Candidates On The Issue Of Government Reform

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Pro-Life Candidates:
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- John McCain:
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. Partisan rancor isn't a cause, it's a symptom. (Sep 2008)
. Fought corruption and the big spenders in both parties. (Sep 2008)
. Share the credit for good ideas instead of fighting over it. (Sep 2008)
. Eliminate broken government programs--20% of all program. (Feb 2008)
. More sunshine on the Working Group on Financial Markets. (Jan 2008)
. No signing statements: either sign or veto bills. (Dec 2007)
. Focus on homeland safety, restoring trust, and fiscal policy. (Dec 2007)
. Authored line-item veto law; struck down by Supreme Court. (Oct 2007)
. Keating Five mea culpa established openness to press. (Oct 2007)
. There's only one president; V.P. sticks to official duties. (Aug 2007)
. Reform election system, and get rid of electors. (Nov 2000)
. No term limits; they throw away the good with the bad. (Jan 2000)
. Influence peddling helps the Chinese Army. (Sep 1999)
. Politicans poll, posture, & influence-peddle. (Jun 1999)
. Supports Line-Item Veto and Balanced Budget. (May 1999)
. Supports term limits on Congress. (Jul 1998)
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Campaign Finance Reform
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. No litmus test for Supreme Court nominees on McCain-Feingold. (Feb 2008)
. The 527s need to be eliminated. (Oct 2007)
. OpEd: McCain-Feingold chilled grassroots political speech. (Oct 2007)
. 527s are clearly illegal; reform intended for small donors. (Apr 2007)
. Supported then opposed transparency in grassroots reporting. (Jan 2007)
. Campaign finance reform needed to restore faith in politics. (May 2002)
. Finance reform will prevail if we have the votes & the guts. (May 2002)
. Supported non-severability as key component of CFR. (May 2002)
. CFR passes Senate; focus on House, not court challenges. (Apr 2001)
. Differentiate “electioneering” from real issue ads. (Mar 2001)
. Clearer rules about campaign finance; no soft money. (Jan 2001)
. Replace battle of bucks with battle of ideas. (Feb 2000)
. Fight iron triangle: special interests, money, & legislation. (Feb 2000)
. Campaign reform that’s best for country, not for GOP. (Jan 2000)
. Take away soft money & “hurt the unions bad”. (Jan 2000)
. Money corrupts politics, and soft money corrupts absolutely. (Dec 1999)
. Campaign Finance: ban both labor union & corporate donations. (May 1999)
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Earmarks & Pork
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. We need a reformer because system in Washington is broken. (Oct 2008)
. I fought earmarks even in defense spending. (Oct 2008)
. FactCheck: Killed corrupt $6.8B contract, but reinstated it. (Oct 2008)
. Get earmarks under control to deal with the financial crisis. (Sep 2008)
. Obama requested for $932M of pork projects; I fought pork. (Sep 2008)
. FactCheck: Earmarks have gone down in last 5 years. (Sep 2008)
. Earmarks are terrible and pernicious; Palin learned that. (Sep 2008)
. FactCheck: $35B in pork meant $484 per child, not $1000. (Jan 2008)
. I'm "the sheriff", not Miss Congeniality, about pork bills. (Jan 2008)
. FactCheck: Claim of "24 years with no earmarks" mostly true. (Jan 2008)
. Close corporate loopholes; veto pork-barrel spending. (Jan 2000)
. Drain the big money swamp to kill lobbyist mosquitoes. (Dec 1999)
. End sugar subsidy; corporate welfare at its worst. (Aug 1999)
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Voting Record
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. Gets legislation passed despite lack of congeniality. (Mar 2000)
. Voted NO on granting the District of Columbia a seat in Congress. (Sep 2007)
. Voted YES on requiring photo ID to vote in federal elections. (Jul 2007)
. Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006)
. Voted YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity. (Mar 2006)
. Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads. (Mar 2002)
. Voted YES on require photo ID (not just signature) for voter registration. (Feb 2002)
. Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations. (Apr 2001)
. Voted NO on funding for National Endowment for the Arts. (Aug 1999)
. Voted YES on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance. (Oct 1997)
. Voted YES on Approving the presidential line-item veto. (Mar 1996)
. Voted NO on banning more types of Congressional gifts. (Jul 1995)
. Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform. (Jul 2001)
. Sponsored bill subjecting 527s to political committee rules. (Feb 2005)
. Sponsored bill prohibiting non-legislated earmarks. (Jul 2005)
. Sponsored bill disclosing lobbyist info & gifts on Internet. (Dec 2005)
. Rethink flawed Presidential daily intelligence briefings. (Mar 2005)
. CIA yielded to conventional wisdom, not political pressure. (Mar 2005)
. Sponsored bill allowing individual votes on each earmark. (Feb 2006)
. Reduce federal government size & scope, including military. (Sep 1998)
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http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm
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http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnMcCaindotcom
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- Bob Barr:
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. Clinton & Reno covered up 1996 illegal campaign finance. (Jul 2004)
. Voted YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties. (Jul 2001)
. Voted NO on banning soft money and issue ads. (Sep 1999)
. Restrict campaign donations from foreigners or 3rd parties. (May 1999)
. Limit punitive damages; term limits on Congress. (Sep 1994)
. Government is too big, too intrusive, too easy with money. (Sep 1994)
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http://www.ontheissues.org/Bob_Barr.htm
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http://www.youtube.com/user/BobBarr2008
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- Chuck Baldwin:
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. Eliminate Food and Drug Administration as unconstitutional. (May 2008)
. Opposes limits on free speech in campaign finance laws. (May 2008)
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http://www.ontheissues.org/Chuck_Baldwin.htm
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http://www.youtube.com/user/chuckbaldwin2008
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- Ron Paul:
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. The "living Constitution" is the death of democracy. (Apr 2008)
. Constitution defines much smaller government. (Feb 2008)
. Received the most campaign contributions from the military. (Feb 2008)
. Dismantle agencies that have no Constitutional role. (Dec 2007)
. Put 65 projects into 2006 bills, worth $4B to his district. (Dec 2007)
. No on all earmarks, even those he proposes for his district. (Dec 2007)
. Supports compulsory term limits, not voluntary for himself. (Dec 2007)
. DC voting representation should be determined by Amendment. (Sep 2007)
. No federal voter ID card; but state ID cards ok. (Sep 2007)
. Constitution was written to restrain the federal government. (Sep 2007)
. We are drifting rather rapidly into a totalitarian state. (Sep 2007)
. Disallow lawsuits that stop public officials invoking God. (Sep 2007)
. End government secrecy; restore openness of information. (Aug 2007)
. With neocon philosophy, Cheney is more powerful than Bush. (Aug 2007)
. Signing statements erode constitutional balance. (Jul 2007)
. Conservatives support big government war policies. (Jun 2007)
. Close departments of Energy, Education & Homeland Security. (May 2007)
. Judges have become legislators by de-emphasizing juries. (Dec 1987)
. Our government routinely lies to us. (Dec 1987)
. Federal abuses today worse than King's in 1776 revolution. (Dec 1987)
. Spending without taxation causes inflation. (Dec 1981)
. Voted NO on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations. (May 2007)
. Voted NO on granting Washington DC an Electoral vote & vote in Congress. (Apr 2007)
. Voted YES on protecting whistleblowers from employer recrimination. (Mar 2007)
. Voted YES on requiring photo ID for voting in federal elections. (Sep 2006)
. Voted NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees. (Apr 2006)
. Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits about obesity against food providers. (Oct 2005)
. Voted YES on limiting attorney's fees in class action lawsuits. (Feb 2005)
. Voted YES on restricting frivolous lawsuits. (Sep 2004)
. Voted NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions. (Feb 2002)
. Voted NO on banning soft money and issue ads. (Sep 1999)
. Limit federal power, per the 10th Amendment. (Dec 2000)
. Unlimited campaign contributions; with full disclosure. (Dec 2000)
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http://www.ontheissues.org/Ron_Paul.htm
