MonsterMark
Dedicated LVC Member
Obama’s Voting Record Belies Moderate
Image
In his televised response to President Bush’s Iraq
speech, Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) told Larry
King he would be making his decision on a run for
the White House “fairly soon.”
Obama’s decision today to seek the Democratic
nomination will shine a spotlight on votes he made
during his six years in the Illinois Senate—before
coming to Washington, D.C., as a U.S. senator.
Explaining these votes could be uncomfortable for
Obama, who has never been made to answer for his
controversial decisions there.
In his race for the U.S. Senate, not a single negative
ad was run against him either during the sevenway
Democratic primary or in the general election,
in good part because Republican Jack Ryan unexpectedly
dropped out of the race after a court
unsealed embarrassing divorce documents that were
highly publicized by the media. As a result, Obama
faced weak Republican candidate Alan Keyes, who
quickly came under attack from the media and was
unable to act offensively in the campaign.
Now, basically untouched in these past political
campaigns, Obama will likely flaunt his media-created
image as a moderate Democrat capable of
embracing both conservative and liberal ideals. But,
as HUMAN EVENTS has shown in other articles,
no matter what lip service Obama gives to conservative
principles, at the end of the day he reliably
comes down on the liberal side.
Below are some votes Obama made as a state legislator
that pierce his moderate façade.
ABORTION
NO SB 230 (1997)
To prohibit partial-birth abortion unless necessary to save
the life of a mother and makes performance of the procedure a Class 4 felony for the physician.
NO HB 709 (2000)
To prohibit state funding of abortion and induced miscarriages except when necessary to save the life of the mother. Excludes premature births from funding except to produce a viable child when necessary to save the life of a
mother. Would permit funding in cases of rape or incest
when payment is authorized under federal law.
NO SB 1661 (2002)
A part of the Born Alive Infant Protection Package. Would
create a cause of action if a child is born alive after an abortion and the child is then neglected through failure to provide medial care after birth.
CRIME
NO SB 381 (1997)
To require prisoners to pay court costs for frivolous lawsuits
against the state.
NO SB 485 (1999)
To give no offer of “good time” for sex offenders sentenced
to the County Jail. *Obama was the only vote against this measure
UNIONS
YES HB 3396 (2003)
To make unionization easier by not requiring a secret ballot
to organize if 50% of the eligible workers publicly sign a
card of support for unionization.
YES SB 230 (2003)
Entitles a teacher who is elected as an officer of the state or national teacher’s union to be granted a leave of absence for up to six years, or the period of time the teacher is serving.
YES SB 1070 (2003)
Allows college graduate assistants who teach college
courses be eligible to join a union.
CHILD PROTECTION
PRESENT SB 609 (2001)
To restrict the location of buildings with “adult” uses
(meaning pornographic video stores, strip clubs, etc.) within 1,000 feet of any public or private elementary or secondary school, public park, place or worship, preschool, daycare facility, mobile park or residential area.
NO HB 1812 (1999)
To require school boards to install software on public computers accessible to minors to block sexually explicit material.
TAXES
NO SB 1075 (1999)
To create an income tax credit for all full-time K-12 pupils in an amount equal to 25% of qualified education expenses up to a maximum of $500 per family.
YES SB 1725 (2003)
To restore the Illinois Estate Tax.
YES SB 1733 (2003)
To impose a Gas Use Tax on the purchase of natural gas
from outside the state of Illinois for use or consumption in
Illinois. Forces the delivering supplier to pay 2.4 cents per
therm of gas, or the customer can elect to become a “selfassessing” purchaser and pay 5% of the purchase price or 2.4 cents per therm.
ELECTIONS
YES SB 1415 (2003)
To create public funding for supreme court races.
GAY RIGHTS
NOT VOTING HB 581 (2003)
Allows domestic partners to be allowed to assume the
rights of a spouse or survivor with regards to pension benefits under the Chicago Teacher’s pension system.
NO SB 228 (1997)
Changes the “Illinois Equal Opportunity Act of 1997” to stipulate, notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any unit of government or school district that gives benefits to same sex couples under any criteria must give equal benefits to heterosexual couples.
DRUGS
YES SB 880 (2003)
To allow the purchase of 10 hypodermic needles from a
pharmacy without a prescription.
PRESENT HB 2000 (4659)
To establish a zero-tolerance drug-testing policy for
Department of Corrections Employees
BUSINESS
NO SB 777 (1999)
To end the unemployment insurance fund building tax.
NO SB 879 (1999)
To end the minimum contribution tax rate for the unemployment system.
NO SB 795 (2001)
To reduce employers’ minimum contribution insurance rate.
YES SB 796 (2003)
To increase the Illinois minimum wage from $5.15 per hour
to $6.50 per hour.
Miss Carpenter is former Assistant Editor for HUMAN EVENTS. She is the author of The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy’s Dossier on Hillary Rodham Clinton, published by Regnery.
