Saturday, November 04, 2006

Webb-Allen on the Issues

Here is a breakdown of how Jim Webb and George Allen fall on the seminal issues facing voters next Tuesday.

IRAQ WAR

Allen has strongly advocated on behalf of Bush's elective war in Iraq that has cost American taxpayers $339 billion and counting, not to mention the lives of at least 2829 American soldiers. His recent backpedalling calling for "strategy adjustments" is Allen's contribution to this Middle East unholy mess.

Webb, an early opponent of invading Iraq who wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post warning to not pre-emptively attack Iraq, now calls for engaging Iraq's neighbors to come up with a diplomatic solution so U.S. troops can withdraw.

TAXES

Allen, who has supported Pres. George Bush 98 percent of the time, of course favors lavishing tax cuts to the uber-rich. Bush's tax cuts "are set to expire in several years."

Webb, on the other hands, supports tax fairness and only extending the tax cuts that favor the middle-class.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Allen supports a meaningless border fence, "along with beefed up border enforcement, and opposes amnesty for illegal aliens." Not a peep about holding employers accountable, of course.

Webb believes the government should have a strong security force on the border and does not support guest worker programs. Just another way to create a whole group of second-class citizens.

ENERGY

Allen's talking point is that he "favors a combination of conservation, technological innovation and expanded access to domestic petroleum, including exploration in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge and offshore, to reduce dependence on foreign oil." And of course, he fully supported the huge tax giveaway to oil companies in the Bush energy legislation of 2005.

Webb wants the government to go after the oil companies that price-gouge hapless consumers and then use the added revenue for "renewable energy resources such as ethanol." He absolutely opposes any drilling in ANWR but is open to offshore drilling as long as it is "accompanied by conservation measures such as improving automobile fuel efficiency."

WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE

Allen has flip-flopped on this issue numerous times, beginning with his very first Congressional vote against Bush I's attempt to pass a "gag rule" in 1991. He supports restrictions on abortion, "including the state's parental notification law" he signed into as governor. In his latest muffled position, Allen refused to simply answer whether abortions should be outlawed. Instead, Allen demurs by spouting some nonsensical blather about abortions for minors, yaddy, yaddy, yah.

Webb supports a woman's right to choose.

GAY MARRIAGE

Allen and his merry band of gay GOPers support amending state and federal constitutions to block same-sex marriage as well as any legal rights under same-sex civil union.

Webb opposes any constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and supports civil unions.

STEM CELL RESEARCH

Allen only supports "adult stem-cell research" and opposes any research that "would destroy a human embryo," even if the embryo is going to be discarded.

Webb is a strong supporter of science and stem-cell research.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL FAIRNESS

Webb believes that through fair trade policies, the federal government can play an active role in seeing that the "internalization of the economy" doesn't leave the middle class squeezed out of economic opportunities and "creat[e] a permanent underclass."

Allen - Mum on the subject

EDUCATION

Webb supports No Child Left Behind but decries the lack of funding to help states implement the federal mandate.

Allen touts the educational accountability standards he introduced in Virginia while governor, although as a senator he has failed to provide federal resources for No Child Left Behind."

HEALTH CARE

Webb supports medical access to all Americans and wants to reform Bush's giveaway to the pharmaceutical industry by allowing Medicare to negotiate discounts in the cost of prescription.

Allen - Voted for the disastrous Medical Prescription Bill signed by Pres. George Bush.

Comments:
Very "objective" rendering of the positions by each candidate... NOT!
 
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