Gutknecht and McCain : Strange Bedfellows

Politics makes strange bedfellows, so let’s compare John McCain and Gil Gutknecht on some issues.

Iraq Troop Levels
- McCain increase
- Gutknecht withdraw

DM&E
- McCain opposed
- Gutknecht voted in favor

Guest Workers & Amnesty for illegal immigrants
- McCain authored bill to approve
- Gutknecht opposed

Homeland Security
- McCain authored bill to approve
- Gutknecht opposed

Same Sex Marriage Constitutional Amendment
- McCain opposed
- Gutknecht in favor

Farm Bill
- McCain opposed
- Gutknecht voted in favor

Campaign Finance Reform
- McCain authored bill
- Gutknecht opposed

See below for supporting details.

I have a lot of respect for John McCain. He is a recognized as an active leading voice influencing the moderate faction of the Republican Party and a Fiscal Hawk. Gil Gutknecht is an ineffectual, six-term Congressman who is aligned to the extremist wing of the party and is a Fiscal Fraud.

McCain is a statesman – standing up for 9/11 families, protecting our troops regarding the question of torture, recognizes the unfairness of tax cuts, recognizes global warming and the Patients Bill of Rights. However, by campaigning for Gutknecht, McCain is exhibiting himself as a purely partisan politician.

The question is how will Minnesota Republicans, who do not have an affinity toward McCain, respond? ( Note : McCain was fourth in the 2008 straw poll at the state convention – well behind Newt Gingrich and George Allen.)
Will independent voters recognize this as a cheap ploy to cover up Gutknecht’s extreme views?
And will independent voters that consider McCain a voice of reason, realize that Tim Walz is closer to McCain’s views then Gutknecht is?

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Sources :

IRAQ TROOP LEVELS
McCain first visit to Iraq was in August 2003 and he has made numerous trips since. He has repeated called for additional troops and as recently as Friday (10/27/06), McCain said that the United States should send another 20,000 troops to Iraq.
Gutknecht, made his only visit in July, 2006 and called for troop withdrawal. He clarified his comments to reporters by stating that he "called for was a "symbolic" reduction of 25,000 troops which would force the Iraqis to step in the breach and take responsibility for their own security. He offered no timetable for troop withdrawal. [snip] Still, Gutknecht said he still supports President Bush's basic strategy of withdrawing Americans as Iraqi forces take over the security burden. However, he admitted that he's felt uneasy about American policy toward Iraq for the last two or three years."
http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/114683,CST-NWS-iraq28.article
http://www.pipestonestar.com/Stories/Story.cfm?SID=14031

DM&E
H.R. 3 (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005 ) A bill to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes. Became Public Law No: 109-059 signed by the President on 8/10/05.
The $286.4 billion TransPORKtation bill, which is $30 billion more than Bush requested, includes the funding for the DM&E loan as well as $941 million in projects for the state of Alaska including the Bridge to Nowhere.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00220
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll453.xml


GUEST WORKERS & AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
McCain has introduced S.1033 Title: A bill to improve border security and immigration. The companion bill in the House is HR2330 which was introduced by Republican Jim Kolbe and includes such heavyweights as Republicans Jeff Flake and Curt Welden and Democrat Jane Harmon as co-sponsors. It includes guest worker visas and a fine for those already here (aka amnesty). His bill was never voted upon as S. 2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 : A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes), was passed by the Senate. S2611 includes a path to citizenship as well as allowing credit for social security benefits based on past work while undocumented.
Gutknecht supports H R 4437 TITLE: Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act which does not address guest workers but does make it a felony to be an undocumented alien as wells a felony to "assist" or house an undocumented alien.
The Republican National Committee issued a memorandum where it clearly advised its candidates to support a temporary worker program.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01033:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00157
http://rs9.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR04437:@@@R
http://www.gop.com/News/Read.aspx?ID=6348


HOMELAND SECURITY
The bill was entitled : Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 : A bill to reform the intelligence community and the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, and for other purposes.
Since this bill had President Bush’s support, one would have thought it should have the support of Republicans. In the Senate, it was overwhelming approved with only two dissenters ( Coleman and Dayton both voted to approve the legislation.) On December 7, 2004, the House took its vote … the Minnesota House Republicans had one dissenter … as Kennedy, Kline and Ramstad voted in favor of Security, but GUTKNECHT voted AGAINST it
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2004/roll544.xml

SAME SEX MARRIAGE CONSTITUIONAL AMENDMENT
McCain, who opposed the measure, said: "Most Americans are not yet convinced that their elected representatives or the judiciary are likely to expand decisively the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples." Explaining his opposition on the floor yesterday, McCain said that although he believes that expanding the definition of marriage may be "of questionable public value," he also believes that the debate "is currently and properly being resolved in different ways, in 50 different states."
Gutknecht responded to the Senate vote in his eline of June 6, 2006 : "Recent rulings of the Courts have forced the hands of Congress - we must act. The question before us is: Do we want a few judges to decide the fate of marriage or do we want legislators, elected by the people, to decide this issue?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/07/AR2006060702128.html
http://www.house.gov/gutknecht/eline/earchives/elineAMJ06/EA060906.htm


FARM BILL
H.R.2646
Title: To provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes.
Became Public Law No: 107-171 when signed by President Bush on 5/13/02.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll123.xml
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00103

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
H.R.2356
Title: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide bipartisan campaign reform
Became Public Law No: 107-155 signed by Bush March 2002
Click here: Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll034.xml
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR02356:@@@R


MINNESOTA REPUBLICAN STRAW POLL
Gingrich has left open the possibility of running for president. He got 210 votes in the straw poll, or almost 39 percent -- more than twice as many as Sen. George Allen of Virginia, who came in second. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was third, followed by McCain, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
http://wcco.com/politics/local_story_153231832.html