In the wake of the latest election season, charges of voter suppression by Republicans have been flying without mitigation, gaining momentum with each passing day. In response, Republican's couldn't scoff loudly enough, "How dare the Democrats make such baseless accusations. We are a party of compassion and high morals. We are the party of inclusion and tolerance. Just ask Condi and Colin...and also ask that gay fellow who heads up the AIDS office." -- or something like that.

As usual, the Republicans' talk is the virtual antithesis of the Republicans' walk. To illustrate, we need go no further than the politicians' votes to see who's walk matches their talk. Since the topic du jour specifically focuses on the vote suppression of ethnic minorities (among other things) it makes sense to study the current fight for civil rights by our elected officials. Let's look specifically at the Senate and its legislation during the 108th congress. After all, activism is the civilian's badge of honor, but legislation is where the world is changed. Indeed, the civil rights records of our elected officials are excellent indicators of the stealth racism and general bigotry in our government. Think, what could possibly be the thought process of a person with a ZERO score on civil rights voting records.

According to the civil rights scorecard composed by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the proponents and opponents of civil rights has changed little since the 60's. Indeed, the party of Trent Lott, Strom Thurmond, and Jesse Helms looms large in contemporary conservatism.

The LCCR based their scores on an analysis of each senator's voting record on 13 major issues. Of all Senators in the 108th congress, 48 Democrats, 51 Republicans and 1 Independent:

27 scored a perfect 100%... ALL DEMOCRATS!

Akaka - D - 100%

Baucus, M. - D - 100%

Boxer - D - 100%

Cantwell - D - 100%

Clinton - D - 100%

Corzine - D - 100%

Daschle - D - 100%

Dayton - D - 100%

Dodd - D - 100%

Edwards, J. - D - 100%

Graham, B. - D - 100%

Harkin - D - 100%

Hollings - D - 100%

Inouye - D - 100%

Johnson, Tim - D - 100%

Kennedy, E. - D - 100%

Kerry, J. - D - 100%

Lautenberg - D - 100%

Leahy - D - 100%

Levin, C. - D - 100%

Mikulski - D - 100%

Murray - D - 100%

Reed, J. - D - 100%

Reid, H. - D - 100%

Sarbanes - D - 100%

Stabenow - D - 100%

Wyden - D - 100%

Byrd - D - 96%

Dorgan - D - 96%

Durbin - D - 96%

Feingold - D - 96%

Nelson, Bill - D - 96%

Rockefeller - D - 96%

Schumer - D - 96%

Lieberman - D - 95%

Biden - D - 93%

Bingaman - D - 93%

Carper - D - 93%

Kohl - D - 93%

Landrieu - D - 93%

Pryor - D - 93%

Bayh - D - 89%

Conrad - D - 89%

Feinstein - D - 89%

Lincoln - D - 89%

Breaux - D - 82%

Nelson, Ben - D - 56%

Miller, Z. - D - 9%

13 Senators scored ZERO... ALL REPUBLICANS!

Brownback - R - 0% 0%

Chambliss R - R - 0%

Cochran - R - 0%

Craig R - R - 0%

Crapo R - R - 0%

Fitzgerald R - R - 0%

Frist - R - 0%

Inhofe - R - 0%

Kyl - R - 0%

Nickles - R - 0%

Santorum - R - 0%

Sessions, - R - 0%

Thomas, C. - R - 0%

Allard - R - 4%

Bond - R - 4%

Bunning - R - 4%

Burns, C. - R - 4%

Cornyn - R - 4%

Domenici - R - 4%

Ensign - R - 4%

Enzi - R - 4%

Graham, L. - R - 4%

Grassley R - R - 4%

Gregg - R - 4%

Hagel - R - 4%

Hatch - R - 4%

Lott - R - 4%

McConnell - R - 4%

Sununu - R - 4%

Talent - R - 4%

Alexander, L. - R - 7%

Allen, G. - R - 7%

Bennett - R - 7%

DeWine - R - 7%

Dole - R - 7%

Lugar R - R - 7%

Shelby - R - 7%

Stevens - R - 7%

Voinovich - R - 7%

Roberts - R - 11%

Warner - R - 11%

Smith, G. - R - 12%

Coleman - R - 14%

Hutchison, K. - R - 14%

McCain - R - 14%

Specter - R - 19%

Murkowski, L. - R - 20%

Campbell - R - 21%

Collins, S. - R - 32%

Snowe - R - 36%

Chafee - R - 43%

Overall, Democrats' average score was a very respectable 94% -- and that includes the disgraceful 9% from pseudo-Demo-Republican lapdog, Zell Miller. Replace Miller' score with left-leaning Independent Jim Jefford's 92% and the left of the aisle's average score jumps to 96%. In contrast, Republicans slimed away with a despicable 7%. Their star civil rights leader was Lincoln Chafee with a miserable 43%.

