Editor’s note: This column was originally published in the Hartford Catholic Transcript, August 26, 1988.
In this column, written as early as possible before the presidential election, I want to analyze the platforms of our two major political parties. Further, I want to describe the historical link between the Democratic Party and the Catholic Church. My analysis of the platform is based on excerpts supplied by the New York Times.
The Democratic platform must be read with attention to the literary form expected of such documents. It is written with feeling. Everything that is not perfect is blamed on the imperfect present administration, implying that the Democrats would solve these problems. I suspect that the platforms of most opposition parties follow this pattern. The Democratic platform is critical of “wasting money” in the military through “duplicative and dubious new weapons,” and believes in a more stable defense budget. Therefore the Democrats are indeed in favor of defending the nation, but not in excessive fashion.
The Democratic platform presents a future in which the needs of everybody will be met by government. The platform seems to promise something for everyone. There is no mention of the cost of this or of the escalating national debt. There is an addition which calls for a reversal of direction, a reassertion of progressive values, a re-investment in people within a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility. Additionally, the Democratic platform is in favor of contraception and abortion, financed by the government. The 13 somewhat vague words are that “the right of reproductive choice should be guaranteed regardless of ability to pay.”
After allowing for the literary form I find many commendable goals to help people, commend the platform for its views on defense, wonder if it recognizes original sin and human selfishness, and am deeply troubled by its pro-abortion policy.
The Republican platform likewise follows a literary form. The incumbents speak only of their accomplishments and ridicule their opponents. The republican platform is in favor of the family, against abortion, and expresses concern about uncontrolled federal spending. It blames Congress because “the relentless spending of Congressional Democrats can undo our best efforts,” and calls for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. It states flatly “We oppose any attempts to increase taxes.”
From the viewpoint of Catholic social and moral doctrine, I would ask the Democratic Party why it adopts no clear stance in regard to the national debt, about the need for a balanced budget, and about the generation which will pay for the excellent programs proposed. I would ask the Republican Party if it is honest to pledge itself against additional taxes while (as the past eight years have shown) the national debt increases, a growing burden for future generations. I would ask the Democratic Party how it can be in favor of aborting unborn human beings. I would ask both parties what they plan to do beyond talking about our looming, massive moral problem of spoiling earth’s natural resources of air and water.
Throughout its history the Democratic Party has had an identification with the Catholic Church. The reasons for this are connected with ethnicity, social class, issues, and shared morality. A century ago the Democratic Party was called the party of “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”—and this helped elect a Democrat as president. This relationship was cemented when in 1928 the Democrats nominated a Catholic, Al Smith, and anti-Catholic bigotry helped to defeat him. During the Depression of the 1930s Catholics, generally poorer, looked upon the Republicans as less caring and compassionate towards the “common man.” The relationship reached its zenith in 1960 when Catholic voters swept John F. Kennedy into the White House.
I am a somewhat typical example of that link between U.S. Catholics and Democrats. In my childhood home, God, and Jesus Christ were first, the Catholic Church second, and the Democratic Party was third.
But that link has been severed. The Democratic Party is now clearly and officially the pro-abortion party. In a sense it has abandoned Catholics as a bloc. Further, the Catholic vote as a bloc has ended. In one way that is good. But in another way it is a tragedy. American politics now are whipsawed between extremists to the right and to the left, and need the values and balance of the Catholic tradition which both calls for social justice and upholds moral values.
I recognize the concept of a consistent ethic of life—that we should judge a party and a candidate by all issues, and not by any single issue. The Democratic Party has accomplished much for the nation. The nation needed Franklin Roosevelt and the Democrats to bring legal power to the trade unions, security for the elderly, subsidies to farmers, and special help to the poor. But by its repeated stance in favor of abortion the Democratic Party has abandoned the Catholic Church and fragmented a Catholic bloc. My view of abortion now is such that I believe the Democratic Party is officially in favor of executing unborn babies whose only crime is that they temporarily occupy their mother’s womb.
In 1860 the Democratic Party was on the wrong side on the moral question of slavery. It is on the wrong side of the more serious moral question of abortion. Therefore, reluctantly, I am unable in conscience to remain a registered Democrat. Feeling abandoned, I hope that the Democratic Party regains its moral principles and its soul.