Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Voting Advice re Talent from Fr. Frank Pavone

From my inbox:
Dear Friends,

Unlike the recent emails I've sent you, I am sending you this one at my personal expense and in my capacity as a private citizen rather than as head of Priests for Life or any other organization.

The outcome of tomorrow's elections has a huge impact on the abortion issue, not only because pro-life legislation in Congress depends, at this point in time, on Republican control being maintained, but also because further changes on the Supreme Court, in order to be favorable to the pro-life cause, are going to depend on Republicans maintaining control of the US Senate. And there have been news reports today that another Supreme Court vacancy may be near.

Please note, I am not a Republican myself. Nor am I a Democrat.

But as a national pro-life leader looking at the implications of the Senate race in Missouri, I urge you to do all you can to re-elect Jim Talent.

Not only is he an excellent Senator, but electing him will also help ensure that we to keep the more pro-life party in power. That's the key.

No party is perfect. But it is only a Republican-controlled Senate that's going to advance legislation to help the unborn, and is going to have a hope of avoiding a filibuster over the appointment of federal judges and Supreme Court Justices, whose terms will far outlast this Administration, this Congress, and this election.

You may have read the chapter from my booklet "Voting with a Clear Conscience" that is titled "The Party Matters." I offer it to you again below.

The choice for who will actually be elected is not only between Mr. Talent and his opponent - it's between a national party that has in its platform the declaration that the right to life of the unborn must be protected (Republican) and the party that promotes the "right to choose" abortion (Democratic).

Please vote for Jim Talent, not only for Missouri's benefit, but for the sake of our movement preserving some leverage in the Senate and with the Supreme Court.

Thank you, and God bless you.
Fr. Frank Pavone
________________________
Remember, the Party Matters.

Voting with a clear conscience also means that you consider how the outcome of the election in which you vote affects the balance of power. In other words, elections do not only put individual candidates into power; they put political parties into power. And it is not only the candidates who have positions. So do the parties.

The same questions, then, that you ask about the candidates' positions on fundamental issues have to be asked of the party. What is the platform of that party? Is it possible that the balance of power might shift as a result of the outcome of this particular race? Keep in mind that the party that is in power controls the committees responsible for initiating legislation. A pro-abortion party will not normally allow pro-life legislation to come forward, no matter how pro-life the individual lawmakers may be. Do not just look at whether the candidate is pro-life. Consider whether or not, if he or she wins, the pro-abortion party will come into power.
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