Pro-Life Progressives

[Coastie for Truth]

All of the news about Bob Casey Jr -- jogged my memory about a real "old time" Progressive - who was also pro life.

Monsignor Charles Owens Rice

I remembered him from my years in Pittsburgh. Really loved him. Is he still living (must be in his 90's if he is). If he is still living - is he still "active?"

[chelsea0011]

1. the late Rep. Joe Moakley D-Ma was also anti choice

although I wouldn't go as far as to call him a progressive, he surely was to the left.

[mermaid]

2. Wasn't Former Gov Bob Casey Also Pro-Life?

I know he was anti-death-penalty, I remember that is basically what killed then-Lt. Gov Mark Singel's chances when Ridge was running against him, because Singel ended up Acting Governor for a couple of weeks while Casey underwent kidney-liver transplant (that was in itself a debacle...folks speculating he'd gotten bumped to the front of the line) and they pro-death penalty folk tried to get singel to sign a bunch of death warrants in Casey's absence, and singel refused, saying he was going to run the Governor's office the way he believed Casey would, rather than how he wanted to, because he was only Acting Governor.

I specifically remember the ruckus made over the death warrant for one Martin Appel, who apparently even WANTED to die, and for whom Casey, nor Singel, would sign. If memory serves, Appel had held up a bank in Bath, PA (between Wind Gap and Bethlehem) and had wound up with...was it three or six dead in the resulting gun battle with cops...and of the dead, I remember, was a State Trooper.

At any rate, I seem to remember Bob Casey Sr. as also being pro-life, but I may be mistaken. I DO know, however, that if he in fact WAS pro-life, then he was at least consistent in that pro-life stance by also being anti-death-penalty.

[blue neen]

3. You're right.

Gov. Bob Casey was pro-life.

I had forgotten about the debacle over his transplant, but you are correct about that, too. It seems like so long ago!

[mermaid]

4. I Thought So

I thought he was pro-life. And now that I mention it, you remember the ruckus over his double-transplant, and people speculating he'd gotten bumped ahead of a bunch of other people on the organ waiting list, because he was Governor?

It does seem like a long time ago, yet, it almost seems like just yesterday. This happened when I was last living in Pennsylvania. I'm coming back in just about two weeks, and I am looking forward to doing everything I can to throw Prick santorum out of the office he once threw ME out of!!

I went to see him, on appointment, in Washington, AS A CONSTITUENT, concerning legislation I was interested in having passed...basically this was the Employment non-Discrimination Act, and I wanted it amended to also include protections for transgendered people. Of course, I knew there was no way Prick Santorum would go for it, but damn him, I was still a constituent, and it was damn well his JOB to listen to me...and I wasn't about to just let him off the hook because I knew he'd be hostile to the legislation I favored.

He actually threatened to call Capitol Security on me and my lobbying team if we did not immediately leave his office. He would not even speak to us, or hear what it was we wanted to talk about. as far as he was concerned, we were a bunch of freaks, and he didn't want us in his office. So...he literally threw me out of his office.

NOTE FOR SEN. SANTORUM, IF HE READS THIS FORUM:
Remember that, Prick?? Well, I do!! And it's coming back to haunt your ass, because I am now coming back to Pennsylvania, and I'm on a mission to throw YOUR ass out of the office you once threw me out of!!

[IronLionZion]

6. yes he was very pro-life

but he's consistent since he was against the death penalty and supported social programs for the poor, sick, and elderly. However it was disappointing that he would not endorse Bill Clinton's presidential candidacy over that one issue. He was barred from speaking at the 92 convention.

more about Robert Casey Sr.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Casey

[westernpenndem]

5. Rice "Labor Priest" 95, 70 years as priest

He is alive, well and retired in Pittsburgh, the famous "Labor Priest" of his time. Here is a recent column on him from the Pittsburgh Catholic, the diocese newspaper...

http://www.pittsburghcatholic.org/columnists_storys.phtml?id=640

And yes, Casey, Sr. was both anti-abortion and anti-capital punishment, and he did everything he could to avoid executions, even though he swore he'd uphold the law as it stood. I may be wrong, but I think that Casey, Jr. is not opposed to capital punishment, and I'm disheartened by that. If you oppose the former, you ought to oppose the latter, in my humble opinion (and that of the Pope and Catholic Church officials).

[IronLionZion]

7. Al Gore, Dennis Kucinich, Harry Reid,

Fortunately, Chairman Dean has promised not to turn his back on pro-life Democrats. The big tent party will welcome different opinions.


Bob Casey makes an excellent case:
"In short, our response as a party should be to work to solve the crises that produce crisis pregnancies, and work to make life worth living for mother and child, rather than victimize the child as a way of dealing with the crisis. I am convinced that this approach, a mainstream Democratic approach, commands the strong support of the American people, and presents a sharp and compassionate contrast to the Republican abortion position which offers no real hope or commitment to mother or child." - late Governor Bob Casey Sr.

Democrats are the real pro-life party. The Republicans are mostly anti-life.