Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao
Posted on 08/03/2009 1:23:16 PM PDT by NYer
.- Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao, (R-New Orleans), the first Vietnamese-American congressman and a Catholic, announced this past weekend that, because of the “stealth mandate” for abortion still present in the Health Care bill, he prefers to “save his soul” rather than vote in favor of it.
Cao, the only member of the Louisiana House delegation who had not weighed in on where he stands on the health reform bill, told the Times-Picayune on Saturday that he cannot support any bill that permits public money to be spent on abortion.
“At the end of the day if the health care reform bill does not have strong language prohibiting the use of federal funding for abortion, then the bill is really a no-go for me,” said Cao, who spent time in formation to be a Jesuit priest.
“Being a Jesuit, I very much adhere to the notion of social justice,” Cao said. “I do fully understand the need of providing everyone with access to health care, but to me personally, I cannot be privy to a law that will allow the potential of destroying thousands of innocent lives,” he explained to the Louisiana newspaper.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that Cao will be one of seven Republican members of Congress targeted with radio ads that will play on radio stations with largely African-American audiences, urging him to support Obama's health reform efforts.
“I know that voting against the health care bill will probably be the death of my political career,” Cao said, “but I have to live with myself, and I always reflect on the phrase of the New Testament, ‘How does it profit a man's life to gain the world but to lose his soul.’”
Cao is the first native of Vietnam to serve in Congress and the first Republican to serve in his district since 1890. He won in a district that usually votes overwhelmingly Democratic.
The poorest member of Louisiana's delegation, and a devout Roman Catholic, Cao served as a board member for Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic Church's Community Development Corporation which assists Vietnamese-Americans with hurricane relief, and is a member of the National Advisory Council of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Cao also told the Times-Picayune that he is still undecided about the merits of including a public option in any health reform redesign. He believes that it may ultimately lead to the destruction of the private insurance market and a "government takeover" of health insurance.
Yah moral values about murder and things have no basis intruding on politics no siree bob.
Or is the anticatholic sentiment riding so high that it trumps supporting a man concerned about supporting the murder of defensless babies ?
There is no mandate on this forum to visit threads that are not of interest to you.
Thank you for the email to the Congressman and the his snail mail address.
And on the other hand, if others follow suit...not just about abortion...but the myriad of other invasive unconstitutional and Marxist provisions permeating this bill this may be his best political move yet.
When I was an Army officer in Vietnam I must admit that my feelings towards the Vietnamese were racist, and my opinions were chauvinistic, etc. I have been continually astonished at what good Americans they have become. In fact I am for the most part ashamed of the present generation of Congress people who seem to have no clue about the Constitution, and no principles other than reelection. This man is a paragon.
Are you serious or being sarcastic?
I doubt those radio ads will contain the following fact:
Freedom of religion not freedom from religion.
BTTT!
Pelican State ping
It is remarkable that he won his district because New Orleans is primarily black and votes democrat. Since Katrina with downsizing of the black population he was able to win (and maybe people have wised up in New Orleans). They also have a large Vietnamese population in Eastern New Orleans. Before Katrina there was one Catholic church in the east with a congregation of 5,000. ( don't know the figure now). He is not in my district but I am glad New Orleans is finally getting a politician with morals and character - they need it.
He won because of an ‘act of God’. Seriously.
A hurricane put him in office... That and laziness on the part of the voters in his community.
William Jefferson - of the $100,000 bribe money in the freezer - didn’t win his primary outright. He needed a runoff.
Hurricane Gustav delayed the runoff election in his district.
So runoff democratic primary was held when everyone else was holding their final election.
Turnout for this election was huge, due to O’s pull. Congressman Jefferson won.
Then a month later, the final election was held.
This was the only election on the ballot.
Interest was low. Turnout was much lower.
Jefferson did not turn out but 1/5th of the voters he did the month prior.
He won because of an ‘act of God’. Seriously.
Thank You God, now if you would please take care of America’s presidency, congress and supreme court, Amen!
_Dad you sure know your stuff!
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