No difference my ass

[dsc]

Over and over again we hear the cry of no difference between the parties. Today we had a great example of what a lie that is.

Here is the rollcall on the anti same sex marriage amendment.


On this vote, a "yes" vote was a vote to advance the measure and a "no" vote was a vote to stop it.


Voting "yes" were 3 Democrats and 45 Republicans.


Voting "no" were 43 Democrats, 6 Republicans and 1 Independent.


X denotes those not voting.


Democrats Yes


Byrd, W.Va.; Miller, Ga.; Nelson, Neb.


Democrats No


Akaka, Hawaii; Baucus, Mont.; Bayh, Ind.; Biden, Del.; Bingaman, N.M.; Boxer, Calif.; Breaux, La.; Cantwell, Wash.; Carper, Del.; Clinton, N.Y.; Conrad, N.D.; Corzine, N.J.; Daschle, S.D.; Dayton, Minn.; Dodd, Conn.; Dorgan, N.D.; Durbin, Ill.; Feingold, Wis.; Feinstein, Calif.; Graham, Fla.; Harkin, Iowa; Hollings, S.C.; Inouye, Hawaii; Johnson, S.D.; Kennedy, Mass.; Kohl, Wis.; Landrieu, La.; Lautenberg, N.J.; Leahy, Vt.; Levin, Mich.; Lieberman, Conn.; Lincoln, Ark.; Mikulski, Md.; Murray, Wash.; Nelson, Fla.; Pryor, Ark.; Reed, R.I.; Reid, Nev.; Rockefeller, W.Va.; Sarbanes, Md.; Schumer, N.Y.; Stabenow, Mich.; Wyden, Ore.


Democrats Not Voting


Edwards, N.C.; Kerry, Mass.


Republicans Yes


Alexander, Tenn.; Allard, Colo.; Allen, Va.; Bennett, Utah; Bond, Mo.; Brownback, Kan.; Bunning, Ky.; Burns, Mont.; Chambliss, Ga.; Cochran, Miss.; Coleman, Minn.; Cornyn, Texas; Craig, Idaho; Crapo, Idaho; DeWine, Ohio; Dole, N.C.; Domenici, N.M.; Ensign, Nev.; Enzi, Wyo.; Fitzgerald, Ill.; Frist, Tenn.; Graham, S.C.; Grassley, Iowa; Gregg, N.H.; Hagel, Neb.; Hatch, Utah; Hutchison, Texas; Inhofe, Okla.; Kyl, Ariz.; Lott, Miss.; Lugar, Ind.; McConnell, Ky.; Murkowski, Alaska; Nickles, Okla.; Roberts, Kan.; Santorum, Pa.; Sessions, Ala.; Shelby, Ala.; Smith, Ore.; Specter, Pa.; Stevens, Alaska; Talent, Mo.; Thomas, Wyo.; Voinovich, Ohio; Warner, Va.


Republicans No


Campbell, Colo.; Chafee, R.I.; Collins, Maine; McCain, Ariz.; Snowe, Maine; Sununu, N.H.


Others No


Jeffords, Vt.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=703&e=8&u=/ap/20040714/ap_on_go_co/gay_marriage_rollvote

The Democrats split 43 no, 3 yes, and 2 not voting. The non voters were campaigning for President. The Republicans split 6 no, 45 yes, and no non voters. For those who like percentages. 86 percent of the no votes and slightly over 6% of the yes votes. The Republicans provided 12% of the no votes and just under 94% of the yes votes.

It gets even more stark when you look at our three yes votes. Zell Miller is speaking at the Republican convention and won't be in the Senate in 2005, Byrd is in his 80s and is a bit of a relic on social issues he may well not run again, which leaves Nelson of Nebraska as the only Democrat of recent vintage who voted for this awful amendment.

Looking at the six Republican no votes yields some of the same dynamic. Campbell of Colorado is retiring. McCain of Arizona may be in his last term (skin cancer), Collins, Snowe, and Chaffee are liberal relics who don't come close to representing their party. That leaves Sununu, who represents New Hampshire with a gay rights law, as the only Conservative Republican who voted against and is likely to be in the Senate for future terms.

By any standard this is a huge difference on close to a party line vote. No difference my ass.

[JI7]

1. if Bob Kerrey was still in the senate he would have voted no

bob kerrey was 100 percent for gay rights and he was from the conservative state of nebraska . yet he was still popular. i wish he never left. he was also totally for abortion rights. ben nelson isn't really popular enough to go against his state.

[FlemingsGhost]

2. Very Interesting. Got the votes for the "Patriot Act."

How about anything and everything that can be morphed into a national security issue, or defense spending intiative.

Gay rights/marriage is a political smokescreen ...

(on edit: typo)

[dsc]

5. Google is your friend

Though I will give you the Patriot act numbers in the Senate but you will have to do your homework for the rest. Feingold voted against the rest of the Senate voted for. But I do appreciate the fact you consider my rights a smokescreen. I guess it is better than gonadal politics.

[YIMA]

3. I wish Kerry and Edwards would have voted.

This was a chance for them to go on record taking a strong stand against this hate-driven legislation in a way that would show their undenable support for the Gay and Lesbian community, shoving it right in the face of * and his fascist followers. I really believe this would have been worth returning to Washinton D.C. for and would have sent an undeniable signal that they will not be intimidated by * who wants to play political football with people's lives.

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[FlemingsGhost]

4. That would require them to take a stand.

Can't have that. Especially when you are trying to woo the center/right.

[YIMA]

6. I'm so PO'd!!

What's with people who can't take a stand? Damnit, we're talking about people's lives!!! Show up and cast your vote. Trying to cater to everyone only makes people wonder if you have a backbone at all.

:grr: :nuke: :grr: :nuke: :grr:

[dsc]

7. They did the right thing here

The Democrats whole arguement was that this was not an issue to take time with now and besides the lack of a vote is equivalent of a no vote. They needed 60 yes votes not 60% of those voting. If they had returned for this then they would have had to return for pretty much every vote between now and election day.

[merh]

8. if they had returned and voted, they would have made this an issue

in the campaign. No vote, means no issue. It is pretty simple. Now weedboy and f'u cannot beat them over the head about this. They can't run ads about it.

It will be a non-issue for the election - which is should be. It is not a federal matter, but the individual states place to pass the laws regulating domestic relations. And definitely it is not the place of the feds to adopt an amendment to the Constitution on this.

Wars, health care, economy, those are the issues.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and confirm the fact.