FRITZ VS. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE:

Mondale and Coleman disagree on almost everything (Eric Black, Nov. 3, 2002, Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Grief. Momentum. Character. Vigor. Experience. Style. Party. Haircut.

You can base your vote in the U.S. Senate election on any combination of these factors or others. But if you care to take into account the candidates' stands on the issues, you shouldn't have much trouble making up your mind, because there are clear, substantive differences.

Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Walter Mondale disagree on almost every major issue except free trade. [...]

Here are some of the contrasts on how the four major-party candidates stand on the issues:

War on Iraq [...]

Mondale said he spoke to U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone shortly before the vote on the Iraq resolution, and they agreed on the issue. Mondale favored an amendment requiring the administration to seek U.N. authorization before using force. [...]

Taxes and spending

Coleman is the only major-party candidate who would have voted for Bush's $1.35 trillion 2001 tax cut. And now he would vote to make it permanent. [...]

Social Security

Privatizing Social Security is "a dreadful idea, as the recent stock market trends have demonstrated," Mondale said. Social Security should remain in its traditional form. It is not designed to make anyone rich, he said, but to provide a guaranteed level of benefits that retirees can rely on no matter what happens in the stock market.

He suggested no specific changes to head off Social Security's projected insolvency in 2041. He specifically ruled out any increases in the Social Security retirement age beyond those already scheduled. [...]

Abortion [...]

Coleman has also said that while supporters and opponents of abortion rights disagree fundamentally, they can find common ground on issues such as requiring parental notification in cases of abortions for minors (Coleman would strengthen that requirement) and banning late-term abortions.

Mondale rejected both of those ideas, as Wellstone did.

Pro-UN; pro-taxes; opposed to Social Security reform; an abortion absolutist...no wonder Mr. Mondale's website doesn't list his views. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 3, 2002 7:18 AM