Catholics for Kerry

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Two Catholic groups fighting the good fight.

Catholics for Kerry 04

Catholics for Political Responsibility

It is crunch time and they are involved in medial efforts to let Catholics know that it is totally alright, totally cool and totally Catholic, to vote for Kerry.

If you can donate to these guys, I'm sure they'd appreciate it very much.

posted by Ono at 8:45 AM

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    An Open Letter from Fellow Catholics to John Kerry


    10/21/04


    Also, President Bush Pledges to Promote a Culture of Life



    [The following is the text of a letter that appeared in five mid-size newspapers yesterday. It is reprinted here in its entirety.]


    On Faith & Reason

    Dear Senator John Kerry:

    America is a place of hope and opportunity for many reasons. Chief among them we are a people of great faith and that is what keeps us strong.

    But while Americans have always been a religious people, our faith is tied to reason. We choose goodness and truth not only because faith tells us to, but also because doing otherwise would be inherently wrong.

    Disagreements will always exist in the civic arena. How high the minimum wage? How to best provide educational opportunity for all? The appropriate level of taxation? These are decisions that we work out in the political process and upon which the Church has no specialized knowledge. As Catholics and as Americans we are called to discern the truth in public policy and to determine which candidate best addresses our concerns.

    There are core truths, however, around which we as Catholics must rally. Not just because it is the word of the Church, but also because of reason. This is where we stand on opposition to abortion.

    Innocent human life must always be protected. Senator John Kerry, you have said that “life begins at conception,” but you have persistently supported abortion and oppose all sensible restrictions on the practice.

    You have voted six times against banning the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion. You voted to spend taxpayers’ dollars to fund abortion at least 25 times.

    You opposed Laci and Conner’s Law, which protects pregnant women and their unborn babies from violent crimes.

    In the most recent debate Senator Kerry, you said, "everything you do in public life has to be guided by your faith” and that “everything is a gift from the Almighty.” But apparently, when it comes to the issue of the right to life, you follow neither your own faith nor your own reason.

    Senator Kerry, your stand contradicts both your faith and reason.

    As Americans and Catholics, both faith and reason lead us to President George W. Bush as the choice for life, compassion and justice for all. For that reason, we are urging fellow Catholics to join us in voting for the president on November 2.

    Respectfully,*

    Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania, US Senator

    Sam Brownback, Kansas, US Senator

    John Roth, Florida, Major General, US Army (Ret.)

    Kenny Hulsof, Missouri, US Congressman

    Maria Sophia Aguirre, Washington, DC, Professor, Catholic University

    Donna Sytek, New Hampshire, Former Speaker of the State House

    Hadley Arkes, Massachusetts, Professor, Amherst College

    Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania, Mayor, Hazelton

    Douglas A. Sylva, New Jersey, Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute

    Bob Atwell, Wisconsin, Bray Barnes, New Jersey

    Frank Stella, Michigan, FD Stella Products

    Linda D. Barrasse, Pennsylvania, Cardiologist

    MaryBeth Bonacci, Colorado, Real Love Inc.

    Mark Ryland, Virginia, President, AMDG Foundation

    James Barry, Wisconsin

    Bill Brown, Iowa

    Austin Ruse, Washington, DC, President, Culture of Life Foundation

    Mary Ellen Bork, Virginia, Women Affirming Life

    Joe Cella, Michigan, President, National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

    M. Edward Whelan, Washington, DC, Ethics & Public Policy Center

    Joe Canizaro, Louisiana

    Umberto Fedeli, Ohio

    Jack Kelly, Florida

    Bruce Chapman, Washington, Former Ambassador to the UN

    Teresa Stanton Collett, Minnesota, Professor, University of St Thomas Law School

    Connie Marshner, Virginia, President, American Catholic Council

    Bob Destro, Washington, DC, Professor, Columbus Law / Catholic University

    Bernard Dobranski, Michigan, Dean, Ave Maria Law School

    Leonard Leo, Virginia, Co-Founder, National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

