Political Bio of the Week

Ron Paul, Presidential Candidate for 2008. Here's a guy that has come out of nowhere basically and won some support. I've been following this guy since 2000, and he doesn't show up too much in any media or any congressional articles. Since the debates, he's gain a lot more attention and is the most supported Presidential Candidate on the Internet even though I've heard a lot of people call his ideas and stances non-sense and ludacrious. I will say this though, you can tell where he stands on issues. There is a lot of info on what he thinks.



Favors:

Banning partial birth abortions
Ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions
Banning gay adoptions
Constitutional amendment for school prayer
Protecting the pledge of allegiance
Abolishing the federal Medicare entitlement, leave it to the states
Establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts
Allowing reimportation of prescription drugs
Reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits
Raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable
Vouchers for private & parochial schools
Abolish the federal Department of Education
Funding for alternative sentencing vs. more prisons
Phaseout of the death tax
Ending capital gains & inheritance tax
Eliminating the "Marriage Penalty"
Tax cuts for small businesses
Making the Bush tax cuts permanent
More immigrant visas for skilled workers
Extending Immigrant Residency rules
Reporting Illegal Aliens who receive hospital treatment
Ending economic protectionism: letting the dairy compacts expire
Withdrawing from the World Trade Organization
Continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight
Ending draft registration, all volunteers
Providing missile defense
Banning foreign aid to oil-producers who restrict production
Repealing the gas tax
New oil refineries
Legalizing industrial hemp
Legalize medical marijuana
Abolishing federal welfare; leave it to the states


Opposes

No federal funding on abortion
Human embryonic stem cell research
$84M in grants for black and Hispanic colleges
Constitutional ban on same-sex marriages
School prayer during War on Terror
Constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration
Strengthening the social security lockbox
Allowing vouchers in DC schools
Death penalty
More prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crimes
Decreasing the gun waiting period from 3 days to 1
Prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse
Restrictions on import/export; but maintain sovereignty
'Fast track' authority for trade agreements
Permanent, normal trade relations with China
Free trade agreements
Using war on terror to curtain civil liberties
Patriot Act and War in Iraq
Making the Patriot Act permanent
Military agressiveness weakens our national defense
$266B Defense appropriations bill
Emergency $78B for War in Iraq and Afghanistan
Banning soft money and issue ads
Campaign finance reform banning soft money contributions
Restricting independant grassroots political committees
Iraq War and path toward Iran War
Foreign aid is usually more harmful than helpful
$15.2B for foreign operations
$156M to IMF for 3rd world debt reduction
Reforming the UN by restricting US funding
Declaring Iraq War part of War on Terror with no exit date
Kyoto Protocol
Raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels
Prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR
Subjecting federal employees to random drug tests
Military border patrols to battle drugs and terrorism
Responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations
Treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks

Political Bio of the Week

The Presidential Race has been interesting lately. Recently we had both the Democratic debate as well as the Republican debate. I can honestly say I have not heard, nor read the transcripts as of yet. What I've heard is less than interesting from callers on CSPAN. Most have commented that there was no true views given by the candidates and there were too many candidates to actually hold a debate. So I thought I would take this time to bring in two of the very much unknown candidates that turned some heads with good ideas, but just don't have the money or resources to get their name out there. Next week : Ron Paul, Republican Presidential Candidate

GRAVEL, Maurice Robert (Mike), a Senator from Alaska; born in Springfield, Hampden County, Mass., May 13, 1930; attended private schools; graduated, Columbia University 1956; member of the United States Army, Counter Intelligence Corps 1951-1954; member, Alaska house of representatives 1962-1966, elected speaker in 1965; author; engaged in real estate development in Anchorage and Kenai; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1968; reelected in 1974, and served from January 3, 1969, to January 2, 1981; unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1980; is a resident of Arlington, Va.

There is not a whole lot of info on Mike Gravel from ontheissues.org, but I used what I could...

Favors

Universal Healthcare

Privatizing Social Security

School Voucher Program

National Sales Tax to replace IRS and Income Tax

Cutting the 10,000 Nuclear Weapons to a couple hundred

Pulling out of Iraq immediately

Kyoto Protocol

Passing immediate legislation to curb America's carbon footprint

Gun Ownership, but with registration and training

Democratic government where people vote for laws

Illegal Immigration because of bad NAFTA laws, would change trade agreement

Same-sex marriage

Increasing hate crime legislation

Prison/Drug reform

Opposes

War in Iraq

Income Tax and IRS

Republican form of government where the electoral college and representatives vote on laws

Political Bio of the Week

This week covers "America's Mayor" Rudy Giuliani. Currently #2 on the Republican Presidential ticket behind former Bio of the Week, John McCain.

Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani III

Lawyer, politician. Born Rudolph William Louis Giuliani III on May 28, 1944, in New York City. Educated at Manhattan College, Purchase, NY, he received his law degree from New York University. After service in a variety of prosecutorial positions in the Department of Justice (1975–7, 1981–3), he became US attorney for the Southern District of New York (1983–9).

After failing in his first bid as the Republican candidate for mayor of New York City (1989), he went into private practice, then succeeded in 1993, being re-elected in 1997. His administration was praised for restoring law and order to New York, and making the city a more attractive place to live. However, minorities complained that the police under Giuliani on occasion abused the rights of suspects in several well-publicized beatings and shootings.

Limited to two terms as mayor, he decided to run for the US senate in 2000, but withdrew on health grounds. His popularity soared in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on New York on 11 Sep 2001, and his adept handling of the situation in the city led to calls for his term of office as mayor to be extended, but he stood down. He was awarded an honorary knighthood by the UK in 2002.

After leaving the mayor's office, Giuliani founded a security consulting business. Though it has been rumored that he’ll run for state or national office, Giuliani has stated he has no intention of running.

Favors:
Pro Choice, no ban on partial birth abortions

Gay Rights protected under civil rights

Affirmative Action

Parents choose schools via vouchers
Privatizing failing schools
Death Penalty
Three strikes sentencing

Tax cuts
Illegal immigrants earn citizenship

Patriot Act

More spending on the military

Drug Policy being integral part of foreign policy

Welfare offices as job centers

Allow churches to provide welfare services

Opposes:

Prayer in schools
Absolute right to gun ownership

Gun owners should pass written test

Withdrawal from Iraq
OPEC's oil production cuts
Ban on gay marriage

Political Bio of the Week

This week focuses on the former 2004 Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards who again is attempting to gain the Democratic Presidential Nomination.

EDWARDS, John, a Senator from North Carolina; born in Seneca, South Carolina on June 10, 1953; attended public schools in Robbins, North Carolina; B.A. North Carolina State University 1974; J.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 1977; textile mill worker; attorney and partner with Edwards & Kirby, Raleigh, N.C.; elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1998 and served from January 3, 1999, to January 3, 2005; was not a candidate for reelection to the Senate, but was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in 2004; was an unsuccessful candidate for Vice President on the Democratic ticket with John F. Kerry in 2004.

Favors:

Abortion

Women's Right to Choose

Affirmative Action

Increased subsidies on women-owned non-profit business

More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes

Expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation

School prayer for memorial services

Providing health insurance for every child and vulnerable adult in America

Prescription drug coverage under medicare

Funding for small class sizes instead of tudors

Funding for student testing instead of tudors

Death Penalty

Right to bear arms

Background checks at gun shows

Tax cuts to help the middle class

Shift tax burden from taxing work to taxing wealth

Revising capital gains tax

Roll back Bush tax cuts and address real priorities

Hardworking immigrants can gain American citizenship

Permanent normal trade relations with China

Free trade relations w/ the Andean nations

Military pay raise of 4.8%

Deploying National Missle Defense ASAP

Banning campaign donations from unions & corporations

Banning soft money contributions and restricting issue ads

Re-orienting aid to open societies, giving more to non-governmental bodies and cutting assistance uninterested in democracy and upholding human rights

Working w/ other nations in war on terror

Enlarging NATO to include Eastern Europe

Replace coal & oil with alternative fuels

Increase the Earned Income Tax Credit

Opposes:

Privatizing social security

School voucher program

Mandatory minimums for non-violent crimes

More penalties on gun and drug violations

Phasing out the estate tax ("death tax")

Eliminating the marriage penalty

$350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years

NAFTA, Chile trade and Singapore trade

Fast-track - not enough for US workers

Expanding trade to the third world

Capping foreign aid at only $12.7 billion

Preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling

Increasing penalties for drug offenses

Political Bio of the Week

This week is devoted to a lead Republican Presidential candidate, John McCain.

