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.
This is a positive sign.
Yes! Good to see!
They all have access to it. They just have to pay for it.
“he cannot support any bill that permits public money to be spent on abortion”.
Yeah I HAVE A REAL DAMN PROBLEM with this too.
And any politician who supports taking my money to pay for abortions anywhere, even overseas has lost my vote.
Thank you Congressman Cao for speaking the truth about this bill that will bankrupt the country, provide free care for illegals (thanks to us taxpayers) and fund abortions as part of national healthcare. If for no other reason, this bill needs to be defeated completely.
Keep politics and religion separate!!!
I emailed Rep. Cao to tell him that he is a GREAT AMERICAN!!
How refreshing it is to see a real man in Congress.
My email came back because of my location. I told him how proud I was to be his fellow American.
So I called and told his staffer who thanked me very much.
Washington Office
2113 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6636
Fax: (202) 225-1988
Saint Thomas More would be proud. Unfortunatley most CINOs Donkeys sold their sold to gain Wales.
It’s no surprise that the Dems included publicly-funded abortion in this bill.
The 2008 DNC platform statement says “The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of the ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right”.
The Dems want taxpayer-funded abortions for any woman (or girl, since age is not a restriction) in any trimester, for any reason.
This policy dovetails nicely with other provisions in the bill that will open the path to nationalized euthenasia for old people, through heathcare benefit denial.
A man of convictions. Excellent.
A man of conviction. NY could use a guy like that. So could Washington
“Keep politics and religion separate!!!”
Yeah, right. Did you forget the (sarc)?
ping
For the 95% of people that live in districts without competition in Congressional races, this is one guy you can give some money to. He is a Republican who slipped into a black district, due in large part to Katrina (people leaving), but also due to some blacks who got fed up with the monsters they get thrown into their faces by black leaders.
He is an amazing person. Also, between opposing abortion and being tough on criminals, he will probably save more black lives than any other Congressman elected by a black district. If he can hold his seat, it will be a body-blow to the Democratic Party.
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