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Subscribe to RSSOn Friday, social conservatives gathered in Washington, D.C. at the Annual Values Voter Summit. NBC's Domenico Montanaro reports.
Updated 1:02 p.m. - WASHINGTON -- Paul Ryan added a personal dimension to his attacks on President Barack Obama, using his own Catholic faith to criticize the president for having impinged upon the freedom of religion.
In a speech before activists at the annual Values Voter Summit -- interrupted twice by hecklers -- Ryan leveled attacks on Obama's foreign, economic and social policy.
"In the president’s telling, government is a big, benevolent presence -- gently guiding our steps at every turn. In reality, when government enters the picture, private institutions are so often brushed aside with suspicion or even contempt," Ryan said at the annual Values Voter Summit. "This is what happened to the Catholic Church and Catholic Charities this past January, when the new mandates of Obamacare started coming."
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The Republican vice presidential nominee continued: "Never mind your own conscience, they were basically told, from now on you’re going to do things the government’s way. Ladies and gentlemen, you would be hard pressed to find another group in America that does more to serve the health of women and their babies than the Catholic Church and Catholic Charities. And now, suddenly, we have Obamacare bureaucrats presuming to dictate how they will do it."
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Ryan, who had agreed to address the nearly 2,000 person conference prior to being named as Mitt Romney's running mate, assured the crowd a Romney administration would give freedom back to religious institutions. Republicans have argued religious freedom has come under "attack" under the Obama administration, particularly due to a regulation requiring employers to cover contraception as part of their health insurance, even if it is an employer affiliated with a religion that might have philosophical objections to the use of contraception.
"As Governor Romney has said, this mandate is not a threat and insult to one religious group -- it is a threat and insult to every religious group. He and I are honored to stand with you -- people of faith and concerned citizens -- in defense of religious liberty," he said. “And I can assure you, when Mitt Romney is elected, we will get to work on day one to repeal that mandate and all of Obamacare.“
The House majority leader, Eric Cantor (R-VA), echoed this theme during his remarks at the event co-hosted by the Family Research Council.
"Sadly today, as a result of Obamacare, many of our fellow Americans are now being forced to take our government to court, to sue them, to sue our government in order to practice our faith. Now this is not what America is about and this is why we must repeal Obamacare once and for all," Cantor said, adding: "This is why we need a president and a senate who will stand up with us – who will stand strong for religious freedom."
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Religion wasn't the only focus of Ryan's nearly 30-minute speech. He also wadded into foreign policy just three days after the attacks on the US consulate in Libya and US embassy in Egypt.
"Look across that region today, and what do we see? The slaughter of brave dissidents in Syria. Mobs storming American embassies and consulates. Iran four years closer to gaining a nuclear weapon. Israel, our best ally in the region, treated with indifference bordering on contempt by the Obama administration," Ryan said.
"Amid all these threats and dangers, what we do not see is steady, consistent American leadership. In the days ahead, and in the years ahead, American foreign policy needs moral clarity and firmness of purpose," he continued. "Only by the confident exercise of American influence are evil and violence overcome. That is how we keep problems abroad from becoming crises. That is what keeps the peace. And that is what we will have in a Romney-Ryan administration."
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There was no shortage in Ryan’s speech of new, quick attack lines on President Obama, either.
“No politician is more skilled at striking heroic poses against imaginary adversaries,” Ryan claimed. “Nobody is better at rebuking nonexistent opinions. Barack Obama does this all the time, and in this campaign we are calling him on it.”
Obama spokesman Danny Kanner responded: "Mitt Romney chose Paul Ryan to be his running mate because he’s the intellectual leader of the Republican Party. That leadership included a budget that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said failed a ‘basic moral test.’ Today, speaking at a values summit, he unleashed a series of over-the-top, dishonest attacks against the President that once again reminded voters that he’s just not ready for prime time. In the not too distant past, Mitt Romney and Congressman Ryan said they wanted a serious debate on substantive issues. We’re still waiting."
