Kerry Thoughts

[adios]

SomethingClever made a post that I thought was good. Where do the Kerry supporters stand on these issues.

1) Stem cell research: For it or against it? And why?
2) Iraq war: Your thoughts.
3) Gay marriage: For it or against it? And why?
4) Birth control for 3rd world countries: Good thing or bad thing?
5) The environment: To what extent should we be policing corporations for violations?
6) Taxes: How much is too much? How much is too little? Who should pay the most? The least?
7) Military experience: Required to lead our country?
8) Religion: Are you religious? Do your beliefs influence your politics?
9) "Partial birth" abortion
10) Affirmative Action

I added 9 and 10.

[sam h]

I will give this one a shot.

1) Stem cell research - Definitely for it. I think this is one of the most promising frontiers for medical science and to keep people from using this resource is both foolhardy and harmful to all those who have conditions that might be cured through stem cell-related breakthroughs.

2) Iraq war - Supported the invasion initially, mainly because of humanitarian reasons but also because of WMD threat and faith that the administration had a good plan for dealing with the post-war situation. Basically think now that the administration has exhibited gross incompetence regarding everything after the initial invasion and that, as a consequence, we are actually less safe for numerous reasons. If my options were between this state of affairs and never having invaded, I would chooose the latter.

3) Gay marriage - Unequivocally for it. I go pretty far on this one, not just believing that it is a state's rights issue but that the ability to marry who you want should be covered by the equal protection clause of the constitution.

4) Birth control for 3rd world countries - Definitely for it. I am basically pro-reproductive freedom in general. In addition, these countries often have huge overpopulation issues that contribute to rampant poverty.

5) The environment - Basically I believe in a balance. I think the government needs to be fairly active in protecting the public good that is a clean environment. But I understand that this can only go so far. Generally, I think that arguments that we need to deregulate to compete with international competitors are not very supported by the empirical data.

6) Taxes - To me, the issue is not so much the overall tax burden but who pays. I would support shifting the tax burden much more heavily to the upper class and actually cutting taxes further for the middle class and poor. I guess in an ideal world the overall tax burden would be decreased, but we are in such trouble with social security right now that I think an overall decrease is pretty foolish.

7) Military experience - I don't think it should be required to lead the country. I don't see why having served would necessarily make a candidate better able to understand and deal with security issues.

8) Religion - I'm not religious.

9) "Partil birth" abortion - I'm on the fence on this one.

10) Affirmative action - I support it in a limited sense, usually on a case by case basis. Believe strongly that, while useful, such programs are not themselves the solution for persisting racial inequalities.

[andyfox]

1) Don't know enough about it to really say. From what I hear from my friends, I would say I'm inclined to favor full speed ahead.

2) A bad idea from the start, getting worse by the day. Kerry's "plan" is not too discernible; Bush's plan is and it's disastrously incompetent and unworkable.

3) In favor. Two people are in love and want to get married, wonderful. Two women strike me as the perfect parental unit.

4) In favor.

5) More than we're doing now. I've purchased Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s book chastizing Bush on his environmental program, but haven't gotten to read it yet. But I believe ray zee. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

6) We need a more progressive tax policy. I agree with Bush that the tax code is a mess. Simple, though, has to be better, not just simpler.

7) Of course not.

8) I'm probably an atheist. Haven't thought about whether that influences my political viewpoints, although I would say I do worry when politicians invoke God, as when, for example, when asked if he seeks wisdom (or counsel? can't remember the exact wording), Bush says he appeals to a higher Father. Referring to the "evildoers" is also of concern.

9) Don't know enough about it, suspect I'd be opposed.

10) Enthusiastically in favor. I'm with Colin Powell on this one: what horrific harm is caused to our society if a few hundred black kids get into law school that wouldn't otherwise? I know that's a terrible simplification of a complex issue.

To me, the overarching issue of this campaign is foreign policy, in particular the Bush Doctrine, which I oppose vigorously. Thus I hold my nose and vote for Kerry. So I don't really qualify as a Kerry "supporter." None of this, of course, should come as much of a supprise to regular posters here.

