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It is not very well understood today, but when John Kennedy was considering his run for the Presidency in the 1950s, his decision was influenced largely by a report outlining the strength of the "Catholic vote." The report is known as the "The Baily Report," attributed to the then Democrat National Committee chief, John Bailey, but actually was prepared by Kennedy's key advisor, Ted Sorenson.

The report showed that "a high proportion of Catholics of all ages, residences, occupations, and economic status vote for a ticket with special Catholic appeal, or issues of concern to such voters.

The problem today is that the term "Catholic" does not mean what it did in the 1950s and early 1960s, and, interestingly enough, Jack Kennedy had a lot to do with separating Catholics from their Church moorings.

At any rate, a 1974 analysis of Catholics listed by the P.J. Kennedy [no known relationship to the late President Kennedy] "Catholic Directory" showed that the Catholic population at that time ranged between 18 and 64 percent in 20 States, the Electoral votes of which ranged from 18 to 64 percent in 20 States. Thatpopulaton figure was based on a census conducted by America's Catholic parishes.

However, since the canvasers were not professional census takers, a one-time U.S. Census count of religious affiliations in March, 1957, reflected that the true Catholic population was 16 percent higher than the census taken by the Church.

Granted, the term "Catholic" no longer means what it previously had after 1960; however, meanwhile, a number of Protestant citizens share with Catholics common views on certain key political issues with high moral content. This makes the Christian vote particularly potent -- if someone will take the lead in letting them know just how powerful they are. When this becomes reality, our former "Christian nation," will be restored.

The fact is recognition of America as a Christian nation was expressly stated in majority opinions by five U.S. Supreme Court decisions between 1815 and 1931, as well as by four U.S. Presidents in their Inaugural Addresses (Presidents John Adams, William Henry Harrison, James Buchanan, and Abraham Lincoln).

"We, the people, of the United States" established the Constitution, and we better take it back. The current
alleged "separation between church and state" is a relatively modern view by our Justices since 1947.

The Constitution's wording of the religion clauses was not fashioned by either Madison or Jefferson, but by Congressman Fisher Ames of Mass. and Senator Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut.The latter later served as the third Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

keenobserver