There are 47 million Catholic voters

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1820131,00.html

The Battle for Catholic Voters

By Amy Sullivan Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Douglas Kmiec is the kind of Catholic voter the G.O.P. usually doesn't have to think twice about. The Pepperdine law professor and former Reagan Justice Department lawyer (Samuel Alito was an office mate) attends Mass each morning. He has actively opposed abortion for most of his adult life, working with crisis pregnancy centers to persuade women not to undergo the procedure. He is a member of the conservative Federalist Society and occasionally sends a contribution to Focus on the Family.

He is also a vocal supporter of Barack Obama. Kmiec made waves in the Catholic world in late March when he endorsed the Democratic candidate. But Kmiec insists that while he still considers himself a Republican, his choice is clear this election year. "I have grave moral doubts about the war, serious doubts about the economic course Republicans have followed over the last seven years, and believe that immigration reforms won't come about by Republican hands," he says. "Senator McCain would not be the strongest advocate for the balance of things that I care about."

A new TIME poll of Catholic voters reveals that Kmiec is part of a broader pattern. Although Obama was thought to have a "Catholic problem" during the Democratic primaries, in which Hillary Clinton won a majority of Catholic votes, he has pulled even with John McCain among that constituency — Obama now polls 44% to his G.O.P. opponent's 45%.

There are 47 million Catholic voters, and while they are too numerous and varied to speak of as a monolithic Catholic bloc, they have long been a kind of holy grail for presidential candidates. The winner of eight out of the past nine elections has captured a majority of Catholic votes (they voted for Al Gore in 2000), and there are large Catholic concentrations in key states like Florida, Ohio and New Mexico.

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I think we had better start reading up and educating ourselves on this kind of stuff. Because a Santorum candidacy changes everything. We didn't have to worry about Newt and his recent conversion to Catholicism with his past marriages and divorces. But Santorum is different. No scandals that I can recall for him.

[JoePhilly]

1. Santorum has absolutely no chance of being the GOP nominee,

let alone the GOP's candidate against Obama.

[MilesColtrane]

23. Even with the infusion of cash he'll get from placing in Iowa I don't see...

him hanging on until Super Tuesday.

He ain't winning New Hampshire.

He won't get enough votes where he needs and expects them, South Carolina and Florida, to stay in it.

[JoePhilly]

24. And he's not on the ballot in VA.

[mmonk]

2. Catholics are not any more monolithic than Protestant voters.

They are not as tight a voting block as Evangelicals are. In the past though, they trended Democratic in most elections. Wait to see who the opponent is before you panic. Yesterday, it was Ron Paul. Today it is Santorum. Tomorrow, it will be someone else.

[southernyankeebelle]

3. Santorum doesn't have my or my husband's catholic vote.

[Ecumenist]

4. Sure as hell doesn't have my husbands's, aunt's or uncles' Catholic vote either.

[GoCubsGo]

5. He might have my crazy uncle's vote.

But, all the other Catholics in my family are staunch Democrats. They wouldn't vote for Scamtorum if you held a gun to their heads. And, don't get my dad started on what he thinks of the GOP in general.

[Populist_Prole]

36. Or my suddenly conservative friends

Husband & wife. They used to be center-left, mostly supported Democratic candidates, had with a strong dislike of both Bush presidents. Since Barack Obama was in the running for the presidency, they moved sharply to the right and are more overt in their being Catholic. I honestly believe they would vote for ANY republican no matter what. Strange.

[southernyankeebelle]

13. Maybe we are on a roll. I don't think he'll get the catholic vote.

[Ecumenist]

26. Not the American cathpolic vote, I believe. The church here, as a whole, doesn't

believe in the most restrictive tenets. They probably see Santorum, as crazy as hell.

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

6. Considering his modest level of resources, he had a rather decent showing.

And there is this little thing they call "The Just War Theory of Catholicism."

'I Will Bomb Iran's Nuclear Facilities,’ Rick Santorum Crosses Limits of Common Sense
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/275288/20120102/will-bomb-iran-s-nuclear-facilities-rick.htm

[unionworks]

10. there is this other

Little thing called "liberation theology".

