by Serrin M. Foster, President, Feminists for Life of America
On the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, many will focus on the undeniable humanity of the unborn child now seen clearly by millions through sophisticated sonograms on Oprah as well as in Life and Newsweek cover stories.
Meanwhile, I will be reflecting on the impact of the choice made by attorney Sarah Weddington in 1973.
As her arguments for abortion before the Supreme Court made clear, Weddington saw the discrimination and other injustices faced by pregnant women. But she did not demand that these injustices be remedied. Instead, she demanded for women the "right" to submit to these injustices by destroying their pregnancies.
Weddington rightly pointed out the unmet needs of students: "...there are many schools where a woman is forced to quit if she becomes pregnant." But Weddington didn’t argue against pregnancy discrimination or even for alternate solutions for a pregnant student.
Weddington did no better for women in the workplace. "In the matter of employment, she often is forced to quit at an early point in her pregnancy. She has no provision for maternity leave... She cannot get unemployment compensation under our laws, because the laws hold that she is not eligible for employment, being pregnant, and therefore is eligible for no unemployment compensation."
For women with serious medical needs, she further noted: "There is no duty for employers to rehire women if they must drop out to carry a pregnancy to term. And, of course, this is especially hard on the many women in Texas who are heads of their own households and must provide for their already existing children."
Weddington clearly saw the bind low-income women face when experiencing unplanned pregnancy: "At the same time, she can get no welfare to help her at a time when she has no unemployment compensation and she's not eligible for any help in getting a job to provide for herself."
Weddington repeatedly said that women need "relief" from pregnancy, instead of arguing that women need relief from these injustices.
What if Weddington had used her legal acumen to challenge the system and address women’s needs?
By accepting pregnancy discrimination in school and workplace and the lack of support in society for pregnant women and parents, especially the poor, Weddington and the Supreme Court betrayed women and undermined the support women need and deserve.
Since then, millions of women have paid the price, struggling in school and the workplace without societal support. After all, when "it’s her body, it’s her choice," it’s her problem.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, until recently the research arm of Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortion in America, half of all abortions are performed on college-age women.
Since 1994, Feminists for Life has worked to address the unmet needs of pregnant and parenting students and staff on college campuses. For the past decade FFL’s Pregnancy Resource Forums on campuses across the country have revealed the still-unmet needs of pregnant and parenting students — especially a lack of housing, child care, telecommuting options, maternity coverage and medical riders for additional children. FFL found there is rarely a central place on campus for pregnancy and parenting resources. Even when resources are available, they are often not publicized. For pregnant and parenting students kept in the dark about the help they need and deserve, perception is their reality.
This March, which is Women’s History Month, Feminists for Life is helping college students make history for women by hosting Rallies for Resources on campuses across the country - so that women don’t feel driven to choose between sacrificing their children or their education and career plans.
The proposed Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act, a bipartisan effort led by Senators Elizabeth Dole and Ben Nelson and Representatives Marcy Kaptur and Sue Myrick, would make grants available for up to 200 colleges and universities to host pregnancy resource forums, create resource centers on campus, and communicate available support on and off campus.
There was one thing Weddington got right. "Whether she's unmarried; whether she's pursuing an education; whether she's pursuing a career; whether she has family problems; all of the problems of personal and family life, for a woman, are bound up in the problem of abortion."
Abortion is a reflection that we have not met the needs of women.
Thirty-five years after Weddington capitulated to inherently unfair practices against pregnant and parenting women, those on both sides of the abortion debate should unite and say "no" to the status quo. Clearly women deserve better.
© 2008, Feminists for Life of America. This article may be reprinted in its entirety, including the author’s name and title, the organization name, and a link to www.feministsforlife.org.
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
Friday, May 1, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Debunking the Sebelius Abortion Decline
By Michael J. New, University of Alabama
President Obama’s nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of Health and Human Services has set off a firestorm of controversy in Catholic political circles. A number of Catholic organizations, citing Sebelius’ steadfast support for legal abortion and her cozy relationship with notorious late term abortionist George Tiller, have publicly come out in opposition to her nomination. Sebelius’ own archbishop, Joseph Naumann has expressed concerns about her nomination as well. However, some progressive Catholic organizations, most notably Catholics United, have come to defense of Sebelius. Furthermore, instead of shying away from the abortion issue, Catholics United is boldly arguing that Sebelius is functionally pro-life. They argue that the health and welfare policies Sebelius pursued as Governor resulted in a significant abortion decline in Kansas.
However, this abortion reduction argument put forth by Catholics United is problematic for several reasons. First and foremost, abortion statistics from Kansas are among the least reliable in the country. Between 1979 and 1987 data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment indicate that the number of abortions performed in Kansas fell by almost 50 percent. Then between 1987 and 1992 the number of abortions suddenly increased by 73 percent. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment states that these sharp fluctuations are partly due to changes in reporting and not the actual incidence of abortion. Furthermore, according to data from the CDC, 40 percent of Kansas abortions are performed on out of state residents, which is one of the highest figures in the country.... [more]
From a related article:
"You can call the picture [of a developed fetus] at left whatever you want. Whatever it is - it is 26 weeks old.
Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas has offed 60,000 of these around
this age and older...."
"Sebelius and Tiller - A Human Portrait",
President Obama’s nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of Health and Human Services has set off a firestorm of controversy in Catholic political circles. A number of Catholic organizations, citing Sebelius’ steadfast support for legal abortion and her cozy relationship with notorious late term abortionist George Tiller, have publicly come out in opposition to her nomination. Sebelius’ own archbishop, Joseph Naumann has expressed concerns about her nomination as well. However, some progressive Catholic organizations, most notably Catholics United, have come to defense of Sebelius. Furthermore, instead of shying away from the abortion issue, Catholics United is boldly arguing that Sebelius is functionally pro-life. They argue that the health and welfare policies Sebelius pursued as Governor resulted in a significant abortion decline in Kansas.
However, this abortion reduction argument put forth by Catholics United is problematic for several reasons. First and foremost, abortion statistics from Kansas are among the least reliable in the country. Between 1979 and 1987 data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment indicate that the number of abortions performed in Kansas fell by almost 50 percent. Then between 1987 and 1992 the number of abortions suddenly increased by 73 percent. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment states that these sharp fluctuations are partly due to changes in reporting and not the actual incidence of abortion. Furthermore, according to data from the CDC, 40 percent of Kansas abortions are performed on out of state residents, which is one of the highest figures in the country.... [more]
From a related article:
"You can call the picture [of a developed fetus] at left whatever you want. Whatever it is - it is 26 weeks old.
Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas has offed 60,000 of these around
this age and older...."
"Sebelius and Tiller - A Human Portrait",
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sarah Palin, Freed?
By Perry Bacon Jr.
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- After delivering scripted speeches for much of her candidacy and avoiding contact with reporters, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spent about a dozen minutes chatting with the press on her campaign plane tonight -- the first time she has done so as a vice presidential candidate.
