I understand where the Church is coming from, but it almost automatically squares it with a number of other topics that it may not really represent Church teaching. Some of those may include increased war spending, reduced social spending, and economic policies that do not favor the average family.
Here’s the deal–be careful what “teachings of the Catholic Church” you are referring to.
The Catholic Church does NOT teach that 'war spending is wrong." It does allow for war when necessary. The CC is not a “pacifist” church.
The Catholic Church does not mandate that governments must spend a certain amount of money on “social ills” and “family-friendly programs.” It is supportive of government spending on social issues and families, but…
…the Catholic Church is not stopped in their good work by a lack of government spending! At this point in American history, nothing stops Catholics from doing good works in their communities and providing help and sustenance to the poor and disenfranchised!
There are laws that regrettably have closed down Catholic adoption agencies (because we refuse to put children into “gay” and other non-traditional families). But there are no laws stopping organizations like St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Social Services from providing help for those who need it.
And even more importantly, there are no laws stopping individual Catholics from helping their needy fellow citizens through not only giving time and money to their charitable organizations of their choice, but also through hands-on involvement.
In all likelihood, privately-funded organizations and individuals probably accomplish a lot more successful intervention with the needy than a government-funded program that puts as much money into running the charity as it does into the actual charity. So, there are actually plenty of good reasons to OPPOSE more of our taxes going to “government social work.” It does not have a very successful track record compared to good, old-fashioned church work and individual involvement in the lives of the poor and downtrodden.
HOWEVER—there ARE laws making abortion totally legal, and there is NOTHING Catholics can do to stop a woman from making that dreadful choice other than much praying and a limited amount of sidewalk counselling and protesting at the clinics. WE NEED LAWS to be passed to make abortion illegal! The unborn child has NO protection at the moment.
How can any Christian can TRUST any politician who supports abortion, even if that politician has a track record of voting for “social programs?” If they can justify calling abortion “good,” then what is to stop them growing weary of trying to “eliminate poverty” and eventually turn to “eliminating the poor”?
I wouldn’t trust them. Someone who can promote the killing of unborn humans has rejected science (so they can’t be trusted on issues like "climate chance, either), and rejected “natural law” that is known to all humans.
Stick with people who stand firm against evil, even if you disagree with their “personality” or their stand on issues that the Catholic Church has not declared evil.
