Several Democrats ran as pro-lifers in the last general election, but the voting records of some of them have not matched the rhetoric that got them elected.
Recently, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., — one of those who ran on the sanctity of life — voted to preserve the Mexico City policy, which prevents tax dollars from going to overseas groups that perform abortions. But 20 minutes earlier he had voted to overturn the policy and to increase funding for groups that perform and refer abortions. A few days after his Mexico City flip-flop votes, Casey asked that his pro-life vote be officially changed, saying he had made a mistake. This is the second life issue he’s voted on in the Senate, and Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said he’s batting .500.
“We saw him vote against expanding federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research," she said, "but then he voted against the Mexico City policy.”
Casey is the only freshman Democratic senator who ran on a pro-life platform, but there were six in the House. Horne said while U.S. Reps. Christopher Carney and Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania have mixed voting records on life issues, others are doing better.
“Based on their voting records in the 110th so far," Horne said, "we’ve got four freshmen lawmakers in the House who have voted consistently pro-life.”
They are Reps. Joe Donnelly and Brad Ellsworth of Indiana, Charlie Wilson of Ohio, and Heath Shuler of North Carolina. Shuler told Family News in Focus he was clear about his intent from the start.
“I actually sat down with Leader Pelosi at the time and told her about my viewpoints and told her that we would differ on a few issues,” he said. “I said, ‘You’ll always know how I’ll vote on the life issues. I’m pro-life now and I’ll always be pro-life.”
The life-affirming side position has lost on all of the votes that have been allowed in the House and Senate since Democrats took the majority.
