How will Pope Francis' new positions on wedge issues affect elections in the USA?

[applegrove]

I mean if he completely turns the catholic church on its head in the next years to come? What percentage of Americans are practicing catholics? Is it 25%? That is huge for the Democrats if it translates into more votes.


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/19/pope-francis-vision-new-catholic-church

"SNIP....................

Pope Francis has set out his desire to find a "new balance" in the Catholic church, calling for greater involvement of women in key decisions and a less condemnatory approach towards gay people, divorcees and women who have had an abortion.

In a wide-ranging interview with an Italian Jesuit journal, the Pope calls for the Catholic church, the world's largest Christian church with 1.2bn members, to face up to the need for reform. Offering a dramatic contrast to the traditional conservative approach of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, Francis says the first reform must be one of "attitude", adding that unless a new balance is found, "the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards".

................SNIP"

[immoderate]

1. It won't get HIM elected...

Jus' sayin'


--imm

[applegrove]

2. LOL!

[TexasProgresive]

3. The Tea bag branch of the Church will call for impeachment!

But the rest of us are quite pleased.

[dflprincess]

4. He's reaching out to those of us who have "lapsed"

meanwhile the right-wing "more Catholic than the pope" crowd (who thought Benedict was too liberal) will pretend hoping for a short papacy is what a "good" Catholic must do in this situation.

I really don't see how it will have any affect on who does or doesn't vote Democratic.

[karynnj]

5. I doubt it will have more impact than the previous Pope being on the other side

The Catholic church was never the same all over the country - even if theoretically it was. The Catholicism I learned in Northern Indiana was very conservative - and from family, I know it still is. The Catholicism my daughter saw at a MA Jesuit college was far more liberal. Not surprisingly, the Catholicism of then Senator Kerry, when he spoke at Pepperdine sounded - like my daughter said - like the Holy Cross Jesuits in places.

Where in the past, most NE Catholics ignored any Catholic push to make abortion the key issue - and voted for Democrats. (RI at least in one election was both the highest % Catholic and the highest % Democrat. ) I suspect that now - in conservative areas you may have the mirror image of that.

[Chan790]

6. This.

How liberally Catholic is the NE?

I went to 12 years of Catholic schooling and had the same sex education starting in fifth grade the kids in the public school had. I got to college before I realized most Catholics don't hear more sermonizing on poverty than abortion. When I was in HS and considering vocation...the priest that I did my counseling interview with advised me to sow my oats before I made a decision so that I understood what I was surrendering for God.

When I got to a very conservative college and seminary...this was unbelievable to my peers.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Perhaps it will show Americans that real reform is possible

And that the powerful people don't have to be swine.

Then Americans might just demand actual change, and vote for people who will work hard to actually do the right thing for all of us, not just a few hyperwealthy folks.

[applegrove]

8. Yeah. I hope it teaches people that change for the better is more than possible.