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Catholics' Guide to Politics

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· [Draft] Resources
· Holy See Pleased that Kidnapped Archbishop is Released
· For All The Wrong Reasons
· Celebrate Martin Luther King
· MoveOn's social Security Petition
· Who Has Abortions and What it Means for us
· The Awakening of Democrats?
· Tim Roemer for DNC Chair
· "Under God?" Asking the big questions
· Catholic Republicans becoming a more familiar sight on the Hill

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Syndicate

Personal Reflection on Rerum Novarum

Comment added by WilliamSB on Tue 17 Aug 2004 - 10:43 h

I added this statement from Rerum Novarum because it responds to claims made in the Catholics for Bush Yahoo! Group that raising taxes for the upper classes in our country in order to restore funding for infrastructure and services for the lower classes amounted, in Catholic thinking, to theft. That claim is utterly ubsurd for anyone, regardless of religious affiliation; but it particularly flies in the face of a christian worldview informed by the Gospels.

Pope Benedict XIII, of course, made two assertions which stood out for me in relation to the differing economic policies of Bush and Kerry. First, that it is a duty for those who have beyond what they need to maintain a stable and dignified life to share with those who do not. Second, that "no one is commanded to distribute to others that which is required for his own needs and those of his household; nor even to give away what is reasonably required to keep up becomingly his condition in life....". George W. Bush's economic and tax policies are the inverse of these Papal assertions. George W. Bush taxes the middle class who need their money to survive in order to lessen the responsibility of the wealthy classes to contribute to the common good.

John Kerry seeks to correct this imbalance in government policy. Yet Catholics, supposedly informed by their faith, rush to rescue Bush from the associated insinuation that Bush and the Congressional Republicans are failing in their responsibility to the common good. While it may be en vogue for many -- for some reason I just can't figure out -- to "stand behind their man" in the White House, Catholic teaching cannot be perverted to achieve that end. On this matter, John Kerry is definitely the candidate whose policies find greater favor in the mind of the Catholic community.

Just this week, John Kerry has been touring America focusing "on strengthening the economy and creating jobs." Kerry laid out a particular plan, this week, to help build up rural economies. Of particular interest to me was the fact that "John Kerry and John Edwards are committed to helping family farmers compete in today’s global agricultural economy. They understand farmers must be given the opportunity to receive a profit from the marketplace. They will fight against concentration and vertical integration and for trade that works for America’s family farmers." This plan rights injustices on so many levels! This is an economic agenda that the Catholic community can get behind.

More, the approach that John Kerry and John Edwards are bringing to economic policy is an approach that recognizes that we, as Americans, are all in this together. The Kerry/Edwards economic plan is not one that sets the interests of some Americans up over the interests of others. John Kerry and John Edwards recognizes, as Catholics do, that we can only be a strong America if we have real commitment to solidarity in the national community.

Cry of the Poor

"How can it be that even today there are still people dying of hunger? Condemned to illiteracy? Lacking the most basic medical care? Without a roof over their heads? . . .

"Christians must learn to make their act of faith in Christ by discerning His voice in the cry for help that rises from this world of poverty."
-- Pope John Paul II
Novo Millennio Ineunte, no. 50

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Government Websites

The White House
U.S. Congress
U.S. Supreme Court
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Other Parties...

Relevant Catholic Weblogs

In Today's News: Progressive Catholic reflections
Disputations: Disciplined Catholic thought

Grassroots Politics: DFA

· Fortune Favors the Bold
· Daily News Roundup
· Oklahoma, Mississippi and Utah Democratic Party Leadership Join Florida in Endorsing Gov. Howard Dean for DNC Chair
· One Step Closer in KY
· Florida DNC Members Unanimously Choose Dean
· There's a Party Goin' On Right Here ...
· Touring Birmingham
· Rapid Response: Dr. King's Impact
· The Legacy of Dr. King
· Concord Monitor Endorses Dean

BBC News | Americas

· Rice quizzed over US Iraq policy
· Baseball: Clemens asks for $22m
· Saudis cleared from 9/11 lawsuits
· Rice grilled over US Iraq policy
· Peru PM survives censure vote
· Global poll slams Bush leadership
· Advertising boom boosts Yahoo
· New models up Motorola earnings
· US man admits Iraq oil charge
· New models boost Motorola profits

FactCheck.org

· Social Security Ads: Risk or Protection?
· FactCheck Subscribers Find Us Clear, Unbiased, Reliable and Useful
· Update: FactCheck.org Subscriber Survey
· FactCheck.org Subscriber Survey
· The Whoppers of 2004
· NRA Ad Falsely Accuses Kerry
· Kerry and Bush Mislead Voters With Promises of Energy Independence
· Would Kerry Throw Us To The Wolves?
· $8 Million Worth Of Distortions
· An Avalanche of Misinformation

Do Not Be Afraid

Have Mercy On Us
and on the
Whole World