Who should I vote for in the 2008 South Carolina Senate Race?
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Bob Conley wont sell us out like our current Senator! Bob will work to get rid of NAFTA and CAFTA! Bob will help bring jobs back to South Carolina! South Carolina needs Bob Conley! Side:
 Bob Conley (D) Bob Conley is a true conservative Democrat. He is the Democrat your parents and grandparents voted for. Lindsey Graham does not support SC citizens - he is a McCain bag boy and has no love for SC even though the state put him in office. Conley is challenging Graham to come out of hiding and meet him in some Town Hall debates anywhere and anytime. Graham is afraid to meet him face to face. Miss Lindsey needs to come back to SC and explain herself. Side: conservative democrat
A Republican to be reckoned with, Ron Paul has gathered loyal voters in many Southern states who admire his conservative policies. Bob Conley openly supports Ron Paul enthusiasts and hopes that his conservative tone will inspire the South Carolinian Independents to remember him in the ballot box. Bob Conley:""Ron Paul activists are welcome to be part of my U.S. Senate campaign. Your extraordinary efforts on behalf of Ron Paul can now best be applied to helping me defeat neoconservative incumbent Lindsey Graham." Because of Conley's socially conservative views (i.e. pro-life and anti-gay marriage), his reaching out to libertarian and conservative independents who share his views is a very smart move on his part. Bob Conley reaches out to conservative SC
Side: Ron Paul
I personally don't like the fact that Conley chooses to label himself with any party at all, let alone Democrats. But he can always choose later on to leave them and be nonpartisan since they, by principle, usually don't advocate reducing government size. He is considered to be like-minded with Ron Paul and even voted for him in his state's primary. Side:
Bob Conley (D) According to a recent interview with Bob Conley in the New American, the "new democrat" is actually a conservative. Conley is pro-life, a 2nd amendment protector, fiscally conservative and pro-ANWR drilling. Conley with TNA:"I had a simple opening message for voters, "I'm the Democrat your grandfather voted for." The "Blue Dog" is the wave of the future. The New Democrat is the Old Democrat. You can campaign and win as a Democrat on a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, traditional values, fiscally conservative platform. The 2006 elections proved this. Jeffersonian ideals can still win in the party that Jefferson founded. Outside of a few elitist, urbanite white folks, the message of Ted Kennedy doesn't play in South Carolina - even among rank-and-file Democrats." All of that may seem well and good for voters looking to have their cake and eat it too, but with all of this new jargon, e.g.: "Neo-conservative, Jeffersonian Democrat", are senators just trying to dress themselves up for opposite parties in the hopes that no one will notice where their political loyalties actually lie? Who IS Bob Conley, really? More importantly, do we really care if all he wants is for everyone to get along? Side: Bob Conley
Bob Conley is bucking the big whigs in his own party it seems. The South Carolina Democratic Party establishment has reacted rather aggressively against a press release in which Conley accused the party of "pursuing a far left agenda" that he felt is inconsistent and out of touch with South Carolina voting concerns. Chairwoman of the State Democratic Party, Carol Fowler, denied Conley's claims and labeled him as "an inexperienced campaigner and possibly there are some things about politics he doesn't understand." From one perspective, perhaps she's right. Yet, in a state such as South Carolina, if you're aiming to beat an incumbent Republican out of the Senate, you're best bet is aim your guns farther to the right than your opponent - even if you're a Democrat. This is exactly what Conley is doing as evidenced by his declared support for Alaskan oil drilling: "I support the extraction of oil in the outer continental shelf (OCS) and in the small region of ANWR that has been advocated in an environmentally responsible manner. To alleviate the fears of unsightly rigs near our beaches, we will require that production from rigs on the OCS are at least fifty miles from land, have reasonable safety and environmental standards, cannot be seen from beach front property, and will not adversely impact our tourism economy. A lowering of gas prices will bring more tourists to South Carolina, as more Americans will be able to afford to travel to our beautiful coastline. Increased supply will lower our gasoline prices and the prices of all other items that rely on crude oil. We will keep more energy dollars in the US economy instead of sending those dollars overseas. We will also create good, well-paying jobs!" Although Graham (R) is highly favored in this race, it will be interesting to see which one of these candidates can out-conservative the other before it's all said and done. Side: Democratic Conservative
