Roaming the floors of Dillon Hall, I have noticed a number of Romney-Ryan and Obama-Biden campaign signs. While many are in good condition, a few are vandalized and many have gone missing in the past few days. These events inspire reflection on the wider political polarization and conflict within Catholicism about which candidate’s platform is in closest alignment with Catholic teachings, and therefore who deserves the Catholic vote.
I have found a number of reasons to become especially interested in the election from a distinctly Catholic perspective. The most obvious connection is that the vice presidential candidates on both tickets–Paul Ryan and Joe Biden–are Catholic (or at least claim to be). Catholics also make up around 24 percent of the electorate. The most important reason, however, is that the Catholic voters will be one of a few groups of “swing voters” who will have a key influence on this election. In recent years, both parties have realized the importance of the Catholic voting bloc and have made a special effort to appeal to it.
Catholic voters are also one of the deciding factors in the upcoming presidential election because they cannot be as easily pigeonholed as other demographics. African American and Jewish voters, for example, consistently vote Democratic; Protestants generally vote Republican. Catholics have varied their votes depending on the candidates, making them key voting blocs in electing Ronald Reagan twice, as well as Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Surprisingly, the Catholic vote’s rise to prominence is a relatively recent phenomenon. It was not until the election of John F. Kennedy that studies of Catholic voters identified them as being significantly different from the general populace. Kennedy won 78 percent of the Catholic vote compared to only about 50 percent of the general popular vote.
According to a series of Gallup polls, the Catholic voting bloc has served as a strong determinant of the success of Democratic presidential nominees since 1972. In every year since 1972, the Democrats have failed to take office when getting less than 53 percent of the Catholic vote. The only notable exception was Bill Clinton’s 1992 election when he garnered 47 percent of the Catholic vote. In 2008, Obama was supported by 53 percent of voting Catholics. As of October 9th, 2012, Obama trails Romney in the Catholic vote, 49 percent to 41 percent. While it is very possible for Obama to still win the election without reaching the 53 percent, Obama is still six points below the only presidential candidate who has managed to do this.
Furthermore, the Catholic vote can be divided into “non-practicing” and “practicing” factions. Non-practicing Catholics are more likely to vote based on factors besides their religious beliefs, being dictated more by their level of education or socioeconomic status. Practicing Catholics vote based on other, faith-based factors which can be easily understood by those conducting the polls.
While the importance of the Catholic vote is clear, it is important to understand exactly how Catholics are called to vote. Catholics have never endorsed a specific political party and neither political party has a monopoly on the Catholic faith. Catholics voting for Republicans typically justify their vote on the basis of moral issues, particularly the Republican party’s opposition to abortion. Catholics voting for Democrats tend to emphasize the social justice aspects of the Democratic party platform. So what does the Church have to say about voting with a Catholic conscience?
Pope Benedict XVI explained the proper discernment process for casting a vote for a candidate that may not uphold the entirety of Catholic teachings, particularly dissenting from the Church when it comes to life issues. “A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons,” he stated.
Yet there is one obvious ambiguity within this statement–the issue of “proportionate reasons.” What constitutes an adequate proportionate reason? Most Reverend Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia, poignantly phrased it like this: “What is a ‘proportionate’ reason when it comes to the abortion issue? It’s the kind of reason we will be able to explain, with a clean heart, to the victims of abortion when we meet them face to face in the next life–which we most certainly will. If we’re confident that these victims will accept our motives as something more than an alibi, then we can proceed.”
Phrased in this way, it is clear that the proportionate reasons needed to justify voting for a candidate who is pro-choice or pro-euthanasia requires critical examination. It is for this reason that Archbishop Chaput asks and answers the question about pro-choice candidates himself, “…can a Catholic in good conscience vote for a pro-choice candidate? The answer is: I can’t, and I won’t. But I do know some serious Catholics–people whom I admire–who may. I think their reasoning is mistaken, but at least they sincerely struggle with the abortion issue, and it causes them real pain.”
Taken as a whole, all of this means that voting is a matter that needs to be taken seriously. It is not as simple as registering, walking into a voting booth and filling out a ballot. It should be an ongoing process where in which each of the potential candidates is viewed holistically, and each of their positions is thoroughly analyzed in light of Catholic teaching. Thought, energy and prayers should be expended on this topic because voting provides the power to have a direct influence on what America not only in the next four years but also in the generations to come. It is not just a political duty but a moral duty–a moral duty which, in many respects, reflects on oneself as much as it does the future.
We as Catholics have great power in this election, being one of the few swing groups for which both major parties are competing. Because we have the ability to influence the outcome of the election, and with it, the capacity to manifest the moral values of our nation, it is especially important in this election to vote according to our Catholic consciences. If this is done, I have no doubt that the best possible presidential candidate will take office and begin resolving the many problems facing our great nation today.
Bob Burkett is a senior anthropology and political science major who was overjoyed that the St. Louis Cardinals were eliminated from the MLB playoffs. For further discussion on why he is a rabid Cubs fan and next year is The Year, he can be contacted at rburkett@nd.edu.
