Posted on 11/15/2009 6:28:02 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
By teeing up a public battle over abortion in the health care bill now before the Senate, congressional Democrats could be risking more than just the fate of the legislation.
Hanging in the balance are millions of Catholic swing voters who moved decisively to the Democrats in 2008 and who could shift away just as readily in 2010.
According to exit polls, President Barack Obama won the support of 53 percent of Catholic voters, a seven-point increase over the showing of the Democrats’ 2004 nominee, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), a Catholic. Among Latino Catholics, who are often more conservative than their white counterparts on social issues, Obama did even better, winning more than two-thirds of their support, a 14-point improvement over Kerry’s totals, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center.
Those gains will be at risk if a polarizing abortion fight takes place in the Senate.
“There could be political repercussions in the election. It could be harder for the Democrats to keep those Catholics voters they gained and they may put some of their members at risk,” said John Green, a religion and politics expert at the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron.
Moreover, said Green, Catholics are a constituency that backs the reform effort itself. “To alienate them on abortion could be to alienate them on health care reform,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
A true Catholic should not be on the side of progressives in any party. (Democratic party is over run with them). They should be Constitutionalists, which believes in the power of the individual, whom in turn helps others in need.
I rather doubt that this is on the top of their list of things to worry about.
Correction: According to non-scientific; re questionable methodology, exit polls
Yeah... right. How long has abortion been a political issue? And all that time, which party has consistently pushed FOR abortion? Remember, some of the most prominent liberal/Dem politicians are... drum roll please..... Catholic (at least in their CLAIMED faith... even if they don't live it).
He got the CINO vote.
No true Catholic would have voted for him, His abortion stance was well known then as it is now.
The vote he got from so-called catholics was the Yellow dog democrat variety.
That was exactly what I was thinking. Why the sudden epiphany? I still maintain that you cannot be both an honest Catholic and a Democrat.
When Rhode Island, Massholechusetts, and New Jersey become reliably Republican, THEN maybe I will believe that there is a swing by the RCers to the GOP.
I pray those who consider themselves Christians who voted for BO see the light and vote conservative so God, Family, Country wins.
the “Catholics” in this country are pathetic wimps....they back nincompoops like Kennedy, Kerry, Pelosi and now Obama and wonder why the moral standards in this country are tanking.....Rush to Mass, make sure you receive the Sacraments....and then rush to the polls and back the most ardent supporters of abortion, same sex marriage, and any other pathetic anti-Catholic garbage that comes up...I blame the church itself for much of this travesty. If they, as an institution would makle it very clear that as a member of the organization, you are expected to obey the rules as set down by that institution. If one is not willing to do so, go away and become what you wish.....you are not a Catholic.
As a Catholic I know that anyone who is complicit with the Culture of Death is no longer truly a Catholic. They can call themselves one, they can even be archbishops, but they’re just playing house. You can’t fool God. When I went to Mass this morning, there was a car in the parking lot with an Obama ‘08 sticker on it. I almost had a fit!
Woe to you, Watertown New York, for you did not recognize the day of the Lord.
The “Catholics” in New Jersey who go to mass while voting Dem to protect their government jobs REALLY anger me.
Well, sure, he got the CINO vote. But why did he get MORE Catholics to vote for him than any other Democrat candidate in recent times?
I’m afraid the answer is that he was very successful at hiding his pro-abortion stance from a lot of voters. He was the most extreme abortionist ever to run for president, but a lot of people didn’t know that.
The media covered for him, and McCain virtually gave him a free pass in the debates. The Catholic bishops were pretty good about serving notice on this issue, but that notice came late and probably didn’t reach a lot of people.
I would blame this on McCain’s dismal failure to run a decent campaign. Also, perhaps, Catholic remembered that McCain launched a vicious attack on Evangelicals and Catholics and tried to get them fighting against each other in 2000. Neither group was fond of him, for good reason.
“It is impossible to be a Sincere Catholic and a true Socialist”
Stolen from one of the Pope’s forget which one!
Subsidiarity is still Catholic doctrine, though very, very few Priests even know what the word means.
“It is impossible to be a Sincere Catholic and a true Socialist”
Stolen from one of the Pope’s forget which one!
Subsidiarity is still Catholic doctrine, though very, very few Priests even know what the word means.
Still trying to figure out all those Catholic Democrats that do not seem to abide by their religion! Must be something in the Washington water...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.