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http://www.youtube.com/user/RonPaul2008dotcom
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Pro-Choice Candidates:
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- Barack Obama:
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. FactCheck: Yes, earmarks total $18B in this year's budget. (Oct 2008)
. Eliminating earmarks isn't enough; but I'll ceck every line. (Sep 2008)
. Eliminate government programs that no longer work. (Aug 2008)
. FactCheck: Worked with McCain on ethics, but bill fell apart. (Aug 2008)
. Use technology to shine a light on spending. (Jun 2008)
. Lobbyists & special interests have strangle-hold on agenda. (Feb 2008)
. Consistently in favor of more disclosure around earmarks. (Feb 2008)
. Created a publicly searchable database on earmarks spending. (Feb 2008)
. Need a government that listens to the people again. (Feb 2008)
.Give D.C. the opportunity to elect its own representatives. (Feb 2008)
. Shine light on federal contracts, earmarks, & proposed bills. (Feb 2008)
. Bad idea to over-classify information. (Dec 2007)
. Bush's signing statements are a clear abuse of prerogative. (Dec 2007)
. Public submits policy ideas on Obama's "My Policy" website. (Oct 2007)
. Create "Google for Government" to track government spending. (Aug 2007)
. Prayer can't prevent disasters; good policy can handle them. (Aug 2007)
. Registered 150,000 new minority voters in Chicago in 1992. (Jul 2007)
. Half of us don't vote; time for taking it back. (Jun 2007)
. Bush administration has done "great damage" to U.S. (Mar 2007)
. Sponsored bill to disclose earmarks on Internet. (Oct 2006)
. Filibuster has long tradition, but used to harm civil rights. (Oct 2006)
. Electing US Senators empowers people: keep 17th Amendment. (Oct 2004)
. People are really ready for a message for change. (Jul 2004)
. Campaign race baiting works in both directions. (Aug 1996)
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Campaign Finance Reform
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. FactCheck: Yes, agreed to public financing, then declined it. (Oct 2008)
. GovWatch: Promised public financing, and then retreated. (Jun 2008)
. AdWatch: I opt out of broken public campaign finance system. (Jun 2008)
. GovWatch: No, McCain & RNC don't get much money from PACs. (Jun 2008)
. Ended corporate jet travel subsidized by lobbyists. (Feb 2008)
. Never took money from federal lobbyists or their companies. (Jan 2008)
. No lobbyist money; no PAC money; fund campaigns instead. (Jan 2008)
. Money is the original sin in politics and I am not sinless. (Nov 2007)
. Reduced cost TV ads for candidates; $85M presidential limit. (Oct 2007)
. Ok to take $5 donations from drug company employees. (Sep 2007)
. Public campaign financing with free television & radio time. (Aug 2007)
. 1998: First law passed, 52-4, stripping legislator perks. (Aug 2007)
. 2004: Used state money for seemingly political mailing. (Aug 2007)
. No "bundled" money from federal-registered lobbyists. (Aug 2007)
. Campaigns last too long & cost too much. (Aug 2007)
. Doesn't take PAC money or federal lobbyists' money. (Jul 2007)
. People know his "bundlers" because he pushed disclosure law. (Jul 2007)
. FactCheck: no lobbyist money; yes from bundlers who lobby. (Jul 2007)
. First bill ever passed was campaign finance reform. (Apr 2007)
. FactCheck: no lobbyist money, yes from lobbyist spouses. (Apr 2007)
. Hopefund PAC pushes government to honor sacred commitments. (Nov 2006)
. Lobbyist influence comes from access, not money. (Oct 2006)
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Voting Record
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. FactCheck: Yes, Obama cast 130 "present" votes in IL Senate. (Jan 2008)
. Voted YES on granting the District of Columbia a seat in Congress. (Sep 2007)
. Voted NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006)
. Voted YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity. (Mar 2006)
. Election reform is #1 priority to prevent disenfranchisement. (Jan 2001)
. Sponsored bill criminalizing deceptive info about elections. (Nov 2005)
. Sponsored resolution rejecting photo ID for voting. (Sep 2005)
. Sponsored bill to post earmarks on the Internet. (Jan 2006)
. Prohibit voter intimidation in federal elections. (Mar 2007)
. Prohibit 'voter caging' which intimidates minority voting. (Nov 2007)
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http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm
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http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom
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- Ralph Nader:
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. Government become unresponsive to citizen groups in 1979. (Feb 2008)
. Civic engagement fights corporate-government fascism. (Oct 2004)
. $13M for "educational" party conventions wastes tax dollars. (Jul 2004)
. The two parties are proxies for corporate government. (Jul 2004)
. Democracy gap: people must claim power, or the greedy will. (Jul 2004)
. Giving information to people overcomes propaganda. (Jul 2004)
. Change requires a critical mass of the involved. (Jul 2004)
. Denying D.C. vote is colonial mentality by congress. (Oct 2002)
. Clean money means clean elections. (Oct 2002)
. Government obstacles to voting make our elections oppressive. (Oct 2002)
. National Youth Convention bypasses electoral fluff and bluff. (Oct 2002)
. Dems & GOP say they want campaign reform, but do nothing. (Oct 2002)
. Lack of election opponents let corrupt pols stay in office. (Oct 2002)
. Non-violent demonstrations are ignored by the press. (Oct 2002)
. Primary architect of Freedom of Information Act. (Sep 2002)
. Supreme Court nominees should have a sense of justice. (Aug 2000)
. Justices need sense of justice & sense of history. (Jul 2000)
. Empower citizens via accurate information from govt. (Feb 2000)
. Reinvent democracy via new tools for citizen empowerment. (Feb 2000)
. Concentrated party power weakens democracy. (Feb 2000)
. Focus on anti-trust enforcement to help small business. (Oct 1996)
. Government delivers more service than people realize. (Dec 1995)
. Give voters more voices and choices. (Feb 2007)
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Campaign Finance Reform
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. No PAC money, no commercial donations; only individuals. (Feb 2008)
. Public funding of campaigns would fight corporate control. (Feb 2008)
. Green Party does not take PAC, soft, or corporate cash. (Oct 2000)
. No private money in public campaigns. (Aug 2000)
. Spending campaign money is not free speech. (Feb 2000)
. Public campaign finance; 12-year term limits. (Feb 2000)
. Public election financing, with free TV & radio time. (Feb 2000)
. 100% publicly funded campaigns, by $100 tax checkoff. (Oct 1996)
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Voting Reform
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. For fair ballot access and fair debate access. (Feb 2008)
. Instant Runoff Voting makes all votes count. (Jan 2008)
. Taking away votes from Democrats gains leverage. (Jul 2004)
. Advocate to allow people to vote "no confidence". (Jul 2004)
. Increase voting by weekend and holiday Election Days. (Sep 2002)
. Allow voting for “None of the Above”. (Feb 2000)
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http://www.ontheissues.org/Ralph_Nader.htm
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http://www.youtube.com/user/votenader08
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- Cynthia McKinney:
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. Called for impeachment of Bush & Cheney. (Feb 2008)
. Long been a supporter of publicly financed elections. (Feb 2008)
. End privately-owned and party-run voting machines. (Jan 2008)
. Do better on gov't contracting for small & minority business. (Dec 2007)
. Proposed proportional or instant runoff voting for Congress. (Nov 2006)
. Voted NO on requiring photo ID for voting in federal elections. (Sep 2006)
. Voted NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees. (Apr 2006)
. Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits about obesity against food providers. (Oct 2005)
. Voted NO on limiting attorney's fees in class action lawsuits. (Feb 2005)
. Voted NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties. (Jul 2001)
. Voted YES on banning soft money and issue ads. (Sep 1999)
. Election reform is #1 priority to prevent disenfranchisement. (Jan 2001)
. Sponsored bill for IRV voting for Electoral College. (Mar 2001)
. Allow same-day voter registration on election day. (Jan 2001)
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http://www.ontheissues.org/Cynthia_McKinney.htm
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http://www.youtube.com/user/RunCynthiaRun
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http://www.politics1.com/
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ProCon.org
http://2008election.procon.org/