AmericanPapist Comments
Biden is a supporter of Roe v. Wade, and his voting record is largely pro-abortion. However, his record on certain pro-life issues is contrary to Obama's positions -- which is to say, while Obama has always embraced the most expansively pro-abortion option of those placed before him, there are several specific issues on which Biden has not. These divergences illustrate the extremes of Obama's record. For example:
Obama vs. Biden on Partial-Birth Abortion
The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act was enacted in 2003, with Senator Biden's support, and was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in April, 2007. (For more about the content and significance of this legislation, go here) At that time, Barack Obama sharply criticized the U.S. Supreme Court for its ruling, saying, “I strongly disagree with today’s Supreme Court ruling . . ." Regarding Biden: "I voted for the partial-birth abortion ban," said [Sen. Joe] Biden while answering a woman's question at a conference sponsored by the National Jewish Democratic Council. "I think it’s an extraordinary circumstance, I make no apologies for it." ABCNews.com, April 24, 2007.
Obama vs. Biden on tax-funded abortions
Barack Obama advocates federal funding of abortion, and while in the Illinois legislature he voted against legislation to restrict state funding of abortion on demand. That is consistent with the policy advocated in the proposed 2008 Democratic Party platform, which says, "The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay . . ." In short, Obama and the platform favor repeal of the Hyde Amendment and the other laws that prevent funding of abortion in federal programs such as Medicaid. But Senator Biden has been voting for those laws for decades. Biden has written, "I might also add that I find it difficult to understand how those who refuse to limit the right of abortion in this country can at the same time support the expansion of the government's financial involvement in providing for abortions. That is why I have been a consistent supporter of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of Medicaid funds to finance abortions. I believe that it is not the government's business to be promoting abortion in any way." (Letter, June 16, 1983)
Obama v. Biden on Born-Alive Infants Protection legislation
On 2001, Biden voted for the language of the federal Born-Alive Infants Protection Act (BAIPA), which recognizes babies who are born alive during abortions as legally protected persons, while we recently proved that Obama killed a virtually identical bill in the Illinois State Senate in 2003. For more information on Obama's documented record on the live-born abortion survivors issue -- as contrasted with his claims -- go
(looks like my post above was automatically truncated because of excessive length -- as I was saying . . .)
For more information on Obama's documented record on the live-born abortion survivors issue -- as contrasted with his claims -- go here
For further information:
Douglas Johnson
Legislative Director
National Right to Life Committee
202-626-8820
Legfederal@aol.com
I sure wish the American Bishps of Biden, Pelosi, Kennedy, Sibelius (sp?) would get their acts together and send out a veeeerrrrry clear message to their parishioners...you cannot be both Catholc and pro-abortion, so Choose!
Denise, Bishop Sheridan of Colorado Springs did a pretty great job of doing just that in his Pastoral Letter of May 2004.
The pastoral letter can be found at diocs.org (Catholic Pastoral Center -> Bishop's Office -> Pastoral Letters).
Some key excerpts:
1) On advocating for political candidates:
"The Church never directs citizens to vote for any specific candidate. The Church does, however, have the right and the obligation to teach clearly and fully the objective truth about the dignity and rights of the human person."
2) On the bottom line for Catholic politicians and voters:
"Once again, we must be clear about this matter. The future of our world depends upon the strength of the family, the basic unit of society. The future of the family depends on the state of marriage. The family – father, mother and children – reflects the nature of God Himself, who is a communion of selfless and self-giving love. For this reason marriage and family life cannot be whatever we want them to be. They are only and always as God has created them. As in the matter of abortion, any Catholic politician who would promote so-called “same-sex marriage” and any Catholic who would vote for that political candidate place themselves outside the full communion of the Church and may not receive Holy Communion until they have recanted their positions and been reconciled by the Sacrament of Penance."
3) On pro-death candidates like Joe Biden who claim to be Catholic:
"Let us all pray for those politicians who claim to be Catholic yet continue to oppose the law of God and the rights of persons that, by the grace of God, they will be converted once again to the full and authentic articulation and practice of the faith."
I understand that although Sen. Biden voted for the ban on Partial Birth Abortion, he condemned the U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the ban . . . a real clear thinker, eh?
As Chairman of Senate Judiciary he participated in the "Borking" of Judge Robert Bork and later claimed credit for having saved Roe.
And, of course, during the confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, Sen. Biden again chaired the hearings and turned in a shameful performance.
Granted, Sen. Biden may not love abortion as much as Sen. Obama does, but the difference between them won't count for much.
Well gang, it has already begun... The Philadelphia Inquirer included a photo montage of Biden, including a photo of him and his wife with Our Beloved John Paul, The Great!
The wolf has begun to wear sheep's clothing!
Last week, Obama stated that evil is everywhere, in Darfur, in our city streets, and in our own hearts. If you ask me, evil is in Denver this week! Imagine, a Democratic Convention lineup including Hilary Clinton, Tom Casey, John Kerry, Fast Eddy Rendell, and speakers from, both, NARAL & Planned Parenthood! Of course, notably absent from the lineup is the recently published Archbishop of Denver.
Ora pro nobis!
Well, I am sure the Philadelphia Inquirer (and MOST newspapers) could dress a pig in a prom dress and convince most readers that it was the prettiest date they ever had!! I'm through!!!
denise martin,
Sibelius' Bishop has his act together. He told her she couldn't receive Holy Communion.
Not to throw a wrench into this . . . but what if you make the argument that the Biden/Obama stance on abortion can be mitigated because their stances on foreign affairs, health care, and other issues are very close to Catholic teaching about the value of the human person? Now, I don't actually support such an argument, but is there grounds for it to be made? That's all I'm asking. (Or is such an argument merely a kind of intellectual 3-card-monty, as I prejudicially assume it to be?) The above seems to be Doug Kmiec, J.D.s argument, and I'm curious to see what others think.
I was not going to vote for Obama anyway because of his extreme position on abortion. The addition of a pro-choice Catholic to the ticket is certainly not going to help his cause.
Moreover, Biden's admission that life begins at conception is really problematic. He is basically saying it's okay to kill a person he believes is a person. I think that's worse than Obama's position. At least Obama does not acknowledge the baby is a person.
Abortion, since it is murder, is a contradiction of infallible Church teaching, i.e., the Fifth Commandment. Foreign policy, per se, has never been part of any infallible Church teaching.
Rocco ran a story on Biden at Holy Mass today.... to me, it is ironic that today's readings speak of the primacy of Peter and The Magesterium of The Church...
And here goes the other one....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n...h?
v=nM2VqqNLWxQ
Is there an Augustine scholar reading?
Thanks Jake, I'll be including this video in a post tomorrow morning.
Teep-- no, I don't think that argument could be made... at least not with success. He seems to be ignoring more Church doctrine than he accepts. For that matter he shouldn't be ignoring any of it if he wants people to take him seriously as a Catholic!
I'm sure Barack is now convinced he will get Catholic vote and can peacefully go to sleep at night, content that he no longer has to worry about that 11% drop.
Commenting by HaloScan
