It isn’t hard to find Catholics who will hands down vote for the McCain/Palin ticket (especially now that Sarah Palin has been added) nor is it hard to find Catholics who think that voting for McCain is wrong, immoral and possibly sinful.
The number one issue (or the litmus test as it is dismissively called) for Catholics is abortion. Succinctly put, how many babies can we save within our limited options? What is at stake are the allocation of Federal funds, policies that make it easier or more difficult to act as a Catholic if you are in the health care field, issues of contraception and its promotion to children in schools and in too many schools having it provided to children without their parents’ knowledge and a president’s view on stem cell research. But these are lesser issues in the minds of many because the “big tamale” of stopping abortion is seen as getting pro-life justices (or even strict constitutionalists to apply the laws!) and overturn Roe versus Wade.
We currently have four justices that want to overturn Roe versus Wade, Justice Sam Alito, Justice Antonin Scalia, Justice Clarence Thomas, and Chief Justice John Roberts. All of these justices have been appointed by Republican Presidents. It is after all the Republican Party that has a pro-life plank in its platform. That platform reads:
"Faithful to the first guarantee of the Declaration of Independence, we assert the inherent dignity and sanctity of all human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. 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.”
Now there have been missteps and we are saddled with some justices that were appointed by Republicans and have turned out to be pro-death.
But ask yourselves, “How many pro-life justices have been nominated by Democrats?”
The answer is zero.
The liberal justices are Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Clinton appointee), Stephen Breyer (Clinton), Anthony Kennedy (Reagan), David Souter (Bush appointee) and John Paul Stevens (a Ford appointee) who is 88 years old.
Justice John Paul Stevens will very likely retire within the next four years. Will a Democrat or Republican choose his replacement?
Those Catholics who do not want to vote for McCain because he is not pro-life state that he supports abortion in the case of the “exceptions”. These exceptions are said to account for between 1 and 3% of all abortions. This does not make this position acceptable or praiseworthy but this is all we have in this election year. McCain also supports stem cell research a deplorable and inexcuseable position. [Breaking- McCain seems to be shifting his position in this articel.]
The alternative to voting for McCain as a pro-life Catholic is that Barack Obama who believes babies can be killed before, during and AFTER birth will win.
It buoyed McCain’s pro-life stature in my eyes when he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. Governor Palin is not only the mother of a large family but she chose life for her baby boy even after discovering he has Down’s Syndrome. It is estimated that 90% of babies with Down’s are killed when identified. You can talk pro-life or you can live it. She lived it and the ticket got my vote at that moment.
Finally, consider what is it that we look for in a leader? Moral perfection? That would be nice but would preclude any human being currently alive. Perfect Catholic sensibilities and the willingness to act on those sensibilities? That would be wonderful and when you meet someone like that please urge him or her to run for president.
We are not looking for a candidate for canonization. We are not looking for a theologian. And we would be foolish to look for perfection. In the Old Testament, King David, arguably the greatest leader in Bible History was troubled with moral failings- some very serious including murder and adultery. In God’s infinite wisdom those moral failings did not make him ineligible to be King. God chose him and anointed him King even knowing all that King David would do. King David made mistakes, sinned, lost faith but God was able to use him because he desired to do God’s will.
Let’s pray for that when we choose our future President and Vice President in November. May God’s will be done.
Although I'm still not sold, Mary, that was persuasively written.
It's probably not a sin to vote for McCain, unless, of course, you're voting your desire to bomb Iran or experiment on embryos. His stem-cell initiative, while excluding creation of embryos (that's a laugh), is John's nod to NASDAQ that Dr. Mengele can go raid the freezers full of unwanted babies. Put them kids to good use...sieg heil!
Is it necessary to vote for McCain, to "limit evil," i.e. to stop Obama? Will Our Judge take issue with my refusal to pull the lever of tribute? From one "providentialist" to another -- I know you're one! -- I'll let God choose the punishment for this country.
Very well written piece. John McCain is hardly my favorite candidate.I had originally planned on voting for a third party candidate but, the more I learned of Obama's pro death stance,the more I knew I could not cast a vote that might give him the Presidency.
