The Republican National Committee has just chosen a new leader for their party – Michael Steele, the former lieutenent governor of Maryland. He is the first African-American to hold this position.
The party’s current platform includes the strongest pro-life language ever seen:
“We support a human life amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.”
So how do the views of the new RNC chair match up to the party platform?
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Q: African-American. Republican. Catholic. Pro-life. Does that put you in a little box?
A: It puts me in the mainstream of America, baby. What you just laid out is one way to describe Michael Steele. The other way to describe him is he’s a brother who cares about the working man and woman. As an African-American, I think it’s time that we respect the fact that there is a wide range of opinion and diversity of thought. Kweisi Mfume doesn’t represent every black voice in Maryland. I don’t represent every black voice in Maryland. And Ben Cardin certainly doesn’t either. The reality is that this will be an election about voices, and the people of this state will get to hear a lot of voices. They’ll gravitate to the one that resonates in their hearts and in their minds.
Q: Is there an element of the black community to whom social conservatism has real appeal?
A: The majority of African-Americans are conservative. They’re God-fearing, church-going conservatives when it comes to a host of issues.
Source: Len Lazarick, The Examiner, “Power of the individual” Apr 28, 2006
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Q: Would you hope the US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade?
A: My desire is that we follow what stare decisis is at this point.
2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006
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Steele says that he is proudly “pro-life” but seemed to equivocate when I asked if he favors greater restrictions on abortion or its outright ban. “The dance we do is, we put too much pressure and weight on one decision,” he said, referring to Roe v. Wade. “We have to re-evaluate that.” He claimed that he was not advocating overturning the decision, only asking if we “have to live with the reality of a decision that was made 33 years ago.”
Why Is Michael Steele a Republican Candidate? By Michael Sokolove, New York Times, Mar 26, 2006
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I do support stem cell research. Where I have drawn the line is federal funding for research that destroys the embryo. And, and I’ve been very much an advocate and supporter of advancing research that will allow us to do the – do what we need to do without destroying that, that embryo.
2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006
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Q: Why are you opposed to using embryonic stem cells? Taking of a life?
A: Yes, I see that as a life, and I don’t think that we should use federal funds to do that.
2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006
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I won’t close down the fertility clinics. We have options there. We could, we could set up adoptions for those, for those embryos. There are so many other options that we can pursue that we don’t. The key thing to keep in here is that science moves us in a certain direction, and it pushes the envelope, as it should. But as a society, we also must, must consider the, the, the religious, the moral, and the ethical values of that society, and that needs to be a part of this as well.
2006 Maryland Senate debate on Meet the Press Oct 29, 2006
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Q: Should we pursue embryonic stem-cell research?
STEELE: I am four-square for stem-cell research, and accelerating the funding, with respect to cord blood and adult stem cell research. But I draw the line at embryonic research because I respect the life that that embryo represents.
MD 2006 3-way Senate Debate on NewsChannel 8 Oct 25, 2006
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Q: Do you support easing federal restrictions on embryonic stem cell research?
A: I am very encouraged by innovations in technology that make it possible to treat and prevent disease without the willful destruction of human embryos. We have a lot to gain through furthering stem cell research, but medical breakthroughs should be fundamentally about saving, not destroying, human life. Therefore, I support stem cell research that does not destroy the embryo.
Responses to Baltimore Sun Survey Aug 7, 2006
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Congratulations to Michael Steele!
I support him and his stand on the moral
issues, that generally define the Republican
Parties beliefs..I am with all of you.
God is pleased with you.
In order to win the conservative vote, Michael will have to become unequivocal in his support for constitutional protection for the unborn.
There can be no wavering on this issue. He will not get the support he needs if his knees are wobbly on this.
Wobbly knees by Republican candidates and campaign managers is what put Obama in the White House.
The unborn are either humans, or they are not. If embryos are humans, then certainly 21 day olds with heartbeats are human, as are the unborn in all stages of life. Let’s be logical here.
Michael Steele is a breath of fresh air for the Repulican Party, he has our family support and prayers, we can do it in 2012, we need to start now. I would love to see the Black Republican party become a whole Republican party, we need to work together on our beliefs and find a person to run for president who has the same platform we do. God Bless