Stop Drinking the Kool Aid

I have been reading and listening and watching those who claim to be practicing, devout Catholics make their case for voting for Obama.  I have to say that one and, all they are without a doubt,  full of crap.

They need to put down the Kool-Aid and high tail it to confession because they are leading people into sin and it's going to come back to bite them in the butt at some point.

I have been reading some of the most twisted, delusional, illogical thinking that these "scholars" use to justify their support of a candidate whose platform contains the most abhorrent anti-life policies that can possibly be dreamed up by the most die-hard abortion advocates.  I would have a great deal more respect for Kmiec and Kaveny if they just admitted that they knew it was wrong to endorse a pro-abortion candidate but were doing it anyway. In the case of pro-abortion politicians, such as Biden, Pelosi, Kennedy and others why not just come out and say, "I know it's wrong but it's how I'm going to get elected so I'm going to make this my platform anyway." We then could at least call them honest. Honest in a morally corrupt and power hungry way but at least they would be acknowledging what we know they know.

They are wrong about abortion. They are wrong to fund, promote, vote for, give money to and in any way make accessible abortion to anybody. It's a sin. Always.

I realize there are other vitally important issues and would that abortion were illegal so we all be free to focus on them full time and solve our problems. The fact is that a nation that destroys those who are most vulnerable, and has actual profitable businesses to do so, is going to stay troubled.

This is the kind of Kool-Aid that Kmiec and Kaveny are slugging down;

"In the closing weeks of this election, abortion is among the crucial issues for Catholic voters, but promoting a culture of life is necessarily interconnected with a family wage, universal health care and, yes, better parenting and education of our youth. This greater appreciation for the totality of Catholic teaching is at the very heart of the Obama campaign; it is scarcely a McCain footnote." Newsweek October 17, 2008

Ok, there are so many things wrong with this statement it's hard to believe these people who are well educated and, in theory, very intelligent, wrote it.  There is nothing Catholic at the heart of the Obama campaign. Nothing. Nada. If you want to protect your family wage, then voting for the guy who actively endorses "spreading the wealth around" (this is called Income Redistribution) is not going to accomplish  anything. It means that those people who work very hard and achieve some financial comfort and stability should give it up to help those who don't work at all. Now don't go all social justice on me, we need to take care of those who can't care for themselves and we need to give a leg up to those who fall on hard times. There are times in many people's life when they need assistance to get through a rough patch. I am happy to help. Delighted, take my money and help. Really. However Income redistribution ends up encouraging people to not work and not contribute and leaves the burden of financial gain to a very small segment of society. It is also known as Socialism. Or thievery.  Pretty much you are taking a lot  of my money and giving it away without my consent and leaving me without a lot to feed and clothe my own family. Remember the USSR? How happy those folks were waiting on bread lines and living 18 to an apartment?  Yeah, that's what we're talking about.

Not so Catholic and not so pro-life.

If this economy concerns you, and heavens it should, you can reach out and thank the Democrats who have consistently over the last fifteen years  blocked every attempt to stem the  tide of disaster.  I've written about it before, no need to go there again.

How about that universal healthcare?  Healthcare in this country is a giant mess. I agree. Mostly caused by the legal profession.  People should have reliable, accessible healthcare. Socializing medicine won't do that at all. Ask anyone in a socialized medicine society who has been on a waiting list for surgery or a pair of eyeglasses for three years.  Obama wants to socialize your medical care. This would also result in your tax dollars paying for all those abortions every year. Socialized medicine would  kill research and development by drug companies since they would not be paid enough to engage in the kind of research that has made this country a leader in fighting disease since time out of mind.

Not very Catholic.

It also takes away my ability to CHOSE my doctor (I know these people are big on choice). Encouraging competition between insurance carriers and making insurance a people thing rather than a job thing, that is to say you can keep your coverage when you change jobs, is a better idea. Capitalism. The imperfect, flawed, aggravating system that works better than all the others.

How about these  great scholars and their belief that Obama is concerned with education and better parenting?  Then why is he totally against school vouchers?  He doesn't want children in urban, low scoring school districts to be able to use their parent's hard earned school tax money to be able to attend a better school?  Why not?  (pssst, the answer is because the teacher's unions dump buckets of money into his campaign and they hate vouchers. If urban parents got their hands on vouchers urban public schools would be empty). Seems he's all about choice when it comes to killing babies but not when it comes to picking a school for the kids who are here. 

Not too Catholic.

How about better parenting?  Can you think of a worse parenting decision than to kill your unborn child? He's against homeschooling too. So he is in favor of you being a better parent, just don't try to make any big decisions about where and how they are educated. He's going to do that for you. With a lot of your money.

Not Catholic at all.

They don't bring it up there but I know the war is a big deal for some Catholics who use it to justify voting for the abortion worshipping candidate. The war has been mismanaged and I realize there has been a lot of pain caused to a lot of families because of it, but, those of us living/working in and around New York City are extremely grateful that no planes have recently fallen out of the sky on us or our big buildings. I'm sure those in Washington D.C. and other major American cities feel the same. The fact is we are safer leaving a Bush administration than we were leaving a Clinton one. In fact one could make a REALLY convincing argument that wishy-washy foreign policy of a liberal Democrat led to the situation whereby people could work for years toward the goal of flying planes into buildings. Work at it right here in the US of A. Under our very noses.  I am profoundly grateful to those who serve in the military and praying for the souls of those who have died for our freedom from terrorism and for the freedom of the Iraqi people is a big deal in the Bonny Blue House.

