Posted on 04/30/2009 11:01:53 AM PDT by IbJensen
A Kansas pastor says by endorsing Kathleen Sebelius for Health and Human Services secretary, Senator Sam Brownback "violated the scriptures and his own church's teaching" and "betrayed" many conservative Christians who had been his largest base of support.
Senator Brownback (R-Kansas) joined home-state colleague Pat Roberts and seven other Republicans Tuesday to help Kathleen Sebelius win approval (65-31) to serve as HHS secretary. The nomination of the Kansas governor -- which Brownback has supported since it was announced almost two months ago -- was controversial because of her failure to pay taxes and her lack of honesty regarding the large sum of campaign donations she received from notorious Kansas abortionist George Tiller.
Does Sen. Brownback's endorsement of and vote for HHS Sec'y Kathleen Sebelius damage the sincerity of his pro-life stance?
Sam BrownbackWichita pastor Terry Fox, a longtime friend and supporter of Senator Brownback, says the word "disappointment" would not be strong enough to describe his reaction to Brownback's actions. Pastor Fox says members of his Wichita church have made hundreds of phone calls to Brownback's office, but the senator "doesn't care what conservative Christians think" on this matter.
"The part of the body of Christ that I'm a part of feels that we've been betrayed by Sam Brownback," says Fox. "Pat Roberts has disappointed us before, and we know him some; but really, Sam Brownback has been a huge disappointment. And I would say [that] we must, we must hold Sam Brownback accountable for this vote."
Kathleen Sebelius (Health Secretary Nominee)Brownback has said that although he opposes the new HHS secretary's hard-line support for abortion, with her position on Barack Obama's cabinet Sebelius can do so much more for Kansas. Pastor Fox believes Brownback let his desire to become the next governor trump his pro-life principles.
"He's doing this for personal gain," the pastor offers. "He thinks because Sebelius has been elected twice in Kansas, then by endorsing her he can get on the coattails of her popularity in Kansas -- which I think is absolutely misguided. She has an entirely different base of people who are going to vote for her liberalism no matter what."
Republicans joining Brownback and Roberts in voting in favor of Sebelius's nomination were Kit Bond (Missouri), Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe (Maine), Judd Gregg (New Hampshire), Richard Lugar (Indiana), Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania), and George Voinovich (Ohio). Senator Specter switched to the Democratic Party after Tuesday's vote. No Democrats voted against the nomination.
OneNewsNow's calls and emails to Senator Brownback's press office have not been returned for several weeks.
Are there ANY real conservative Republicans with some guts out there?
The PAstor is right. Many a cold day in DC I've listened to Brownback go on and on at the March for Life rally and now he does this.
Color me astonished, jaded and pissed off.
Well, the best answer to mushrooms is an effective herbicide and in this case a primary challenge is the way to do it.
I heard that it’s just protocol for the Senator of a state to vote in favor of a nominee from that state. I imagine he was in quite a moral pickle, but I don’t think after all these years as a conservative leader a single vote should force him out of the party. I’m as anti-abortion as anyone else here on FR, but it’s cases like this that boggle my mind. Sometimes we are just too purist for our own good.
The horse-whispering Juan McLame was an insult!
I don't believe that for a minute.
Our problem has been that the political animals keep attempting to mold the GOP into an image not unlike that of the Democrats.
And he wondered why he got no presidential support.
B@lle$$ group of useless suits.
Are we going to jettison every Republican who makes a stupid vote? Sheeesh! Hasn’t Sam Brwonback been one of the staunchest conservatives in the Senate over the years? Ted Stevens “had to go”. Okay he is gone. In his place we have a functional moron “rubber-stamping” the Obama agenda. Are we better off? I sure hope a little more STRATEGY and a little less EMOTION are employed by Conservatives hoping to win back some power.
Screw protocol. This is not a vote on some farm subsidy or renaming a post office.
The taking of a life is the most grave subject there is, and for him to go against his faith and in this matter is unconscionable.
To go and vote for Sebelius, who makes Barky look like an ardent pro-lifer, and is basically tiller the baby killer's biggest fan is mind blowingly repugnant.
I have zero respect for him any more. I am simply flabbergasted. My God forgive him because I sure the hell wont.
