Why do Evangelicals christians and Catholics vote Republican?

[GregoryPalamas]

There was a time not that many decades ago, until the 1960’s almost, when in many Catholic countries, the Church wielded enormous power over people’s lives. They controlled what the government did, they controlled the schools, the hospitals, and almost all institutions of any significance. They also told the people who to vote for. When the general population gradually became more educated, and with the advent of broadcast communications, the people gradually moved away from letting the Church control every aspect of their lives. This doesn’t mean they necessarily abandoned their Faith, just their absolute deference to the men who run the Church.

Today, none of these countries, not even Italy, are still under that kind of control. Nobody would ever want to go back to that. The one exception among modern western countries is the U.S., but the U.S. was never a Catholic country, so the people have not had the opportunity to live through a Church-controlled country as other societies have. Let me tell you, it’s not a pleasant prospect. It won’t be a Catholic country in the case of the U.S., but there’s no equivalent anywhere else in the entire world to the mindless conformity of the right-wing fundamentalist movement, except what we see in fundamentalist Islamic countries. Look there, and see a reflection of yourselves.

Just keep in mind that almost all the Catholic websites who produce “voting guides”, including Catholic Answers, are way on the right wing of the spectrum. They are not providing people with a balanced view. They are cloaking a partisan view with the authority of religion. Luckily, yesterday, not enough people listened to them! To accept that voting is obligatory, but then to turn around and just vote the way some religious partisans tell you to vote is making a mockery of democracy. Don’t let any Church tell you how to vote. The priests and the imams are just people like you and me. You are all mostly Bible-only Catholics on here, as strange as that sounds, so read it. Show me where it says anywhere in the Bible that you should vote a certain way.

I note that you are fairly new here, so, I’ll take it easy. I see no evidence that you diatribe has any support in fact whatsoever. Perhaps you need to listen and learn rather than write without wisdom or understanding. Just a thought.

CDL

 

[mary_bobo]

The Republican dominated Supreme Court could have instantly reversed Roe vs. Wade had they cared to, yet they did nothing. The Republican (formerly) dominated Congress would have done nothing to reverse the reversal. The FAR RIGHT takes Catholic votes for granted.

For six years Republicans had exclusive control of every single branch of the federal government, they could have changed things had they really wanted to, yet we still have abortion, what have they changed?

Yet the Republicans take downright anti-Christian laws to fruition, which no-one has said a single word about. The Republicans basically tell the poor to drop dead, it seems like Jesus said something about it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich person to enter heaven. Yet the Repubs continue to slash taxes for the rich, it is easy to see who’s side they are on, the rich.

The Republicans and their President lied about non-existent weapons of mass destruction to get us in a war that is taking thousands of American lives. How is taking thousands of lives to be construed in any way as “pro-life”?

You must not understand how the SC works in conjunction with the other branches of government.What has been changed in the last six years as far as abortion is concerned have been sited on this forum over and over RECENTLY. I respectfully suggest you inform yourself before making statements that are simply not true.

As for Republicans being only for the rich, do you know that a family of four making $50,000 a year paid $3500 in taxes before the Bush tax cuts and now they pay $1500.

You definition of lying must be a little different than that found in the dictionary. If President Bush was lying then so were many of our members of Congress who had information on the subject, and Tony Blair who got his information from their intelligence service which is one of the best in the world, and also Israel whose intell is also extremely good.

I don’t know the purpose of your misinformation, but me thinks you should bone up on facts.

 

[boppysbud]

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As for Republicans being only for the rich, do you know that a family of four making $50,000 a year paid $3500 in taxes before the Bush tax cuts and now they pay $1500.

You definition of lying must be a little different than that found in the dictionary. If President Bush was lying then so were many of our members of Congress who had information on the subject, and Tony Blair who got his information from their intelligence service which is one of the best in the world, and also Israel whose intell is also extremely good.

I don’t know the purpose of your misinformation, but me thinks you should bone up on facts.

Wow, 50,000 a year qualifies as “poor” in your books, I wish I was so “poor”. I would like to challenge you to survive off of the $7,200 a year I get from Social Security Disabillity since I had a stroke that prevents my working, or even driving a car or walking without a walker or cane.

