Catholic.com presidential poll

[Stylteralmaldo]

I used to think just like you-but if/when Trump turns out to be Hitler, at least I can say I didn’t vote for him!
Not that Hillary is any better.

I disagree with this reasoning for voting 3rd party. I recall having a conversation with my father regarding voting ‘the lesser of two evils’. He told me that if the election was between Hitler and Stalin, one should probably vote for Hitler since Stalin did more damage.

The key is determining who would actually do more damage. Clinton is terrible and has a long record to support this. Donald Trump has historically been a supporter of Clinton during much of her career. What a choice! If I can determine who is worse, I’ll move away from 3rd party, even if the one selected may turn out to be ‘Hitler’-like, if the alternative turns out to be ‘Stalin’-like.

I’m still in the discernment process in that regards.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I disagree with this reasoning for voting 3rd party. I recall having a conversation with my father regarding voting ‘the lesser of two evils’. He told me that if the election was between Hitler and Stalin, one should probably vote for Hitler since Stalin did more damage.

The key is determining who would actually do more damage. Clinton is terrible and has a long record to support this. Donald Trump has historically been a supporter of Clinton during much of her career. What a choice! If I can determine who is worse, I’ll move away from 3rd party, even if the one selected may turn out to be ‘Hitler’-like, if the alternative turns out to be ‘Stalin’-like.

I’m still in the discernment process in that regards.

I don’t know that one can say Trump was a “supporter” of Hillary Clinton. More accurate, perhaps to say he was one of many “buyers” of Hillary Clinton. Every office she has had was for sale, and it was obviously known worldwide. Is that a sad commentary on American politics and a worse one on her? Yes, and Trump himself said so.

 

[Vanny]

I disagree with this reasoning for voting 3rd party. I recall having a conversation with my father regarding voting ‘the lesser of two evils’. He told me that if the election was between Hitler and Stalin, one should probably vote for Hitler since Stalin did more damage.

The key is determining who would actually do more damage. Clinton is terrible and has a long record to support this. Donald Trump has historically been a supporter of Clinton during much of her career. What a choice! If I can determine who is worse, I’ll move away from 3rd party, even if the one selected may turn out to be ‘Hitler’-like, if the alternative turns out to be ‘Stalin’-like.

I’m still in the discernment process in that regards.

Well we have 6 months to discern. I agree Clinton would be awful, Trump- I don’t know some of the things that have come out of his mouth have alarmed me. Plus I have a niggling feeling he’s not who he’s projecting himself to be. I hope I am wrong. I want to be wrong. Like you, I was always against voting 3rd party or staying home as well.
Mitt Romney wasn’t my first choice, even less so John McCain but at least they seemed to be fairly decent men with integrity, I can’t say the same for Donald Trump. At least not from what I’ve seen. I hope he turns out to be better than what I think. Maybe a good, experienced conservative VP would help, plus a look into who he might pick as Supreme Court justices.
I’m hoping that at least his judicial picks would be better, he would help rebuild the military and would go after ISIS, so those reasons alone would be reasons for me to vote for him over Hillary-she would have have terrible picks for the first and wouldn’t do the last two.
But the guy is a huge question mark- we really don’t know what he will do in office or how he will govern-I haven’t been impressed with anything I’ve heard him say so far-

 

[xNoOnex]

I don’t understand 3rd party voters - why vote for someone who has no chance to win?

Because you’re voting for someone you actually believe is worthy of the job, as opposed to the lesser of two evils. At least you’re making your actual voice be heard, rather than simply picking the lesser evil.

Let’s be honest. Neither candidate is particularly great for Catholic voters. Hilary is strongly pro-choice, and unlike her other democratic rival, doesn’t really score that strongly on the whole “social justice” scale.

Donald Trump is has stated he’s in favor of torture. Ignoring whether or not waterboarding is legally torture (although it’s almost impossible to not define it as torture, since it simulates drowning), he said he’d be glad to bring back worse. I’m fairly certain that torture. like abortion, is an intrinsic evil.

So why cast a vote for a lesser evil? When both support things that are considered great evils by the Catholic church?

 

[Stylteralmaldo]

…Like you, I was always against voting 3rd party or staying home as well…

Although you didn’t suggest this, I strongly encourage every one not to stay home this November. There is more than just President on the ticket. There are Senate and House races, as well as state and local seats to consider. They can’t all be as difficult as the Presidential considerations.

 

[Stylteralmaldo]

…Let’s be honest. Neither candidate is particularly great for Catholic voters. Hilary is strongly pro-choice, and unlike her other democratic rival, doesn’t really score that strongly on the whole “social justice” scale.

Donald Trump is has stated he’s in favor of torture. Ignoring whether or not waterboarding is legally torture (although it’s almost impossible to not define it as torture, since it simulates drowning), he said he’d be glad to bring back worse. I’m fairly certain that torture. like abortion, is an intrinsic evil.

So why cast a vote for a lesser evil? When both support things that are considered great evils by the Catholic church?

Going back to the ‘Hitler-Stalin’ analogy, if we elect the one who aborts compared to the one who tortures, one situation may be worse than the other. I have a difficult time comparing the torture of an unborn baby being ripped from his/her mother to a would-be terrorist being tortured. Sure, both are terrible, but it’s critical to stop the bigger moral threat.

