WINNER: Joe Lieberman, solidly. Expect more Republican-style Democratness

I: Sen. Joe Lieberman (incumbent, Democrat defeated in primary)
D: Ned Lamont
R: Alan Schlesinger

Race Breakdown:
The war in Iraq has been the central issue in the much-watched, three-way Senate race in this blue state. Millionaire cable entrepreneur Ned Lamont funneled voters’ anger at the Bush administration’s handling of Iraq into a Democratic primary victory over Sen. Joe Lieberman back in early August. Former vice-presidential candidate Lieberman then made good on promises to run for his fourth term as an independent and has criticized Lamont as politically inexperienced. But Lamont has gained the Democratic Party’s endorsement and the backing of most big-name Democrats– including Massachusetts neighbors Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy– along with influential left-leaning blogs like Daily Kos.

Meanwhile, Republican challenger Alan Schlesinger has been stuck in the low single digits in the polls and he doesn’t have the backing of President Bush. We’re giving him the short shrift here too.

An Oct. 6 poll puts Lieberman at 50 percent of voters to Lamont’s 40 percent.

Find out more:
Joe Lieberman for Senate
Ned Lamont for Senate
Alan Schlesinger

WAR AND NATIONAL SECURITY

IRAQ

Lieberman voted against the Kerry troop redeployment amendment and supported going to war in Iraq. He still believes it was the right thing to do, despite failures he says have taken place there.

Lamont is very critical of Lieberman’s support of Bush in Iraq. He believes the war has distracted the U.S. from domestic issues and he wants a flexible deadline to bring troops home.

TERRORISM STRATEGIES

Lieberman supported the PATRIOT Act reauthorization. He says protecting the United States from another attack should be our top priority.

Lamont is critical of the PATRIOT Act and has been vocal about needing to maintain civil liberties despite terrorist threats. (more)

EDUCATION

STUDENT LOANS AND GRANTS

Lieberman voted against cutting $40 billion from the federal budget – which included $12.7 for student loan programs. He voted for an unsuccessful bid to raise funding for Pell Grants. Now he wants to raise Pell Grants to $11,600 per year by 2009 and triple the college tuition tax deduction. He introduced the Student Debt Relief Act, which would limit federal loans repayment to 15 percent of the student’s monthly discretionary income and would cut interest rates in half.

Lamont wants to increase funding for Pell Grants to $5,800 per year.

SCHOOLS

Lieberman supported No Child Left Behind and voted for a doomed attempt to provide additional federal funding for education programs. (more)

Lamont believes No Child Left Behind is overly rigid, underfunded and encourages “teaching to the test.” He wants to “rethink the entire educational pipeline from birth through college” – and he has a plan. (see PDF)

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

HABITAT vs. OIL

Lieberman opposed drilling in Alaska. He has been a green leader in the Senate and attended the negotiations that produced the Kyoto Protocol. (more)

Lamont, opposes drilling in ANWR and believes global warming is “perhaps the most serious threat facing our planet and our country today.”

ENERGY IDEAS

Lieberman supported Bush’s energy plan as well as a failed attempt to set a goal to lower the nation’s dependence on foreign oil by 40 percent by 2025. He called for a one-time tax on oil companies that would fund rebates for gas consumers. (more)

Lamont opposed Bush’s energy plan. He supports cleaner energy, energy independence and higher fuel efficiency standards for cars. (more)

ECONOMY

MINIMUM WAGE

Lieberman co-sponsored a Democratic-backed amendment that would have raised the federal minimum wage to $7.25. He opposed a Republican minimum wage proposal.

Lamont supports raising the minimum wage.

TAXES

Lieberman voted against extending the Bush tax cuts, which he wants to roll back to fund college tuition assistance.

Lamont also wants to reverse Bush tax cuts and maintain the estate tax.

CRIME

JUVENILE CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Lieberman supported a broad juvenile justice bill in 1999 that would have caused more juveniles to be tried as adults and would have increased funding for juvenile crime-related programs.

Lamont has not stated a position on juvenile crime and punishment.

HATE CRIMES

Liberman supported a 2000 bill that would have expanded the definition of a hate crime, and he co-sponsored unsuccessful reintroductions of similar bills in 2003 and 2005.

Lamont supports federal hate crimes legislation.

–MP