Posted on 12/16/2002 3:00:07 PM PST by TLBSHOW
WASHINGTON - Sen. Don Nickles (news, bio, voting record), the first Senate Republican to suggest that Trent Lott should be replaced as their leader, has built a civil rights voting record that is nearly identical to that of the man he would depose.
The NAACP says that over the past decade, Nickles and Lott have voted the same on almost every issue deemed important by the civil rights community. And in almost every case, their votes were contrary to the wishes of that community.
On the other hand, both Nickles, of Oklahoma, and Lott, of Mississippi, win the highest ratings from conservative groups. In 2000, the American Conservative Union gave both 100 percent ratings on key votes.
Lott, Senate Republican leader since 1996, is to become Senate majority leader next month. But his position in the party is in jeopardy because of statements he made at Sen. Strom Thurmond (news, bio, voting record)'s 100th birthday party Dec. 5 indicating a nostalgia for the South's pro-segregation past.
Nickles, currently the second-ranked Senate Republican and a past rival for Lott's leadership position, on Sunday became the first GOP senator to call for new leadership elections.
"I am concerned that Trent has been weakened to the point that may jeopardize his ability to enact our agenda and speak to all Americans," Nickles said.
Since the controversy began, Lott's critics have tried to show that for the past two decades he has consistently voted against civil rights bills. His allies, in turn, have produced records showing that Nickles and Lott are ideological compatriots.
In 1983, for example, both Lott, then in the House, and Nickles opposed a new federal holiday commemorating the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Lott said the holiday would cost the government too much money and that there were other Americans "more deserving." Nickles unsuccessfully pushed alternatives to a paid holiday, including observing the holiday on a Sunday.
That same year both Lott and Nickles backed a Jesse Helms amendment that would have preserved the tax-exempt status of private schools, such as Bob Jones University, which then banned interracial dating. The measure was defeated.
In 1990, the two senators both voted to uphold the first President Bush (news - web sites)'s veto of legislation to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to ban workplace discrimination. The president contended it would lead to racial quotas.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (news - web sites), in its scorecards of the past six Congresses, found Nickles and Lott voted identically in four Congresses on the votes it tracked, and differed by one or two votes in the other two Congresses.
In the 107th Congress that just ended, the NAACP gave Lott a 14 percent rating for voting with NAACP recommendations on five of 37 civil rights-related bills, while Nickles got a 19 percent rating with seven votes.
Among the issues where the senators differed with the NAACP were funding for Head Start and other education programs, the confirmation of John Ashcroft (news - web sites) as attorney general and global AIDS (news - web sites) funding.
Both got 13 percent ratings in the 1999-2000 Congress, and in 1997-1998, Lott and the NAACP agreed on two out of 10 votes, Nickles on only one out of 10.
"We are concerned that Nickles has voted just as poorly or even more poorly than Trent Lott," said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP's Washington office.
The two have differed on several major civil rights measures. In 1982, then-Rep. Lott voted against extending the Voting Rights Act, while Nickles, then a first-term senator, voted for it.
In 1991, Nickles voted with the majority to defeat a measure to abolish affirmative action in federal hiring. Lott backed the measure.
And last year, Lott was the only dissenting vote in a 93-1 vote to approve Roger Gregory as the first black judge on the U.S. Appeals Court for the 4th Circuit, which covers several southern states. Lott said he objected to then-President Clinton (news - web sites) making a temporary appointment of Gregory while Congress was in recess.
Among other votes:
_In 1991, both voted with a 93-5 majority to strengthen federal civil rights law and extend damages for intentional employment discrimination.
_In 1993, both voted to extend the Confederate flag design patent for the Daughters of the Confederacy. The measure was defeated 75-25
_In 1994, both sided with a Helms amendment to strip federal funding from the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission. The amendment was defeated.
_In 1998, both voted to eliminate a disadvantaged business enterprise program established in the Reagan administration to ensure that a certain percentage of federal contracts went to businesses headed by minorities and women. The program was preserved on a 58-37 vote.
No, this is why it is bad when you have a Senate Majority Leader who can't be trusted to make a public statement without somehow embarrassing the party -- by his thoughtlessness, insensitivity and downright breathtaking stupidity.
This is not the first time Lott has done something like this, though it is certainly the most embarrassing. And, if he stays in his leadership post, it won't be the last.
As the senior Senator from Mississippi, he's less dangerous to conservatism. And an effective Majority Leader would be a pleasant change of pace.
See, as long as they were minority party, they could enjoy their perks, and get along with the Democrats, and nobody would have to get upset...
Somehow, I just can't see Karl Rove dictating to the editors of the NYTimes, WPost, Time, Newsweek, ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN, et al.
Since 1948, and then LBJ and his so called "Great Society in 1964" our Country's morals have gone in the dumpster, we have millions of brothers and sisters sitting on the porch in government paid apartment rents up to $2000 a month plus other government paid benefits so they can vote rat.
Meanwhile, the rats and other leftists certainly needed a small shred to get their ratty teeth into anything at this point.
Lott needs to step down as majority leader, but stay on as a Senator, and let the voters of Missippi decide his ultimate fate.
We had new carpeting installed in our offices over the weekend - Hispanics, and they worked hard - very hard.
Affirmative action is an abomination.
If he resigns, he will be labled a racists for life and every time he votes on a racial issue, every Republican who votes with Lott will be labled a racist, or even worse if Lott supports something, they will say even the racist Lott supports this. We need to stand up for Lott in this political witch hunt, otherwise we will empower the race-baiting tactics of the left. Nothing short of Lott resigning and helping the Dems take back the Senate will shut them up (and even that won't really shut them up). This is the Dems attempt to steal the Senate, like they did with Jeffords and like they did in NJ and like they tried to steal the Presidency in Florida. We must stand against it.
Well Said, TLBSHOW.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.