KillahBee said:
I was hoping to not get into this, BUT:
I do this little test every time someone says what you just said: Tell me 10 bills/laws/whatever that each candidate signed (or whatever the fuck it's called) off the top of your head.
You see, people like you focus on the RIGHT to vote as the important aspect here. I would rather focus on the right to vote INTELLIGENTLY. Most people vote cause they CAN, not cause they SHOULD. You read a few newspapers and watch CNN (all very biased outlets, obviously) and think that gives you the firepower to vote intelligently. THAT is really, really, really sad.
I have only met one person who could answer my question above.
My friends, it is ignorant, disrespectful, and plain old sad to watch people vote when they don't have the intelligence (based on FACT) to do so. Just cause "they can". I don't know enough FACTS about politics to vote. I respect the right to vote enough to NOT vote.
I realize most of you will not be able to understand what I just wrote in a rational manner void of emotion, but hopefully someone can.
Oh...I didn't realize that I had to write a thesis on voting to win your "approval". Where did I ever imply I wanted people to vote just to vote? Nowhere. I did make one error though and that was assuming that intelligent research would be a part of voting. My bad. I did my research and made my vote. Everyone should do the same. I watch different news outlets, read different papers (online of course) as well as follow the major national issues and local ones as well.
To answer your question, I also look at the candidates/senators/respresentatives website(s) and see how they vote, what their party affiliation is, and also look at the opposing viewpoint to see if there is just a pissing match going on, or if there is truly corruption or dishonesty etc. I see how they vote on key issues important to me such as abortion, gun control, immigration, policy overseas, homeland security, religion, their stance on the military, pension issues as I get closer to retirement, etc, etc, ETC. (I say more after these 10 items) I want FACTS to vote on.
That senator is Bill Frist by the way, he's in TN. Regardless of weather they are up for election or not, knowing their stance and voting record is key to an educated vote. Here are some issues my Senator voted on in the past.
1) SENATE PASSAGE OF THE SECURE FENCE ACT
Bill Number: H.R. 6061
September 29th, 2006 - The Secure Fence Act puts us on the path to achieving total operational control of our borders, which is essential for national security. With this legislation, every inch of our border with Mexico will be defended – either by fence or electronic surveillance. I commend my colleagues for putting the safety and security of the American people first and passing this major component of comprehensive immigration reform.
2) SENATE PASSAGE OF PENSIONS PROTECTION ACT
Bill Number: H.R. 4
August 3rd, 2006 - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) made the following statement after the Senate passed the Pensions Protection Act (H.R. 4):
“Promises made to the American worker will be promises kept with the passage of this pension bill. We have protected the interests of retirees by strengthening pensions funding rules and making permanent the retirement security provisions from the 2001 tax bill, which is a major step toward making the president’s tax cuts permanent. This bill also protects the American taxpayers from having to assume airline pension plans by providing responsible, targeted relief.”
The pension bill had bipartisan support and carried out the most extensive reforms to U.S. pension laws in more than 30 years. This bill updated and improved outdated pension funding rules, which no longer served the interests of hard-working Americans and retirees. The bill also addressed:
• Tightening funding requirements so employers make more cash contributions to their worker pension funds;
• Closing loopholes that allow under-funded plans to skip making cash pension payments;
• Prohibiting employers and union leaders from digging the hole even deeper by promising extra benefits if their pension plan is significantly under-funded;
• Strengthening disclosure to give workers and retirees more information about the status of their pension plan;
• Protecting multiemployer pension plans for workers and their employers;
• Restricting "golden parachute" executive compensation arrangements while the retirement security of rank-and-file workers remains at risk;
• Giving workers new access to face-to-face, personally tailored professional investment advice; and
• Shielding taxpayers from a possible multi-billion dollar taxpayer bailout of the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
3) SENATE PASSAGE OF THE GULF OF MEXICO ENERGY SECURITY ACT OF 2006
Bill Number: S.3711
August 1st, 2006 - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) made the following statement after the Senate passed the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006:
“Today the Senate acted to help Americans feeling pain at the pump and reeling from massive utility bills.
“This legislation strengthens our national security by substantially reducing our dependence on foreign oil and natural gas.
“By opening these 8 million acres to environmentally sensitive exploration, we tap domestic resources that will provide 1.26 billion barrels of oil and enough natural gas to heat and cool nearly 6 million homes for 15 years.
“Bringing more American energy to American consumers will have a direct impact on power bills and prices at the pump while helping farmers who face skyrocketing fertilizer prices.”
4) SENATE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO PROTECT MT. SOLEDAD VETERANS MEMORIAL CROSS
Bill Number: H.R. 5683
August 1st, 2006 - August 1st, 2006 - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) made the following statement on legislation to protect the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross in San Diego, California, which passed today by unanimous consent:
“I'm proud the Senate chose to protect an important memorial honoring our nation’s fallen veterans. With the passage of this legislation, the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial will be controlled by the federal government, which will ensure that the men and women it memorializes continue to be honored.”
