Mark Clayton, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee, told a reporter that he voted for Constitution Party presidential nominee Chuck Baldwin in 2008. See this story. Much of the story is very unfair to Baldwin.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
“Much of the story is very unfair to Baldwin.”
No kidding. Seems to me like the newspaper is only reporting the bad things about Baldwin from only one or two sources that don’t like him…why not report another opinion? Sigh, media bias is upsetting.
I don’t think the article is unfair to Baldwin, though they do concentrate on the most negative aspect of his views. These *are* the distinctive views of Baldwin and the Constitution Party, so the report is accurate. The characterization of VDARE and his congregation as containing racists is also accurate. This tells you basic facts about the orientation of Baldwin and the CP.
The reporter does quote Clayton saying nice things about Baldwin, along the lines of “he’s a good Christian” by Clayton’s definition. That’s probably as good as you’re going to get without polemics.
Baldwin may be a personally nice man who loves dogs and heterosexuals, but his political views are repugnant to a lot of people (including myself). If you put these distinctive homophobic and racist associations upfront, there is no way to make the CP or Baldwin look like an appropriate fit for the Democratic Party (among other things). The tone of the article is probably driven by the irony of of someone with Clayton’s views winning a Democratic Party primary just as the DP endorses gay marriage, etc. So the report seems both fair and drawing the appropriate contrast.
THIS GUY WOULD GET MY VOTE HE IS A FIRST CLASS JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRAT
He sounds like a real “Corker”! 🙂
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Baldwin is no longer affiliated with the CP. Last I heard, he was a running as a Republican.
Clayton, unlike Obama and most Democrats, appears to be against Empire and permanent war:
http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Mark_Clayton_War_+_Peace.htm
Iraq conflict was not necessary & cost too much
Q: American troops are widely deployed around the world, and engaged in armed conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please explain your viewpoint on the “War on Terror”?
A: The US is engaged in an Iraq conflict which most now agree was not necessary and which America could not afford. America outlasted Communism after decades of global stalemate, only for the Bush and Clinton administrations to drive us into massive debt to the Communist Chinese for the Iraq conflict, a conflict which Congress still has not declared a war as required by the Constitution. This does not make sense. We must elect leaders who understand the long-term financial nightmare left to our children to pay, if we are to have a chance of getting a handle on the massive economic problems funding the Iraq conflict has caused. America cannot afford any more debt to the Communist Chinese over the Iraq conflict, nor can we afford, morally or financially, to be a global empire.
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So, OBJECTIVELY, Clayton is the anti-racist candidate since he doesn’t want the American Empire to go around the world blowing up “brown people.”
More anti-imperialist stuff from Clayton:
http://www.ontheissues.org/International/Mark_Clayton_Homeland_Security.htm
Fight the neocon war policy that leaves us in debt to China
Mark Clayton is a traditionalist Democrat who hopes to unseat neo-conservative Lamar Alexander. For the last 20 years, neo-conservatives in Washington like Lamar Alexander have tried to bury the “American system” of states and economics in favor of war and economic policy which is foreign to American traditions and values. The success of neo-conservatives like Lamar Alexander has been a total catastrophe for all Americans and has left the US in massive debt to the Communist Chinese government.
Source: 2012 Senate campaign website claytonforsenate.com, “Issues” , Aug 1, 2012
Immediate conscription of military “contractors”
Mark Clayton is:
A PROUD CONSTITUTIONALIST
FOR immediate conscription of military “contractors” and subjecting them to the same regulations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, chain of command, physical training, and discipline to which American soldiers must adhere
Source: 2012 Senate campaign website claytonforsenate.com, “Issues” , Aug 1, 2012
Over-funded, unaccountable contractors rake in billions
The New World Order Boys like Graham and Alexander serve as senatorial cover for out-of-control, spook-style military contractors who neither answer to a chain of command nor are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
For example, before 9-11, the military contractor, Dynacorp, was alleged to be involved in an international child sex and rape ring. Republicans like Graham and Alexander sit up on Capitol Hill playing a fake game of Republican versus Democrat when the real issue is that we have over-funded, unaccountable military contractors raking billions of dollars who have been behind child-rape scandals, the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, and wantonly gunned down civilian non-combatants. Rather than use their constitutional powers to restore order, senators like Graham and Alexander do nothing. And the more things that get blown up and the more people who get killed, the more money just a few contractors make. Meanwhile, American soldiers are on foodstamps.
Source: Press release: “The Old-School is Back ” , Jul 31, 2008
Advocated killing or capturing Osama bin Laden since 1994
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War on Terror is just an excuse to cut Constitutional rights
Q: Please explain your viewpoint on the “War on Terror” in general?
A: America cannot afford any more debt to the Communist Chinese, nor can we afford, morally or financially, to be a global empire. Furthermore, the “War on Terror” is just a fruitless excuse to take away our rights and cut at our Constitution.
Source: Interview questionnaire in the Greeneville Sun , Jul 18, 2008
Leave the sex issues aside and he’s pretty much a Gore Vidal Democrat.
Probably the only decent and honorable candidate running for the US Senate this year.