Sunday, February 11, 2007

This weeks Catholic Politician Profile - Ted Kennedy

Ted Kennedy - U.S. Senate - Massachusetts (D)

Based on Catholic Teaching
+ Plus indicates Good Catholic
- Minus indicates not so Good Catholic

The Dignity of the Human Person
Voted YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005) -
Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004) -
Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003) -
Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999) -
Voted NO on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)-
Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003) -
Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004) -
Voted NO on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals. (May 1994)+
Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing. (Mar 2001)+
Require DNA testing for all federal executions. (Mar 2001) +
Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004) +
Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006) +
Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics. (Nov 2005) +
Collect data on birth defects and present to the public. (Apr 1998) +

The Dignity of Work
Voted YES on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25. (Mar 2005) +
Voted NO on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress. (Mar 2001) +
Voted NO on killing an increase in the minimum wage. (Nov 1999) +
Voted NO on allowing workers to choose between overtime & comp-time. (May 1997) +
Voted NO on replacing farm price supports. (Feb 1996) +
Protect overtime pay protections. (Jun 2003) +
Rated 100% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record. (Dec 2003) +

The Person in the Community
Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002) +
Voted YES on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998) +
Steadfast opponent of vouchers. (Jan 2001) -
Voted YES on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors. (May 1999) -
Small Business loans for child care businesses. (Apr 2003) +

Rights and Responsibilities
Voted NO on $40B in reduced federal overall spending. (Dec 2005)+
Voted NO on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts. (Apr 2000) +
Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006) +
Voted YES on adopting the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. (Oct 1999)+
Voted NO on cutting nuclear weapons below START levels. (May 1999)+
Voted YES on banning chemical weapons. (Apr 1997)+
Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record. (Dec 2003)+

Option for Those in Poverty
Voted NO on welfare block grants. (Aug 1996) +
Voted YES on eliminating block grants for food stamps. (Jul 1996) +
Voted NO on allowing state welfare waivers. (Jul 1996) +
Voted NO on welfare overhaul. (Sep 1995) +
Establish a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund. (Jul 2003) +
Tax credits to promite home ownership in distressed areas. (Apr 2003) +
Fully fund AmeriCorps. (Jun 2003) +

Solidarity
Voted NO on cap foreign aid at only $12.7 billion. (Oct 1999)+
Voted YES on limiting the President's power to impose economic sanctions. (Jul 1998)+
Voted YES on $17.9 billion to IMF. (Mar 1998)+
Voted YES on ending Vietnam embargo. (Jan 1994)+
Voted NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade. (Jul 2005)+
Rated 25% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record. (Dec 2002) +
Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)+
Voted YES on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)+
Voted NO on $86 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003)+
Voted NO on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)+

Care for Creation
Voted YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's AMWR. (Nov 2005) +
Voted YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%). (Jun 2005) +
Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Mar 2005) +
Voted NO on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003) +
Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010. (Jun 2003) +
Voted YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill. (Mar 2003) +
Voted NO on drilling ANWR on national security grounds. (Apr 2002) +
Rated 89% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes. (Dec 2003) +
EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004) +

100% Rating by NETWORK on issues related to Catholic Social Teaching.

Respect for the dignity of each individual person: No
The common good: Yes
Health and future of the planet: Yes
The dignity of work: Yes
Care for those who are poor and vulnerable: Yes
The dignity of all creation: No
Human rights: Yes

This is a tough decision based on Senator Kennedy's long and vocal support of abortion rights. However nobody champions the least of these in this world in the Senate more than Ted Kennedy. He also has been against the war in Iraq from the beginning. It is our hope that he will take a close and hard look at some of the abortion reduction acts currently in Congress and will sponsor them in the Senate. We could elevate him to good status if he does sponsor one of these bills.

Recomendations - Read Evangelium Vitae, schedule visit with USCCB Pro Life Office

Final Rating: Needs Improvement Catholic Politician