[Question] Is Kerry a DLC or Moderate or Bush Lite or liberal?

[oc2002]

What is Kerry?

I have been wondering what kind of politician Kerry is. He seems to be hard to pin down, take his voting record. He seems to support almost all the Bush agenda, yet the Republicans call him more liberal than Kenedy.

His background is on one of Yale, Skull and Bones member like Bush, he is a combat decorated veteran, yet he supports the war in Iraq or voted for the war resolution, supports the Bush Tax cuts and he skipped the final vote to oppose the dismantling of medicare, supports NAFT and WTO, voted for 'No Child Left Behind', voted for patriot act.

Now his campaign is catching on like wild-fire, but most people I know that like Kerry, dont really seem to know much about him, except they feel he can defeat Bush.

So, what is Kerry?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. On one level he's a more liberal version of Clinton

But of course that is a gross simplification since he is pretty complex in his views. The bottom line is I think he will actually deliver where Clinton failed.

[NeonLX]

2. You can compare candidates here...

http://www.presidentmatch.com/CompareSelection.jsp2

You can also find your best "match" by taking this little test:
http://www.presidentmatch.com/Main.jsp2?cp=main

I have to say that I'm more positive towards Kerry after taking the test and reading the comparisons.

[oc2002]

17. good links but still not what I was looking for.

I checked that and compared a couple of candidates, and some I know I dont like, but they all seem the same on the surface. The clasifications of 'somewhat support', or 'somewhat oppose' is too blury.

Only if you zero in on one issue and look at it in depth can I realy get a handle for the candidate posistions.

I guess what is the ISSUE in this campaign? What drives you to vote for your candidate, and how did the candidate DEMONSTRATE his possition by actions.

For instance Kerry skipped the medicare vote, said he was too busy campaigning or his vote would not mater, yet he is for restraining the insurance companies and bring about reforms. So, where does he stand? Tough call here, or his actions seem ambigous to his words. And if you think I am nit picking, wait till the Republicans jump in. Boy-oh-boy!

[DrFunkenstein]

32. Kerry Led The Medicare Filibuster With Kennedy

Until Dems started jumping ship. He voted during cloture and after that decisively lost, he returned to the campaign trail with Dean.

He also supported Kennedy's NCLB unfunded mandate.

[meegbear]

3. Does it matter?

By the tone of your post, you have no intention of voting for him or supporting him if he gets the nomintion.

[oc2002]

6. not true

I am currious about Kerry, I will vote for who ever is on the Dem ticket, although I may regret it later.

[corporatewhore]

4. tweedledee not tweedledumb....

neoliberal not neocon
spineless democrat not spineless republican

[blm]

10. Kerry is not a neoliberal. He is a LIFETIME liberal. Longer than many here

have been alive.

[corporatewhore]

14. Neo refers to Neoclassical economics

Things like IMF NAFTA and WTO (all things kerry voted for) are Neo liberal trade policies
"Neo-liberalism" is a set of economic policies that have become widespread during the last 25 years or so. Although the word is rarely heard in the United States, you can clearly see the effects of neo-liberalism here as the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer.

"Liberalism" can refer to political, economic, or even religious ideas. In the U.S. political liberalism has been a strategy to prevent social conflict. It is presented to poor and working people as progressive compared to conservative or Rightwing. Economic liberalism is different. Conservative politicians who say they hate "liberals" -- meaning the political type -- have no real problem with economic liberalism, including neoliberalism.

"Neo" means we are talking about a new kind of liberalism. So what was the old kind? The liberal school of economics became famous in Europe when Adam Smith, an English economist, published a book in 1776 called THE WEALTH OF NATIONS. He and others advocated the abolition of government intervention in economic matters. No restrictions on manufacturing, no barriers to commerce, no tariffs, he said; free trade was the best way for a nation's economy to develop. Such ideas were "liberal" in the sense of no controls. This application of individualism encouraged "free" enterprise," "free" competition -- which came to mean, free for the capitalists to make huge profits as they wished.
Kerry has shown a commitment to furthering the neo liberal agenda via free trade screw jobs like nafta to voting for permanent trade relation status to china (such the bastion of human rights)

[Armstead]

5. All of the above

He is a Rorshack Test candidates. One of those inkblots that you can project whatever you want to on.

He likes it that way.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. All of them.

Depends on the audience.




Ed: Damn you to hell, Armstead!

[stickdog]

8. Which way is the wind blowing? (nt)

[blm]

9. 19 years in the Senate and his lifetime rating is closest to Wellstone's

of all the candidates.

