BREAKING! Pro-life, devout Catholic named new RNC chair!

American Papist ^ | January 30, 2009 | Thomas Peters

[NYer]

I'm hearing that it happened just minutes ago: Former Maryland Lt. Gov. (and former state party chairman) Michael Steele has been elected as the new chair of the Republican National Committee.

So who is he?!

CollegeNews tells us:

"Steele is a staunch social conservative: devoutly Catholic, pro-life, anti-embryonic stem cell research, etc."

Sounds like my kind of guy!

And no Kmiec-style justifications needed to support him.

update: WaPo blog:

The Republican National Committee elected Michael Steele as its first African American chairman today in Washington, a decision that came after an excruciating series of ballots that displayed a level of drama rarely seen in national politics.

On the sixth and final ballot Steele bested South Carolina Republican party Chairman Katon Dawson 91 to 77.

"It's time for something completely different and we are going to bring it to them," Steele said after his victory. "This is our opportunity. I cannot do this by myself."

[ensignbay]

I hope (and frankly, demand) that Steele be a real Conservative leader: aggressive and articulate in teaching and pushing Reagan Conservatism.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/we-demand-true-conservative-leadership.html

If he doesn’t, the Republican party will be a minority party for years to come.

[ejonesie22]

And it may well have, but it runs counter to things he has done, actions he has taken.

[Dead Corpse]

He's the standard bearer for the GOP. I don't expect anyone to be "perfect". I'm just tired of us putting in "squishy" types that we're told are "the best you are going to get".

Call it "battered voter syndrome" if you must.

As I said, Chairman Steele is a lot better than some who were nominated. A "solid" conservative is debatable though.

On such core principles as the Constitution and it's express limits on government power, "squishiness" is how we ended up with McCain and why we can't get rid of Specter.

[Bigg Red]

Steele is the real deal! I love that man, and I am proud to say he is from my state.

[ejonesie22]

In his defense I wonder if such a statement cam after the DC snippier incident. Emotions were high then so such sentiment at that time would be understandable.

[unkus]

>>How do you ‘understand’ this? Give some facts.<<

I should have said “I have heard” that he is weak on the Second Amendment.

Overall, I like him.

[murron]

Is he pro-abortion? Someone told me he was.

[CedarDave]

Great comments by Steele. I hope he can follow through.

[ejonesie22]

Did you read the headline, article and source?

Just askin’

[Bigg Red]

He’s rather handsome, too. (Don’t worry; I’m a girl. :-)

[GambrillsGuy]

Michael Steele is an outstanding man. We first met him when we where members of St. Mary’s Church in Landover Hills, Maryland. He taught Altar Serving (including my kids), and served Maryland well as Lt. Governor. I voted for him for Senator, but we all know how that turned out. God Bless Michael Steele. BTW, there are actually more pro-life politicians around in Maryland. Too bad the Archdiocese of Baltimore (America’s First See) can’t seem to find the where-with-al to call to task our CINO Governor Owe’Malley and CINO Senator Mikulski.

[Servant of the Cross]

Here's an article describing some of the "confusion" at LifeNews. The 'concerns' about his pro-life views seem to be related to his past associations with Christine Whitman (ugh) and the RLC. It also sounds like this was raised by supporters of other RNC chair candidates.

[kabar]

Let’s hope. I am afraid that this will just be seen as another token appointment. And I frankly don’t think Steele is that competent. I also am nervous about his position on how to handle illegal immigration, especially those already here. He just recently changed his position a few days ago to a more responsible one. I am not impressed.

[Vaduz]

social conservative: devoutly Catholic the msm is going to hound him to death for being so for the next four years he better have thick skin and titenum stones hope he makes it work.

[murron]

Has he made any statements one way or another on the life issue? Did he speak publicly on the Terry Schiavo murder?

[Servant of the Cross]

Good article with interesting background information on Michael Steele.

[sitetest]

I've met Mike Steele. Nice guy, good guy.

Regrettably, during his 2006 Senatorial campaign, he said this on Meet the Press about Roe v. Wade:

Meet The Press on October 29, 2006.

MR. RUSSERT: ...Mr. Steele, if you’re United States Senator, would you vote for a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion?

LT. GOV. STEELE: I don’t — vote for a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion? I think we’d have to have that get to the Supreme Court, wouldn’t we? I haven’t seen that bill proposed. I don’t think...

MR. RUSSERT: That’s been introduced in the Senate.

LT. GOV. STEELE: I don’t think anyone’s going to propose that this day.

MR. RUSSERT: So you wouldn’t do that?

LT. GOV. STEELE: No.

MR. RUSSERT: Would, would you encourage — would you hope the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade?

LT. GOV. STEELE: I think that that’s a matter that’s going to rightly belong to the courts [emphasis added] to decide ultimately whether or not that, that issue should be addressed. The, the Court has taken a position, which I agree, stare decisis, which means that the law is as it is and, and so this is a matter that’s ultimately going to be adjudicated at the states. We’re seeing that. The states are beginning to decide for themselves on, on this and a host of other issues. And the Supreme Court would ultimately decide that.

MR. RUSSERT: But you hope that the Court keeps Roe v. Wade in place?

LT. GOV. STEELE: I think the Court will evaluate the law as society progresses, as the Court is supposed to do.

MR. RUSSERT: But what’s your position? Do you want them to sustain it or overturn it?

LT. GOV. STEELE: Well, I think, I think, I think Roe vs. Wade, Roe vs. Wade is a, is a matter that should’ve been left to the states to decide, ultimately. But it, it is where it is today, and the courts will ultimately decide whether or not this, this gets addressed by the states, goes back to the states in some form or they overturn it outright.