The war is not popular and it may not have been necessary but it is not intrinsically evil. Abortion is always intrinsically evil. There can be just wars, there are no just abortions.  It's really that simple. And that's where the Kool-Aid drinkers get it wrong. Life needs defense. Always. From the very beginning to the natural end we need to be a people who protect life. Even when it is hard. Even when it costs us big.

I would hate to be someday standing before God and having to explain to him that I was complicit in abortion because I helped someone get elected who made no secret of his commitment to the culture of death. I would hate to have God ask me "Why did you do that?" John McCain is not the perfect pro-life candidate, I know that, but better him than the perfect pro-abortion one.

Comments

[KC]

Bravo, Mary Ellen!

[Maria]

Well said - I'm very disheartened that Catholics think it okay to vote for Obama!

I'm glad you laid it out so well!

[Amy]

If I had 100 cute clapping emoticons, I'd put them here. So very well said, Mary Ellen. God bless you!!

[Bridget]

Goodness! This is as good as anything Ann Coulter has ever written, your brilliant!

[Amy]

If I had 100 cute clapping emoticons, I'd put them here. So very well said, Mary Ellen. God bless you!!

[Margaret in Minnesota]

Thank you for saying what has needed to be said, Mary Ellen. A vote for Obama is a vote for death, and we can't pretend otherwise.

[Margaret in Minnesota]

Thank you for saying what has needed to be said, Mary Ellen. A vote for Obama is a vote for death, and we can't pretend otherwise.

[Margaret in Minnesota]

Thank you for saying what has needed to be said, Mary Ellen. A vote for Obama is a vote for death, and we can't pretend otherwise.

[Margaret in Minnesota]

Thank you for saying what has needed to be said, Mary Ellen. A vote for Obama is a vote for death. He himself has made that clear.

[Maryan]

Right there with you Mary Ellen.

I'm really praying hard are for the Catholics who have been tricked into thinking Obama is really the compassionate vote. I pray God that their eyes are opened to the truth...

[jess]

Well said Mary Ellen!

[lisaR]

don't give up speaking the truth in love!!It is not too late yet! thanks for the excellent post.
we had noticed a few cars in our Church parking lot with Obama stickers, two families have now removed them and have changed their minds!!

[Jennifer]

Our priest made the point that you can't have social justice if you don't start with life. This is a brave post Mary Ellen. I salute you. I waver on parties because I am, as is Pope Benedict, against the war but when it comes down to it, I have to vote for the pro-life candidate. It is not only a large part of our faith but the pro-choice argument is hugely, scientifically flawed and the fact that no one will admit as much drives.me.nuts.

Oooh, and I so with what you wrote about healthcare too. I don't think Obama's plan will help my family one bit.

[JoAnn]

So, so true. Thank you for sharing this. I will share it with my misguided Catholic friends who are convinced that Obama is a fine choice. :(

[Wendy (back) in VA]

Woo hoo! Well done, Mary Ellen.

[Meredith]

Thanks Mary Ellen, very well said :)

[Jennifer]

Go GIT 'EM, Mary Ellen! Awesomeness, girl!

[Jennifer]

Just wanted to comment on the idea of "free health care for all".

We're military and have been living with "free" health care for over sixteen years. When we lived on the largest military installation in the free world, my children went ONE YEAR without access to health care; each time I tried to take them to the doctor, all appointments were already booked (2-10 minutes after the appointment lines opened) and the civilian docs who agreed to accept military were always booked as well. There weren't enough providers to meet the demand in the small city of 150,000 that we lived in.

As for the way I've seen the "free" health care function for sixteen years:
- women are put on the pill for any whiff of "female issues", or they give you a hysterectomy if you're tired of dealing. Forget the cause of the problem.
- Prozac is handed out like candy.
- 800mg Motrin horse-chokers are their pat answer for whatever ails you.
- soldiers are "priority" patients and everyone else is seen after they have been cared for; who will be the priority population in free health care? The poor, or the rich and powerful?

That's just my most recent example--in a dwindling military population, mind you. Just imagine the entire country on "free health care".

You get what you pay for.

[Kelly]

AMEN!!!! It's nice to hear the truth.

[Julie at Trinity Acres]

BRAVO MY FRIEND!!! Wow, you even make politics interesting for the politically challenged :)

[Regina]

Great Post! I intend to steal your line and use it as my tag line: "There can be just wars, there are no just abortions--Mary Ellen" Should I put in your blog?(I'm not sure how to do that)

[Jeanne]

I visit your blog regularly Mary Ellen, but have never commented before. I want to thank you for writing about this. It is so important right now and so many blogs are silent. Maybe you have changed some minds. Thank you for your insight and your courage!

[Tari]

AMEN!!!!! Thank you for writing this.

[Stacie.Make.Do.]

This post rocks!

[Lisa]

Wow! Wow! And did I say WOW? You have said it all and said it so well, I'm sitting here, thumping my fist on the desk and cheering you after every paragraph! So glad to have found this (via Eileen-on Him)~ wish the misled Catholics in question could find it ~ and have the wisdom to open their hearts and heads to the common sense Catholicism of it. Really great post!