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I hope that little Paulie Ayn Rand Ryan loses his Congressional seat along with his pathetic bid for VP. He needs a break from all that hard work he's been doing, re-defining rape and steadily pushing grandma toward the cliff is tough work!
where is the article on the new downgrade of our govt???? obozo and bernake, the real downgrade team.
hows it feel knowing it wasnt a tea party downgrade and they specified it was the reckless feckless spending of obozo and co!!??
what a bumbling idiot!
oh yeah carney, ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE? please go away you TOOL! LIAR! MURDERER!
THE SHAME! breitbart has the real stories you wont show, losers!
Um......you do know Breitbart is dead.....don't you?
the legend lives on,look it up. Learn something when you go to the webpage. hahaha
where is the article on the new downgrade of our govt???? obozo and bernake, the real downgrade team.
hows it feel knowing it wasnt a tea party downgrade and they specified it was the reckless feckless spending of obozo and co!!??
what a bumbling idiot!
oh yeah carney, ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE? please go away you TOOL! LIAR! MURDERER!
THE SHAME! breitbart has the real stories you wont show, losers!
Rightisright5861504-Alzheimer's?¿?¿ You seem to be repeating yourself.
sure, and you still didnt listen, or look for yourself. why? cause you are the tool of suppression. god forbid you might look for info not spoonfed to you.
Ryan and Romney are part of a pack of wolves in sheep's clothing. The nearly witless right wing "social conservatives" are not even very good at pretending to be conservative. What has become of the Republican Party? Where are the Republicans who truthfully believe that government should stay out of our lives, our bedrooms, our minds AND OUR CHURCHES? Don't they see that there is a huge divide between what the true Republicans stand for and these crazy people running their party now? Tea Party crazies joined forces with the right wing extremist crazies and have torn the party apart. It's sickening. How will there be less government by taking away the so-called entitlements these fanatics are after in order to supply more tax cuts to themselves and their wealthy supporters and then allow the government to insinuate itself into our private lives. Our personal choices. No choice of religion because they demand that we follow their dogma. No choice in our bedrooms and marriages because we must follow that same religious doctrine. We should all be asking ourselves if we really want to invite them into our homes and bedrooms because that's exactly where they want to go.
The more power they gain in Washington the less freedom we will all have. I am quite certain that is not what the true Republican Party meant by smaller government. But that is what we will get with Romney and Ryan. It's Socialism of a kind. Socialism that will insist we all believe as they tell us to believe or pay a consequence. It is a small group dictating to the masses how we must worship God and how we must live our lives according to the constraints they set upon us.
That's not freedom.
Do really think small government is socialism. What is it when you see the government taking over the companies that give jobs with regulations that bankrupt them. Government controls the banks (try to get a loan for new business or a deceit interest rate on savings), General Motors (which wiped out old peoples pensions), Government that dictates your gas and electricity should take more away from your household economy. Have you seen all the taxes on your phone, gasoline, healthcare and utilities. You think more government is good because it makes you a slave, even though in America they work for us. They tell us how to live, who to like and what values we should have. Fair share means everybody will be poor and don't try to advance yourself.
Dear Friends:
No matter what Paul Ryan is he is a follower of the great deceiver. He is also that which is making political conversations in tones that are threatening and possing threats to not only our men and woman, but also the sons and daughters of our allies and the Royal Family. You know not what I have known or know. Some would not want me to say it either. So it is naught. Stop the hostilities in your tone and talks Mormonism is what the press said Romneys platform is.
Watch the talks about and photos press against the Royal Families and all leaders of nations. The threat grows because of this and has been shown. They should arrest those that photo and pose these things.
Question of the moment? How is it that the press is right there when the events take place and get photos?
Who are they paying and why and how?
