Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Udie on May 20, 2003, 11:52:17 AM
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what makes you think you should be President?
http://www.hillnews.com/news/052003/gephardt.aspx
Gephardt skips 85% of House votes
By Sam Dealey and Sarita Chourey
Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) has missed 162 votes in the House this year — 85 percent of the total — prompting Republicans to charge that he has abandoned his congressional duties in his pursuit of the presidency.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has seized on the absenteeism to point out that several of Gephardt’s missed votes have been on legislative and policy matters that are centerpieces to his campaign.
In his closing statement at the South Carolina debate earlier this month, for example, Gephardt listed the creation of “an Apollo II program to make us independent of foreign oil in 10 years” as one of his top legislative priorities.
Gephardt has missed every vote on energy-related issues this session. House records show Gephardt also missed votes on other issues that are frequent themes in his presidential candidacy, including welfare reform, human cloning, healthcare, homeland security, education and tax cuts.
Commenting in the South Carolina debate that “people don’t vote,” Gephardt rued the “cynicism” about politics that “abounds” among voters.
“We’ve got to have a president in this country, and I hope to be that president, who restores faith and hope in people that we can solve the major problems that this country faces,” he said.
Other Democratic presidential aspirants also have missed votes, but to a lesser degree than Gephardt. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) failed to add his voice in 63 instances this year, 34 percent of Senate votes. (Not included in this total are two votes he missed in February due to prostate surgery.)
Last Thursday, when the Senate considered the House version of President Bush’s global AIDS initiative, Kerry used a floor debate to decry a provision in the legislation that required 33 percent of funds to be spent on abstinence education.
“We should not tie the president’s hands ... I will support an amendment to strike this earmark.”
Later in the day, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) proposed just such an amendment. Kerry missed the vote on the proposal, which failed 45-52. - LOL and this guy wants to be CinC
Other key areas in which Kerry has skipped votes include legislation on homeland and international security, education funding, and partial-birth abortion. Last week Kerry postponed a health care speech in Iowa to vote on the tax cut.
Democrats said the missed votes have not interfered with their senatorial responsibilities. - Liars....
“All of the candidates have been here for all the votes where their vote was needed to win,” said Jay Carson, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.). “As long as that remains the case, it’s not an issue.”
But Republicans charged that missing votes amounts to dereliction of duty.
“It’s not just votes they miss. They miss the negotiations, they miss the discussions,” said RNC spokesman Jim Dyke. “So when Gephardt goes out and talks about energy policy and how important it is, not only did he miss all the votes on energy legislation, but he missed being a part of the discussions that led to the legislation.”
Dyke added, “The danger for all the candidates…is that they call for important initiatives on the campaign trail that are already under consideration in Congress and expose themselves to a great deal of hypocrisy.” - They don't have much choice because they are hypicrites
Neither Kerry nor Gephardt returned calls seeking comment.
Carson said Daschle has gone to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) for help in scheduling votes so that the Democratic presidential hopefuls can be present.
“It’s common practice for leaders to work together to schedule votes that are advantageous for both parties,” said Carson.
Other Democratic presidential hopefuls have also missed a number of votes. Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) has missed 22 percent, or 40 votes this year. Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) has been absent from 12 percent, or 22 votes.
Fulfilling campaign and representational duties is “just something you have to really work at,” Edwards told The Hill. “I always know what we’re voting on and what the issues are. If there’s an important vote, I am here. Period.”
Sen. Bob Graham, (D-Fla.), who announced his candidacy earlier this month, has missed six percent of votes, a figure that does not include 16 votes in January from which he was absent due to heart surgery. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) led the entire pack of Democratic hopefuls by missing only one roll call vote.
As of Friday, there have been 191 House votes and 183 Senate votes in the108th Congress this year.
GEEEEEEZ Geby's only been to 32 votes out of 191!!! What a sorry representative he is, I bet he'd make an even worse President.