    Laura Dolehide, Iowa, Homemaker

    Nicholas Eberstadt, Washington, DC, Economist

    Bowie Kuhn, Florida, Former Commissioner of Major League Baseball

    Michelle Fischbach, Minnesota, State Representative

    Robert George, New Jersey, Professor, Princeton University

    Thomas & Margaret Melady, Washington, DC, Former US Ambassador to the Holy See

    Brian Golden, Massachusetts, State Representative

    Scott Hahn, Ohio, Professor of Theology and Scripture, Franciscan University

    * Group affiliation listed for identification purposes only and does not imply any endorsement.

    Bush Pledges to Promote a Culture of Life

    WASHINGTON — US President George W. Bush, in a radio address Saturday, renewed his commitment to the pro-life and traditional marriage cause, in anticipation of the November 2 presidential elections.

    "In this time of change, some things do not change," he said. "Those are the values we try to live by — courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. I stand for a culture of life in which every person matters and every being counts. I stand for marriage and family, which are the foundations of our society. I stand for the appointment of federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law." While highlighting his own pro-life activities, President Bush reminded voters of the abominable pro-abortion record of his opponent, Senator John F. Kerry: "My opponent has voted against sensible bipartisan measures, like parental notification laws. He voted against the ban on partial-birth abortion."

    Also attacking Kerry for his views on traditional marriage, the president again reiterated that "My opponent says he supports the institution of marriage, but he voted against the Defense of Marriage Act, which Congress passed by an overwhelming majority and my predecessor signed into law."

    See also:

    President’s Radio Address


    (This update courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com.)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at October 28, 2004 at 10:06 PM  

  • Kerry's Flip Flops - Kerry's Loyalty Runs About as Deep as His War Wounds
    Many Catholics are attracted to John Kerry's current views on labor issues, peace issues, or on social justice issues. However, keep in mind that this man has repeatedly spoke and voted against teachers unions, in favor of NAFTA, in favor of anti-union trade treaties, in favor of welfare reform, and in favor of overhauling social security. So who is that you would be voting for? There appear to be very few issues he is consistent on, abortion and the issues favored by the homosexual lobby being among the few. Is it worth voting for him when you can't say what he will be doing two years from now?
    (The following article is from www.Slate.com)

    Slate.com compiled a short list of various Kerry flip flops. It wasn't meant to be all inclusive. In their words it didn't include simple gaffes or youthful indiscretions. "It doesn't include less clear-cut sins of omission and opportunism, such as his stirring denunciations of companies caught in accounting frauds, even though he supported a 1995 law protecting those companies from liability." It also didn't include "the inevitable fund-raising hypocrisies" Kerry commits as he condemns them. The Short Slate List of Kerry Waffles:

    ISSUE: Welfare Reform
    Kerry's Original Position: In 1988, Sen. Kerry voted against a proposal to require at least one parent in any two-parent welfare family to work a mere 16 hours a week, declaring the work requirement "troublesome to me."
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: During his 1996 re-election campaign, when his Republican challenger, Gov. William Weld, was calling him soft on welfare, Kerry voted for the much stricter welfare reform law that Clinton signed into law.

    ISSUE: Mandatory Minimums
    Kerry's Original Position: In 1993 and 1994, the senator from liberal Massachusetts voted against mandatory minimum sentences for gang activity, gun crimes, drug trafficking, and drug sales to minors, explaining in an impassioned speech that long sentences for some dealers who sell to minors would be "enormous injustices" and that some convicted drug offenders were "so barely culpable it is sad." He also said congressionally imposed mandatory minimums made no sense and would just create turf battles between federal and local prosecutors.
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: Today, presidential candidate Kerry strongly supports mandatory minimum sentences for federal crimes, including the sale of drugs to minors.

