In a recent statement to the press, Catholic League president Bill Donohue made the following comments about recent attacks on presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s religion:
Rick Santorum is deserving of closer scrutiny now that he is a top contender for the Republican nomination, but this does not justify either misrepresenting, or attacking, his faith.
John Gehring of Faith in Public Life fails to distinguish between the official teachings of the Catholic Church and the expressed opinions of some Church leaders, thus allowing him to paint Santorum as out of step with his religion. How interesting. Gehring works for an organization that receives approximately a quarter of its money from George Soros. Need I say more? So discount this guy.
Santorum has also been attacked by Steve Kornacki at Salon for his “Catholic-infused opposition to abortion.” It may come as a shock to Kornacki that the late Christopher Hitchens was also pro-life, and that Nat Hentoff is proudly pro-life today. Their atheism hardly accounts for their understanding of Biology 101.
The blogsite Huffpost Hill says, “Santorum thinks the Catholic Church isn’t conservative enough, which is kind of like thinking Megadeth doesn’t thrash hard enough.” Guess that means Santorum is a very Catholic kind of guy (Megadeth is a heavy metal band—I had to look it up). Should Santorum therefore be disqualified? Irin Carmon at Salon no doubt thinks so: “Rick Santorum is coming for your contraception.” Probably around midnight.
Linda Hirshman, also at Salon, is having a stroke: “That an advocate of legislating strict Roman Catholic sexual doctrine came within eight votes of winning…warrants attention.” Yeah, if this Catholic makes it to the White House, he’ll seek stimulus money for mandatory chastity belts.
Let’s face it, the left want a religious test for president—they want to exclude all religious candidates. Which explains their love affair with Obama.
[Blogger Note: Do Americans still remember President John F. Kennedy, a Catholic Democrat? Maybe America needs another Catholic President this time. Maybe the the Republican party should count its blessing in that it is getting the real deal–a conservative and a Catholic.]
Steve Austria: Why he quit
(RE: “Austria bows out to avoid primary,” Dayton Daily News, Dec. 31, 2012) Steve Austria, Dave Hobson’s hand-picked successor, claims he is “not going to run for Congress next term as a result of the redistricting map.” Really? Here’s a career politician who for the past five elections has tried to convince his constituents that he will fight for them in Columbus and Washington, and now he’s dropping out because his Party redrew the map? Sorry, but if you believe that now, and you supported Austria since he was elected State Rep in 1998, you have taken foolish to a new level.
This was not Austria’s decision. The GOP elitists, led by House Speaker John Boehner, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Even more disgusting is the Republican Party spin. “I’d like to be one of the first to thank Steve for his service to Ohio and our country,” says Mike Turner. Former Congressman Dave Hobson, who endorsed Austria twice for Congress, says, “(Austria) made the best choice – a graceful exit with integrity and honor.” And Montgomery County GOP Chairman Greg Gantt complimented Austria for doing what was best for the Republican Party by avoiding a costly battle. Make no mistake about it; Steve Austria did what was best for Steve Austria.
When the truth comes out regarding Austria’s undisclosed conflict of interest relationships with 501(c) non-profit corporations Nextedge Development Corporation (Springfield), the Dayton Development Coalition and the University of Dayton*, it will become crystal clear why lap-dog Steve Austria has now become a liability to the GOP. And it’s my guess that when Austria goes down, he’ll take more than a few familiar faces with him.
*The “smoking gun”: Steve Austria’s Federal Financial Disclosure Statements filed on May 15, 2008 (Form B) and May 24, 2011 (Form A), www.legistorm.com
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Posted in politics
Tagged commentary, Congressman Steve Austria, Election 2012, Republican Party