I just tried the SelectSmart “who should you vote for” test and Sen. John Edwards came top of my list based on the positions he has taken, followed closely by Howard Dean (about whom I have already written). I thought I may as well check the sites of the main contenders to see for myself – and I find I don’t agree with SelectSmart.
(note – though I have made my home in the UK and left the US when I was two I am a registered US voter so this is not idle musing on my part).
I have to say I am still not happy with Edwards’ assertion on his website that:
“He has repeatedly called for delaying additional tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and believes the tax cuts for middle income families should be permanent. The Senator has also called for increasing the estate tax exemption to $7 million per family to protect small businesses and farmers, but not a complete repeal of the estate tax.”
He’s practically endorsing the Bush tax cuts for heavens sake! Delays not cancellation of the worst cuts, probably weaselling about what “middle income” means, and essentially removing the estate tax for large swathes of people who by any measure could be called wealthy.
Kerry (who is next on my list apparently) appears even worse – his website doesn’t even mention the Bush tax cuts.
Kucinich – next down on my list – is actually the closest to my views in most respects but he is a protectionist, which I find hard to stomach and I fear in any case he stands little chance of getting anywhere (though he did get 24% of the votes in the MoveOn.org primary).
Boy it’s depressing looking at the US political scene…
