*** UPDATE *** The Catholic Conference of Illinois has responded to the governor’s comments by saying he dodged the issue…
“Governor Quinn’s statement today that he is recognizing a rape victim for her advocacy work dodges the issue. Our hearts go out to any victim of rape, one of the most personally violent crimes against women,” said Mary Massingale, director of communications.
“He is presenting an award – titled the Pro-Choice Leadership Award – at an event hosted by Personal PAC, an organization that describes itself as a ‘political action committee (PAC) dedicated to electing pro-choice candidates to state and local office in Illinois.’ This action is irreconcilable with any honest profession of the Catholic faith, and it is what prompted the Bishops’ statement.”
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Yesterday, Cardinal George and all Illinois Catholic bishops issued an open letter blasting Gov. Pat Quinn for presenting an award at a Personal PAC event, saying the governor was now going beyond “supporting the legal right to kill children in their mother’s wombs” to the point of “rewarding those deemed most successful in this terrible work.”
“I am going to the event to present an award to a woman who was a victim of rape and who is a very strong advocate of helping rape victims all over our state [and] our country,” Quinn said after an appearance in Chicago to announce state funding to overhaul the CTA’s Red Line. “I really feel that’s a proper, Christian thing to do to honor someone who’s doing someone that helps the community at large.”
Asked whether he’s offended that George and the other bishops were questioning his credentials as a Roman Catholic, Quinn said, “No, I just follow my conscience. That’s all you can do in life.”
“The governor is saying a few kind words about a woman who has been raped and had the courage to tell her story,” Cosgrove said. “The Catholic Bishops attacking him for that and accusing women of killing their children is a new low in public discourse, even for them.”
Powerful stuff. Personal PAC’s ads, mailers and phone calls did more to elect Pat Quinn governor than anything else last year. Quinn defeated pro-life Catholic Bill Brady.
* Whether or not you agree with the Cardinal and the bishops, this is still a free country and they have a right to voice their opinion. If Quinn was presenting an award at a pro-life fundraiser, I’m sure Cosgrove would have something to say about it. If Quinn was an AFSCME member, he’d have lost his union card by now.
So, please, try to keep your “separation of church and state” notions in line with reality when you comment. Thanks.
* In other news, three Republican legislators from Springfield say they doubt that any major pension reforms will surface next week…
Springfield’s lawmakers said Wednesday they do not think a bill revamping pensions for current state employees will be called for a vote during the remaining three days of the veto session.
Appearing before The State Journal-Register editorial board, Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, and Reps. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, and Rich Brauer, R-Petersburg, also said they might consider a borrowing plan for the state if the money could be repaid in less than a year and Gov. Pat Quinn specifies exactly how the borrowed money will be spent. […]
“I’m inclined to think it won’t occur this year, nor will it in the spring,” Bomke said.
His argument is that lawmakers face elections next year and will be running in newly drawn districts, making them reluctant to deal with a controversial issue like changing pensions.
Springfield Republicans probably aren’t the best source for news about pension reform, for obvious reasons, but they’re not alone in predicting a lack of action. We’ll see soon enough.
If the efforts to change the pension aren’t successful, it will be due to overreach on the part of the individuals supporting the changes. Increases in pension contributions, negotiated through the collective bargaining process would have been a more easily met goal. By taking an all or nothing approach, it’s possible the Civic commitee may get far less than they hoped. It’s not unlike the approach to the collective bargaining bill in May which included thousands of people. Were they to have focused on Wardens, Deputy Directors and Legislative Liasons, they might have got something. In either case, working with rather than against the people impacted would seem like a more effective strategy.
People on the labor side aren’t convinced the pension bill is dead, they continue to try to get people to contact their legislators regarding the pension changes. Maybe they know something Springfield area legislators don’t, or maybe they are being overly cautious.
“Powerful stuff. Personal PAC’s ads, mailers and phone calls did more to elect Pat Quinn governor than anything else last year. Quinn defeated pro-life Catholic Bill Brady.”
———————————–
Rich: I totally agree and have been saying so. The unions are claiming and receiving credit, but if you look closely where Quinn picked up votes in the suburbs especially among women, it wasn’t the unions that made that happen. It was mailers and TV from Personal PAC.
As far as the Cardinal and Bishops, I think they spoke out here without knowing all details. Otherwise, they should be embarassed. This is not the best issue/person to call the governor out on for his pro-choice position.