It may not quite be letting Sarah be Sarah, as some of her supporters have urged, but it was the most open that she has been on the campaign trail so far.
And, as she traveled through Florida the past couple of days, Palin also spoke to two local television stations. The other three candidates running for national office do this nearly every day, but not Palin -- until this week.
On her campaign plane, she took repeated questions about her emphasis the last few days on William Ayers, the 1960s radical who hosted an event for Barack Obama in 1995 but is not a close adviser to the Democratic nominee. As in her debate performance, she had a turn of phrase she kept repeating, arguing Obama's association with Ayers raised questions about his "judgment" and "forthrightness."
Asked if she was saying Obama was "dishonest," she returned to her theme.
"I'm not saying that he's dishonest," Palin said on the flight from Pensacola, Fla., to Greenville, "but in terms of judgment and in terms of being able to answer questions forthrightly, it has two different parts to this, that judgment and that truthfulness and just being able to answer very candidly a simple question about when did you know him, how did you know him, has been there been an association continued since '02 or '05. We've heard a couple of different stories. I think it's relevant."
She batted back questions about whether Americans were tired of divisive politics and wanted to hear more about the economy by saying Obama's comments about Ayers were related to those issues.
"It makes you wonder about the forthrightedness, the truthfulness of the plans that he is telling America in regards to the economic recovery because that is first and foremost on American's minds," she said.
In her conversation with reporters, Palin also explained her husband Todd's decision to testify in the investigation into her firing of the Alaska director of public safety, who had refused to fire her former brother-in-law, a state trooper.
"Nobody has anything to hide," she said. "Nobody's done anything wrong."
The governor referred to the incident as "Tasergate," referring to allegations that her former brother-in-law used a taser on his 11-year-old stepson, instead of what her critics call "Troopergate."
Asked if she would appear on Saturday Night Live with Tina Fey, who even Obama has noted shares a strong resemblance to the Palin, the Alaska governor smiled.
"She's a hoot and she's so talented and it would be fun to either imitate her or keep on giving her more material and keep her in business," Palin said....
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/08/sarah_palin_freed.html
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- After delivering scripted speeches for much of her candidacy and avoiding contact with reporters, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spent about a dozen minutes chatting with the press on her campaign plane tonight -- the first time she has done so as a vice presidential candidate.
It may not quite be letting Sarah be Sarah, as some of her supporters have urged, but it was the most open that she has been on the campaign trail so far.
And, as she traveled through Florida the past couple of days, Palin also spoke to two local television stations. The other three candidates running for national office do this nearly every day, but not Palin -- until this week.
On her campaign plane, she took repeated questions about her emphasis the last few days on William Ayers, the 1960s radical who hosted an event for Barack Obama in 1995 but is not a close adviser to the Democratic nominee. As in her debate performance, she had a turn of phrase she kept repeating, arguing Obama's association with Ayers raised questions about his "judgment" and "forthrightness."
Asked if she was saying Obama was "dishonest," she returned to her theme.
"I'm not saying that he's dishonest," Palin said on the flight from Pensacola, Fla., to Greenville, "but in terms of judgment and in terms of being able to answer questions forthrightly, it has two different parts to this, that judgment and that truthfulness and just being able to answer very candidly a simple question about when did you know him, how did you know him, has been there been an association continued since '02 or '05. We've heard a couple of different stories. I think it's relevant."
She batted back questions about whether Americans were tired of divisive politics and wanted to hear more about the economy by saying Obama's comments about Ayers were related to those issues.
"It makes you wonder about the forthrightedness, the truthfulness of the plans that he is telling America in regards to the economic recovery because that is first and foremost on American's minds," she said.
In her conversation with reporters, Palin also explained her husband Todd's decision to testify in the investigation into her firing of the Alaska director of public safety, who had refused to fire her former brother-in-law, a state trooper.
"Nobody has anything to hide," she said. "Nobody's done anything wrong."
The governor referred to the incident as "Tasergate," referring to allegations that her former brother-in-law used a taser on his 11-year-old stepson, instead of what her critics call "Troopergate."
Asked if she would appear on Saturday Night Live with Tina Fey, who even Obama has noted shares a strong resemblance to the Palin, the Alaska governor smiled.
"She's a hoot and she's so talented and it would be fun to either imitate her or keep on giving her more material and keep her in business," Palin said....
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/08/sarah_palin_freed.html
"Who Is The Real Barack Obama?"
Obama repeatedly promised “fundamental change” in the second debate, but otherwise portrayed himself as the embodiment of moderation, nay, even a kind of conservatism. In his own telling, he wants to cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans, reduce spending, preserve but improve the current health-care system and win the war in Afghanistan while prudently drawing down troops in Iraq.
In the first debate, he said John McCain was “absolutely right” about the need for more government accountability, for fewer earmarks and for spending cuts, and about the success of the surge in reducing violence in Iraq and the danger of a nuclear Iran. At times, he seemed determined to be the first presidential candidate to win a debate on the basis of sheer agreeability.
The Democrats are on the verge of a strange victory. If Obama is elected, they will arguably have won the most left-wing government in American history. FDR and LBJ had raging Democratic majorities in Congress early in their presidencies, with which they forged massive increases in the size of government. But that was before the post-Vietnam culture revolution in the Democratic Party that produced a leftward lurch on social issues and a reflexive hostility to American power. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton also had Democratic majorities, but they both consistently ran as, and had records as, Southern moderates.
But no one can know whether Obama is the leftist his associations suggest, or the irenic uniter of his iconic 2004 convention speech; whether he’s the down-the-line liberal who kowtowed to the base of his own party in the Democratic primaries, or the pragmatist who readjusted to the center as soon as enthralled liberals handed him the nomination. The consistent line running through his career is opportunism, a willingness to accommodate whoever - Bill Ayers or the swing voter in Ohio - can help him up the next rung in his ladder of ambition at any juncture.
When McCain asks, “Who is the real Barack Obama?” it is taken as a desperate smear. But it’s a question even Democrats don’t know how to answer. We’ll find out with more certainty only if Obama is elected and has to make tough governing choices. Until then - no sudden moves.
By Rich Lowry, National Review
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/10/opinion/main4513379.shtml
In the first debate, he said John McCain was “absolutely right” about the need for more government accountability, for fewer earmarks and for spending cuts, and about the success of the surge in reducing violence in Iraq and the danger of a nuclear Iran. At times, he seemed determined to be the first presidential candidate to win a debate on the basis of sheer agreeability.
The Democrats are on the verge of a strange victory. If Obama is elected, they will arguably have won the most left-wing government in American history. FDR and LBJ had raging Democratic majorities in Congress early in their presidencies, with which they forged massive increases in the size of government. But that was before the post-Vietnam culture revolution in the Democratic Party that produced a leftward lurch on social issues and a reflexive hostility to American power. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton also had Democratic majorities, but they both consistently ran as, and had records as, Southern moderates.
