Obama's Record on the Issues

Because both presidential candidates are U.S. Senators, their positions on many issues are public record. Last week, I examined some of John McCain's votes on certain key issues. This week, we look at the voting record of Barak Obama, junior senator from the state of Illinois.

Both senators have been campaigning for nearly a year, and both senators have been absent from many important votes over the last 12 months. The Project Vote Smart web site and the Library of Congress' Thomas website provided this information.

Senator Barak Obama supports a woman's right to decide whether or not to bear children. He votes to fund family planning services, including programs aimed at teen pregnancy prevention. These programs educate teens on abstinence, contraception, and emergency contraceptives. He voted against a bill that would make it a crime to transport a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion if her home state has a parental notification law. He also voted to require health insurers to pay for contraceptives on the same basis as any other drug. Obama opposes anti-abortion bills that do not provide exceptions for the health of the mother.

Obama supports a swift and orderly withdrawal of our troops from Iraq. He has voted to draw down the number of troops committed to Iraq. He has supported Congressional attempts to use the power of the purse to rein in the war in Iraq. He considers the war in Iraq a foreign policy blunder. He bases his desire to conclude the war quickly on concern for the standing of the United States in the world. Obama has also voted to prohibit the use of cluster munitions, unless they are not to be used near civilians.