McCAIN, John Sidney, III, a Representative and a Senator from Arizona; born in Panama Canal Zone, August 29, 1936; attended schools in Alexandria, Va.; graduated, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. 1958, and the National War College, Washington, D.C. 1973; pilot, United States Navy 1958-1981, prisoner of war in Vietnam 1967-1973; received numerous awards, including the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and Distinguished Flying Cross; elected as a Republican in 1982 to the Ninety-eighth Congress; reelected to the Ninety-ninth Congress in 1984 and served from January 3, 1983, to January 3, 1987; elected to the United States Senate in 1986; reelected in 1992, 1998 and in 2004 for the term ending January 3, 2011; chair, Committee on Indian Affairs (One Hundred Fourth Congress; One Hundred Ninth Congress), Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (One Hundred Fourth through One Hundred Sixth Congresses, One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001], One Hundred Eighth Congress); unsuccessful candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000.

Favors:

Banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds

Special funding for minority and women-owned businesses

Leaving gay marriage to the states

Prohibiting same sex marriage

Ten Commandments in schools

School prayer

Abstinence education

Recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration

Health insurance for children

More tax-deductible health costs; limits on malpractice

Tax credits for those without employee health insurance

Limiting self-employment health deduction

Negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drugs

Privitize Social Security

Option to invest 20% of payroll taxes in private accounts

Roth IRA's for retirees

Using the Social Security surplus to fund tax reductions

Parents chose schools via vouchers

Education savings accounts

Death Penalty

More prisons and increased penalties

Mandatory prison terms for crimes involving firearms

Absolute right to gun ownership

Repealing existing gun restrictions; penalize criminal use

Banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence

Removing charitable deduction since it only benefits the rich

Middle-class tax cut, expand 15% bracket

Flatter, lower and simpler taxes

Requiring super-majority to raise taxes

Eliminating the marriage penalty

Extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends

More help for legal immigrants when immigrating and once here

English immersion over bilingual education

Limiting welfare for immigrants

Allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security

Guest Worker program

Expanding free trade with anyone

Renewing fast track presidential trade authority

Patriot Act and wiretap provision

Raise military pay to avoid military draft

Closing unneeded military bases

Deploying National Missle Defense ASAP

Requiring on budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding

Multiple restrictions on campaign finance reform

Sending in heavy wave of troops to Iraq to establish order

Strengthen Clean Air and Water Act; but not Kyoto

Targeting 100,000 hydrogen cars by 2010

Opposes:

Partial Birth Abortions

Military Base Abortions

Abortions, except rape and incest

Prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation

Adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes

Including prescription drugs under Medicare

Federal Government size & scope, including military

Replacing US troops w/ UN troops

Limiting NATO expansion to only Poland, Hungry and Czech

Allowing all necessary force in Kosovo

Reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%)

Political Bio of the Week

After a couple week hiatis, we're back in the swing of things w/ the presidential candidates. This week is none other then the former first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

CLINTON, Hillary Rodham, (wife of President William Jefferson Clinton), a Senator from New York; born on October 26, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois; attended public school in Park Ridge, Illinois; graduated Wellesley College, BA 1969; graduated Yale Law School, JD 1973; attorney; counsel, impeachment inquiry staff, House Judiciary Committee 1974; First Lady of Arkansas 1979-1981, 1983-1993; First Lady of the United States 1993-2001; elected to the United States Senate for term commencing January 3, 2001; reelected in 2006 for the term ending January 3, 2013.

Favors:

Women's right to chose

Reduction in teen pregnancy by education and contraceptives

Require companies to hire more women and minorities

Sexual orientation protected by civil rights

Gays deserve domestic partnership benefits

Stricter sentencing of hate crimes

Universal Healthcare

Three strikes sentencing and more prisons

After school activities to prevent gangs

Extending tax cuts on capital gains and dividends

Illegal immigrants earn citizenship

Allowing illegal immigrants to participate in social security

Free trade w/ Singapore, Vietnam, Chile, and Oman

Stricter limits on political campaign funds

License and register all handgun sales

Replace US troops with UN troops

Extend peace treaties w/ Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese

Enlarge NATO to include Eastern Europe

Replace coal and oil w/ alternatives

Targeting 100,000 hydrogen vehicles by 2010

Banning oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Allow churches to provide welfare services

Opposes:

Constitutional ban on flag desecration

Limiting liability lawsuits to $250,000

Privatized social security

Parents choose schools via vouchers

Death Penalty

Absolute right to gun ownership

Prohibiting or banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers

Decrease overall taxation of the wealthy

More spending on the armed forces

More laws to prohibit drugs and drug use

Political Bio of the Week

Last week we covered Barack Obama who announced his US Presidential candidacy over the weekend.

