POLITICS: Nat'l Journal claims Kerry has the most liberal senate voting record.

As the Republican propaganda machine swings into action for the upcoming election we are greeted with reports that Sen. John Kerry has the most liberal voting record in the Senate, as per usual they haven't provided and scores or formulae but rather ask us to trust them, yes, lets trust the people who are pushing america towards a $3 Trillion deficit.

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The National Journal on Friday 27/2 claimed that Democratic candidature frontrunner John Kerry has the "most liberal" voting record in the Senate.

The results of Senate vote ratings show that Kerry was the most liberal senator in 2003, with a composite liberal score of 96.5 -- far ahead of such Democrat stalwarts as Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.

National Journal's scores, which have been compiled each year since 1981, are based on lawmakers' votes in three areas: economic policy, social policy, and foreign policy.

"To be sure, Kerry's ranking as the No. 1 Senate liberal in 2003 -- and his earning of similar honors three times during his first term, from 1985 to 1990 -- will probably have opposition researchers licking their chops," NJ reports.

The ratings system was first devised in 1981 under the direction of William Schneider, a political analyst and commentator at CNN, and a contributing editor to National Journal, who continues to guide the calculation process. Data processing and statistical analysis were performed by Information Technology Services of the Brookings Institution. A panel of National Journal editors and reporters initially compiled a list of 140 key congressional roll-call votes for 2003 -- 63 votes for the Senate and 77 for the House -- and classified them as relating to economic, social, or foreign policy. Roll-call data was drawn from the Congressional Record.

More liberal than Ted Kennedy (D-MA) or Hillary Clinton (D-NY), i sincerely doubt that.

[Edited on 28-2-2004 by Nerdling]

It's probably the social policy that makes him "liberal". He votes with the majority on foreign policy, like the war. Most Senators do.

As for social policy, he's anti-death penalty and voted against the defense of marriage. Those are big on the anti-liberal hit list.

But still being in the Senate 20 years adds weight to his score too. It's not like they weighted the thing so Hillary could even count. She's too new. So it's a case of experience hurting him... (if you assume being liberal is a bad thing).

For me, it's hard to think of anyone that would make the best President other than the most liberal Senator of record.

(Though I still like Edwards, and he's pro death penalty.)

I have problems with Kerry's anti-gay-marriage thing and i think he's also against pro-choice.

He's just a little on the right side of left.

I didnt know Edwards was pro-death penalty, the death penalty should NEVER be used.

Edwards, like Clinton, is a southern Democrat and FOR the death penalty. I'm torn personally, but that's the reason Edwards can win and Kerry is looking shady.

America is for the death penalty. (Has been since the 70's) And anyone that isn't is the worst kind of liberal (in their opinion).

But all the Dems are pro-choice.

FYI - "Massachusetts Liberal" means "soft on crime". It's the Dukakis / Willie Horton, anti death penalty thing.