AP: Immigration reform splits Catholics, GOP

[Eugene]

Friday, April 21, 2006 · Last updated 11:25 a.m. PT

Immigration reform splits Catholics, GOP

By RACHEL ZOLL
AP RELIGION WRITER

The national immigration debate is muddying Republican relations with Roman Catholics -
coveted swing voters who comprise about one-quarter of the electorate.

While Catholic bishops and many Republican politicians share opposition to abortion,
they're often split over the specifics of immigration reform. Church leaders are
challenging - and in some cases even vowing to defy - the tougher enforcement proposals
by GOP lawmakers.

The issue highlights the roadblocks that the Catholic worldview creates for Republicans
and Democrats. Catholics are generally conservative on personal issues such as marriage,
but tend to be liberal on social justice problems, limiting the appeal of both major
parties and leaving Catholics "politically homeless," said the Rev. James L. Heft,
president of the Institute of Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern
California.

"I'd like to see more pro-life Democrats," Heft said, "and social justice Republicans."

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Full article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Immigration_Catholic_Vote.html

[Ian David]

1. Yeah...

[cpousnret]

2. immigration splits

all americans,having spent time in mexico and having grown up in a multicultral eviornment,it doesn`t botherme that mexicans want to come to the u.s.,thats positive,its the manner in which they come here,the borders should be closed,thats a hard statement for me to make,but we need to sort this thing out,too bad we couldn`t annex mexico.

[xultar]

3. The GOP and Fundies have never liked Catholics. Why Catholics

felt it necessary to get into bed with the GOP I'll never know.

[manic expression]

6. abortion? n/t

[xultar]

7. That's like aligning with the devil because you like summer...

That is the ONLY reason. With what Fundies have done anti-choice is the least of what Catholics should want. Fundies HATE everyone and are racist pigs among other things. Not to mention the fundies do the least work in Jesus's good name they can. Fundies do nothing in the true spirit of Jesus.

[underpants]

4. Be careful what you ask for

So I guess "genius" and "Rove" should never be mentioned in the same sentence again (never should have been).

[Lefty48197]

5. You CAN'T be both a Catholic and a Republican

It's the "fundamentalist" Christians who hate Catholics.