In the upcoming campaign, Tennessee has a unique opportunity to change it's course of action and elect someone with real leadership and a new vision. In saying that, the people need to know where the candidates stand on the issues.It is clear, the people of Tennessee want a change from the do-nothing style of leadership that we have in Washington right now. Tennesseans are yearning for a leader who has moderation in their views and who can put partisanship aside to get things done for Tennessee--not someone who prides himself in being a proven party liner.
This campaign needs to be about the issues, not about ideology. We know where Harold Ford Jr. stands on the most important issues of the day--but do Tennesseans know where Ed Bryant stands? A closer look at his voting record from his time in Congress reveals some serious questions on several key issues. Below is just a few of the controversial votes the former Congressman made that seems to be out of the mainstream of society (but in the mainstream of the far right).
- Voted YES on ending affirmative action. (May 1998)
- Voted YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime. (Jun 1999)
- Voted NO on maintaining right of habeus corpus in Death Penalty Appeals. (Mar 1996)
- Voted YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools. (Aug 1998)
- Voted YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools. (Nov 1997
- Voted NO on stopping oil drilling & development in ANWR. (Aug 2001)
- Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. (Jun 2000)
- Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
- Voted YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1. (Jun 1999)
- Voted YES on zero-funding OSHA's Ergonomics Rules instead of $4.5B. (Mar 2001)
- Voted NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on Tax Cut Package of $958B over 10 years. (May 2001)
- Voted NO on disallowing the invasion of Kosovo. (May 1999)
- Supports Bill Frist's call for the 'nuclear option' that dismantles the Senate filibuster. (May 2005)
As you can see by votes above, Ed Bryant does not represent the progressive new leadership Tennessee needs. Whether it be his stance against affirmative action, his vote against public education in support of vouchers, his anti-environmental views, or his support for the lavish Bush tax cuts that have bankrupted America, the answer is clear--Ed Bryant is not right for Tennessee. We need someone who is looking to the future and has an open mind when it comes to the issues--not someone who is controlled by an extreme of their party, much the way current Senator Bill Frist is and the way Ed Bryant was and would be if elected.
Harold Ford Jr. has a durable reputation as being a leader who has a mind of his own. Ford also has shown he has the best interests for Tennessee at heart while in Congress. It is up to us to help bring the change to Tennessee that is so desperately needed. I hope you will join us in electing Harold Ford Jr. the next U.S. Senator from Tennessee.
All the votes listed above cast by Ed Bryant can be found here. The support for the 'nuclear option' was derived from his campaign site.