But no one can know whether Obama is the leftist his associations suggest, or the irenic uniter of his iconic 2004 convention speech; whether he’s the down-the-line liberal who kowtowed to the base of his own party in the Democratic primaries, or the pragmatist who readjusted to the center as soon as enthralled liberals handed him the nomination. The consistent line running through his career is opportunism, a willingness to accommodate whoever - Bill Ayers or the swing voter in Ohio - can help him up the next rung in his ladder of ambition at any juncture.
When McCain asks, “Who is the real Barack Obama?” it is taken as a desperate smear. But it’s a question even Democrats don’t know how to answer. We’ll find out with more certainty only if Obama is elected and has to make tough governing choices. Until then - no sudden moves.
By Rich Lowry, National Review
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/10/opinion/main4513379.shtml
"Ayers Controversy First Smoldered, Now Flares Bright"
... The Ayers-Obama story has taken many twists as it moved from a topic in right-leaning media circles earlier this year to its recent prominence in the Republican ticket’s campaign.
As late as February, discussion seemed limited to the political blogosphere. Conservative talk-show hosts such as Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh also began giving attention to the Ayers-Obama ties, and momentum picked up.
The story jumped prominently into the media mainstream when George Stephanopoulos of ABC News asked Sen. Obama about it during an April 16 Democratic debate in Philadelphia.
Sen. Obama, in the nationally broadcast debate, downplayed their connection, referring to Mr. Ayers as “a guy who lives in my neighborhood,” and “not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.” He would later more explicitly condemn Mr. Ayers’ past actions.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mr. Obama’s last remaining rival for the party’s presidential nomination, said that the question was legitimate, and she predicted: “I think that this is an issue that, certainly, the Republicans will be raising.”
In fact, four days later, Sen. McCain appeared on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” and said Sen. Obama’s connection to Mr. Ayers was “open to question.”
Hitting a Plateau
At that point, the flap over the Obama-Ayers connection appeared to plateau....
“If Hillary brought it up, it gives McCain more justification,” Mr. Edsall said, “that ‘we’re just raising a point a Democrat raised.’ ”
To be sure, the issue never really disappeared.
During the summer, two critics of Sen. Obama published books about him, devoting some of their pages to the Ayers-Obama issue—and ending up on the New York Times bestseller list.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/10/15/08ayers_ep.h28.html
Related: "When It Comes to Ayers, It is Participation that Matters"
As late as February, discussion seemed limited to the political blogosphere. Conservative talk-show hosts such as Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh also began giving attention to the Ayers-Obama ties, and momentum picked up.
The story jumped prominently into the media mainstream when George Stephanopoulos of ABC News asked Sen. Obama about it during an April 16 Democratic debate in Philadelphia.
Sen. Obama, in the nationally broadcast debate, downplayed their connection, referring to Mr. Ayers as “a guy who lives in my neighborhood,” and “not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.” He would later more explicitly condemn Mr. Ayers’ past actions.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mr. Obama’s last remaining rival for the party’s presidential nomination, said that the question was legitimate, and she predicted: “I think that this is an issue that, certainly, the Republicans will be raising.”
In fact, four days later, Sen. McCain appeared on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” and said Sen. Obama’s connection to Mr. Ayers was “open to question.”
Hitting a Plateau
At that point, the flap over the Obama-Ayers connection appeared to plateau....
“If Hillary brought it up, it gives McCain more justification,” Mr. Edsall said, “that ‘we’re just raising a point a Democrat raised.’ ”
To be sure, the issue never really disappeared.
During the summer, two critics of Sen. Obama published books about him, devoting some of their pages to the Ayers-Obama issue—and ending up on the New York Times bestseller list.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/10/15/08ayers_ep.h28.html
Related: "When It Comes to Ayers, It is Participation that Matters"
Thursday, October 9, 2008
McCain campaign outlines mortgage-rescue plan
Carolyn Said, SF Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Sen. John McCain's plan to help people avoid foreclosure drew praise from liberals for tackling the problem's source, while conservatives called it a government subsidy of irresponsible lenders and borrowers.
During Tuesday's presidential debate, McCain, the Republican nominee, said he would order the Treasury secretary "to immediately buy up the bad home loan mortgages in America and renegotiate (them) at the new value of those homes, at the diminished value of those homes."
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain's senior domestic policy adviser, said on Wednesday that McCain's plan calls for the government to pay full face value for troubled mortgages on properties that are now worth less than the loans. That's a big distinction from a congressional plan that took effect on Oct. 1 and requires lenders to take a significant loss, reducing the loan values to 90 percent of the homes' current appraised values. Another key difference: Congress' plan requires homeowners who receive a refinanced loan to share any future appreciation in home value with the government; McCain's plan does not.
Holtz-Eakin said that under McCain's plan, homeowners would get new fixed-rate mortgages based on the homes' current value with an interest rate of about 5 percent, a percentage point less than the average current rate. The government would pay the difference between the original mortgage amount and what the homes are now worth.
Avoiding foreclosure
Holtz-Eakin said the goal is to directly help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosures and their damaging effects on neighborhoods, as well as to stabilize the values of homes and mortgage-backed securities....
The McCain campaign said the plan's $300 billion cost would come out of existing appropriations - the $700 bailout bill and the $300 billion Congress allocated this summer for a plan called Help for Homeowners, to be run by the Federal Housing Administration.
"Is it expensive?" McCain said during the debate. "Yes. But we all know, my friends, until we stabilize home values in America, we're never going to start turning around and creating jobs and fixing our economy, and we've got to give some trust and confidence back to America."...
McCain's plan
-- The government would purchase mortgages at their full face value.
-- Borrowers would refinance mortgages with fixed-rate loans for the homes' current market value at interest rates about 5 percent.
-- Eligible borrowers must live in the home, have made a down payment and not have falsified information to get the original loan.
-- $300 billion cost would come from the $700 billion bailout plan and the $300 billion Help for Homeowners FHA refinance program.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/09/BU9B13DNI7.DTL
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Sen. John McCain's plan to help people avoid foreclosure drew praise from liberals for tackling the problem's source, while conservatives called it a government subsidy of irresponsible lenders and borrowers.
During Tuesday's presidential debate, McCain, the Republican nominee, said he would order the Treasury secretary "to immediately buy up the bad home loan mortgages in America and renegotiate (them) at the new value of those homes, at the diminished value of those homes."
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain's senior domestic policy adviser, said on Wednesday that McCain's plan calls for the government to pay full face value for troubled mortgages on properties that are now worth less than the loans. That's a big distinction from a congressional plan that took effect on Oct. 1 and requires lenders to take a significant loss, reducing the loan values to 90 percent of the homes' current appraised values. Another key difference: Congress' plan requires homeowners who receive a refinanced loan to share any future appreciation in home value with the government; McCain's plan does not.
Holtz-Eakin said that under McCain's plan, homeowners would get new fixed-rate mortgages based on the homes' current value with an interest rate of about 5 percent, a percentage point less than the average current rate. The government would pay the difference between the original mortgage amount and what the homes are now worth.