I hate the idea of voting for "the lesser of two evils" but I pray Obama does not win.
It is interesting to note that, under Popes Ven. Pius IX, Leo XIII, and St. Pius X, the Church had a strict policy of Catholic non-participation in elections in Italy:
http://2000www.newadvent.org/cathen/11098a.htm
At issue was a new constitution and laws hostile to the Church.
On the other hand, St. Pius X modified the policy, "declaring that, when there was question of preventing the election of a 'subversive' candidate, the bishops could ask for a suspension of the rule." And we are well aware that Obama's "Black Liberation Theology" derives from communism, and is thereby subversive.
(Thanks to James Larson, http://waragainstbeing.com , for the above link.)
Practical perspective!
Since we're on the cutting edge of "lesser of two evils" concept, might we want to extend the exercise to ask, could there be a candidate so bad that we'd vote for Obama?
To bring this a little closer to reality, and to burn some incense to the fairness doctrine, let me mention that McCain is a dirtbag who has admitted taking bribes. (Read about the Keating Five: http://mccainkeatingfive.com/?page_id=19 ) John is a man quite accustomed to betraying the public trust for his own profit, and we are about to elect him to oversee a multi-trillion dollar theft ring known as FNMA. [P.S. To be charitable, John was exonerated. The impropriety of his conduct is left to the reader to decide.]
Just a thought exercise...
Get a grip, People.
The economy is in shambles.
We are in a war that is immoral and has caused the loss of life of thousands of Americans.
Millions of children and families do not have adequate health care.
It goes on and on. I simply do not understand where you single issue people are coming from. First of all, NO ONE is pro-abortion! Please put some of your energy into helping prevent unwanted pregnancies and ultimately the care of those children.
Also, what is your stand on Capital Punishment........surly if you value life you must be opposed to Capital Punishment and War etc.etc.etc.
Thanks, Nancy.
It's time to shed the "seamless garment" drivel that allows one to compare capital punishment with abortion, and to think that government welfare programs, such as so-called "health care," outweigh the deliberate murder of children. All that is unclear thinking, and our bishops are almost starting to think clearly on this.
You're right about the war. McCain is threatening Iran. However, Obama is a Marxist. Marxists are well known for murderous wars.
Nancy wrote: "NO ONE is pro-abortion!"
Let's be clear on this point. Anyone who explicitly, or even implicitly, approves of even one abortion, i.e., a procedure with the intent to kill an unborn child, such a person is pro-abortion. More specifically, he shares in the guilt of the sin of abortion, which is murder. MOST people are pro-abortion.
My bottom line (at least for today): I have to vote against Obama, using the precedent of St. Pius X on voting against subversives.
If Obama and McCain differed only by degrees, it would be different. But Obama is fundamentally different in his Marxist ideology known as Black Liberation Theology. Obama has thoroughly imbibed Jeremiah Wright and Louis Farrakhan, men who hate America and want to use race hatred as the means to undermine society. This infection must not be allowed to advance to the Presidency.
On the good side, Sarah Palin is the exact opposite, an uplifting and unifying figure. She is the sole consolation in my anti-Obama vote.
Cyprian wrote: "Let's be clear on this point. Anyone who explicitly, or even implicitly, approves of even one abortion,... such a person is pro-abortion." So we're clear then, John McCain is pro-abortion.
Chuck Baldwin is the only candidate running for president who does not support ANY abortion.
If one calls himself a Catholic he must vote for Baldwin of the Constitution Party.
Baldwin on abortion:
If I were President, I would use the bully pulpit of the White House to encourage Congress to pass Congressman Ron Paul's Sanctity of Life Act. In short, this bill would do two things: First, it would declare that unborn babies are persons under the law. Second, under the authority of Article. III. Section. 2. of the U.S. Constitution, it would remove abortion from the jurisdiction of the Court. In essence, this bill would immediately overturn Roe v. Wade and end legalized abortion.
