Someone please explain to me again how Sen Nelson is a Dem again

[rpannier]

He voted yes on the bill that would have allowed drilling in the ANWR. When does he vote with the Dems?

[flpoljunkie]

1. Good question. And that's Ben Nelson, D-NE, not Bill Nelson, D-FL.

Our Nelson voted against cloture today on the defense bill.

[0007]

2. Only Zell can answer that one. I think a few of our Dems take

turn playing Zell. One day is its Lieberman and the next day it Nelson. Who's turn tomorrow?

[ddeclue]

3. OK...I'm from Florida, I'm a Democrat, I've met the man, so I'll do it.

Nelson isn't a Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Barney Frank Democrat that's certainly true but you underestimate his voting record. He has been very much pro union, pro worker, pro consumer,pro health care, pro-choice, and generally pro-environment, this vote not withstanding.

He is a moderate Democrat in a Southern State. He can't run all the way to the left like Ted Kennedy or Barbara Boxer, etc. He has to run somewhat more to the center if he wants to get re-elected. Also, he has taken quite a lot of risks in terms of voting his conscience over the years when he could have played it safe.

Why don't you compare his record to Mel Martinez (R-FL) or Bill Frist (R-TN) if you want to see the difference.

The following is from an organization that rates politicians on a broad range of issues and gives a fair overall picture of their voting records:

www.issues2000.org

http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Bill_Nelson.htm


Go look up Nelson, Frist, and Martinez and make the comparison yourself. Nelson is by no means a Republican.

Personally I'm very upset that Bob Graham retired retired down here in Florida in 2004 so he could chase after the Presidency which anyone could have told him he could never win. The end result is we traded a moderate Democrat (Graham) for a wing-nut Republican (Martinez).

So be nicer to Nelson, is my point. Do you want to have two Wing-Nut Republican Senators from Florida instead of just the one?

Doug De Clue
Registered Democrat,
Democratic Precinct Leader,
Precint 311
Orange County, Florida
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click here for 4 full quotes on Abortion OR background on Abortion.
Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003)
Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)


Bill Nelson on Budget & Economy
Click here for background on Budget & Economy.
No stance on record.

Bill Nelson on Civil Rights
Click here for 3 full quotes on Civil Rights OR background on Civil Rights.
Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
Rated 60% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)


Bill Nelson on Corporations
Click here for 2 full quotes on Corporations OR background on Corporations.
Voted NO on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy. (Jul 2001)
Rated 48% by the US COC, indicating a mixed business voting record. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Crime
Click here for the full quote on Crime OR background on Crime.
More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. (Apr 2001)


Bill Nelson on Drugs
Click here for background on Drugs.
No stance on record.

Bill Nelson on Education
Click here for 4 full quotes on Education OR background on Education.
Voted YES on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
Rated 91% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Energy & Oil
Click here for 7 full quotes on Energy & Oil OR background on Energy & Oil.
Voted YES on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill. (Mar 2003)
Voted NO on drilling ANWR on national security grounds. (Apr 2002)
Voted NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months. (Mar 2002)
Include pickup trucks in CAFE; include hybrids in HOV lanes. (Feb 2002)
Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy. (Mar 2004)


Bill Nelson on Environment
Click here for 3 full quotes on Environment OR background on Environment.
Voted YES on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
Rated 79% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004)


Bill Nelson on Families & Children
Click here for the full quote on Families & Children OR background on Families & Children.
Rated 16% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Foreign Policy
Click here for 2 full quotes on Foreign Policy OR background on Foreign Policy.
Get State Dept. to do more for Holocaust victims. (Jan 2001)
Voted YES on enlarging NATO to include Eastern Europe. (May 2002)


Bill Nelson on Free Trade
Click here for 6 full quotes on Free Trade OR background on Free Trade.
Voted YES on establishing a free trade agreement between US & Singapore. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on establishing a free trade agreement between the US and Chile. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on extending free trade to Andean nations. (May 2002)
Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam. (Oct 2001)
Voted YES on removing common goods from national security export rules. (Sep 2001)
Rated 33% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues. (Dec 2002)


Bill Nelson on Government Reform
Click here for 4 full quotes on Government Reform OR background on Government Reform.
Supports McCain/Feingold campaign finance reform. (Oct 2000)
Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads. (Mar 2002)
Voted NO on require photo ID (not just signature) for voter registration. (Feb 2002)
Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions and corporations. (Apr 2001)


Bill Nelson on Gun Control
Click here for the full quote on Gun Control OR background on Gun Control.
Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)