Since 1954, a 29-foot cross has stood atop Mt. Soledad in San Diego, California memorializing the American war dead of World War I, World War II and the Korean conflict. Over the years, the Memorial has grown and now includes six large, concentric walls covered with granite plaques commemorating individual servicemen and women, bollards, pavers and a flagpole proudly flying the American flag. The Mt. Soledad Memorial, in its entirety, is a world class war memorial.
In 1989, a plaintiff who claimed to be offended by the memorial sued the city for its removal. The City of San Diego went to great lengths to divest themselves of the property by selling it to a private party who could choose to keep the Memorial cross. That sale was blocked, however, by the 9th circuit court of appeals.
Last year, the voters of San Diego passed a ballot measure providing for the donation of the memorial to the federal government, but again that transfer was blocked by the courts.
H.R. 5683 directs the federal government to acquire the property and enables the Mt. Soleded memorial to be federally owned and continue to memorialize Americans who have fallen in service to their country.
5) SENATE PASSAGE OF THE NORTH KOREA NONPROLIFERATION ACT
Bill Number: S. 3728
July 25th, 2006 - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the North Korea Nonproliferation Act of 2006, which would add North Korea to the list of countries currently covered by the Iran and Syria Nonproliferation Act:
“I applaud my Senate colleagues for unanimously passing the North Korea Nonproliferation Act of 2006. I authored this legislation following the dangerous and provocative missile launches by North Korea earlier this month. If enacted, this legislation will authorize U.S. sanctions on foreign persons or companies that transfer missile and WMD-related items to North Korea or that buy such items from North Korea.
“This Act will also reinforce the resolution unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council on July 15th. North Korea’s recent missile launches illustrate the threat this regime poses to the American people, the people of the region, and peace and stability in East Asia. We must do everything within our power to prevent Kim Jong Il from obtaining additional materials to advance his weapons and missile program, and enactment of this legislation will enhance the tools available to the President to realize this objective.
“I commend the Senate for approving this legislation that will help protect the American people from Kim Jong Il’s dangerous regime.”
6) PASSAGE OF CHILD PREDATORS LEGISLATION
Bill Number: H.R. 4472
July 20th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R–Tenn.) and John Walsh, founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, made the following statement after the Senate passed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006:
“Today, the Senate took a giant step forward to keep America’s children safe. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act will protect our children from predators lurking in their neighborhoods or enticing our children online. As a father of three sons, I am proud to have worked with John Walsh to help honor the memories of so many children who have been taken from us by violence. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Childhelp and my colleagues worked tirelessly on this critical legislation, and I look forward to the House passing this important bill and the president signing it into law next week.”
Three weeks ago, Frist set July 27, 2006, as the goal for completing a child predator’s bill. This date coincides with the 25th anniversary of the tragic abduction and murder of Adam Walsh, the 6-year-old son of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children founders John and Revé Walsh.
"This may be the toughest piece of child protection legislation in 25 years and a great example of bipartisan politics,” said Walsh. “The passage of this bill is a testament to Majority Leader Frist's leadership and the hard work of so many others."
There are more than 550,000 registered sex offenders in the United States, but more than 100,000 are currently unaccounted for and may be victimizing other innocent children. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 creates a national sex offender registry which will close loopholes in the current system that allow some sex offenders to evade law enforcement and put our children at risk. The legislation also contains provisions that will protect our children from violent crime and sexual exploitation, toughen criminal penalties for crimes against children, prevent child abuse and child pornography, and combat internet predators.
7) Bill Number: H.R. 5441
July 13th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R–Tenn.) today made the following statement after Senate passage of the Homeland Security spending bill:
“This bill helps confront the challenges facing America’s borders, ports, and transit systems. By providing more than $14 billion to strengthen our nation’s borders, we are taking another important step to bolster our frontline defenses against illegal border crossings. Under this legislation, the Republican Congress will add 2,000 new border patrol agents, bringing the total to 14,320 agents, and increase new detention beds by 5,000, bringing the total to 25,300 beds – all done in an effort to combat illegal immigration.
“The bill also supports emergency preparedness by ensuring our first responders have the training they need should disaster strike. In addition, it funds grants enabling high-threat, high-density urban areas to strengthen their infrastructure and provides the Coast Guard with the resources necessary to protect our 95,000 miles of shoreline border.
“I'm proud of this legislation. It represents a genuine commitment to meeting America's border, transit, port and homeland security needs. I look forward to a swift conference so that the President can quickly sign into a law a bill funding America’s vital homeland security needs.”
