…the controversy surrounding the Notre Dame invitation highlights growing strains in an important political relationship. In the last election, while evangelical Christians generally remained loyal to the Republican nominee, Catholics decisively shifted their votes toward Obama. In 2004, George W. Bush won the Catholic vote by five percentage points. Obama carried it by nine points in 2008. A number of Catholic thinkers set out a “pro-life, pro-Obama” position — disagreeing with Obama’s pro-choice views but trusting in his moderate instincts and conciliatory temperament.
So far, Obama has done little to justify this faith. His initial actions on life issues — funding overseas abortion providers, removing restrictions from federally funded medical experimentation on human embryos, revisiting conscience protections for pro-life health-care professionals — have ranged from conventional to radical. And this may be one reason Obama’s support among Catholics has eroded. According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who disapprove of Obama’s job performance increased by nine points from February to March. Among Catholics as a whole, his disapproval rating jumped 14 points. And among white, non-Hispanic Catholics, the figure doubled — from 20 percent to 41 percent.
Catholics are having second thoughts, but it could get much worse. If the president and Congress are not careful on several issues, these concerns could open a major rift between the Catholic Church and the Democratic Party.
To be fair, Obama never pretended to be anything but a radical, pro-abortion candidate. Anyone, of any faith, that thought he was going to do anything but what he has done regarding abortion was deceived by no one but himself. Hang on to your hats for the signing of the Freedom of Choice Act.
Obama will have trouble with the pro life Catholics if Palin is the nominee in 2012. Maybe even the pro phoice ones as well depending on things go…
There are over 226,626 signatures on the petition so far and the rate is picking up, not slowing down. Non-Catholics may sign, say the organizers.
http://www.notredamescandal.com
However, a USA Today poll (if polls are to be believed) shows US Catholics lean left and do not differ widely from unchurched or protestants:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-03-31-catholics-liberal_N.htm
How many of Obama’s ‘Catholic’ supporters were CINO’s?
Nominal Catholics tend to be poorer and less educated, the kind of people who would vote for a tax and spend candidate.
I cannot tell you how many times during the campaign I heard from people who are moderates, who favored Obama, that he was not as far left as the Republicans were making him out to be, and how he would have to govern from the middle, like most all other Presidents. My response was in every case, his education, his friends and his voting record in ILL and U.S. Senate do not bear out that he is anything but an extreme left wing politico, a socialist and probably a communist, deep down (which he seems to be proving, daily). And if he had long coattails in the election (which he had), then he would have a left wing Congress with whom he could push through whatever he wanted. Guess what … I was right and I wish I had been wrong.
So I guess the first family is going to have to cross off any RC parishes from their list of churches to look at for a church home while in D.C. Anybody hear anything about where they have been attending church?
#4 – many.
I think Obama’s plan is to open a rift in the Catholic Church itself. Split the Catholics who swallow the progressive line (including abortion), the CINOs if you will, from the faithful Catholics, and push more for the marginalization of the latter. The fault lines have been there for 40 years and are deepening and widening, even without outside influence. He’s a canny politician and I am sure well aware of this. However I think he may not have expected such a strong negative response, given that the US bishops have been very supine for decades in the face of these social and political challenges to the faith. The bishops, more and more, are speaking up and taking action… many encouraging things since the election, like the breadth of the response against ND, the Washington DC and Arlington bishops agreeing to honor the sanction against Secretary Sibellius presenting herself for communion levied by her ordinary in Kansas (on account of her support of abortion), and more.
#1 Jeffersonian:
Since people don’t always just focus on one issue, and the mainstream press hid so many negatives, I think much of the electorate voted for President Obama while not being fully informed on many of the important issues – More than, but including, Pro-Life/Choice.
I wonder if the silver lining in these gray clouds is that pro-life organizers now have to focus more diligently on educating the public rather than lobbying in Washington. We lost ground in D.C., so let’s go the entire country. In a sense, Obama’s extremism and apparent refusal to have an thougtful discussion (since it’s above his pay grade!!!) is making it easier to turn our attention to where it should be: the hearts and minds of the American people.
I would agree, #8, the MSM ran very effective interference for Obama.
[blockquote] trusting in (Obama’s) moderate instincts and conciliatory temperament [/blockquote]
I am terribly sorry, but Michael Gerson, the author of this tripe seems incapable of distinguishing between words and instincts, or words and actions. He also appears to be incapable of distinguishing between demeanor and temperament. Perhaps Mr. Gerson needs a course in the English language, or instruction on how to use a dictionary to locate an accurate word for what he intends. Either that, or he suffers from an acute case of mistaking words and tone for actions and substance.
From what I have seen of our newly-elected President in public, I have observed no concrete evidence of either of Mr. Gerson’s [i]accusations[/i] against the former, blockquoted above. If anyone had ever accused Barack Obama, the elected politician, of having moderate instincts, and the case had somehow miraculously been placed on a docket and brought to court, based on the evidence I have seen, the judge would have had no choice but to summarily dismiss the charge due to a patent and comprehensive lack of evidence.
Blessings and regards,
Keith Toepfer
We have a Catholic hospital and a secular not for profit (previously Episcopalian) here in town. If the Freedom of Choice Act passes and the Catholics are good on their word about closing down rather than providing abortions, we will be in a world of hurt.
I signed the petition. I have also suggested on Catholic blogs to have an alternative commencement ceremony. I am quite sure that they could get an awesome alternative commencement speaker who would probably volunteer his services (maybe even Pope Benedict!).