Republicans tout themselves as being "pro-life." Yet, the GOP controlled both houses of Congress and the White House for six years and did absolutely nothing to overturn Roe or end abortion-on-demand. Under my administration, we could end legal abortion in a matter of days, not decades. And if Congress refused to pass Dr. Paul's bill, I would use the constitutional power of the Presidency to deny funds to protect abortion clinics. Either way, legalized abortion ends when I take office.
If the choice were between Kerry and McCain, I might consider Baldwin. The thought of voting for a Baptist "pastor" makes me feel ill, however.
I think Sarah Palin is pro-life. Her "life of the mother" exception is a misnomer, and a brief chat with Dr. Bernard Nathanson would help her correct her terminology. How about a Palin write-in?
For the record, I shouldn't have singled out McCain for being a dirtbag. The distinction is shared by dozens in the Senate.
And I almost forgot the "King David" argument in the article. We can't use that. God's foreknowledge can't excuse us when we have foreknowledge of a candidate's murderous intent.
McCain is running for president and not Palin.
She was most likely brought on board to get the evangelical protestant vote.
McCain is pro-death and Osama Hussein is pro death.
"He who is unjust in small things is unjust in large as well"
God.
To support even the murder of only one baby is as bad as supporting the murder of one million.
I wouldnt give a rats fat keester if Baldwin was a frog worshipper as long as he will defend the personhood of EVERY SINGLE UNBORN BABY, he must be voted for.
Voting for the "lesser of two evils" is still voting for evil.
The two main candidates are both evil.
Palin will never become president and has no executive power unless she does.
A frog worshipper, maybe. But a man who's occupation is to preach a false Christ is quite another. The murder of a soul is categorically worse than the murder of a baby.
Baldwin as president is by no means Baldwin as heretical Baptist minister.
The Natural Law trancends all sectional boundaries and must be obeyed by all men alike.
Baldwin is more Catholic than most American Catholics
The ONLY candidate who supports the condemnation of the non-negotiables that the Holy Father condemns is Chuck Baldwin.
Not McCain, who by the way preaches a false Christ, as does the moslem.
If there is no life there is not Heaven, for these babies, no baptism.
This is foundational.
A vote for McCain will anger the Almighty just as much as a vote for the moslem.
Wow. This is a hot topic.
I agree with Cyprian's reluctance to vote for a Baptist minister. They're generally as anti-Catholic as any group out there. I'm leaning toward the Palin write-in myself. I'd rather let evil men (or women) come to power without my support, so that I can't be held responsible for the evil they undertake.
Palin supports sex ed/contraception instruction in the schools, a grave evil condemned by Pope Pius XI:
http://tinyurl.com/5nog8z
Better be careful who you write in, gents.
Thanks Chris. Poor Sarah -- she says she's against "explicit" sex-ed, but would teach contraception. McCain is actually one-up on Sarah here!
Obama the Marxist must be voted out, and the only way is to vote for McCain (yuk). But such use of the vote has Catholic precedent.
So, I gather that the presidential election is comparable to a decree for sainthood - so, where is the PERFECT person so I can vote for them?
All people, even Chris and Dan, have faults which would give me reason NOT to vote for either of them. Christ Himself would find persons who would NOT vote for Him...
Christ let the wheat and the chaff grow together until the end when the good will be gathered up by him...we may not have pure seed to sow, but we cannot refuse to sow the seed at all. To call either of these candidates "evil" is a strong statement which need not be made by us. Jesus knew that Judas was 'evil', yet he was chosen as an Apostle before many other 'good' people. He knew Judas' heart - as we do not know the 'heart' of either candidate.
We will advance as a nation as we vote in persons who are better than the going alternatives, and go for the better good, not the lesser evil. Voting for a person who is 'perfect' and will lose, may allow the most evil to reign.
Stay home if you like, but I will be at the polls. It will be a great benefit to the unborn and less will die because of my vote. The alternative will assure that more will be killed in the womb, that homosexual activity will increase, that families will be legislated against, and communist 'ideals' and sociatal mores will become atheistic ... we have an OBLIGATION to advance some bit of pro-iife hope in D.C.
