A Pro-Religious Freedom Democrat?

Well, well, well, what have we here? A Democrat running for Congress who is pro-life and feels quite strongly that the Obama administration has overstepped its bounds in calling on Catholic institutions to violate Catholic doctrine? It seems we have: Candidate Bob Costello, who is on the August 7th ballot as a Democrat, running for Congress in Michigan's 14th District.

This is refreshing news, especially as he has the endorsement of the Michigan Right to Life PAC, something generally awarded Republicans. Further, his home page openly proclaims that the most important issue this fall is that of religious freedom. It is described as the key issue; the First Amendment is quoted verbatim, followed by a laundry list of Catholic services which would be affected by the President's proposals to mandate those services provide things against Catholic doctrine. Indeed, says the candidate through his website, though the directives clearly target Catholics, all religious organizations should be concerned, If Catholic can be ordered about by Washington, then everyone else can be as well.

Bravo, Mr. Costello. It is good to hear that there are serious Catholics who are Democrats and willing to shout it out loud. Even the secondary issue which he touts, cutting federal spending across the board, is laudable. He even says that oil prices are being controlled by an illegal 'cartel' and that we should not be held hostage by foreign nations as such. To be sure, he targets big oil in his indictment as well. But, hey, nobody's perfect.

Really, the issue we find our most serious disagreement with him is in his calls for mandatory national service for those between 17 and 24. We cannot help but feel that any call for religious freedom is muted somewhat by a call to demand service as such: perhaps some of those youth would have religious reasons for not wishing to participate. It strikes us as a serious inconsistency.

Still, a pro-life, pro-religious freedom Democrat. We would vote for him in the primary without reservation if we were a Democrat. We might even vote for him in the general election depending upon who the GOP opponent might be. Either way, it stirs hope within us that maybe, just maybe, the Democratic Party can one day be saved.

Just Another Politician?

Really, Congressman Clarke? You're playing the race card? Really? This is truly a disappointment. We had a high opinion of you. We could never vote for you, but you had always seemed so sincere. We remember you going door to door in your first campaign for a seat in the Michigan Legislature: so excited, so emphatic, so believable. You didn't sound like a politician. You sounded like a man of conviction. And now you don't. Where is the breath of fresh air which you brought to politics? Where is the young man who breathed it? To be sure, we know nothing of robocalls and we do not care to know. Perhaps you are being slighted, and shame on those who do it. But where is the man who would rise above that and present himself as worthy of support? Where is the earnest American who we at least felt had what he thought the best interests of his community in his heart? Where has he gone? The youngster, whoever he was, who said so long ago, 'Say it ain't so, Joe', is now asking, 'Say it ain't so, Hansen.' Will you say that? Can you say that? Why not go to the debate in Southfield this afternoon and present yourself as Hansen Clarke, genuine and forthright. Maybe the fates have dealt you a cruel blow; you aren't the first to suffer such. But you can be one of the ones who rise above it. You are capable of that. Or are you indeed just another politician? Please do not be. You are better than that.