Brownback - Turncoat

Spirit & Life®
"The words I spoke to you are spirit and life." (Jn 6:63)
Human Life International e-Newsletter
Volume 04, Number 10 | Friday, March 6, 2009
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www.hli.org

Brownback - Turncoat

I am not a politician, I am a priest. So I would like to give my priestly perspective about the recent endorsement of Senator Sam Brownback for the candidacy of Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of Health and Human Services: Senator Brownback's cowardly betrayal of his Catholic faith is even more damaging than his political permission for this renegade to take office.

The situation is atrocious. An extremist abortion hack (called the most pro-abortion governor in the nation by many), who falsely calls herself "Catholic," is given the opportunity to preside over the nation's healthcare system and normalize abortion even further; this radical is then endorsed by a US senator who also calls himself "Catholic" and who, many believe, wants her job back home when she becomes the abortion queen in DC.

With pro-lifers like Senator Sam Brownback, who needs pro-aborts?

Moral theologians can work out what level of cooperation in evil the Senator's endorsement represents - he is, after all, an influential senator whose opposition, if he had given it, may very well have stopped her nomination. Yet, those of us who do not breathe the rarified air of Washington DC and who have dedicated our lives to defending the sanctity of human life understand one thing: any covenant with the abortion industry or its promoters is consent to the killing. As a convert to the Catholic Faith, Senator Brownback seems not to understand the Church's profoundly wounded heart with regard the slaughter of the innocents. The Church tells us never to participate in that slaughter, no matter what the cost; we do not give aid and comfort to the enemies of human life, we do not stand by while the innocent are being dragged off to a violent murder, and under no circumstances do we endorse the political aspirations of their executioners. Politicians who sell the lives of babies for political gains are the worst kind of turncoats.

Yet, this Catholic Senator's decision constitutes, I think, a watershed moment for all of us who want to see an end to the immoral industry of baby-killing in our country. We will never be served by the compromise of our principles in any form. Catholicism is the solution to this culture of death. If only Catholics ourselves would fully live up to our doctrine and put it into practice, there would be no "Tiller the Killer"s in Kansas, no partial birth abortions, no immoral sex education in the schools or Planned Parenthoods dominating our public life. Self-described "Catholics" like Brownback (in politics), Doug Kmiec (in academia), Hannity, Matthews and O'Reilly (in media) and others are not the solution to the problem - they are enablers of the problem. Despite their high-sounding lip service to the culture of life, they are compromisers. They will never end abortion because they don't want to end abortion.

I have often said that false Catholics, whether they be Cardinals, politicians or janitors, are the ones who have the most to account for on the Day of Judgment when they will have to account for ignoring Christ in His "least brethren," the unborn. Whether through advocacy of the evil (like Sebelius) or negligence in stopping it (like Brownback), they have blood on their hands. They've been given everything the Church has to offer: the teaching, the sacraments, the example of the saints and the grace to stand against Satan and all his works and all his empty promises. In other words, they know better, and the Biblical warning applies to them: "To whom much has been given, much will be required." Cowards and turncoats beware.

Sincerely,


Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International

I'm Finished With This Guy

Remember in My Cousin Vinny when Vinny was done cross examining the one witness he ends by saying, 'I'm finished with this guy' or something along those lines? Thats a pretty accurate description of how I feel about Senator Brownback right now.

Brownback issued a joint statement with fellow senator from Kansas, Pat Roberts, congratulating the Governor.

"It's an honor for the State of Kansas to have an elected official appointed to the president's cabinet," stated the senators. "We are hopeful Governor Sebelius will be a voice for Kansas and rural America at the Department. We look forward to working with her on issues important to the state including a National Cancer Institute Designation at the University of Kansas Cancer Center."

ALL's Judie Brown on Sen. Brownback: "I'll never use 'pro-life' to describe him again"

I had been a fan of Senator Brownback, I supported his (short) run in the primary, and always appreciated his strong pro-life support. I can't understand why he would kiss up to Sebelius like this, she is extremely pro-abortion and is an ally of Tiller the Killer. I guess political expediency is more important than the lives of unborn children.

Prenatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act

Senator Brownback gave a speech on Friday about the Prenatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act. Bernie Sanders voted it down. Leticia has more on it here. You'd think between the two of them (Kennedy and Brownback) that it could be passed, but I guess not. Here is Senator Brownback's speech as shared by Leticia.