Conley Proposes a Fair Tax In this radio interview on the Danny Fontana Show, Conley explains his support of a fair tax. He argues that the policy is a nonpartisan issue and states that a Democrat and a Republican co-authored the original Fair Tax Act. Critics argue that the consumption tax favors the rich over the poor since a flat tax rate would not affect the wealth of a high income earner as much as a low or middle income earner. It remains to be seen whether the tax would cause a retrenchment in the size of government or it the tax would deter consumption and endanger economic growth. Side: Economy
Conley: Job Protectionist According to the Democratic candidate, “Corporate greed is robbing us of jobs and driving down wages.” How does Conley propose to tackle corporations? He will target illegal immigration and the corporations who do not play by the rules. He also appears to be against legal immigrants when he says, “Companies that import legal “temporary visa” workers to pay them cut-rate wages must have the pipeline cut off.” Another way he proposes to protect jobs is by withdrawing from trade agreements such as NAFTA AND CAFTA that have been blamed for the loss of textile manufacturing jobs in South Carolina. Side: Economy
Conley: The Quirky, Improbable Democratic Candidate In the American Spectator article, South Carolina voters realized why this Democrat appears to be so Republican. He was one. Conley ran for a seat in the Indiana state legislature in 2000. After losing he supported Pat Buchanan and affiliated with the Reform Party. In the GOP primary, he voted for Ron Paul. He only won the primary by 1,058 votes. There are key issues that lend some credibility about his affiliation with the Democrats. He opposed reauthorization of FISA and the Patriot Act and as he calls it the “occupation” in Iraq. His position on these issues, however, likely stems from his libertarian roots rather than any Democratic sympathy. Side: Bob Conley
Voters now have another reason to elect Conley with Senator Graham's vote for the revised Wall Street bailout bill. The bill doesn't seem all that popular after having its original version rejected by the House, and it still amounts to the same wasteful spending no matter what. By being a Ron Paul supporter that's willing to cross party lines, Conley sets a great example for other Democrats. Side:
Bob Conley (D) Despite the fact that Bob Conley (D) has previously run for office on a Republican ticket, he has done a remarkable job of distancing himself from his incumbent Republican rival, Sen. Lindsey Graham, in the course of this campaign. While Graham has emphasized lower taxes for business in his economic plan, Conley has called for an end to the trade deals that sent many American jobs overseas. He argues, " think when we take and reevaluate those trade deals and we withdraw from them, we’re going to bring back not only these jobs, but we’re going to bring back our independence, to the United States and to South Carolina." On the rising cost of gas and oil, Graham sides with lifting the off-shore drilling ban while Conley urges the United States to explore the shale oil, which will inevitably bring more jobs to the state of South Carolina. "I think the first and foremost thing we need to do is open up the shale oil out there in the Rockies. That’s where we can bring to market the quickest and increase our domestic supply and thereby bring down prices.” Conley sees immigration as a major factor in the health care issue facing the nation perhaps more relevant than Graham's $5,000 tax credit plan. The Democratic challenger maintains, "If we don’t do something about the porous southern border, and if we don’t do something about the tens of millions of illegal aliens who are here, that problem is going to continue to skyrocket." Finally, Graham and Conley offer a stark contrast on the war in Iraq and our national security. Graham claims the war in Iraq is a winnable endeavor and our military investment there is of paramount importance in our war against terror. Conley disagrees, saying, "It’s been more than five years since we heard ‘Mission Accomplished’. How much longer are we going to put American lives at risk for this occupation? How many more trillions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are we going to spend? It’s not a national security issue. Period. Our porous southern border is a serious national security issue." Side: Conley contrast Graham
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While Bob Conley has a number of conservative views, including his "sanctity of life" position and opposition to same-sex marriage (both presumably inspired by his Roman Catholic faith), in May 2008 he said that American foreign policy is comparable to the building up of the Roman Empire. This puts into question his comprehension of our foreign policy, which is meant to help other nations without making them our properties, whereas the Roman Empire took control of other sovereignties and burdened them with taxes. Lindsey Graham is also pro-life and opposed to same-sex marriage, but he also supports American foreign policy; he does not consider our nation imperialistic. He received a 0% rating from the American Civil Liberties Union and an 83% rating from the US Chamber of Commerce. His rating from the National Rifle Association is "A," and in March 2007 he called for Washington, DC, to end various components of its gun ban, which was declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in June 2008. Side: Lindsey Graham