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. So? Catholics split their votes just like any other group

Obama took about half the Catholic vote last time, and looks to take the same amount this time, and perhaps more, since Catholic dems tend to be more moderate.

Moreover, Santorum is from an extreme Catholic sect that doesn't play well with many ordinary Catholic voters, especially in second and third gen immigrants in the metro areas (Italians, Irish, etc.). Santorum's Catholicism is basically fundie Christianity in a Catholic guise (very suburban and rural in that regard), whereas urban and immigrant Catholicism tends toward the more practical, live-and-let-live variety. So, even there, big differences among Catholics as regards the practice of Catholicism itself.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Obama was not running against a Catholic in 2008

So it would make sense that he would split that vote.

Don

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Hence, the second part of the post

I'm not worried about some unified block Catholic vote (a papist conspiracy?! ), and neither should you be, since no such thing exists.

[bornskeptic]

18. George W Bush was running against a Catholic in 2004.

If your linked article is correct, he still got a majority of the Catholic vote. Unlike Bush, Barack Obama has a Catholic running-mate.

[southernyankeebelle]

14. It's kinda like the prosperity religion where god said its ok to be rich. Your comment is very muc

on point. I think Santorum comes from the extreme side. I would think a majority of catholics like the live-and-let-live attitude. What I see through the Santorum is how ridget his extreme views are. Thank you for your comment.

[w8liftinglady]

9. My doc reminded me about the Berrigan Brothers....They would have definitely voted for a Democrat

...and a large component of the Catholic Congregation, at least in Texas,Florida and california, has historically been Hispanic. In Texas, our largely Hispanic,Largely Catholic border counties have historically voted for Democrats.

[bmbmd]

12. I remember when JFK

was unacceptable to the right wing becasue he was a Catholic. Now, it seems, being Catholic trumps being Mormon.

[southernyankeebelle]

15. And today JFK gets criticized for not embracing his religion. Go figure.

[Zalatix]

16. If Catholics would focus their zeal on social justice, and Dems would focus on it too

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[Enrique]

31. the Pope has been talking about social justice

and even calls for "redistribution".

Now Santorum runs for President saying inequality is a good thing, and at the same time claims to be a devout Catholic. Will someone please ask him why he has the exact opposite position as the Pope?

[DesertRat]

35. Excellent point. And Santorum's comments about the poor are opposite from the Church's position too.

[Zalatix]

41. A better question is why doesn't the Pope call Santorum out on this?

The word of the day is 'excommunication'.

[Gman]

17. Many Catholics don't like fundies any more than

Fundies like Catholics.

[PA Democrat]

19. Santorum's views are not representative of most Catholics

Around 90% of Catholics support the use of artificial forms of birth control, which Santorum opposes and would support states banning.
http://www.lisashea.com/lisabase/aboutme/birthcontrol.html


The majority of American Catholics support gay marriage. Santorum is not only againsy gay marriage, but he is rabidly homophobic.

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/majority-of-catholics-support-same-sex-marriage-same-sex-sex-not-a-sin/legislation/2011/03/22/18187

I think Santorum's views on marriage equality and reproductive choice are considered too extreme by the majority of Catholics, including all 3 voting Catholics in my household.

[WI_DEM]

20. Santorum will not be the nominee and not all 47 million Catholics would vote for him even if he was

[cap]

21. The hierarchy will support sanatorum

And there will be a homily before election day to support santorum but to what effect?

The more they push santorum the more people will leave the church. One in ten Americans are lapsed Catholics.

More pissed off people in the pews not contributing...at a time when the church will be asking the faithful to sacrifice and help the church financially. There is a major sex abuse crime coming to trial in march.

The right to lifer will be energized. Other Catholics who oppose abortion but not contraception will see the church's ploy for what it is.

Biden is catholic and appeals to the same demographic as santorum.

[Ikonoklast]

25. The RCC is hurting for money in this country...amd money from this country keeps Rome solvent.

If some fool in a black robe is going to get up in front of the congregation and talk about how a right-wing religious fundamentalist should be the elected president, he shouldn't be surprised when people get up out of the pews and walk out the door, with their wallets and purses firmly in hand, never to be seen again.

