The DemocratsFormer Mayor Ronald V. DanforthThe former
Republican mayor of New York City, Ronald V. Danforth exhibited star power as the chairman of "Republicans for Little" in the 2004 election. The mayor has left behind the Republican Party, but is one of the few party-switchers who can honestly say that the party left him first. As a candidate for re-election as mayor, he was denied re-nomination in the primary and was forced to launch an Independent bid to win his second term.
Danforth remains an activist for balanced budgets and lower taxes, typical Republican values, but has expressed his belief that marriage should not be regulated by the federal government and is ranked as one of the staunchest defenders of choice by the National League of Women.
He has adamently demanded that the United States re-enter the United Nations, citing that "international diplomacy is the only way to defeat terrorism and establish a lasting world peace." He applauded Congress' rejection of a $45 billion appropriation for Iraq, shouting that the money would be better spent on American education, hospitals, and workers.
Danforth supports raising the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, to be paid for by rolling back the Bush and Silverhawk tax cuts. He has made establishing opportunity for all, particularly through the advancement of some sort of universal health care allotment as the central issue of his campaign.
Danforth, 36, is an African-American.
Governor Vernon ShawThe moderate governor of Wisconsin, Vernon Shaw made himself the "education governor" while at work in the stae house in Madison, and wishes to parlay his "Wisconsin Triumph" onto the rest of America as the "education President."
Calling for a fully-funded No Child Left Behind Act, raising teacher's salaries, and delivering education funding to the districts to spend as they see fit rather than demanding where the dollars are to go; have stood as the cornerstone of what is often referred to as the "Shaw Doctrine".
Although Shaw admits that he opposes the death penalty, he has spun his viewpoint along the lines of the governor of California, although he has remained a bastion of pro-choice politics, unlike Hobby Newsom.
Shaw has voiced his opposition to the "redefination of marriage to support a special interest group" although he has called for federal recognition of civil unions as a means of protecting the "natural human rights of same-sex couples." Despite the fact that this is a fine line to dance on, Shaw seems to have done so successfully.
He remains opposed to any attempts at privatizing Social Security, and applauded the Congress' decision to block the President's proposed legislation. He does however, demand the immediate renewal of the assault weapons ban.
Governor Shaw has called for continuation of the war on terrorism, re-aligning America with the United Nations, and promoting human rights around the planet.
Shaw, 58, is a Caucasian-American.
Senator Mitchell CallahanThe upset winner of a Senate race in the conservative stronghold state of Utah, Mitch Callahan, has brought the face of the Blue Dog Democrat back into vogue. The two-term junior senator has remained a fierce advocate of Second Amendment gun rights, and voted against his party on the Social Security bill.
Although pro-choice and opposed to further involvement in Iraq, Callahan has been vilified by the Democratic elite as a "conservative in sheep's clothing." In response, Callahan notes that his views are not entirely unlike the last two Democrats to sleep in the White House, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
Callahan has remained a strong supporter of the re-importation of perscription drugs of Canada, the only Democratic candidate to do so in the 2008 election cycle. He also supports passing a patient's bill of rights and moving in the direction of a "smart, bi-partisan" universl health insurance bill.
On terrorism, Callahan has remained lukewarm about foreign "adventurism" by the United States, and has proposed instead sealing the borders with the U.S. military, doubling funding for the Homeland Security Department, and moving towards a more "shock and awe"-styled military force, rather than having a large number of boots on the ground.
Callahan, 48, is a Caucasian-American.
Senator Alyssa PotterThe junior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, Alyssa Potter is commonly known as "Madam Democrat" by both the press and other legislators on the Hill. She's regularly ranked by
Newsweek as one of the five most liberal members of Congress, and has been rewarded by massive media attention for this distinction.
Senator Potter was the author of the bill to provide amnesty for illegal immigrants, citing it as "the next logical step" from President Silverhawk's proposed guest worker program. As one might expect, she has also supported the repeal of the Patriot Act.
She has sworn that she will withdraw all American troops from Iraq and plead "with the international community to forgive America for the sins of Noah Silverhawk" by re-joining the United Nations. She has, however, proposed withdrawing from NAFTA, citing outsourcing as the "single largest detriment to the American Dream."
A former mayor of Philadelphia, Potter has called for the same fiscal sanity and balanced budgets that she delivered for six consecutive years in Philly. She has, however, promised "never to raise taxes on those making over $200,000 a year" and supported rolling back the Bush/Silverhawk tax cuts.
Senator Potter remains committed to the war on terrorism, but will never go to battle unless all attempts at all possible diplomacy fail first.
Potter, 49, is a Caucasian-American.
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