by Scotty Mack

Created on: April 07, 2008

Since 1932, when Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his "New Deal," the Democratic Party has stood for redistribution of power and wealth from "big business" to the workers. It signaled the beginning of the Democratic Party's liberal agenda, which included government control of the economy, control of prices, the expansion of welfare programs and the increased importance of unions. Amongst other social issues, the modern Democratic Party has added to their platform, environmentalism, abortion rights, embryonic stem cell research, a national government health care system, a higher minimum wage and a progressive tax system that places higher tax burdens on those that earn more money.

After one wades through all of the hope and change rhetoric, Senator Obama's positions are really no different than the rest of the Democratic Party. One only has to look at his voting record to see this. When he has bothered to vote (he has missed more than 38% of the votes during the current congressional session), he has voted with the rest of the Democratic Party nearly 97% of the time. For a candidate promoting change from the "politics of the old," and "new hope" for the citizens of this country, Senator Obama has done little but to toe the party line.

Barack Obama has differed from his party's positions on just one significant vote. In that one, he voted against a bill that provided funding to the troops for the war in Iraq, increased funding for hurricane relief to Gulf Coast residents, provided funding for increased port and mass transit security as well as increased funding for children's health care, mine safety research and youth violence protection activities. This vote, to be sure, is in direct contrast to the views of the Democratic Party. Ironically, the majority of the programs that were to receive funding are ones that he purports to support.

One of the significant votes that he skipped was a bill that implemented recommendations by the 9/11 commission for changes to the Homeland Security Act. Specifically, this bill included provisions for the inspection of all cargo traveling on passenger aircraft as well as grants to improve the ability of first responders to react to and prevent terrorist attacks. One can only wonder why Senator Obama did not feel the need to vote on these issues, considered crucial in the country's efforts to thwart terrorism.

There is very little difference between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in terms of their voting records. Like Senator Obama,

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