Madam President, we also, I think, need a government that will stand up for the weakest and most vulnerable amongst us as well. I have got a real story of human heroism that I wanted to share with the body, and then I am hopeful we can agree to a piece of legislation that Senator Kennedy and I have done that has been rolled into this bigger package that has drawn a lot of difficulty. But this is a piece Senator Kennedy and I have worked on for a couple of years now. There is no reason for this to be blocked. So I am hopeful we can then move to it and pass it through this body, move it on forward.

I have got a picture of a gentleman. I want to show you a wonderful man. This is Thomas Vander Woude. This is an incredible story here in the suburbs around Washington, DC. On September 8, Thomas Vander Woude returned from mass that he had gone to in Gainesville, VA. He attended mass regularly and was working in his yard with his youngest son, who is 20 years old, Joseph. He is known by the family as Josie. Josie is a Downs syndrome adult. He fell through a 2 foot by 2 foot piece of metal that covered an opening to a septic tank, Josie did. His dad Thomas immediately rushed to his aid. According to an account in the Washington Post, when he saw that Joseph could not keep his head above the muck, Vander Woude, who was 66, jumped in the tank, ``submerged himself in sewage so he could push his son up from below and keep his head above the muck.''

Tom Vander Woude saved his son, but he drowned in the process. As it is stated so eloquently: There is no greater love than to lay down your life for another. And Tom Vander Woude laid down his life for his 20-year-old Downs syndrome son. This is a beautiful story that has taken place of the dedication of a father for his son, an act of heroism, but in his quiet life of dedication to his son, to his wife Mary Ellen of 43 years, to his six sons, 24 grandchildren, and to his country. Tom served his Nation as a pilot in Vietnam, and after the war worked as a commercial airline pilot. Around the community of Gainesville, though, he was known as a generous neighbor, a volunteer at church, a basketball and soccer coach for the high school in Manassas that five of his sons attended. He was also a farmer, something dear to my heart, I know to the Chair, the Presiding Officer as well. Most of all, he was known as Josie's devoted dad. Wherever you found Tom--at a game, at church, helping a neighbor--there was Josie, lending a hand. Tom Vander Woude knew the value of his son's life. He considered it so precious that he gave his own to save it. He never considered the special care and attention that Joseph required because of his Downs syndrome, he never considered that a burden to the family. On the contrary, ``he always considered Joseph a wonderful blessing to the family,'' a special gift from God who brings out the best in his family and the lives of all of those he touches.

This is true of so many families who have children with difficulties. They find that through all of the difficulty and trial of caring for and providing for their child who has a mental disability, these special individuals are ambassadors of love and of understanding, filled with an openness and unconditional affection that acts as a humanizing force of compassion in their families and in their communities. But we have to be open to this kind of gift and to the potential of every human life to make our world a better place.

Now that I reflect on Tom Vander Woude and the value he placed on the life of his son, I also thought of Sarah Palin and what she said about her son, Trig, born in April. When the Governor and her husband Todd were told last year that the child she was expecting in May would be born with Downs syndrome, they knew that ending that pregnancy was never an option for them. After all, why would it be? ``We understand,'' she was quoted as saying at the time, ``that every innocent life has wonderful potential.'' The problem is that between 80 and 90 percent of the children diagnosed with Downs syndrome in the United States will not make it to the world, simply because they have a positive genetic test in prenatal screening, tests which can be wrong, by the way.

I have had a number of people come up to me and say they had a positive Downs syndrome designation and the child was born and the child did not have Downs syndrome. America is poorer because of this. To deny children with disabilities a chance at life will make us more insensitive, callous, and jaded, and will take away from the diversity of American life. I do not think this is what we were meant to do. So Senator Kennedy and I, for about 2 years now, have been working on a bill. What we are trying to do with this bill is to see that more Downs syndrome children make it here and get here. It is a pretty simple bill that establishes a registry of people who are willing to adopt Downs syndrome children. So that if someone gets that diagnosis and they say, I cannot handle it, fine. The answer is not to kill the child, the answer is to put the child up for adoption. We have got people willing to adopt it, and also to put forward information to people about the current condition of a Downs syndrome child and what all is available, because a lot is available for this child.So we worked a long time, got the spending lined up--we are in good shape on that--and we are ready to move forward with this so we can get more of these special kids here. What I was hoping we can do, and we had it almost passed through, and then this got caught up in the clutter of things, was that we could get this bill hot-lined--Senator Kennedy's sister is a big proponent of this, has done great work with the Special Olympics--that we could do this. It got caught up in this overall package. Nobody objects to this bill. What I would like to see us do is let us take the pieces of this overall omnibus that we can agree to and let's do them. So then we have got some progress that is being shown.

UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--S. 1810 I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 701, S. 1810, the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act. The lead sponsors are Senator Kennedy and myself. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment at the desk be agreed to, the committee-reported amendment, as amended, be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no interviewing action or debate, and that we can get more of these special children here.

I always did like Senator Brownback, thats why I was supporting him for President. I think he was the first of them to drop out and then he went to support Senator McCain - something I never really could figure out. Maybe he knew something I didn't. Maybe in a McCain White House Senator Brownback could be named Secretary of Saving Babies or Secretary of In The Womb Security... only in my little world I guess.

There was an article about Tom Vander Woude from Lifesite.net a little over a week ago.

Brownback talks to Giuliani

I don't like the sound of this. Not at all.

Brownback talks to Giuliani, Catholics for Brownback “outraged”

Washington DC, Oct 26, 2007 / 09:00 am (CNA).- Senator Sam Brownback, the Kansas Republican who sought the Republican presidential nomination on a socially conservative platform, is considering supporting former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's candidacy. He met with the former mayor on Thursday to discuss his position on abortion.

“I’m going to meet with him and I’m going to talk to him and hear what he is specifically saying now because he’s changed on a number of the abortion issues,” Brownback said in an interview with The Hill. “He’s changed on partial-birth [abortion] and he … has said he would appoint strict constructionists” to the Supreme Court.

Giuliani’s Pro-Abortion Credentials

Many social conservatives consider Giuliani to be a very weak candidate. They cite his pro-abortion positions and connections, which include support for federal funding of abortions, making abortion available at any stage of pregnancy, support for partial-birth abortion and receiving several donations from Planned Parenthood. Giuliani’s approval of homosexuality is another reason that he is seen as an unfit candidate for the Republican nomination by many.

Elizabeth Shipp of NARAL Pro-Choice America told The Huffington Post in an Oct. 10 story that “it ‘would help’ the abortion rights movement if Giuliani proves it's possible a pro-choice candidate can win the Republican nomination and the presidency.”

Federal tax returns made public by the former New York mayor also show that he and his then-wife, Donna Hanover, made personal donations to national, state and city chapters of Planned Parenthood totaling $900 in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999.

Political Strategy

Some political strategists consider a Brownback endorsement as a “back door” way for Giuliani to gain supporters from the conservative Brownback base. Before dropping out of the race, Brownback had over 45,000 registered supporters in the key election state of Iowa.

Sources familiar with Brownback’s campaigning in Iowa have told CNA that he has strong support among conservative Catholics as well, much of it organized through the group "Catholics for Brownback." The group claims hundreds of Iowan Catholics at the grassroots level who were willing to campaign for the former candidate because of his supposedly strong pro-life stance.

Reaction

According to Jay Heine, Brownback's political director in Iowa, an endorsement could happen because Brownback and many of his supporters believe Giuliani has the best chance of defeating Senator Hillary Clinton, the expected Democratic nominee.

The possibility that Brownback is likely to endorse Giuliani has left “Iowa moms and Catholics outraged," according to a Catholics for Brownback source who contacted CNA.

Speaking of the potential Brownback endorsement, Ross K. Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University said, “It would be absolutely huge. It would mean that Giuliani is getting support from a part of the Republican Party that has been hostile to him."

“Brownback is very well-respected,” he added. “It would give a lot of social conservatives and evangelicals cover if they want to support Giuliani.”

Others were not enthusiastic about the possible endorsement. Kim Lehman, president of Iowa Right to Life Committee and a member of the Iowans for Brownback Leadership Committee, said she would be stunned if Brownback supported Giuliani.

“I find it simply hard to believe because Giuliani has expressed his position to even pay for abortion,” she said.

However, after meeting with Giuliani, Brownback seemed to have changed his tune to the dismay of his Catholic supporters. “While he didn't endorse the ex-mayor, he praised him as an "excellent leader" and said he was "much more comfortable" with Giuliani's views on abortion and gay rights issues after the meeting,” according to the Washington Post.

Asked by reporters in a brief press conference after the meeting with Giuliani if he could support a "pro-choice" nominee, Brownback said "I don't know that he described himself...as a pro-choice candidate" and then said he wanted to let Giuliani explains his own view.

Brownback has not yet endorsed Giuliani, but a source from the senator's campaign team has said that the senator will decide which candidate to endorse within the next month.

Brownback to Leave Race for Presidency

Republican Sam Brownback to Leave Race for Presidency, Sources Say
Thursday, October 18, 2007

WASHINGTON — Republican Sam Brownback will drop out of the 2008 presidential campaign on Friday, people close to the Kansas senator said Thursday.

Brownback, a longshot conservative contender, had trouble raising money to compete in the race. He is expected announce his withdrawal in Topeka, Kan.

More

North Korean Christian evangelist to be executed as example

H/T 50 Days After

North Korean Christian evangelist to be executed as example

Pyongyang, Jul 11, 2007 / 10:53 am (CNA).- An international organization that assists persecuted Christians around the world, launched a worldwide campaign July 10th to free a North Korean man awaiting public execution for being a Christian.

For more than a year, Son Jong Nam, a former army officer turned underground evangelist, has been beaten, tortured and held in a bleak, North Korean death row basement jail in the capital city. He has been sentenced to public execution as an example to the North Korean people.

Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) has been joined in the initiative by U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Sam Brownback (R-Kan).

Brownback sent letters last week, also signed by Senators Baucus (D-Mont.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Vitter (R-La.), asking U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to work to secure the release of the Christian prisoner.

VOM is calling on people in the United States and around the world to write letters and send e-mails on Son Jong Nam's behalf.

More

Brownback

There is just something funny about Sam Brownback being my friend on Myspace that makes me laugh.

Bobby Schindler Endorses Brownback for President

Bobby Schindler, Brother of Terri Schiavo, Endorses Brownback for President

Bobby Schindler Endorses Brownback for President Terri Schiavo's brother thanks Brownback for his efforts to protect all human life

ALEXANDRIA , Va. - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback received an endorsement today from Bobby Schindler, the brother of the late Terri Schiavo. Schiavo died nearly two years ago from starvation and dehydration after a court mandated the removal of her feeding tube, sparking a nationwide bipartisan effort to save her life.

"My family will never forget Sam Brownback's valiant efforts to save my sister's life," said Schindler. "Sam Brownback is the pro-life conservative we can trust to stand for all life, regardless of political calculations."

This endorsement comes one day after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stated his opposition to the efforts of Florida Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida legislature to save Terri from her court-ordered starvation and dehydration: "I think it's probably best to leave these kinds of matters in the hands of the courts," Romney said yesterday to Bay News Channel 9 in Florida.

"Mitt Romney's alleged pro-life conversion evidently does not to apply to all human life," said Schindler. "The pro-life movement needs a leader we can trust in 2008 and I know Sam Brownback is that leader."

In 2005, Brownback joined the family of Terri Schiavo to launch the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the rights of disabled, elderly, and vulnerable citizens against care-rationing, euthanasia, and medical killing.

Brownback commented, "Terri's plight highlighted the core question about the protection of human life: does the dignity with which we treat individuals depend on their physical or mental status as human beings? If a person's dignity depends only on his or her physical status, then life and death decisions about the most vulnerable among us become relative matters to be determined by doctors, judges, lawyers, and legislatures. Once we go down the path of valuing some lives more than others, of saying that people with disabilities don't have the same dignity and right to life as others, there are very few means not justified by the sinister end of a disability-free society. The way a society treats individuals with disabilities is a measure of the greatness of that society."

Link

Brownback, an advocate for the disabled

Brownback, an advocate for the disabled at Pro-Life Blogs.

The Great Commandment

I saw this entry about Senator Brownback at Pro-Life blogs, and I thought this was a beautiful paragraph that they outlined at the end of the entry.

Few candidates have the ability to write the following with sincerity:

At the end of the day, it comes back to the basics: faith, family, and freedom. America is great because she is good. That goodness is not based in Washington, or New York, or even Topeka. It is based in the hearts of the American people. This is a goodness whose Author is the Divine. A goodness that doesn't let us rest until our neighbor is at peace. A goodness that feels the chains of another rub on our own skin. A goodness from God that demands our vigilant action.

How much better we will be as we seek to live the Great Commandment to love God and one another.

Brownback Joins the Race

Sen. Brownback joins presidential field

Sam Brownback Gets Endorsement of Iowa Pro-Life Group

Sam Brownback Gets Endorsement of Iowa Pro-Life Group's Leader

Catholics for Brownback

If you like Senator Sam Brownback, like I do, you might be interested in this article.

Domino's founder eyes next president