Doug Kmiec tells Hudson: You Are Right
No, the title of this post wasn’t an April Fools’ joke.
Observing the fact that, ”The special contribution of Mr. Hudson’s unusual memorandum is his insight that Catholics are not ‘single issue voters uncaring about children after they are born,’” Kmiec points out, “This is of course why Senator Obama’s call to address: the grievously wrongful killing taking place in the unjust, preemptive war in Iraq; the stewardship of the environment; the economic circumstances of the average family, including the provision of a family wage, and the reform of immigration system are all inextricably bound up with Catholic social teaching. Evaluating these matters is very much a Catholic concern.“ Read the rest of the story here.
I think more discussion needs to be had of social justice as it connects to the Catholic vote. But more importantly, I think more needs to be said about how and why McCain doesn’t really follow the Catholic non-negotiables. Catholics should not be fooled into voting for McCain on false premises. This does not mean they shouldn’t vote for McCain — just that it shouldn’t be a vote based upon lies. We should always be able to give reasons for our vote, whomever we vote for. But we must also realize that our reasons should be ones which satisfy our own conscience, not the consciences of other people.
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Single-issue voting doesn’t work because “issues” don’t exist separately in a vacuum, but are rather intimately tied together in our society. Addressing one issue requires addressing many.
These statements by Kmiec are quite bizarre, not for what is said, but for who is saying it. Six months ago, Kmiec was supporting Romney for President and was (I believe) on his campaign. Romney holds all of the positions Kmiec now claims to find objectionable about McCain, and in some cases (such as immigration) he held positions that Kmiec, given what he now says, should have found even more objectionable. Yet he was as gung ho for Romney then as he is for Obama now.
Was he offered a cabinet position?
I bet that the usual suspects will starting quietly slipping one of the famous “non-negotiables” from the list…perhaps it’s happening already.
MM-
I’ll bet you $100 to a prolife charity that doesn’t happen. Do you seriously think Catholic Answers is going to take ESCR off the list of non-negotiables for John McCain?
But for John McCain?
I think not.
I obviously support John McCain. What I am curious about – to get your (Henry) ‘pro-life’ approval, would a presidential candidate have to support banning IVF altogether, banning the sale of ‘the pill’, IUDs and the like ?
Gerald,
I’m afraid that if God Himself can’t get Henry’s pro-life approval, the chances of any politician earning that title are pretty slim.
For me to say someone is pro-life, they will have to demonstrate it — not through lip service against abortion, but through a positive and consistent ethic for life. Abortion is not the ony place where this ethic comes into play; and indeed, the way people treat non-abortion related issues demonstrates far more where they are on the life issue. If they follow through with the Gospel of Life, and again, do more than just lip service, but show a consistent work for the elimination of abortion and to help change the culture so that life is promoted in all of its stages, I would say the person is pro-life. But if they quickly find reasons to ignore or excuse aspects of the Gospel of Life, and think them unimportant, it shows they really don’t have an ethic of life, but something else.
Blackadder
What you just wrote was nasty. Jesus is pro-life. I follow Jesus. Through the whole of his pro-life message, which can be found throughout his ministry, such as at the Sermon on the Mount. If you can’t understand the post you refer to was not a statement against God, but a demonstration of the end consequence of a line of reasoning which I find to be invalid, then something is wrong. I was pointing out the inconsistency of a certain kind of political talk, the kind which is quick to judge others, nothing else.
Henry,
I’m just reporting what you said. How is that nasty?
Blackadder
You have lied about what I said, that is what is nasty. I was showing the error of a certain kind of reasoning used in politics to judge others; I didn’t judge God, but pointed out that certain people should be doing so if they are logical. I think there are many answers to my question, but first, one must get beyond a certain kind of invalid reasoning to see it. Otherwise, the question remains as valid as it was when it was found in Jews writing in anger against God about the Holocaust.
Well, that was a bit nasty, heh, but very funny. Think that’s bad Henry ? I was just called a ‘pseudo-disciple of Satan’ because of of my tolerant post on homosexuality. :D
Henry,
I didn’t say you judged God or said anything against Him. You said he was pro-choice, and the piece of reasoning you were critiquing (that pro-choice = pro-abortion) required you to make that assumption. Anyone who wishes can follow the link and judge for themselves whether my characterization here is accurate.
Blackadder
Since you said God didn’t get my support, you clearly did. Enough.
BA – Henry didn’t “say” anything in the post, let alone “say” that God is pro-choice. He asked a question.
Well, that was a bit nasty, heh, but very funny.
Hair triggers are a constant temptation for me also. I was recently called bigoted because said Mike Huckabee was “down-homey” and that Alan Keyes needed to be medicated, both of which are accepted facts.
God have mercy on me, a blogger.
Itr amazes me that JOhn McCain that actually has taken political risk that came close to ruining him that are also related to some controversal parts and not often are popular gets no KUDOS
What about for example his stand on Comprehensive Immigration Reform? Does he get any kudos from that from the arbritors of correct Social Justice?
Catholics should not be fooled into voting for McCain on false premises.
Yes, Henry, we certainly wouldn’t want that. What with the daily flood of rabidly pro-McCain posts on this site, it’s easy to see how they might be deceived. I was wondering when someone on this site might finally get around to giving Obama some attention.
HA
First, it is not as if people are not giving Obama attention on other sites. Second, they do seem to be giving less attention to McCain now that he is their candidate, and they are making arguments which show the sophistry. Third, people have indeed given attention to Obama. I myself made as post on him, and others have as well.
I was being sarcastic, Henry. A little April Fools action from the readers — can’t let the moderators monopolize all the fun.
Here are the “rabidly pro-McCain” posts I tried to link to, but failed — they’re not appearing on my message for some reason. It’d take too long to relink to all the favorable Obama posts here, and how he “radiates truth and goodness” so I’ll let that pass. (I wish I were being sarcastic about that quote.)
http://vox-nova.com/2008/03/20/what-should-conservatives-do-come-election-day
http://vox-nova.com/2008/03/17/ewtn-gets-it-right
http://vox-nova.com/2008/03/13/santorum-needs-a-refresher-on-catholic-social-teaching
http://vox-nova.com/2008/03/13/on-mccain-and-hagee