to post that in a bipartison foru

forum that I participate in.

[napi21]

16. Please tell me where you found a bi-partisam forum.

I can't say that I even know how to search for one, but the few forums I've found are definately one way or the other.

[TexasSissy]

35. www.morningstar.com - a financial site that I'm a member of,

which is mainly REPUB, as you can imagine. There's a "discuss" drop down box, with lots of forums to choose from. Mainly they're financial, but they have one "Politics" forum. And it is brutal! The Repubs there show no mercy. This is the way that I, a Dem., view it, of course. Anyone can participate in the site for free. Then there's a higher, premium level that you pay for. So I am a member, but I don't have to be to participate in the forums.

But there are a number of us Dems that post there, and we certainly do our best to get our point across. The Dems mainly post substantive posts....the Repubs mainly post "YOU BIG FAT LIAR! YOU COMMIE LEFT WING HYPROCRITE!" I can only take so much of it. But I try to make corrections to the usual Repub lies and hypes, as do other Dems. One poster keeps a running total of the casualties in Iraq, for example.

I would think that a lot of sites that are special in content that people participate in have forums, and of those forums, some might have some that relate to politics.

BTW, Morningstar.com is THE financial site for investors. It's quoted on the financial shows on TV, and a mutual fund can fall or rise on the mere opinion of Morningstar.com's analysts. It's full of valuable financial information for anyone at any level, whether you own a lot of stocks, or are just an employee with a little money in a 401K. I love it. But bipartisan forums, I have learned, are bad for the stress/anger level.

[Catt03]

14. Thanks for bills sponsored and co sponsored

I have been looking for this info for 2 weeks (not the greatest in researching on the computer).

I read several of the bills he sponsored and co sponsored and almost all were about people...housing, veterans ( a lot of legislation), children. At least it appears that way. They also appear to be, what the Republicans will call...liberal. I can see the Republicans going to town on the tax credits for housing.

This appears to be a pretty solid record in helping people. Surely the Democrats can play this favorably.

I also read that they will be attacking the times he was not present for votes on critical bills. Any info on that?

Again, thanks for the info

[napi21]

19. Can I find this same information on Cheney when he was in the congress?

I really didn't even realize until a few weeks ago that Cheney even was in Congress. It could turn up some interesting info I would think.

[liberalnurse]

2. Well, I guess you never watched *bush.....

avoid his AWOL record, financial investment history, his DUI's; and so on.....now thats avoidance. Kerry is not letting *bush define the campaign.....he is the defining message. Kerry will let them blow money on negative adds......Our message is on the saving our country.....the future.....and true leadeership.

* bush is bating and Kerry is no fish......

[ItsMyParty]

4. But all Kerry has to do is in stump speeches and inside of ads

refer to his Senate years as part of "fighting for the American people". There are ways to 'package' this instead of having every media hit man go after him and watch him avoid it on national tv and thus give fodder to the repub attack. They could do a powerful piece on his standing up for common people. I'm saying don't let Bush gain one yard on any issue---it's just not necessary.

[liberalnurse]

9. Kerry is doing Great without

wasting time defending negative *bush-shit ......Kerry is ahead 10 points! So, those who stump for *bush by trying to define the campaign by negative lies will be holding an empty glass without champaign on November2nd......

[merh]

3. Here you go, check out this link that provides a comparison

of the idiots record and Kerry's record.

http://www.independent-media.tv/itemprint.cfm?fmedia_id=7073&fcategory_desc=The%20Zero%20and%20The%20Hero

[ItsMyParty]

6. I know the records---but the public doesn't and come Monday

George is going to "tell" the public what to think about Kerry's record. So I wish the Kerry campaign would come out with an overriding theme about Kerry's serving the regular people of this nation in his year's in the Senate to counteract all this. No one is going to look up Kerry's record and think. We have to let them know to counteract these lying vermin.....and then we use it to counterattack on Bush's record of caring for the "privileged".

[artslave43]

34. Kerry/Bush record comparison

Now THAT is a great site.....

[Native]

53. I thought it was great too...

will be sending it out in response to right-wing email trash I receive. I figure with all the pictures, it will be easier for them to follow.

