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. Anthonys 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?
It doesn’t matter to me if he chooses Gingrich. Gingrich is not a radical liberal like Romney is.
Romney should never have passed his lips at all.
I’m sure you see the difference.
It’s like your teen saying, “Well my first choice is drinking and driving (romney). But, if that doesn’t work out, I’m going with reading a book in my bedroom (gingrich).
I can see why you refuse to post the quote itself. It’s not even close to what you’re smearing him with.
Obviously, you aren't even reading and thinking about what I'm writing.
I posted the link and quote at #288. Your above italicized post was #302...more than enough time to read it.
Are you smearing me?
www.ontheissues.org
Check it out complete with quotes on issues from all candidates.
FWIW, when did conservatives get to the point we have to parse words to discern the truth in a statement. Cain has made it clear he prefers Romney over Perry as a VP, or him being the VP. On this alone his conservatism is open to question.
got to go conduct a wedding rehearsal. will get with you later on this. Thanks, LE.
Unless you have been non-stop preparing dinner for the past week, that’s a lame excuse for not learning facts. You choose to permanently ignore the facts, thus promoting propaganda. Liberals are known for doing the same.
From my experience of reviewing a few Cain threads, moreso. I am beginning to wonder if the forum has been infiltrated by "posers," if you know what I mean.
When did we get to the point of using ‘game show’ format/context questions and answers to condemn GOP candidates?
That’s very disturbing.
False. Cain didn't "walk back" from anything. Trying to get candidates to make "pledges" is juvenile. Cain has a long history of being pro-life and supporting the pro-life movement with his bully pulpit and with his money.
2. He wants to implement a 9% sales tax BEFORE the income tax is repealed, and that will result in an additional tax. His plan to go to (1) get to a 9% income tax, and (2) get to the repeal of the income tax is: Persuasion. He will advance the cause of ridding ourselves of income taxes with a legislature that this historically has loved every tax it has ever seen, and loved raising them even more.
There is no plan that will be successful if politicians refuse to follow it. This does not mean candidates should not come up with plans for fixing the problems of our Country
3. He is squishy of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, thinking that the states trump the 2nd Amendment. (Revealing again a faulty knowledge of the constitution.)
False. Cain has a long history of supporting the 2nd Amendment in line with the decisions of Justices Alito, Scalia and Thomas which provides that states have the authority to place reasonable restrictions on 2nd amendment rights. Maybe they don't understand the Constitution either?
4. He has spoken in favor of a Palestinian right to return.
False.
5. He has spoken in favor of quota-less affirmative action.
False.
6. Hes spoken in favor of gay union/marriage.
False.
7. Hes said Romney would be his choice for VP.
In a silly "Game" at the end of a debate he was asked, of the other persons in the debate, which would he choose as VP. Is this what you mean?
You could easily have found out for yourself how groundless the accusations you've made about Cain are. I wonder why you didn't?
Thank you.
Well, I’m not ignoring the warnings about Perry, which is why I’m in the Cain camp.
It really is sad that you guys keep repeating the same lies about Cain even after we prove otherwise.
Cain is not a questionable social conservative, and Perry ain’t a conservative.
I just happened to see this at Hot Air:
But, Cain told the National Journal, Quite frankly, based upon Governor Perrys position on some issues, I would not be comfortable being his vice presidential nominee.
But he would be comfortable being Romney's?
I don't know about you, but I don't look at the "gotcha" panels as the best measurement for or against a candidate. My view of Cain diminished dramatically with his failure to sign the Pro-Life pledge and his "parsing" of it. However, his fond view of Romney just adds to my distrust.
I know a lot of FReepers call Perry a rino, but if you look at his positions he's not. Romney on the other hand governed as a liberal in MA..
I am putting that as a tagline!
I was there for the pissant zot.
Pretty much the zot of the century.
It was a lighthearted moment as the end of the debate. Gingrich called it a game show question. Cain called it a game, but said he would “play”. Yes, he mentioned Romney in that context, but only if Romney would change one of his positions. [Even then, he only said Romney, if he changed, would only ‘have a shot’ - not the same at all as saying, ‘he’s my number one pick’.] Cain also mentioned Gingrich, but somehow that fact is omitted. Why is that?
Personally, I’m not going to judge and condemn a candidate based on what the candidate himself calls a “game” question. It’s of much greater importance to you, however. We see it differently. Just don’t imagine you’re winning Cain people over by misrepresenting the context and content of what he said. All it’s doing is giving the impression of a smear.
Newts belief in global warming is a deal breaker.
- - - -
As is Perry’s in-state tuition for illegals for me a deal breaker.
They aren’t even close in comparison. Not by a million miles.
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