Here's what the National Catholic Reporter says about the USCCB's statement:
While placing a strong accent on the primacy of opposing such absolute moral evils as abortion and racism, the document also acknowledges that in some cases, Catholics could in good conscience vote for pro-choice candidates if “truly grave reasons” exist for doing so.
“In the end this is a decision to be made by each individual Catholic guided by a conscience formed by Catholic moral teaching,” the document states.
http://ncrcafe.org/node/1439
I think that the USCCB has a difficult balancing act to achieve. In the first place, if Catholics are told that they are only allowed to vote for certain candidates, the Church's tax exempt status would be at stake.
But, even more importantly, every time the Church tells Catholics they have to vote for "pro-life" (and, as usual, I use that term with more than a bit of cynicism) candidates, they are giving those candidates a free ride.
"Starve the widows and orphans!"
"Nuke the Middle East!"
"Pollute the earth!"
"Abolish the minimum wage!"
"Torture the terrorists--and those illegal immigrants, too!"
And, sad to say, there are too many "pro-life" candidates who would look at a blanket episcopal endorsement (and especially an episcopal mandate) as a free ride to participate in even more domestic and foreign policy devilment than they already have up their sleeves.
Can Catholics, as a group, really wear signs on their butts that tell Republicans (aka "pro-life" candidates) "Kick me! I'll vote for you anyway?"
And that is why I believe that no matter how much the bishops try to cajole Catholics into voting for allegedly "pro-life" candidates, they realize that they can't trust these candidates any further than they can throw them, and if ever a group of candidates need to be held accountable, these ones need to.
In short:
Politicians who know that they can ALWAYS count on the votes of a certain bloc will do as little as they need to, and not a bit more, to maintain that loyalty. If you don't believe this, ask black voters who feel that the Democrats have strung them along with empty promises for years.....
Right now, the Republicans aren't motivated to do too much about abortion, because they know that if it's a sure-fire vote getter, they have to tinker with it and tinker with it without settling the issue and risking losing those voters.
I have said this a hundred times, and I'll say it once more:
REPUBLICANS, HOLD YOUR CANDIDATES ACCOUNTABLE. Don't let them get away with a "pro-life" stance that applies only to fetuses. For goodness sakes, push them to do better.
Similarly, Democrats should hold their candidates accountable. Democrats who vote for pro-choice candidates should write them regularly and encourage them to support the seamless garment of life.
