Posted on 11/07/2014 5:47:15 AM PST by wagglebee
Pro-life activists and voters proved pivotal in Republican victories in Congress and in several states. So far, however, their efforts are not being rewarded in public statements by GOP leaders.
According to Open Secrets, pro-life campaign contributions totalled approximately $1.4 million in 2013 and 2014. Additionally, Women Speak Out PAC -- whose members include the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List -- worked 14 campaign offices in three battleground states. In a press release, SBA and Women Speak Out president Marjorie Dannenfelser said that "759 field representatives...reached more than 875,000 pro-life voters who typically do not vote in midterm elections."
Between the PAC and SBA list, $5 million dollars were spent on five Senate races in Arkansas, North Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, and Louisiana. Four of those five races ended in GOP victories, with Louisiana's Senate race going to a runoff on December 6. It is expected to be close, with a slight Republican advantage.
Dannenfelser immediately called upon Republicans to pass the "Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act" through both chambers of Congress. The bill, which would ban most late-term abortions, has received a pledge of support by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY. McConnell had previously vowed that Republicans would pass the legislation through the Senate if Republicans controlled the chamber.
However, in a press conference on Wednesday, McConnell's prepared remarks did not include mention of any pro-life bill.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-OH, also focused a statement and a press briefing in the days after the election on the economy, taxes, debt, regulations, and education, as well as other economic issues.
A co-authored op-ed by Boehner and McConnell that was published on Wednesday night did not discuss life issues, focusing instead of taxes, debt, national security, and repealing the Affordable Care Act.
Likewise, hours after Republicans took the Senate, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement that "Republicans have been given the opportunity to lead the country in a better direction, and the Republican House and Senate are ready to listen to the American people."
"We hope President Obama will too," said Preibus. "It's time to get to work on creating jobs, expanding American energy development, pursuing real healthcare reform, reducing spending, reining in the federal government, and keeping America safe."
On Election Day, an email from Priebus to the Republican National Committee's full list of supporters said that "Americans are tired of the President and his misguided agenda." That agenda, according to Priebus, includes "Obamacare and the rising cost of health care," deficit spending, "affordable energy," and "threats like ISIS and Ebola," among other issues. Priebus said that a vote for Republicans is a vote to "end the gridlock and finally get our legislation moving again," especially with regards to "over 40 jobs bills..."
Nowhere in the email were abortion or same-sex "marriage" mentioned.
Abortion was tangentially referenced when Priebus said that "the Republican-led House of Representatives has passed over 350 bills, including over 40 jobs bills, that the Democrat-controlled Senate will not even put up for a vote." The House has passed two pro-life bills.
According to RNC spokesperson Raffi Williams, the email reflected the beliefs of faith leaders. "Our Faith Director, Chad Connelly, has been traveling the country meeting with and talking to pastors and people of faith for the past two years. During these meetings the issue that has come up the most is the lack of leadership in the White House and Senate that has allowed our economy to falter and our standing in the world to diminish," Williams said.
"We are proud of our pro-life, pro-family stance as a party," said Williams, "and that is why the Chairman included them publicly in the Principles for American Renewal." In the Principles, the RNC says that "Our country should value the traditions of family, life, religious liberty, and hard work."
Priebus has spent much of 2014 informing life and family voters that the GOP supports their issues. In March, he told LifeSiteNews that attending the March for Life was "a little bit of a wake-up call for me as a chairman."
According to Priebus, the appreciation of pro-life leaders for his attendance of the March, as well as the attendance of other RNC delegates, reminded him that "maybe we need to start reminding people about the core positions of our party more, so that we can grow in places where we're strong.”
Also in March, he said that the GOP is "a party that believes marriage ought to be between one man and one woman," though he qualified the statement by telling reporter Betsy Woodruff that he is "not walking on down the street" stating the party's position.
"If someone wants to ask me, like you did, I didn't dance” around the issue, Priebus told Woodruff. “I answered the question head-on, I'm very clear, and that's what you should expect out of the party.”
“No person shall be deprived of life without due process of law.”
— The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
“No State shall deprive any person of life without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
— The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
For decades we've been hearing, "Don't mention abortion" or "We promise to deal with abortion when the time is right."
NO MORE! Social conservatives are not some "special interest group" to be pushed aside after elections. Our beliefs go to the very core of the principles upon which our Republic was founded.
And as for the "let us take care of Obamacare and close the borders" crowd, what makes you think the GOP is going to help you this time around? The GOP held both Houses of Congress for a decade and much of that time they had a GOP president, they didn't close the borders then, they didn't do anything about the disastrous healthcare system (keep in mind, the only reason Hillarycare or Obamacare ever even came up was because the healthcare system had been crippled by ridiculous government bureaucracy and the added expenses from it) then.
Mark my words, the GOP has exactly two years to take care of ALL the things they were elected to do. If they do as they've done in the past, they will have brought about their own destruction.
THE LAW MUST BE OVERTURNED.....I can not think of one R that has run/elected that was pro life that changed their mind when in office...
Way to many on the pro life side cannot take yes for an answer. Sometimes I wonder if there isnt too much catering to the pro life industry over real pro life issues.
“Once again the GOP will ignore social conservatives and cut deals to protect the GOPe.”
Yep, along with the Tea Party who thinks social issues are independent of economic issues. Three words: doomed to fail
If a government is not willing to uphold a fundamental right or life, nothing else, and I mean NOTHING ELSE, matters. Wake up, people.
We need to hold their feet to the fire, and not allow them to ignore these issues.
Actually there is nothing they can do on marriage. The courts are running that show. If the courts say that polygamy is Constitutional, Congress is pretty stuck.
I voted for Republican candidates,although I reject both party labels. I have learned long ago to have, with rare exceptions, no expectations of any significant desirable results from any candidate,even if its my choice who wins. I vote because its my duty and because no one will listen to someone’s political views if they know you don’t vote. Call it a cynical approach to politics if you like. I prefer to call it a realistic one.
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