He believes in free and FAIR trade with environmental and labor protections.

He has also spearheaded some of the most significant investigations of government corruption - BCCI, IranContra and CIA drugrunning.

[corporatewhore]

18. I beg to differ

You mention FAIR Trade ,Kerry, yes, did attempt to put in an ammendment requiring workers rights and environmentalism in bush's fast track to the FTAA however he did not succeed and gave his stamp of approval to it any way with out those requirements.He also has arecord of supporting NAFT/WTO/GATT/IMF which are Raw Deals and can hardly be considered FAIR he also voted yes on permenant trade relation w/china (such a bastion of human and workers rights :eyes:)

[blm]

24. He BELIEVES in free and fair trade and will use the bully pulpit to

achieve that goal.

You think he will completely ignore his own posittions and beliefs to appease corporatists? NO WAY. They didn't stop him from working on the Kyoto Protocol and they definitely won't stop him once he's in the oval office.

[corporatewhore]

29. you cant have free and fair trade

Free trade is simply trade w/o restrictions and kerry has approved of that just look at his record WTO/NAFT/IMF/GATT come to mind and now the FTAA
"Just last year, the Massachusetts senator tried to position himself as the leading Senate proponent of measures designed to preserve the ability of American states to protect workers, farmers, the environment and consumers in the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement the Bush administration is crafting in closed-door negotiations with other countries in the western hemisphere. While Kerry sounded like a good player, he ended up breaking with fellow Democrats to back Bush's plan to establish a "fast track" process to negotiate the FTAA agreemen
"http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0930-09.htm
I already wrote an article that points out you cant be an environmentalist and pro free trade and genecticly modified foods if you would take a gander for yourself
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=258514&mesg_id=258514

[emulatorloo]

11. No label fits perfectly, but Liberal

comes closest to his long record re civil rights, environment, fighting and exposing govt corruption, et cetera.

Bush-Lite? No. . .As to some of the points you raise:

"Supports the Iraq War" - no, war as a last resort, and never unilateral - same from day 1.

"Supports Bush Tax Cuts" - no, not for rich - feels middle class and lower need relief

"Skipped Final Vote on Medicare" yes, out campaigning, but was there for important cloture vote. By the time of vote, it was clear his vote wouldn't matter and was sent on his way

"Voted for Patriot ACT" - fought hard to get Sunset clauses in, some parts are good (dry up terrorist money, info exchange of law enforcement) But parts were bad and sorely abused by John Asscroft

NAFTA WTO and NCLB somebody else can handle

[oc2002]

20. How is he liberal?

I think its hard to label Kerry at all.

"Supports the Iraq War" - no, war as a last resort, and never unilateral - same from day 1. -

He voted to FOR the War Resolution, now he is pointing fingers at the Republicans.

"Supports Bush Tax Cuts" - no, not for rich - feels middle class and lower need relief

Again, he voted FOR the Bush Tax Cuts, not against them as they are, not what they will be.

"Skipped Final Vote on Medicare" yes, out campaigning, but was there for important cloture vote. By the time of vote, it was clear his vote wouldn't matter and was sent on his way

This one is most egregious Kerry acts to me because it shows more about his motives are more 'political' than real. Its a weak excuse to not show up to vote on one of the most important pieces of legislation in decades!

"Voted for Patriot ACT" - fought hard to get Sunset clauses in, some parts are good (dry up terrorist money, info exchange of law enforcement) But parts were bad and sorely abused by John Asscroft

Again, he voted FOR it, and now says it was a bad thing? Okay.

Again, I will vote for Kerry, although I may have to drink a tall glass of Whiskey before I do so, a very tall glass.

[corporatewhore]

21. maybe waffler?

[paulk]

26. Kerry voted against both Bush's 1991 and 1993 tax cuts

get your smears right.

[quaker bill]

30. Clinton was president in 1993.

Get your defenses right.

[Democrats unite]

12. Kerry & Edwards helped enable Bush

To start this war, needi I say more.

[Monte Carlo]

13. Trees enable forest fires.

'Enable' is a dangerous term.

Weapons non-proliferation and the long-term threat of Saddam Hussein were national concerns before Bush ever took office.

[Democrats unite]

15. Enable is a dangerous term

And thats exactly what Kerry & Edwards did for Bush!

[corporatewhore]

19. I perfer the phrase handed bush the shredder to use on the bill of rights

and voted yes on giving bush permission to send soliders to die for an unjust war

[onehandle]

16. What! Which trees?

I will Never vote for those trees!