Sharky your still alive!! I heard you were starring As Bob Ewell in "To Kill a Mockingbird." You were as close as they could get to the real narrow minded racist from the book. It's just that the movie was filmed so long ago I cannot believe that you are still around!
They do so much for women and their babies until their babies grow up to be alter boys.
The Electoral Results for Nov 6th, 2012 are in !!!
Obama / Biden 332
Romney / Ryan 206
That has been holding steady for a while. And the oppress the votes have been been defeated pretty well in most states. If they can't win by votes they try to suppress them.
Hey Ryan, it's called the separation of church and state. Learn it, live it breath it, and STFU!!
His Ayn Rand philosophy causes him to hate government and he went into politics to do something about it. And he got pretty close. He is like a stealth airplane. He has been in politics for 25 years and I would bet lots of money he lied every election about what he stood for and the people voting for him didn't have a clue what he thought. That is the scary thing. If he gets to be vp he could move right up into the presidency and we would have the first president at least for decades that didn't believe in God which he doesn't according to his history. In 2009 he said we are living in an Ayn Rand novel. We need to all prove to him we aren't. He needs to be defeated as vp and kicked out of his cushy republican representative job in Wisconsin. He doesn't stand for Americans. He stands against them and will use every means he can to remove any altruistic policies. He said he believed in her and all his actions have verified that. That is also why he can lie without blinking an eye. The good thing about this election is that he has beenexposed and hopefully the Michelle Bachman robot will be defeated too. I heard things aren't going too well for her either.
What will the evangelicals (who will NEVER support any Democrat even if that Democrat was against gay rights and abortion; they are tied to the hip of the GOP forever!) say if R/R are elected and the Ryan budget is adopted. The experts are saying that middle class deductions cut will include charitable deductions--church contributions folks. Also, the possibility if this happens then houses of worship will be taxed, yes taxed for the 1st time in our history. Fantasy, no. Ryan is hiding behind being Catholic when in fact his hero was and is an atheist and Romney a Mormon.So evangelicals are being used and abused by the GOP to get votes regardless of the racial tactics(racists ads,voter suppression laws, etc.) and unfortunately the ignorance of voters who do not bother to SEEK the facts and differences of opinion. Wake up before it's too late like after the election!
Evangelical Christians??
Against feeding the poor
Against healing the sick
Against Global harmony and loving our fellow man
Against freedom of thought and deed
It seems to me they need to drop the "Christian" part immediately
I have to question the intelligence of people who sit to listen this marathon liar.
Mr. Ryan is a slow learner. He seems to forget that this is not a theocracy but a democracy. That Catholic faith is largely based on social justice and compassion for the less fortunate. That lying is against our faith. That imposing your faith on the people goes against our democratic principles and Bill of Rights. That his religious-political rants are more akin to the Taliban that to a society based on freedom and justice for all. That women must have the same rights AND same pay as men if we are going to actually be a democratic country. That what I do with my body is between my doctor, God and me, the government has no place in this equation. That you cannot spend all your adult life in Congress with nothing to show for it. That President Obama is just his political opponent and portraying him as the Anti-Chist makes Ryan look and sound like Torquemada. (See the Inquisition). That his in-you-face- attitude makes him obnoxious even to rational Republicans. Ryan needs some serious time for introspection and he won't like the results.
And they wonder why women are RUNNING for thier lives???
they should be bo. they now are carrying the brunt of unemployment and low wages from obozos policies. i wonder if you would ever look at newsbusters, or breitbart news, or even commieblaster. even if you dont like it, it might make you question WHY you ignorantly defend such a detrimental destroyer like obozo.
who knows, maybe youre one too...
The extremsts shown at this "Values Conference" do not represent mainstream America. They represent a fringe of America that is terrifying. Think of voting for Romney/Ryan and imagne these radicals like Bachman, West, Ryan, Romney and others who you would not want to be in your neighborhood, coming and going thru the White House!!! God forbid!
