American liberal Catholics have not liked where the Church has been going. They want homosexual priests, married priests, abortion, female priests, homosexual marriage and "liberation" Catholocism. I view these folks as wanting to destroy the very thing that makes my Church a living and breathing connection to our Savior - obviously I oppose what they support.
I don't know who will be Pope. Ratzinger would be good because he would call the American Church to heel, a thing that John Paul II did in some respects- but not to the extent that is necessary. Lay Catholics in America understand that a large part of our current troubles, abusive priests and the lack of priests, arise from the liberization of Church in the 60's and 70's. It was then that this offensive idea of "chaste" homosexuals becoming priests was accepted by the Religious in the Church. Many traditional Catholic men seeking the priesthood were blackballed because they would not accept homosexuality within the clergy.
I hope that if he's elected, he rams the mandatum down the throats of all the CINO American colleges, in a charitable way, of course.
The diocese in which I reside is run by one of the most liberal bishops in America .. you're preaching to the choir ;-D.
My 70ish neighbors assured me that "we" need a more liberal pope and cringed at the mention of Ratzinger. They deserve nothing less than him!