[elwoodblues]

1) Stem cell research: For it or against it? And why?

For it. Benefits are great. Not a federal issue. Should not be a factor in grants.

2) Iraq war: Your thoughts.

With this president it was a war just waiting for a reason. First part was executed very well. Second part, not so much. Given where we're at now, we need to put the right resources in place to make it a success (though we never should have been in this position.)

3) Gay marriage: For it or against it? And why?

For it.

4) Birth control for 3rd world countries: Good thing or bad thing?

Good thing.

5) The environment: To what extent should we be policing corporations for violations?

Great extent. We should fully enforce existing laws. If we don't like a law get rid of it (as opposed to just not enforcing it.) Enforcement costs should be considered when enacting legislation/administrative regulations.

6) Taxes: How much is too much? How much is too little? Who should pay the most? The least?

Progressive tax structure makes sense. Too much --- when creating policies/initiatives we should pay for them. If we don't want to pay for it, we shouldn't enact it. If we want to pay for it, we should expect increased taxes to do so.

7) Military experience: Required to lead our country?

Nope, not required. It is one of many factors to be looked at, but would rarely be a deciding factor.

8) Religion: Are you religious? Do your beliefs influence your politics?

Yep. Yep, to the extent that they form my morals and values and the candidate of choice shares those values. The candidates religion is irrelevant unless the values/policies proposed are a result of the religious beliefs and are, what I believe to be, bad policies.


9) "Partial birth" abortion

Against it.

10) Affirmative Action

Depending on how you define it, I am very much in favor of it.

[Zeno]

1) Stem cell research: For it or against it? And why?

Scientific reasearch should not be subject to the whims and metaphysical nonsense of religious quackery.

2) Iraq war: Your thoughts.

Bungled and Botched as it was post-war (The coalition is now trying to 'secure the peace'), full spead ahead.


3) Gay marriage: For it or against it? And why?

I'm for happy marriages between couples.


4) Birth control for 3rd world countries: Good thing or bad thing?

Promoting population control is an overall good.

5) The environment: To what extent should we be policing corporations for violations?

The earth's environment will continue to degrade and at best we have to seek a balance between growth to sustain the number of people on the planet and try to impove their living conditions and the sacrifaces that will come from trying to acheive that goal. Enforcment of too may bogus and silly regulations taxes the strengh of the oversight agencies which are usually run by morons and idealist that lose sight of practically issues.

6) Taxes: How much is too much? How much is too little? Who should pay the most? The least?

Try for something more simple - whether the dopes in Washington can do this is another question.

7) Military experience: Required to lead our country?

No.

8) Religion: Are you religious? Do your beliefs influence your politics?

My atheism colors my worldview so in this respect I assume that it does influence my political thinking (see answer to question 1) but to what extent I do not know nor care.

9) "Partial birth" abortion

Haven't really followed this one. No comment.

10) Affirmative Action

Causes a lot of ballyhoo. I look forward to a day when this is not an issue. Really don't follow all this very much so probably best to not comment more than that.

[superleeds]

1) Stem cell research: For it or against it? And why?

For. But it needs to be heavily regulated.

2) Iraq war: Your thoughts.

Origionally for. But I believed the lies. Unfortunately the US (and the rest of the world) will be paying for it both financely and Securitywise for a long time IMHO

3) Gay marriage: For it or against it? And why?

For. Why not?

4) Birth control for 3rd world countries: Good thing or bad thing?

Good Thing. (I'm assuming the individuals get a choice.)

5) The environment: To what extent should we be policing corporations for violations?

To a huge extent. Large corporation have shown time and time again that if they are left to regulate themselves they will not do so. We will make the earth uninhabitable if we keep polluting it at the same levels we do know. A company's job is to make money not hamper itself by putting obstacles in it's own way. They must be policed and laws must be enforced.

6) Taxes: How much is too much? How much is too little? Who should pay the most? The least?

