More McPaper Reality

After reading the Chinese death penalty article in the USA Today, I came across a nearly full-page ad: Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics. (PDF posted here.)

Created by Catholic Answers, it's apparently been around since 2004, at least. The Guide addresses big faith & morals issues (defined as the non-negotiables": abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning and homosexual marriage.) I didn't realize that it wasn't developed just this year until I looked for text online; these same issues keep coming up. Gotta be something about ginning up the party base: property tax reform and social safety nets just don't get the faithful to the polls.

Thoughts:

1. The Guide does allow for voting for the lesser of two evils. This is good.
2. It recognizes that the views of a mayoral condidate on cloning might not be relevant to that ofice, but it then encourages voters to recognize that tomorrow's Senator is today's alderman candidate.
3. Cans o'worms open up via a vis heterodoxy vs. heresy for disagreement on the last non-negotiable item. The Guide doesn't distinguish between establishing civil protections for property (an issue near & dear to the Republican heart) and re-defining the married state.
4. It helps me not one whit in deciding between the reckless, irresponsible guy and the cock-fighting lobbyist guy.

I know our Padre decided not to incite division in the Parish by putting these out. Truly a pastoral decision.

The Curt Jester, in 2004, supplied the Voter's Guide for Cafeteria Catholics.