Updated 4/23/2008 to reflect the only three remaining candidates:
This show's John McCain's obvious advantage over Clinton and Obama for Catholic voters and it also makes it nearly impossible for a Catholic to vote for Clinton or Obama without commiting a grave error. Here are the issues that the USCCB consider to deal with "intrinsically evil" positions and the candidates' respective scores based on their stated positions. There are a possible of 15 points for each of these eight issues:
1. Protect All Unborn (no exceptions; protected under the Constitution from conception to natural death):
McCain: 5
Clinton: 0
Obama: 0
2. Oppose "euthanasia":
McCain: 15
Clinton: 0
Obama: 0
3. Oppose research resulting in embryonic destruction:
McCain: 0
Clinton: 0
Obama: 0
4. Oppose all human cloning:
McCain: 15
Clinton: 5
Obama: 5
5. Oppose the use of torture:
McCain: 15
Clinton: 15
Obama: 15
6. Oppose the targeting of non-combatants (use of nukes, landmines):
McCain: 7
Clinton: 15
Obama: 15
7. Oppose all forms of racism:
McCain: 15
Clinton: 15
Obama: 15
8. Marriage is one man, one woman, protected under law:
McCain: 15
Clinton: 0
Obama: 0
Totals for the "Big 8":
McCain: 87
Clinton: 50
Obama: 50
The other 23 issues were worth 5 points each (details can be found in my spreadsheet or see the original post below):
McCain: 87
Clinton: 66
Obama: 55
Totals for all 8 plus 23 issues:
McCain: 174
Clinton: 116
Obama: 105
This is an update to my previous evaluation, posted here: http://defendlife.blogspot.com/2007/11/presidential-candidate-evaluation.html.
I have eliminated the former candidates who have dropped out of the race and adjusted the remaining candidates' scores based on the best information I could find regarding their positions on the issues.
Candidates were evaluated against the criteria published in the US Conference of Catholic Bishops document on Faithful Citizenship:
The "intrinsically evil" (15 points each) issues were:
- Protect all unborn (no exceptions; unborn protected under the Constitution)
- Oppose Euthanasia
- Oppose Research that Results in Embyonic Destruction
- Oppose all Human Cloning
- Oppose targeting of Noncombatants (Use of nuclear weapons or landmines)
- Marriage is One Man, One Woman; Oppose "domestic partnerships"
- Oppose Use of Torture
- Oppose Racism
The other 22 issues (5 points each) were:
- Oppose the Death Penalty
- Support a "Responsible Transition" in Iraq & Afghanistan
- Work to avoid war and promote peace while dealing with terrorism
- Ethical treatment for undocumented immigrants & family reunification
- Temporary worker program with clear path to permanent residency for immigrants
- Secure borders from illegal immigration
- Support responsible use of media
- Affordable health care
- Health policies allow for conscientious objection
- No contraceptive or abortive mandates in health programs
- Choice in education
- Support for religious schools
- Support fair wages & programs to decrease unemployment
- Support affordable housing
- Welfare should reduce poverty & dependence
- Support good social security program
- Support sustainable agriculture & food security for all
- Good environmental policies that respect God's creation
- Support faith-based groups
- Work to alleviate global poverty
- Promote religious liberty and other basic human rights worldwide
- Peaceful resolution in Israel, support Palestinian State & Lebanon's sovereignty
Overall best choice for Catholics (230 points possible): Ron Paul (205 points)
Other candidates: Mike Huckabee (195); Alan Keyes (190); John McCain (174); Mitt Romney (154); Hillary Clinton (116); Barack Obama (105)
Pro-Life Issues (95 points possible): Ron Paul (95 points)
Other candidates: Mike Huckabee (85); Alan Keyes (85); John McCain (57); Mitt Romney (47); Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama (35)
Marriage and Family Issues (50 points possible): Alan Keyes, John McCain (each with 42 points)
Other candidates: Ron Paul (41); Mike Huckabee (41); Mitt Romney (40); Hillary Clinton (26); Barack Obama (22)
Health Care Issues (15 points possible): Ron Paul, John McCain, Mitt Romney (each with 15 points)
Other candidates: Alan Keyes & Mike Huckabee (14); Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama (5)
Immigration Issues (15 points possible): John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama (15 points each)
Other candidates: Ron Paul & Alan Keyes (10); Mike Huckabee & Mitt Romney (7)
My complete spreadsheet analysis can be found here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pSaR9kLq8ruNdalwiA-fXPQ
5 comments:
Since Ron Paul doesn't stand a chance, and since Mike Huckabee is so close to Ron in his evaluation, it seems that we should be backing Mike so McCain or Romney don't get the Republican nomination. Alan Keyes is up there too, but like Ron Paul, he doesn't have a chance to win. People have such short memories...not long ago, McCain spoke like a Democrat and Kerry almost had him run on his ticket as his Vice President. Ann Coulter says she would even vote for Hillary before she'd vote for McCain! We have a good Pro-Life candidate in Mike Huckabee. He deserves our support.
