Who Will You Vote For in 2012?

[Dale_M]

What I find interesting with the poll so far is that only 2 folks have voted for Romney and if you listen to the MSM he’s the front runner.

Well, CAF members (and certainly those who participate in this forum) may not reflect the larger US population. After all, this poll shows Ron Paul way out in front of the other Republican candidates.

 

[_Abyssinia]

You don’t think God cares about whether our economy goes down the drain? Let’s see…

millions of people out of work unable to feed their kids and pay the bills
the U.S. military unable to help third world countries that are starving
the U.S. would have to cut back its military that protects against ethnic cleansing/terror
abortions will go UP when people are living in poverty
crime will go up
less money for schools and services
the rest of the world’s finances will take a nose dive as ours does
people will lose health care and people will go hungry

I have a funny feeling God would actually care about that…God is too all-knowing, om(name removed by moderator)otent, loving, and intelligent to focus on one issue 24/7—abortion. Starvation, ethnic cleansing, torture, terrorism, injustices, lost jobs, He cares about them all…

Oh because Obama has has great economic policies, job creation and lowering the unemployment rate!

You get it neither way with Obama. You do no great economic policies and you do not get a pro life president either. It is a no-no either way. With one of the Republican candidates hopefully voters can find a voter who is balanced, pro life and has a good economic plan to help the American people. Win-win!

It does not have to be an either or. Not in the Republican party.

The facts are this: The Church says not to vote for a candidate that has a voting record in favor of abortion or same sex marriage. Nothing is mentioned about the economy, it is obvious that only with a strong moral foundation that respects life can everything else prosper, including the economy.

 

[_Abyssinia]

What I find interesting with the poll so far is that only 2 folks have voted for Romney and if you listen to the MSM he’s the front runner.

With due respect, this poll is not an accurate test of the population at large. A couple of polls have shown Romney ahead of Obama and Romney 1% behind nationally.

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

Exactly. I’m irritated by the “I’m more Catholic than you are” attitude that seems to pass around here, and how some like to think that unless you vote Republican, you aren’t Catholic.

Apparently, if you don’t vote Republican to end abortion, you aren’t a good Catholic. If you don’t vote Democrat and for “social justice”, you aren’t a good Catholic. I am voting my conscience this election, and if the GOP doesn’t put up better than John McCain, I am writing in Ron Paul if he doesn’t get the nod.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Apparently, if you don’t vote Republican to end abortion, you aren’t a good Catholic. If you don’t vote Democrat and for “social justice”, you aren’t a good Catholic. I am voting my conscience this election, and if the GOP doesn’t put up better than John McCain, I am writing in Ron Paul if he doesn’t get the nod.

Reason to support the Republicans is not only because of the pro life ethos of the party.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

You didn’t list the President. Not everyone on this Forum is a rightist or a Republican.

#6.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

I read somewhere that McCain wants to run again.

Yup.

The real question, and that affects whether McCain will again be the Republican candidate: what will be the impact of open primaries … last time the Democrats crossed party lines and voted for McCain in enough numbers in the primaries so that they got to pick their opponent.

What “tricks” can we expect this time?

 

[Monte_RCMS]

I guess I would pick Newt Gingrich… But I would much prefer Jeb Bush or Bobby Jindal and wish they would run.

Based on the interview Newt Gingrich that is posted on the “Newt Gingrich thread”, I would vote for Gingrich.

Go here and scroll down about half way. It’s longish.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=560379&page=19

He is easily the most articulate of the candidates.

The problem is that he uses 10,000 words to explain things.

Whereas the Democrats can get by with “I feel your pain” or “Hope and Change”. And use that to win.

What would work this time to defeat Obama would be if, after the Republicans pick their candidate, the Republicans who were not chosen as the candidate would unify and campaign actively for the candidate. I was shocked in the past that the other Republican candidates just walked away and went home and left the Republican Party unsupported and ultimately defeated.

It’s almost as if the Republican Party “Organization” … the inside the beltway Republicans … would prefer to be defeated. They prefer defeat to victory.

It’s going to hinge on hyper active Tea Party members.

Because the Mainstream Republican Party is more like anti-anti-Democrats.

They want to win, but not so much. They would rather criticize than win.

By being the beta-males, they get to eat, but not to lead.

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

I read somewhere that McCain wants to run again.

Yup.

The real question, and that affects whether McCain will again be the Republican candidate: what will be the impact of open primaries … last time the Democrats crossed party lines and voted for McCain in enough numbers in the primaries so that they got to pick their opponent.

What “tricks” can we expect this time?

Ya, I saw the McCain “Straight Talk Express” bus yesterday and I was like…:doh2: “NOOOOOOOOO!!!”

 

[irishpatrick]

Apparently, if you don’t vote Republican to end abortion, you aren’t a good Catholic. If you don’t vote Democrat and for “social justice”, you aren’t a good Catholic. I am voting my conscience this election, and if the GOP doesn’t put up better than John McCain, I am writing in Ron Paul if he doesn’t get the nod.

Voting Democratic is to vote for abortion and it is to vote for an attack against traditional marriage. That may seem like a proper Catholic vote to some…

Catholics either take their faith seriously, or they do not. Without life, and without traditional marriage, social justice means nothing.

Let’s put this another way. Suppose we 100% knew of a situation in the modern world in which certain candidates wanted to bring back slavery, would voting for such a person be a “Catholic” move? How would social justice be if we enslaved people?

 

[jediliz]

I am not a one issue voter. I look at ALL LIFE issues. And the Voter’s Guide is a good start…because it covers several life issues (killing human embryos for research, killing babies because they are inconvenient, killing the disabled and elderly) , "gay marriage"and one more thing that I can’t recall at the moment.