When is Chuck Todd going to show his credentials that he is an active member of the Obama re-election team. At least Chris Matthews is a honest card carrying member. This blog is so pro-Obama, you only attack decient citizens with your words of wisdom fed to you by the propaganist Obama media. I have heard so many theories I don't know what is true and just puke on your fellow Americans garbage.
Oh, you are just upset that Mitt isn't liked by even those in his own party.
"Obama administration, particularly due to a regulation requiring employers to cover contraception as part of their health insurance, even if it is an employer affiliated with a religion that might have philosophical objections to the use of contraception."
How about this, you offer it and if they are a "good" Catholic, then they won't use it. I'm sure that if they are a good and practicing Catholic, then they won't use any birth control anyway ...
It's a choice ...
"Amen" Greg Vick-but that would be too easy because the GOP has to have something to lie about.
Again I must ask, "How did romney know of the trouble in the mid-east, before it happened?" Did the republican party have anything to do with the film? Did thay (with the help of you tube) play this movie in the mid-east? How did he know that four americans, were going to die? HOW,HOW,HOW,? Is there anyone out there that can answer these questions?
Probably grumpy old McCain called him. Or was it all fostered by the GOP? Was it another one of Gingrich's world class docudramas? Steve Klein according to accounts is an Egyptian Coptic (orthodox sect) Christian and has headed for the hills fearing for his life as well as another person. It seemed that the actors are now crying foul because the movie was dubbed. So this story will be on going. You noticed the word "Christian" which should never be used to promote intolerance as Steve Klein and others have done. Frank Gaffney, Lt. General (ret) William Boykin also started a conspiracy that Hillary Clinton helped to elect the Muslim Brotherhood which led to her motorcade being pelted on a recent trip to Egypt this year.
anybody that hasnt seen the movie 2016 obozos america is just here talking stupid. this action was already spelled out, and the bafoon in chief really caused all this mess
actionable intelligence?
he didnt know?
marines sent without guns?
what kind of reporters are in america now??? holy crap!
LAMESTREAM!!!
LIARS!
OBOZO, DESTROYING AMERICA!
go to breitbart news and newsbusters to get facts
oh yeah, the wealthiest person in france is getting dual citizenship to lower his tax rate to escape their new commie in chief
just got back from walmart. ordered my guns and canned food. getting ready god forbid for
OBOMUNISM!!
Mitt and his vague platitudes.
Ryan accomplishments
De'Souza's account according to the fool himself came from reading Obama's book (enough said on it's credibility). Next the latest conspiracy I guess the birther lunancy has grown tired it is now that Obama is a homosexual. They sight (1) that he sat too close to his roommate on a couch during his college years (2) before he was married he wore a ring on his 4th finger (3) and when the pizza owner picked him up (4) he golf's with young male staffers--Jerome R Corsi's new line of attack and I guess he and the GOP hope this one will stick.
The Lyin' Ryan Machine will soon be saying he slam dunked over Obama in a basketball game of one on one, then he will go run a 4 hour marathon but tell you he ran it in 2. We cannot elect blatant lying turds like the Lyin' Ryan and Romney Mahines/Robots/Atheists like Ayn Rand the biggest atheist of them all who would watch people dying as they beg at churches, but loved by republicans so go figure (GOP that has a lot of church leaders saying most their policies are anti-Christian).
Lyin' Ryan also shared the stage at the so-called Value Voter summit with Kamal Saleen who professed to be an former terrorist, however many dispel Kamal's accounts of being a former terrorist and chalk it up to his efforts to cash in on $'s.
GOP- religion as necessary.
I believe the so-called leaks that the GOP has railed about came from them. They will stop at nothing to attain power even if it means destroying America or its people in the process.
Ryan is trying to be a spinmaster, but he has no affinity to truth and it gets in his way every time he opens his mouth.