Avoiding foreclosure
Holtz-Eakin said the goal is to directly help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosures and their damaging effects on neighborhoods, as well as to stabilize the values of homes and mortgage-backed securities....
The McCain campaign said the plan's $300 billion cost would come out of existing appropriations - the $700 bailout bill and the $300 billion Congress allocated this summer for a plan called Help for Homeowners, to be run by the Federal Housing Administration.
"Is it expensive?" McCain said during the debate. "Yes. But we all know, my friends, until we stabilize home values in America, we're never going to start turning around and creating jobs and fixing our economy, and we've got to give some trust and confidence back to America."...
McCain's plan
-- The government would purchase mortgages at their full face value.
-- Borrowers would refinance mortgages with fixed-rate loans for the homes' current market value at interest rates about 5 percent.
-- Eligible borrowers must live in the home, have made a down payment and not have falsified information to get the original loan.
-- $300 billion cost would come from the $700 billion bailout plan and the $300 billion Help for Homeowners FHA refinance program.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/09/BU9B13DNI7.DTL
Friday, September 12, 2008
Videos: Palin Interviews with Charlie Gibson
Video: Charlie Gibson first interview Sarah Palin [9/11/08]
Excerpts: Charlie Gibson first interview Sarah Palin [9/11/08]
Some media responses [1st interview]:
How Did Palin Do? Two Views
The ABCs of Sarah Palin
Excerpts: Charlie Gibson's Second Interview With Sarah Palin
Video: Gov. Sarah Palin: The Full Interview [so it says] [includes questions about Wasilla taxes, spending, and the sports arena]
Video: Palin on Domestic Policy [government spending, abortion, stem cell research, etc.]
More texts/topics here:
Excerpts: Charlie Gibson Interviews GOP Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin
[reform, bridge to nowhere, Hillary Clinton, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, homosexuality, guns, sexism, banning books, troopergate, economic policy]
YouTube versions:
Sarah Palin ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 1
Sarah Palin ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 2
Sarah Palin 20/20 ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 1/4
2 of 4 - Gov. Sarah Palin's 20/20 interview with Charlie Gibson 9/13/08
Sarah Palin 20/20 ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 3/4
Sarah Palin 20/20 ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 4/4
Excerpts: Charlie Gibson first interview Sarah Palin [9/11/08]
Some media responses [1st interview]:
How Did Palin Do? Two Views
The ABCs of Sarah Palin
Excerpts: Charlie Gibson's Second Interview With Sarah Palin
Video: Gov. Sarah Palin: The Full Interview [so it says] [includes questions about Wasilla taxes, spending, and the sports arena]
Video: Palin on Domestic Policy [government spending, abortion, stem cell research, etc.]
More texts/topics here:
Excerpts: Charlie Gibson Interviews GOP Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin
[reform, bridge to nowhere, Hillary Clinton, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, homosexuality, guns, sexism, banning books, troopergate, economic policy]
YouTube versions:
Sarah Palin ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 1
Sarah Palin ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 2
Sarah Palin 20/20 ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 1/4
2 of 4 - Gov. Sarah Palin's 20/20 interview with Charlie Gibson 9/13/08
Sarah Palin 20/20 ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 3/4
Sarah Palin 20/20 ABC Interview With Charlie Gibson Part 4/4
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Gov. Sarah Palin [LINKS]
[50+ listed below -- selected articles]
Alaska Governor Palin Picked as McCain Running Mate
Bio page [votesmart.org]:
Instant Reaction to the Palin Selection as GOP VP Pick
Sarah Palin on Glenn Beck [video]
Ms. Alaska
Profile of Alaska's Sarah Palin: Governor, Reformer, Mother
Republicans: Palin's an "awesome pick"
Gov. Sarah Palin - GOP's dream V.P. candidate
Friends: VP choice has 'very strong' values
... Democrats, including presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign spokesman Bill Burton, questioned her relative inexperience, but Palin has beat back similar criticism before. In 1996, at 32, she was elected mayor of Wasilla, located about 40 miles north of Anchorage. She ousted a three-term incumbent for the position and focused her tenure on reducing taxes.
"I was just your average hockey mom in Alaska, coaching some basketball on the side," Palin said during a rally in Dayton, Ohio, where her selection was announced. "My agenda was to stop wasteful spending, cut property taxes and put the people first." ...
She competed in the Miss Alaska contest after being chosen Miss Wasilla in 1984, according to the Daily News. Adrian Lane, a longtime family friend who lives in Wasilla, said he remembers her playing basketball at a young age with all the boys in the neighborhood.
"People misread her," Lane said. "She's strong. People aren't going to run over her."
Hicks: Let Palin and Obama play hoops for the big prize
Palin named her first child Track because he was born during the track season, she said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal about her exercise habits. ``Running is my sanity,'' she told the paper.
Before she became pregnant with her fifth child she was running seven to 10 miles almost every day, she said in the interview. Now she runs about three miles every other day.
In the interview she said she uses her time running to think about her speeches. ``I usually write my best speeches and letters while out running,'' she said. ``That is my inspired time.''
bloomberg.com
Sarah Palin: A True Maverick
Sarah Palin in Wikipedia
Commentary: Palin is brilliant, but risky, VP choice
Palin has a strong anti-abortion record. She is a member of Feminists for Life , a group that works to make health-care and child-care resources available to ``pregnant or parenting students,'' according to the group's Web site.
bloomberg.com
She has a 4-month-old son with Down's Syndrome, and her older son is soon to be deployed to Iraq.
She will have a lot to say about many relevant issues.
Her approval rating is 80% among Alaskans. She is the most popular governor in the United States.
Fishing photo
The Most Popular Governor
Palin: “My Baby Will Not be Neglected”
AK’s Palin [yes, she's pro-life -- Radical Catholic Mom]
The Day After: Thoughts About Palin [Radical Catholic Mom]
Hubby Called Abt Palin [Radical Catholic Mom]
Sarah Palin speech
BBC: McCain unveils 'The Barracuda'
SF Chronicle: Picking Sarah Palin called gamble for McCain
Sarah Palin: Homeschooler
Campaigns Shift as McCain Choice Alters the Race
Palin jumps into campaign fray [Anchorage Daily News]
How Palin Got Picked
Let Palin Be Palin
Teen daughter of GOP VP pick is pregnant
Palin’s 17-Year-Old Daughter is Pregnant
Obama Says Palin Pregnancy “Off Limits”
A Story Palin Should Tell
The Palins' statement
Evangelicals rally behind Palin after pregnancy news
Palin Pick Offers Enthusiasm Despite Newly Learned Family Woes
Stephanopoulos: Three Questions Republicans Are Asking Themselves About Palin
Palin And The Alaska Independence Party
Anti-abortion group says Palin 'walks her talk'
Hurricane, Palin Roil the Start of GOP Convention
Palin: Pioneer, maverick -- and now game-changer
Palin is GOP's beacon [2007]
Sarah Palin: Shooting Star?
