The fact that the bishops refuse to tell people to vote Democrat or Republican is their typical cop out. If they were serious about religious liberty, they would tell people to vote Republican or tea party.
Don’t you think that the leadership is coming and growing from the Bishops that Pope Benedict has put in place?
They would get in trouble with the IRS for doing that, because of an idiotic rule put in place in the Johnson administration.
What they can do (and have done) is to say, "here are the issues you ought to be voting on, and here are the candidates' positions on those issues".
That only helps for Catholics who actually attend Mass and allow themselves to be taught by the church. Those Catholics -- weekly Mass-attendees -- voted for McCain last time around. I don't think Obozo will get any more votes from them this time, and probably a good deal less.