Tuesday November 8, is election day.  As in most years, there is no perfect candidate running for office.  Every candidate, like you and me, are flawed human beings.  However, key issue for all voters to consider is where candidates and political parties stand on the issue of abortion.  Do you know which candidates and parties promote the respect for life of unborn and which candidates and parties promote the extrinsic evil of abortion and intends to expands its availability at home and abroad?  As Catholics it is a serious sin to promote, support, and enable any candidate and party that promotes and supports abortion, an extrinsic evil—an action that can never at any time under any circumstances be committed, promoted, supported, or enabled.  I hope you will do your homework and consider this one non-negotiable issue and vote for candidates who promote the right to life of the unborn.—Fr. Mark

Video from Bishop Walker Nickless of Sioux City

Video of Homily of 10/2/2016 by the Very Rev. John Lankeit, Diocese of Phoenix

"Faithful Citizenship for Iowa Catholics", Iowa Catholic Conference

KNOW WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STAND!

As a faithful citizen, you need to make critical decisions about the types of leaders we
will have for years to come. To make the right decision, it is essential that you look carefully at the positions of the candidates and their platforms. This is critical in fulfilling your responsibilities and participating in the political process with a fully informed conscience.

Compare each Party’s platform.  Below are quotes from each major party’s platform with the page from which the quote may be found.

On Human Life

Republican: “The constitution’s guarantee that no one can be deprived of life, liberty or property,” deliberately echoes the Declaration of Independence’s proclamation that “all” are endowed by their “Creator” with the inalienable right to life. Accordingly, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendments protection apply to children before birth. (p.13)

Democrat: “Democrats are committed to protecting and advancing reproductive health rights and justice. We believe unequivocally that every woman should have access to quality reproductive health care services. Including safe and legal abortion-regardless of where she lives, how much money she makes or how she is insured. We believe that reproductive health is core to women’s, men's and young people’s health and well being .... we will continue to oppose -and seek to overturn federal and state laws and policies that impede a woman’s access to abortion including by repealing the Hyde Amendment.” (p.37)

Planned Parenthood

Republican: “We oppose the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion or to fund organizations, like Planned Parenthood, or as long as they preside or refer for elective abortion or sell fetal body parts rather than provide healthcare.” (p.13)

Democrat: “We will continue to stand up to Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood health centers which provide critical health services to trillions of people.” (p.37)

Judges 

Republican: “We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life.” (p.13)

Democrat: “We will support judges who defend the constitutional principles of liberty and equality for all, protect a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion, curb billionaire’s influence over elections because they understand that Citizens United has fundamentally damaged our democracy and see the Constitution as a blue print for progress.” (p.25)

Religious Liberty

Republican: “We value the right of America’s religious leaders to preach, and Americans to speak freely, according to their faith. Republicans believe the federal government, specifically the IRS is constitutionally prohibited from policing or censoring speech based on religious convictions or beliefs, and therefore we urge the repeal of the Johnson Amendment. (p.11)   RFlNews-Sept 16-p.2

Democrat: “Democrats know that our nation, our communities, and our lives are made vastly stronger and richer by faith in many forms and the countless acts of justice, mercy and tolerance it inspires, We believe in lifting up and valuing the good works of people of faith and religious organizations and finding ways to support that work where possible." (p.19)

Education/School Choice

Republican: “We support options for learning, including home schooling, career and technical education, private or parochial schools, charter schools, online learning, and early-college high-schools. We especially support the innovative children education savings accounts (ESAs), vouchers, and tuition tax credits.” (p.34)

Democrat: “Democrats are also committed to providing parents with high quality public school options, and expanding these options for low-income youths. We support great neighborhood public schools and high-quality public charter schools and we will help them disseminate best practices to other school leaders and educators.  Democrats oppose for-profit charter schools focused on making a profit off of public resources. (p.34)

[The above was prepared and published in the September 2016 edition of the The Respect for Life, Inc. newsletter, Vol. XLIII, Issue IX, p3]

Copies of each major party's platform for 2016 may be found at:

https://www.gop.com/platform/

and

https://www.demconvention.com/platform/