Republicans Rally Around Palin as McCain's Running Mate
Fred Thompson comments on Palin
Palin reports throw curve to campaign
Palin could distract from McCain's message for GOP
A Full-Fledged Feeding Frenzy On Sarah Palin
Sarah [the book]
What's It All About?
That's It! I'm Fed Up! Disgusted! Angry! Steamed!
[from a stay-at-home dad of 5 children]
Mayor Palin: A Rough Record [Time]
------------------
After VP acceptance speech at GOP convention:
Sarah Palin's Breakout Night [Time]
Political Wisdom: Sarah Palin’s Big Night [WSJ]
Open Mic Night at MSNBC [Peggy Noonan]
Democrats Rush To Define Palin by Policy, Not Personality [Fox News]
Sarah Palin's speech draws an audience of 37 million [LA Times]
Alaska neighbors love their hockey mom VP candidate
Text of Palin VP Acceptance Speech [9/3/08]
A Convention That Sparked the GOP [Time]
'A Servant's Heart' [Peggy Noonan]
Sarah Palin and Her Discontents [National Review]
------------------
In Palin’s Life and Politics, Goal to Follow God’s Will
And no, she’s not a religious extremist, either
Sliming Palin [Newsweek]
Palin May Lift More than McCain in November
Camille Paglia on Sarah Palin's Debut ... [feminism]
Alaska Governor Palin Picked as McCain Running Mate
Bio page [votesmart.org]:
Instant Reaction to the Palin Selection as GOP VP Pick
Sarah Palin on Glenn Beck [video]
Ms. Alaska
Profile of Alaska's Sarah Palin: Governor, Reformer, Mother
Republicans: Palin's an "awesome pick"
Gov. Sarah Palin - GOP's dream V.P. candidate
Friends: VP choice has 'very strong' values
... Democrats, including presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign spokesman Bill Burton, questioned her relative inexperience, but Palin has beat back similar criticism before. In 1996, at 32, she was elected mayor of Wasilla, located about 40 miles north of Anchorage. She ousted a three-term incumbent for the position and focused her tenure on reducing taxes.
"I was just your average hockey mom in Alaska, coaching some basketball on the side," Palin said during a rally in Dayton, Ohio, where her selection was announced. "My agenda was to stop wasteful spending, cut property taxes and put the people first." ...
She competed in the Miss Alaska contest after being chosen Miss Wasilla in 1984, according to the Daily News. Adrian Lane, a longtime family friend who lives in Wasilla, said he remembers her playing basketball at a young age with all the boys in the neighborhood.
"People misread her," Lane said. "She's strong. People aren't going to run over her."
Hicks: Let Palin and Obama play hoops for the big prize
Palin named her first child Track because he was born during the track season, she said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal about her exercise habits. ``Running is my sanity,'' she told the paper.
Before she became pregnant with her fifth child she was running seven to 10 miles almost every day, she said in the interview. Now she runs about three miles every other day.
In the interview she said she uses her time running to think about her speeches. ``I usually write my best speeches and letters while out running,'' she said. ``That is my inspired time.''
bloomberg.com
Sarah Palin: A True Maverick
Sarah Palin in Wikipedia
Commentary: Palin is brilliant, but risky, VP choice
Palin has a strong anti-abortion record. She is a member of Feminists for Life , a group that works to make health-care and child-care resources available to ``pregnant or parenting students,'' according to the group's Web site.
bloomberg.com
She has a 4-month-old son with Down's Syndrome, and her older son is soon to be deployed to Iraq.
She will have a lot to say about many relevant issues.
Her approval rating is 80% among Alaskans. She is the most popular governor in the United States.
Fishing photo
The Most Popular Governor
Palin: “My Baby Will Not be Neglected”
AK’s Palin [yes, she's pro-life -- Radical Catholic Mom]
The Day After: Thoughts About Palin [Radical Catholic Mom]
Hubby Called Abt Palin [Radical Catholic Mom]
Sarah Palin speech
BBC: McCain unveils 'The Barracuda'
SF Chronicle: Picking Sarah Palin called gamble for McCain
Sarah Palin: Homeschooler
Campaigns Shift as McCain Choice Alters the Race
Palin jumps into campaign fray [Anchorage Daily News]
How Palin Got Picked
Let Palin Be Palin
Teen daughter of GOP VP pick is pregnant
Palin’s 17-Year-Old Daughter is Pregnant
Obama Says Palin Pregnancy “Off Limits”
A Story Palin Should Tell
The Palins' statement
Evangelicals rally behind Palin after pregnancy news
Palin Pick Offers Enthusiasm Despite Newly Learned Family Woes
Stephanopoulos: Three Questions Republicans Are Asking Themselves About Palin
Palin And The Alaska Independence Party
Anti-abortion group says Palin 'walks her talk'
Hurricane, Palin Roil the Start of GOP Convention
Palin: Pioneer, maverick -- and now game-changer
Palin is GOP's beacon [2007]
Sarah Palin: Shooting Star?
Republicans Rally Around Palin as McCain's Running Mate
Fred Thompson comments on Palin
Palin reports throw curve to campaign
Palin could distract from McCain's message for GOP
A Full-Fledged Feeding Frenzy On Sarah Palin
Sarah [the book]
What's It All About?
That's It! I'm Fed Up! Disgusted! Angry! Steamed!
[from a stay-at-home dad of 5 children]
Mayor Palin: A Rough Record [Time]
------------------
After VP acceptance speech at GOP convention:
Sarah Palin's Breakout Night [Time]
Political Wisdom: Sarah Palin’s Big Night [WSJ]
Open Mic Night at MSNBC [Peggy Noonan]
Democrats Rush To Define Palin by Policy, Not Personality [Fox News]
Sarah Palin's speech draws an audience of 37 million [LA Times]
Alaska neighbors love their hockey mom VP candidate
Text of Palin VP Acceptance Speech [9/3/08]
A Convention That Sparked the GOP [Time]
'A Servant's Heart' [Peggy Noonan]
Sarah Palin and Her Discontents [National Review]
------------------
In Palin’s Life and Politics, Goal to Follow God’s Will
And no, she’s not a religious extremist, either
Sliming Palin [Newsweek]
Palin May Lift More than McCain in November
Camille Paglia on Sarah Palin's Debut ... [feminism]
Sunday, August 31, 2008
PP weighs in on Palin choice
"Having a woman on the ticket doesn't mean you have women's interests at heart," said Erika Fricke, vice president of public affairs for the Planned Parenthood Western Pennsylvania Action Fund. Planned Parenthood and members of several unions showed up yesterday to protest the candidates' appearance.
Fricke pointed to Palin's conservative positions on such issues as education, which have made her a darling of some on the right.
"He's really pointing out to America just how extreme he is with this choice," Fricke said. "We need to make sure that people understand that John McCain is no friend of women."
