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?
Or maybe he’s talking about a level playing field like the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment creates an equal playing field - where everyone is to be given due process and equal protection under the law.
Or maybe he was talking about government not giving one company favored status over its competitor - which is the goal of the 999 plan and the fair tax. The philosophy of that plan seems to be to get government out of the business of playing favorites. Giving the economic competitors a level playing field, equal protection, and staying out of the business of playing favorites.
I’d have to see the context of his comments. It seems to me that you don’t much care about context clues when evaluating what Cain is actually saying so I’d have to see the context for myself.
Ah so having been caught in a foolish smear NOW you got to ping the rest of the bot squad in a vain plea for rescue
You all want to help Perry?
Drop the fraudulent smear jobs about the other candidates and start trying to convince us why we should support Perry.
What is Perrys plan for US Energy Independence/ Tax Reform, Border Security, Economic rebirth?
In fact, give us a factual document list of Perrys Presidential agenda. Dont just sing hymns about what a great guy he is or what he did in Texas. Tell us his Presidential Plan
Because it was the first name in a list of names, it’s the one he favors? Wow, that is really, really thin. Especially if he said that he would CONSIDER Romney only if Romney first changed his mind to agree with Cain on 999.
I think we need to be really careful about putting words in people’s mouths. It’s the old “gossip” game all over again if we’re not careful.
Can we expect any rational commentary and analysis from the Perry camp or are smearing the other candidates and stating their emotion based opinions as if it were fact the total of their intellectual abilities? The support for Perry being expressed around here is the kind of mindless "Cult of Personality" campaigning we normally see from the Progressives.
It is really sickening to see supposed Conservatives engaging the same political tactics.
OMIGOD! Would you stop filibustering against Cain? You remind me of the paid Obama bots that hit all the forums back during the election. Sorry, but you are sorely getting on my nerves. You stated your case. It doesn’t need to be repeated a bazillion times on the same thread. We heard you the first time.
I don’t like 9-9-9, but feel safe that it will never be implemented. Cain has made some mistakes, BUT... he’s an honest man with a brain. At least he is TRYING to come up with a solution... something this country sorely needs.
I am a Texan and know Perry. I was going to hold my nose, because there didn’t seem to be any choice other than Romney (just as I voted for Bush although I knew he’d break the bank just as he did in Texas.} After his insult to us in the last debate, I’d vote for stinking Romney over Perry. As a former Texas gov said, “Stick a fork in him, he’s done.” You are only hurting your cause with your incessant fillibustering.
So where is the rational arguments to support Perry?
LOL. Perry is the one that people are attacking on this forum. Cain has been designated as the official Tea Party Messiah. Don't say anything negative about him. Don't tell anyone he thinks states should be able to outlaw guns.
Well apparently Cain does not believe he will be able to "advance" it, so it is dead in the water.
Cain has made some mistakes, BUT... hes an honest man with a brain. At least he is TRYING to come up with a solution... something this country sorely needs.
Wow, someone who actually acknowledges that Cain has made some mistakes. That's encouraging. Don't say it too loud. There are a lot of people here who think he is the Messiah (now that Palin has relinquished the title) and as you know Messiahs don't make no mistakes.
You are only hurting your cause with your incessant fillibustering.
I have been responding to posts directed to me.
Recent convert? Methinks you were never part of the TEA Party to make this statement. The TEA Party is how I became familiar with Cain long ago. I initially wanted to support him until he started talking FAIR tax, of which I am opposed.
I believe you to be either mistaken or dishonest. I hope it is the former and not the latter.
HERMAN CAINS SERVICE AS A DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF KANSAS CITY
As to what he said when asked about looking into the Fed I can't answer since I don't know what account you are referring to. I listened to his account of his time there that he gave Glenn Beck and it sounded like great experience for him to have in terms of handling economic matters.
I’l help you out.
http://www.rickperry.org/issues/
Here is Perry’s issue page. Notice how vacuous and empty it is? It’s all “vote for me I’m a great guy from Texas” gibberish.
How about you try making a case FOR Perry based on something other then sleazing the other candidates for a change?
A-ha, you are a Palinista, I knew it...LOL
Did you see that thread asking her to reconsider? I think I pinged you there,
That is a beautiful post. Considering all the...ahem, stuff, that has been thrown at you, if the worst you said was the S-word, that is amazing. When I finish this post I’m going to say a prayer for your children to be richly, richly. They sound like some of the most wonderful kids alive. [Not to mention, they are already so blessed to have you for a Mom.]
Re: Cain. Actually, he didn’t even say he’d consider Romney. He told him, in CEO-speak, to shape up and he’d “have a shot”. When a CEO tells you that if you get your act together, you’ll ‘have a shot’, it’s not the same as saying, ‘shape up and you’re hired’. However, Cain spoke much more respectfully of Gringrich who, like him or not, really does have an impressive mind.
On top of everything, Cain clarified no less than twice that he wasn’t talking seriously about his Veep choice. He was playing the “game” w which the moderators chose to end the debate. I don’t know how many times he’d have to say it was only a “game” before the hit jobs stop. Some people just Do Not Like Cain.
The Tea Party started as a grass roots reaction to TARP.
Cain supported TARP.
Thanks for the link ! Good info on Perry. He’s an excellent candidate.
Yeah, I couldn’t stop laughing. TBH, she made the right decision, her family should come first and she can do more good as an outsider and an agitator.
Then he tried to lie about it.
PALINISTA! You cant fool me now LOL
Of course you would have been called a PDSer for saying the right decision was to not run a month ago but today it's OK to say it, the sun came out because Sarah said it was OK to do so LOL.
If she had come out with the decision when she made it she would have headed off much trouble, but that last two weeks was a huge blast for me and I am not sorry she made it possible.
So did Sarah Palin.
Everybody makes mistakes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.