Excellent! Barack Obama's record as Illinois State Senator

[zulchzulu]

From the New York Times:



More here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html?ei=5088&en=cbc7b0776b11e9bb&ex=1343448000&pagewanted=all

[MethuenProgressive]

1. "sponsored" OK, how many did he write?

To sponsor a bill, all you need do is to add your name to one proposed by another, right?
How many bills did he actually write? How many were his own idea?
I like that gun control bill that didn't pass, btw.

[SteveM]

3. The GOP liked that gun control bill, too. (nt)

[ccpup]

2. it's nice to see

something of a track record from his time in Illinois. Certainly helps to educate those who know little about him as well as flesh out the picture of his experience.

But it's also important to remember that the GOP -- in an obviously desperate bid -- recruited whacko nutjob Allen Keyes -- who was a resident of Maryland -- to run against Obama in his first Senate race in 2004 when the Repuglican opponents he was trailing in the Polls fell to domestic abuse allegations and a nasty divorce fight respectively. One wonders how much closer the race would have been (it was 70% to 27%) had the GOP not been in such obvious disarray.

[Adelante]

4. Thanks. That's helpful nt

[draft_mario_cuomo]

5. Thanks. How about his record as a U.S. senator?

We hear a lot about what he did in Illinois but for some odd reason never hear of his record in the U.S. Senate.

[AtomicKitten]

6. Actually you are in denial about his experience --

and Mr. Zulu was kind enough to illustrate for you the seven years in the Illinois State Senate that you prefer to ignore ... remember all your posts about Obama having only 2 years experience?

So now that that particular BS of yours has been crushed, you change the subject.

Check.

[wndycty]

7. Its pointless there is a ton of hate directed from that particular poster towards. . .

. . .Obama. It goes well past the bounds of criticism, its an obsession for some who are obviously threatened by his candidacy.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

8. It is a valid issue. IT suggests he has something to hide from to 2005-2006 nt

[AtomicKitten]

9. ain't that the truth --

He started another thread complaining that Obama's vote AGAINST confirmation of Roberts wasn't pure enough (impugning his reasoning), but his guy, Edwards voted FOR Roberts in 2003.

Obama voted no on Roberts, Edwards voted yes on Roberts, and somehow he trashes Obama.

He also impugned Obama for voting AGAINST the IWR, complaining about his reasoning, when his guy, Edwards, not only voted yes but rallied for support of the war.

It's absolutely insane.

[Colonel Bat Guano]

11. Question about RW talking point

Something I'd never heard even a even a hint of here or anywhere in the news came up in a conversation with an RW relative the other day. He said as a state senator Obama voted for an abortion bill that allowed doctors to kill babies after they'd been born alive.

Didn't know enough to argue beyond saying, gee, why do I think there's more to the actual language of the bill than that.

His chief news source is RW radio...but if this kind of thing is coming from the talk shows, it'll spread.

Does anyone know the details of any abortion bill Obama voted on in the state? Next time it comes up somewhere, I'd like to shoot it down.

[AtomicKitten]

16. The Obamas lobbied against that thinly veiled attempt --

to incrementally abolish abortion.

The following is a campaign letter by Michelle on the topic. She refers to it as "so-called" partial birth abortion. I have transcribed surgery reports all over California for the last 30 years, you know, California the bastion of immorality, and I can attest to the fact that I have NEVER, that means not even once, come across such a procedure.

"Partial birth abortion" is a red herring.

February 17, 2004

Dear Friends:

We have all been concerned lately with the rise of conservatism in this country, especially as it relates to women. You've read the alarming news about the Justice Department's request for hospitals to turn over the private medical records of dozens of patients. This cynical ploy is designed to intimidate a group of physicians and force them to drop their lawsuit seeking to have the so-called partial birth abortion ban ruled unconstitutional.

The fact remains, with no provision to protect the health of the mother, this ban on a legitimate medical procedure is clearly unconstitutional and must be overturned. Attorney General Ashcroft and president bush believe so zealously in their cause that the privacy rights of patients are under assault. They believe we have no federal right to privacy when it concerns our medical histories.

On March 16th, we have a chance to nominate a candidate who will be tireless in the fight to protect women. It isn't simply about the right to choose, or privacy rights. It is about pay equity, about ending domestic violence, promoting health care around the world, and letting doctors decide treatment options, not federal judges.

It goes without saying that we must win back the U.S. Senate and hold our ground as a check against the right-wing executive branch. Illinois will be a key battleground and your vote is critical.

My husband has stood up for women time and again, and I am proud of his record. He understands that casting a vote on the floor of the Senate takes greater courage than issuing a position paper. Oftentimes, a well intentioned law is in fact a flawed law. That�s why it is critical we nominate someone who has faced these tough choices. That's why nominating an experienced legislator is so important in this race. It takes courage to cast a vote.

