I understand what you’re saying to some degree. But suppose the Republican candidate, even after the debates, fails to impress me as someone who I think is the best Catholic Choice. I know we have a duty as both Americans and Catholics to make a good choice. If you read the Catholic voters guide, there is really a great deal of pressure on us to do the right thing. It makes our vote sacred. If I can’t square the Republican candidate in my conscience to be the actual best Catholic choice, and I can with the Constitution Party candidate, I’m not so sure I should buck my conscience from a Catholic standpoint. I am not square with the Democrats, the current Republicans, nor am I on board with the Libertarians. I know that perfection doesn’t exist except in Christ alone. I know that all we can do in the end is vote our conscience in what we feel will do the best for our nation. I really believed in 2008 that the Constitution candidate was the right guy for the job. Turns out he didn’t register a percentage point, I don’t believe. But I’ve still slept well at night knowing that I didn’t violate my conscience. Well, now I was listening to a show on Catholic answers, and apparently, my conscience should not have been eased, because it was my type of action, (voting for the right person), which allowed the current administration to take hold). This sounds screwy to me. I’m supposed to somehow feel better if I’d have voted for the Republican candidate, even though he wasn’t deeply pro-life, and he was as wishy washy as the day is long, just so we could keep out the current President, who at the time, (if anybody else remembers), we didn’t know was going to be a contract killer of the unborn, an anti-Catholic crusader, and a gay rights activist of Harvey Milk proportions. We just didn’t know this then. At least I didn’t. It’s not what he said in his campaigns. Still…I could tell there was something wrong, and I looked elsewhere. I knew from experience a few years before that the Libertarians didn’t have anything for me. I found the Constitution Party. I tore up YouTube listening to Chuck Baldwin speeches. I read their platform. It seemed pretty close to actual Catholic doctrine to me. At least the closest I was likely to find in a U.S. political party.
So here I am. It’s wrong to not vote. It’s wrong (for me, because of our sacred relationship with our conscience) to vote for the Democrat, or a Libertarian. So this leaves the Republican, (who I sincerely will give a chance to during the debates, to see if he can pull it together and present a good case for Christian citizens whose number one causes are morality issues and returning to a constitutional government). If he is unable to convince me, I am convinced with all my heart that the Constitution party have morals and constitutional government toward the top of their agenda.
Instead of praying for me to vote for Romney specifically, how about we pray for each other to conform to our conscience as Christian voters. To vote correctly, instead of for cults or personalities. To vote in the best interest of the United States of America.
As a post-script, I pray that everybody DOES go and vote. No matter who it is you vote for. There are usually many other offices on the ballot as well. I know in Nevada, we are looking at one of our Senators, and my Congress person, who will not be an incumbent because the incumbent is running for Senate. (Exciting stuff). There are also likely to be a few local ballot measures which are generally of pretty big importance here in the trenches. In the end we can all contribute to a better nation if we follow our God given conscience and vote correctly, and above all vote. Even if you can’t work out the Presidential office at all to the satisfaction of your conscience, there are bound to be many other offices and measure of equal, and in some cases more important stature on the same ballot.
For instance, remember that for an activist President to do any permanent damage, he must have the cooperation of Congress. So suppose the president had a Congress which disapproved of everything he did, and would not pass any of his ideas. Then at least the bleeding would be stopped. He could continue to put out illegal executive orders, but they would all eventually be overturned in 2016 by the new President, or else be fought and overturned in the Supreme Court before then.
It’s not all doom and gloom. The news makes us feel that way.
God bless us all,
and God bless the United States of America
