From: clc5q@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU (Clark L. Coleman)
Subject: No Difference Between the Parties?
Originator: clc5q@hemlock.cs.Virginia.EDU
Organization: University of Virginia Computer Science Department
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 21:20:54 GMT


As I pointed out the last time I subscribed to this group, it is very
chic these days to be cynical in equal measure about the Democrats and
the Republicans.  This is often the perfect excuse for the lazy to not
vote and to not inform themselves about political matters. Invariably,
those who claim there is no real difference between the parties turn
out to be completely ignorant of voting records on the issues that most
matter to them.

One form of this chic ignorance is to refuse to see the distinction between
someone who will compromise on some gun control matters if he can get his
way on other matters (judicial reform, etc.) and someone who is an active,
committed supporter of gun control, and who has voted anti-gun on many
occasions when there was no bundling of the gun control measures with any
other items.  This is the difference between Bush and Clinton on gun control,
as well as the difference in their likely nominees to the federal judiciary
over the next 4 years, which another poster already pointed out.

Another form of this chic cynicism is to fail to differentiate between failure
to pursue repeal of a law forcefully enough (New Jersey Republicans) and
being responsible for passing it in the first place (New Jersey Democrats)
and forcing the Republicans to come up with a solid two thirds veto override
in both houses because of the threat of a veto (Democratic governor Florio.)

Every time I turn on C-SPAN and see a vote in progress, it amazes me how
the vote falls along party lines. Occasionally, there is something being
voted on that is uncontroversial and passes almost unanimously. But, most
votes run about 80-90% in favor by one party and 60-90% against by the other
party. The Democrats win those votes almost every time because of their
numbers.

When I ask the cynical if they are aware of these votes, the answer is always
"No".  You see, they have become alienated from the political process, the
poor babies, and thus don't have the stomach to keep up with such things any
more (as if they ever WERE informed voters.)

Today, I got "The American Rifleman" in the mail.  The last time they posted
the voting records of every member of the House of Representatives, I posted
the results (on the Brady Bill and Staggers Amendment.) There was a huge
difference between the parties. This time, they report the votes on a 
ridiculous anti-hunting measure, described in detail in the magazine on
pages 62-63.  The vote went our way (I am not a hunter, but I use "our"
to refer to RKBA advocates in general, as the anti-hunting movement is a
close cousin to the gun control movement.)  The final tally was 255-160,
with 20 Representatives not voting.

The voting breakdown:

YES votes (pro-hunting):  115 Democrats, 140 Republicans
NO  votes (anti-hunting): 139 Democrats,  20 Republicans, 1 Socialist
Not Voting:                14 Democrats,   6 Republicans

So, the Democrats voted 139-115 against hunting, and the Republicans voted
140-20 in favor of hunting.  This was actually a vote on an amendment to a
bill by anti-gun Democrat Jim Moran of Virginia. It was a separate vote,
not packaged with the Proposition in Support of Motherhood and Apple Pie or
whatever. (By the way, even anti-gun Republican Tom Campbell of California
voted the right way on this one, and he is usually the worst Republican in
either House of Congress.)

Rather than worry about the 20 Republican pinkos, I am concerned about the
strong anti-hunting vote of the Democrats.  You might also notice that the
Vermont Socialist, Bernie Sanders, was elected by RKBA supporters as a
protest against the incumbent Republican, who had voted anti-gun on several
bills. This is not the first time Sanders has voted anti-gun, and we get
his stupid Socialist votes on every other domestic issue, too. He promised
to be pro-RKBA in his campaign.

So, 55% of the Democrats go one way, and 88% of the Republicans go the other
way. Yep, there's no difference between the two parties, is there?

Does anyone have a recent counterexample of a bill in either House that:

1) Was not bundled with 50 unrelated items,
2) Was a clear showdown on a gun or hunting issue, and
3) Showed no real difference in the party voting patterns?

I didn't think so .....
-- 
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"It is seldom that any liberty is lost all at once." David Hume
|||  clc5q@virginia.edu (Clark L. Coleman)