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2008 Candidate Comparisons 
General Election Edition
Make sure you cast an informed ballot this November with AdvanceUSA"s 2008 Candidate Comparisons for the presidential election. AdvanceUSA compared the major presidential candidates on twelve important issues of concern for conservatives.
If you found our presidential primary comparisons helpful, you are sure to appreciate our general election match-ups which offer more detail and nuance.
Since it appears the Democrat nomination will not be determined until the party's convention, AdvanceUSA has prepared match-ups for the two most likely scenarios (Clinton vs. McCain and Obama vs. McCain). AdvanceUSA hopes you find these a helpful resource for comparing the candidates and determining which most represents your values
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Sen. Clinton vs. Sen. McCain
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Sen. Obama vs. Sen. McCain
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ONLINE INTERACTIVE VERSION
(Coming Soon!)
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ONLINE INTERACTIVE VERSION
(Coming Soon!)
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Please tell your friends and relatives about this helpful resource. Email them this page, or send them a link to http://www.advanceusa.org/.
Keep checking AdvanceUSA for our Online Interactive Version which will allow readers to see the supporting evidence for the candidates' positions.
Note: You can still view the Candidate Comparisons for the primaries and caucuses here.
President Bush and Senators Demand Action on Judges
UPDATE: Keep up with the latest developments on judicial nominations at AdvanceUSA Blog.
UPDATE (4/15): Catharina Haynes was confirmed by the Senate on April 10 to sit on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. AdvanceUSA has adjusted its judges graphic accordingly, and urges the Senate to redouble its efforts to do justice for the president's judicial nominees.
UPDATE (4/3): Several high-profile Senators have called on the Senate to act on the President's important judicial nominations in recent months. There is talk that some Senators might "shut down" the Senate with procedural tactics if the Senate does not do its constitutional duty and move on judicial nominations. The importance of nominating well-qualified, originalists to the federal bench can hardly be exaggerated. That, and the necessity of filling dangerous appellate court vacancies merits the use of strong tactics to make progress on judges. AdvanceUSA applauds the leadership of Senators McConnell, Specter, and Hatch on this issue.
To see a visual representation of how badly the Senate has lagged in its responsibilities on judges click here.
On February 7, at the White House, President Bush "called out" the Senate for its lack of action on important judicial nominations. Appointing qualified, originalist judges to the federal bench is of the utmost importance, but over 180 nominees are currently in judicial limbo. Call Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today (his DC number is 202-224-3542) and politely ask him to end the obstruction of the President's judicial nominees and grant them hearings and a fair up-or-down vote, as is the Senate s constitutional duty!
To read the President's speech or a helpful White House fact sheet on judges check whitehouse.gov. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) also spoke out on this crucial issue and his remarks can be read here. For more information on judicial issues and to view a chart illustrating the Senate's lack of progress on judges check the AdvanceUSA pro-justice page.
PEPFAR Abortion and Abstinence Policies: If They're Not Broken, Don't Fix Them
UPDATE (4/4): The House of Representatives has approved a version of PEPFAR anti-AIDS funding that is much improved from the original version which would have mandated abortion funding, drastically cut back abstinence and faithfulness education, and weakened anti-prostitution provisions. Though significant improvements have been made to the bill, not all conservatives support the measure because of fiscal concerns over massive spending increases and concerns that there is insufficient accountability over how funds are spent. The bill will now go to the U.S. Senate.
UPDATE (2/20): The House Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on PEPFAR anti-AIDS funding reauthorization on Thursday, February 28. Call your representative today (especially if they serve on this committee) and urge him or her to vote against the PEPFAR legislation unless pro-abortion code words like "family panning" and "reproductive health" are removed and abstinence education and anti-prostitution language is maintained. LifeNews reports on the abortion funding aspect while the AP reports on President Bush's statements urging lawmakers to preserve crucial abstinence and faithfulness funding.
UPDATE (2/13): AdvanceUSA has learned from friends in the House of Representatives that the Foreign Affairs Committee hearings on PEPFAR have been postponed until the "week of February 25."
UPDATE (2/8): The AP reports on PEPFAR concerns here. The Foreign Affairs Committee will likely vote on PEPFAR on Thursday, February 14. Be sure to contact members of this committee and urge them to preserve the crucial pro-life and pro-morality provisions of PEPFAR.
UPDATE (2/7): The House Foreign Affairs Committee markup for PEPFAR originally scheduled today has been postponed to next week. As currently written, the legislation undermines effective abstinence programs and mandates taxpayer support of overseas abortions. FRC has provided a helpful list of committee members. If your representative is in this list, be sure to encourage him or her to oppose any provisions which undermine the Mexico City Policy, allow tax dollars to support overseas abortion providers or proponents, undermine anti-prostitution regulations, or weakens support for successful abstinence and faithfulness education programs. If these concerns are not met, your representative should be encouraged to oppose the underlying bill.
