The largest paper in Pennsylvania, and eighth largest in the nation,
The Philadelphia Inquirer penned another piece on Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race today. This one focused on a few of the "social issues," and ended with a nice illustration of where each of the candidates in the field (Chuck Pennacchio, Bob Casey Jr., and Rick Santorum) stand on them.
It's a strange political environment we are operating in, where pointing out a candidate's positions on the issues is seen as an attack. But as the Inquirer notes, there is a primary, and one one that provides a clear choice between candidates.
To win the nomination, Casey must first get by Chuck Pennacchio, a University of the Arts professor who supports abortion rights.
Of course, this primary is about more than just choice. Certainly it's about advancing issues of progress. It's about building a grassroots movement in Pennsylvania that will win elections in 2006, 2008, 2010, and beyond. And it's about the need to elect just one U.S. Senator who will always stand up in the Senate, deny unanimous consent, and provide a voice for people.
I am compelled to post this diary for a few reasons.
1.) It is always a big day for the campaign when the eighth largest newspaper in the country mentions Chuck Pennacchio. Every mention is an affirmation of our growing grassroots organization.
2.) Because there is a serious misconception (or deliberate misinformation) that Bob Casey Jr. is only not progressive on abortion, and he "isn't even that bad on it." So, please, stop misconstruing his position on issues.
3.) People need to know there is not only a choice in this primary, but a clear choice. But the time to act is now, if you choose to wait, we will all be left in May of 2006 thinking, "what would have happened if we just would have gotten involved in April of 2005?"
http://www.chuck2006.com
I will stop talking now, and let the candidates do the talking for themselves.
On Stem Cell Research
Embryonic stem-cell research
Santorum: Opposed President Bush's 2001 decision allowing federal funding for limited research on stem-cell lines.
Casey: Supports the 2001 action, but not an expansion of it.
Pennacchio: Favors increased federal support for the research.
On Federal Judges
Casey said he would, as a senator, avoid a litmus test on any issue in voting on judicial nominees.
Chuck Pennacchio "I will not vote for extremist judges who openly oppose fundamental constitutional rights." Not included in the article, but given in the interview with the reporter for this piece
On the Issue of Choice
A bill requiring doctors to inform women before obtaining an abortion after 20 weeks that their fetus might feel pain and to offer pain-relief medication
Santorum: Cosponsored the bill
Casey: Supports
Pennacchio: Opposes
A bill making it a federal crime for adults with no parental rights to transport minors across state lines to obtain an abortion
Santorum: Cosponsored the bill
Casey: Supports
Pennacchio: Opposes
Ban on late-term abortions
Santorum: Sponsored a 2003 law prohibiting the procedure, also known as "partial-birth abortion."
Casey: Supports the ban.
Pennacchio: Opposes the ban.
Also from the article on Choice
He [Casey Jr.] would not require pharmacists to go against personal beliefs and fill prescriptions for emergency contraceptives, which prevent a fertilized egg from implanting.
Candidate Quotes on Choice
In fairness, the article does cover other aspects of the choice debate that briefly include care for children before and after delivery.
Casey obliges when discussing those and other abortion-related questions, but his answers veer quickly into broader discussions about his support of government programs for women and children.
"Someone who's pro-life does have a corresponding obligation to help the mother and child after birth," Casey said. "Too often, the issue has been framed in a more limited way."
Chuck "We can either choose to eliminate rights or improve lives, and I choose to improve lives. Nobody wants to see another abortion, but what we need to do is make our society a stronger, more supportive environment, in which women will have a real choice."
"The most critical question, the common ground question, is how do we reduce the abortion rate without criminalizing women and doctors? What we need to address, all of us, is how to give women a real choice by providing life affirming support in the form pre-natal care, post-natal care, and economic opportunity." -- Chuck Pennacchio omitted from article, but given in the interview.
The end.
Tim