Can Catholics Vote Libertarian?

[Michie]

We Catholics all know that the Church is bigger than any one political party, bigger even than a single nation or political system. It is a commonplace that many Catholics in the United States tend to vote for the Democrats…

Can Catholics Vote Libertarian?

 

[AMDG]

I once heard that libertarianism is pretty close to the classical liberalism of the framers of our Consitution. (Can't remember where I heard that--but you know that the Liberalism of the U.S. is *not* the liberalism of Europe. That liberalism does seem to me to be closer to classical liberalism than the Liberalism of the U.S.)

 

[MKJ]

Libertarianism is not much at all like classical liberalism. Their underlying assumptions about the nature of reality are quite different.

I'm not sure there is really a good equivalent to classical liberalism in America today.

 

[JesusIsTheWay33]

No.

Libertarianism is an adolescent creed, consisting of glorified selfishness. Nothing could be further from Christian truth. It is pure mammon-worship.

 

[Fantine]

Since true libertarians are opposed to legislating morality (and they would call their stance "religious freedom") I think that conservative Catholics would not be attracted to libertarianism (even though some might like it for the very reasons evagrius mentioned).

Ron Paul isn't a complete libertarian. He's an economic libertarian, and that's different.

 

[sylverpiano]

The more I read the OBOB political forum, the closer I get to an inability to vote for anyone.

 

[sylverpiano]

from the article:

So, I conclude this short piece with a question to you, gentle readers: can Catholics vote Libertarian and sleep well at night? I truly do not know how they could, but maybe I am just missing something.

Just one more subtle (or maybe not so subtle) reminder that we, as Catholics, must vote Republican.

 

[Needing_Grace]

from the article:

Just one more subtle (or maybe not so subtle) reminder that we, as Catholics, must vote Republican.

Republicanism and Libertarianism can be summed up through this dialogue from the Emperor's New Groove. A supplicant has arrived with a problem and Yzma is sitting in for Emperor Kuzco. Let's watch:

YZMA: it is no concern of mine whether your family has...uhm...what was it again?

SUPPLICANT: [gulps]. I'm...food.

YZMA: HA! You should have thought about that before you became peasants! Take him away!!

This attitude of cold indifference to others is exactly why libertarianism, and it's incestuous cousin republicanism, are ideologies which fail to meet the expectations I read in the Gospels. .

Sent from my iPhone using CF

 

[AMDG]

from the article:


Just one more subtle (or maybe not so subtle) reminder that we, as Catholics, must vote Republican.

Since there are many, more political parties besides Dem, Repub, Libertarian (or libertarian leaning) I fail to see how you come to "vote Repub" from that statement. Repub is not even mentioned.

 

[sylverpiano]

Since there are many, more political parties besides Dem, Repub, Libertarian (or libertarian leaning) I fail to see how you come to "vote Repub" from that statement. Repub is not even mentioned.

Hi there, AMDG!

The entire subtext of this forum seems to continually stress that, as Catholics, voting for the Republican Candidate is obligatory.

YMMV

 

[AMDG]

Hi there, AMDG!

The entire subtext of this forum seems to continually stress that, as Catholics, voting for the Republican Candidate is obligatory.

YMMV

Well, yes--in order to save lives and religious freedom *and* the country, we need to remove Obama from his job, but if that is by voting Repub the article doesn't insist on a Repub vote there are other parties folks may vote for (and do) but you are correct if you think that all the votes would be better focused rather than scattered. (I'm still hoping that a miracle saves me from having to vote at all, but don't think that's going to happen since Catholics have long taught that voting is an obligation and life as well as being able to practice Catholicism freely*is* on the line this time.)

 

[Mikey123]

Catholics can vote for any person in any party they like. The fact that a large portion of Catholics keep voting for pro-abortion candidates proves that.

 

[Antigone]

Hi there, AMDG!

The entire subtext of this forum seems to continually stress that, as Catholics, voting for the Republican Candidate is obligatory.

YMMV

It's not subtext. That would imply a degree of subtlety.

 

[sylverpiano]

It's not subtext. That would imply a degree of subtlety.

;o)

 

[sylverpiano]

Well, yes--in order to save lives and religious freedom *and* the country, we need to remove Obama from his job, but if that is by voting Repub the article doesn't insist on a Repub vote there are other parties folks may vote for (and do) but you are correct if you think that all the votes would be better focused rather than scattered. (I'm still hoping that a miracle saves me from having to vote at all, but don't think that's going to happen since Catholics have long taught that voting is an obligation and life as well as being able to practice Catholicism freely*is* on the line this time.)

Actually, in my case it really does not matter who I vote for. Mr. Romney will be getting the Electoral votes from my state no matter what I do, as will the Congressional representative from my district.

Voting third party in the upcoming election will all but guarantee that Mr. Obama will be elected to a second term.

 

[JesusIsTheWay33]

The entire subtext of this forum seems to continually stress that, as Catholics, voting for the Republican Candidate is obligatory.

Which presents rather a problem for those of us "unfortunate" enough to live outside the United States.

 

[sylverpiano]

Which presents rather a problem for those of us "unfortunate" enough to live outside the United States.

It also presents a problem for those of us fond of objectivity....

 

[Vendetta]

C.S. Lewis seemed to think that the ideal government would be the opposite of libertarianism, FWIW.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

There is no way in heck I'm voting Republican.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Anyone that thinks for Romney is a good thing is just using the 'Anyone but . . . ' inane paradigm. That's how Neocon/closet-progressive sucker us in for voting craptastic Republicans like Nixon, Bush Sr, Bush Jr, Cheney, McCain, etc.

Remember Republicans gave us Roe v. Wade and Abortion legalised in America. Don't trust them!