I now know the answer, thanks to my
Philadelphia Inquierer. Specifically, it presented a
comparision of the candidates on the issues.
Here is a breakdown from the article:
Foreign policy and the Iraq war.
- Specter and Toomey supported the invasion of Iraq.
- Toomey embraces a foreign policy resembling the philosophy of neoconservatives: Any threat to the national interest must be met aggressively, with or without the approval of other countries.
- Specter believes in seeking support from allies. Throughout his career, Specter has personally engaged other nations in diplomacy, such as Iraq before the first Gulf War, in hopes of improving relations.
Government spending.
- Toomey has voted against spending bills - even when they include money for his congressional district - as a way to bring federal spending under control. Government should establish a budget, Toomey said, and "then I will fight to make sure we get our share of every program."
- Specter has built a career on delivering money for the state. This year was no exception: Pennsylvania received its largest single award of federal funding - more than $400 million - for projects around the state.
Medical malpractice.
- To address rising insurance premiums for doctors, Toomey favors a $250,000 cap on jury awards for pain and suffering.
- Specter says he supports caps, but not in malpractice cases that result in severe bodily impairment, disfigurement or death. He has voted against capping jury awards, but also has voted to take up the legislation for debate.
Abortion and stem-cell research.
*Toomey says he believes life begins at conception. He opposes abortion rights and scientific research using embryonic stem cells.
* Specter has voted to ban a late-term procedure -But he otherwise has supported abortion rights. He has backed stem-cell research, saying he does not believe "ideology should triumph over science."
Social Security.
- The federal entitlement program is facing a shortage by about 2018, when it is projected to pay out more in benefits than it collects in contributions. Toomey has proposed allowing younger workers to start personal investment accounts as a way to provide more income to future beneficiaries.
- Specter says a commission should devise ways to fix the system. He says he supports the private investment of only a small portion of contributions, so that entire savings are not washed away in a volatile stock market.
School vouchers.
- Toomey supports school vouchers.
- Specter supports public school choice, but opposes public funding for private schools that offer religious instruction, saying that crosses the constitutional line between church and state.
Gay-marriage amendment.
- Both candidates believe marriage is for heterosexual couples.
- Toomey supports a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages.
- Specter believes the issue should be left to the states, though he would consider an amendment if states could not preserve the tradition of marriage.
The reason why I like Senator Specter is because he IS moderate to liberal on many of the issues. I am a center-left Democrat. He was a center-left politician on many issues. Perhaps I am doing Senator Specter no favors by saying so, but Senator Specter is a Democrat, at least by today's standards. I will be sorry to see him go if he loses tomorrow, and I think he will.
(By the way, I am sure many Kossacks will find plenty of reasons to hate the man based on other issues and votes he has made in the past. I look forward to reading those comments because I am sure that I and the Philadelphia Inquirer do not see the whole picture).
Some other PA news:
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