Posted on 10/19/2004 11:35:20 AM PDT by Kurt Evans
Tom Daschle: I believe very strongly that there ought to be separation of church and state. And I know that this is a very difficult issue in many cases. But I strongly believe that one of the reasons our country was founded is a recognition that there can't be a state religion. I think we have to do all we can.
As a person who grew up in Aberdeen and acquired the values I did and a belief and faith and an altar boy, I feel very strongly about the opportunities I had at Sacred Heart School. But I went to a parochial school, and I think that is where the opportunities to learn religion and get an education can combine. But in public schools I think we have to keep that fire wall between church and state. As I said to others who have asked me the question about school prayer, I don't think I would want my children to say a prayer written by Sun Myung Moon. And I don't think that anybody would do that.
I believe that that's really what we ought to do, is ensure that we teach as much as we can in our churches and in our parochial schools, but keep that fire wall in public schools.
John Thune: I think that it ought to be left to local school districts, and that's why you aren't going to have a prayer by Sun Myung Moon here probably in South Dakota, because that's going to be a decision that's made. There are different faith traditions. Mostly here we're Judeo-Christian, but if a local school district wants to put up the Ten Commandments, wants to have voluntary school prayer before a football game, before a commencement exercise, I think that's a decision that ought to be made at that level.
But you know, I think it does come back to a broader discussion about values. And Tom talks about it. And he talks about we have the same values. Some of these issues we don't.
I mean, people know my position on these issues. When it comes to for example, the life issue, they know I've got a 100 percent pro-life voting record. People disagree with me on that, but they know where I stand.
Tom is in Washington, D.C., NARAL's poster boy and in South Dakota runs TV ads talking about learning his values as an altar boy. I mean, it is awfully difficult to square those two things. And in an election year he tries to become what he thinks people in South Dakota want him to be on some of these cultural issues.
But he's got an 18-year record in the Senate and a record in the House before that of consistently voting against the life position and now comes out in an election year and has the - I mean, I can't even believe, to say that 'I'm anti-abortion, I don't think abortions ought to be allowed' - when he's writing fund-raising letters for NARAL, when he is delivering speeches talking about this issue.
I think it's unbecoming a leader not to take positions. And no matter what side of the issue you're on, just take an issue and defend your position and own up to it. That's what leaders do. And Tom tries to be all things to all people, one thing in Washington and another thing in South Dakota. You can't have two sets of values.
Daschle: Well, John again is confusing the remedy with the issue. I oppose abortion very, very strongly. He opposes abortion. I think it's a tragedy. He thinks it's a tragedy. I think we ought to encourage abstinence. He thinks we ought to encourage abstinence. I think that we ought to do all we can to discourage abortions. He does. And that's the difference.
Thune: Eighty-three votes in Tom's 18-year career in the Senate that the National Right to Life rates. Seventy-five out of 83 Tom has voted against their position and yet comes out, you know, in an election year and says, 'Oh, I'm opposed to abortion.' You can't square those two things. It's not possible.
Nice post.
whoaaaa. The truth is like pouring water on the wicked witch of the west.
Disgusting we should stop communion.
"You can't square those two things."
Yes, in this age of post-modernism where there is no absolute truth, you can square any number of things because there is nothing that is so true that it cancels out something else.
Democrats seem to be particularly good at putting together contradictory ideas...but, unfortunately, it's become a society-wide phenomenom.
Thune is first-rate. God willing he will win this, losing
by only 524 votes to Johnson. daschle has to go.
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"You can't square those two things."
Yes, in this age of post-modernism where there is no absolute truth, you can square any number of things because there is nothing that is so true that it cancels out something else.
Democrats seem to be particularly good at putting together contradictory ideas...but, unfortunately, it's become a society-wide phenomenom.
Getting rid of Daschle would be a big plus for ALL of America! GO THUNE!!!
Getting W relected would be the cake...
Dumping Dashole would be the cherry on top!
Do you have any idea what the viewing audience was for this debate? I mean, did many South Dakotans see it? You know, being from Minnesota, I can tell you that the folks in North and South Dakota are some of the nicest people on earth. They are honest and hard working, and really live their christian faith. So, it always baffles me that these two states send 4 liberal Democrats to represent them in Washington, DC. It's because they do not follow closely enough the actual betrayal of their values perpetrated by these 4 senators, who talk the conservative line during election years, then go to Washington and follow the liberal playbook. I hope the good folks in SD send Tom Daschle packing in two weeks.
Was this the final debate?
Uh, not exactly -- not a single overriding National religion, perhaps, but around 10 of the 13 original states had an official religion. The last one - Massachusets, oddly enough, abandoned its "official" state religion somewhere around 1820. This simply continues the historical misconception of the phrase "CONGRESS shall make no law..."
" believe that that's really what we ought to do, is ensure that we teach as much as we can in our churches and in our parochial schools, but keep that fire wall in public schools. "
Not according to the Founding Fathers Tommy!
http://www.christianparents.com/ffathers.htm
Thank you.
Puuhhhhleeeze... good people of South Dakota.... relieve us of this burden....
Thanks again
Regards
I was also impressed with the questions. They came from SDak voters who sent them in..far better than Schieffer and Ifil..
Good post. While I might not be on the same page as many Evangelical Christians in regards to a lot of social issues, I really believe that the left treats God as if He were Freddy Kruger or Chuckie....too scary to mention. Anyone who knows any history at all knows the Founding Fathers interpreted "separation of church and state" as not establishing a particular state religion as in many European countries....not abolishing any public display of religion from the public sphere.
Thune did an excellent job in that debate, and Dasshole was...saddened...deeply.
>Do you have any idea what the viewing audience was for
>this debate? I mean, did many South Dakotans see it?
It was the lead-in to Monday Night Football statewide, and this was the last question.
>You know, being from Minnesota, I can tell you that
>the folks in North and South Dakota are some of the
>nicest people on earth. They are honest and hard
>working, and really live their Christian faith. So,
>it always baffles me that these two states send 4
>liberal Democrats to represent them in Washington,
>DC. It's because they do not follow closely enough
>the actual betrayal of their values perpetrated by
>these 4 senators, who talk the conservative line
>during election years, then go to Washington and
>follow the liberal playbook.
It's because we're generally honest, and we generally assume others are honest too--even politicians. The Thune campaign is at the very least forcing us to face the fact that *someone* is not being honest, although the state's most powerful media outlets (KELO-TV and the Sioux Falls Argus Misleader newspaper) are doing a great deal to confuse the electorate about who that someone is:
http://www.argusleader.com/editorial/Sundayarticle1.shtml
>I hope the good folks in SD send Tom Daschle packing
>in two weeks.
Pray for us.
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