In an earlier entry, I made a cynical comment about Bob Casey, the conservative Democrat who replaced Rick Santorum in the Senate. While I'm tickled that Santorum is currently unemployed, I have long been disgruntled with the Democrats' failure to differentiate themselves from Republicans on many vital issues. Granted, a Bay Area Dem is a different breed than a Scranton, PA Dem, okay. And you've no doubt heard me rant about this issue before. Anyway, I don't wanna get too deep into this right now, but since my friend Sonia asked me to check out more about his precise stances on some key issues, I thought I'd do a cursory search and see what I could find about the guy. There's not much out there about him, partially because he's a freshman and doesn't have a voting record yet, and partially because he doesn't want to answer questions about his views, according to the good folks at Project Vote-Smart.
Here is an issue summary based on things Casey has said on record. If you click for the full quotes, there are expanded snippets from interviews. Based on his quotes, he wants Roe V. Wade overturned, he's pro-Patriot Act, pro-domestic wiretapping, and against any kind of gun control, including the renewal of an assault weapons ban. The guy is basically a Republican, except that he happens not to have it in for the gays for some reason (could this be because Rick Santorum was one of the worst homophobes in the Senate and the issue was a hot button in his race for the seat?)
I also found this interesting article focusing on his views about abortion.
His Catholic background is obviously what drives him on this issue and he doesn't seem too concerned about the separation of church and state. While I can't support his stance on abortion, I can appreciate the consistency with which he's applying his religious ethics—he seems to believe in the government's role in helping women out of poverty and addressing systemic issues that surround the care and education of children. Until we see his voting record, though, the jury is still out.
Peace and love, my dears.
