I read most of the link that jdarg included. It was looonng but very interesting and informative. Obviously there are
a lot of nuances in Illinois State legislature business. Fascinating read but hard for me to grasp it all.
Here are a couple sections from the link that may shed light on a present vote on this kind of bill:
Voting Present in the State Legislature is Used as A Signal to the Other Party, Not As a Way to Duck the Issue. "An aspect of Obama's State Senate voting record that is drawing attention is his "present" votes. A present vote is a third option to an up or down "yes" or "no" that is used with great frequency in the Illinois General Assembly. It has many varied and nuanced meanings that, in the context of the actual bills, border on boring. It's most important use is as a signal -- to the other party, to the governor, to the sponsor -- to show a willingness to compromise on the issue if not the exact bill, to show disapproval for one aspect of the bill, to question the constitutionality of the bill, to strengthen the bill. [Chicago Daily Herald, 3/10/04]
Obama Said He Would Vote 'Present' On Unconstitutional Bills, Saying He Tried To Resist Bad Votes Even If They Made Good Politics. The Sun Times wrote, "Obama says his 'present' votes often come on bills that he believes are unconstitutional. 'I have tried to not succumb to the temptation of voting on bad laws just because it makes for good politics,' Obama said." [Chicago Sun-Times, 9/13/04]
We vote at a local level here in Texas on things like proximity of liquor stores to school, adult stores, etc. - the city level. I am guessing Obama's vote may have been one of those signaling that it was questionable as to the constitutionality of the state of IL acting on this.
Take a read through that link as it has useful insight.
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