Liberals in Congress should stop endangering critical AIDS funding with attempts to advance their anti-life, liberal social agenda.
Vitter Offers Pro-Life Amendment to Indian Health Bill
UPDATE (4/3): Congressman Joe Pitts (R-PA) has proposed a similar amendment to the House version of the Indian Health bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee. At this point it is unclear when the committee will consider Rep. Pitts' important pro-life amendment.
UPDATE (2/26): The Vitter amendment passed this morning by a vote of 52 - 42. For full vote results and to see how your senators voted on this important pro-life amendment click here. AdvanceUSA thanks all those who called their senators concerning this pro-life matter, and thanks Sen. Vitter (R-LA) for proposing this legislation.
UPDATE (2/20): AdvanceUSA has learned that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has filed cloture on the Indian Health Services bill, and a vote on the essential pro-life Vitter amendment is expected on Monday or Tuesday (25th or 26th). Call both your senators and urge them to support the Vitter Amendment (# 3896) to the Indian Health Services bill!
UPDATE (1/23): We expect a vote on the Vitter amendment soon. Call both your senators today and urge them to vote "Yes" on Sen. Vitter's amendment to the Indian Health Services bill (S. 1200) and ensure that your tax dollars are not spent to provide abortions. We will post Senate vote results when they become available.
Do you want your tax dollars used to fund abortions within the United States? Currently the Hyde Amendment prohibits taxpayer-funding of abortion in most of the United States, but the sovereign territories of Indian nations within the U.S. are exempt from this provision. AdvanceUSA has learned that Senator David Vitter (R-LA) intends to propose an amendment to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (S. 1200) which would codify a longstanding policy against funding abortions with taxpayer-funds from the federal Indian Health Services (HIS). The amendment would prohibit federal funding for abortions except to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest of a minor. The Vitter amendment could be considered immediately when the Senate reconvenes on January 22, which is interestingly enough the date for the March for Life and the 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.
Call both your senators today and urge them to support the Vitter amendment to S. 1200!
"New [Religious Freedom] Threat to Charitable Choice"
One would expect that Catholic organizations should be able to hire only Catholics or that religious ministries (a church soup kitchen for example) should be able to fire or refuse to hire people who violate that religion's moral teachings on sexuality. These common sense assumptions could be in danger if "charitable choice" is not protected in the upcoming SAMSHA vote in the Senate.
Charitable choice is what allows religious charities to accept federal funding while taking religious/moral beliefs into consideration when hiring employees. Without these protections religious charities would be forced to compromise their most cherished beliefs in order to continue to minister effectively. Allowing Catholic charities to only hire Catholics or to refuse to hire someone who is an openly practicing homosexual are examples of charitable choice protection.
The Center blog reports on the latest efforts to restrict this important religious liberty in the statutory provisions governing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Senators should be urged to support charitable choice in SAMHSA.
Excerpt from Washington Post story:
Sens. Brownback and Landrieu Propose Anti-Hybrid Cloning Bill
UPDATE (4/3): Recent reports of scientists creating human-animal hybrids in Great Britain show the urgency of passing the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act in the United States, and shows the depths to which science can sink if all ethical concerns are abandoned.
Attempting to prevent the creation of hybrid human-animal embryos (or chimeras), Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) have proposed legislation to ban this blurring of the sanctity of human life. The legislation is S. 2358, the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act of 2007 (read full text here). Hopefully, this forward-thinking legislation can be passed before this outrageous tampering with the meaning of being human becomes a prominent issue in the United States. Call both your senators and urge them to cosponsor and vote "Yes" on S. 2358, the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act!
Title X Reform: Taxpayer Dollars and Abortion Providers
The way Federal Title X (title ten) funds are spent in this country is in drastic need of reform. Title X funds are supposed to support family planning services but are often given to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. Under President Ronald Reagan and the first President Bush, federal regulations were clearly written to prevent recipients of Title X funds from referring for abortions or combining family planning services with abortion services (ex: working at the same location). AdvanceUSA encourages the current Bush administration to issue Title X regulations which do two things:
1. reestablish prohibitions against family planning services co-locating with abortion providers
2. rescind regulations for family planning services which require them to refer for abortions
AdvanceUSA also supports legislation aimed at preventing taxpayers' Title X funds from supporting groups like Planned Parenthood (especially since Planned Parenthood is under investigation for serious allegations of law-breaking and ethical malfeasance). American's tax dollars should not be used to support abortion, and we hope Congress and the President will act accordingly.
Oppose the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act!
