Sunday, October 03, 2004
The Slightly Transparent Veil
Kristin and I were looking at information on all three Presidential candidates to see whom we agreed with, and on what issues. While looking at stances on immigration, we ended up on this site detailing Kerry’s record and stated stances on various immigration issues.
On first glance, this page seems to show a telling reversal in Kerry’s views on immigration. Before 2003, his voting record as a Senator seems to be against any laws that favor giving new or additional rights to immigrants. After 2003, all of his quotes and stances seem to be pro-immigration. This seems to affirm my belief that Kerry’s stance on an issue depends on he is stumping for – as a Massachusetts senator, issue on immigrant rights was not important to him, but as a Presidential candidate, they are of paramount importance.
However, on closer inspection, it is impossible to tell based on this voting record what Kerry’s stance was on the issue prior to 2003. Of the three votes listed, only one was for the specific amendment mentioned. The other two were parts of much larger packages of appropriations and budget bills. The site cleverly does not mention this fact, but instead extrapolates that since Kerry voted against the larger bill, he voted specifically against this amendment in the bill.
This is why I hate the way a government legislature can add amendments and riders to bills that have nothing to do with the original bill in the first place. If we base a politicians record solely on how they vote, there are probably an equal number of good amendments that are voted against as there are bad amendments that get passed, simply because they are tied to a larger piece of legislation. I think a government body should vote on any piece of legislation separately, rather than en masse. If a law is not important enough that it be brought out and discussed before the legislature as a whole, then it is not important enough to be passed into law.
But I can still judge Kerry on what bills he has sponsored, and the paucity of bills he himself has written. And I can still follow up loosely on his voting record.
------------------------------------------------