The RCC is no longer feared by its membership, quite the opposite is true, the leadership is desperately trying to figure out a way to keep from pissing them off as Rome is seen as increasingly Conservative and out of step with mainstream Catholics in this country.

[Ecumenist]

27. Based on the commercials pleading with the lapsed Church to come back,

I think you are absolutely right. The RCC is flailing right now and t would bot be wise to endorse a nut for anything. People are already on edge due to their corruption and rampant sexual abuse and it would not take much for a mass exodus to begin, both financially and literally.

[Ikonoklast]

30. RCC lost Europe years ago, and now are losing North America.

Big push in Africa, but not much money comes out of there to support Rome; in fact, Africa is a 'loss leader'.

No money forthcoming from NA, Rome will have to have an asset fire sale in order to survive.

As long as the RCC keeps running to the Right, NA Catholics will keep their money in their pockets.

[Ecumenist]

33. Tell me about it. I'm not Catholic but alot of family and my husband is.

The church has done too much to coddle deviant priests and nuns over the safety of children and is already not be getting financial or ideological support from alot of the western world and that's not decreasing. They're also responsible for the soaring rate of new HIV infection in Africa. What is wrong with using condoms to save lives? REALLY?

Africa sick of others telling them how to live. They can't look to Africa for finance. African people were enslaved because of a papal endorsement and they have long memories. I'm partially African and I have always wondered why people followed a church which until recently, had even deigned to apologise.

[newspeak]

37. they wouldn't be flailing if they had selected

someone more in the lines of Pope John XXIII, instead of another right wing, against women pope. I was catholic; back when it was acceptable to fight for social justice; instead of bowing down to the rich and infamous. The more the church goes backwards instead of forwards, the more of their congregation they will lose, especially in the industrialized nations.

[Ecumenist]

39. I'm not Catholic but I was horrified when they selected "Pope Palpatine", also the

a former member of the Nazi Youth, as Pope John Paul's successor. Wasn't he also associated with the Inquisitor's office as well as having a close associate who has been accused of sexual abuse of some altar boys, who are now men?

Horrified, I tell you..absolutely horrified! The RCC are constantly making the absolutely wrong moves everytime.

[gkhouston]

22. Santorum's candidacy will be over before we finish "reading up". n/t

[DeathToTheOil]

28. An article from 2008?

[TwilightGardener]

29. Catholics don't vote as a bloc, like fundie Protestants. I don't see Catholics caring about

Man On Dog being Catholic. Plus, lots of Catholics are Hispanic, that's a whole separate voting group unto itself.

[JackRiddler]

32. Disagree with the assumption.

Perhaps there are 47 million voters who grew up as Catholics (sounds low to me), but it doesn't mean they are "Catholic voters" in the sense that Catholicism influences their voting (as opposed to other factors like class, region and culture, actual politics, ethnic identity, etc.).

For example, this is questionable:

"The winner of eight out of the past nine elections has captured a majority of Catholic votes (they voted for Al Gore in 2000)"

Well first of all, Al Gore won the popular vote, so that makes nine out of nine!

However, given the large size of this "bloc," this would also be the result if "Catholic voters" simply voted along the same lines as the overall population.

I'd be more impressed if it could be shown that the results among "Catholic voters" differed significantly from the results among all voters. Only then would they be a separate bloc that could be captured as such.

It's a long time since 1960.

[McCamy Taylor]

34. Catholics have always been a Democratic demographic.

Most Catholics I know ignore the Pope on abortion and birth control.

[hedgehog]

38. I don't think you can refer to "Catholic voters" any more without

defining what a "Catholic voter is". Is a catholic someone raised as a Catholic who retains the social justice leanings even if he hasn't gone to Mass in years? What about a Catholic who attends Mass but believes in gay rights, same sex marriage, contraception and married priests?

Increasingly, the bishops are definitely leaning Republican and driving liberals out of the "official" Church. Still, it's been said there is no such thing as an ex-Marine, ex-Texan or ex-Catholic!

[Burgman]

40. There's no shortage of the superstitious.