It appears the liberals in Congress will continue their battle to blur the definition of marriage. The latest attempt comes in the guise of providing to same-sex partners of federal employees the same marriage benefits as married spouses. The Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act of 2007 (S. 2521 / H.R. 4838), would make a federal employee and his or her same-sex domestic partner eligible to participate in federal health benefits, the Family and Medical Leave program, long-term care, insurance, and retirement benefits. Read the text of S. 2521 here and the text of H.R. 4838 here. Click here and here to see which senators and representatives have signed on to these dangerous bills as cosponsors and hold them accountable. Call your representative and both your senators today and urge them to oppose the Domestic Partners Benefits Act (S. 2521 or H.R. 4838)!
"New Congressional Bill Helps States Help Women Find Abortion Alternatives"
The Positive Alternatives Act (H.R. 4852) will codify current Department of Health policies that allow pregnant women to receive benefits that constitute "alternatives to abortion." Click here to read the text of the bill or read a news story about the bill at LifeNews. In a letter to her colleagues, Bachman said "Not only do these services help reduce the occurrence of abortion, they also help resolve social, familial and economic challenges many women face that lead to destructive lifestyles and more long-term dependency on government assistance." AdvanceUSA applauds Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN) for taking the lead on this practical and compassionate pro-life issue. Please contact your representative today and encourage them to cosponsor and vote for H.R. 4852, the Positive Alternatives Act.
"Pastors, Churches and Politics Take Front and Center"
The Liberty Counsel has prepared a helpful resource for pastors and churches to understand their freedom to speak out on political issues. Many religious leaders and institutions feel pressured to avoid commenting on any political issues for fear of losing tax-exempt status. Pastors are eligible to receive free informative DVDs and anyone can watch this important presentation online for free thanks to the American Family Association. For more news and precise information on what pastors can and cannot do in the political realm check out AdvanceUSA's church involvement page.
Congressional Conference Removes Hate (Thought) Crimes Amendment from Defense Funding Bill
UPDATE (12/7): AdvanceUSA is happy to report that the dangerous hate crimes legislation has been removed from the Defense bill. The House and Senate conferees realized that the crucial Department of Defense authorization bill had no chance of becoming law with the hate (thought) crimes bill attached. AdvanceUSA thanks all those who contacted their elected officials and voiced their views on this crucial religious freedom and equal justice issue.
UPDATE (11/16): The Dept. of Defense bill containing unrelated hate (thought) crimes language is now in conference (meetings to reconcile House and Senate versions). Hopefully, the dangerous hate crimes expansion will be dropped in conference before it goes to the President who has indicated he would veto any hate crimes legislation. This Human Events article helpfully explains the current situation regarding hate crimes.
UPDATE (10/30): A recent Wall Street Journal editorial provides some helpful information on the current hate crimes bill and makes the case for why civil libertarians should oppose this legislation.
UPDATE (9/27): The United States Senate voted this morning on the hate (thought) crimes amendment to the Defense bill. Unfortunately the amendment passed by a vote of 60 - 39. Fortunately, there appear to be sufficient votes to sustain the veto the president has promised. To see how your senators voted click here or see the vote chart below.
ENDA: Granting Special Status Based on Sexual Orientation
UPDATE (2/11): The Wall Street Journal mentions the dangerous Employment Non-Discrimination Act in an article on several anti-business bills that could progress in the current Congress.
UPDATE (11/8): Yesterday the House passed ENDA by a vote of 235 - 184. Check the vote box below or on the Congress Vote Watch page to see how your representative voted on this dangerous legislation. An amendment proposed by Rep. George Miller (D-CA) to broaden the religious exemption for churches and other religious institutions passed, but the bill still ignores the threats to the religious freedom of regular employers. Furthermore, the underlying bill sets a dangerous precedent by elevating sexual behavior as a civil rights issue akin to race, religion, or gender. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) had an excellent article Tuesday in Human Events which explains the serious religious freedom and litigation concerns with ENDA. Fortunately, the President has vowed to veto the legislation.
UPDATE (10/23): President Bush issued a veto threat for ENDA(H.R. 3685) in a statement of administration policy issued today. AdvanceUSA applauds the President’s bold leadership in opposing this dangerous legislation. Also, a gay publication is reporting that the ENDA bill has been postponed until next week so members can be polled to see if an amendment including “transgendered”
individuals in the legislation would pass.
UPDATE (10/22): The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was voted out of House committee on Thursday after Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) and Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) attempted to attach amendments which would have fixed some of the serious problems with this bill (particularly the very real threat to religious liberty). The amendments were rejected (for information on these votes click here). ENDA is expected to receive a vote in the House this week, potentially as early as Tuesday. Please call your representative TODAY and urge him/her to vote "No" on ENDA!
UPDATE (10/16): ENDA is scheduled to be marked up in committee on Thursday, October 18. CitizenLink reports that a House vote on ENDA could be just around the corner.