MR. RUSSERT: Is is your desire to keep it in place?

LT. GOV. STEELE: My desire is that we follow what stare decisis is at this point, yes.

---

Doesn't strike me as a pro-lifer anymore.

It's a rather confused mess of a quote - both affirming Roe while saying that states are deciding. It's a mess. Maybe it was meant to be a mess, a straddle.

But I'm unimpressed.

I'd be happy if in the next few days, he'd clarify and reaffirm that Roe should go. I'd be willing to give him a mulligan on it.

But failing that, if he can't find his way to clarify his opposition to Roe, I'm against his chairmanship.

sitetest

[Bigg Red]

Too bad the Archdiocese of Baltimore (America’s First See) can’t seem to find the where-with-al to call to task our CINO Governor Owe’Malley and CINO Senator Mikulski.

&&&
Amen to that.

BTW, now that I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, I am no longer — for the first time in my life — in the Baltimore Diocese. We are in the Dover Diocese.

[AuntB]

Actually, Steele’s few statements about immigration look pretty good. It’s his love for affirmative action that worries me, and he doesn’t like the death penalty, plus playing the race card at the convention.

“I support the current system and improvements to the current system, keeping in mind that while we have done very well in affirmative action at our universities across this country, I look at our boardrooms across the country, I look at NBC, CNBC, Fox, all these stations, all the corporate, corporate companies-and I don’t see affirmative action necessarily being practiced there when I look at the management, when I look at the leadership, when I look at those who have a decision-making role.
Source: 2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006

Affirmative action programs still necessary to close divides
Q: Are federal affirmative action programs necessary and effective?

A: Studies show enormous disparities still exist in education, healthcare, employment and economic opportunities along racial lines in the United States. I believe programs are still necessary to help close these divides. I support giving people opportunities. Programs must be fair to all Marylanders - of every color - and they should focus on economic empowerment.
Source: Responses to Baltimore Sun Survey Aug 7, 2006

We’re still discovering affirmative action in corporations
Q: Do you think the time for affirmative action is past?

A: Absolutely not. We’re just beginning to rediscover what we should be doing with affirmative action. Don’t look at our universities. We got that. Let’s look at our boardrooms, let’s look at the management structure.
Source: Len Lazarick, The Examiner, “Power of the individual” Apr 28, 2006

Led commitment to $70M in grants to minority-owned business
As Lieutenant Governor, Steele chaired a 17-member task force devoted to reforming Maryland’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), which works to provide more opportunities for minority-owned small businesses and further spur job growth and economic vitality. Steele led the way in committing almost $70 million in grants and loan guarantees to strengthen and encourage Maryland’s small and minority-owned businesses.
Source: Press Release, “Black-Owned Business Growth” Apr 18, 2006

Personally opposed to the death penalty. (Mar 2006)

Opposes amnesty for undocumented workers
Steele opposes amnesty for undocumented workers because he said the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 encouraged more than 12 million undocumented immigrants to flood the United States over the past 20 years.

The act legalized undocumented workers who could prove they entered the United States before 1982 and lived here continuously since then. The Immigration and Naturalization Service reported more than 3 million of an estimated 4 million eligible undocumented workers applied for residency under the act, which eventually allowed them to gain U.S. citizenship.

Steele said Congress’ priority should be border control before it should tackle the problem of undocumented immigrants already in the country. “If we’re out on the Chesapeake Bay and we spring a leak, what are we going to do, bail water or stop the leak?” he said. “When you stop the leak you have the peace of mind to deal with the water that has accumulated in the boat.”
Source: Clifford Cumber inteview in Frederick News-Post Aug 8, 2006

Secure our borders immediately; meaningful reform later
Q: Discuss your views on immigration reform, particularly with regard to undocumented aliens already in this country.

A: Congress’s unique inability to multi-task highlights our nation’s need for common- sense immigration reform. Until we see Congress take some real and immediate steps to secure our borders, we can hardly expect Americans to seriously consider proposals for dealing with those illegal immigrants already in our county and those employers who fail to adequately report them. Nearly 1.2 million people were arrested trying to illegally enter the U.S. through the Mexican border last year alone, and an estimated 500,000 evaded capture. This is unacceptable. When a patient has a serious laceration, the doctor’s first priority is to stop the bleeding, and then they can decide if simple stitches or surgery is needed to fix the problem for the long term. First thing’s first: secure our borders and then we can deal with meaningful immigration reform.
Source: Responses to Baltimore Sun Survey Aug 7, 2006
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Michael_Steele.htm

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/19/steele-chastises-gop-for-slighting-youth-minoritie/
Sept. 2008

“The problem is that within the operations of the RNC, they don’t give a damn. It’s all about outreach ... and outreach means let’s throw a cocktail party, find some black folks and Hispanics and women, wrap our arms around them - ‘See, look at us,’ “ he said.

“And then we go back to same old, same old. There’s nothing that is driven down to the state party level, where state chairmen across the country, to the extent they don’t appreciate it, are helped to appreciate the importance of African-Americans and women and others coming and being a part of this party, and to the extent that they do appreciate it, are given support and backup to generate their own programs to create this relationship.”

[CedarDave]

Michael Steele is an outstanding man. We first met him when we where members of St. Mary’s Church in Landover Hills, Maryland. He taught Altar Serving (including my kids), and served Maryland well as Lt. Governor. I voted for him for Senator, but we all know how that turned out. God Bless Michael Steele.

I agree with you and I believe he will be a good RNC chairman.

Michael Steele outlines conservative ideas in Civitas speech