8) ENATE PASSAGE OF COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
Bill Number: S. 2611 - the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006
May 25th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) today delivered the remarks on the Senate floor prior to passage of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act. Excerpts from the floor statement include:
"Today I am proud to say that the Senate has acted.
"We’ve taken a bill, and we’ve made it better. We’ve taken a bill that the American people would have concluded was amnesty—and by my lights, we took the amnesty out while we put the security in.
"So this bill we are about to pass has a six-year plan to dramatically increase the number of border patrol agents hired, trained, and deployed to the southern border.
"The bill before us provides substantial reinforcement to our borders and to the laws on the books. And it also provides a means for some to earn citizenship while enforcing necessary restrictions.
"No, this product isn’t perfect. Much more refinement needs to be done.
"But without doubt, the amendments and the debate of the past 2 weeks have strengthened the core of this bill.
"I am grateful to my colleagues for insisting that those amendments be heard.
"Every nation must keep its citizens safe, and its borders secure. We shouldn’t have to choose between respect for our history and respect for our laws.
"With hard work and responsible debate here, we can have both.
"On this floor, we have engaged in responsible debate. Over the last several months we have worked hard. And with the bill before us, today we do have both.”
9) EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE, THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR, AND TSUNAMI RELIEF, 2005
Bill Number: H.R. 1268
May 10th, 2005 - An act making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes.
10) SENATE PASSAGE OF TAX INCREASE PREVENTION AND RECONCILIATION ACT CONFERENCE REPORT
Bill Number: H.R. 4297 – Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act
May 11th, 2006 - May 11th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement after the Senate passed the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 conference report:
“I’m particularly pleased that Senator Grassley, Congressman Thomas, Senator Kyl and the conference committee heeded my calls for extending alternative minimum tax relief and for keeping rates low on capital gains and dividends. This legislation prevents a $70 billion tax increase on the American people and ensures continued economic growth and job creation. These provisions have proven to strengthen our economy and help provide an environment conducive to small business investment and growth.
“Republican tax cuts have helped create 5.3 million new jobs since 2003, driven down unemployment rates to record lows and stimulated 18 consecutive quarters of growth. Working Americans deserve the full support of Congress. By keeping taxes low, we’re helping Americans everywhere find and keep jobs. We’re supporting our families and our communities, and we’re ensuring America remains a great place to live and do business.”
Tennesseans received a number of benefits as a result of the bill’s passage: 143,000 taxpayers in the state will qualify for AMT relief; 323,000 families (13 percent of all Tennessee taxpayers) will qualify for the reduced capital gains tax; and 428,000 families (17 percent of all Tennessee taxpayers) will qualify for the reduced dividend tax. For both capital gains and dividends taxes, about one-third of the beneficiaries are families with an adjusted gross income of less than $30,000.
In addition, Frist secured two provisions in the legislation increasing the tax code’s fairness for songwriters. The first allows songwriters to claim the capital gains tax rate on music sales and will reduce songwriters’ taxes by up to 35 percent. Individual songwriters can pay up to 50 percent in income and self-employment taxes on their music under current law while their corporate partners just pay 15 percent in capital gains taxes.
The second songwriter provision simplifies the accounting process for advances paid to songwriters. Songwriting advances can now be calculated according to a straight-line, three-year depreciation schedule.
« previous Legislative Achievement next Legislative Achievement »
May 2006 Legislative Achievements « April June » « 2005 2007 »
Bill Frist, M.D. 26th - Confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh
Bill Frist, M.D. 26th - Confirmation of General Hayden as Director of the CIA
Bill Frist, M.D. 25th - Senate Passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Bill Frist, M.D. 18th - Senate Passage Of Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act
Bill Frist, M.D. 11th - current Legislative Achievement
Bill Frist, M.D. 4th - Passage Of Child Predators Legislation
All of this is on his website to view Frist's voting record and these are just items I read since summer 2004. Thats just off 1 website (
http://frist.senate.gov/), would you like more?
Now, just because YOU don't make the time of put forth the effort to vote isn't my fault and I stand by my initial statement, your opinion doesn't matter. For you to sit there and state you care to much about voting to not vote isn't really a noble stance, it's just lazy. Stop spending so much time on EF and start educating yourself on the issues so you can vote intelligently, it's your duty as an American. It's not hard. If you want to know about a candidate or an issue, type it in google or whatever search engine you prefer and then read up on it. You can find a crap load on information for all viewpoints on the issues/candidates on the internet.
"The web; it's not just for porn anymore".
You made the initial comment: "You read a few newspapers and watch CNN (all very biased outlets, obviously) and think that gives you the firepower to vote intelligently. THAT is really, really, really sad. "
For you to not care enough to educate yourself on whats going on around you and to use that knowledge to vote is not only truly sad, it's flat out pathetic and totally lazy. Stop worrying about others and educate yourself.
Now, you have 2 people that can answer that question.
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