Judicial Confirmations Slow to a Snail's Pace
While some may contend that the United States Senate is doing a respectable job in confirming judicial nominees, the stats don't lie.
The U.S. Senate needs to take its constitutional responsibility to provide "advice and consent" on President Bush's judicial nominations seriously, especially in light of glaring vacancies in the federal courts.
If one compared the number of circuit court judges confirmed in the last two years of an eight-year presidential term in which the President and Senate belong to opposing parties, Bill Clinton would be the "hare" while George W. Bush would not even merit "tortoise" status. AdvanceUSA has prepared this graph which compares the circuit court confirmation statistics of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush who find themselves in nearly identical political situations. Click here for a larger version of this graph.
Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act in the House and Senate
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) reintroduced the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act (H.R. 3442) in the House of Representatives on August 3, 2007. This bill would require mothers seeking an abortion to be notified of the excruciating pain their unborn child is likely to experience. Earlier last year (January 22, 2007) Senator Sam Brownback reintroduced this legislation in the Senate. Americans should actively support this legislation because it highlights the humanity of the unborn and offers some (albeit limited) protections to their inalienable rights. Continue to check AdvanceUSA for more information on this important step in the right direction.
In the last Congress the House of Representatives considered a similar bill. Unfortunately the bill failed to pass by 25 votes (check the Vote Watch page for full results) despite a statement of support from President Bush. In addition, National Right to Life made available a helpful fact sheet, an explanatory letter to Congress, and detailed rebuttals to pro-abortion arguments. To see how your representative voted on the House bill in the last Congress click here.
Pledge Protection Act Seeks to Keep "Under God" in the Pledge
Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) has introduced the Pledge Protection Act (H.R. 699) which denies federal courts the jurisdiction to hear cases involving the Pledge of Allegiance. Radical secularists like Michael Newdow and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have shown a clear intent to do away with any reference to God in the pledge of allegiance. This legislation proactively prevents activist federal courts from declaring the phrase "under God" an unconstitutional establishment of religion. Under Article I Section 8 and Article III Sections 1 and 2, Congress has the authority to determine the jurisdiction of federal courts. Please call your representative today and urge him or her to support The Pledge Protection Act by signing on as a cosponsor and by eventually voting "Yes" on H.R. 699.
Keeping Tax Dollars from Supporting Abortion: Preserving the Pro-Life Riders
UPDATE (12/19): We are happy to report that the crucial Mexico City Policy survived the omnibus spending bill process. The House will vote on the massive spending bill soon, and the President is likely to sign it after it is passed. Considering the many pro-life riders contained in federal law, the pro-life movement was very fortunate to see every rider maintained and only one provision (the Mexico City Policy) ever really in danger.
UPDATE: Check out our coverage of the Mexico City Policy hearings at AdvanceUSA Blog (links to video and news included).
UPDATE (10/30): AdvanceUSA has learned that pro-abortion activists and politicians have the Mexico City Policy in their sights. The Mexico City Policy (first instituted by Ronald Reagan) prohibits taxpayer dollars from going to international organizations that either provide or support abortions. Hearings on this important pro-life policy will be held Wednesday morning in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Check AdvanceUSA Blog for the latest news.
UPDATE: On September 6 the U.S. Senate voted on 3 amendments to the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act relating to the Mexico City Policy and the Kemp-Kasten amendment (for more information on these important pro-life provisions see below). A Brownback amendment (S.A. 2707) which prevents tax-payer funds from going to overseas organizations which support coercive abortions (like China's brutal one-child policy) passed. Unfortunately, (unless the President's promised veto is sustained) tax-payer funds can now be given to international organizations which promote or provide abortions overseas because the Boxer amendment (S.A. 2719) passed and another Brownback amendment (S.A. 2708) was defeated. To see how your senators voted on these important pro-life amendments check the Congress Vote Watch page or the vote charts below. Fortunately President Bush has promised to veto the underlying bill if it overturns any of these important pro-life provisions.
President Vetoes Embryonic Stem Cell Funding Bill Again: Senate Could Vote On Veto Override Soon
President George W. Bush vetoed the latest embryonic stem cell funding bill on Wednesday, June 20 as he had promised in a recent Statement of Administration Policy. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill (S. 5) on June 7 by a vote of 247 to 176, a 35-vote margin which is an improvement over the 39-vote margin in January on a very similar bill. Our friends in Congress tell us that we are making progress on this issue so pro-lifers should be encouraged but remain vigilant. The Senate must now decide whether to override or sustain the President's veto. In the Senate a veto override requires a 2/3 majority of those present to vote.
Pro Family | Pro Justice | Pro Religious Freedom | Pro Morality | Pro Life
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| Proverbs 14:34 — Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people. |
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