Puzzling Over Why Catholics Back Democrats

New York Sun ^ | October 26, 2007 | ALICIA COLON

[Alex Murphy]

The Human Life Foundation's Defender of Life annual award dinner this month was an eye opener. The award recipient was Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, and in the brochure noting his accomplishments I learned that the congressman is co-chairman of the bipartisan pro-life caucus. Bipartisan? In amazement, I asked him if there really are pro-life Democrats in Congress. "Oh yes," he assured me, "about 30." He went on to name one, but I'm not going to repeat the name because he and the others probably get enough grief from other congressional Democrats.

A senior editor for National Review, Ramesh Ponnuru, introduced Mr. Smith. In his book, "The Party of Death" Mr. Ponnuru makes no bones about which political party deserves that description. I'm not sure whether it's wise to use such hyperbolic language about the nation's majority political group, and yet maybe strong words are overdue in describing the culture that's being promoted today. Abortion on demand, embryonic destruction, euthanasia, and animal rights now displace human rights. It wasn't the GOP pulling the plug on the disabled Terry Schiavo.

My sisters are Democrats, and one refuses to vote for any Republican. They are also Catholics, and Catholics have traditionally voted Democrat. I'm still amazed by how loyal Catholics are to a political machine that champions causes directly opposed to church teaching. Although I have never been a registered Democrat, I've voted for and campaigned for that party because it once fought for basic human rights. That is no longer the case. Senator Miller, who formerly represented Georgia in the upper chamber, had it exactly right when he wrote his book, "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat." He frequently says that he did not leave the Democratic Party. It left him.

[Straight Vermonter]

I think the Catholic-Democrat link has a lot to do with unionized labor. Traditionally Catholics lived in the industrialized northeast through to the rust belt where labor was strongest. Democrats were seen as the party that supported the unions and thus helped put food on the table. Republicans backed management and were thus the enemy.

It will be interesting to see how this holds up as the unions have largely fallen by the wayside and Catholics are increasingly moving south and west.

[Borax Queen]

Catholics of Italian, German, Polish, Ukranian, Lithuanian, Lebanese, and French heritage are no more inclined to vote Democrat than any other group of white Americans, generally going about 5 to 3 for the Republicans. This split is readily apparent when you look at the voting habits of ethnic neighborhoods and suburbs in the northeast, Chicago, etc., or if you look at the surnames of Catholic candidates from the two parties.

Yep!! Thanks for the ping, makes sense...

[Cap'n Crunch]

That was interesting. Thank you. I hope a new group can wrestle power away from the FemiNazi’s. And soon.

[MNJohnnie]

I wonder if any of your “Compassionate” Christian Democrats can site for me where the Christ instructed his followers to rob working class people of their money via taxes to hand out a subsistence living to the poor and needy in exchange for their votes.

Interesting to note Conservatives vastly out give to private charities then Liberals. Christ expects his followers to personally give not demand the Govt force others to give FOR you.

[MNJohnnie]

The Catholic Church is neither right nor left. The Church is true

Perhaps you can site for me what part of the bible the Bishops are being faithful too when they demand the US Govt rob working class people of their fiscal Independence via the tax code so Democrat Politicians can hand out subsides to special interest groups in exchange for their campaign donations and votes?

I am amused that you continually scream so loud about "GOP bots and neo cons" yet repeatedly demonstrate yourself to be one of the most utterly rigid, dogmatic non thinking ranters around here.

Suggest you deal with the redwood tree in your own eye before chastising your neighbors for the speck in theirs.

[diamond6]

This Catholic will always vote conservative/pro-life.

[Conservative til I die]

Perhaps you can site for me what part of the bible the Bishops are being faithful too when they demand the US Govt rob working class people of their fiscal Independence via the tax code so Democrat Politicians can hand out subsides to special interest groups in exchange for their campaign donations and votes?

None of that is in the Bible. That's the bishop's individual position. You and I disagree with it. But there's nothing particularly anti-Christian about it.

I'm not sure where your comment about being an unthinking, dogmatic ranter came from.

But I still think that a lot of Freepers and other conservatives tend to sheepishly put their support behind first and foremost above everything else.

[Alex Murphy]

MNJohnnie: Perhaps you can site for me what part of the bible the Bishops are being faithful too when they demand the US Govt rob working class people of their fiscal Independence via the tax code so Democrat Politicians can hand out subsides to special interest groups in exchange for their campaign donations and votes?

CTID: None of that is in the Bible....You and I disagree with it. But there's nothing particularly anti-Christian about it.

I'm guessing this is where someone takes a bow, following their encore performance.

[Conservative til I die]

CTID: None of that is in the Bible....You and I disagree with it. But there's nothing particularly anti-Christian about it.

I'm guessing this is where someone takes a bow, following their encore performance.

If you'd like to take another bow, go ahead. It's not really a gotcha moment. All I am really stating is that if a Bishop or some other clergyman decides that taxation for social services is something he favors, that's his personal opinion as a citizen. If he feels it's in line with Christian teaching, more power to him.

I am just saying there is nothing explicitly anti-Biblical about such a belief. The Churc does not tell a person how they must vote or believe when it comes to taxation or other civic affairs.

It's bad politics but not inherently heretical or anything.

Now the Church will tell someone that they cannot be pro-abortion or pro-homosexual marriage and be a Christian in good standing. This is because these two acts(murder and sodomy, respectively) are clearly condemned in the Bible.

Social Security, Medicare, and other social programs are not explicitly condemned. They are bad policy and one can make a very good case that they're not the most Christian thing to do *in practice* since in reality they make a negative impact on people's lives, but you're not going to Hell for being in favor of them.

[ga medic]

“These are folks who REALLY, REALLY BELIEVE that social justice comes by way of higher taxes, affirmative action, and and the welfare state. These are folks who take the Sermon on the Mount to heart, and believe that the best way of achieving what Jesus taught us to do is through government action.”

You have described my entire family, exactly. They are as Catholic as you can be. Mom goes to daily Mass, and has for years. Reconciliation weekly, and most of their life revolves around the church. The way they see it, Republicans are right on the issue of life, and Democrats are right on the issues of social justice, and caring for the poor. I quit voting Dem because of the life issues. They never did, because they aren’t convinced Republicans are really going to do anything about abortion anyway. I think they are wrong, but they don’t listen to me.

You have written a very good assessment of the motivation between democrat Catholic voters.