Of course if it had been up to you and your loving “Christian” attitude I would not even have that, I would be turned out to starve. The GOP faught social security and disability every step of the way, and still fight it, it took over a year before I ever saw a single penny. But I would be delighted to live in your poverty of a mere $50,000 a year. Where can I sign uo for your “poverty” allowance?

 

[happygal]

Err…i understand the vote in America has being air on TV every part of the world, thought i don’t follow much of the political , however i am curious to ask since i’m not American, it is a must for every American to vote, do you have a choice to walk away if you don’t want to support both party?? In my country we can walk away from the vote if we does not support any parties

 

[MikeinSD]

Wow, 50,000 a year qualifies as “poor” in your books, I wish I was so “poor”. I would like to challenge you to survive off of the $7,200 a year I get from Social Security Disabillity since I had a stroke that prevents my working, or even driving a car or walking without a walker or cane.

Of course if it had been up to you and your loving “Christian” attitude I would not even have that, I would be turned out to starve. The GOP faught social security and disability every step of the way, and still fight it, it took over a year before I ever saw a single penny. But I would be delighted to live in your poverty of a mere $50,000 a year. Where can I sign uo for your “poverty” allowance?

I think you understand that for conservatives a person’s social importance is directly related to his or her income. You might have some basic value but you do not earn enough money to have serious people listen to what you have to say. Money changes everything. In more conservative societies, you would not have the right to vote. Only people with the right amount of property have the right to vote – a long term conservative goal.

Meanwhile you know you are a drain on the taxpayers. You are living on a socialist welfare program that decent conservatives denounce. And hope that they can end as soon as possible. That $7,200 you live on could buy a hard working family a new entertainment center. I hope you feel ashamed.

Have you considered renouncing yr socialist ways and relying on private charity? All you have to do every Christmas and Easter is show up for some charity feed. Shuffle around on yr walker and bleat yr gratitude. Your financial betters can then wipe their eyes and reflect pridefully upon their generosity. Of course after Easter, you go away until needed for the Christmas feed the poor show.

 

[santaro75]

You must not understand how the SC works in conjunction with the other branches of government.What has been changed in the last six years as far as abortion is concerned have been sited on this forum over and over RECENTLY. I respectfully suggest you inform yourself before making statements that are simply not true.

As for Republicans being only for the rich, do you know that a family of four making $50,000 a year paid $3500 in taxes before the Bush tax cuts and now they pay $1500.

You definition of lying must be a little different than that found in the dictionary. If President Bush was lying then so were many of our members of Congress who had information on the subject, and Tony Blair who got his information from their intelligence service which is one of the best in the world, and also Israel whose intell is also extremely good.

I don’t know the purpose of your misinformation, but me thinks you should bone up on facts.

We also run a half trillion in defecit every year. that is a really comforting thought for me knowing that the entire country might be bankrupt soon. thanks mr. bush for your tax cuts for the RICH.

 

[deb1]

Err…i understand the vote in America has being air on TV every part of the world, thought i don’t follow much of the political , however i am curious to ask since i’m not American, it is a must for every American to vote, do you have a choice to walk away if you don’t want to support both party?? In my country we can walk away from the vote if we does not support any parties

Yes, we do have the option of not voting and every year the media bemoans the fact that there are so few voters.

Last presedential election was the first one that I didn’t vote for anyone. I felt irresponsible not doing so but there is little that I liked about either canidate.

I really can not vote for someone who is proabortion, which most Democrates are, but I also have problems with the current Republican party.

 

[deb1]

Wow, 50,000 a year qualifies as “poor” in your books, I wish I was so “poor”. I would like to challenge you to survive off of the $7,200 a year I get from Social Security Disabillity since I had a stroke that prevents my working, or even driving a car or walking without a walker or cane.

Of course if it had been up to you and your loving “Christian” attitude I would not even have that, I would be turned out to starve. The GOP faught social security and disability every step of the way, and still fight it, it took over a year before I ever saw a single penny. But I would be delighted to live in your poverty of a mere $50,000 a year. Where can I sign uo for your “poverty” allowance?

My hubby clears just under $50,000 a year for our family of six and yes, we have it very, very tight. The fact that there are many people in worse situautions does not negate the fact that it isn’t only the rich who get the tax cuts. WHich I think was Mary’s point.

