Pence urges activists to ‘demand’ social conservatism from GOP
UPDATE 9/20, 3:05a: From the Washington Post, September 18:
[Christine] O’Donnell pushed back against the notion that at a time when voters are focused on the economy, social issues should take a back seat. And a few politicians with longer résumés and national profiles expressed their own righteous indignation.
[Sen. Rick] Santorum told the crowd that “when people come out and tell us that we have to put the values issues in the back of the bus, we have to have a truce on the values issues, because the economic issues are paramount – we can have no economic freedom unless we have good, virtuous moral people inspired by their faith.”
UPDATE 9/18, 5:30p: FRC has announced – no surprise to me – that Mike Pence has won its presidential straw poll. He also won the VP poll. Here were the results:
Presidential Candidate Name Total Votes Percentage
Mike Pence 170 24%
Mike Huckabee 159 22%
Mitt Romney 93 13%
Newt Gingrich 72 10%
Sarah Palin 51 7%
Rick Santorum 39 5%
Jim DeMint 38 5%
Bobby Jindal 15 2%
Mitch Daniels 13 2%
Chris Christie 11 2%
John Thune 11 2%
Bob McDonnell 10 1%
Marco Rubio 10 1%
Paul Ryan 7 1%
Haley Barbour 6 1%
Ron Paul 5 1%
Jan Brewer 1 0%
Undecided 12 2%
Vice Presidential Candidate Responses:
Mike Pence 119 16%
Sarah Palin 112 15%
Rick Santorum 75 10%
Paul Ryan 51 7%
Jim DeMint 45 6%
Mike Huckabee 43 6%
Marco Rubio 43 6%
Bobby Jindal 36 5%
Bob McDonnell 31 4%
Chris Christie 25 3%
Mitt Romney 25 3%
Newt Gingrich 24 3%
Jan Brewer 20 3%
John Thune 15 2%
Mitch Daniels 10 1%
Haley Barbour 6 1%
Ron Paul 5 1%
Undecided 38 5%
9/17, 2:47p: I’ve always loved Mike Pence. Today I love him more.
Bear in mind Pence is the House Republican leadership’s #3, behind only Eric Cantor, the House GOP Minority Whip, and John Boehner. the Minority Leader.
Paul Ryan, mentioned in the following piece as the latest Republican pro-life domino to fall on the pro-life issue (behind Mitch Daniels and Haley Barbour), is also in a leadership position as the top Republican on the House Budget Committee, although ranked under Pence.
Ryan, Cantor and Rep. Kevin McCarthy, are co-authors of the newly released book, Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders, which fails to mention any socially conservative issues, in particular, abortion.
So knowing all the players here makes Pence’s statement today, as outlined in The Hill article below, particularly important. He’s taking a bold shot across the bow at his caving colleagues, going so far as to call social conservative to arms. Pence’s statement today was pretty big.
A top House Republican urged conservatives to “demand” of national GOP leaders that they hew to socially conservative principles.
House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (IN) put the pressure on national leaders to not write off social conservatives’ concerns, especially if they retake control of the House and/or Senate after this fall’s elections.
Conservatives “must demand that leaders of the Republican Party” stand strong on social issues, Pence said at the Values Voter Summit in Washington.
Pence, a potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate, urged voters to make sure the party stands strong against abortion rights and in favor of traditional values in an election cycle in which economic issues have driven the narrative.
Not all members of the GOP leadership in the House, at least, seem to be on board, though.
Rep. Paul Ryan (WI), the top Republican on the Budget committee, suggested Monday that members of the party should “agree to disagree” on social issues.
“We will agree to disagree on those issues,” Ryan said Monday on CNBC. “But let’s rally around the tallest pole in our tent: fiscal conservatism, economic liberty.”
Republicans have tended to avoid talking about social issues this election cycle, fueled by the tough economic situation facing the U.S.
