Posted on 06/14/2008 9:58:14 AM PDT by wagglebee
June 12, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com/insidecatholic.com) - Sen. John McCain reached out to Catholic voters yesterday in Philadelphia at a gathering of Catholic lay leaders and clergy. The meeting, held at the venerable Union League on South Broad St., is one in an ongoing series being held nationwide by McCain and his Catholic surrogates - Sen. Sam Brownback, Gov. Frank Keating, and former Vatican ambassador Jim Nicholson.
Before his remarks, McCain met privately with Rev. Frank Pavone, president of Priests for Life. Father Pavone's organization promotes voter education and registration throughout the nation, and his pro-life advocacy has been crucial in bringing the non-negotiable life issues to the attention of Catholic voters.
In his prayer before McCain spoke, Father Pavone prayed that the "Lord would let all Christians know they are still His sons and daughters when they are in the voting booth."
The first issue addressed by McCain was abortion. He said that the "noblest words ever written" were "the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." McCain believes that those words "apply to the unborn." He reminded the Philadelphia Catholics of his pro-life voting record, adding that he would "maintain that commitment" if elected president.
McCain talked about the "stark contrast" between himself and Sen. Barack Obama on the life issue - the evidence being Obama's vote against the ban on partial-birth abortion and his opposition, as a state senator, to legal protection for babies born during an abortion procedure.
Introducing McCain was former ambassador Jim Nicholson, who described the need for outreach to Catholic voters as "self-evident." In Pennsylvania, 30 percent of the voters are Catholic, he said, and argued that "McCain would attract Catholic voters because his beliefs line up squarely with them on issue like protecting unborn life, defending marriage between a man and a woman, and the all-important appointment of judges."
Nicholson told the group that McCain was qualified for the presidency based upon his years of experience and his judgment in times of challenge and adversity. "His opponent is young, untested, inexperienced, green, and liberal - not a bad man, but unqualified."
In addition to protection for the unborn, McCain emphasized the pressing need to protect America from Islamic extremism, "a transcendent challenge to everything we hold dear." He said that the heart of this battle is being fought in Iraq, but it is also playing out on the Internet, where well-educated young people are being recruited to terrorist organizations.
McCain also brought up the subject of defending marriage, saying that some in the room may differ with his view that this decision should be taken up first in the states. "But," he added, "if some federal judge rules that all the states must recognize the [gay] marriages in Massachusetts, I would be in favor of pursuing a Constitutional amendment."
During the question-and-answer session, McCain talked about a wide range of issues, from energy and tax policy to the political unrest in South America. When someone asked him for a demonstration of his "famous Irish temper," McCain tore into "pork-barrel" spending and earmarks -- a long list that would have been funny, if it weren't such a waste of taxpayer money.
When asked about the possibility of universal healthcare, McCain rejected the idea completely. "The government can't run the healthcare systems it already has; take a look at the Bureau of Indian Affairs." He argued that government-run health systems around the world have been "colossal failures," and inevitably become two-tiered systems, "one for the rich and one for the poor."
The answer to the need for more healthcare coverage, he said, was giving people more choice, not "mandating" those choices. If elected, McCain said he would propose a $5,000 tax credit for those who must pay for their own health insurance. This insurance should be made affordable while those who are "uninsurable" will be covered by government-assisted programs of high-risk pools among insurance companies.
On the controversial question of immigration policy, McCain said that border security must come first. True immigration reform, he elaborated, will only happen when the American people are confident that the borders have been brought under control. The 12 million illegal immigrants, McCain insisted, are "God's children" and should be treated with compassion. This country "does not have 12 million pairs of handcuffs to arrest all these people - that's not the kind of country we are."
The final question to McCain was about his choice of a vice-president. Though he said he was not close to making a decision, he did explain that his running mate should share "my values, principles, and priorities." This decision will likely be the most important (and perhaps most difficult) one McCain will make during his campaign.
McCain was well-received by the Catholics gathered in Philadelphia. The campaign is planning many more of these events in the months leading up to the Republican National Convention, September 1-4 in Minneapolis.
This article is reprinted with permission from http://www.insidecatholic.com
If McCain is honest, he will prove this by selecting someone who conservatives approve of.
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I'm looking forward to conservatives in Congress "borking" President Obama's liberal nominees. We now have the Internet to put some backbone in them, we really didn't have it when Ginsburg was interviewing for the job.
There is no "Right to Life" in the US Constution, neither implied or explicit.
