It's Over! Did the Catholic Vote Really Count?

Ignatius Insight ^ | 11/04/04 | Valerie Schmalz

[jrherreid]

It's Over! Did the Catholic Vote Really Count?
by Valerie Schmalz

Part 1

The 2004 election saw some of the most passionate involvement by Catholics, including clerics, in the political process in a number of years. But when all was said and done, was there a "Catholic vote,"—and did Catholics make any difference in the electoral outcome? Will Catholics who espouse the Church’s teaching, particularly on the primacy of the right to life and on the sanctity of marriage, have any impact on policy and lawmaking going forward?

IgnatiusInsight.com asked a number of Catholic thinkers and political activists those questions and the consensus was—maybe, maybe not. Catholics voted in greater numbers for President Bush this time—at 51 percent, up from 47 percent in the 2000 election. Weekly church-attending Catholics showed even greater support, 56% to 43%. According to newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, Bush also increased his margins among Hispanics and Jews.

But that is just over half of the Catholic electorate voting for a candidate who clearly espoused pro-life principles, in comparison to Democrat candidate John F. Kerry, who advocated unrestricted access...

[Ron in Acreage]

It was The Passion of the Christ(ians) that won it for Bush.

[Clintonfatigued]

Yes it did. But the biggget swing to Bush this year was among observant urban Catholics. Just look at the how much Bush reduced the 'Rat magings in RI, MA, CT, NY, NJ, and PA. Observant Catholics, particularly the urban ones (who reluctantly stuck with Gore in 2000), are responsible for Bush's 3.5 million-vote popular-vote victory.

[bushinohio]

This is still sad. Catholics should have voted for Bush by at least 70%. I don't see how any subject, except maybe the war on terror, could take precedence over the daily slaughtering of thousands of innocent babies. Almost HALF of our Catholics voted for a man who approves this practice. I am ashamed of them.

[Trainer]

Yes...with the various publications, either by the Church or Church related groups, such as the Knights of Columbus, many Catholics who voted for Gore did change to Bush. I know of some...but unfortunately not enough...

[BobS]

Don't forget those Spanish Catholics. They know what's going on.

[Pittsburg Phil]

"Yes it did. But the biggget swing to Bush this year was among observant urban Catholics"


The problem is that there aren't as many observant Catholics as there are "Catholics." This is mainly the fault of the post-Vatican II corp of bishops - spineless men for the most part.

[G Larry]

Catholics, Hispanics, Evangelicals, pro-marriage, pro-life, Blacks, security Moms, Swiftvets, talk-show hosts, bloggers, pro-2nd ammendment.....

All contributed to the Bush win.
None by themselves.
I belong to 5 of those groups.
Which of my convictions or attributes contributed more?

[Slump Tester]

It killed me everytime I saw a "Catholics for Kerry" bumper sticker. (They were everywhere.)

Made me wish I had some that said "Catholics for abortion" or "No Fetus Can Beat Us" to stick on next to it. (When I'd see them in a parking lot.)

I'd like to think that might have shamed a few of them.

[Slump Tester]

You forgot the pro-gun/NRA crowd, and the pro "keep us a nuclear power" crowd.

Remember what Kerry said in the 3rd debate about stopping development of nuclear bunker busters?

I haven't even heard that mentioned yet by ANY of the pundits.

[G Larry]

uh....please note: pro-2nd ammendment IS pro-gun/NRA!

Funny you should mention Nukes....my USAF skill code was 46350.....Nuclear Weapon Specialist (Mk 12 Re-entry Systems)

[jrherreid]

This is still sad. Catholics should have voted for Bush by at least 70%. I don't see how any subject, except maybe the war on terror, could take precedence over the daily slaughtering of thousands of innocent babies. Almost HALF of our Catholics voted for a man who approves this practice. I am ashamed of them.

I think this is the fault of the "seamless garment" folks who insist that all Catholic issues are of equal value. So the issue of paying a just wage is seen on equal footing with convincing people not to stick a fork in a baby's head.

Sad. And sadder that this way of thinking is encouraged by so many of the clergy.

[Mach9]

When Catholic pastors cede their parish-administration to American Catholic Church (cafeteria) members--most of whom lean liberal or at least ecumenical, they can't help but introduce moral and intellectual mediocrity which in turn introduces (not to put too fine a point on it) heresy: ecological preservation, TOLERANCE, living wage, universal health care, etc., though lovely objectives, are neither (Church) doctrinal commands nor federal responsibilities. This is pure Democrat (mainly Irish Democrat) spin. For the first time in many decades, Bishops and pastors (not all, but some) have taken their shepherds' role seriously and--probably to the great chagrin of many of their laity--defined Catholic (and for the most part, Christian) moral priorities. Better late than never. And maybe, maybe, the Church will "revert" to the monolith-status Ms. Geraldine denied and become a predictable voting bloc.

[Slump Tester]

Cool! With your background, you may enjoy reading this article from the Smithsonian Air and Space:

At the dawn of the atomic age, scientists began work on what might have been the nastiest weapon ever conceived.

[Clintonfatigued]

"This is still sad."

Perhaps, but it's hopeful. Change doesn't happen overnight. Clearly, American Catholic voters are headed in the right direction and becoming more assertive on human life issues. If the 'Rats nominate another social liberal, the next margin will be larger still.

[G Larry]

Thank you!
That's pretty cool.
I thought I'd heard about most of the interesting nuclear weapons programs.
1971 entry to Nuke school was pretty early in the nuclear timeline, and I am 3rd generation nuclear.
Grandfather worked on the Manhatten Project, Dad worked at Hanford Atomic Works from '55 to '95.

[NJ Neocon]

The W04 Bumper stickers in my Daughters school (St. Joseph's in Somers Point, NJ) were matched equally by Kerry/Edwards.

Observant Catholics are hard to pin down politically. They are anti-abortion and homosexual marriage, yes. But, there is still a strong (s)ocialist flavor to Catholicism. Anti-death penalty, pro civil rights, pro social justice, slightly pacifist, group/identity politics(legacies of strong anti-Catholic/anti-immigrant attitudes in the past).

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

In 1960, JFK carried 83% of the Catholic vote.

This year, flip-flop Kerry saw George Bush take the majority of the Catholic vote.

I am a Catholic and I would note have voted for John Kerry even if I was offered a blank check from his sugar mommy.

[Slump Tester]

Glad you enjoyed it!

There was also an article in an older "Air and Space" about a nuclear powered airplane that actually had a lot of money spent on it, but I've never found it online yet.

[livius]

I think it counted, but it's still not unified enough to predict in the future. The Church bureaucracy, particularly at the lay level, harbors a lot of people who are, frankly, pro-abortion. They may not admit it openly, but they do everything possible to blunt the anti-abortion stance, from using parish pro-life groups to push the minimum wage instead of anti-abortion activities, to actively sabotaging efforts to get information to parishioners. One parish secretary here, for example, simply threw out the bishop's letter about abortion and voting rather than attach it to the bulletin.