You asked for it, you got it: Skinner v. Peters on the issues!

[maddogesq]

OK, I decided to take this one issue at a time, because that thread below has become long and useless. I will start with what is the most striking difference between the two, IMHO: The FUBAR mess in Iraq.

In fairness to both candidates, I am taking quotes from there respective websites. I will then give my own comments.

Let's get started, shall we?

Peters:

"President Bush led us into the Iraq war under false pretenses and his total lack of a coherent strategic objective has created a terrible mess for both the American and Iraqi people. Tens of thousands of our brave troops have been killed or wounded and our country’s standing in the eyes of the world has never been lower. President Bush, Vice President Cheney and the members of Congress who continue to blindly support this flawed policy have all failed us. It is time for a change!

When I go to Congress I will draw on my military experience in the post 9/11 world and in the Persian Gulf during Operation Southern Watch. I will fight for a plan based on full accountability from both the Iraqi government and the Administration. Accountability starts with benchmarks to measure progress and a clear plan to bring our troops home.

In addition to the tragic loss of military and civilian life, Bush’s failed Iraq policy has distracted our leaders, diverted precious resources, and weighed down the economy. We need to bring the Iraq War to an honorable conclusion and bring our troops home, so we can refocus our priorities onto our toughest challenges here at home and get Michigan’s economy moving again.”

Skinner:

“This photo of a soldier holding an orphaned baby was on the front page of the New York Times in the days after our invasion of Iraq. It's worth far more than 1,000 words.
The devastation wrought by this tragic war is immeasurable. In the loss of our young men and women in the military, innocent Iraqi civilians, and nearly $1 trillion in resources that could have gone toward making our country safer, stronger and less dependent on the oil resources in the Persian Gulf. Yet President Bush has asked and will receive another $190 billion for this war - that's $792 million a day, or $500,000 every minute.

We now know that Bush's case for the invasion of Iraq was built on falsehoods. Too many who knew better before the war began were afraid to speak up and ask the tough questions that our founding fathers had hoped a congress would demand of the executive.

Now, once again, too many Democrats seem unable to do what's right, for fear of being perceived as being "against the troops." That hundreds or thousands more will die in the interim is inconceivable.

The Iraq experiment in nation building has failed. An incompetent Iraqi government cannot bring an end to the civil war among the religious sects. They will not agree on oil-sharing arrangements, and women have suffered a tremendous setback in many regions. Now the US is arming all sides--the national government and Sunni militias. Corruption is rampant - billions have been squandered and the Iraqi government has reportedly taken no action to root out corruption.
Iran has been the big winner in our war with Iraq. Bin Laden remains at large and Afghanistan has been reoccupied by terrorists and the world's lead producer of heroin, which funds, in part, Al Qaeda.

Our troops have done their job. It's time we do ours. We must begin immediately to bring them home safely and rebuild our devastated military. Democrats must lead with courage to do what we know we must. “

As I see it, Nancy thinks the wimpy Dems need to get a spine. Peters and his "honorable conclusion" sounds like the same rhetoric I hear out of Harry Reid, etc. I am reminded of Richard Nixon and his "peace with honor" nonsense about Viet Nam. To me, there IS NO HONORABLE CONCLUSION, but there is the right conclusion. She points out the OBL is still roaming around those caves, and Iran is laughing. And Now, the Bushies are talking about doing Iran. Sheesh.

Sources:
http://www.skinnerforcongress.com/


http://petersforcongress.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=36

[noamnety]

1. Thanks for this post.

I am not in that district, but if I were, that would definitely top me toward Skinner.

I am not interested in another politician spouting off about benchmarks to measure progress in Iraq. If I wanted that, I'd have voted for Bush.

[Fidel5]

6. I'm in the District

And I say "Play some Skinner!" "Freebird Rules!"

[bfealk]

2. Web sites are not the best source

I have been to a couple fundraisers with Gary and his position is to immediately start bringing the troops home, and do it in a responsible way, which could take up to a year, so they are not put in danger as they withdraw.

[noamnety]

5. What does he mean by "benchmarks"?

What are they? What happens if they aren't met?

All we've heard since we invaded was that if certain benchmarks aren't met, we take our tows and go home - and in contradiction to that, we can't leave until those benchmarks are met. So my faith in any statement regarding "benchmarks to measure progress" is negligible. Perhaps clarifying that on his website would help alleviate those concerns, but right now they are real.

Also, if you can clarify the difference between the two candidates' stance on other issues, I'd be interested to read it.

[bfealk]

3. I do agree that Gary's web site

should more accurately reflect the positions he has stated in meetings with supporters.

[maddogesq]

4. I think both sites are still in development.

And this is true of a lot of candidate sites I have looked at, other than the big shooter prez candidates. It is the best source for now, although I will try and add stuff I might see in newspapers, etc. In fairness, I missed the meeting where Gary spoke, but Nancy spoke to us last week, and her stated position on Iraq at said meeting is consistant with her web site.

[A-Hillz4ever]

7. SKinner needs to clarify her position

Gary has been on message this whole time about the Iraq debacle. Nancy had a stage all to herself last year and left the Iraq war out of the Picture when Democrats across the country were winning on the issue. She even talks about re-deployment in her literature. We need someone with a record not a person who is going to change her stance because shes running in a different race now.