[democrat_patriot]

54. Excellent!!

I just mailed this to my parents. * lovers.

[qanda]

5. When are they going to trot out Bush's record?

I cannot wait to see it-- three drunk driving convictions, perhaps the covered up drug convictions, insider trading, running two companies into the ground, trading Sammy Sosa, shall we continue....

[ItsMyParty]

7. pbl---I'd like Kerry to talk about his record of voting to

help the common man and then contrast it to Bush's four years of helping the privileged. That's what I mean when I say that Kerry needs to actually bring up his record and make it apart of his "defending" the American people theme.

[liberalnurse]

10. Then, go out and tell America the facts.....

write in your local paper, go to campaign headquarters in your town and volunteer to get the facts out....go door to to......be proactive......

[qanda]

20. I wasn't trying to flame you

I understand the need for Kerry to run on what he's done. I would just love to see the same people screaming for Kerry to defend his record to come out state 20 years of Bush's record-- I think that would be fun!

[Killarney]

8. factcheck.org will set the story straight

but unfortunately the media won't.

[0007]

28. I wouldn't hold my breath for factcheck.org to set anything straight -

This is a right wing spin factor.

[G_j]

36. right , that is a republican spin site n/t

[lostnfound]

39. I'm wondering if it's a wolf in sheep's clothing.

It seems to have gotten linked on some pro-Kerry sites..had some debunking, wonder whether it will take a dramatic turn to the right at the end of the campaign.

[quinnox]

11. Legislative stuff bores people anyway

I hope Bush campaign concentrates a large focus on this line of attack, it won't be very effective in winning over voters and just put people to sleep.

[skygazer]

17. Very true

If Kerry were to reply to every negative thing Bush says about him, he would never get a chance to say what he wants to say. People don't want to hear lots of details about this vote or that vote - they want to hear how we're going to get out of the mess we're in. And judging from Bush so far, we're not going to hear it from him. Let him rant.

[eaprez]

13. The question becomes...

...why is the president not running on his own record as war president...but is now running against Kerry's distorted record? Because he has NOTHING to run on.

[Andy_Stephenson]

15. Unfortunately Bush* has the ammo

John Kerry has missed more votes than any other Senator in history.

That could be the record they are talking about. Not just the votes the Repubs don't like.

[blm]

21. Yeah. Two years of campaigning across the country, you'll miss votes.

Funny how the GOPers complain his record of voting last year was the most liberal in the Senate and in the next sentence will complain he hasn't voted much.

People can be SO disingenuous when it suits them, huh?

[Catt03]

23. Right....the missed votes.

I hope they are planning for this onslaught.

Those itsy, bitsy sound bites that Bush will deliver will be heard.

[eaprez]

24. Would only be meaningful if his vote one way or the other would have

changed the outcome.

[depakid]

31. That may be true in some senses, but

I don't think it's a very good excuse. Saying that is like acknowledging what many potential voters already that "my vote won't count anyway, so why bother.

[TryingToWarnYou]

18. His voting record is horrible and probably the only true thing that Chimpy

has to complain about.

[blm]

22. Horrible for WHO?

I think his overall record that makes him a pro-balanced budget liberal who is tough on terror and government corruption is a GREAT one.

[TryingToWarnYou]

26. Horrible for his voting record.

For what he has voted for, he has done great. Im simply saying that he should have voted a little more often. This more than anything can come back to haunt him unless theres some real reasons why he skipped so many votes.

[sandnsea]

30. He's been campaigning

There's a Republican controlled Senate. Any time his vote really matters, he's called back to DC. Been paying attention very long? This is just another divide and conquer smear tactic.

[TryingToWarnYou]

41. Yeah, Ive been paying attention.. I see Kerry not voting much

Campaigning or not, I dont think that the voters he represents elected him to go campaigning instead of doing whats best for Mass. Believe me, I love Kerry and I think he is going to be awesome as our President, but his spotty Senate record *will* come back to haunt him.

[blm]

37. Because he was campaigning for over a year now.

.

