Liberal Life

Just read this - saves me the job of writing it! Johann Hari on Sharia Law.

The Real McCain

Seems like John McCain has wrapped up the Republican nomination and I am starting to feel very uncomfortable with the number of people telling me that he's "better than Romney, Huckerbee* or Guiliani". That's like being the world's most sophisticated Telly-Tubby - there isn't a prize!! McCain, let us not forget, wants to take America to war with Iran, Pakistan and very probably any number of other countries. Brave News Films have some coverage. Here are a few reasons to be very afraid of him:

Foreign Policy:

• "Naive to exclude nukes; naive to exclude attacking Pakistan." (Aug 2007)

Abortion:

• Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007)
• Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
• Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
• Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
• Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
• Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
• Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
• Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
• Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)

Civil rights:

• Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
• Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)
• Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)
• Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
• Voted YES on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds. (Jul 1995)

Death Penalty

• More death penalty; stricter sentencing. (Jan 2000)
• Pro-death penalty; more prisons; increased penalties. (Jul 1998)
• Voted YES on limiting death penalty appeals. (Apr 1996)
• Voted YES on mandatory prison terms for crimes involving firearms. (May 1994)
• Voted YES on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals. (May 1994)

Education:

• Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers". (Oct 2005)
• Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005)
• Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)
• Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
• Voted YES on declaring memorial prayers and religious symbols OK at schools. (May 1999)
• Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996)
• Voted YES on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer. (Jul 1994)

For a fuller version see On The Issues here. Also Johann Hari has a great piece about him.

*When I try to write Huckerbee on my computer my spell-checker tries to "correct" it to Bloodsucker.