Once again, falling for the scare tactic of ‘it’s an emergency!!’ (well depicted by Glenn Beck last night). The first, second and third, ad nauseum bank and homeowner bailouts, the auto bailout, Geithner appointment, Napolitano appointment, CEO firings and cutting bonuses, etc. etc. and now Sebelius. What’s next??
My, you have a long line for the guillotine.
Brownback supported her as a “Kansan”. The man is a disgrace. I’m so glad I didn’t support him for president last year.
Republicans joining Brownback and Roberts in voting in favor of Sebelius’s nomination were Kit Bond (Missouri), Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe (Maine), Judd Gregg (New Hampshire), Richard Lugar (Indiana), Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania), and George Voinovich (Ohio).
Specter has been a Democrat for many years and Snowe and Collins are pratically Democrats also. Their votes should suprise no one.
But this is even worse than RINO-ism. It wasn't a tax increase or a spending bill it was abortion, an issue he made a career out of.
We need to encourage the rest of the Rino’s to leave. They are a fraud and need to get on the left side of the ballot.
If we only have 40..I would rather have 30 solid votes and the next election coming.
Brownback and Roberts began slipping last year. Both are under 80% ACU rating and falling.
Brownback votes for Sebelius, ‘betrays’ Christians
With the Socialist Obama Administration,being a Christian in America is going to be tough road totravel.
I'm sick of the GOP!
Et tu, Brute?
Watch out for that door now.
The Republicans in the Senate are in a very, very sad situation, and in some cases, it’s not their own faults. I have been sorely disappointed with my Senator, Jon Kyl, and have called his office more than once. There aren’t very many Senators with integrity, and the ones that exist are between a rock and a hard place. In this case, I’m willing to give Sam Brownback a little bit of grace. If he had voted ‘no’, it would have been one of the only cases of a Senator voting against one of his constituents, and although it’s easy for us outsiders to call it BS, there are some Senators who are trying very, very hard to walk the line between their personal integrity and maintaining civil relationships w/in the Senate. We’re not the ones who have to go to work there everyday, and you never know when a handful of conservate-ish Democrats may cross the aisle to vote with our guys. That being said, I would never want to be in the place of a Kyl or a Brownback.
And I’m sorry I did.
I agree. With the purity test that so many want we won't have any republicans or conservatives left to run for dog catcher. Can't forget your personal test, do it my way or your are a RINO and I won't support...yeah right.
There are politicians of conviction and politicians of convenience.
Much as I hate to admit it, the enemy has more of the former than we do.
Hell, the vote was 65-31. It’s not like voting against her would have defeated her. Besides, it’s politics. It’s not supposed to make sense.
“Sometimes we are just too purist for our own good.”
Too many think that the purity is not pure enough and never will be.
For some it’s much easier, lacking the requisite balls to attack the real enemy, to attack erstwhile allies instead.
C'mon - talk about an abortion-LOVER, Sebelius. To the rolling in filty lucre generated from partial-birth infanticides....It's not like Tiller sent her $10.
It's a betrayal to all those would-be Kansas residence who had scissors shoved into the backs of their heads.
No, they ended up with a Judas who was the former GOP State Chairman who sold his soul to run with a leftist Democrat.
They don't care about what we think. They really don't....
They care about re-election..and the Good "Ol Boy network...
TERM LIMITS are the only answer..FRIENDS!!
Thanks for the info.
Frankly I’m surprised you are so surprised.........
I respectfully disagree.
There cannot be a time when protocol and niceties come before a moral commitment to Life.
This won’t force him out of the party, of course, but it does go to show how he ranks pro-life ideals in his mind. They are clearly ranked below giving a boost to a Democrat from the same state.
Brownback voted for Sebellius because he wants her out of the way when he runs for Gov. He voted based on his own political future, not based on what was best for the country.
And goes along with "protocol" to not make waves on the good 'ol boy pond.
A Statesman...does the right thing.
Very well put...thank you.
I think so. But we traded a Republican senator. (Joke)
LOL, even Brownback isn't party-line enough for you? Are you going to demand the Joseph Stalin test of party purity? Hint: it only works if you have the power to kill all your opponents and still remain in control.
LLS
OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!!!!
Jon Kyl voted for David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General, a deeply disturbed and dangerous man. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the roll call vote, and Ogden isn’t even from Arizona. And the vote wasn’t even close.
Protocol trumps conscience? Give me a break!
Prepare to be flamed.
BTW, I agree with you.
And a vote against her would have accomplished nothing in this “war.”
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