Reaching Catholics

[rug]

16. Interesting read.

I don't think that, for the most part, the Catholic vote is a bloc that is particularly distinct from the electorate as a whole. This is a point he brings up, "At nearly 20 percent of the population, Catholics have roughly mirrored the popular vote in the last eight elections."

Other than the third or so of Catholics who are also hardcore conservatives, I think he's right that overall Catholics are "slightly to the left of the country on most 'values' issues" other than abortion. I believe the polls regarding contraception and marriage equality show no appreciable difference between Catholic and nonCatholic voters.

What I think he fails to emphasize is the distinction between Catholic doctrine and political policy.

It is as foolish to contend that a private catechism must be ripped up to ensure choice in a civil society as it is to contend that a private catechism should be the basis for a civil society.

The Administration did show itself to be somehat tone deaf in the HHS rule announcement. The manner in which it was made allowed conservatives to argue that the new rule would force the Catholic Church (and others) to materially cooperate in providing contraception and abortifacients, which is squarely against its doctrine.

It is unrealistic to expect the Catholic Church to change its long-standing doctrine to accommodate an HHS regulation. And I'm certain that was not the intent of the rule.

Were it more attuned to the particular issues, the Administration is intelligent enough to have both framed the issue as an equal access to reproductive heath issue (which most Catholics do not object to) as well as to have presented a means for Catholic institutions to implement it without violating its principles on cooperation with what it considers a moral evil. (A supplemental insurance pool comes to mind.)

Instead, we were entertained with the spectacle of righteousness contests for a few weeks.

There is no need for Catholic doctrine to be particularly respected, let alone followed, in the public arena. But it should be understood accurately. Especially in an election year.