In an attempt to be fair, I decided I should check the voting records of more than a single congress. Thus, here are the results from an analysis of the 107th congress.

Again, the LCCR based their scores on an analysis of each senator's voting record on 13 major issues. Of all Senators in the 107th congress, 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans and 1 Independent:

20 scored a perfect 100%... ALL DEMOCRATS!

Boxer - California - Dem - 100%

Lieberman - Connecticut - Dem - 100%

Akaka - Hawaii - Dem - 100%

Inouye - Hawaii - Dem - 100%

Durbin - Illinois - Dem - 100%

Mikulski - Maryland - Dem - 100%

Sarbanes - Maryland - Dem - 100%

Kennedy, E. - Massachusetts - Dem - 100%

Kerry, J. - Massachusetts - Dem - 100%

Levin, C. - Michigan - Dem - 100%

Dayton - Minnesota - Dem - 100%

Wellstone - Minnesota - Dem - 100%

Reid, H. - Nevada - Dem - 100%

Corzine - New Jersey - Dem - 100%

Bingaman - New Mexico - Dem - 100%

Clinton - New York - Dem - 100%

Reed, J. - Rhode Island - Dem - 100%

Leahy - Vermont - Dem - 100%

An unbelievable 31 scored ZERO%... ALL REPUBLICANS!

Sessions, J. - Alabama - Rep - 0%

Shelby - Alabama - Rep - 0%

Murkowski - Alaska - Rep - 0%

Stevens - Alaska - Rep - 0%

Kyl - Arizona - Rep - 0%

Allard - Colorado - Rep - 0%

Craig - Idaho - Rep - 0%

Crapo - Idaho - Rep - 0%

Lugar - Indiana - Rep - 0%

Grassley - Iowa - Rep - 0%

Brownback - Kansas - Rep - 0%

Roberts - Kansas - Rep - 0%

Bunning - Kentucky - Rep - 0%

McConnell - Kentucky - Rep - 0%

Cochran - Mississippi - Rep - 0%

Bond - Missouri - Rep - 0%

Burns - Montana - Rep - 0%

Ensign - Nevada - Rep - 0%

Gregg - New Hampshire - Rep - 0%

Smith, R. C. - New Hampshire - Rep - 0%

Helms - North Carolina - Rep - 0%

Inhofe - Oklahoma - Rep - 0%

Nickles - Oklahoma - Rep - 0%

Thurmond, S. - South Carolina - Rep - 0%

Frist - Tennessee - Rep - 0%

Thompson, F. - Tennessee - Rep - 0%

Gramm, P. - Texas - Rep - 0%

Bennett - Utah - Rep - 0%

Hatch - Utah - Rep - 0%

Enzi - Wyoming - Rep - 0%

Thomas, C. - Wyoming - Rep - 0%

Overall, Democrats' average score was a very respectable 91%. In contrast, Republicans slimed away with a despicable 6% (you know, as in 6...6...6%).

Of course, it all fits into the Conservatives' grand vision. By voting against every attempt to bring equality, freedom and justice to the average citizen, Republicans are forcing us to "pull ourselves up by the bootstraps" and make our own way toward the American dream. Once we've achieved that dream, then and only then can we take advantage of legacy appointments and admissions. Only then can we benefit from our parents' contacts. Only then can we allow our parents' friends to make us rich while bailing us out of failed business ventures. Only then can we rely on our father's status in congress to get into Yale and Andover, and only then can we avoid the draft with an undeserved National Guard slot and then go AWOL without consequence. So you see, It's all about bootstraps.

It's all for our own good.

Seriously, it's about the 'Strict Father' assault on progressive American Values -- the TRUE American Values. Very few measures will lend insight into the racism, elitism, misogyny and homophobia of our legislators as a simple tally of civil rights voting records. Indeed, though their forked tongues might preach tolerance, their hands write the legislation that stifles true freedom and acceptance.

Civil Rights :: Election 2004 :: Race :: Republicans | Link