Graham Changes Positions on Offshore Drilling In a September 20, 2005 article in The Greenville News, Sen. Lindsey Graham stated, “All of our coastal communities I’ve talked with believe offshore drilling would be a detriment to our economy along the coast. I tend to agree with that.” Graham has now changed positions due to the rising price of oil, energy independence, and the environment. Democratic Vice President nominee Sen. Joe Biden criticizes in the same interview below that offshore will not lower prices until the distant future. Youtube Video
Side: Energy
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From the ACTUAL Republican in this race, Lindsey Graham, South Carolinians can expect to receive seasoned advice from a senator who knows that making compromises is how one gets things done in Washington. Graham, though a fiscal and socially conservative Republican, works hard as a member of the Senate's "Gang of 10", a group composed of five republican senators and five democratic senators, to get important bills that would otherwise roll around on the Senate floor for months passed quickly. Most recently, the Gang of 10 introduced bipartisan legislation called the Bipartisan Energy Proposal in order to stabilize out of control gas prices. Graham knows how to get things done and understands the rhythm of Washington. Conley is extremely gung-ho, but makes too many promises based on scattered party politics. Graham compromise
Side: Compromise
Senator Graham has plenty of experience under his belt both in public office and in the military. This could be a weak spot for Conley if he comes right out and criticizes the fact that Graham has involved himself in wars that the majority of Americans now regret ever supporting. It also may not become well-known by voters that Conley is a commercial pilot and flight instructor. Side:
 Lindsey Graham (R) Graham recently released a press release with Senator Lieberman responding to Russia's recent invasion of Georgia. The two senators believe that this act of brute force must not go unacknowledged and must be addressed immediately by world powers. Russia's invasion of Georgia represents the most serious challenge to this political order since Slobodan Milosevic unleashed the demons of ethnic nationalism in the Balkans. What is happening in Georgia today, therefore, is not simply a territorial dispute. It is a struggle about whether a new dividing line is drawn across Europe: between nations that are free to determine their own destinies, and nations that are consigned to the Kremlin's autocratic orbit. Russian forces spent the last week destroying Georgia's infrastructure, roads and bridges, in a deliberate attempt to cut Georgia off from outside resources. After a decade of aggression, isn't it time the U.S. military did something to mend international relations? Graham certainly thinks that a good place for the US to start would by with Georgia and containing Russian power. Side: Lindsey Graham
Senator Lindsey Graham (R) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I) proposed an amendment to the defense programs bill (S 3001) today on the Senate floor that would note and officially recognize the success of the troop surge in Iraq. The proposal would with a doubt frustrate the Democratic Party and it's Senate and Presidential candidates as the Iraq war (which was once a major talking point) has seen a decline in its rank atop American voters' concerns only to be replaced with energy and economic issues. The proposal (if approved) will also play well into the hands of Republican Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain who has seen his own stock rise in the polls after taking the Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin by his side last week. Graham not only applauds Lieberman for drafting the amendment but has also been one of its primary proponents along the Independent Senator's side. Graham on Lieberman, "He's one senator who stood up during a time when America needed someone to speak out." Side: Successful Surge
Graham: Critical of Bush Administration’s Handling of Interrogation Techniques In June, the U.S. Senate Armed Service Committee held hearings on the nature of interrogation methods used to question detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The techniques have come under heavy criticism for being cruel and illegal. Even conservative Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham admonished the methods and the Bush Administration. In the hearings he criticized, "The administration's legal analysis on detainees and interrogations following the September 11 attacks will go down in history as some of the most irresponsible and short-sighted legal analysis ever provided to our nation's military and intelligence communities." Youtube Video
Side: National Security
