Kerry vs the middle class

[robbedvoter]

http://robbedvoter.forclark.com/story/2004/1/25/61128/0616
In spite of having to mortgage his house to make up for the lack  of finnancial support, Kerry is hardly needy.
In fact, he is obscenely wealthy:
Annual Net Income: $15,550,935 - $77,540,000
Net Worth: $198,794,683 - $839,038,000
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=pfin
Why is this relevant?
Because this wealth seems to inform Kerry's attitude towards the little people.
Kerry vs minimum wage
A few months later, with President Bill Clinton locked in combat with the Republicans, Mr. Kerry voiced some doubts in a closed-door meeting of senators about the wisdom of trying to raise the minimum wage. And as Mr. Kennedy later recalled, he told Mr. Kerry, "If you're not for raising the minimum wage, you don't deserve to call yourself a Democrat."
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/25/politics/campaign/25RECO.html?pagewanted=1&hp
Kerry vs overtime
Posted Sybil:
Checked c-span's congressional records. The ominous "Omnibus" Appropriations Bill was passed on Weds, Jan 21, 2003 by a vote of 48 - 45
Senators not voting:
Joseph Lieberman (D)
Saxby Chambliss (R)
Daniel Inouye (D)
John Kerry (D)
Mark Dayton (D)
Max Baucus (D)
John Edwards (D)
What's wrong with this picture?
Wes took time off from the campaign to testify in the Netherlands trial of Milosevic.
BUT
Kerry, Lieberman and Edwards , couldn't take a commuter back and forth from N.H. to D.C. to vote on behalf of the people they are so eager to represent???
Note: Max baucus was having surgery at the time
If one of these guys was my senator, they'd be hearing from me!
*Kerry vs tax cuts for the middle class
He questioned whether Clark's plan, unveiled this week, to eliminate taxes on people earning less than $50,000 a year "kind of excuses them from a sense of responsibility for the country."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A63270-2004Jan7&am p;notFound=true
He seems to be siding here with Wall Street Journal in their obscene editorial
http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110002937
The Non-Taxpaying Class
Those lucky duckies!
as well as Faux which attacked Clark's plan as excusing the middle class from any responsibility for the war. Clark responded that the middle class has been shouldering all responsibilities of the war, from financial to sending theis sons and daughters.
*Generals vs lieutenants
Kerry Responds To Clark
"That's the first time I have heard a general be so dismissive of lieutenants, who bleed a lot in wars"
John Kerry snapping back at Wesley Clark, on 60 Minutes
(CBS) Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry responded to a military rank-pulling comment aimed at him by rival Democratic presidential contender Wesley Clark by calling Clark, a retired general, "dismissive of lieutenants."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/23/60minutes/main595431.shtml
Patrician Kerry is trying to portray himself as disparaged "son of a mill worker" militarily speaking capitalizing on a right wing attack.
    Cunningly, CNN  did not post the transcript of that Larry King Live but videotape exista and will be properly referenced here.
Bob Dole told Clark he would lose now in NH and that Kerry's win in Iowa made him a colonel and Kerry the General.
"With all due respect, I am still the General and Kerry is still the lieutenant" answered Clark to this banter."
      When not paring Dole's attacks, Clark' has been nothing but complimentary of Kerry's record, in spite of non stop attacks.
So, Mr "at least I am not French" Kerry, your scepter and crown are intact. No need to get your nose out of joint. Being called a lieutenant when you are one is not exactly an offense, unless you feel you deserve better .

[pnziii]

1. Republican "lite"

Kerry, Edwards, and Lieberman are no different than the republicans in office. To them it's about power. They have it and want to keep it. Dean, Clark and the other outsiders scare the DNC.

Just look at Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman voting record and then tell me with a straight face they are fighting for me.

[cryofan]

2. How can people NOT vote for Clark?

You wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
*Kerry vs tax cuts for the middle class
He questioned whether Clark's plan, unveiled this week, to eliminate taxes on people earning less than $50,000 a year "kind of excuses them from a sense of responsibility for the country."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Man, this guy CLark wants to make the upper class pay the tax burden in this country, as it should be! Why are more people not aware of Clark's tax plan?

