Guest Author - Lee S. Williams

Senator Hillary Clinton, the New York Democratic junior Senator, former First Lady and graduate of Wellesley College and Yale Law School, like another Democratic hopeful, is not afraid to express her stand on any of the issues. From abortion to gun control to balancing the federal budget, her voting record and policy statements clearly reflect her opinions and platforms. Highly active in politics since 1973, she was instrumental in tackling one of the biggest issues touching seniors - healthcare. While First Lady, Senator Clinton researched, assisted and co-chaired the task force between 1993 and 1994 that made a failed attempt to make sweeping changes in the U.S. health-care system. That proposal, blocked by pharmaceutical and insurance company lobbies, was the forerunner of many of the changes in healthcare that are currently occurring, including the major change in the Medicare prescription assistance program, better known to most of us as “Medicare, Part D.” She proudly states that healthcare is her first priority and her voting record reflects that.

Her voting record shows that she is a believer in abortion as a woman’s right, and while supporting the recent Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, she actively promotes making adoptions easier. She supports domestic partnerships for gays and lesbians; she favors more federal funding for healthcare; she opposes privatizing social security; she actively supports public schooling. Senator Clinton’s voting record also shows that she opposes the death penalty, mandatory sentencing and the absolute right to gun ownership, requiring restrictions and regulations in all those areas. She promotes repealing the tax cuts designed for the wealthy and advocates a living minimum wage. She is the candidate for socialization, for bringing the ideals of the United States back to the spirit of equality that she believes the founding fathers meant.

Fred Thompson, the familiar face of Arthur Branch on the popular television series Law and Order, served as Tennessee’s Republican Senator from 1994 to 2003. A graduate of the University of Memphis and Vanderbilt University Law School, he also served as co-chief counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee and is credited with asking the one question that directly led to the downfall of President Nixon, “What did the President know, and when did he know it?” Another candidate who is unafraid to speak his mind, even if his position may be unpopular, Fred Thompson is a strong supporter of states’ rights and his voting record during his service as Senator shows that. Mr. Thompson opposes abortion and his stand on Roe v. Wade is simply stated by “It’s a bad decision and bad science.” While in favor of teaching family values in public schools and permitting parental choice of school by using vouchers, he opposes greater federal spending on healthcare and supports the privatizing of social security.

As Senator, he supported legislation favoring the death penalty and the mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws. He is also a strong supporter for the absolute right to bear arms. Senator Thompson supported greater federal military spending and opposed replacing coal and oil with alternative fuels. Mr. Thompson’s stand on the “green issue” is tht the solar system itself is warming, not just earth. A vote for Mr. Thompson is a vote for the issue of states’ rights. Such an issue is very dear to the hearts of many, for it has, at it’s heart, the fact that the people should be able to maintain government of themselves.