Graham and Biden Argue Over Where the Focus of the War on Terror Should Be Brian Williams asks has the focus on the War on Terror been unduly shifted to Iraq. Sen. Graham states, “The central battle front on the war on terror according to Patraeus is Iraq.” He contends that if America looses Iraq, the region would destabilize and be vulnerable to Iranian interests. He claims that Afghanistan is NATO’s responsibility and he critiques Sen. Obama for not holding one hearing on Afghanistan. Sen. Joe Biden, quickly dismisses these claims. Obama didn’t hold those hearing because Biden, the chair of the foreign affairs committee held them. Second, Biden has asked Patraeus, if he had a choice to eliminate al-Qaeda in Iraq or Afghanistan, Patreaus says Afghanistan. Youtube Video
Side: Iraq
Graham Still Thinks Iraq was the Right War Lindsey Graham could easily be placed in the neoconservative foreign affairs camp. He still believes the war in Iraq was the right policy, despite popular disapproval and new evidence. Wolfblitzer asks, “So knowing what you know right now…even though there were no wmd, even though there where no links between Saddam and al-Qaeda or 9/11, you still think it was a good idea to go to war Grahma quickly responds, “Absolutely. I’m glad that Saddam Hussein regime is over. I’m glad that a democracy is starting to emerge in the heart of the Arab world.” Youtube Video
Side: Iraq
Graham Supports Nuclear Over Wind and Solar Graham laughs at Sen. Obama’s plan to invest in wind energy. He claims that wind and solar technology would only yield a 10% replacement of coal plants. “We have to go nuclear,” submits Sen. Graham. In rare turn, the Republican believes that America needs to be more French, at least in terms of energy policy. He claims that the “hard left” is anti-nuclear. This critique of Obama, however, is not completely accurate, since Sen. Obama includes nuclear power in his energy portfolio plan. Youtube Video
Side: Energy
Grahm and Privatized Social Security Graham appears to support a future Social Security system that is more privatized and believes that raising taxes will not help the program as it stands today. In this Fox News interview, Grahm says, “If you’re going to deal with social security you’re going to have to deal with all the moving parts. That includes young people to invest, have an account in their own name, do you adjust for age, do you reschedule the benefits based on upper income people…To raise taxes to save Social Security from bankruptcy, it won’t happen it’s a dumb idea it won’t save Social Security, it’ll hurt the economy…” He does concede – briefly – that raising taxes may be a part of the solution. Setting up private accounts and encouraging investment may have been en vogue when the stock market was bullish, but amidst bailout after bailout and financial crisis after another, one has to wonder whether investing in the market would be the most secure foundation on which to rest one’s retirement. Youtube Video
Side: Social Security
Graham Baselessly Associates Iran and al-Qaeda In this Fox News interview with Sen. Lindsey Graham, the incumbent states, “If we had lost Iraq, the biggest winner would have been Iran… They were ready to fill the vacuum of a failed state in Iraq. Al-Qaeda would have claimed victory.” This association, however, is apocryphal – if not blatantly false. There have been no proven ties between the al-Qaeda terrorist and the Iranian state. Both entities may have hostilities towards America, but they are separate threats. Youtube Video
Side: National Security
Graham Votes for Bailout Highlighting the fact that all buisinesses, regardless of size will be affected by no action on the credit crisis, Graham said yes to the bailout. After his vote he stated, “Over the past few days, I have heard from all corners of our state the dire consequences of congressional inaction,” said Graham. “Businesses – both big and small -- are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain loans to meet operating expenses and fund expansions. Some of the oldest businesses in America stand on the brink and people will lose their jobs. Time is of the essence. We must act.” Graham also lauded certain provisions in the bill, including raising the FDIC insurace limit to $250,000, oversight, limited executive compensation, and a "claw-back" measure that would take back money from executives who inaccurately report numbers. Side: Lindsey Graham
South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has a long-running relationship with Senator and Republican Presidential candidate John McCain. He has also touted the same reputation as McCain for his bipartisan legislation and his willingness to reach across the aisle beyond partisan lines to push causes or bills he really believes in through the Senate. Graham was a prominent spokesperson at the RNC and it is safe to assume that he will be appointed to a high position in the next Presidential administration should McCain be elected and Graham hangs onto his seat against the challenge of Democrat Bob Conley. The Republican and more conservative centrist base of South Carolina would not fault the Senator for doing so (I believe). Yet, Graham's insistence that, should Obama win in November, he would "fight him tooth and nail" seems to contradict the Senator's nonpartisan platform and could potentially deter an integral voting block just weeks before the elections. Sen. Graham and Bob Conley are scheduled to debate on October 11th and will be broadcast live on CSPAN at 8pm. Side: Risky Partisanship and a Live Debate
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