Political positions of Lincoln Chafee

Lincoln Chafee, a former United States Senator, former Governor of Rhode Island, and possible candidate in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, has taken positions on many political issues through public comments and official acts. From at least 1999 through 2007, Chafee was a member of the Republican Party, before declaring himself an independent. In 2013 he joined the Democratic Party.

Domestic policy

Abortion

Chafee has generally been considered "pro-choice." In the U.S. Senate, Chafee was one of three Republicans to vote against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.[1] He has received a 90-percent rating from NARAL and previously served on that organization's national board. In 2015 Chafee said that he strongly supported "a woman’s right to make her own personal reproductive decisions." [2]

Crime and civil rights

Chafee's policy on firearms regulation mirrors the views of his father, John Chafee, who was generally supportive of a strict regulatory environment.[3] Lincoln Chafee has received "F" ratings from the National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of America.[4] Chafee has said he supports "common sense adherence to the Second Amendment."[2]

In 2011, as governor of Rhode Island, Chafee refused an order of a federal court to transfer a prisoner in state custody to the United States government, because the prisoner in question might be subject to capital punishment, which Rhode Island had abolished. At the time, Chafee said, "my actions are motivated by my obligation as governor to safeguard Rhode Island’s sovereignty and the integrity of its laws."[5][6]

Chafee has indicated he is receptive to the idea of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana while stopping short of supporting such a move.[7]

In 2015 Chafee said he believed "certain of our rights have been wrongfully infringed upon. Particularly the Fourth Amendment which forbids the tapping of our phones without a warrant."[2] While in the U.S. Senate, Chafee was the only Republican to vote against the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which restricted habeas corpus rights of persons detained by the U.S. Department of Defense as enemy combatants.[8]


Elections

As governor of Rhode Island, Chafee supported requiring photo ID at polling places.

Chafee has said he supports requiring voters to present photo identification at polling places.[9] In 2011 he signed legislation mandating photo ID in Rhode Island elections, saying he believed requiring photo ID was a “reasonable request to ensure the accuracy and integrity of our elections.”[10]

In the Senate, Chafee voted in support of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (commonly known as the McCain-Feingold Act), which tightened regulation of "soft money" contributions in political campaigns.[11]

Environment

Chafee has stated his opposition to oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In the Senate he opposed the Clear Skies Act of 2003 which critics said would increase air pollution if enacted. The League of Conservation Voters has given Chafee a 79-percent rating while, in 2006, he received an endorsement from the Sierra Club.[12]

Same-sex marriage

In 2010, as governor of Rhode Island, Chafee signed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in that state, declaring that "we are living up to the ideal of our founders."[13]

Taxes

As Rhode Island governor, Chafee called for a cut in the commercial property tax to spur economic development in Providence, Rhode Island.[14] During his term, Chafee received a "B" rating from the National Taxpayers Union, which cited his move to repeal the Rhode Island franchise tax and reduce estate taxes.[15]

In 2001 and 2003, while in the U.S. Senate, Chafee voted against the Bush tax cuts arguing he was concerned about unchecked growth in the federal deficit. Chafee said that "cutting taxes is easy for politicians, we love to cut taxes. It takes responsibility to make sure our revenues match our expenditures and we're not doing that right now."[16]

Foreign policy

Chafee visits with Ecuadoran Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Isabel Salvador in 2008. Chafee has called for increased U.S. engagement in Latin America.

Iran

Chafee has said Iran represents a threat to the United States due to hostile rhetoric from the American side. He has called for deescalation combined with cultural dialog and exchange modeled after "the ping pong diplomacy of the Nixon era." [17][18]

Israel

In Congress, Chafee was described as a "particularly strong opponent" of AIPAC.[19] Chafee has criticized what he has characterized as a Biblical influence on U.S. policy with respect to Israel. He has said he opposes the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.[20] Chafee serves on the advisory council of J Street.[21]

Chafee preparing to speak at the U.S. Naval War College in 2014. Chafee has said the U.S. "must make international decisions with brains and not biceps" and criticized Hilary Clinton's vote in support of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Latin America