The dem's have absolutely NOTHING, once again they are proving themselves moraly and intellectually bancrupt. I for one am enjoying it too :D
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I vote the issues not the parties.. but I have to agree.. the Dems aren't fielding a real winner line-up for Prez this time around.. none of the Dems have really dazzled me
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Isn't there some lame political forum you could post this crap to?
Political cheerleading on this BBS has just gotten so lame. RAH RAH RAH. Pppttttt. Golly-geen I just can't care anyless.
These politicians that you hate and/or adore so much, don't give two toejams about you.
If I was one of em, I would laugh at all the little parakeets like you all day. I do anyway.
Thank you for your time.
F.
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now that's funny :D
since when has the O'Club not been political? :D
i think you need to filter the pee pee out of your cherio's....
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Originally posted by Udie
now that's funny :D
since when has the O'Club not been political? :D
i think you need to filter the pee pee out of your cherio's....
So? It's boring me to tears. It's not even original. It's a copy/paste of someone elses ideas, with some usely not-so-witty repartee thrown in.
Christ the repub/demo's should sell jerseys and ball caps. They'd make a killing. The political party fans are just as rabid as sport fans and just as lacking in creativity.
And the same rules apply; Great sports figures and political figures both give less than a squirrel **** about there fans.
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Dems giving up on this election, saving up for 2004 so Mrs. Klinton can win. If a Dem was to win this time he would be on the ballot in 2004 and no Hillary. Thats way we see the loosers in the running this time. IMHO that is
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Well, raise my rent. I completely agree with Furious.
Well said, Furious!
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Originally posted by banana
Well, raise my rent. I completely agree with Furious.
Well said, Furious!
Come on Baxy! :D Don't roll over and die on us Reps!!! we need a good fight!
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(http://www.evilgopbastards.com/orwell42004.jpg)
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Originally posted by Udie
The dem's have absolutely NOTHING, once again they are proving themselves moraly and intellectually bancrupt. I for one am enjoying it too :D
I rest my case.... All the dems are is smoke and mirrors and flashy lights, no substance.....
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yea yea, 18 months till you can claim chimpi fixed the ecomomy two years after he left office. sigh.
hope the majority of the people rules next time. not much of a hope huh.
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No, it will be the electoral college that rules once again.
The way it was always intended to be.
That may or may not agree with how the nationwide majority voted. But the electoral college would trump a simple majority vote in this Republic every time.
It's that Constitution thing.
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Yeah... the constitution requires the Electoral college, but the states can decide how to divide the votes.
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Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
Yeah... the constitution requires the Electoral college, but the states can decide how to divide the votes.
Not in Texas, the dems decided they would circumvent the law to achieve their goals. Hope the lot of 'em are kicked out on their arses.
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Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
Yeah... the constitution requires the Electoral college, but the states can decide how to divide the votes.
yur smart.
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Originally posted by AKIron
Not in Texas, the dems decided they would circumvent the law to achieve their goals. Hope the lot of 'em are kicked out on their arses.
Well... If Texas had a functional state government, they could. LOL :D
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Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
Yeah... the constitution requires the Electoral college, but the states can decide how to divide the votes.
But which right-minded, strategically-thinking state would ever give up the winner-takes-all system? Awarding delegates proportional to the popular vote seems fine, but anything other than winner-takes-all reduces the influence individual states wield on presidential elections.
-- Todd/Leviathn
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Originally posted by Dead Man Flying
But which right-minded, strategically-thinking state would ever give up the winner-takes-all system? Awarding delegates proportional to the popular vote seems fine, but anything other than winner-takes-all reduces the influence individual states wield on presidential elections.
-- Todd/Leviathn
IIRC... Maine?
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Todd - what are you going to grad school for - POLS?
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Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
IIRC... Maine?
Silly Maine. :) I bet most candidates spend less time campaigning in Maine than in just about any other state. Why? Because they're practically guaranteed at least 40% of the state's delegates. Not bad for doing nothing.
-- Todd/Leviathn
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Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Todd - what are you going to grad school for - POLS?
Yep, Mazz. Working on my dissertation now.
-- Todd/Leviathn