Bill Nelson on Health Care
Click here for 5 full quotes on Health Care OR background on Health Care.
Voted YES on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on allowing importation of Rx drugs from Canada. (Jul 2002)
Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)
Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001)
Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Homeland Security
Click here for 6 full quotes on Homeland Security OR background on Homeland Security.
Let all military overseas vote via Internet. (Jan 2001)
Upgrade the military. (Oct 2000)
Deploy limited missile defense shield. (Oct 2000)
Establish Maritime Security grants for ports and vessels. (Nov 2002)
Federalize aviation security. (Nov 2001)
Rated 70% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Immigration
Click here for background on Immigration.
No stance on record.

Bill Nelson on Jobs
Click here for 3 full quotes on Jobs OR background on Jobs.
Voted NO on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress. (Mar 2001)
Protect overtime pay protections. (Jun 2003)
Rated 77% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-labor voting record. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Principles & Values
Click here for 3 full quotes on Principles & Values OR background on Principles & Values.
Member of Democratic Leadership Council. (Nov 2000)
New Democrat: "Third Way" instead of left-right debate. (Nov 2000)
Member of the Senate New Democrat Coalition. (Jan 2001)


Bill Nelson on Social Security
Click here for 2 full quotes on Social Security OR background on Social Security.
Opposes efforts to partially privatize. (Oct 2000)
Rated 90% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Tax Reform
Click here for 6 full quotes on Tax Reform OR background on Tax Reform.
Voted against repealing estate tax; but now supports it. (Oct 2000)
Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years. (May 2003)
Voted NO on cutting taxes by $1.35 trillion over 11 years. (May 2001)
Voted YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates. (May 2001)
Voted YES on increasing tax deductions for college tuition. (May 2001)
Rated 14% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)


Bill Nelson on Technology
Click here for 2 full quotes on Technology OR background on Technology.
Represented Space Coast; flew on Space Shuttle. (Oct 2000)
Voted YES on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates. (Sep 2003)


Bill Nelson on War & Peace
Click here for 2 full quotes on War & Peace OR background on War & Peace.
Voted YES on $86.5 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)


Bill Nelson on Welfare & Poverty
Click here for the full quote on Welfare & Poverty OR background on Welfare & Poverty.
Establish a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund. (Jul 2003)

[Mass]

6. Wrong Nelson - It was Ben Nelson (NE).

[ddeclue]

7. Oh never mind...that's very different...

:-)

I just get to hear the same complaints about Bill a lot from web posters who are usually from the Northeast or California and they don't understand the regional differences so I just thought they meant my Senator not Ben.


Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[rpannier]

13. My apologies to you and all the Floridians out there

I was referring to Nelson from Nebraska -- To be honest, I forgot about Sen Nelson of Florida when I wrote it. I hear he's a pretty good Senator -- Nelson FL, not Nelson NE

[ddeclue]

10. Also had this problem last year...

When I worked for the Kerry campaign...

People kept confusing JOHN Kerry with BOB Kerrey.

Both were Vietnam Vets and Senators so that made it even worse.


Doug D.

[rpannier]

11. Sorry bout that

I was refering to the guy from Nebraska

[deadparrot]

4. Because he's from Nebraska, which isn't exactly a bastion of liberalism?

No offense to NE DUers. I'm from the Midwest, also, and in the event that a Democrat is elected, chances are that he/she will be moderate-to-conservative. I don't like the guy, and he probably shouldn't be a Democrat, seeing how seldom he votes with them, but you're probably not going to get a Boxer/Kennedy type from the rural Midwest.

[ddeclue]

8. I just made the same point about Florida thinking they meant Bill not Ben.

:-)

How's things down on the farm?

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[deadparrot]

14. Meh. Trying to get through suburban Christmas hell.

:)

Don't get me wrong, the holiday season is fun. But I wish going to the supermarket didn't involve taking my life into my hands. :hi:

[bullimiami]

5. DINO. poor florida has a repuke bastard and a dinobot maroon for senators

i miss bob graham and our long history of democratic governors like lawton chiles.

[ddeclue]

9. Bill Nelson is a hell of a lot better than the alternative...

Read my other post... He gets fairly good reviews especially when compared to actual Republicans like Frist or Martinez.

And personally I blame Bob for quitting and giving us Martinez. He shoudld have known better than to quit and try to run for President. He didn't have a snowball's chance in Florida.

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[rpannier]

12. I meant Nebraska's Nelson