Maryland Voters Guide: 10 Reasons to Vote for Ben Cardin

Cardin Supports a Woman's Right to Choose. When it comes to abortion, Marylanders have made up their minds. No matter what they might personally think about abortion, they overwhelmingly believe abortion should remain safe and legal. Ben Cardin supports the rights of women, and his opponent does not. And in the Senate, that is going to make a big difference, since the Senate handles federal judicial appointments as well as writes legislation affecting abortion for the entire nation. For this important reason alone, Ben Cardin deserves your vote. But there are plenty of other reasons to vote for Cardin.

Cardin Voted Against the Iraq War. A lot of people oppose the Iraq War only in hindsight. But Ben Cardin had the foresight to predict that things would go badly and we would end up in a quagmire. Cardin felt that Bush was in a rush to war and that he had not exhausted our diplomatic channels. Cardin voted against the Iraq War at a time when it was intensely unpopular to do so. If more legislators had been like Ben Cardin and put their principles above their ambitions, perhaps we wouldn't have the mess we do in Iraq today.

Cardin is a Lifelong Marylander. There's something quaint, almost old-fashioned about Ben Cardin. He met his wife in elementary school. He's dedicated his life to public service in the state he grew up, in the state his father served as a judge, and the state where his grandfather started the family grocery business. A prodigy - he was elected to the Maryland legislature when he was in his early twenties and has served the state ably ever since, becoming one of the youngest House Speakers in Maryland history. But his has not always been a charmed life - he lost a son in 1998, and the family still mourns the loss.

Cardin is a Mensch. If you look inside the offices of most congressmen, you'll see lots of photos of them shaking hands with famous people. But in Cardin's office, the most prominent photo is of his granddaughter. Cardin is not the most gregarious candidate in the race, but even his opponents admit that his work ethic is unsurpassed. The Baltimore Sun once said that "few members of the U.S. House in either party can match his stature as legislative architect and master of bipartisan lawmaking." He's got none of that Washington arrogance; he's an unassuming expert on a range of policy issues, and an upright fellow who many describe as "a mensch." A serious man for serious times.

Cardin is an Expert on Social Security. There are several issues on which Cardin is known for being a leader and an expert in Congress. One of them is Social Security. And though Cardin may sometimes keep a low-profile, he was everywhere on the Social Security issue when President Bush proposed turning it into a private retirement scheme. Cardin hosted Town Hall Meetings and attended more gatherings of Marylanders on the subject than you could shake a stick at. Cardin has vigorously fought Republican attempts to privatize Social Security. He believes that we can fix Social Security's long-term funding problems without cutting benefits or undermining a system that has worked well for the past 70 years. To that end, he has authored legislation that makes it easier for Americans to put money into retirement savings accounts, such as 401(k) plans and IRAs, that are designed to supplement Social Security rather than divert money away from it.

Cardin Will Help You Spend Less Time In Traffic. As a Congressman, Ben Cardin has fought to strengthen regional mass transit so that Marylanders would spend less time in traffic. As a Senator, he could do much more to link Baltimore, DC, and Northern Virginia so that commute times improve and our roads become less dangerous. This is a serious priority in the region, and Ben Cardin could make a serious difference when it comes to getting federal tax dollars to help invest in our regional infrastructure. It would be refreshing to have a Senator who understood that Maryland's transportation problems are the result of a regional traffic pattern including Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia.

Cardin is a Strong Advocate for Stem Cell Research. As a Congressman, Cardin has called for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research - vitally necessary research that may help find cures and treatments to a wide range of serious illnesses like Parkinson's Disease. George Bush has vetoed this urgent medical progress. Sending Ben Cardin to the Senate would give Maryland one more vote to override that veto. It is on this issue that Cardin differs most fundamentally from his opponent who likened stem cell research to the holocaust.

Cardin Will Help Make Health Care More Affordable. Cardin is so measured, so professorial, that it sometimes shocks people when his passions come out. And one of those passions is for affordable health care. He believes it's not only unacceptable, but unconscionable, that 47 million Americans have no health insurance. In Congress, Ben leads the fight to reduce the cost of health care, address the crisis of the uninsured, strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, reduce the cost of prescription drugs and protect patients' rights. He would have a broader platform and more power to continue to do so as Maryland's senator.

Cardin is a Strong Supporter of Civil Rights. Cardin co-sponsored the End Racial Profiling Act and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. He helped pass legislation to protect workers from being discriminated against because of their race or sexual orientation. He supports the reauthorization of the Voting Acts Right of 1965 which guarantees the right of all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity, language spoken or disability, to cast their vote. He's also fought hard for human rights. Under Cardin's leadership, the Helsinki Commission has led efforts to end human trafficking, help torture victims, bring war criminals to justice, and hold governments accountable for violating the religious and political rights of citizens.

Cardin is Passionate About Ethics. These days you can't open a newspaper without reading about how money is corrupting our system. From his earliest years in public service, when he was a mere delegate in the Maryland legislature, Cardin has led the way on ethics reform. He teaches an ethics course at Johns Hopkins University, and has served on the House ethics committee. He is known, first and foremost, for his honesty, by supporters and rivals alike. And isn't it about time we sent someone honest to the U.S. Senate?