From "McCain, Palin touch base in state", Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Ron Paul convention
Ron Paul followers gathering for own convention
WASHINGTON (AP) — There's no room at the Xcel Energy Center for maverick Ron Paul, so his acolytes have packed their cars, hitched rides on "Ronvoys" and will pitch tents at Ronstock '08 in defiance of next week's GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn.
Almost 9,800 tickets had been sold for the Rally for the Republic, being held in Minneapolis, which seeks to bring together activists who are anti-war, anti-government regulation, anti-immigration, anti-taxes, anti-Federal Reserve, anti-outsourcing, pro-individual liberty, pro-civil liberties and pro-Paul.
The Ronvoys — fleets of buses and vans carrying Paul's loyalists — were to begin arriving Saturday. A few rally-goers planned to walk from Green Bay, Wis., and join up with Paul for the final miles of their Walk4Freedom. Other attendees are driving, carpooling or flying in for the convention alternative.
Paul, a Texas congressman who failed in a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, considers the rally a celebration of traditional Republican values of limited government — and a poke in the eye of the GOP. They don't plan to crash the Republican party, but to show they and their Campaign for Liberty are not going away.
"No matter how much our message is ignored or ridiculed, as was done in the campaign, no matter how much they did to us, it only energized our grass roots," Paul said.
The rally builds on Paul's presidential bid, in which he set a record for single-day fundraising on the Web and touched a nerve with some disaffected voters, largely in the Republican Party.
In a few Western states, Paul was a serious contender for votes, placing second ahead of Republican John McCain in Nevada and Montana. He drew 14 percent from McCain in New Mexico, a battleground state.
But Paul has no speaking role at the GOP convention. He said his staff made overtures to the party, but nothing came of its efforts.
Palin on 3 Issues
From Anchorage Daily News
[issues selected by news source]
August 6, 2006
MARIJUANA
Palin doesn't support legalizing marijuana, worrying about the message it would send to her four kids. But when it comes to cracking down on drugs, she says methamphetamines are the greater threat and should have a higher priority.
Palin said she has smoked marijuana -- remember, it was legal under state law, she said, even if illegal under U.S. law -- but says she didn't like it and doesn't smoke it now.
"I can't claim a Bill Clinton and say that I never inhaled."
ABORTION
In 2002, when she was running for lieutenant governor, Palin sent an e-mail to the anti-abortion Alaska Right to Life Board saying she was as "pro-life as any candidate can be" and has "adamantly supported our cause since I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of abortion."
Palin said last month that no woman should have to choose between her career, education and her child. She is pro-contraception and said she's a member of a pro-woman but anti-abortion group called Feminists for Life.
"I believe in the strength and the power of women, and the potential of every human life," she said.
GAY MARRIAGE
Palin said she's not out to judge anyone and has good friends who are gay, but that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment.
Elected officials can't defy the court when it comes to how rights are applied, she said, but she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to homosexual couples.
"I believe that honoring the family structure is that important," Palin said.
She said she doesn't know if people choose to be gay.
[more]
[issues selected by news source]
August 6, 2006
MARIJUANA
Palin doesn't support legalizing marijuana, worrying about the message it would send to her four kids. But when it comes to cracking down on drugs, she says methamphetamines are the greater threat and should have a higher priority.
Palin said she has smoked marijuana -- remember, it was legal under state law, she said, even if illegal under U.S. law -- but says she didn't like it and doesn't smoke it now.
"I can't claim a Bill Clinton and say that I never inhaled."
ABORTION
In 2002, when she was running for lieutenant governor, Palin sent an e-mail to the anti-abortion Alaska Right to Life Board saying she was as "pro-life as any candidate can be" and has "adamantly supported our cause since I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of abortion."
Palin said last month that no woman should have to choose between her career, education and her child. She is pro-contraception and said she's a member of a pro-woman but anti-abortion group called Feminists for Life.
"I believe in the strength and the power of women, and the potential of every human life," she said.
GAY MARRIAGE
Palin said she's not out to judge anyone and has good friends who are gay, but that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment.
Elected officials can't defy the court when it comes to how rights are applied, she said, but she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to homosexual couples.
"I believe that honoring the family structure is that important," Palin said.
She said she doesn't know if people choose to be gay.
[more]
Friday, August 29, 2008
[humor] "Hicks: Let Palin and Obama play hoops for the big prize"
This presidential race is sure becoming exciting.
We have the first African-American candidate to garner his party's nomination, and the first woman on the GOP ticket, not to mention the first woman from Alaska on her ticket, not to mention the first woman on the ticket with a husband who's part Eskimo, not to mention the first woman on a ticket whose constituents drive around with bumper stickers saying "Coldest state, hottest governor."
Seriously, they do that. I've been there.
Alaska's a lot of fun. They let moose roam around like squirrels up there, though it's a bit strange to see a moose climb a tree and scamper across power lines.
But this suddenly shaping up to be some kind of election. In this corner is Democratic nominee Barack Obama, who's 47, has lived all over the world, and has a "funny name" according to his wife. He chose Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, 65, who has amazingly white teeth, and can't stop talking to save his life, to be his running mate.
In the other corner is Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, who's a 72-year-old former POW who doesn't know how many homes he owns. He picked as his running mate the governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. She's 44, just appeared in Vogue, and has a husband named Todd, who's a blue-collar North Slope oil worker who competes in the Iron Dog, a 1,900-mile snowmobile race. He's also part Yup'ik Eskimo. Palin was also the runner-up in the 1984 Miss Alaska competition (Sarah, not Todd) and a television sports reporter in Anchorage and played point guard on her high school basketball team, where they won the state title with her playing with a stress fracture in her ankle.
Maybe she and Obama should just play one-on-one for the big enchilada....
The potential entertainment value of this campaign over the next couple months is almost limitless. Each ticket has a young, inspirational, energetic, attractive person — and an unpredictable old guy who might say just about anything, anytime. Kind of like your cranky old uncle Ted when he gets his snoot into the egg nog at Christmas. There'll be sass, million-dollar smiles, maybe even some sex and violence to balance out the early bedtimes and soft food....
Buckle up for this one. Whatever the outcome, history's about to be made. Either that or things are about to get seriously weird.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10335911
We have the first African-American candidate to garner his party's nomination, and the first woman on the GOP ticket, not to mention the first woman from Alaska on her ticket, not to mention the first woman on the ticket with a husband who's part Eskimo, not to mention the first woman on a ticket whose constituents drive around with bumper stickers saying "Coldest state, hottest governor."
Seriously, they do that. I've been there.
Alaska's a lot of fun. They let moose roam around like squirrels up there, though it's a bit strange to see a moose climb a tree and scamper across power lines.
But this suddenly shaping up to be some kind of election. In this corner is Democratic nominee Barack Obama, who's 47, has lived all over the world, and has a "funny name" according to his wife. He chose Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, 65, who has amazingly white teeth, and can't stop talking to save his life, to be his running mate.