A progressive taxation code is the right way. You hear many conservatives complain that it's simply not a fair way of taxing a nation. Well to be brutally honest, that argument is complete and utter bullshit. Why is it not fair? Because you only use one school? You get the same service from the police than the same person who pays far less? The military are defending you no better than an unemployed unmarried mother?

Who has more to lose if the country becomes unstable or being menaced by others or it's not safe to walk the neighborhood?

Defence and the maintenance of a stable country are what the vast majority of our tax dollars are spent on. People who earn more should pay more because, very simply, they benefit more.

7) Military experience: Required to lead our country?

No. But you would hope a complete novice's may listen to their military advisors

8) Religion: Are you religious? Do your beliefs influence your politics?

No. Yes. When Bush mentions God it makes my skin crawl much as it does when Osama mentions Allah.

9) "Partial birth" abortion

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

10) Affirmative Action

It's generally a good thing.

[adios]

Here's I believe a more or less unbiased web site. Congress passed a law banning them but pro choice advocates are fighting for them in court and I believe have won.

Partial Birth Abortion Infor

Description of the D&X Procedure:
These are generally called:

"D&X" procedures, an abbreviation of "dilate and extract," or
"Intact D&E," or
"Intrauterine Cranial Decompression" procedures.

They are not abortions as defined within medical science. The term "abortion" means the termination of pregnancy before the fetus is viable. However, it does fall within the definition of "abortion" which is used by most of the public.

The term "Partial Birth Abortion" was recently created by pro-life groups when the procedure became actively discussed at a political and religious level. We will generally use the medical terms in this section.

The procedure is usually performed during the fifth month of gestation or later. The woman's cervix is dilated, and the fetus is partially removed from the womb, feet first. The surgeon inserts a sharp object into the back of the fetus' head, removes it, and inserts a vacuum tube through which the brains are extracted. The head of the fetus contracts at this point and allows the fetus to be more easily removed from the womb.

The exact number of D&Xs performed is impossible to estimate with accuracy. Many states do not have strict reporting regulations.

One often quoted figure was that over 1000 D&Xs had been performed annually in New Jersey. From this number, many inflated national totals were estimated. But the New Jersey figure appears to be an anomaly. A single physician in a single NJ hospital had been ignoring the regulations of the state medical association and performing D&Xs in cases not involving the potential death or serious disability of the woman.
Ron Fitzsimmons, executive director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, estimated (Nightline program, 1997-FEB-26) a total of 3,000 to 4,000 annually in the US -- about ten a day.
Pro-life groups uncovered an internal memo by Planned Parenthood which estimated that up to 60 (0.24%) of the more than 25,000 abortions performed annually in Virginia were D&Xs. 1 If this figure is accurate nationally, then there would be up to 2,880 D&X procedures per year in the U.S.
Referring to a Virginia state law, Bennet Greenberg, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia said: "I'm not aware of a need for this bill in the first place, since this procedure is very, very rare, and I'm not aware it's ever been used [in Virginia].

[anatta]

1) Stem cell research: For it or against it? And why?
2) Iraq war: Your thoughts.
3) Gay marriage: For it or against it? And why?
4) Birth control for 3rd world countries: Good thing or bad thing?
5) The environment: To what extent should we be policing corporations for violations?
6) Taxes: How much is too much? How much is too little? Who should pay the most? The least?
7) Military experience: Required to lead our country?
8) Religion: Are you religious? Do your beliefs influence your politics?
9) "Partial birth" abortion
10) Affirmative Action

1. I agree with the First Lady on this one, because as a librarian who knows the Dewey decimal system, she must be pretty smart. The promise of stem cell research is unknown. As such, we should be very afraid.