Referring to Latin America, Chafee has called for the U.S. government to "reenagage our neighbors." However, Chafee has also said recent U.S. inattention to the region was "a blessing in disguise" as it allowed democratic governments to flourish free of U.S. influence. [17]

Russia

Chafee has said one of the U.S.' highest priorities should be improving relations with the Russian Federation. He has called the Ukrainian crisis a "tug-of-war between Russia and the EU" and said that the way to solve the issue was through Russian accession to the European Union.[22]

War

While serving in the United States Senate, Chafee was one of 23 senators, and the only Republican, to vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, which provided the legal mechanism for the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.[9] When asked, in 2015, how the U.S. could most effectively deal with ISIS, Chafee said the U.S. should pursue a policy of containment through alliance-building with regional powers. [22] Chafee has said the U.S. "must make international decisions with brains and not biceps."[2]

Endorsements

Chafee endorsed George W. Bush in the 2000 U.S. presidential election, but declined to endorse Bush in the 2004 contest.[23] In 2008 Chafee endorsed Barack Obama for U.S. president during the Democratic Party presidential primaries, and went on to serve as national co-chair of Obama's 2012 reelection campaign.[24] During the 2014 election for governor of Rhode Island, which Chafee did not contest, he endorsed Clay Pell in the Democratic primary.[25]

References

  1. ↑ Swers, Michelle (2013). Women in the Club: Gender and Policy Making in the Senate. University of Chicago Press. p. 260.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "My Priorities". Chafee 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Carter, Greg (2002). Guns in American Society: A-L. ABC-CLIO. p. 108. ISBN 1576072681.
  4. ↑ "Lincoln 'Linc' D. Chafee's Ratings and Endorsements". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Rhode Island's Governor Explains His Resistance to Federal Death Penalty Case". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Rosenthal, Andrew (22 December 2011). "Death Penalty Death Watch: Rhode Island and the Rest of the World". New York Times. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Bender, John (26 April 2014). "Gov. Lincoln Chafee Open, But Cautious About Legalizing Recreational Marijuana". Rhode Island Public Radio. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Jeff (2013). Politics on a Human Scale: The American Tradition of Decentralism. Lexington Books. p. 387.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Levitz, Jennifer (23 December 2011). "The Price of Independence". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  10. ↑ Beale, Stephen (6 July 2011). "NEW: Chafee Defends Voter ID Law". GoLocalProv. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "Senate passes McCain-Feingold". Washington Times. 3 April 2001. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Zuniga, Markos (2008). Taking on the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era. Celebra. p. 229. ISBN 0451225198.
  13. ↑ "Rhode Island Becomes 10th State To Allow Same-Sex Marriage". NPR. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  14. ↑ Kuffner, Alex (10 February 2012). "Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee says that the commercial property tax in Providence is second-highest in the nation behind only Detroit". Providence Journal. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "Which Governors Made the Honor Roll?". National Taxpayers Union. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  16. ↑ "Sen. Lincoln Chafee on the Bush tax cuts proposal". CNN. 24 April 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Chafee, Lincoln (2010). Against the Tide: How a Compliant Congress Empowered a Reckless President. Macmillan. p. 189.
  18. ↑ "Scholars Online: Lincoln Chafee". Choices Program. Brown University. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  19. ↑ Jonathan, Albert (2007). The role of American political culture in the development of the United States-Israel "special relationship" and the lost opportunities for achieving Middle East peace (Ph.D. dissertation). University of Texas.
  20. ↑ Mulligan, John (16 April 2006). "Chafee, Laffey differ on Mideast". Providence Journal.
  21. ↑ "Advisory Council". J Street. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Chafee: We should be talking with Iran". MSNBC. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  23. ↑ Smith, Michelle (9 March 2013). "Former GOPer-turned-Independent governor could join Dems". Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  24. ↑ Cook, Nancy (14 February 2008). "Former R.I. GOP Senator Chafee Supports Obama". NPR. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  25. ↑ "Gov. Chafee backs Clay Pell for RI governor". WPRI. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2015.