Who among the Democrats running has a proven record? Who among the candidates running for the Senate in Illinois has stood up to the right wing politicians and voted against their agenda? Who can we count on to keep the Bush/Ashcroft team from appointing the Supreme Court Justice that will vote against Roe v. Wade?

Please join me in sending a message of unity and strength by attending the Women for Obama Luncheon on February 23rd at the Hyatt Regency. Lunch costs $150 and includes remarks from our friends the Reverend Willie Barrow and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. To reserve your seat please call the campaign office headquarters at 312-427-6400 or log on to the Obama for Illinois Website.

I urge you to stand with me and support my husband at this event. You know the stakes have never been higher and we can't depend on untested amateurs and administrators in this fight. Barack is a fighter and he will be a champion we can be proud of.

Thanks you so much for all of your support.

Signature: Michelle Obama

[draft_mario_cuomo]

18. The bill denied medical care for aborted fetuses who survived

Obama voted for it. Think that will come up in the general election? :popcorn:

==Does anyone know the details of any abortion bill Obama voted on in the state? ==

He voted "present" half the time on abortion bills. A strategy was created by Illinois pro-choice groups to allow legislators representing conservative districts to vote "present" in order to protect them in the next election. Obama supporters cite this as an excuse for his votes. The problem? Obama represented a liberal district.

[wndycty]

12. Edwards was in the senate then?

:kick:

[AtomicKitten]

13. thanks

Not enough caffeine this A.M. Edwards voted for Roberts in 2003.

[ellacott]

14. It's something personal with this guy

I think Obama stole his girlfriend or something.

There are some people who are really threatend by Obama. It's a shame.

[AtomicKitten]

15. seriously

I'm wondering at what point DU throws up its hands and says enough.

[ellacott]

17. I'm losing any confidence that it will happen

The folks are obsessed in their disdain for Obama. They don't talk wbout what their candidate has done only about what they dispise about Obama.

They are kinda pitiful.

[Cameron27]

20. FWIW, I think this kind of poster thinks he wins the argument

when in reality, all he does is wear people out. The goal posts get moved so much, you start looking for dramamine and a compass.

[zulchzulu]

10. Sure...not a problem...

Here are some sites to educate you:

http://obama.senate.gov/
http://www.barackobama.com

Vote Smart:
http://votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=9490

As you can guess, his record is discussed...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

19. I know he has a (solid) record. Why is it never cited by Obama fans and his pals in the press?

It seems odd that we hear so much about what he did as a state legislator but so little about what he has done in the U.S. Senate.

[zulchzulu]

23. "Why is it never cited by Obama fans"...

What the heck are you talking about? It IS discussed here and elsewhere.

As for the press, you figure that one out. Why isn't Edwards more in the news?

[never cry wolf]

22. Here's some info for you

He is 10th most liberal in the senate according to the National journal, voting more liberal than the rest of the senate 86% of the time.

http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/sen/lib.htm

And then there is this piece from a blog by a policy geek:

-------------
But I do follow legislation, at least on some issues, and I have been surprised by how often Senator Obama turns up, sponsoring or co-sponsoring really good legislation on some topic that isn't wildly sexy, but does matter. His bills tend to have the following features: they are good and thoughtful bills that try to solve real problems; they are in general not terribly flashy; and they tend to focus on achieving solutions acceptable to all concerned, not by compromising on principle, but by genuinely trying to craft a solution that everyone can get behind.

His legislation is often proposed with Republican co-sponsorship, which brings me to another point: he is bipartisan in a good way. According to me, bad bipartisanship is the kind practiced by Joe Lieberman. Bad bipartisans are so eager to establish credentials for moderation and reasonableness that they go out of their way to criticize their (supposed) ideological allies and praise their (supposed) opponents. They also compromise on principle, and when their opponents don't reciprocate, they compromise some more, until over time their positions become indistinguishable from those on the other side.

This isn't what Obama does. Obama tries to find people, both Democrats and Republicans, who actually care about a particular issue enough to try to get the policy right, and then he works with them. This does not involve compromising on principle. It does, however, involve preferring getting legislation passed to having a spectacular battle. (This is especially true when one is in the minority party, especially in this Senate: the chances that Obama's bills will actually become law increase dramatically when he has Republican co-sponsors.)

So my little data point is: while Obama has not proposed his Cosmic Plan for World Peace, he has proposed a lot of interesting legislation on important but undercovered topics. I can't remember another freshman Senator who so routinely pops up when I'm doing research on some non-sexy but important topic, and pops up because he has proposed something genuinely good. Since I think that American politics doesn't do nearly enough to reward people who take a patient, craftsmanlike attitude towards legislation, caring as much about fixing the parts that no one will notice until they go wrong as about the flashy parts, I wanted to say this. Specifics below the fold.
============


http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2006/10/barack_obama.html

[Nimrod2005]

21. Get used to it

PRESIDENT OBAMA