Repub/Dem/ASP debate: How Should a Catholic Vote this November?

[Wampa]

I recently attended a three-way Zoom debate featuring representatives of the Republican, Democratic and American Solidarity Parties. I found the 80-minute debate very informative and civil. The three sides are well-represented IMO. The debaters are:

Republican: David Upham - Director of Legal Studies at University of Dallas
Democrat: Julie Rubio - Professor of Social Ethics in the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University
American Solidarity: Michael Liccione - ASP party officer

 

[RidgeSprinter]

You have to read the Pope’s own words in his encyclical “Gaudete et Exsultate.”

And scroll down to item 101

1. The other harmful ideological error is found in those who find suspect the social engagement of others, seeing it as superficial, worldly, secular, materialist, communist or populist. Or they relativize it, as if there are other more important matters, or the only thing that counts is one particular ethical issue or cause that they themselves defend. Our defence of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection.[84] We cannot uphold an ideal of holiness that would ignore injustice in a world where some revel, spend with abandon and live only for the latest consumer goods, even as others look on from afar, living their entire lives in abject poverty.

Now Lets Bullet point these other Equally Sacred Items

Equally sacred, however, are

• the lives of the poor,
• those already born,
• the destitute,
• the abandoned
• the underprivileged,
• the vulnerable infirm
• elderly exposed to covert euthanasia,
• the victims of human trafficking,
• new forms of slavery,
• every form of rejection.

 

[StudentMI]

The Democrats are great at protecting those rights unless you’re a foreigner in a nation vital to US interests like Bahrain or Libya.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Sounds like a nobrainer even with this extended list.Cannot support a Dem.They don’t stand for any of these things

 

[jeannetherese]

Our defence of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred , however , are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection.[84] We cannot uphold an ideal of holiness that would ignore injustice in a world where some revel, spend with abandon and live only for the latest consumer goods, even as others look on from afar, living their entire lives in abject poverty.

Of course they are equally sacred. And, they, like the fetus in the womb, are among the living.
The pope calls on us to defend these lives and the lives most at risk of being deliberately destroyed are those in the womb facing abortion and those exposed to covert euthenasia.
In the other cases, quality of life is at stake.
Life is sacred and in need of defense. Once we have saved the babies and the elderly, we can get right to work on warm blankets and noruishing food, and shelter. But, if we trun our backs on their slaughter than providing food, shelter, and clothing after the fact will be a case of too little, too late.

 

[stpurl]

Well here’s the thing.
Are the Republicans supporting euthanasia?
Are the Republicans supporting human trafficking?
Are the Republicans supporting new forms of slavery?
Are the Republicans actively savaging the lives of the poor —or are they in favour of instituting programs that DIFFER from those of the Democrats?
Is there categorical proof that the Democratic programs for ‘the destitute, abandoned, underprivileged etc are working and do work for the majority of people?.
Is there categorical proof that the Republican programs for the above do not work, have never worked for the majority of the people?

What you have here is a bullet point list where supposedly Democrats do better than Republicans. But I submit, where exactly is the proof of the claim?

Where is there proof that Democrat-led and run programs regarding the ‘equally sacred lives’ are leading to all those people being able to come out of poverty?

In fact, over the last 60 years or so we have seen huge segments of the population become hard-wired for poverty. And above all, we have seen millions and millions of dead children and now are seeing greater and greater numbers of euthanised seniors and ‘those whose ‘quality of life’ is not deemed worthy.

I do not think that Republican policies except with regard to their at least trying to limit abortions and euthanasia may in fact be better than Democrat but they most certainly do not appear to be worse.

We are facing an immigration crisis. I personally feel we need more immigrants in the US but, regardless of ‘feeling’, both ‘sides’ have flawed immigration policies to start with and both need to pretty much reject what they are offering and come up with something fair. You won’t see the Democrats trying to repair the current policy, they’ll just let things happen and be the first to scream outrage when something goes wrong. You won’t see the Republicans willing to repair the policy either; they will just stick on a one-size fits all and then scream outrage when something goes wrong. Whichever way the election goes, with regard to immigration you will need to have BIPARTISAN agreement to build from the ground up, and that means compromise, and an understanding that there’s at least 10-20 years where things will go from the current crisis down to a meaningful and fair conclusion. I hope we are at, or nearly at, the point where enough Republicans and Democrats can stop the invective and determine, together, to revamp the policy. IMO, that is the only really radical ‘difference’ in the parties outside of abortion/euthanasia. All the others are simply differences in view of HOW to deal with the problem of poverty.