Quinn gave a very appropriate response; honoring the courage of this young woman who stands up for fellow victims is not something the Church should admonish. Especially considering their poor record on defending victims of sexual assault.
Bill Brady is not pro-life, he is anti-abortion. He was in favor of lifting the moratorium on the death penalty. How does Cardinal George feel about that?
So true, Big. The 1st time in months I have agreed with Quinn. This is the front page story in the Sun Times today. However, in the same issue, there is a report that childhood poverty is @ record levels.
Yet nothing from George on that!
Sometimes, I don’t know what happened to the Church I grew up with. Gay marriage and abortion seem to be the only issues EVER mentioned now. Everything else is relegated to the back.
I became a Democrat not in spite of being Catholic. I became a Democrat because my Catholic upbringing taught me we were to have preferential treatment of the poor. See Matthew’s gospel, the beatitudes, and the like.
Sadly, the strong tradition of social justice being a noble and sacred undertaking seems to have become the Catholic Church’s greatest secret!
Pension “reform” is not reform if it’s just taking it away from regular workers. Amazing how the General Assembly never mentioned “reforming” their own juicy pensions.
No fan of Quinn, but the cardinal and bishops make him look like a statesman. When, oh when, will they quit trying to shove their extreme religious views down our throats by legislation. If they could they would criminalize birth control. Welcome to the inquisition.
If they have not done so already, I would like to see the IL bishops deny Quinn from receiving Holy Communion — since his actions are completely contrary to Catholic teaching.
Quinn may be Catholic, but he has chosen a blantantly simple political position on a very difficult societal issue that completely ignores what his faith and science professes. He is no leader. He is a sell out. He actually attacked his political opponent on an issue they should be more in agreement on.
Both Quinn and Brady are Catholic. Brady did not run an anti abortion campaign, but Quinn did by spending millions stating that Brady was. Quinn’s campaign was not just cynical politically, it was spiritually cynical as well. Quinn beat Brady by portraying Brady as the better Catholic.
Quinn just doesn’t flip flop on issues, he is the personification of consciencelessness.
Someone like that is really not on anyone’s side but his own.
I am not denigrating his faith. I am questioning it based on his actions.
Want to know why Quinn can spout multiple positions on the same issue?
So does his church.
Quinn appealed to a voter base by selling out his church’s pro-life stand, and smeared his opponent for supporting it while in the General Assembly. Brady did not run an anti abortion campaign. Quinn did.
If my postings make no sense it would be senseless to attack them as you do, wouldn’t it?
You like playing that game with other bloggers as well.
Don’t counter with another interpretation. Just claim that what was written makes no sense, then attack the sense it was based on.
What you often post makes a great deal of sense. That said, you need help entertaining thoughts and ideas that are new to you. You don’t follow very well. You seem to be only able to listen to yourself.
- Senator Clay Davis - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 3:16 pm:
Good for Quinn for standing up strongly for his position on this. Now he needs to stand up strongly on some other issue. Any issue. Effectively.
- And I Approved This Message - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 3:18 pm:
I miss Cardinal Bernardin. He gave Catholic politicians a wide berth on this issue.
- AC - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 3:22 pm:
If the efforts to change the pension aren’t successful, it will be due to overreach on the part of the individuals supporting the changes. Increases in pension contributions, negotiated through the collective bargaining process would have been a more easily met goal. By taking an all or nothing approach, it’s possible the Civic commitee may get far less than they hoped. It’s not unlike the approach to the collective bargaining bill in May which included thousands of people. Were they to have focused on Wardens, Deputy Directors and Legislative Liasons, they might have got something. In either case, working with rather than against the people impacted would seem like a more effective strategy.
People on the labor side aren’t convinced the pension bill is dead, they continue to try to get people to contact their legislators regarding the pension changes. Maybe they know something Springfield area legislators don’t, or maybe they are being overly cautious.
- Niles Township - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 3:47 pm:
“Powerful stuff. Personal PAC’s ads, mailers and phone calls did more to elect Pat Quinn governor than anything else last year. Quinn defeated pro-life Catholic Bill Brady.”
———————————–
Rich: I totally agree and have been saying so. The unions are claiming and receiving credit, but if you look closely where Quinn picked up votes in the suburbs especially among women, it wasn’t the unions that made that happen. It was mailers and TV from Personal PAC.