If the reference is to "...that among these are Life, Liberty, and..." that's in the Declaration of Independence, which, I believe, was not predicated on the issue of human reproduction.
There is also no right to kill an unborn child in the Constitution either.
Yes, there is.
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
From Dictionary.com:
PosterityPos*ter"i*ty\, n. [L. posteritas: cf. F. post['e]rit['e]. See Posterior.]
1. The race that proceeds from a progenitor; offspring to the furthest generation; the aggregate number of persons who are descended from an ancestor of a generation; descendants; -- contrasted with ancestry; as, the posterity of Abraham.
If [the crown] should not stand in thy posterity. --Shak.
2. Succeeding generations; future times. --Shak.
Their names shall be transmitted to posterity. --Shak.
Their names shall be transmitted to posterity. --Smalridge.
| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
One of the "blessings of liberty" is obviously life, we fought the Revolution for this right. "To ourselves and our posterity" can ONLY mean that the Founding Fathers wanted to secure this right not only for themselves, but for those not yet born.
Amendment XIV: "...nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..."
How much more explicit do you want it?
See, #7. The right to life is there.
"...unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,..."
So it's in the Declaration of Independence.........you write:
If the reference is to "...that among these are Life, Liberty, and..." that's in the Declaration of Independence, which, I believe, was not predicated on the issue of human reproduction.
Really?
It says that LIFE is an UNALIENABLE RIGHT. What part of that would exclude a living baby inside the womb?
We should all save your post! And send it to the SCOTUS -
Perfect and "unalienable"
And those who dispute it can go suck an egg.
Thanks.
I wish the people who say there is no difference between McCain and Obama dare to make that claim on this thread.
My remarks are based on President Reagan's words in his essay/book, "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation". Which I'm sure you're familiar with.
"Our nation-wide policy of abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy was neither voted for by our people, nor enacted by our legislators--not a single state had such unrestricted abortion before the Supreme Court decreed it to be national policy in 1973. [It was] an act of raw judicial power"...
"Make no mistake, abortion-on-demand is not a right granted by the Constitution. Nowhere do the plain words of the Constitution even hint at a "right" so sweeping as to permit abortion up to the time the child is ready to be born."
"We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life--the unborn--without diminishing the value of all human life."
"Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be free and should therefore be slaves. Likewise, we cannot survive as a free nation when some men decide that others are not fit to live and should be abandoned to abortion or infanticide. My Administration is dedicated to the preservation of America as a free land, and there is no cause more important for preserving that freedom than affirming the transcendent right to life of all human beings, the right without which no other rights have any meaning."
I know, I was just pointing out that not only is there not even a hint of a "right" to murder the unborn, there is an implicit prohibition against it.
Huge difference. One is an effete metro-sexual, the other a pschotic fart.
While there is little or no ambiguity in the minds of pro-lifers. Its clear that in order to facilitate ending Roe v Wade, there must be a Right to Life or Human Rights amendment added to the Constitution that protects the unborn. Until such an amendment is passed into law, overturning RvW and returning the responsibility to the states is our next best option. And getting that fifth pro-life justice on the SCOTUS should be our paramount concern.
All talk McCain. Where was he defending the unborn when Ginsberg was up for SCOTUS???? Why doesnt he defend this postion in front of Kennedy and Schumer when the talk about the super precedent for SCOTUS nominees??????
If this placates some of you fine - but judge a man by his actions not his words. Only when it is convienient will McCain stand by the unborn.
I agree completely. Politicians will generally say just about everything to get elected; however, in McCain's case it is not really in line with his past record. That is why I think his running mate is so important.
“I wish the people who say there is no difference between McCain and Obama dare to make that claim on this thread.”
Wish granted.
There is no meaningful difference. Both candidates are socialist in their outlook. The rhetoric is of course different, but the underlying philosophy is pretty much the same. In addition, Sen. McCain will say pretty much anything to obtain power. He’s a lot like President Nixon in that respect.
With regards to life issues, you have to look at what a politician is actually willing to do vice what sweet nothings they whisper in Catholic ears. In Sen. McCain’s case, that has been precious little. You can expect more of the same. That is to say, expect lots of lofty platitudes about life, but zero action. I mean let’s face it. If the GOP and it’s leadership were actually to “do” something about infanticide, it would rob them of one of their issues to rally the troops around.
Expect zero positive progress on infanticide on the political front for the next four years. In the mean time, I’ll be voting for a third party candidate whose rhetoric might actually match their deeds. I urge others to do the same.
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