    ISSUE: Affirmative Action
    Kerry's Original Position: In 1992, Kerry created a huge stir among liberals and civil rights groups with a major policy address arguing that affirmative action has "kept America thinking in racial terms" and helped promote a "culture of dependency."
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: Today, Kerry's campaign Web site vows to "Preserve Affirmative Action," noting that he "consistently opposed efforts in the Senate to undermine or eliminate affirmative action programs, and supports programs that seeks to enhance diversity." It doesn't mention any downside.

    ISSUE: Death Penalty
    Kerry's Original Position: During one of his debates with Weld in 1996, Kerry ridiculed the idea of capital punishment for terrorists as a "terrorist protection policy," predicting that it would just discourage other nations from extraditing captured terrorists to the United States.
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: Now, Kerry still opposes capital punishment, but he now makes an exception for terrorists.

    ISSUE: Education Reform
    Kerry's Original Position: In a 1998 policy speech the Boston Globe described as "a dramatic break from Democratic dogma," Kerry challenged teachers unions by proposing to gut their tenure and seniority systems, giving principals far more power to hire and fire unqualified or unmotivated teachers.
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: Today, Kerry once again espouses pure Democratic dogma on education. His Web site pledges to "stop blaming and start supporting public school educators," vowing to give them "better training and better pay, with more career opportunities, more empowerment and more mentors." It doesn't mention seniority or tenure.

    ISSUE: Double Taxation
    Kerry's Original Position: In December 2002, Kerry broke with Democratic dogma yet again in a Cleveland speech, calling for the abolition of the unfair "double taxation" of stock dividends in order to promote more investment and more accurate valuations of companies.
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: Five weeks later, after President Bush proposed a second round of tax cuts that included an end to this double taxation, Kerry changed his tune. He voted against the dividend tax cuts that were ultimately enacted by Congress and now hopes to roll them back as president, along with Bush's other tax cuts for upper-income Americans.

    ISSUE: Gas Taxation
    Kerry's Original Position: In 1994, when the Concord Coalition gave Kerry a failing rating for his deficit reduction votes, he complained that he should have gotten credit for supporting a 50-cent increase in the gas tax.
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: Today, he no longer supports any increase in the gas tax.

    ISSUE: Social Security
    Kerry's Original Position: During the 1996 campaign, when I was a Globe reporter, Kerry told me the Social Security system should be overhauled. He said Congress should consider raising the retirement age and means-testing benefits and called it "wacky" that payroll taxes did not apply to income over $62,700. "I know it's all going to be unpopular," he said. "But this program has serious problems, and we have a generational responsibility to fix them."
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: Now, Kerry no longer wants to mess with Social Security. "John Kerry will never balance the budget on the backs of America's seniors," his Web site promises.

    ISSUE: Trade
    Kerry's Original Position: Kerry has been a consistent supporter of free trade deals, and as late as December, when reporters asked if there was any issue on which he was prepared to disagree with Democratic interest groups, Kerry replied: "Trade." Slate editor Jacob Weisberg came away impressed by the depth of Kerry's commitment to the issue: "Unlike Edwards, he supports international trade agreements without qualification."
    Kerry's "Flipped" Position: But that was three months ago! In recent weeks, when Kerry has talked trade, he has talked nothing but qualification, calling for "fair trade" rather than "free trade," claiming to agree completely with the protectionist Edwards on trade issues, and vowing to "put teeth" into environmental and labor restrictions in agreements like NAFTA.
    From the Nation:....

    The unions toiled hard for Kerry--even though he opposed labor on NAFTA, fast-track trade authority and most-favored-nation status for China. ("We fight this battle with him on trade," says Haynes. "We agree on everything else.") The state teachers' union rallied members for Kerry. He won by eight points. Less than two years later, Kerry's supporters at the teachers' union were aghast when, during the course of proposing a program of education reform, he called for ending teacher tenure. In a speech, Kerry attacked the school bureaucracy and "stultifying collective bargaining agreements" with teachers' unions. "This is how he paid us back," says a teachers' union official. Vote for Kerry, you never know what you'll get. It sure won't be loyalty though.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at October 28, 2004 at 10:11 PM  

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