Politics Part 2 of 2

Below are the Democratic and Republican candidates and their positions on gun control and the environment.

Barack Obama:
Endorsing Organizations:
Humane USA PAC
Illinois Planned Parenthood Council
Illinois Sierra Club
Sierra Club

Stance on Gun Control:
Ok for states and cities to determine local gun laws. (Apr 2008)
FactCheck: Yes, Obama endorsed Illinois handgun ban. (Apr 2008)
Respect 2nd Amendment, but local gun bans ok. (Feb 2008)
Provide some common-sense enforcement on gun licensing. (Jan 2008)
2000: cosponsored bill to limit purchases to 1 gun per month. (Oct 2007)
Concealed carry OK for retired police officers. (Aug 2007)
Stop unscrupulous gun dealers dumping guns in cities. (Jul 2007)
Keep guns out of inner cities–but also problem of morality. (Oct 2006)
Bush erred in failing to renew assault weapons ban. (Oct 2004)
Ban semi-automatics, and more possession restrictions. (Jul 1998)
Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)

Stance on the Environment:
Willing to suspend ethanol subsidy to keep food prices down. (May 2008)
Genesis teaches stewardship of earth: sacrifice for future. (Apr 2008)
Regulate animal feeding operations for pollution. (Feb 2008)
Will end the notion of Yucca Mountain nuclear storage. (Jan 2008)
Promote green technologies and fuel efficiency standards. (Dec 2007)
Organized inner-city recycling; fought environmental racism. (Oct 2007)
Reduce mercury and lead to protect community health. (Aug 2007)
Protect the Great Lakes and our National Parks and Forests. (Aug 2007)
1985: Organized asbestos removal in Chicago housing project. (Aug 2007)
Passed lead abatement and 24 other laws in IL Senate. (Aug 2007)
Give Katrina contracts to locals, not to Halliburton. (Jun 2007)
Health Care for Hybrids proposal for fuel efficiency. (Mar 2007)
Scored 60% on Humane Society Scorecard on animal protection. (Jan 2007)
Three months working on minority students recycling. (Aug 1996)
Voted YES on including oil and gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. (Sep 2005)
Tax credit to remove lead-based housepaint. (Nov 2005)
Establish commission to examine Katrina response. (Sep 2005)
Sponsored health impact bill for environmental health. (Apr 2006)
Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting. (Jan 2007)

Joe Biden:
Endorsing Organizations:
None noted by OnTheIssues.org

Stance on Gun Control:
Keep assault weapons ban; close gun show loophole. (Apr 2007)
Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)
Voted YES on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Voted NO on more penalties for gun and drug violations. (May 1999)
Voted NO on loosening license and background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Voted NO on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record. (Dec 2003)

Stance on the Environment:
America should guarantee Katrina reconstruction. (Jun 2007)
Take away the billions of subsidy to the oil companies. (Jun 2007)
Scored 80% on Humane Society Scorecard on animal protection. (Jan 2007)
Voted YES on including oil and gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. (Sep 2005)
Voted NO on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
Voted NO on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat. (Sep 1999)
Voted YES on transportation demo projects. (Mar 1998)
Voted YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. (Sep 1997)
Voted YES on continuing desert protection in California. (Oct 1994)
Voted YES on requiring EPA risk assessments. (May 1994)
End commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat. (Jun 2001)
Rated 95% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004)
Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting. (Jan 2007)

John McCain:
Endorsing Organizations:
Humane USA PAC
Sportsmen and Animal Owner’s Voting Alliance

Stance on Gun Control:
I know how to use guns; but I don’t own one. (Nov 2007)
Prosecute criminals, not citizens for gun ownership. (Sep 2007)
Don’t hold gun manufacturers liable for crimes. (Sep 2007)
Opposes restrictions on assault weapons and ammunition types. (Sep 2007)
Calls for GOP “tolerance” of closing gun show loopholes. (May 2002)
Ban cheap guns; require safety locks; for gun show checks. (Aug 1999)
Supports ban on certain assault weapons. (Aug 1999)
Voted against Brady Bill and assault weapon ban. (Aug 1999)
Guns are a problem, but so are violent web sites and videos. (Aug 1999)
Punish criminals who abuse 2nd Amendment rights. (May 1999)
Youth Violence Prevention Act restricts guns for kids. (May 1999)
Repeal existing gun restrictions; penalize criminal use. (Jul 1998)
Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)
Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Voted YES on more penalties for gun and drug violations. (May 1999)
Voted YES on loosening license and background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
Ban gun registration and trigger lock law in Washington DC. (Mar 2007)
Allow firearms in National Parks. (Feb 2008)

Stance on the Environment:
GovWatch: Voted for one Congressional Katrina investigation. (Jun 2008)
Support much tougher regulations on emission requirements. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: Criticized $3M “bear DNA” study, but voted for it. (Nov 2007)
Economic and environmental interests not mutually exclusive. (Sep 2007)
Scored 40% on Humane Society Scorecard on animal protection. (Jan 2007)
1996: Put 3.5B acres of land into wilderness protection. (Jan 2004)
Preserving wilderness among proudest achievements. (Sep 2002)
Preserve and help our National Parks. (Jan 2000)
Repeal ban on new roads in wilderness due to bad process. (Dec 1999)
Use park visitor fees for park development bonds. (Dec 1999)
Preserve natural resources for future. (Jul 1999)
Voted YES on including oil and gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. (Sep 2005)
Voted YES on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
Voted YES on transportation demo projects. (Mar 1998)
Voted NO on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. (Sep 1997)
Voted NO on continuing desert protection in California. (Oct 1994)
Voted YES on requiring EPA risk assessments. (May 1994)
End commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat. (Jun 2001)
Supports grants for brownfields remediation. (May 2002)
Make EPA into a Cabinet department. (May 2002)
Rated 53% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment. (Dec 2003)
EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004)
Focus on results, not regulation. (Sep 1998)

Sarah Palin:
Endorsing Organizations:
None noted by OnTheIssues.org

Stance on Gun Control:
Hunts and fishes, as did her father. (Aug 2008)
Hunts as much as she can; freezer-full of wild game. (Aug 2008)
Supports ending D.C.’s 32-year-old ban on handguns. (Jun 2008)
Lifelong NRA member and champion of right to bear arms. (Feb 2008)
Supports Constitutional right to bear arms. (Nov 2006)

Stance on the Environment:
Opposed protections for salmon from mining contamination. (Aug 2008)
Sue US government to stop listing polar bear as endangered. (Aug 2008)
We must encourage timber, mining, drilling, and fishing. (Jan 2008)
Wolf predator control is important for subsistence hunters. (Sep 2007)
Feds shouldn’t list beluga whales as endangered. (Aug 2007)
Provide stability in regulations for developers. (Jan 2007)
Convince the rest of the nation to open ANWR. (Jan 2007)
Fish platform: “Resource First” philosophy. (Nov 2006)
Rail provides critical link for business development. (Nov 2006)
Supports “Roads to Resources”: subsidized access to mines. (Oct 2006)
Don’t duplicate effort in monitoring cruise ship emissions. (Oct 2006)
Don’t amend AK constitution for rural subsistence fishing. (Oct 2006)

Copyright 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org

Tags: barack obama, candidates and gun control, candidates and the environment, Joe Biden, John McCain, Sarah Palin