Re: Bob Casey Jr.'s pro-life position...I need help

[Palacsinta]

I was approached by a friend of mine (who is in PA government and knows Casey personally) for a donation to Casey's campaign. I asked if Casey was anti-choice and here was his reply:

<He promises not to utilize that litmus test for judicial appts. Beyond that, yes, he is pro-life.>

What kind of questions should I ask that might probe further into the ambiguous "Beyond that, yes, he is pro-life"?

[trotsky]

1. Life/health of mother

Fetal deformity
Rape, incest, etc.

Push and keep pushing.

[Palacsinta]

3. Will do

Thanks

[BlueEyedSon]

2. go for Pennacchio

http://www.chuck2006.com/

[Palacsinta]

4. I'll check him out.

thanks

[rabid_nerd]

5. Yeah he's Pro-Life, So?

As Governor Ed Rendell said last night quite eloquently at a Democratic Party MeetUp:

- Casey is for Stem Cell Research
- When he talked to the Ellen Malcolm of Emily's List, he said they went through the top 10 women's issues and Casey agrees with 9 out of 10.
- Casey out polled Hafer and Hoeffel in a four-county Philly area recently
- Casey is as Progressive a Democrat as any other Democrat you'll match him against, if not more so, and Bob's got a record in office to run on.

[Palacsinta]

6. Terrific!

Thanks so much!

[tishaLA]

11. I wonder who Rendell thinks he is to judge

what constitutes a progressive. I remember what he did to labor as mayor of Philadelphia. I remember his testy relationship with the LGBT community. And I remember him suggesting Gore give it up soon after the election.

Yeah. A real progressive.

[Jesus Saves]

7. If he can take out Santorum

that's all that matters to me...

[blondeatlast]

12. No kidding. I never thought I could support a pro-lifer, but

if he/she is running against a legislative toilet, the pro-lifer gets my vote.

[Mandate My Ass]

8. No litmus test on judicial nominees - maybe that's because

Bush would never nominate anybody who is pro-choice anyway.

How long after taking office will he dust off Casey v. Planned Parenthood? How will he vote on future restrictions to abortion? How would he have voted on the amendment to the bankruptcy bill granting safe harbor to anti-choice zealots who damage abortion clinics?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Palacsinta]

9. Thanks!

Will add your questions to my list.

[tishaLA]

10. He's not pro-life. He's anti-choice

He supports executions, for pete's sake. That's not "pro-life." It's simply a stand against reproductive freedom for women.

[blondeatlast]

13. With a Democratic majority in the House and Senate,

it is far less likely to matter. Democrats are very unlikely to introduce pro-life legislation on a national level; they can't afford to lose the women's vote.

Chances are that SCOTUS appointments are going to be a non-issue, Bush is going to stack them while he knows he can.

I marched in the early years for in favor of abortion rights, but we must see the forest for the trees.

Support Casey's primary opponent to get the point across. Make sure Casey knows that Pennsylvanians want women's rights protected.

But if your choice comes down to Casey and that unspeakable turd you have now, you'll know just what to do.

[MissMarple]

14. Use your common sense.

In the long run do you think Pennsylvania and the U.S would be better served by Casey or a Santorum type? (Is there someone else who is electable?) Do you think the short term is more critical? How important do you think the next eight years will be for the United States and for world stability? Do you believe abortion rights are paramount, all individual rights are equal, or some are more important than others when your back is to the wall. What is really at stake in the struggle for power in Washington?

People feel very differently about these issues on this board. Figure out what you believe to be most important.

Me, I would support Casey, his dad seemed to have integrity from what I've read, maybe he is a chip off the old block. I voted for Ken Salazar, and still support him. But he is driving ideologues crazy. I want a better America, a better world, not just my personal version of it.

And as for abortion, it will be very hard to overturn Roe. Unless this nation goes to hell in a hand basket, that is.

[jedr]

15. I understand your question, but:

don't turn the Casey thing into a vote on pro life/choice....the issue is to get rid of Ricky....Ive become a Yellow dog Dem for now ,and will pick up the pieces later

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mandate My Ass]

20. The kind of sick bastard who opposes the death penalty

which would leave Casey Jr. out of the picture.

[Lars39]

17. He may not do litmus tests for judges,

but what about sponsoring or voting for bills that make abortions
almost impossible to obtain? What about pushing abstinence only crap,
or 'conscience' clauses for pharmacists and ob/gyns so that they can
refuse to fill or prescribe bc pills?
Would he want to give more rights to the fetus than the woman?
The pro-life people are doing multi-prong attacks on women's
reproductive health rights.

[blondeatlast]

18. Agreed but:

Very likely that it will be Santorum or Casey, and Casey is polling to easily beat Santorum--already.

It's a Hobson's choice, indeed.

[Palacsinta]

19. Thanks to all......

My Dem friends and I in Lancaster County, PA are ready to do battle for Casey,and we are willing to do just about anything to defeat Santorum, but we want to address this issue competently and with as much information as possible.

[safi0]

21. Although I'm not from PA

I feel like I'm in much of the same situation some of you guys are facing. I'm from Wisconsin and I have Feingold whom I love, but I also have Herb Kohl. Hes your typically moderate. He voted for the Iraq war and veers right on a number of other issues. But in 2006 I have the full intention of working on his campaign because at the end of the day, hes a hell of a lot better than Tommy Thompson, Paul Ryan or whoever the hell else the Repubs. nominate.

I was looking at that Pennachio guys website, he seems like a good guy, seems like a true progressive. Work for his campaign, give him money, do whatever you can to help him. But at the end of the day his chances of victory are quite slim. If he goes down are you guys willing to support a candidate who may not be your first option for the greater good of defeating Sanotorum, because for a lot of us that was the option we faced with Kerry.

[KaliTracy]

22. what about birth control? What I've read here is encouraging, yet

the slippery slope is fast approaching. Pharmacists refusing to fill Normal BCP orders (and not just one or two -- they are organized) -- defiantly going against Doctors' prescriptions...and a patient's right to privacy. Bad precedent.

http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-1-93-35-4130-1-P,00.html

[w4rma]

23. Single issue voting is almost always bad. (nt)