I've had much discourse with my Republican father about politics lately. I thought someone here could use this background if they find themselves in similar positions.
One of my his objections to Obama (and most Democrats in general) is that he's a Catholic, and can't vote for anyone who "supports abortion". He says that there are three "non-negotiable" truths put forth by the council of Bishops. These are:
1- The protection of life at all stages from conception to natural death
2- Marriage as a union between one man and one woman
3- The protection of the rights of parents to educate their children
I've had some discussion with him that:
1- Abortion rates fell under Clinton and have been flat under BushII. Just because you dislike something doesn't mean it must be made illegal for everyone. Making abortion illegal may not reduce it, it will just make it more dangerous. Also, this same item means the death penalty is wrong.
2- Fine, the church shouldn't marry same-sex couples. Leave it to the state. Few politicians support same-sex marriage anyway, they more often support some equivalent like civil unions.
3- Ever heard of Catholic school? Home schooling?
What he failed to mention is that there's a fourth. This fourth "non-negotiable" item didn't come from "the Bishops Council", but from the Pope himself. What is it?
Get this:
"The promotion of the common good in all its forms."
Gosh, sounds almost Communist to me... Certainly at least Socialist. Here's the quote from the Pope.
It is especially incumbent upon those who, by virtue of their social or political position, must make decisions regarding fundamental values, such as respect for human life, its defense from conception to natural death, the family built upon marriage between a man and a woman, the freedom to educate one’s children and the promotion of the common good in all its forms. These values are not negotiable. Consequently, Catholic politicians and legislators, conscious of their grave responsibility before society, must feel particularly bound, on the basis of a properly formed conscience, to introduce and support laws inspired by values grounded in human nature.
-- Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis ("On the Eucharist"), no. 83, Feb. 22, 2007
So, what does this mean? Well, it means that the Catholic church supports all kinds of social programs. It's "non-negotiable".
I got a snicker by "pulling rank" on his statement from the Bishops, and going straight to the Pontiff himself. Ha! But once that wore off, I read the Bishop's "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship". Much of it is what you'd expect, but there are some interesting things, such as:
...our nation’s continued reliance on the death penalty cannot be justified...
...Regulation should limit concentration of media control, resist management that is primarily focused on profit, and encourage a variety of program sources...
The Internet offers both great benefits and significant problems. The benefits should be available to all students regardless of income....
...Barriers to equal pay and employment for women and those facing unjust discrimination must be overcome. Catholic social teaching supports the right of workers to choose whether to organize, join a union, and bargain collectively, and to exercise these rights without reprisal...
Welfare policy should reduce poverty and dependency, strengthen family life, and help families leave poverty through work, training, and assistance with child care, health care, housing, and transportation....
Affordable and accessible health care is an essential safeguard of human life and a fundamental human right. With an estimated 47 million Americans lacking health care coverage, it is also an urgent national priority.
A first priority for agriculture policy should be food security for all. Because no one should face hunger in a land of plenty, Food Stamps, the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and other nutrition programs need to be strong and effective. Farmers and farm workers who grow, harvest, and process food deserve a just return for their labor, with safe and just working conditions and adequate housing. Supporting rural communities sustains a way of life that enriches our nation. Careful stewardship of the earth and its natural resources demands policies that support sustainable agriculture as vital elements of agricultural policy.
The Gospel mandate to "welcome the stranger" requires Catholics to care for and stand with immigrants, both documented and undocumented...
Promoting moral responsibility and effective responses to violent crime, curbing violence in media, supporting reasonable restrictions on access to assault weapons and handguns, and opposing the use of the death penalty are particularly important in light of a growing "culture of violence." An ethic of responsibility, rehabilitation, and restoration should be a foundation for the reform of our broken criminal justice system. A remedial, rather than a strictly punitive, approach to offenders should be developed.
...Our Conference offers a distinctive call to seriously address global climate change...
The United States should take a leading role in helping to alleviate global poverty through substantially increased development aid for the poorest countries, more equitable trade policies, and continuing efforts to relieve the crushing burdens of debt and disease.
Care for the earth and for the environment is a moral issue. Protecting the land, water, and air we share is a religious duty of stewardship and reflects our responsibility to born and unborn children, who are most vulnerable to environmental assault. Effective initiatives are required for energy conservation and the development of alternate, renewable, and clean-energy resources. Our Conference offers a distinctive call to seriously address global climate change, focusing on the virtue of prudence, pursuit of the common good, and the impact on the poor, particularly on vulnerable workers and the poorest nations. The United States should lead in contributing to the sustainable development of poorer nations and promoting greater justice in sharing the burden of environmental blight, neglect, and recovery.
Establish and comply with moral limits on the use of military force—examining for what purposes it may be used, under what authority, and at what human cost—and work for a "responsible transition" to end the war in Iraq.
These are all straight quotes from this document. This document is basically the US Catholic Church's policy document. It is the foundation for much of what you might read about the Church's political views. A lot of the document is about being Pro-Life, but there is a lot of other stuff in it.
If you know someone who is a staunch Catholic and stuck on abortion, give it a go. I'm sure my Dad will figure out a way to rationalize his way out of this one, but every little chink in the armor helps.