In the other corner is Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, who's a 72-year-old former POW who doesn't know how many homes he owns. He picked as his running mate the governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. She's 44, just appeared in Vogue, and has a husband named Todd, who's a blue-collar North Slope oil worker who competes in the Iron Dog, a 1,900-mile snowmobile race. He's also part Yup'ik Eskimo. Palin was also the runner-up in the 1984 Miss Alaska competition (Sarah, not Todd) and a television sports reporter in Anchorage and played point guard on her high school basketball team, where they won the state title with her playing with a stress fracture in her ankle.
Maybe she and Obama should just play one-on-one for the big enchilada....
The potential entertainment value of this campaign over the next couple months is almost limitless. Each ticket has a young, inspirational, energetic, attractive person — and an unpredictable old guy who might say just about anything, anytime. Kind of like your cranky old uncle Ted when he gets his snoot into the egg nog at Christmas. There'll be sass, million-dollar smiles, maybe even some sex and violence to balance out the early bedtimes and soft food....
Buckle up for this one. Whatever the outcome, history's about to be made. Either that or things are about to get seriously weird.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10335911
"Congress Catholics want Pelosi to `correct' abortion remarks"
Nineteen Roman Catholic members of Congress have written to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging her to "correct the public record" on remarks she made a week ago on NBC's "Meet the Press" about the Catholic Church's teaching on abortion.
"As fellow Catholics and legislators, we wish you would have made a more honest effort to lay out the authentic position of the Church on this core moral issue before attempting to address it with authority," said the letter, delivered to the speaker on Tuesday.
"Your subsequent remarks mangle Catholic Church doctrine regarding the inherent sanctity and dignity of human life; therefore, we are compelled to refute your error," it added.
Mrs. Pelosi had said the Catholic Church has been divided over abortion and only in the past 50 years has believed that life begins at conception. The remarks were quickly condemned by the bishops of New York, Washington, Denver and Pittsburgh as well as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Catholic officials have stressed that despite different understandings over 2,000 years about when life begins, their church has always considered abortion a grave moral evil.
The signers of the letter asked Mrs. Pelosi to "rectify your errant claims and apologize for misrepresenting the Church's doctrine and misleading fellow Catholics."
All the signers, including Minority Leader John Boehner, are Republicans. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan, who spearheaded the effort, said that was a deliberate decision so as not to put pro-life Democratic legislators in an awkward position.
"We will leave them to act according to their consciences," he said.
(article continues)
"As fellow Catholics and legislators, we wish you would have made a more honest effort to lay out the authentic position of the Church on this core moral issue before attempting to address it with authority," said the letter, delivered to the speaker on Tuesday.
"Your subsequent remarks mangle Catholic Church doctrine regarding the inherent sanctity and dignity of human life; therefore, we are compelled to refute your error," it added.
Mrs. Pelosi had said the Catholic Church has been divided over abortion and only in the past 50 years has believed that life begins at conception. The remarks were quickly condemned by the bishops of New York, Washington, Denver and Pittsburgh as well as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Catholic officials have stressed that despite different understandings over 2,000 years about when life begins, their church has always considered abortion a grave moral evil.
The signers of the letter asked Mrs. Pelosi to "rectify your errant claims and apologize for misrepresenting the Church's doctrine and misleading fellow Catholics."
All the signers, including Minority Leader John Boehner, are Republicans. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan, who spearheaded the effort, said that was a deliberate decision so as not to put pro-life Democratic legislators in an awkward position.
"We will leave them to act according to their consciences," he said.
(article continues)
When should Catholic bishops deny Communion?
Excerpts from:
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/206336?eng=y
... Neither Burke nor Chaput is new to taking stances like these. In 2004, on the eve of the previous presidential election, Burke advocated withholding communion from the Democratic candidate for the White House at the time, John Kerry, also a "pro-choice" Catholic.
In June of that year, from Rome, then-cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had sent to the United States bishops' conference a memorandum stating the "general principles" on this question.
Ratzinger's memorandum was private, but www.chiesa published it in its entirety. It sided with the unyielding bishops like Burke and Chaput. But most of the bishops in the United States were against withholding communion from Catholic politicians who support abortion. There were even two authoritative cardinals from the conservative wing, Francis E. George of Chicago and the Jesuit theologian Avery Dulles, who said they were reluctant to "make the Eucharist a political battleground." In the end, the bishops' conference decided to "apply" the principles presented by Ratzinger on a case-by-case basis, leaving it "to each bishop to express prudent pastoral judgments in his own specific circumstances."
From Rome, Cardinal Ratzinger accepted this solution and said that it was "in harmony" with the general principles of his memorandum.
In this, Ratzinger adopted a practice typical of Catholic countries in Europe, where rigorous principles coexist with more flexible pastoral customs....
Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles
by Joseph Ratzinger, June 2004
5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person's formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church's teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.
6. When "these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible," and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, "the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it" (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Declaration "Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics" [2000], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgement on the person's subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person's public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.
[N.B. A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate's permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate's stand in favour of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons.]
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/206336?eng=y
... Neither Burke nor Chaput is new to taking stances like these. In 2004, on the eve of the previous presidential election, Burke advocated withholding communion from the Democratic candidate for the White House at the time, John Kerry, also a "pro-choice" Catholic.
In June of that year, from Rome, then-cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had sent to the United States bishops' conference a memorandum stating the "general principles" on this question.
Ratzinger's memorandum was private, but www.chiesa published it in its entirety. It sided with the unyielding bishops like Burke and Chaput. But most of the bishops in the United States were against withholding communion from Catholic politicians who support abortion. There were even two authoritative cardinals from the conservative wing, Francis E. George of Chicago and the Jesuit theologian Avery Dulles, who said they were reluctant to "make the Eucharist a political battleground." In the end, the bishops' conference decided to "apply" the principles presented by Ratzinger on a case-by-case basis, leaving it "to each bishop to express prudent pastoral judgments in his own specific circumstances."
From Rome, Cardinal Ratzinger accepted this solution and said that it was "in harmony" with the general principles of his memorandum.
In this, Ratzinger adopted a practice typical of Catholic countries in Europe, where rigorous principles coexist with more flexible pastoral customs....
Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles
by Joseph Ratzinger, June 2004
5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person's formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church's teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.
6. When "these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible," and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, "the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it" (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Declaration "Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics" [2000], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgement on the person's subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person's public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.
[N.B. A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate's permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate's stand in favour of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons.]
"Cardinal Rigali Urges Congress To Respect Conscience Rights"
WASHINGTON— Responding to objections to anticipated federal HHS regulations protecting health care providers’ fundamental rights of conscience, Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, today wrote to all members of Congress defending “efforts to reaffirm and implement laws on conscience protection.”
The New York Times on July 15 reported that it had obtained an alleged draft of regulations soon to be issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, to clarify and enforce federal laws on respect for the moral and religious convictions of health care personnel in programs receiving federal funds. Pro-abortion organizations and some members of Congress have already attacked the as-yet-unpublished regulations, saying they are unwarranted and could limit “access” to abortion and birth control.