In 2002, while Obama was in the Illinois Senate, the US Congress passed a law:
That bill was the Born Alive Infants Protection Act.
The act simply prohibited the killing of a baby born alive. To address the concerns of pro-choice lawmakers, the bill included language that said nothing "shall be construed to affirm, deny, expand or contract any legal status or legal right" of the baby. In other words, the bill wasn't intruding on Roe v. Wade.
The year after the Born Alive Infants Protection Act became federal law in 2002, identical language was considered in a committee of the Illinois Senate. It was defeated with the committee's chairman, Obama, leading the opposition.
The law was already a federal law, passed in 2002. States have a right to make stricter laws. Illinois Senator Richard J. Winkel, Jr, introduced a similar bill to the Illinois Senate 2/19/2003 with almost identical language to the federal law, but it changed the reference to Roe v. Wade in section c:
Illinois' paragraph (c): A live child born as a result of an abortion shall be fully recognized as a human person and accorded immediate protection under the law.
Federal paragraph (c): Nothing in this section shall be construed to affirm, deny, expand, or contract any legal status or legal right applicable to any member of the species homo sapiens at any point prior to being "born alive" as defined in this section.
This basically says that any aborted fetus, viable or not, is considered a human person. This would have outlawed abortion. Obama objected to that change in phrasing.
In March 2001, Obama was the sole speaker in opposition to the bill on the floor of the Illinois Senate. He said: "We're saying they are persons entitled to the kinds of protections provided to a child, a 9-month child delivered to term. I mean, it would essentially bar abortions, because the equal-protection clause does not allow somebody to kill a child." So according to Obama, "they," babies who survive abortions or any other preterm newborns, should be permitted to be killed because giving legal protection to preterm newborns would have the effect of banning all abortions.
That isn't the full quote, Obama was saying that pre-viable fetuses do not have the same rights. Here is the full quote:
Number one, whenever we define a previable fetus as a person that is protected by the equal protection clause or the other elements in the Constitution, what we're really saying is, in fact, that they are persons that are entitled to the kinds of protections that would be provided to a - child, a nine-month-old - child that was delivered to term. That determination then, essentially, if it was accepted by a court, would forbid abortions to take place.
The story goes a bit further. The Illinois Senate sponsor for the bill rewrote article c to be identical to the federal bill. Obama, chairman of the Human and Health Services Committee that was considering the bill, squashed it. What's the point of voting on a bill that is already the law?
This is an example of how the Republicans in the Illinois Senate would bring bills to the floor to try to put the Democrats into a difficult position and build fodder for future campaigns. It works, as is seen in the Santorum's article. Obama was the only person who spoke out about this; this is a good example of why people didn't speak out.
for a more in-depth analysis, please see: http://tinyurl.com/26kxgb
I would much appreciate it if you could add another update based on ALL six of the remaining candidates. Thanks
That evaluation has already been done by my good friend at Petra Super Petram: http://petrasuperpetram.blogspot.com/2008/09/election-2008.html
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