[eaprez]

25. compared to what? Bush's record as Gov of Texas and as President?

oh puh...leeezze

[TryingToWarnYou]

27. Well, we really cannot compare the two now can we?

Bush was never in the Senate as you know. Therefore its pretty retarded to try to compare records. Now, that said, if someone can dig up Chimpys record as Governor (how many days at work and so on) then you might have something worth comparing, but as it stands right now, its apples and oranges. The real issue is whether or not Kerry indeed has the worst voting record in the Senate, if so, then my comments stand even if you dont approve of them.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

29. Yes, we can. Bush has a record of failure, favoritism and deception.

Kerry has a record of accomplishment, fighting for the people, and exposing government corruption.



I think the comparison is to our advantage.

[TryingToWarnYou]

40. Youre right, but comparing them is still a stretch

[Feanorcurufinwe]

42. Your assertion is nonsensical, internally inconsistent,

and generally, has no basis in reality.

[TryingToWarnYou]

43. Well, lay out Chimpys senate record for comparison then /sarcasm

[Feanorcurufinwe]

44. In any comparison of Bush and Kerry, Bush is shown to be a failure.

[TryingToWarnYou]

46. I agree with you. Kerry *still* has the worst voting record though and ..

thats something they are going to use. The excuse of "the republicans sabotaged the voting when he showed up" isnt going to play well unless its explicity shown WHY he didnt vote for something. I can see them doing that here and there, but for all of them? Kerry needs to address it right now to disarm the pugs.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

51. What you are doing is repeating false and deceptive Republican talking pts

I don't know why you feel the need to do that. But the fact is, repeating a lie doesn't make it true, whether it is done on television or on DU.

[TryingToWarnYou]

52. Since you are basically calling me a liar, put up or shut up

Please show me where his voting record is anything less than abysmal.

Its a well known fact that he has the worst voting record. Im sorry if that doesnt agree with your perfect world.

Here are some "talking points" for you (and you know what you can do with the Republican comment)...

http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/membervotes.cgi?&lang=&member=MAJR&site=congressmerge&address=&city=&state=&zipcode=&plusfour=&fullvotes=1

Note the "not voting" commentary. I hope he is a better President than his senatorial voting record hints.

[sangh0]

55. Your link proves Kerry's ecord is excellent

I see nothing in that link to support your claim that Kerry has "the worst voting record"

[shraby]

32. Chimpy took a budget surplus

in Texas when he was governor and turned it into a big deficit, just like he has as pretzledent.

[shraby]

33. Kerry was also instrumental in

bringing down the corrupt BCCI and the Iran/Contra affair.

[Blue Wally]

38. One of the reasons

that Kennedy was the only sitting senator elected president in the last century. Senators and congressmen leave a very large and vulnerable paper trail of votes over the years.

[yankeedem]

47. News flash

Noone cares if he missed votes in the Senate. Do you think the public can't understand why he's missed votes?

Kerry isn't letting Bush define the issues- that's how cons have won elections, they have put us on the defensive. No more.

[TryingToWarnYou]

49. How come so many people just dont get it?

He didnt just miss votes..he has the worst record in the Senate. That says something about his job performance as Senator...if he cant do his job as Senator, then how can we expect him to do the job as President yadda yadda yadda..you get it? We bitch and whine when Chimpy takes a vacation when the reality is that Kerry seems to have been on vacation a lot himself. Everything they have come up with is a complete non-issue with the exception of his voting record.

[Dover]

45. That info is probably available, BUT Kerry may be hesitant for a few

reasons. It will be interesting to see WHICH legislation they use in their ads.


The GOP wants to label him based on his votes, or wants to make him look as though he's done very little.

They also need to know what he intends to say about his record to prepare for debates.

[Q]

48. From reading the DLC's website...

...this is more great advice from the 'new' Democrats. They're doing a 'makeover' on Kerry...much as they did with Gore. The end result is that candidates influenced by the DLC attempt to hide their liberal or populist roots in order to 'appeal' to conservatives. But they're percieved by many as being embarassed by their past or trying to hide it.

[JayS]

50. I wish he would talk more about his years in the Senate. He...

...brings up issues in his campaign that he says he will work to change. If he is being sincere about his views on these issues, his voting record will reflect this.