I cannot understand why this guy's numbers are dropping.....

[seventhson]

13. He's a Pentagon Lobbyist, that is why

for the Stephens group and Axciom which spied on U.S. citizens.

I do not believe a word out of his mouth.

I cannot understand howe any democrat would consider voting for him if they knew what he has been up to the last 4 years.

He supported the use of depleted uranium and he order bombiongs which killed many innocent civilians.

How can he hold the Buhses responsible for crimes against humanity if he engaged in the same thing>

We need CHANGE

NOT a LOBBYIST!!!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

3. Kerry voted AGAINST raising the minimum wage?

He's worse than I thought! Did he actually vote against an increase???

[cindyw]

15. I love this. He did not vote against raising the minimum wage.

n/t

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. False attacks won't work against Kerry

On the omnibus bill:

Here are the critical votes, the cloture votes

Tuesday, rejected(which is good): http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=2&vote=00001

Thursday, passed (bad): http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=2&vote=00002


The swing voters who went over to the dark side between Tuesday and Thursday:

Bingaman (D-NM)
Breaux (D-LA)
Carper (D-DE)
Dayton (D-MN)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Leahy (D-VT)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Nelson (D-NE)
Reid (D-NV)
Schumer (D-NY)



Final passage (more or less irrelevant): http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=2&vote=00003

[PVnRT]

6. So a vote isn't important if Kerry isn't there?

Sorry to tell you this, but this will come back to haunt him. The Republicans will run with this, talking about how he refused to take time off from campaigning to vote on the Medicare bill, or the Omnibus, or whatever.

If you are an elected representative of this country, you don't get to pick and choose which votes you show up for and which you don't.

[robbedvoter]

17. What is false about it? kerry DID NOT VOTE

So, what's your defense?

[bigtree]

5. Class Argument =

No class

[PVnRT]

7. Are we not allowed to criticize Kerry?

Is this not a legitimate complaint? I've seen Dean picked apart for much lesser issues than this.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

9. no war but the class war

My class - the working class.

[robbedvoter]

12. Is that a dig at me? because it doesn't work.

I am no patrician, neither is my candidate and these snobberies do not touch me.
Clark to Rove:

You know, the Republicans always accuse the Democrats of engaging in class warfare - of pitting the poor against the rich, and using income to divide people. Well, maybe they should take a look in the mirror.


So if Karl Rove is watching today, I want him to hear me loud and clear: I am going to provide tax cuts to ease the burdens for 31 million American families -- and lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty -- by raising the taxes on 0.1 percent of families -- those who make more than $1,000,000 a year. And if that makes me an "old style" Democrat, then, I accept that label with pride and dare you to come after me for it. Because what I am talking about today is in the best tradition of Wilson and Roosevelt; of JFK, LBJ, and Bill Clinton - and it is in the best interest of the United States of America!
http://clark04.com/speeches/025/

[sandnsea]

8. Minimum wage was raised in 1991

That comment was made in 1994. We actually don't usually raise the minimum wage every 3 years. And since there are some people always ready to raise the minimum wage, it's probably best in a meeting with only Democrats that somebody talk about inflation and the rest of the economic picture.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

10. raising the minimum wage doesn't cause inflation

What a pathetic excuse.

[PVnRT]

11. Nice spin

Seriously, very well done. I guess the working poor can continue NOT earning a living wage so that the rich don't have to worry about inflation bringing their stock dividends down.

[MisterC2003]

14. Is the minimum wage getting all out of hand for ya?

Maybe you should talk to all the homeless working poor people. Maybe you should read "nickel and dimed."

Maybe you should realize you're in a hole, and stop digging...

[salin]

18. when was the minimum wage last raised?

I think that it was just a little lower than it is today, when I had my first working job in 1978. Cummulative inflation has far outstripped its value. But the ... "it causes inflation" argument always gets trotted out along with the cries of accusations of class warfare.

That said - I don't know that side comments that are not reflected by a vote are a sign of nonsupport. Could just be a lively discussion considering different sides/perspectives of the same issue - in the end it is the actual vote that matters.

[robbedvoter]

16. Kick

:kick: