An angry Tim Ryan

[sfc_oliver]

Fact is there is no mention of separation of Church and State in the Constitution. The term is actually from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson (a cousin of my great great great  Grandfather) to a group of church leaders. I forget the name of the church right now.

The Constitution actually only says:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ."

Hope i remembered that right.

[AllanY2525]

The theme song from the old TV show "Baretta" used to say:

"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time" 

If an unwanted pregnancy happens as the result of  consensual sex, I feel that
it's the obligation of the biological parents to live up to their responsibilities and
raise the child to adulthood.  If they are too much of a low-life to fulfill their
parental responsibilities, then they should allow the child to be raised by someone
who will love and provide for the child - whether this involves adoption or not. 

Does the Catholic church still frown on birth control other than the "rhythm
method", or has it changed its stance on this issue? (just asking... I was raised
Lutheran...and I'm not very knowledgeable on the teachings of Catholicism...)

I'm completely pro-life in all but two situations:

1) Rape.  When a woman is brutally attacked and forced to have sex by and with
some psychopath who cares nothing about the sanctity of her life and forcibly
impregnates her and leaves her physically and mentally scarred (probably for life)
I feel the woman should be allowed to decide whether or not she wants to be
further traumatized by bringing into the world a child of rape.

2) When carrying the fetus to term will kill the mother.

I'm not saying that in either situation the mother would be morally right in having
having an abortion, I'm just saying that in these two situations, I'm not sure
whether or not she should be "judged" for it.

These are, of course, only personal feelings on this issue...I try not to judge
anyone because my conscience tells me that I'd be judged just as quickly for it.

As far as government funding for, or intervention in, the issue of abortion goes
we live in a secular society where there is indeed a constitutional separation of
church and state. The founding fathers did this intentionally when they wrote
our constitution - and for good reason.  I'm sure they searched their hearts,
their souls and their collective conscience when they did this.

If the majority of the American people feel that the government should
either fund abortion or become involved in it, then the majority should rule.
This is one of the basic tenants of our system of government, and of the
Constitution.

Feel free to agree or disagree with my views, but please no personal attacks
here..

[Towntalk]

House Democrats seeking executive order on abortion funding

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/20/AR2010032001941.html

[ytowner]

http://vindy.com/news/2010/mar/18/reading-health-care-bill-shows-it-would-bar-spendi/

You made mention that you went through Catholic Schools your whole life like me, well as a Catholic you should be pro-life as well. I don't care what the link says, the Senate bill allows federal funding of abortions Steve! BTW: Your sister graduated with me, hope she is doing well!

[ytowner]

A U.S. Congressman should never be told by the bishop how to vote......separation of church and state....

Read a history book regarding JFK's run for the White House, young college whipper-snapper!

The #1 political issue with Catholics is abortion. Tim Ryan can claim he is pro-life, but his actions say otherwise.

[irishbobcat]

A U.S. Congressman should never be told by the bishop how to vote......separation of church and state....

Read a history book regarding JFK's run for the White House, young college whipper-snapper!

[ytowner]

Perhaps Boccieri and Ryan and Wilson should listen to their Bishop. All three are Catholic and all three should be against this bill:

Statement of Bishop George V. Murry, S. J. on Health Care Reform Vote

"As longtime advocates of health care reform, the U.S. bishops have made the moral case that any reform must protect the life, consciences, dignity and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. I encourage Catholics in the Diocese of Youngstown to continue contacting their congressional representatives to urge support for the bishops' position (See usccb.org/healthcare). I regret, however, that the health care bill in its present form fails to meet the minimum moral criteria of protecting life and freedom of conscience of all citizens. I urge our three local Catholic congressmen, Representatives John Boccieri, Tim Ryan and Charlie Wilson to oppose this legislation in its current form due to its expansion of abortion funding. What we need is a just health care reform that protects the life, health, and dignity of all." --- Bishop George Murray

[sfc_oliver]

I voted for Tim Ryan years ago. ONCE, then I realized my mistake. I'll never forget nor forgive his office for telling me to "expect to lose" when I had a legitimate health care related problem. Tim Ryan could care less about health care. And this Bill is not about Health Care, but Health care insurance and control over it. And if it passes it is the first step towards the supposed Liberal Utopia. I wonder if it will be anything like the movie 1984.....

At any rate I do not remember so many backroom deals and special treatments and promises to get a single bill passed that the American people do not want or need. Are there some problems with our health care system? Of course, but you do not tear down the entire house to fix a leaking faucet.

[Towntalk]

On the House floor Friday afternoon:

Mr. RYAN of Ohio. I thank the gentle lady, and I appreciate the opportunity to come here. My friend from Ohio, we have been through this routine before. We were in the State Senate many years ago together, except I was arguing against his proposals and he was passing them. This time, he's arguing against ours and we're going to pass ours.
   The issue really, here--and I think the gentle lady from California brought it up. Our friends on the other side, Madam Speaker, like to say, Well, seniors are against it. But then AARP endorses it. Our friends on the other side say doctors are against it. But the American Medical Association endorses it. You say that this is pro-abortion, and you have 59,000 Catholic nuns from across the country endorsing this bill, 600 Catholic hospitals, 1,400 Catholic nursing homes endorsing this bill. So you're not calling anybody over here pro-abortion. You're calling 59,000 Catholic nuns pro-abortion, which I think really brings this debate to a head.
   We are doing something that we've not been able to do in this country for a hundred years. We all go back to our districts and with this bill alone we're going to make sure--I know in my congressional district--that over 9,000 people can go back on the rolls because they've been denied because of a preexisting condition. We had 1,700 families in my congressional district last year go bankrupt.
   I know this is difficult. And nobody on this side is saying that this hasn't been a difficult process. It has been. But nothing good happens without it being a little bit difficult and challenging. And that's the point we are at now in our country. We cannot get to the point where we are afraid to do bold things in our country. We have to do this.
   Small businesses all over our State--to the gentleman from Ohio--all over our State can't get enough money to reinvest back into the capital, the technology, the wages that we need in order to get our businesses jump-started because it keeps going over to health care. If you're a small business, you're going to get a tax credit up to 50 percent of your health care costs. This is a tax cut for small businesses. And we're going to make sure that people are healthier and more productive.
   I know our friends on the other side want to say, Well, let's start over. Let's get the blank piece of paper out and let's start all over. Let the insurance industry start all over. Let them go back to 1993 and 1994, revoke all of their increases that they gave to the American people over the last 15 or 20 years. Let them start over. Put all the people who have been denied because of a preexisting condition back on the insurance rolls; all the people who got sick when they had insurance and were kicked off insurance. Put them back on, and then maybe we'll consider starting all over. But we've got to make this bold move to make sure that everybody's in the tent. This is a moral issue on so many levels. We can't keep telling citizens in the wealthiest country that this globe has ever seen that we have the ability to care for you, but we can't afford it. It's time to pass this bill. We're going to do it this weekend. And we're going to look back, just like on Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and civil rights. We did the right thing, the moral thing.