Thirty-two percent of registered voters said the economy was their most important issue, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll released on Wednesday, and 28% said job loss was the most important problem facing the country.
By contrast, 1% of registered voters said “moral values” was the top problem, and another 1% named “religious values” as the top problem.
But as Ramesh Ponnuru wrote in his Politico piece yesterday, social issues never poll high but still matter in elections, particularly this election season, and have been helping us – even giving us the edge – time and again.
Pence added, according to The Atlantic:
To those who say we should focus on cutting spending, I say, OK. Let’s start by cutting all federal funding for abortion at home and abroad…. You wanna find savings? Let’s cut funding to research that destroys human embryos… and let’s deny funding to Planned Parenthood of America! We must not remain silent when great moral battles are being waged.
Pence’s Planned Parenthood jab drew some of the loudest cheers of his speech. At one point toward the end of his address, an audience member shouted, “Pence for president!”
I’ll second that.
[Photo via the AP]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
To the young guns…who gets the vote out. It is the pro life crowd.
Haley Barbour and Mitch Daniels are going to rue the day they told pro-lifers to take a back seat to other issues. I heard Huckabee echoed a theme similar to Pence’s at today’s session. Good for them, they’re smart enough to know that the current political angst, while manifested by Tea Partiers, continues to retain strong pro-life roots.
“Agree to disagree” == “Shut-up!” he explained.
Hey Paul Ryan – Life trumps liberty – and money. Money is worthless if you’re dead. Also if someone is being paid to kill other people (as abortionists are) then guess what happens?
You’re demonstrating you have little regard for true economics which are all rooted in socially driven issues.
What politicians are really not understanding is that the American people are tired of the lying/deception – so we’re really examining a politician’s character. While the TEA party may seem libertarian, it would deflate to almost nothing without the social conservative support.
If you lack solid moral principles regarding life, but still expect our support – then at least acknowledge that we’re willing to stand by those principles whatever the cost.
And if you’re that unwise – good bye & good riddance.
If you’re wise, you’d leverage the pro-life message and claim that it’s inherently unfair to saddle future generations with debt (that’s taxation without representation) and portions of those funds are used to kill off siblings.
I’ve been screaming about this danger for months and have been called a kook more times than I care to relate….but though this has a feeling of redemption, it makes me very sad and angry that we’re having to deal with this.
I wonder, is the Paulastinian Liberty Forest or similar group spamming your anchor baby poll?
VERY disappointed to hear economics is more important than abortion for Rep. Paul Ryan (WI).
I’m looking forward to the day when being anti-abortion is a given (as it should be) and the other issues can be the deal-breakers.
I was disappointed that Pence wasnt in the last Presidential election, I hope he will be in 2012! Would you vote for Pence/Palin 2012?
There’s a pro-choice Repub (Charlie Baker) running for Governor in Mass against liberal Deval Patrick, he’s avoided social issues.
I don’t think I’ll be voting for him. Screw it.
I don’t see anything other than pro-life votes in Paul Ryan’s voting record. Ryan’s voting record on pro-life issues is 100% pro-life. My take is that he was just making a point (correctly in my estimation) stating that the issue that will drive conservatives to victory this November is fiscal conservatism. I agree.
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005) Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004) Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. (Oct 2003) Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on funding for health providers who don’t provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001) Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions. (Apr 2000)
Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion. (Jun 1999)
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance. (Dec 2006)
Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion. (Jan 2008)
Grant the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment. (Jan 2007)
I agree Jasper. I would write in my own name before I voted for a RINO.
Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion.
Ryan co-sponsored prohibiting taking minors across state lines for abortion
A bill to prohibit taking minors across State lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of parents in abortion decisions.
Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit transporting a minor child across a state line to obtain an abortion (deems such transporting to be a de facto abridgment of the right of a parent under any law in the minor’s state of residence that requires parental involvement in the minor’s abortion decision).
Makes an exception for an abortion necessary to safe the life of the minor.
Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution or civil action under this Act that a defendant reasonably believed that required parental consent or judicial authorization took place.
Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to one year on anyone who has committed an act of incest with a minor and knowingly transports such minor across a state line to obtain an abortion.
Source: Child Custody Protection Act (S.2543&H.R.1063) 08-SR2543 on Jan 22, 2008
Grant the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment.
Ryan co-sponsored granting the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment
Bill would implement equal protection under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person. The Right to Life Act declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being, and defines “human being” to encompass all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization or cloning.
Source: Right to Life Act (H.R.618) 2007-HR618 on Jan 22, 2007
Jill, when that article said “Paul Ryan, mentioned in the following piece as the latest Republican pro-life domino to fall on the pro-life issue” it sounds like the left is going after Ryan already. Obama and team were bewildered diring the time Ryan spoke at their summit. Don’t be fooled Chris or Janet. His efforts so far include co-sponsoring a “personhood” bill in 2007. Ryan is lot closer to being a pro-life champion then a pro-life fallen Domino.
It is actually pretty amazing that Ryan can have such a tremendous focus on economics and still cosponsor bills and campaign for as many pro-life issues as he has. I haven’t seen any chinks in his armor. The libs write articles like that to smear him cause they are scared as blazes of him.
Thanks Jill. I had read that article. Look at how this article was able to get pro-life people on this blog to diss a politiican who has been so supportive on pro-life issues. Is the Hill known for trying to pit conservatives against one another? Politicians should not be judged on what other people say about them or even by what they say about themselves. Politicians should be judged on their actions and their voting record. And Paul Ryan has shown dedication to advancing the pro-life agenda and he has a staunchly pro-life voting record.
To say Paul Ryan is somehow fallen from the pro-life cause is libel
truthseeker – “agree to disagree” is a pet peeve of mine. I’ve seen it used far to often to simply walk away from discussions where the person stating that had no other rational recourse left. I don’t know the complete context he said that in.
To be fair, I hadn’t read the whole article – only the piece above. However, it looks like Ryan is perceiving the right needs the libertarian vote to win, and is appealing to social conservatives to support the libertarian’s central concern which is money and the economy. I see this as a major problem. Children and future generations are the foundation of any kind of economy. Setting that aside – even for one election, gives power to those who really aren’t pro-life, but instead have entirely their own self-interest in mind. These folks jog back and forth between “might makes right” and “do unto others…” to benefit from both world views.
If Paul Ryan is solid pro-life as you say – then he needs to stand on it at all times and not only when it’s convenient. As I said above – there are many solid economic reasons for being pro-life – those should be embraced and explained with solid reasoning. If libertarians want to reject solid arguments…
No one ever lost when they stood on their principles. You only lose when you give up your principles.
truthseeker – one last point you need to consider – a politician is just like a stock – it’s good to know prior performance, but the value is in what they will do in the future.
Truthseeker,
Perhaps I jumped the gun. I’m not ready to discount Paul Ryan as a viable pro-lifer. You’ve provided much evidence that he is strong in that regard. He receives very high marks from pro-life, conservative Mark Levin.
Chris,
I don’t see a reason Ryan shouldn’t go after the fiscally conservative vote – whether from the pro-life or pro-choice side, regardless of political affiliation.
Chris, I am looking forware to Paul Ryan’s future performance as a pro-life congressman. We can agree to agree on the fact that we would both love to see the personhood bill Ryan co-sponsored to come back up for a vote and pass.
Social conservatives aren’t going to do much more than stop the bleeding unless/until we can vote out The One in 2012. Even if we can capture the House and the Senate in November, we still won’t be able to override Obama’s veto. We can prevent him from enacting more of his life-destroying, liberty-eroding agenda … but that’s about all we can do.
Pence in 2012! Perhaps with McDonnell as his Veep. I like my governor, but I’m willing to share him with the rest of you. :)