 

[mary_bobo]

My hubby clears just under $50,000 a year for our family of six and yes, we have it very, very tight. The fact that there are many people in worse situautions does not negate the fact that it isn’t only the rich who get the tax cuts. WHich I think was Mary’s point.

It was indeed. And no where did I say $50,000 was a poor family. I really do not appreciate folks putting words in my mouth and reading my thoughts–and uncharitably, I might add.

 

[Julianna]

Just keep in mind that almost all the Catholic websites who produce “voting guides”, including Catholic Answers, are way on the right wing of the spectrum. They are not providing people with a balanced view. They are cloaking a partisan view with the authority of religion. Luckily, yesterday, not enough people listened to them! To accept that voting is obligatory, but then to turn around and just vote the way some religious partisans tell you to vote is making a mockery of democracy. Don’t let any Church tell you how to vote. The priests and the imams are just people like you and me. You are all mostly Bible-only Catholics on here, as strange as that sounds, so read it. Show me where it says anywhere in the Bible that you should vote a certain way.

Starling how correct you are. If you want a country run by religion, look no further than where our men and women are overseas. What a shame…or should I say, sham. America is made of up of many religions…to put one belief system to forefront and to let Americans be duped into thinking that “one” party will solve all ills is ridiculas. If a church I attended started preaching about “who” or “what” party to vote for…I would let the IRS know and have them start taxing the place.

As for these boards…keep your vote to yourself. Unless you are waving the Republican flag…you are lumped in with all evil. I am American…I will vote for who I want to. People forget that religious leaders are human…just like everyone else…and they rise and fall in sin, just like everyone else…and they are forgiven based on their religious value system…just like everyone else. No one mortal is superior to another. And voting for the lesser of two “evils”…still leaves one voting for “evil”…does it not?

 

[deb1]

And voting for the lesser of two “evils”…still leaves one voting for “evil”…does it not?

:crying: Yes, it does.

 

[manualman]

boppysbud,

I can understand your frustration. You personally have been treated badly by one of the parties. So you are for the other one. Understandable. Too bad the 50 million who have been treated worse by the other party can’t come here and tell their story. It would get a X rating for violence.

You really ought to read up on the Robert Bork nomination and how it made a sea change in appointments to the Supreme Court. It appears you don’t understand what it took to get confirmed as a SC justice since then.

Ironically, if all catholics would unite a vote based on a prioritization of moral values, we would be able to put an end to abortion and move on to finding ways to provide a more capable safety net that does its job and avoids abuse. But instead, we cancel each others votes out and the abortion lobby, gay lobby, minority lobby, robber baron lobby and all the other groups who can deliver unified large numbers of voters get to set the national agenda instead of us. Its a crying shame.

 

[Valke2]

Here is a dramantizaton of TUNNEL VISION:

Here is the mentalilty if you have two candidates:

The Republican: Pro-Life, Pro-Death-Penalty, An adulterer, Been caught doing drugs, He has history of throwing his vote toward those bills that help the upperclass more than the other classes.
The Democrat: Pro-choice, Anti-Death-Penalty, and has a spotless record and public life.

TUNNEL VISIONERS ONLY SEES WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE.

How come you didn’t post anything about the Republican candidate?

 

[Valke2]

If this was already stated, I apologize. I heard on the news today that about 40-50% of the Evangelical vote went to the democrats this election. This is according to a pollster and was on a talk show, not hard news.

 

[JoeyWarren]

How come you didn’t post anything about the Republican candidate?

?

 

[mary_bobo]

We also run a half trillion in defecit every year. that is a really comforting thought for me knowing that the entire country might be bankrupt soon. thanks mr. bush for your tax cuts for the RICH.

True about deficiet, but it has been cut in half by increased revenue far faster than originally anticipated. And the old “tax cuts for the rich” is really getting boring. Please check the facts and see who got tax cuts and who pays no tax at all.

 

[Kristopher]

santaro75: “I read the ‘voters guide for serious Catholics’] and soon realized with was basically telling you to vote Republican. …”.

I think that you misrepresent “The Voters Guide for Serious Catholics”. Had you read in context everything, you would have recognized that the Guide has set five priorities, which no one may negotiate, (You might reference the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC to understand that the death penalty is negotiable in many cases, and may be employed only where matters are clear threats to the general good; to severe to go without death and additionally, they must be heinous.), those five negotiable priorities are the following: 1. abortion. 2. euthanasia. 3. embryonic stem cell research. 4. human cloning. 5. gay marriages.