;-)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. Liberal, generally. But a cheap politician first.

Kerry used to be my first choice. I really wanted him to run as dyed in the wool liberal who could, and would, challenge the DLC and Bush.
Then he sold out with his support of the war.

About the only thing going for him now is that he's not as bad as pure pablum Edwards.

[quaker bill]

31. Liberal when it is cheap,

Pro-war mainstream when there is any political risk.

[CWebster]

23. He is

whatever you need him to be at the moment.

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. He is a moderate, centrist, DLCer

[D G]

27. People who think Kerry is anything other than moderate/liberal

Have either been logged into DU, or DFA, for far too long.

[George_Bonanza]

28. The most liberal of the main contenders

He has a higher ADA rating than the great liberal Ted Kennedy, gets great marks from Public Citizen, and has the highest LCV record of any congressman. His trade policies are generally neoliberal, but he has demonstrated willingness to improve NAFTA, with the Kerry Amendment.

[quaker bill]

34. Most liberal only when you don't get liberalism

He has racked up an impressive number of pro-environmental votes, but these come at no political cost in MA.

A long time ago he was actually liberal on war and peace issues as well.

He has been voting for one weapon system after another for at least 10 years now. He has been urging a 'get tough/Saddam is an imminent threat' policy on Iraq for the last 6 or 7 years.

Somewhere along the way, he left the true liberal camp.

[mitchum]

33. a lifetime liberal

look at his lifetime record

[DrFunkenstein]

35. Bridge-Building Liberal (More Liberal Than 87% of Senate)

2002 According to the National Journal - Composite Liberal Score's calculations, in 2002, Senator Kerry voted more liberal on economic, defense and foreign policy issues than 87 percent of the Senators.

2002 According to the National Journal - Liberal on Economic Policy's calculations, in 2002, Senator Kerry voted more liberal on economic policy issues than 95 percent of the Senators.

2002 According to the National Journal - Liberal on Foreign Policy's calculations, in 2002, Senator Kerry voted more liberal on foreign policy issues than 73 percent of the Senators.

2002 According to the National Journal - Liberal on Social Policy's calculations, in 2002, Senator Kerry voted more liberal on social policy issues than 82 percent of the Senators.

Despite being liberal, Kerry is able to bridge ideological divides with centrist members of his Party, and even conservative members from across the aisle. Members of the Foreign Relations Committee are famously bi-partisan in the interest of national security, and Kerry is no exception.

Here is an excerpt from spring 2001, where Kerry argues for multilateralism as a moderate position:

Though for different reasons, members of Congress in the extremes ofboth parties have joined forces to form an odd-fellows kind of neo-isolationist movement. They support policies that would have the practical effect of limiting U.S. engagement in multinational institutions and organizations that held such great promise for international cooperation just a decade ago.

They argue against a free trade agreement with China, fight against the terms of U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), and use clearly unaccountable global bureaucrats at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as an excuse to oppose even the most reasonable initiatives.

Striking a nationalist tone on the right, they argue that U.S.troops should not be wasting their valuable time and resources keeping the peace in places that are not vital to U.S. national interests. Reaching a similar conclusion, those on the left argue that multinational organizations are too powerful, the U.S. military too influential, and the U.S. international presence too far flung.

Beyond this confluence, the Left and the Right disagree on almost everything else. Sandwiched between the extremes are the moderates who must necessarily be the target audience for the new Bush administration if bipartisanship is to be forged in foreign policy.

The moderates cut across both political parties and agree on the fundamental idea that the United States must be engaged in the world and meet its obligations to provide constructive leadership. Although there are differences on the question of where, when, and for how long U.S. troops should be deployed abroad, congressional support for U.S. deployments in Haiti and Bosnia demonstrate that a consensus can be forged on this issue, the most difficult foreign policy question facing any U.S. policymaker.

Even during the last eight years, when partisanship was paramount and impeachment of a president was on the congressional agenda, a consensus ultimately emerged in the Congress on some key foreign policy issues: free trade in North America, preservation and expansion of the NATO alliance, military intervention in Kosovo, WTO membership for China, normalization of relations with Vietnam, political and financial support for the Middle East peace process, and support for global efforts to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa.

http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:L3dpESAnS2wJ:www.twq.com/01spring/kerry.pdf+john+kerry+stopping+at+the+water%27s+edge&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Melinda]

36. DLC aka "Republican-lite"

I want my party back.

[David Zephyr]

37. All of the Above.