30 to 20: Lieberman outscores Kerry on progressive scorecard

[Voltaire99]

It's pretty hard to lose to Joe Lieberman in a tally of progressive positions. But John Kerry has managed to do so.

The web site of the Democratic Socialists of Central Ohio has ranked the candidates according to their votes and positions on issues important to progressives: welfare reform, the Patriot Act, Iraq, trade, taxes, abortion. One further ranking is noteworthy: "Member of or agreement with DLC." You lose 10 points for that. Were it up to me, I would make that penalty stiffer. ;-)

The rankings, from best to worst (or, as it were, left to right):

Sharpton: 100
Kucinich: 90
Braun: 90
Dean: 70
Gephardt: 60
Clark: 50
Edwards: 45
Lieberman: 30
Kerry: 20

Twenty! Twenty isn't exactly Karl Rove-worthy, but it's nothing to write home about, either. Would Kerry be wise to try to put himself in better odor with the left? Or will he run to the center-right, expecting liberals to toe the line and hoping for a NASCAR November?

http://dsco1.tripod.com/issues.htm

[jpgray]

1. Quite flawed reasoning--equates a campaign position with a vote

edit: Doesn't bother to include present positions for Congressional Democrats, but equates the position of those who could not vote with a vote.

[jpgray]

2. Further, no mention of Dean being a member of the DLC

They also make an exception for Gephardt, saying he did not always follow the DLC. Look at Kerry on DOMA among other things, and you will wonder why they don't make this exception for him. :D

Apparently what puts Kerry below Lieberman is that he didn't show up for the millionaire tax. Quite a subjective scorecard, and does not look at full vote history of IMPORTANT votes even for this Congress, let alone looking at past votes. So I'm not sure this is the best way to rank the candidates.

[wyldwolf]

3. since Kerry isn't a Democratic Socialist, I'm not concerned...

[boxster]

4. Considering how many "Could not find quote" answers there are on that

'survey', I wouldn't put too much faith in it.

It's also a pretty specific set of arguments they're using. Cherry-picking topics can give you just about any results you want.

If you want a view of the candidates as a whole, try here: http://www.issues2000.org

Dean and Kerry are identical (scroll down to the overall rating at the very bottom):

http://www.issues2000.org/John_Kerry.htm
http://www.issues2000.org/Howard_Dean.htm

Quite a different result when *all* of the issues are considered.

[wyldwolf]

5. Exactly! And why would we, as democrats seeking to elect a democrat...

...want him defined by socialist criteria?

[boxster]

6. As I alluded to in my post, sometimes people pick and choose what

they want to use as criteria because it puts their candidate in a better light.

Or, as in this case, it puts the candidate they don't like in a worse light.

[cryofan]

14. a lot of us Dems would like a candidate who has some Democratic Socialist

viewpoints

[DrFunkenstein]

7. This Is All The Term "Progressive" Means Anymore?

Go check out Public Citizen or the Green Party platform to see a zillion things on the progressive agenda that aren't even covered here.

PS - Kinda weird that several of these candidates didn't have to vote on several of the issues mentioned here.

PPS - I think the fact that they include guilt by association with the DLC indicates their sense of justice and fairness.

[slor]

8. And if Kerry's record is juxtaposed with chimpychimp's...

how would it compare? Look Lieberman is out and rightly so, and if Kerry is the one to face the beast then there is no comparison, HE WILL BE THE BETTER CHOICE. Enough said!

[oasis]

9. Do American voters want the most progressive candidate? I think not.

[LWolf]

15. Am I an American voter?

Yes.

Do I want a progressive candidate?

Yes.

[oasis]

19. Clarification: DoesTHE American voter want a progressive president?

[LWolf]

20. I guess that depends on who

THE voter turns out to be! :D

[Sensitivity]

10. This should be Sent to Drudge IMMEDIATELY. Then posted to all RW Boards

where it would do some good. I am tired of us Democrats cutting one another up.

The republicans have been slamming Kerry with his 93% rating from the oldest progressive lobby group, the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA).

These new rating system makes it harder for them.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Democratic Socialists of Central Ohio?

Almost as bad as Illinois Nazis

http://www.nederpoparchief.nl/bluesbrothers/nazis.wav

[LynneSin]

18. Thanks, I was thinking the same way

I have no plans to use the Democratic Socialist of Central Ohio for my voting guide; although I'm sure there are some nice people who are members.

:shrug:

[Snivi Yllom]

12. I think this says a lot

But electability is more important...right?

[wyldwolf]

13. It's more important than something from the Democratic Socialists of OH

[library_max]

16. Boy, wait'll I get my net buddies together!

We can rank candidates we don't like to the right of George Bush, and even Hitler!

/sarcasm off

The Americans for Democratic Action rated Kerry 93%, the League of Conservation Voters 97%, and the Human Rights Commission 100%. Those speak a lot louder than - what was it? - the Democratic Socialists of Central Ohio?

[library_max]

17. dupe, sorry

[SOS]

21. Americans for Democratic Action

has slightly different lifetime ratings:

Kerry 92
Kucinich 86
Edwards 85
Lieberman 78

Only Congress is rated. Dean and Sharpton are on their issues page.

For complete voting records:
http://www.adaction.org/Campaign2004/VotingHistory/votinghistory.html

[Jacobin]

22. How many "points" do they give to "progressives" who launch

insane conquests of islamic countries in order to steal their resources and subjugate their populations?

Lieberman is beyond redemption and is a complete and utter asshole.