As for Baldwin being "more Catholic than most Catholics" - this is an arrogant statement and completely false. Any baptized Catholic is more 'catholic' than Baldwin. To be a heretic, unrepentent is to be not heading to the 'pearly gates' with a ticket of admission.
Evil spreads when good men do nothing. Sit home and not vote, or vote for some obscure person, and possible allow the evil to advance. Sometimes small steps one after the other, will approach real goodness in time. These are NOT two evil persons running for President - they are two persons one of whom is at least on the side of the right road to a prolife ammendment to the Constitution - a small step, but one with hope.
To quote Servant of God, Father Patrick Peyton, CSC, "More things are wrought by prayer than the world dreams of" . PRAYER is the answer to this crisis.
Dr Phalen,
I know many many "Catholics" who support Abortion, birth control, homosexual unions etc.
Charles Baldwin, the Baptist, is dead set against them, and will do something to make them illegal.
So, many Catholics support abortion, contraception etc. So what. That is not our concern in the topic at hand.
May be so that Baldwin would do good things -and his ideas are as those taught by the Catholic Church. He is still NOT Catholic. Many atheists agree with the Truth also. If he is so smart, why ISN'T he Catholic yet? God may have not given the grace of conversion. Maybe praying for him is in order. Voting for him is not in the cards this year - he cannot be elected as a virtual unknown, and a small step forward for Life is better that gloating over supporting a person who would fix it all if elected, which is an impossibility. He, and we, must bide our time and use the vote to the greatest advantage for the Truth.
Wasted votes are not in order in this crucial election. Even small steps are in fact steps in the right direction. Maybe next election your candidate will mount a following and win it all. Go for it - but not this year. Too much is at stake - lots more than abortion I may add.
What a good discussion.
I'd like to address Elizabeth's idea of voting for what would appear to give the better outcome. For example, in the previous two elections, pro-lifers got on the Bush bandwagon with that very argument. I didn't vote for Bush either time. In hindsight I can now say that my fears about Bush were more than justified.
My question is, when candidates have seriously flawed thinking, e.g., for some level of baby killing, how can we be sure to advance in the "right direction?" Wasn't the Church wise to withdraw the Catholic vote when the government was anti-Church (see a previous comment)?
SIC TRANSIT GLOIA MUNDI! THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS IS STILL SATANIC EVIL! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THESE JEWISH CONTROLLED PUPPETS. THE MONEY CHANGERS MUST BE THROWN OUT OF OUR CATHOLIC CHURCHES AND LIVES. THE PRO-LIFE CAUSE HAS NO ROOM FOR EXCEPTIONS.THE ENEMY IS IN FRONT OF US ASKING FOR 700 BILLION DOLLARS, AND HOLDING OUR CHILDREN AS HOSTAGES. VOTE CATHOLIC, VOTE PRO-LIFE! YOU MUST STAY IN A STATE OF SANTIFYING GRACE, RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS,LIVE
FOR THE BODY, BLOOD, SOUL, AND DIVINITY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! THEN, SHARPEN YOUR SWORDS AND PREPARE FOR BATTLE!
VIVA CRISTO REY!
Well put Elizabeth. I consider myself a pro-life conservative but truthfully this is the first I've heard of Charles Baldwin, Baptist or not.
Voting for the only Pro-life candidate is by no means "gloating".
My Catholic, well formed conscience will not let me vote for either of the other two pro-death candidates.
Baldwin will most likely not win the Executive office, but if I voted for Obama or McAin I would be committing a mortal sin, and so would any other Catholic who knows of the fact that both McAin and Obama support baby murder.
Its all about how we have to answer to Christ on that dread day.
I hope that all the "lesser of two evils", proponents are ready for that moment.
I'm planning to vote for the Constitution Party Ticket...if they don't offer it in my state, I'll write it in.
Marx wins; the bailout just passed. Render unto Caesar. Then render, render, render...
I just lost my reason to vote against Obama. I'm losing sight of why to vote at all.
I would rather die than compromise my beliefs for the sake of political expediency! I'm not voting for either candidate; I'm throwing my support behind Chuck Baldwin. I've had enough of voting for pro-choice candidates! That's why I'm voting Chuck Baldwin!