Talk:United States presidential election, 2008
From Campaigns Wikia
Note: for obvious reasons, I alphabetized the lists. 24.206.109.158 14:21, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
- Thank you! Please sign in so we can give credit where it is due. Chadlupkes 14:31, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
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[edit] Platforms
Changed link from Flikr to unbiased, alphabetical link at original site, 2decide.com.
- Not sure why Flickr is biased, but that's fine. It's the information resource that we should be pushing. Thanks. Chadlupkes 17:19, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Not Flikr, but the chart. It was organized by preferred candidate (Clinton being first, etc.) instead of alphabetical or any other non-biased method. Midian 20:10, 14 August 2007 (UTC)
[edit] 2nd Amendment
This is really unclear. I think it would be more accurate to have the field be "Gun Ownership", with the possible positions being "Pro", "Restricted" and "Anti". Thoughts? We would have to research the answers beyond OnTheIssues. Chadlupkes 15:48, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
- The 2nd Amendment stipulates the right of the people to bear arms. Some politicians (Clinton, Obama, etc.) want a complete repeal of the amendment, so it is the amendment itself that is supported or not, through varying degrees. Midian 15:39, 13 August 2007 (UTC)
- Really! Can you provide a source for that? I'd be very interested in reading a quote from any of the candidates on either side that advocate removing the 2nd Amendment from the Bill of Rights. Chadlupkes 15:48, 13 August 2007 (UTC)
- In a cursory search I've found quotes by members of the current Democrat party, but not any of the current candidates.
"Banning guns addresses a fundamental right of Americans to feel safe." ~ Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-CA.
"We're going to hammer guns on the anvil of relentless legislative strategy! We're going to beat guns into submission!" ~ Rep. (now Senator) Charles Schumer D-NY.
"Senator Ashcroft is so far out of the mainstream that he has said that citizens need to be armed in order to protect themselves against a tyrannical government. Our government? Tyrannical?" ~ Sen. Ted Kennedy D-MA, at John Ashcroft's Senate confirmation hearing, 2001.
"Banning guns is an idea whose time has come." ~ Sen. Joseph Biden, D-DE.
"I don't believe that everybody in America needs to be able to buy a semi-automatic or fully-automatic weapon, built only for the purpose of killing people, in order to protect the right of Americans to hunt and practice marksmanship and to be secure." ~ Bill Clinton.
"I don't care about crime. I just want to get the guns." ~ Former Senator Howard Metzenbaum, D-OH during Brady Bill debates.
"If someone is so fearful that, that they're going to start using their weapons to protect their rights, makes me very nervous that these people have these weapons at all!" ~ Rep. Henry Waxman, D-NY, 5/2001 MSNBC report on .50BMG rifles.
- Great research! How many of these statements were followed by legislation, and what is the status of that legislation in the 110th Congress? Chadlupkes 04:28, 15 August 2007 (UTC)
- Dennis Kucinich proposed a bill that would repeal the right to own, sell, and transfer firearms on April 17, 2007, the day after the Virginia Tech shootings. What a scumbag to try to take advantage of a tragedy like that. Midian 18:31, 6 September 2007 (UTC)
- Interesting. [1] However, I can't find a bill number for what he is proposing. If it is ever introduced, I hope it gets vigorous debate.
- None of this, however, answers my initial concern. Declaring that candidates are for or against "the second amendment" is misleading. People can certainly be pro or anti gun, but nobody has said that they wish to delete the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. Chadlupkes 18:50, 6 September 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Issue Labels
Labelling one of the other categories is similarly misleading. I don't know anyone who is "pro-abortion". However, some people are for people's rights to make their own medical choices. As much as possible issue labels should not be biased toward one side or the other. Use each "side's" own title when possible. If one side wants to call it a "death tax" and the other side wants to call it an "tax on unearned inheritance wealth" use both labels or a neutral one. I think both "2nd Amendment" and "Abortion" are issue labels that should be changed in this table.
I'd also suggest that each issue label should link to a more in depth discussion of each side with the multiple alternative labels. In this case, more neutral labels might be "individual gun rights" and "abortion choice"? I bet someone can come up with something better. I agree the current labels should be changed. -- CocoaZen 14:11, 7 September 2007 (UTC)
- I forgot to note... I do like the addition of a summary table. And the use of hypertext (linking) makes it possible to link from the summary to more detail on candidates' positions when appropriate (that is when we have the content). -- CocoaZen 14:15, 7 September 2007 (UTC)
Well said. I've made some changes and put up a disclaimer. We need more content to fill out the context. Chadlupkes 15:43, 7 September 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Eh?
What about Stephen Colbert? Shouldn't he have an article? Even if he is just doing it for humor and promoting his book, his election campaign should be talked about. 65.27.139.162 18:56, 31 October 2007 (UTC)
- If you want to add a link to his campaign, you are welcome to. Chadlupkes 19:05, 31 October 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Changes in stance on Gay Marriage
Someone came through and changed the status of Gay Marriage on Obama and Romney from Against to Pro. I reversed the changes, because no references were provided. If you can find references from official source that show that these changes are accurate, I'll restore them. Chadlupkes 01:59, 29 October 2008 (UTC)
