The Myth and Reality of the Catholic Vote [Three Types: Latino, Intentional and Cultural Catholics?]

CNN ^ | February 25, 2012 | Stephen S. Schneck

[Steelfish]

The Myth and Reality of the Catholic Vote

Editor's Note: Stephen S. Schneck is director of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at The Catholic University of America.

By Stephen S. Schneck, Special to CNN

For years, pollsters and political scientists have been stumped about Catholics.

On one hand, it’s been pretty clear that as American Catholics go, so goes the nation. George W. Bush narrowly won the Catholic vote in 2004 and won a second term. Barack Obama narrowly won the Catholic vote in 2008 and, with it, the White House.

It’s easy to see why Catholics are sometimes seen as the swing voters whose shifting political preferences swing elections.

Nevertheless, the idea of a Catholic bloc is patently ridiculous. As voters, American Catholics mirror the electorate as a whole, divided into Democrats, independents, and Republicans at about the same percentages as all Americans. And it’s hard to trace such political complexity to religious allegiance.

One explanation for why is the sheer number of Catholic voters and their now multigenerational assimilation into American society. About 35 million Catholics voted in 2008. That’s about 27% of all voters.

In the 19th century and for much of the 20th, Catholics self-consciously occupied a distinctive identity in America. Predominantly blue collar, they often lived in white ethnic neighborhoods, attended their own schools and colleges, established their own hospitals and charities, and experienced some level of discrimination.

[rdl6989]

Barack Obama narrowly won the Catholic vote in 2008 and, with it, the White House.

I bet that won't happen twice.

[353FMG]

Ooooooooooh boy, I do hope you have the means to cover your bet.

The “Catholics” I observed, who voted for Bambi, will do it again.

Nothing has changed — they were dumb the first time and most of them are still stupid to the bone.

[FerociousRabbit]

“Nevertheless, the idea of a Catholic bloc is patently ridiculous.”

This statement is absolutely correct and is one of the few times I have seen it anywhere in print. Trying to win the “Catholic vote” is all but impossible because Catholics are far too diverse a group with the majority of “Catholics” ending their affilation with the Church immediately after baptism (as a newborn).

These people will, however, continue to refer to themselves as Catholic even though they are no such thing. Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry come quickly to mind. Now, multiply that number by millions.

The hard working, tax paying, thinking Catholics, on the other hand, are Republicans just like in the nation at large.

[Last Dakotan]

Thanks for a far more reasoned, rational post than the one preceding you that just told us that, “Catholics are idiots”.

[rdl6989]

Obama punted the Catholic vote with his contraception mandate.

[ArrogantBustard]

I think 0bama voters may conveniently be divided into three groups: The Evil, The Stupid, and The Gullible.

Of those, I think some number of The Gullible, and some smaller number of The Stupid, will NOT vote for Hussein a second time ... he's bad enough to scare them off. I'm not sure how many of The Scared Off there are ... but we would do well to put some effort toward increasing their number.