 

[Stylteralmaldo]

I don’t know that one can say Trump was a “supporter” of Hillary Clinton. More accurate, perhaps to say he was one of many “buyers” of Hillary Clinton. Every office she has had was for sale, and it was obviously known worldwide. Is that a sad commentary on American politics and a worse one on her? Yes, and Trump himself said so.

Did Trump say he was wrong that one could buy an office or was he just stating that is the way the process works, and therefore it’s fair game to do so?

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I’m genuinely surprised on this. You seem like you’d be a more conservative third party voter in this particular election. Not trying to change your mind, it just surprised me.

Ha! I can see why that might surprise you. I don’t vote third party because although sometimes there are exceptions, I believe a cornerstone of our representative government and democracy itself is the idea of “majority rules”. A third party or 28th party ensures this principle is diluted.

However, trump has been my guy from day one. Sure part of it is some anger at the “establishment” but some of it is just plain old “it’s So crazy it might just work”.
I have s low view of the American electorate. I have seen incredibly obscure and liberal issues become law of the land because of the “Facebook” generation. (Think gay marriage). I truly believe Obama was not elected because of ideology but to satisfy our urge to be part of history. So, because of that and because we have another potential “first” in Hillary my philosophy is that only a bigger spectacle will capture the publics eye to elect our next president. That is not Cruz or Rubio though they may align more with my values they are absolutely unelectable in this climate. I also think the pendulum must swing the other way in economic and foreign policy issues that have been harmed by Obama.
Also, I have supported candidates that were not my ideal people. Bush, McCain etc. I didn’t take my ball and go home just because my pick didn’t win. I expect the same from others.

The chance to shape the court is enough for me to support him over Hillary on a pro life level( my biggest issue)

OR

Since y2k I have been told and told the end is near. That my Lord and savior would come down to put everything right. I have prayed “how long o Lord” for years. Longing for God’s perfect justice. Wondering just how bad it has to get before it happens. And nothing.

But perhaps a trump presidency will bring about that event that we pray that we “look forward to” at Mass

 

[Kevin12]

Going back to the ‘Hitler-Stalin’ analogy, if we elect the one who aborts compared to the one who tortures, one situation may be worse than the other. I have a difficult time comparing the torture of an unborn baby being ripped from his/her mother to a would-be terrorist being tortured. Sure, both are terrible, but it’s critical to stop the bigger moral threat.

You know what? Forget it, I give up.

 

[Stylteralmaldo]

You know what? Forget it, I give up.

Please don’t give up. Let me make myself clear: I have not chosen Trump as my candidate yet. I am asking questions that need satisfaction. I am convinced wholeheartedly that Hilary Clinton would be terrible for this country. Donald Trump scares me and quite possibly would be terrible as well. My options are Trump or 3rd party. The best someone could do is try to keep me in the 3rd party camp. Clinton is a proven bad option. Trump says some good things and some very bad things, but the reality is that he is unproven.

 

[Midnight_Rider]

The parallels between Trumps polemics and Hitler and Mussolini is pretty clear of you watch them on videos.

Also I saw today that he told Stephanopoulos on GMA that America doesn’t have the right to his tax returns. He’s currently being audited by the IRS, which is curious to say the least. What you wanna bet that he’s gonna prove to be paying even less taxes than Romney was?

As I said before, none of these are good choices, but Trump is very bad news.

You know what? Forget it, I give up.

Which is one reason that we are in this mess to begin with. I wouldn’t…

 

[Vanny]

The parallels between Trumps polemics and Hitler and Mussolini is pretty clear of you watch them on videos.

Yes. And he does have a certain following of White supremacists.
Not saying he likes or welcomes that following, maybe he doesn’t. But they are there.
Trump is a huge question mark to me-what is he gonna do if/when he takes office?
I mean we know what Hillary will do- and it’s not good.
Trump might be better, or even worse.
We don’t know-we’re taking a gamble.
The next 6 months need to be a discerning process.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The parallels between Trumps polemics and Hitler and Mussolini is pretty clear of you watch them on videos.

Also I saw today that he told Stephanopoulos on GMA that America doesn’t have the right to his tax returns. He’s currently being audited by the IRS, which is curious to say the least. What you wanna bet that he’s gonna prove to be paying even less taxes than Romney was?

As I said before, none of these are good choices, but Trump is very bad news.Which is one reason that we are in this mess to begin with. I wouldn’t…

I don’t know. If you watch Hllary Clinton give some of her speeches, she’s a great deal more Hitlerian and Mussolini-ish than Trump is. Just because her voice is more high-pitched doesn’t mean she is any less the demagogue. And the excessive arm gestures and that jackhammer style with which she enunciates her harshest lines is far closer to the old fascists’ style than Trump’s is.

Trump is probably audited by the IRS every year. Some people with very complex returns are, and a lot of large, complex businesses are virtually under permanent audit.

