Comments

It really is A. You have to vote, you have a responsibilty to do so, the B. what issues are the most important and who is going to win where something just might be done about those issues as opposed to just thrwoing away a vote.

I think many Catholics get very depressed at the lack of candidates that represent Catholic virtues. :(

oh it IS very depressing. that's why i'm glad for once i don't have to feel all crummy over voting for the hopefully lesser evil.

I hate voting, I hate the stupid two party system. I hate the fact the winner of the majority vote doesn't mean you get elected (as in the 2000 election). I don't see the GOP at all as any more "Catholic" than the Democrats, I think when you only have two viable parties all they do is try and get votes even if that means claiming to be "anti-abortion" even if they could care less about the issue.

Also I think very few Catholics have actually read what the US Bishops wrote about voting (they specifically say not to vote on one issue and name quite a few they consider important--only one of which the GOP is on the "right side" of).

I feel very depressed about Politics, I don't ever seem to like anyone who runs much, but for this next election, my only concern will be getting rid of Bush. I don't care how "anti-abortion" he claims to be, he started a pre-emptive war, something no true Pro-Lifer could ethically do. He is a liar, his policies hurt the poor, the weak, and the unborn, and I want him OUT.

And if someone tells me one more time I am not a good Catholic because I am not a Republican I am going to shove the Bishops Letter and the Pope's encyclicals in theif face.

Dinka, I'm not sure how much opportunity you've had to look in to Catholic-American history in all your studying... but my personal favorite Catholic-American (hey, everyone else hyphenates stuff, I think we can too) little bits of trivia is that once upon a time if you were a Catholic in America chances are that you were a Democrat. If I were a real student of history I could probably tell you when that change started to occur, but I'm really just a trivia nut so I don't have much detail or research to back it up. I know it had to do largely with the immigrants (particularly Irish) coming over and being discriminated against and working for practically nothing and at that time in history the Democratic party offered them far more hope for their future. And truly back then the Democrats had some wonderful plans for helping Americans. As much as I disagree with the Republican views on a lot of social issues, I have a hard time *believing* the views that come from a party that thinks it's OK for a mother to "choose" to kill her child. You know? And I think that even though it's important not to just vote on one issue, there has to be a starting point. I also agree wtih Pansy that it really is depressing that there just aren't candidates that represent the Catholic virtues.
Maria - what you said about candidates claiming to be anti-abortion to get votes... I worked for a politician (Catholic, Republican, Pro-Life elected to serve a district made up of mostly the same) during a campaign year and her opponent started out the race stating that he was pro-choice... until he finally took some time to read about my boss and figure out what the constituent base was in the district. When he realized what he was up against, suddenly he was Pro-Life. Needless to say, in addition to being largely Pro-Life, the voters in the district were well informed and he lost in a landslide.

I understand everyone's frustration. And I know that people shouldn't necessarily be voting on a single issue, but when I look at it, abortion has got to be the worst insult to humanity of all. Life should be the first right to be protected. I admit to having a really difficult time voting for a pro-abortion candidate. I just can't do it.

Now, I understand that we, as Catholics, should be concerned with social justice as well. Don't even get me started on outsourcing and OT! Ack! But I don't really feel that those in the Democratic party are champions of these issues either. I'm also pro school vouchers, and am pretty libertarian in some of my leanings. I'm a lot more right of center. What a horrible catch-22. With this political climate, I don't believe a third party candidate will ever garner enough support to make a dent! People (most people, I'm sure) are afraid of really voting their conscience because they feel that they'll be throwing away their vote. If I weren't so torn, I'd vote for the pro-life, socially conscious crunchy con party. ;o)

Some links:

http://www.primarymonitor.com/news/stories2004/kerry_catholics_020604_2004.shtml

The above is on Kerry and Catholicism...

The following is addressed to legislators:

http://catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=31&art_id=22748
The following is an article on the Right to Life being the most fundamental of rights:

http://catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=31&art_id=21899

I couldn't find the document Maria referenced above, from the US Bishops, and would very much like to take a look at it myself. Can anyone share a link? TIA :o)

For all the Republican's party wonderful talk on abortion WHAT have they done about it? Have they stopped any abortions, or overturned Roe V Wade? What have they done hurt the poor and made them more likely to have abortions because they can't afford their kids, food or healthcare. Besides that they look at Texis excution rate, and the thousands of children BUSH has mutilated and killed though an immoral, illegal, war that was condemned by the Holy Father.

Maybe some people think the Republican's can do some good on abortion--but I don't. Bush had 4 years to change my mind, all he did was support the morning after pill (thus supporting abortions even more), and approve embroy research. If I truly believed the Republicans stood behind life and it's sacredness, they would have my vote. But I don't believe it, and thus they will not have it.

And why do the Republicans have such wonderful relationships with China which enforces the one child forced abortion policy? Do people not realize in Iraq abortion was illegal (one of the things the wonderful Republican presidant is doing is making it legal there).

Here is a link to an article about the Republican sponsered idea of the Morning after Pill (antiabortion my foot):
http://www.prisonplanet.com/012004baldwin.html

So people get over it, some good Catholics do not think being Republican=being anti-abortion, and we don't plan to vote that way.

Sorry Dinka for getting into arguments on your blog!!!

This as you know is a pet peeve of mine. I am a Catholic, I am pro-life and I am NOT A REPUBLICAN (or a Democrat for that matter). And I don't think anyone has to vote Republican to be a Catholic or to be pro-life and anyone that says so is very narrow minded.