As far as the Cardinal and Bishops, I think they spoke out here without knowing all details. Otherwise, they should be embarassed. This is not the best issue/person to call the governor out on for his pro-choice position.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 3:57 pm:
Quinn gave a very appropriate response; honoring the courage of this young woman who stands up for fellow victims is not something the Church should admonish. Especially considering their poor record on defending victims of sexual assault.
- Lakeview - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 3:58 pm:
Bill Brady is not pro-life, he is anti-abortion. He was in favor of lifting the moratorium on the death penalty. How does Cardinal George feel about that?
- BigTwich - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 4:57 pm:
Quinn sounds like the adult in the room. Its a cold day.
- CatholicDem - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 5:08 pm:
So true, Big. The 1st time in months I have agreed with Quinn. This is the front page story in the Sun Times today. However, in the same issue, there is a report that childhood poverty is @ record levels.
Yet nothing from George on that!
Sometimes, I don’t know what happened to the Church I grew up with. Gay marriage and abortion seem to be the only issues EVER mentioned now. Everything else is relegated to the back.
I became a Democrat not in spite of being Catholic. I became a Democrat because my Catholic upbringing taught me we were to have preferential treatment of the poor. See Matthew’s gospel, the beatitudes, and the like.
Sadly, the strong tradition of social justice being a noble and sacred undertaking seems to have become the Catholic Church’s greatest secret!
- Flan - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 10:49 pm:
Pension “reform” is not reform if it’s just taking it away from regular workers. Amazing how the General Assembly never mentioned “reforming” their own juicy pensions.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Nov 3, 11 @ 11:52 pm:
The unions won Quinn the primary.
Pro-choice women won Quinn the general.
I think Personal PAC and the unions both can claim credit for Quinn’s victory(if they want to?)
- wishbone - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 12:08 am:
No fan of Quinn, but the cardinal and bishops make him look like a statesman. When, oh when, will they quit trying to shove their extreme religious views down our throats by legislation. If they could they would criminalize birth control. Welcome to the inquisition.
- Anon - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 12:47 am:
If they have not done so already, I would like to see the IL bishops deny Quinn from receiving Holy Communion — since his actions are completely contrary to Catholic teaching.
- OneMan - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 7:48 am:
== The unions won Quinn the primary. ==
Bet they are thrilled about that now…
- VanillaMan - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 8:01 am:
Quinn may be Catholic, but he has chosen a blantantly simple political position on a very difficult societal issue that completely ignores what his faith and science professes. He is no leader. He is a sell out. He actually attacked his political opponent on an issue they should be more in agreement on.
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 8:01 am:
It takes a lot of guts for a Fenwick kid to do the right thing and stand up to the pezzonovante of the church, time and again.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 8:28 am:
Both Quinn and Brady are Catholic. Brady did not run an anti abortion campaign, but Quinn did by spending millions stating that Brady was. Quinn’s campaign was not just cynical politically, it was spiritually cynical as well. Quinn beat Brady by portraying Brady as the better Catholic.
Quinn just doesn’t flip flop on issues, he is the personification of consciencelessness.
Someone like that is really not on anyone’s side but his own.
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 9:04 am:
VMan, you are way out of line.
How dare you denigrate another man’s faith? Who the hell are you?
I’m astounded. Apparently, you can spout the most hateful, ignorant, sanctimonious bile about Quinn here and it makes the grade.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 9:29 am:
I am not denigrating his faith. I am questioning it based on his actions.
Want to know why Quinn can spout multiple positions on the same issue?
So does his church.
Quinn appealed to a voter base by selling out his church’s pro-life stand, and smeared his opponent for supporting it while in the General Assembly. Brady did not run an anti abortion campaign. Quinn did.
Who is denigrating their faith here?
- wordslinger - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 9:43 am:
VMan, read what you wrote, or have someone read it to you, maybe they can make some sense of it.
You called the man conscienceless. You denigrated his faith. You are what you are.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Nov 4, 11 @ 10:53 am:
If my postings make no sense it would be senseless to attack them as you do, wouldn’t it?
You like playing that game with other bloggers as well.
Don’t counter with another interpretation. Just claim that what was written makes no sense, then attack the sense it was based on.
What you often post makes a great deal of sense. That said, you need help entertaining thoughts and ideas that are new to you. You don’t follow very well. You seem to be only able to listen to yourself.