Deducing Webb\’s Platform

24 May, 2006. 532 words.

Since Jim Webb and his supporters aren’t going to do it for me, I guess I’ll have to deduce his platform for myself.

Disclaimer: I don’t speak for Jim Webb, this is purely my own interpretation and it could easily be wrong. I would recommend that you look at his platform for yourself, but, um… well, nevermind.

Webb’s 4-point campaign strategy focuses on: 1) “Foreign and defense policy,” 2) “Repairing the country’s basic infrastructure, 3) “True fairness in American society,” and 4) ~~and~~ “reining in the unbridled power of the Presidency” (source).

Foreign Policy

Believes Iraqi invasion was a strategic error (source and debate). Supports “shifting focus” from Iraq to “the broader, international war on terror, and the strategic threats of emerging nations such as China” (source). “We must leave carefully” — he supports a multilateral solution to the future of Iraq with Middle East nations and “global allies” (source).

Economics

Opposes outsourcing jobs [in the context of labor, at least] (source and source).
Supports “asking questions” and “standing up and saying no” to oil companies reporting record profits (source).
Supports making “better decisions about taxation, trade policy, and the special treatment demanded by our wealthiest corporations” (source). “We must reexamine our tax and trade policies and reinstitute notions of fairness” ([source][5].
Supports “enforcing our existing trade laws so that free trade becomes fair trade” (source).

Environment

Supports protecting “America’s public lands” ([source][6]). I also infer from that press release that he opposes ANWR drilling.

Social

“This leads me to the position that supports choice, protection from discrimination against gays, and, by the way, Second Amendment rights. I do support Roe v. Wade and I do support civil unions among gays. However, I continue to believe that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is the proper position in the military” ([source][7]).

Health Care

Believes “health care legislation should focus on providing people access to health care, not simply on corporate profits” (source).

Politics

Supports “real reform” of the “culture of corruption.” Supports “confronting” “influence-peddling by lobbyists and others” (source).
Believes money “plays too large a role in how our elected officials are chosen” ([source][8]).

Education

Supports “taking the crucial next steps to improve academic achievement in American schools” (source). (I can’t believe I actually wrote that down.)
Opposes “school funding or overall evaluation” based on standardized testing ([source][9]).

Other

Supports independent investigation on NSA wiretapping ([source][10]) and believes NSA wiretapping program involved presidential overreach ([source][11]).
Supports “full funding of a program to rebuild New Orleans’ levees to tighter federal standards” ([source][12]).
Conspicuously refrained from answering a yes/no question about torture ([source][8]).
On guns: “I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. I have a “permit to carry” a weapon, and I shoot regularly.” “I’ve been to many gun shows. I would not have a problem if there were a computerized background check when someone was buying a weapon at such a show” ([source][13]).

There is more at [TPM Cafe][14] and [DailyKos][15] and [DailyKos again][16], but I’m tired of doing this now. I’ll reserve my thoughts for a later date.

[5]: http://www.webbforsenate.com/issues/issues.php) [6]: http://www.webbforsenate.com/press/042106_earth.php [7]: http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2006/3/30/173556/216/36#c36 [8]: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/30/173556/216 [9]: http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2006/3/30/173556/216/20#c20 [10]: http://www.webbforsenate.com/press/release.php?id=32 [11]: http://www.webbforsenate.com/press/release.php?id=28 [12]: http://www.webbforsenate.com/press/040306_katrina.php [13]: http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2006/3/30/173556/216/41#c41 [14]: http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/28351 [15]: http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/3/22/17243/0237%3EMyDD%3C/a%3E%20and%20%3Ca%20href= [16]: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/14/19014/5349

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