Gov. Bev Perdue (D-NC) Will Vote Against Amendment One, But...

"Our constitution," exhorts North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, "was written to guarantee rights, not to take them away." She urges all North Carolinians to vote against the homophobic travesty known as Amendment One in the video above. Unwilling to just come out and say "don't fuck with our gay citizens," she, like many conservatives of both parties, says "This proposed amendment could harm women, children, families and businesses across North Carolina." Great; we'll take it. Thanks for holding your nose and giving our existence a backhanded ok. Better than nothing-- and better than what Democrats in Asheville are getting from homophobic fanatic running for Congress, Hayden Rogers, who is urging his supporters to vote for Amendment One, one of North Carolina's few Democrats to be doing that. He wants to go to Congress to continue the hateful, bigoted career of his boss, Heath Shuler.

Guided by the hypocrites among DC Dems-- who urge their Blue Dogs candidates to never include policy positions on their website, but just some sappy non-controversial pabulum, Rogers has run a stealth campaign. He refuses to participate in any debates and has been counting on high profile endorsements from conservatives who fear a real populist like Cecil Bothwell. Rogers' anti-gay stance didn't keep Governor Perdue, for example, from headlining a fundraiser for him in Raleigh, which was also attended by Lt. Gov Walter Dalton, who is running for governor, former Congressman Bob Etheridge (also running for governor), state Senator Martin Nesbitt of Asheville, and Rep. Mel Watt, shamefully, a Congressional Progressive Caucus member. Steny Hoyer has given Rogers $5,000 and Heath Shuler's sleazy 3rd and Long PAC has transferred $10,000.


Because Rogers is being cagey about his positions and only brags about being a Blue Dog it's been difficult for NC-11 voters to be able to compare him and Cecil. But it would probably be fair to assume he's a Shuler doppelgänger and that their policy agendas are exactly or almost exactly identical. Here's a convenient comparison between Bothwell and Shuler on the issues:

• Jobs

Bothwell: Fully supports the American Jobs Act. We need to rebuild America and the economy and people need jobs, now.

Shuler: Opposes putting people to work now, instead prefers to cut spending and preserve tax breaks for the rich.

• Education

Bothwell: High quality education is essential for our economic future and for effective civic participation. Informed voters make better decisions. As the richest nation in the world, we can’t afford not to educate every student up to the limits of their ability.

Shuler: Repeated votes to cut federal spending, including education. Says GOP position is too liberal, wants to triple their proposed cuts in federal spending. Prefers tax breaks for the rich.

• Social Safety

Bothwell: We must preserve earned benefit programs including Social Security and Medicare, while providing Medicaid for those in need. Medicare should be available to everyone as the “public option” missing from the Affordable Care Act.

Shuler: Repeated votes for GOP plans which demand steep cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Supported “Cut, Cap and Balance,” which would have drastically reduced such programs, then supported the GOP deficit ceiling deal, which will automatically slash such programs if Congress doesn’t do it first. Voted against the Affordable Care Act.

• Campaign Finance

Bothwell: Will not accept corporate or corporate PAC money. Over 1,000 individual donations as of March 20. Holds $15 and $25 per ticket events.

Shuler: Solicits corporate PAC money. Accepted $24,000 from AT&T, then became congressional cheerleader for job-killing AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Has few, big dollar donors, averaged $714 apiece in 3rd quarter 2011. Holds $2,500 and $5,000 per ticket events.

• Abortion

Bothwell: Abortion should be rare, safe and legal. Federal health care funds should underwrite Planned Parenthood and other organizations that provide women’s health care, sex education and abortion services.

Shuler: Abortion should be illegal. Federal funds should not be spent on Planned Parenthood or abortions. Rape should be
redefined to only include forcible rape.

• Afghanistan

Bothwell: Out of Afghanistan yesterday. Opposed wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq, starting in the weeks after 911. Wants to end military involvement overseas.

Shuler: Cast one vote to speed exit, but no votes to defund the wars. Voted to extend U.S. military presence in mideast.

• Alternative energy projects

Bothwell: They should receive high priority. We can’t drill our way out of the end of easy oil. We need to address global climate change.

Shuler: Alternative energy takes second seat to more drilling, including the North Carolina coast. Drill baby, drill! No action on climate change.

• Civil liberties

Bothwell: Oppose government surveillance of U.S. citizens not suspected of crimes. Oppose USAPATRIOT Act.

Shuler: voted to permit telecom companies to participate in government surveillance of U.S. citizens. Voted against videotaping of military interrogations. Voted to extend USAPATRIOT Act.

• Faith

Bothwell: Subscribes to Jefferson’s view that ethics are at the core of belief, in particular attempting to live life by the Golden Rule. Active member of his church. “A person’s beliefs ought to be private as an essential part of freedom of religion.”

Shuler: A member of The Family, a group which believes that normal rules don’t apply to “chosen” leaders, co-chair of the National Prayer Breakfast.

• Family Values

Bothwell: Actually valuing families is more important than touting illusory “values,” -- usually a code word for “people like us.”
Universal single payer health insurance, raising the minimum wage, and paid maternal leave all truly value families.

Shuler: “Strong families, blessed with hope and opportunity, filled with ambition and dreams, and guided by faith and principle are the heart of America.” Voted against health care, against Planned Parenthood, against extension of unemployment benefits, against expansion of hate crimes act.

• Free trade

Bothwell: Vocally opposed free trade since 1990. Wants to cancel or substantially revamp NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO and GATT. Level playing field with tariffs.

Shuler: Has offered some support for renegotiation of free trade rules. Voted against Korea, Columbia, Panama deals, but has not pushed for revision of NAFTA or CAFTA.

• Guns

Bothwell: Supports ban on assault weapons, a ban on 30 bullet clips, background checks. Supports the 2nd Amendment and hunters’ rights. Learned gun safety as a child and supports safety education. Will not carry a gun.

Shuler: Supports the NRA, opposed extension of the ban on assault weapons. Carries a concealed weapon.

• Health Care

Bothwell: Supports single-payer, universal health insurance, via extension of Medicare system.

Shuler: Voted against the health care bill, opposes universal single-payer plan. Voted against funding Planned Parenthood, against stem-cell research. Voted for Stupak amendment.

• LGBT

Bothwell: Human rights are human rights regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender orientation, religion, or any other qualifier. Marriage should be a religious choice, not a government function. Supports ENDA. Helped institute domestic partner benefitsfor City of Asheville employees.

Shuler: Opposes ENDA. Believes marriage is only between a man and a woman. Hadn’t heard of DOMA before a group of constituents explained it to him during an office visit this year. Stated that gender orientation is like having a favorite sports team.

• National Debt

Bothwell: “There’s no reason to worry about the national debt during a recession. We need to spend federal money to refurbish our infrastructure-- roads, bridges, water systems NOW.” Repayment for those projects will come later, with inflationary dollars, and as in the past, we’ll all be better for that investment. Debt Limit: Supported the 95 Dems who voted against the recent bad bargain.

Shuler: As a leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, he is committed to reducing the national deficit. “It is essential to the long-term viability of our economy that we reign in out-of-control spending.” Debt Limit: Voted with the 95 Dems who supported the recent bad bargain.

• Stimulus plan

Bothwell: It should have been bigger.

Shuler: voted against it.

• Taxes

Bothwell: Tax the rich. Tax imports. Tax stock and derivatives transactions.

Shuler: Voted to extend tax cuts for the rich.

If Cecil Bothwell is the kind of man you would like to see serving in Congress instead of another Republican-lite Blue Dog, please consider giving him a hand here at the Blue America page. Please watch his latest video and think about what you can afford to give.