Cao’s Catholic conscience

GetReligion ^ | November 9, 2009 | Mollie

[Alex Murphy]

When the House narrowly passed its health care reform bill on Saturday night, it received 219 votes from Democrats and one from a Republican. I mentioned already that I was at the hospital with my daughter when it passed so I was passing time following reporters and pundits on Twitter. Many of them expressed shock — or at least surprise — that any Republican would support the bill. And when it was revealed that the lone vote came from Louisiana Rep. Joseph Cao, people referred to him mostly in that “oh yeah, he’s the guy who beat the corrupt William Jefferson” sort of way. Note this lede from a Christian Science Monitor story:

Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao (R) of Louisiana must not have gotten the message from House Republicans that no one in the GOP caucus — repeat no one — would vote with Democrats on a sweeping overhaul of the US healthcare system.

In a vote late Saturday night, Representative Cao — a vulnerable freshman in a Democratic district still devastated by hurricane Katrina — broke ranks, casting the lone Republican vote for the legislation.

“I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents,” he said in a statement after the vote.

In Cao’s district, 3 out of 4 voters chose Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential elections. In 2004, President Bush won only 24 percent of the vote here.

Now, other stories point out that Republicans knew that Cao’s vote would likely be in favor. But anyone who pays attention to the religion angle of Cao’s story would know the same. Heck, he said he favored the legislation three months ago … with one major caveat. We looked at media coverage of his statement last August.

He had told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he could not support any bill that permits public money to be spent on abortion. He said that any bill without strong language prohibiting the use of federal funding for abortion would be “a no-go” for him. He explained:

“Being a Jesuit, I very much adhere to the notion of social justice,” Cao said. “I do fully understand the need of providing everyone with access to health care, but to me personally, I cannot be privy to a law that will allow the potential of destroying thousands of innocent lives.

“I know that voting against the health care bill will probably be the death of my political career,” Cao said, “but I have to live with myself, and I always reflect on the phrase of the New Testament, ‘How does it profit a man’s life to gain the world but to lose his soul.’ “

So not much of a surprise, then, that he voted in favor of the bill, considering the passage of the Stupak amendment barring taxpayer funding of abortions.

Many of the stories that mention Cao’s vote take notice of his Catholicism, however obliquely. But I do have to point out this bit from a post titled “Who is Cao” from Jay Newton-Small at Time:

Cao originally became a Roman Catholic Priest, serving six years in a Jesuit seminary after getting his bachelors degree in physics at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. After leaving the priesthood he received a master’s in philosophy from Fordham University in New York and a law degree from Loyola in New Orleans in 2000, where he also taught undergraduate philosophy.

Uh, not exactly.

You can read this wonderful Dec. 2008 interview of Cao by one Dan Gilgoff over at U.S. News & World Report for more information, but in it he explains that he only made it halfway through Jesuit formation and was never ordained. That interview, which includes a fascinating explanation of why he left the seminary, also quotes Cao saying that health care reform is a priority for him.

[Petronski]

The so-called 54% of Catholics who voted for Obama is based on yet another MSM lie: a non-scientific poll run by the liberal Pew Foundation.

[wmfights]

The Democrats; Official Party of The Roman Catholics

I would have to pick this one. :0

Other than the life issues what does the RCC have incommon with the Pubs?

The Pubs are more closely associated with conservatives and libertarianism. Solutions to social problems are usually looked for in individual empowerment not new govt controls. For example: health care, Pubs propose changes in tax deductibility for individuals, the right to buy policies out of state, and changes in how group's are formed for underwriting. The Rats propose more govt and paying for it by taking from one group to give to another group.

From what I can tell the only objection to the Rat plan from RC Bishops is funding for abortion.

[Lorica]

Where was that photo taken? We don't use little cups.

This is an accompanying photo, but still doesn't identify where this is taking place:

[Gamecock]

Are you saying Kerry hasn’t been excommunicated for his proabortion stance?

[Lorica]

Did it sound like I said that?

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Somebody should have said it.

[Gamecock]

Other than the life issues what does the RCC have in common with the Pubs?

Well, the home office is pro-life.

If Catholic-Dems in Congress would vote pro-life we see far fewer abortions in this country.

[Lorica]

It looks like it was here, in 2004:

Yesterday, Mr. Kerry again worshipped at a Protestant congregation: Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dorchester, Mass.

[wmfights]

Well, the home office is pro-life.

LOL, well said.

[Gamecock]

So here is a Roman Catholic who:

-Is pro-infanticide and is still a “card carrying Roman Catholic.”

and

-Takes communion in a church that denies that the elements are truly Christ’s body and blood.

[Gamecock]

Better?

[Lorica]

I already know he’s a lousy Catholic. And so do you.

What can you tell me that I don’t already know?

[Gamecock]

Now boys, you know you
should be pro-life.
The Pope

[Lorica]

Better? No. Totally irrelevant.

I asked specifically where the other photo was taken, since we don’t use little cups. Obviously, I found out on my own.

[Augustinian monk]

Anybody familiar with that district knows that the alternative could be much worse than a GOPer who votes for govt healthcare. Think “Cold cash” Jefferson, Sheila Jackson Lee or Maxine Waters worse-LOL. At least on social issues he can be conservative without angering his district too much.

[wmfights]

Now boys, you know you should be pro-life. The Pope

LOL, that's about how it comes off.

In fairness to our RC FRiends a great many of them take it very seriously and are disgusted that their church doesn't do more about it. But the life issue, by itself does not a conservative make!

[wmfights]

Anybody familiar with that district knows that the alternative could be much worse than a GOPer who votes for govt healthcare.

I understand the point. He didn't vote for the Rat speaker of the House. The "blue dogs" who claim to be fiscal conservatives did that.

If he doesn't have a chance to be reelected it would have been nice to see him go down fighting for FREEDOM.

[roses of sharon]

Then Cao should either be a democrat or find himself an honest profession.

Yes, and add his visit to Keith Olberman to his list of honesty issues. Why this dance of pretense?

[Augustinian monk]

I guess he wants to run a competitive race. His election was a fluke. I think Castro would get more votes than most republicans in that district and I am not even being funny. Gerrymandering has can produce ugly results.

[HarleyD]

In Cao’s district, 3 out of 4 voters chose Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential elections. In 2004, President Bush won only 24 percent of the vote here. Hello, give the man a break.

I would suggest the Republican Party stop funding people like this. If he is going to represent Democrats and vote with the Democrats, why should the Republican Party give him money to run? If the people in his district DON'T want a Republican conservative, then there are better places to spend the money.