Image
In his televised response to President Bush’s Iraq
speech, Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) told Larry
King he would be making his decision on a run for
the White House “fairly soon.”
Obama’s decision today to seek the Democratic
nomination will shine a spotlight on votes he made
during his six years in the Illinois Senate—before
coming to Washington, D.C., as a U.S. senator.
Explaining these votes could be uncomfortable for
Obama, who has never been made to answer for his
controversial decisions there.
In his race for the U.S. Senate, not a single negative
ad was run against him either during the sevenway
Democratic primary or in the general election,
in good part because Republican Jack Ryan unexpectedly
dropped out of the race after a court
unsealed embarrassing divorce documents that were
highly publicized by the media. As a result, Obama
faced weak Republican candidate Alan Keyes, who
quickly came under attack from the media and was
unable to act offensively in the campaign.
Now, basically untouched in these past political
campaigns, Obama will likely flaunt his media-created
image as a moderate Democrat capable of
embracing both conservative and liberal ideals. But,
as HUMAN EVENTS has shown in other articles,
no matter what lip service Obama gives to conservative
principles, at the end of the day he reliably
comes down on the liberal side.
Below are some votes Obama made as a state legislator
that pierce his moderate façade.
ABORTION
NO SB 230 (1997)
To prohibit partial-birth abortion unless necessary to save
the life of a mother and makes performance of the procedure a Class 4 felony for the physician.
NO HB 709 (2000)
To prohibit state funding of abortion and induced miscarriages except when necessary to save the life of the mother. Excludes premature births from funding except to produce a viable child when necessary to save the life of a
mother. Would permit funding in cases of rape or incest
when payment is authorized under federal law.
NO SB 1661 (2002)
A part of the Born Alive Infant Protection Package. Would
create a cause of action if a child is born alive after an abortion and the child is then neglected through failure to provide medial care after birth.
CRIME
NO SB 381 (1997)
To require prisoners to pay court costs for frivolous lawsuits
against the state.
NO SB 485 (1999)
To give no offer of “good time” for sex offenders sentenced
to the County Jail. *Obama was the only vote against this measure
UNIONS
YES HB 3396 (2003)
To make unionization easier by not requiring a secret ballot
to organize if 50% of the eligible workers publicly sign a
card of support for unionization.
YES SB 230 (2003)
Entitles a teacher who is elected as an officer of the state or national teacher’s union to be granted a leave of absence for up to six years, or the period of time the teacher is serving.
YES SB 1070 (2003)
Allows college graduate assistants who teach college
courses be eligible to join a union.
CHILD PROTECTION
PRESENT SB 609 (2001)
To restrict the location of buildings with “adult” uses
(meaning pornographic video stores, strip clubs, etc.) within 1,000 feet of any public or private elementary or secondary school, public park, place or worship, preschool, daycare facility, mobile park or residential area.
NO HB 1812 (1999)
To require school boards to install software on public computers accessible to minors to block sexually explicit material.
TAXES
NO SB 1075 (1999)
To create an income tax credit for all full-time K-12 pupils in an amount equal to 25% of qualified education expenses up to a maximum of $500 per family.
YES SB 1725 (2003)
To restore the Illinois Estate Tax.
YES SB 1733 (2003)
To impose a Gas Use Tax on the purchase of natural gas
from outside the state of Illinois for use or consumption in
Illinois. Forces the delivering supplier to pay 2.4 cents per
therm of gas, or the customer can elect to become a “selfassessing” purchaser and pay 5% of the purchase price or 2.4 cents per therm.
ELECTIONS
YES SB 1415 (2003)
To create public funding for supreme court races.
GAY RIGHTS
NOT VOTING HB 581 (2003)
Allows domestic partners to be allowed to assume the
rights of a spouse or survivor with regards to pension benefits under the Chicago Teacher’s pension system.
NO SB 228 (1997)
Changes the “Illinois Equal Opportunity Act of 1997” to stipulate, notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any unit of government or school district that gives benefits to same sex couples under any criteria must give equal benefits to heterosexual couples.
DRUGS
YES SB 880 (2003)
To allow the purchase of 10 hypodermic needles from a
pharmacy without a prescription.
PRESENT HB 2000 (4659)
To establish a zero-tolerance drug-testing policy for
Department of Corrections Employees
BUSINESS
NO SB 777 (1999)
To end the unemployment insurance fund building tax.
NO SB 879 (1999)
To end the minimum contribution tax rate for the unemployment system.
NO SB 795 (2001)
To reduce employers’ minimum contribution insurance rate.
YES SB 796 (2003)
To increase the Illinois minimum wage from $5.15 per hour
to $6.50 per hour.
Miss Carpenter is former Assistant Editor for HUMAN EVENTS. She is the author of The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy’s Dossier on Hillary Rodham Clinton, published by Regnery.
