The radical Obama and Biden

J. Michael Sharman
Published: October 6, 2008

The non-partisan National Journal scores senators each year on the totality of their economic, defense and foreign policy votes to rate how “liberal” they are.

Sen. Barack Obama has the highest score of all of the 100 senators. 1

Joe Biden is the eighth-highest scorer.

To put it in perspective, both Obama and Biden scored far higher than the only self-described Socialist in the Senate, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who had the 12th- highest score. 2

On practically every issue, Obama and Biden have political objectives that are radical and repugnant to most Americans.

Obama voted against a bill that would permit juries to consider the death penalty for gang members who murder to advance the gang’s interest. 3

Both Obama and Biden have voted against making English our official language. 4

At a campaign event in Georgia, Obama told the crowd that “instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English — they’ll learn English — you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish.”  5

Many people think some gun control is appropriate, but Obama believes in total gun control: He doesn’t think you should own a gun at all.

When a questionnaire from the Independent Voters of Illinois asked Obama if he would “ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns,” he responded “yes.”

Obama told John Lott Jr., a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland, “I don’t believe that people should be able to own guns.”  6

As to same-sex marriages,  Biden said during the Oct. 2 vice presidential debate: “Look, in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple.

“We do support making sure that committed couples in a same-sex marriage are guaranteed the same constitutional benefits as it relates to their property rights, their rights of visitation, their rights to insurance, their rights of ownership as heterosexual couples do.”  7

And Obama published a letter on his Web site earlier this year, stating: “I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate.

“While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether.

“Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and I have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.” 8

Sen. Obama’s repeal of DOMA would strip away the states’ ability to choose whether or not to recognize same-sex marriage ceremonies held in another state.

His repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would take away the military’s ability to consider the impact a person’s homosexual status or activities has on their military service.

And his last suggestion would grant even a temporary immigrant in the U.S. the ability to bring in their homosexual partner under the “Family Unity Program.” 9

When he was in the Illinois State Senate, Obama voted against the “Induced Infant Liability Act” requiring medical care for babies who survive an abortion. The bill came up twice in the Judiciary Committee on which he served. CBS News reported Obama voted “present” in 2001 and “no” in 2002. 10

Why would Obama not allow abortion survivors to be given medical attention?

This is what he said during the Illinois State Senate debate in March 2001: “It would essentially bar abortions because the equal protection clause does not allow somebody to kill a child and if this was a child then this would be an anti-abortion statute.” 11

If only they knew, the vast majority of Americans would consider Obama and Biden far too radical for their tastes.

J. Michael Sharman is an independent columnist who practices law in Culpeper. His column appears Tuesdays in the Star-Exponent.

1 “Vote Ratings - Rating Their Records” The National Journal, Feb. 2, 2008 http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/nj_20080202_8.php?related=true&story1=co_20080823_9669&story2=co_20080823_5507&story3=nj_20080202_8
2 http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=3952&sort=rating
3 “Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics: Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control”, CBS News,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml
4   http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00198
5 “Obama: ‘You Need To Make Sure Your Child Can Speak Spanish’” http://election.newsmax.com/obama_spanish.html
6 Lott, John R. “Obama and Guns: Two Different Views” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,347690,00.html
7 Transcript: The Vice-Presidential Debate, October 2, 2008, The New York Times website, http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/president/debates/transcripts/vice-presidential-debate.html
8 “Equality is a Moral Imperative” Obama Biden website, posted Feb 28th, 2008 http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexokrent/gGggJS
9 http://www.uscis.gov/propub/ProPubVAP.jsp?dockey=4552a87982380b8452e1f90ed4168b40
10 “Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics: Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control”, CBS News,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml
and Carpenter, Amanda “Obama More Pro-Choice Than NARAL” Human Events, 12/26/2006
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18647#continueA
11 “Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics: Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control”, CBS News,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml
and Carpenter, Amanda “Obama More Pro-Choice Than NARAL” Human Events, 12/26/2006
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18647#continueA