I also think someone who is fiscally responsible would be good.

 

[irishpatrick]

I am not a one issue voter. I look at ALL LIFE issues. And the Voter’s Guide is a good start…because it covers several life issues (killing human embryos for research, killing babies because they are inconvenient, killing the disabled and elderly) , "gay marriage"and one more thing that I can’t recall at the moment.

I also think someone who is fiscally responsible would be good.

If candidates were trying to bring back slavery, would you be a one issue voter then?

The fact that Catholics and Christians feel they are too smart to be one issue voters is the VERY reason 3,000-4,000 unborn babies continue to be legally killed every single day in this country. People who think it is somehow beneath them to be single issue voters…as if protecting the most vunerable is not big enough for them (no insult intended).

 

[mary_bobo]

Many Catholics like myself don’t go by the Catholic voters guide. We do not believe in the Church dictating how we should vote

It is a far stretch to say they dictate who to vote for. The Church gives guidance, and one is free to vote as they please. They remind us that there are five non-negotiables as far as Catholics are concerned and at the present the Democrat party is supporting all five. Thankfully you can’t vote here.

 

[PbloPicasso]

I picked Palin, because we need a hot mama who can shoot a gun in the Oval Office. My wife took marksmanship in college and I told my son last night as part of his training to become a future husband, or priest, that you never mess around with a woman that knows how to shoot a gun.

 

[Tsuwano]

The reason Republican candidates are opting out of the 2012 presidential race is because the Republican Party is split and there is no candidate on the scene who is able to mend the rift, and unless the rift can be mended, no Republican can defeat President Obama. It is easier for a candidate to wait until 2016 when he won’t have to face an incumbant president and the race will be wide open. Indeed, if the Republicans really think that Obama’s policies are driving the country into ruin, why not wait until those failed policies have made a Republican a shoe-in in 2016? Most of the Republican candidates being mentioned for 2012 are young enough to wait. The problem is that the rift in the party still may not be mended by 2016.

 

[bbarrick8383]

The reason Republican candidates are opting out of the 2012 presidential race is because the Republican Party is split and there is no candidate on the scene who is able to mend the rift, and unless the rift can be mended, no Republican can defeat President Obama. It is easier for a candidate to wait until 2016 when he won’t have to face an incumbant president and the race will be wide open. Indeed, if the Republicans really think that Obama’s policies are driving the country into ruin, why not wait until those failed policies have made a Republican a shoe-in in 2016? Most of the Republican candidates being mentioned for 2012 are young enough to wait. The problem is that the rift in the party still may not be mended by 2016.

In other words, if you ever feel you may be about to have a wreck don’t hit the breaks. Just say your prayers, slam into the other guy and hope you get a brand new car put of the deal.

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

The reason Republican candidates are opting out of the 2012 presidential race is because the Republican Party is split and there is no candidate on the scene who is able to mend the rift, and unless the rift can be mended, no Republican can defeat President Obama. It is easier for a candidate to wait until 2016 when he won’t have to face an incumbant president and the race will be wide open. Indeed, if the Republicans really think that Obama’s policies are driving the country into ruin, why not wait until those failed policies have made a Republican a shoe-in in 2016? Most of the Republican candidates being mentioned for 2012 are young enough to wait. The problem is that the rift in the party still may not be mended by 2016.

Right. There are big-govovernment neocons and small government “conservatives”, although the definition of conservative in this case is pretty amorphous. I here Mark Levin thoroughly berating and ridiculing Ron Paul, even though ROn Paul is the only one in the field who has consistently preached the word of limited government and fiscal responsibility for over 20 years. He isn’t the late comer to the party, he started it when Levin was just an errand boy in the Reagan administration.

 

[_Abyssinia]

The reason Republican candidates are opting out of the 2012 presidential race is because the Republican Party is split and there is no candidate on the scene who is able to mend the rift, and unless the rift can be mended, no Republican can defeat President Obama. It is easier for a candidate to wait until 2016 when he won’t have to face an incumbant president and the race will be wide open. Indeed, if the Republicans really think that Obama’s policies are driving the country into ruin, why not wait until those failed policies have made a Republican a shoe-in in 2016? Most of the Republican candidates being mentioned for 2012 are young enough to wait. The problem is that the rift in the party still may not be mended by 2016.

Because the country is in such a mess after Obama has had three years in office, let alone another four. What kind of mess would the country be in then? Republicans do not want to wait and find out.

You could always say wait until it could be easier then, but I do not think the Republican candidates want an easy shoe in, they want to earn people’s vote because they have a plan for America.

 

[TMC]

I looked over this document and find no indication anywhere in it that it was authorized by any Catholic Bishop, Catholic conference, or the USCCB.

“During election years, there may be many handouts and voter guides that are produced and distributed. We encourage Catholics to seek those resources that are authorized by their own bishops, their state Catholic conferences, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.” - Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, p. 8, USCCB

If you would provide the name or names of the Bishops who authorized this guide, I will be happy to read it and take it’s advice under consideration.

That guide is not a product of the Church or endorsed by the Church in any way. It is a product of political action group associated with Catholic Answers. The Church’s guidance can be found at the URL you posted.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

Because the country is in such a mess after Obama has had three years in office, let alone another four. What kind of mess would the country be in then? Republicans do not want to wait and find out.

You could always say wait until it could be easier then, but I do not think the Republican candidates want an easy shoe in, they want to earn people’s vote because they have a plan for America.

They don’t have a plan for America; each has his or her own plan for America, and that’ll be part of the reasons why Obama will be re-elected in '12.