IL - Citizens For Life - Please Contact Them!

[TTB]

I just received an email with the following information. Please email Illinois Citizens for Life to help correct their Pro-Life rating for Ron Paul. Many, many voters use solely this list to determine their vote! Ron Paul should definitely be listed as a "1". Let's get this changed - asap.

Presidential Candidates Rating

1 - MIKE HUCKABEE (R)
1 - ALAN KEYES (R)
1 - TOM TANCREDO (R)
1 - FRED THOMPSON (R)
2 - JOHN McCAIN (R)
2 - RON PAUL (R)
2 - MITT ROMNEY (R)

Points to metion:

1) Sponsored a bill to define life as beginning at conception.
2) Would leave pro-life legislation up to the states; get the Federal Govt out of the issue by overturning Roe v Wade via legislation.
3) Under our Republic, States rightly have sovereignty over this issue.
4) Pro-Life also encompasses being pro-peace, anti-premptive war, and anti-death penalty.
5) Ron Paul as President (unlike others) would actually DO something about the issue!

Here is the info from the email:

Illinois Citizens for Life
February 5, 2008, Illinois Primary Election Information

===============

Candidates have been surveyed and rated by Illinois Citizens for Life with respect to pro-life issues (Abortion, Euthanasia, Embryonic Stem Cell research and related issues). This was done through surveys, public statements, and/or voting records. The ratings are to the left of the listing and represent the following:

1 = Fully Pro-Life
3 = Will not support most Pro-life issues
2 = Not in full support of all Pro-Life issues
4 = Totally opposed to Pro-Life issues
* = An asterisk indicates incumbent
# = Rape and Incest Exception
U = Unknown (Did not answer or complete survey.)
X = Does not have a Pro-Life position, but we do not have enough information to enable ICL to give a number rating.

===============

If you would like further information, call Illinois Citizens for Life at:

630/852-5448 or 773/583-2069

You may also send email to: icl@icl-life.com

This list does not constitute support or endorsement by Illinois Citizens for Life and cannot be used to advance the candidacy of any individual. Every effort has been made to insure the accuracy of this information. We regret any errors. Updates and corrections will be posted on our web site at: http://www.icl-life.com. To vote in a Primary Election, a voter must choose the ballot for only one party.

================

Thanks,

Tom

[dkim68]

How could they have screwed this up? An OBGYN responsible for delivering 4,000 babies, who as a Congressman and Physician has been one of the most vocal Pro-Lifers involved in politics, introducing the "Sanctity of Life" Act which would effectively end Roe v. Wade.

[TTB]

I spoke with ICL's main lobbyist and he explained why they have Ron as a "2". Evidently Ron voted against legislation that would make it a crime for a parent to transport a minor across state lines to avoid the state's abortion laws. Knowing Ron, he would have had a very good reason for voting against this. Does anyone have more information about this? This link explains the legislation in question:

http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Ron_Paul_Abortion.htm

These must be the votes in question:

Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act; Bill HR 748 - Voted NO
Unborn Victims of Violence Act; Bill HR 1997 - Voted NO
Human Cloning Prohibition Act; Bill HR 534 - Voted NO

[RPinUptownChi]

EDIT-

ok i talked to a woman in the suburban office...i pointed out to her that three of the candidates with '1' ratings are no longer in the race, and i also pointed out that the only remaining candidate with a '1' rating is Mike Huckabee, who has never held a national office and so hasn't really got a legislative record to reference.

SHE AGREED ON THOSE POINTS...nice...

THEN i asked her if there wasn't some way for their group to make a greater differentiation between McCain, Romney and Paul since those are going to be the three most likely pro-life choices on Feb. 5th...She was AMENABLE with this idea and recommended that I contact RALPH RIVERA at the chicago office, the 773-583-2069...

SO, if anyone is fixing to call these folks BE READY with the knowledge about the bills in question and focus on them somehow getting Paul a better rating than the other two, I mean he's an OB/GYN for cryin' out loud it shouldn't be too hard...

right now i'm gonna research these bills a little bit and give Mr. Rivera a call after lunch...let's keep it up...

[RPinUptownChi]

OK so here's the update:

I contacted Mr. Ralph Rivera who heads up Illinois Citizens for Life. He is an UNDECIDED voter! After some discussion about the rating system, Mr. Rivera agreed with me that Huckabee's rating was largely b/c of his response to queries rather than his national legislative voting record. He also agreed that the fact the three other candidates all received '2' could probably be parsed a little more finely.

So after that I asked him if he was undecided, which he was, asked him if Right to Life was his most important issue (it was) and then INFORMED him that McCain is taking his vote for granted when he ditches the March for Life and has Brownback read some note for him. I told him that McCain and the others are taking his vote for granted but we aren't. Then I asked him if I could send him some literature and follow up in a few days. I told him people like himself were like reaching 10 or 50 or 100 regular people due to the commitment he has to his cause.

HE AGREED. So please be really nice and non-pushy to Mr. Rivera if you call!!! He is waiting on RP lit and going to make a DECISION in the next few days...

WE CAN DO THIS!

[misterbig]

You forgot one of the most compelling benefits of Ron Paul:

HE WAS A PRACTICING OB/GYN DOCTOR delivering over 4,000 babies!

lol!!!

[RPinUptownChi]

i let them know that as well, it was in the schpiel...

[TTB]

OK so here's the update:

I contacted Mr. Ralph Rivera who heads up Illinois Citizens for Life. He is an UNDECIDED voter! After some discussion about the rating system, Mr. Rivera agreed with me that Huckabee's rating was largely b/c of his response to queries rather than his national legislative voting record. He also agreed that the fact the three other candidates all received '2' could probably be parsed a little more finely.

So after that I asked him if he was undecided, which he was, asked him if Right to Life was his most important issue (it was) and then INFORMED him that McCain is taking his vote for granted when he ditches the March for Life and has Brownback read some note for him. I told him that McCain and the others are taking his vote for granted but we aren't. Then I asked him if I could send him some literature and follow up in a few days. I told him people like himself were like reaching 10 or 50 or 100 regular people due to the commitment he has to his cause.

HE AGREED. So please be really nice and non-pushy to Mr. Rivera if you call!!! He is waiting on RP lit and going to make a DECISION in the next few days...

WE CAN DO THIS!

Nice going! Yeah, Ralph is a nice guy. Yes, certainly be polite and informed - I wish I was more informed on the legislation when I called.