Posted on 10/07/2011 8:43:16 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Today, the Susan B. Anthony list and National Organization for marriage released a joint scorecard for the Republican candidates for President at the annual Values Voters Summit. Ordinarily, a release like this carries few surprises, and in this election cycle so dominated by fiscal issues, a scorecard devoted to gay marriage and abortion is unlikely to carry the same weight it would have in the past. However, what may surprise those perusing the score card this time around is the fact that one candidate – the one widely interpreted as the most conservative in the race – actually falls to the Left of most of his peers on both issues.
That candidate is Herman Cain. According to the scorecard, Cain, who many have interpreted as a Huckabee-style populist outsider, looks more like Ross Perot when social issues are discussed. On abortion, Cain is one of only two candidates who have refused to sign the Susan B. Anthony’s pro-Life pledge, a pledge which asks candidates to “commit to key pro-Life goals if elected to the Presidency in 2012.” The other candidate who has refused to sign is (unsurprisingly) former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, whose record on abortion is famously confused. However, Cain still ends up to the Right of Romney in the aggregate on the issue, given that Romney is the only candidate to refuse to make it a priority to appoint pro-Life appointees to Executive Branch offices if elected.
It is on gay marriage where Cain takes more liberties. In fact, on gay marriage, he appears indistinguishable from Libertarian Rep. Ron Paul. Cain has refused to sign the Pro-Marriage Pledge, refused to support the so-called Federal Marriage Amendment, and has “Unknown stances” on every other issue the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) scores, other than defense of the Defense of Marriage Act, which every GOP candidate is on record supporting. In contrast, candidates like Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and even Mitt Romney have openly said “Yes” to every question asked by NOM.
Given that Cain is perceived as the conservative standard bearer who has eclipsed more socially conventional candidates like Rick Perry, this raises an important question: Is Cain actually conservative enough for his support base, or are social issues actually in their twilight years?
Great! I sent him $200 yesterday, and urge everyone to send as much as they can to:
Herman Cain, inc., Friends of erman Cain, Inc. P.O. Box 2158, Stockbridge, Georgia 30281
We are in a spiritual war, and Cain is the best preserve Amrica General going for us!
He isn’t pro abortion, CW is just attacking to make Perry look good.
http://www.ontheissues.org/2012/Herman_Cain_Abortion.htm
LOL - have to admit, he has a good point.
FYI, “Cainiacs” didn’t come out of nowhere. There have been Cain supporters and listeners on Free Republic since the days of his Senate run in Georgia in 2004.
I have run the Herman Cain ping list since last year, even before Cain ran, because he was traveling around the country stumping for conservatives in 2010. There is a large number of people on that list.
Just because YOU weren’t paying attention didn’t mean we weren’t here.
That right there should be all the answer an intellectually honest Social Conservative Freeper for Perry would need.
Glad you love your candidate. However mindlessly slandering the other candidates does not help Perry.
WHERE are the Perry issue papers? His Tax Plan? His Border Enforcement plan? His jobs plan? His Energy plan etc etc etc etc
How about your Perry supporters try telling us what Perry will DO as President instead of posting mindless "Cult of personality" posting about "what a great guy is Perry", bot campaign slogans, and baseless slime attacks on everyone else in the race?
Oh, please. The fanatics are those people who are perfectly willing to throw out years of anti-illegal immigration views in order to support the candidate you’re shilling for.
Well, no matter how many links you put up (I don’t go to links) about Cain criticizing Romney, the fact remains that he expressed his willingness to be a Veep for anyone but Perry.
Who is Anyone but Perry.
I think you know.
I don’t think Cain planned to be a factor and I don’t think he is capable of raising the necessary funds ... I think that’s why he’s reaching out to Romney for a veep post.
If those two throw in together, they think they could beat Perry.
Confucious say,
`Texan with forked tongue should not kiss barroon.’
Also,
‘Reave Caine arone!’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b6bov4MvlI
I'm interested in a FISCAL CONSERVATIVE person. This election is about 'BIG GOVERNMENT' and I don't care (Though I'm Pro-life) what his social issues are -- INCLUDING his POSITION on ABORTION!!
2012 is a CRITICAL YEAR -- if 0 win, because we are made that our candidate did not get the nomination, the issue will be mute as we might have a MARXIST - who is to the left of Chavez - in office.
I said the same thing in 2008, when McCain was running. We have a Marxist in the White House, now, but if we care about the single issues...we'll LOSE.
He said abortion should not be legal and he believes in life from conception in that video. Those statements confuse you because ... ???
That is out of line.
As a social conservative, let me assure you there are plenty of questions about Cain. SBA merely reported his refusal to sign onto 2 pledges. Those raise questions. Where’s the beef?
Heck, as a fiscal conservative, there are questions about Cain’s New Sales tax without first repealing the income tax.
I’m more worried about a Cain nomination leading to an Obama win.
If Cain is nominated, I will vote for him, of course, and pray for the best.
But he’s not J. H. Christ.
So you're looking for a candidate who will promise a new tax code and promise that it can never be changed by future Congresses? You want a dictator?
Expressing doubts about a candidate or a candidate’s plan is not only OK, it’s necessary. But posting total and transparent misrepresentations of a candidate’s position is just plain wrong. That’s what dems do; let’s not stoop to that level regardless of how much we want one or another candidate to win.
Looks like the mod put the barf alert on.
Please explain.
I question the mood of the country to vote for another black candidate.
Therein lies the deep and dark crux of your problem. I will vote for Cain precisely because he isn't a career politician, he is a remarkably brilliant, self-made successful businessman specializing in turnaround strategies. Herman Cain is an excellent communicator. The color of Mr. Cain's skin is not part of the decision matrix.
For someone who never so much has been on a city council, Mr. Cain made mincemeat of Hillary Care speaking on camera to President Bill Clinton back in 1994.
Anyone but Perry would be - Bachmann, Santorum, Gingrich, Johnson, Paul, AND Romney
Do you know WHY he said he didn’t want to run with Perry?
I agree. I think it is wrong to put an unsolicited barf alert on a perfectly legitimate thread posted by someone who isn’t in love with Cain.
Personally, I don’t question Cain’s stand on abortion or social issues, but why can’t we even look into it.
I think the moderators owe the poster of the thread an apology.
Well said
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