The week, we feature a Republican US Presidential candidate, Duncan Hunter.

HUNTER, Duncan Lee, a Representative from California; born in Riverside, Riverside County, Calif., May 31, 1948; graduated from Rubidoux High School, Riverside, Calif., 1966; B.S., Western State University, San Diego, Calif., 1968; J.D., Western State University, San Diego, Calif., 1976; United States Army Airborne, 1969-1971; lawyer, private practice; elected as a Republican to the Ninety-seventh and to the thirteen succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1981-present); chair, Committee on Armed Services (One Hundred Eighth and One Hundred Ninth Congress).

Here is the best site I have found for comparing candidates with your own political philosophy. I will be referencing this site for every candidate that we go through.

This is a list of Hunter's stance on certain big name topics:

For

Military Border Patrols
Voucher Programs for School
Voluntary Prayer in Schools
Building new oil refineries
Reduction of the Marriage Tax
Death Penalty
Mandatory 3 strikes laws
Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition; a pro-family voting record
Free trade w/ Australia (Voted no for all other free trade agreements)
Expanding and supporting free trade
Withdrawl from the WTO
Restricting US funds to the UN for reform
Gov't is too big, too intrusive and too easy with money
Limiting frivolous lawsuits
Guns, gun sellers and gun manufacturers (can not sue the sellers and manufacturers)
Limiting medical malpractice suits
Reimportation of prescription medication
Pro-Military voting record
Permit commercial airline pilots to carry guns
Requiring the reporting of illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment
100% voting record by FAIR; indicating a voting record restricting immigration
Farming subsidies
End off shore tax havens and promote small business
Raise 401k amounts and make pension plans more portable
Privatized Social Security
Eliminate the marriage penalty
Eliminating the Estate Tax (Death Tax)
Permanent Tax Cuts
Allowing Telephone Monopolies to offer Internet access
War on Terrorism
Faith Based Organizations

Opposes

Abortion as a women's right
Human Cloning
Gay Adoptions
Medical Marajuana in DC
Kyoto Protocal
Funds to the IMF for 3rd world debt reduction
Normal trade relations with China
Physician added suicide
Immigration visas for skilled workers
Strengthening Social Security Lockbox
Internet Gambling w/ credit cards
Email Spamming
Limiting political campaign funds
Replacing coal and oil w/ alternative fuels

Political Bio of the Week

This weeks bio will cover the mostly loved, but yet unknown Barack Obama. It's been about two weeks since I started to look into him. After two weeks I am convinced of two things...the first is that there is very little information out there about him and his true stances on topics. The second is that he really is loved, but unknown.

OBAMA, Barack, a Senator from Illinois; born in Honolulu, Hawaii, August 4, 1961; obtained early education in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Hawaii; continued education at Occidental College, Los Angeles, Calif., and Columbia University, New York City; studied law at Harvard University, where he became the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review, and received J.D. in 1992; lecturer on constitutional law, University of Chicago; member, Illinois State senate 1997-2004; elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2004 for term beginning January 3, 2005.

Here is the best site I have found for comparing candidates with your own political philosophy. I will be referencing this site for every candidate that we go through, which also fits in with the political spectrum we had on the site a few weeks ago.

This is a list of Obama's stance on certain big name topics:

For

Choice on Abortion
Affirmative Action (Wants to require companies to hire more minorities and woman)
More Funding for Education
Environment - (Alternative Fuel Sources)
Healthcare is a right, not a priviledge for the few
Fight against AIDS
Prescription Drug Importation
Civil Liberties
Immigration and amnesty of illegal aliens
Raising of Minimum Wage
Union and Worker Rights


Opposes

Tax Cuts (Corporations and the Rich)
Gay Marriage (Pro same sex unions and gay equality)
Death Penalty
Oil Drilling in the United States (Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico)
Guns - (Ban Semi-automatics and increase possession restrictions)
Wiretap provision of the Patriot Act (Supported the rest of the Act)
Iraq War (and Bush's increase in troop levels)
UN troops taking over for US troops in Iraq
Free Trade agreements (Unless they directly help the US)