Ryan is trying to call out Obama, for what the minimum set of provisions of the Affordable Healthcare Act should include in it. This minimum set of standards was not directed at the Church, or Church-owned hospitals or Church-Owned Businesses as Ryan wants to portray it as.
The healthcare minimums, without having to come up with a specific set of standards for every different religion, based on their teachings, was to provide for the minimum set of standards that will provide a healthful outcome for the patients, not for the providers, or what religion they represent.
Those folks who are religiously inclined can reject the medications or procedures themselves, but why should they force workers at their facilities, who may not share the same beliefs, to go without a medication or procedure because a religious business is against it? Businesses are not people! Businesses should not have the right to refuse medication to their workers or the people coming into their pharmacies!
Republicans are always trying to create a wedge issue on every subject to drag people to one side or the other, when there doesn't have to be any side to it at all. No one forces a religious person to take medications they do not want, but it gives no religion a right to refuse medications from those who elect to receive them.
The funny part is the churches who were doing the most complaining were already providing these same services before ObamaCare was passed! It was never an issue until the Church decided to flex its muscle. It was never an issue before Romney and Ryan decided to make it an issue.
The religious Pat Robertson "Heritage University", who is suing the government for this "intrusion" on their rights to deny services and medicines, had also provided all the healthcare and medications "at issue" prior to the passage of ObamaCare. Heritage University actually stopped providing these things, just so they could say they don't believe in providing them now, in order to provide a better foundation for their court case!
It's like the controversy that was sparked by a worker at a pharmacy who refused to give out prescriptions because he believed his faith was against it. His job is not to interject his religion upon his job. His job is to fill prescriptions. No one cares if he is religious or not. When we enter a pharmacy, we have a right to get our medications, not have a boss, or a church, or a zealous worker refuse them based on their religious beliefs.
If they do not believe in a particular medicine, then they, of course are free to refuse it for themselves, but not to attempt to limit access to care or prescriptions to others based on their own religious preference.
Does anything more really need to be said?
jack - your commentary is anecdotal and barely worth the electrons required to post it. This issue, which you misrepresent, is a small one compared to the overall failure of the obama administration. 26 million people out of work is the issue - Trillions of $$ in debt is the issue - nearly half of the working population not paying taxes is the issue. grow up and get some stones, we are in deep crap because our politicians are weenies. Romney and Ryan are willing to address the tough stuff instead of kicking it down the road as both parties have for the past six years.
forget about birth control medication! remember the ivy league law student that said some of her fellow students were 'going broke' buying birth control? get serious... people are going broke buying gasoline, where's the outrage we saw during the Bush administration when gas was on the rise?
get a life
voter56...You write 'people are going broke buying gasoline.' Yeah, and do you you believe that's Obama's fault? If so, HOW?
Funny you don't even address the fact that these wars, beginning with a Republican, Bush, have added tremendous money to our deficit. Whom do you think is paying Halliburton, and all the other defense contractors, THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER. Not to forget all those lives lost, just to give those Middle East Arabs a fake democracy. Funny you won't mention a Governor, like Christie, whose State is seeing a nearly 10% unemployment rate, and property taxes continuing to rise. Wonder why?
The president doesnt control the price of oil fool!
And as far as that goes we should still consider ourselves lucky compared to the rest of the world. In the UK gas is close to $10 a gallon and has been for ages. They have learned to drive more cost efficent and smaller cars to deal with it. The cars in the UK have to do over 50 miles per gallon (by law) and be tested every year to be sure they are running according to the governments standards. We just dont want to give up our gas guzzling hogs. Nothing ticks me off more then seeing some dingy blonde driving a big arss truck with duel wheels in the back with no one else in it to the beauty parlor. Vehicles that big need to have some laws requiring them to have more then one person in it in order to drive it anywhere. Thats a working truck...get a VW if you just need to get your dang hair done female.
As far as job lose?? the majority of them were bled off during Bushs reign. Obama stopped the bleeding and has started a turn around so get off your high horse.