WHERE HE STANDS AND WHAT HE BELIEVES
BARACK OBAMA ON ABORTION
Barack Obama is undecided on whether life begins at conception and he would expand access to contraception. He is rated 100% by National Abortion Rights Action League on pro-choice votes in 2005, 2006 & 2007, and rated 0% by the National Right to Life.
He believes the Constitution is a living document and is opposed to strict constructionism, he thinks moral arguments from pro-lifers are counterproductive. He supports Roe v. Wade and will protect a “woman’s right to choose.”
Voted NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP. (Mar 2008)
Voted NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion. (Mar 2008)
Voted against banning partial birth abortion. (Oct 2007)
Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
Sponsored bill providing contraceptives for low-income women. (May 2006)
BARACK OBAMA ON THE BUDGET AND ECONOMY
Barack Obama plans on saving the government $150 billion by eliminating tax cuts for people who don’t need them. He rejects a free market vision of government, and believes that Bush’s economic policies are not working.
Voted NO on $40B in reduced federal overall spending. (Dec 2005)
BARACK OBAMA ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Barack Obama supports affirmative action in colleges and government and would re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment. He is rated 100% by the NAACP.
BARACK OBAMA ON GAY RIGHTS
Barack Obama believes that being gay or lesbian is not a choice, and that decisions about marriage should be left to the states. He sees homosexuality as no more immoral than heterosexuality, and is OK with exposing 6-year-olds to gay couples. He views the gay rights movement somewhat like the civil rights movement. He supports health benefits for gay civil partners. He opposes gay marriage but supports civil union and gay equality. He would include sexual orientation in anti-discrimination laws. He is rated 89% by the HRC which indicates a pro-gay-rights stance.
Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)
BARACK OBAMA ON CRIME
Barack Obama would ban racial profiling and eliminate disparities in sentencing. He would create a civil rights division to enforce laws fairly and justly. He has legislated to protect detainees during interrogation, and pushed an Illinois bill to videotape all capital interrogations. He does not believe there should be any extra penalty for gang association, and thinks that the death penalty would discriminate against gang members. He has also battled against the death penalty in general.
In 1999, while in the Illinois State Legislature, Obama was the only vote AGAINST SB 485, a bill that would prohibit certain persons convicted of criminal sexual abuse from receiving credit for time served in the county jail.
In 2002, Obama voted “NO” on HB 1812, a bill designed to toughen penalties for crimes committed in furtherance of gang activities.
BARACK OBAMA ON DRUGS
Barack Obama would consider a needle exchange program. He is not the first candidate to use drugs (cocaine and marijuana), but is probably the first to be honest about it. He does smoke cigarettes, would deal with street-level drug dealing as a minimum-wage affair, and understands why youngsters want to use drugs.
BARACK OBAMA ON EDUCATION
Barack Obama sees the teaching of evolution as compatible with the Christian faith, would give $4,000 in college tuition for 100 hours of public service a year, and would put billions of dollars into early childhood education. He would pay “master teachers” extra, but only with the buy-in from teachers. He wants to create incentives to hire a million teachers over the next decade, believes that sex education is needed to help children discuss molestation, would provide free public college for any student with B-average and sends his kids to private school. Lastly he voted to shift $11 billion from corporate deductions to education.
BARACK OBAMA ON ENERGY & OIL
Barack Obama would raise fuel efficiency standards to 40 mpg to reduce long-term demand, and push to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. He believes in aggressively addressing accelerating climate change, and supports cap-and-trade on carbon emissions. He does not believe we can drill our way out of our “addiction” to oil. He wants 20% of our nation’s power supply from renewable sources by 2020.
Passed tax credit for installing E85 ethanol at gas stations. (Feb 2008)
Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning. (May 2007)
Voted YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska’s ANWR. (Nov 2005)
Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Mar 2005)
Sponsored bill for tax credit for providing 85% ethanol gas. (Apr 2005)
BARACK OBAMA ON FAMILIES & CHILDREN
Barack Obama would teach both abstinence and contraception to teens, ensure that all children learn about sexual abuse and expand flex-work and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
BARACK OBAMA ON FOREIGN POLICY
Barack Obama would meet with Cuban leaders if it is in the US’ interests, and would loosen restrictions on Cuba now and move to normalization later. He is also willing to meet with Kim Jun Il, Hugo Chavez and have open dialogue with both Syria and Iran,
and believes it is a disgrace that we have not. He thinks it is important to undo the damage of the last seven years, and believes Bush engineered our biggest foreign policy disaster. He supports Israel’s right to self-defense but is distrusted by Israelis. At college he protested for divestment from South Africa.
BARACK OBAMA ON FREE TRADE
Barack Obama believes in strong labor, safety, and environmental standards on trade, and would enforce environmental and labor provisions in trade agreements. He believes NAFTA needs to be amended.
Voted YES on free trade agreement with Oman. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade. (Jul 2005)
BARACK OBAMA ON GOVERNMENT REFORM
Barack Obama does not believe that prayer can prevent disasters, but supports good policy in handling them. In 2004 he used state money for a seemingly political mailing.
Campaign Finance Reform – Barack Obama believes that money is the original sin in politics and admits that he is not sinless. He supports reduced cost of TV ads for candidates, and even has supported public financing for campaigns with free television and radio time. He is OK with taking $5 donations from drug company employees, opposes taking money from lobbyists but takes them from bundlers who lobby and from lobbyist spouses.
Sponsored resolution rejecting photo ID for voting. (Sep 2005)
BARACK OBAMA ON GUNS
After the Supreme Court decision he supports the right to bear arms in Washington DC, but previously supported their gun ban. He endorsed Illinois’ handgun ban. He says he respects the 2nd Amendment, but supports local gun bans. In 2000 he co-sponsored a bill to limit purchases to one gun a month. He believes Bush erred in failing to renew the assault weapons ban, and would ban semi-automatics.
Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
BARACK OBAMA ON HEALTH CARE
Barack Obama supports end-of-life self-medication, but opposes euthanasia. He believes he can take on insurance companies to drive down health care costs.
AIDS – Barack Obama supports condom distribution to deal with AIDS, believes that homophobia prevents people from talking about HIV/AIDS, and would increase funding for AIDS treatment and prevention.
Universal Coverage – Barack Obama would turn no one away with illness or a pre-existing condition. His definition of Universal Health Care is anyone who wants it can get it. He supports mandating that kids have insurance, but not for adults. Obama supported single-payer, but has denied it. He says we need political will to accomplish universal coverage, and does not believe that the market alone can solve our problems. He believes that health care is a right, not a privilege.
BARACK OBAMA ON HOMELAND SECURITY
Barack Obama would pursue a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. He believes that Al Qaeda is stronger now than in 2001 because Iraq distracted us. He opposes presidential power for secret surveillance, would not hold US citizens as unlawful enemy combatants and would extend habeas corpus for Muslims abroad and for detainees. He sees no exceptions or loopholes in sanctioning torture, and would close Guantanamo. He does not equate going after Al Qaeda in Pakistan as a Bush-style invasion.
National Service - Barack Obama would expand the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps to 266,000 and register women for the draft (albeit in non-combat roles).
Voted NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)
Voted YES on limiting soldiers’ deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007)
Voted YES on creating habeas corpus rights for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)
Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act’s wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)
BARACK OBAMA ON IMMIGRATION
Barack Obama believes that deporting 12 million people is ridiculous and impractical, he thinks that immigration raids are ineffective, and supports the DREAM Act for the children of illegal immigrants. He does not believe we have allocated enough for the health care of illegal immigrants. He does not think that illegals should be able to work, but that they should have a path to citizenship. He would not deputize Americans to turn in illegal immigrants. He supports government services provided in Spanish and granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. He would extend welfare and Medicaid to immigrants and provide funding for social services for noncitizens.
Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared “sanctuary cities”. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)
Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)
Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)
Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)
BARACK OBAMA ON JOBS
Barack Obama supports the workers’ right to organize and strike and would give public safety officers collective bargaining rights. He was a chief co-sponsor of IL ENDA, against gay job discrimination and wants to make the minimum wage a living wage. He sponsored a bill allowing an Air Traffic Controller’s Union.
Voted NO on terminating legal challenges to English-only job rules. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Feb 2007)
BARACK OBAMA ON PRINCIPLES & VALUES
Barack Obama is ranked the most liberal in the US Senate based on 99 votes and believes that the Clinton years were undeniably better than the Bush years. He says he reveres the American flag and that he does not refuse to wear flag pins, even though he did refuse to wear one.
Racism & Race – Rev. Wright and flag pins re distractions from real issues. (Apr 2008)
Religion – Barack Obama said that in hard times, people take refuge in traditions, God and guns. Rev. Jeremiah Wright from Trinity United Church of Christ helped bring him to Christianity. TUCC teaches “Black Liberation Theology.’ His exposure to Islam taught him that Muslims can partner with us. He was raised secular, except when he was enrolled in Muslim and Catholic schools and claims a working knowledge of world religion. He says he is a big believer in the separation of church and state. He thinks a big mistake was intervention in the Terri Schiavo case.
Voted NO on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice. (Jan 2006)
Voted NO on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (Sep 2005)
Rated 100% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation. (Dec 2006)
BARACK OBAMA ON SOCIAL SECURITY
Barack Obama would raise the $97K cap on payroll tax exempting earnings to $250K. (which amounts to a $1.3 trillion dollar tax increase.) He would stop any efforts to privatize Social Security, and believes that the wealthy should pay a bit more on the payroll tax.
BARACK OBAMA ON TAXES
Barack Obama would raise the capital gains tax for “fairness,” not for revenue, even if it resulted in less government revenue. He is not bashful about it, the wealthy will pay more taxes if he is elected. He would restore a progressive tax and close loopholes. He would reduce the Bush tax cuts to pay for health care and other programs, and believes that they helped corporations but not the middle class. He believes that the last thing we need now is a permanent tax cut.
Voted YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million. (Mar 2008)
Voted NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset. (Mar 2008)
Voted NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M. (Feb 2008)
Voted NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts. (Aug 2006)
Voted NO on permanently repealing the `death tax`. (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut. (Feb 2006)
Voted NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Feb 2006)
Voted NO on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends. (Nov 2005)
Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation. (Dec 2006)
BARACK OBAMA ON WAR AND PEACE
Barack Obama believes that the Iraq War has made the US less safe from terrorism, undermined our security, distracted us from a host of global threats, that we live in a more dangerous world because of Bush’s actions, that invading Iraq was a strategic blunder, and that Saddam had no connections to Al Qaeda, 9/11 or WMD. He believes that the Iraq war was conceptually flawed from the start, that the surge is not working toward enduring peace (because it has ignored political issues), and wants to get our troops out by the end of 2009. He would have voted no to authorize the President to go to war.
Trouble Spots – Barack Obama would strike Al Qaeda in northwest Pakistan if we had actionable intelligence, and would meet directly with the leadership of Iran. He believes that we are playing to Osama’s plan for winning a war from a cave, and that Al Qaeda is stronger than before thanks to the Bush doctrine. (Jan 2006)
BARACK OBAMA ON WELFARE AND POVERTY
Barack Obama would attempt to cut poverty in half in 10 years domestically, with faith-based help, and sponsored a bill that would impose over $800 billion dollars in taxes on the American people to combat global poverty.