2. I support Bush policies...

because Saddam was a growing and immediate threat, capable of causing Nuclear winter, because he used WMD in the 1980's which is very relevant today, because Bush promised to take the final authorization for force to the UN for a vote, too see where they stand, who is with us and against us, and not at the last minute call it off. Because since Han Blix couldn't find any weapons after searching half the sites, it was clear to me on the eve of War that the WMD's MUST BE IN THE OTHER NON-SEARCHED HALF, because we knew where the weapons were as Rumsfeld informed me, because I believe Dick Cheney on Meet the Press, and not President Bush or the CIA, that 9-11 hijackers met with Iraqis, because Wolfowitz made it clear that Iraq can finance their own reconstruction and we would be greeted as liberators. Because how can anyone argue with a no-bid contract for Haliburton?, because Bush told me in the State of the Union that Iraq is seeking Nuclear material from Niger, Because Bush told me "we found them" re: WMD's, because why would an Iraqi who gets $28 million/month and sits next to the first lady at State of Union lie?, because "Mission Accomplished" and major combat operations are over (except for the battles to take those urban areas, about 36 or so that the insurgents (can I call them "insurgents" now Rummy?) control, and the killings and stuff), because 8500 killed or injured out of 150,000 really ain't that bad (Like they said on Fox, lots of people die in California), and its getting worse kinda slowly not really that quickly, except recently kinda quick, but as a whole, well, really kinda slow.

Since we are making progess in Iraq (other than the killings and stuff), since we really don't need to catch Bin Laden, we have plenty of resourses to do that, beside Bush told us "he doesn't care" where Bin Laden is, since we have a strong coalition (minus Australia in a few weeks and Briton is reducing too, we still have the Romanians on our side and those little girls are great on the beam), since we are killing the terrorists over there so we don't have to kill them over here and clearly not creating any new terrorist, since I believe that admin when they released a study and claimed terrorism is decreasing worldwide and I don't believe their subsequent correction which shows it is not, and again we are making progress, and the liberal media is just too scared to leave the green zone and see what is really going on in Iraq for fear they will, well, be killed. And the world really doesn't hate us despite the polls, and even if they did who needs international help in an international war on terror?

Besides, How can I believe Kerry? The admin tells me "he has no credibility on the issue".

The other stuff...Gay Marriage really concerns me and my ex-wife. Affirmative Action! No, like Bush, I believe in "Affirmative Access". My dad went to Harvard, I should have access too.

Like Bush's base, I am religious and believe in the rapture and all that stuff, like Jesus will come down once the Holy Land stuff is taken care of and we build 3 temples, then I will go to heaven and enjoy my life in paradise while billions suffer the tortures of hell. Its a little something called "morality" you libs should look it up.

[OrangeHeat]

9) "Partial birth" abortion - Against it and against abortion period. After seeing sonograms of my two kids with in the early months I can't see any of it being good.

10) Affirmative Action - Against it. If one person is more talented than another there should be no reason to punish him/her by artificially inflating another because of a differing race/age/gender. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Orange

[Matty]

1) Stem cell research: For it or against it? And why?

For it of course. Because it makes no sense to be against it and there are many benefits.

2) Iraq war: Your thoughts.

I've said it's a distraction from terrorism from the very start.

3) Gay marriage: For it or against it? And why?

Should be up to the states to decide. I don't know about marriage personally, but I do support civil unions.

4) Birth control for 3rd world countries: Good thing or bad thing?

Good.

5) The environment: To what extent should we be policing corporations for violations?

A larger extent than right now. I want another Teddy Roosevelt!

6) Taxes: How much is too much? How much is too little? Who should pay the most? The least?

I was happy with the taxes under Clinton.

7) Military experience: Required to lead our country?

Not at all.

8) Religion: Are you religious? Do your beliefs influence your politics?

Yes, I am religious. I'm a Unitarian Universalist and the beliefs which led me to UU also lead me toward certain political candidates.

9) "Partial birth" abortion

I'm opposed to the term 'partial birth abortion'. It is not a medical term and it does not identify any particular abortion procedure.

10) Affirmative Action

I assume you mean affirmative action for minorities or financially-challenged people- and not the kind of affirmative action GW recieved.

I think AA is a somewhat ineffective band-aid for a larger problem, but until that larger problem is fixed, AA should be allowed to stay in place if a school so desires.