Trump wasn’t my first, second or third choice, but I’m beginning to find him refreshing. Here we are in a country in which people go crazy because the government was collecting the phone numbers of calls they received from foreign countries, and hide their social security numbers like they were the combinations to Swiss bank vaults. Along comes a guy like Trump who says “My tax returns? Not giving them to you.” and people act like it’s the most outrageous thing imaginable.

 

[Joe_5859]

The parallels between Trumps polemics and Hitler and Mussolini is pretty clear of you watch them on videos.

Also I saw today that he told Stephanopoulos on GMA that America doesn’t have the right to his tax returns. He’s currently being audited by the IRS, which is curious to say the least. What you wanna bet that he’s gonna prove to be paying even less taxes than Romney was?

As I said before, none of these are good choices, but Trump is very bad news.Which is one reason that we are in this mess to begin with. I wouldn’t…

I’m no Trump fan, but I would tend to think Trump would have to have a stronger ideology to warrant parallels to Hitler or Mussolini.

 

[Midnight_Rider]

Yes. And he does have a certain following of White supremacists.
Not saying he likes or welcomes that following, maybe he doesn’t. But they are there.
Trump is a huge question mark to me-what is he gonna do if/when he takes office?
I mean we know what Hillary will do- and it’s not good.
Trump might be better, or even worse.
We don’t know-we’re taking a gamble.
The next 6 months need to be a discerning process.

Ever hear the saying, “Better the devil you know that the devil you don’t”?

I don’t know. If you watch Hllary Clinton give some of her speeches, she’s a great deal more Hitlerian and Mussolini-ish than Trump is. Just because her voice is more high-pitched doesn’t mean she is any less the demagogue. And the excessive arm gestures and that jackhammer style with which she enunciates her harshest lines is far closer to the old fascists’ style than Trump’s is.

Trump is probably audited by the IRS every year. Some people with very complex returns are, and a lot of large, complex businesses are virtually under permanent audit.

Trump wasn’t my first, second or third choice, but I’m beginning to find him refreshing. Here we are in a country in which people go crazy because the government was collecting the phone numbers of calls they received from foreign countries, and hide their social security numbers like they were the combinations to Swiss bank vaults. Along comes a guy like Trump who says “My tax returns? Not giving them to you.” and people act like it’s the most outrageous thing imaginable.

Only because it has been the practice for the last 40 years or so…

I’m no Trump fan, but I would tend to think Trump would have to have a stronger ideology to warrant parallels to Hitler or Mussolini.

We really can’t be sure of that can we?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m no Trump fan, but I would tend to think Trump would have to have a stronger ideology to warrant parallels to Hitler or Mussolini.

Frankly, I consider Trump to be a non-ideological person, like a lot of very engaged business people are. People like that are usually “pure practicality”. Their passion is to take things that don’t work and make them work better than anyone imagined they could. Trump’s life seems like that to me. He didn’t make his money selling out his country like Hillary Clinton has done. He made it by building things people were actually willing to pay for. His very first project in Manhattan, he said, was an old hotel that was full of prostitutes and drug merchants. He “tore it down to the steel”, he said, but preserving old decorative ceilings with considerable effort. The whole neighborhood changed. As his projects in Manhattan increased, so did the conditions there improve.

He took bad things and turned them into good things; moreover good things people were willing to pay for.

Trump is, by his statement, a Presbyterian. If you look up various writings by Presbyterian leaders, they’re as bland and uncertain as dishwater. One gathers he is not a very “good” Presbyterian. He just is what he is and gives it a nod here and there.

He has already said what kinds of Supreme Court justices he would appoint, and even named two he would appoint; constitutional devotees both. Why, if he is non-ideological, would he do that? Is he being a hypocrite?

Well, maybe, but more likely it’s just a practicality. If he wins, his re-election would depend on his doing things like that. Not being ideological, that would be just fine with him, and he would “make that deal”. At the end of this election, he will owe absolutely nothing to the radicals on the left that will turn the court into an insane asylum if Hillary wins.

He purports to hate political corruption. After all, it cost him a great deal of money over the years to live within a corrupt system. So, might he devote some of his efforts to “cleaning house” after the last eight years of frightful corruption in the current administration? Likely he would. He knows how needlessly expensive it is. It’s not cost-efficient.

I think a lot of Catholics won’t vote for him because he isn’t Rick Santorum. But I also think he could be the best thing that has happened to Catholics since 2008.

 

[Melodeonist]

I disagree with Clinton on practically everything. I agree with Trump on most things. I’ll be voting for Trump this November.

 

[anon67074017]

I do not know who I will vote for now. I just really don’t want Sanders to win. I will pray daily if Sanders wins the Democratic nomination so he won’t win the general election.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Clinton, of course. Proud to elect her as our next President.

I of course will be with Clinton as well. I supported Bernie in the primary but any Bernie supporter who is voting solely on policy issues, I would think would vote for Clinton. As Hillary says there is more that unites Democratic primary voters than divides us. And even Bernie says he will do all in his power to keep Donald Trump from becoming President. That is the ultimate goal. It’s a no brainer for me. A very easy decision.

 

[Sy_Noe]

I, a Georgian, am fascinated that we might turn blue! But I hear you about the vitriol…yuck!

I hear NC could return to blue as well!