The Guide has clearly stated on one, or more pages–vote by being informed about the candidates, about the issues, about what is right, as opposed to what simply will exploit either an issue, or a candidate.

The Pro-Life side is represented by Democrats, Democrats for Life.

The Guide is very much against voting along party lines.

Most sincerely,

Kristopher

 

[Kristopher]

Dear santaro75:

You said, “I read the ‘voters guide for serious Catholics’] and soon realized [with] was basically telling you to vote Republican. …”.

I think that you misrepresent “The Voters Guide for Serious Catholics”. Had you read in context everything, you would have recognized that the Guide has set five priorities, which no one may negotiate, (You might reference the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) to understand that the death penalty is negotiable in many cases, and may be employed only where matters are clear threats to the general good; to severe to go without death and additionally, they must be heinous.), those five negotiable priorities are the following: 1. abortion. 2. euthanasia. 3. embryonic stem cell research. 4. human cloning. 5. gay marriages.

The Guide has clearly stated on one, or more pages–vote by being informed about the candidates, about the issues, about what is right, as opposed to what simply will exploit either an issue, or a candidate.

The Pro-Life side is represented by Democrats, Democrats for Life.

The Guide is very much against voting along party lines.

Your question, about Republicans and what they have done is already answered, by the fact that you recognize rapidly that the Republican Party is for whatever reason, identifiable as supportive of opposition to the above priorities. Since the Guide is not about advancing the cause of Christ, your question concerning Republicans and what they do to advance the cause of Christ is irrelevant, but to look at the parties in terms of advancement of Christ, and division against Christ–clearly Democrats are Pro-Death by identity, and Republicans Pro-Life, by identity.

President Bush did attempt to intervene and stop the euthanasia of Teri Schiavo. He has attempted to legislate at the federal level, marriage between only a man, and a woman. His appointments to the US Supreme Court were at least, those who were identifiable as Pro-Life. He has cut funding to UN programs that would have furthered embryonic stem cell research. He has advised against human cloning. In short, he as a US President has advised those inferior to him, by way of authority, to legislate Pro-Life laws, and abolish Pro-Death laws, and to maintain good extant Pro-Life laws. Democrats will not do this, but you may read this at Emily’s List, and see clearly enough that the dead, double the population of Iraq in the US alone, are clearly what Democrats have wrought for our nation: eugenics at its finest–human cloning of the gene pool “someone” will identify as desirable; abortion of those “someone” will agree is undesirable; deaths of those undesirable(s) as worthy enough of a cure, for those whom are desirable; death to those whom should give way to those now more desirable, a replacement of the what, the old with the young, the neglected for the cared for?

Abortion reduced America’s population by thirteen percent to date, not including those states I presume that refused to report–the reduction of this population, and the unwillingness to see it grow is furthered allowance for sexual conduct that will of course, yeild no human life: homosexuality.

Most sincerely,

Kristopher

P.S. The brackets in the material quoted show errors not by myself, but by Santaro75. My apologies for the portion of this post duplicated from the previous post: I did not edit it within the amount of time allotted, but copied and pasted it from a Word document to cirucumvent the time constraint.

 

[valient_Lucy]

I find with politics, you are always choosing a lesser of 2 evils.

Amen!!!
I get so frustrated with all politicians, Democrats and Republicans, I really despise them both. I don’t think either party is really a supporter of the culture of life, and in that case, the Republicans might be more dangerous than Democrats. The Democrats are wolves, but they don’t attempt to hide that fact. The Republicans dress up in sheep’s clothing.

It almost makes me want to tear up my voter information and move to a dictatorship.

 

[Brian_C]

What have the Republicans done?

-Got Sam Alito and John Roberts on the Supreme Court, something that will positively affect social conservative (read Christian) issues for years to come. Coincidentally, all the conservative/moderate-conservative members of the Court are Catholic.

-Lowered my taxes. Every bit helps when raising two (soon to be three) kids. Those heartless Republicans also got the child tax credit through (something the dems have already discussed repealing). I’d say that’s pretty Christian.

As for giving tax cuts to the rich…who pays taxes?