Why I support Sen. Gordon Smith

"An 80% friend is not a 20% enemy." - Ronald Reagan.

According to the latest poll by Rasmussen:

Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley for the first time has edged ahead of Republican Senator Gordon Smith 43% to 41% in Oregon, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. While the advantage is not statistically significant, it is noteworthy for an incumbent senator to receive such low levels of support at this point in a campaign.

Smith is the only Republican who holds a statewide office in Oregon. He's certainly not perfect and he's definitely not popular with conservatives but, like Mitt Romney in Massachussetts, he is operating in a state which is overwhelmingly Democratic and has had to adapt to his constituents. At first he supported the invasion of Iraq but has since changed his mind. I can agree to respectfully disagree with him about that and he is entitled to change his mind. I was dead against the war from the start but later came to support it.

But, compared with Merkley, who is currently Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, Smith is most decidedly the lesser of two evils - which is all I ever expect from politicians.

From the front page of Merkley's website:

George W. Bush attacks Women's Reproductive Rights.

The Bush Administration is trying to roll back a woman's right to choose.

Yep, that's on the front page. In other words his main concern is abortion.

So, let's see what On the Issues says about Merkley:

100 percent ratings from NARAL and Planned Parenthood

Abortions should always be legally available

Apply affirmative action to state hiring. (Nov 1998)

Increase rehabilitation & alternatives to incarceration

Spending limits on campaigns

Set a 25 percent renewable energy national standard by 2025

Supports 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050

Sustainable, renewable energy to combat global warming

Maintain restrictions on purchase & possession of firearms. (Nov 1998)

Support Healthy Americans Act: universal comprehensive care. (Jun 2008)

Provide affordable quality health care to all Americans. (Jun 2008)

Health care for all Americans. (Mar 2008)

Fight for inflation-indexed minimum and prevailing wage laws. (Jun 2008)

Signed onto "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq". (Jun 2008)

Opposed the war from the start. (Jun 2008)

Redeploy American combat troops out of Iraq. (Mar 2008)

And here's what On the Issues says about Smith:

Voted YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion. (Mar 2008)

Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)

Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)

Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)

Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)

Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)

Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)

Rated 14% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)

Voted YES on Balanced-budget constitutional amendment. (Mar 1997)

Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)

Rated 83% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record. (Dec 2003)

Voted NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998)

Voted YES on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business. (Oct 1997)

Rated 40% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)

Rated 33% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights. (Dec 2006)

Rated 29% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)

Voted YES on reforming bankruptcy to include means-testing & restrictions. (Mar 2005)

Rated 86% by the US COC, indicating a pro-business voting record. (Dec 2003)

Supports use of federal death penalty. (Jun 2008)

Rated 25% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes. (Dec 2000)

Mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs. (Jun 2008)

Voted YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses. (Nov 1999)

Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)

Voted YES on Educational Savings Accounts. (Mar 2000)

Voted YES on school vouchers in DC. (Sep 1997)

Rated 57% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education. (Dec 2003)

Voted NO on $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for hurricane-hit areas. (Oct 2005)

Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%). (Jun 2005)

Voted YES on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003)

Voted YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling. (Apr 2000)

Voted YES on approving a nuclear waste repository. (Apr 1997)

Rated 50% by CAF, indicating a mixed record on energy independence. (Dec 2006)

Rated 32% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes. (Dec 2003)

Voted YES on requiring photo ID to vote in federal elections. (Jul 2007)

Voted NO on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance. (Oct 1997)

Voted YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership. (Sep 2007)

Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)

Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)

Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)

Rated B by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record. (Dec 2003)

Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC. (Mar 2007)

Rated 0% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record. (Dec 2003)

Voted NO on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls. (Feb 2008)

Voted YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)

Voted NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)

Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)

Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)

Voted NO on cutting nuclear weapons below START levels. (May 1999)

Voted YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP. (Mar 1999)

Voted YES on military pay raise of 4.8%. (Feb 1999)

Rated 0% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record. (Dec 2003)

Voted NO on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities". (Mar 2008)

Voted NO on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)

Voted YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)

Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)

Voted NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)

Voted YES on limiting welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997)

English immersion over bilingual education. (Jul 2001)

Rated 41% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders. (Dec 2006)

Rated 0% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-union voting record. (Dec 2003)

Voted with Republican Party 71.0% of 324 votes. (Sep 2007)

Voted YES on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice. (Jan 2006)

Voted YES on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (Sep 2005)

Voted YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees. (May 1998)

Voted YES on allowing personal retirement accounts. (Apr 1998)

Supports individual savings accounts and work incentives. (Sep 1998)

Voted NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million. (Mar 2008)

Voted YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset. (Mar 2008)

Voted YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M. (Feb 2008)

Voted YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax. (Mar 2007)

Voted YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million. (Mar 2007)

Voted YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts. (Aug 2006)

Voted YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`. (Jun 2006)

Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Feb 2006)

Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends. (Nov 2005)

Voted YES on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years. (May 2003)

Voted YES on across-the-board spending cut. (Oct 1999)

Voted YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes. (Apr 1998)

Rated 69% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)

Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation. (Dec 2006)

Voted NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months. (Dec 2007)

Voted YES on designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorists. (Sep 2007)

Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)

Voted YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding. (Apr 2005)

Voted YES on $86 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003)

Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)

Supports $48 billion in new spending for anti-terrorism. (Jan 2002)

Okay, so he only voted with the GOP 71% of the time which I guess makes him a 71% friend but it doesn't make him a 29% enemy. (Republicans in Congress voted incorrectly many times for "earmarks" or idiotic moralizing legislation.) Smith is an honest and sane man operating within the corrupt and insane Democratic-controlled political arena in Oregon and DC.