Reacting to these criticisms, Cardinal Rigali said this “should be a matter of agreement among members who call themselves ‘pro-life’ and ‘pro-choice’: the freedom of health care providers to serve the public without violating their most deeply held moral and religious convictions on the sanctity of human life.”
“Congress has passed numerous laws protecting rights of conscience in health care, beginning in 1973,” said the Cardinal, and these laws address sterilization and other issues in addition to abortion. “The critics’ surprise that conscience protection may apply beyond the specific issue of abortion seems based on a lack of knowledge of existing federal law… If the Administration is preparing regulations along these lines, it would simply be performing its proper task in an area of law where that is long overdue.”
Cardinal Rigali said the charge that respect for conscience rights undermines “access” to abortion and other procedures contradicts pro-abortion groups’ longstanding claim that only “a tiny minority of religious zealots” object to their agenda. In any case, he said, “patients with pro-life convictions, including women who require a physician’s care for themselves and their unborn children during pregnancy, deserve ‘access’ to health care professionals who do not have contempt for their religious and moral convictions or for the lives of their children.”
“This issue,” he said, “provides self-described ‘pro-choice’ advocates with an opportunity to demonstrate their true convictions….. [I]s the ‘pro-choice’ label a misleading mask for an agenda of actively promoting and even imposing morally controversial procedures on those who conscientiously hold different views?”
The full text of Cardinal Rigali’s letter may be found at: http://www.usccb.org/prolife/rigali-conscience071808.pdf.
The New York Times on July 15 reported that it had obtained an alleged draft of regulations soon to be issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, to clarify and enforce federal laws on respect for the moral and religious convictions of health care personnel in programs receiving federal funds. Pro-abortion organizations and some members of Congress have already attacked the as-yet-unpublished regulations, saying they are unwarranted and could limit “access” to abortion and birth control.
Reacting to these criticisms, Cardinal Rigali said this “should be a matter of agreement among members who call themselves ‘pro-life’ and ‘pro-choice’: the freedom of health care providers to serve the public without violating their most deeply held moral and religious convictions on the sanctity of human life.”
“Congress has passed numerous laws protecting rights of conscience in health care, beginning in 1973,” said the Cardinal, and these laws address sterilization and other issues in addition to abortion. “The critics’ surprise that conscience protection may apply beyond the specific issue of abortion seems based on a lack of knowledge of existing federal law… If the Administration is preparing regulations along these lines, it would simply be performing its proper task in an area of law where that is long overdue.”
Cardinal Rigali said the charge that respect for conscience rights undermines “access” to abortion and other procedures contradicts pro-abortion groups’ longstanding claim that only “a tiny minority of religious zealots” object to their agenda. In any case, he said, “patients with pro-life convictions, including women who require a physician’s care for themselves and their unborn children during pregnancy, deserve ‘access’ to health care professionals who do not have contempt for their religious and moral convictions or for the lives of their children.”
“This issue,” he said, “provides self-described ‘pro-choice’ advocates with an opportunity to demonstrate their true convictions….. [I]s the ‘pro-choice’ label a misleading mask for an agenda of actively promoting and even imposing morally controversial procedures on those who conscientiously hold different views?”
The full text of Cardinal Rigali’s letter may be found at: http://www.usccb.org/prolife/rigali-conscience071808.pdf.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
"Is the GOP trying to keep Barr off the ballot?"
August 25th, 2008 [from unitedliberty.org]
is-the-gop-trying-to-keep-barr-off-the-ballot/
http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/
mccain-and-republican-party-try-to-block-barr-from-ballot
"According to Bob Barr, that’s what’s happening in Philadelphia:
Bob Barr’s presidential campaign has recently learned of an action by the McCain campaign and the Pennsylvania Republican Party to have Barr removed from the state’s ballot, this despite McCain’s promise in the 2000 election that he would, “never consider, ever consider, allowing a supporter of [his] to challenge [his opponent]’s right to be on the ballot in all 50 states.”
In 2000, McCain told reporters, ”Let’s not have the kind of Stalinist politics that the state of New York, the Republican Party, has been practicing.”
“This move by the McCain campaign completely contradicts everything John McCain stood for in 2000 when his competitors were trying to keep him off the ballot,” says Barr. “McCain has become a part of the same corrupted machine he spoke vehemently against only eight years ago.”
“This is America, where people have a right to run for office and a right to compete for the chance to lead the people of this nation,” Barr continues. “I look forward to the chance to compete fairly against Senator McCain for votes in Pennsylvania and every other state.”
As I noted before, the two major parties are desperate to keep a stranglehold of the American political structure. If third party candidates got an equal level of media attention to the Democrats and Republicans and a presence on all 50 state ballots, they would get votes that would result in an American political realignment. The establishment doesn’t want that to happen."
is-the-gop-trying-to-keep-barr-off-the-ballot/
http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/
mccain-and-republican-party-try-to-block-barr-from-ballot
USCCB Bishops respond to Pelosi's statements
"Bishops Respond to House Speaker Pelosi’s Misrepresentation of Church Teaching Against Abortion"
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-120.shtml
And from their document "The Catholic Church is a Pro-Life Church":
Our society today has many vulnerable persons --- including women in crisis pregnancies as well as unborn children whose lives may be legally ended at any time during pregnancy and for any reason. In the tradition of Jesus Christ, Catholics have a responsibility to speak and act in defense of these persons. This is part of our "preferential option" for the poor and powerless.
The Church's mission to defend human life applies over the entire course of life, from conception to natural death. And so the Catholic Church has been a strong supporter of the civil rights movement and a leader in international relief and development efforts. Catholic hospitals and other health-care facilities form the largest network of private, not-for-profit health care providers in the United States. Catholic Charities USA --- one of a number of Catholic charitable groups --- is currently the single largest provider of social services to all Americans, regardless of race, creed or national origin.
The Catholic Church strives to be a prophetic voice, speaking out to protest injustices and indignities against the human person. Catholics will continue in this work, whether our words are popular or unpopular.
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/abortion/teaching.shtml
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-120.shtml
And from their document "The Catholic Church is a Pro-Life Church":
Our society today has many vulnerable persons --- including women in crisis pregnancies as well as unborn children whose lives may be legally ended at any time during pregnancy and for any reason. In the tradition of Jesus Christ, Catholics have a responsibility to speak and act in defense of these persons. This is part of our "preferential option" for the poor and powerless.
The Church's mission to defend human life applies over the entire course of life, from conception to natural death. And so the Catholic Church has been a strong supporter of the civil rights movement and a leader in international relief and development efforts. Catholic hospitals and other health-care facilities form the largest network of private, not-for-profit health care providers in the United States. Catholic Charities USA --- one of a number of Catholic charitable groups --- is currently the single largest provider of social services to all Americans, regardless of race, creed or national origin.
The Catholic Church strives to be a prophetic voice, speaking out to protest injustices and indignities against the human person. Catholics will continue in this work, whether our words are popular or unpopular.
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/abortion/teaching.shtml
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