How Do You Decide Who To Vote For?

[Brother Adam]

I'm not just speaking of informing yourself on the Catholic non-negotiable issues, but actually learning what politicians and issues will be on your ballot and who you should vote for. What resources do you use to learn about their voting records and where they stand on life issues?

[Sternhauser]

I first take a long look at their stand on certain issues, see how they conduct their personal lives, then recognize that they are politicians who think they have a moral right to use violence against innocents to provide services for the common good, and then I do the sane thing and do not vote. [i]
[/i]
"Every election is a sort of advanced auction of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
[i]
[/i]
[b]Your Obligation to Not Vote[/b]
Posted by [url="http://c4ss.org/content/author/voluntaryist/"]Alex R. Knight III[/url] on Sep 9, 2009

The recent death of Ted Kennedy and assorted other reasons have resulted in an upcoming crop of U.S. Senate “special elections” and related blather. It’s amazing to me, even after all this time as an anarchist, how people speak of the “right” to vote – said “right” being nothing more or less than a legal claim on something. Of course, government laws are nothing more than the opinions of bureaucrats backed up by the lethal violence of guns in the first place, but in the case of voting it gets even worse.

No one has any “right,” under ordinary everyday circumstances, to use violence or the threat thereof to control another’s life or property. In fact, each of us has a very serious moral obligation to not engage our fellow human beings in such a manner. Yet, cloak a cop or a tax collector or a politician in the magical, quantum-physics defying aura of government, and suddenly this becomes not only acceptable, but even commendable and necessary. Such is the intrinsic nature of the State.

Thus, by voting in political elections, a voter implicitly endorses this kind of immoral and intellectually indefensible behavior by proxy. No, Mr. or Ms. Voter, it’s not you specifically who holds the gun to the taxpayer’s head, throws the marijuana smoker into the jail cell, imprisons the peaceful owner of a certain type of weapon for life – and it may not even be the series of politicians you voted for – but in essence, by voting, by casting that ballot for the continuation of government, you are hiring hit men (and women) to do those things for you. You are endorsing the inherent violence and thievery of government.

The good news is that the majority of people don’t vote – either because they don’t want to, or because they don’t satisfy governmental criteria for being able to do so. As a result, there are a minority of individuals to whom this message must be carried. It would also not do any harm to bring these points to the attention of non-voters, who although they are already doing good by politically abstaining, consistently show in survey after survey that they fundamentally share the same political views as those of voters. One does well by working to change that. Yet, even then, think of the typical reasons most non-voters give for not showing up at the polls: “There’s no one running who I like.” “I don’t watch the news or pay attention to politics.” “The system is rigged.” “I’m too busy, I have bills to pay.” In each and every instance, what is implied is a.) a mistrust of and disdain for government, and; b.) that the life, career, family, and recreational time of the non-voter is more important than what bureaucrats and politicians are doing and are all about. That alone is still healthy.

Saying you have a “right” to vote only empowers government, not you or anyone else. Again, it’s like saying you have a right to hire assasins and thieves to give you what you want at someone else’s expense. This is never justifiable. Each of us has an obligation to not kill, to not steal, to deal with each other as co-equals in a open, honest, and peaceful manner. Even getting your name put on a voter registration list contravenes these essential principles of a free and prosperous society. If that’s you, consider not only ceasing and desisting from voting, but getting your name removed from the registration rolls. It’s not difficult; I know people who’ve done it with very little effort. Even that’s not the point, though.

You have an obligation to not vote. Own up to it.


[i]
[url="http://c4ss.org/content/1051"]http://c4ss.org/content/1051[/url]
[/i]
~Sternhauser

Edited October 24, 2010 by Sternhauser

[Brother Adam]

Our Duty to Vote

With the development of popular government comes the duty of citizens to participate in their own government for the sake of the common good. Not to do so is to abandon the political process to those who do not have the common good in mind. Given the nature of democracies this inevitably leads to unjust laws and an unjust society. These may come about anyway, but they should not come about through the negligence of Christians, who would then share in the guilt.

This duty is chiefly exercised by voting, through which citizens elect their representatives and even determine by referendum the laws which will govern them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

2239 It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom. The love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community.

2240 Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one's country [Rom 13:7]:

Pay to all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. [Christians] reside in their own nations, but as resident aliens. They participate in all things as citizens and endure all things as foreigners.... They obey the established laws and their way of life surpasses the laws.... So noble is the position to which God has assigned them that they are not allowed to desert it. [Ad Diognetum 5: 5, 10]

The Apostle exhorts us to offer prayers and thanksgiving for kings and all who exercise authority, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way." [1 Tim 2:2]

In their November 1998 pastoral letter Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics the Bishops of the United States speak of a false pluralism which undermines the moral convictions of Catholics and their obligation to be "leaven in society" through participation in the democratic process.

25. Today, Catholics risk cooperating in a false pluralism. Secular society will allow believers to have whatever moral convictions they please - as long as they keep them on the private preserves of their consciences, in their homes and in their churches, and out of the public arena. Democracy is not a substitute for morality. Its value stands - or falls - with the values which it embodies and promotes. Only tireless promotion of the truth about the human person can infuse democracy with the right values. This is what Jesus meant when he asked us to be a leaven in society. American Catholics have long sought to assimilate into U.S. cultural life. But in assimilating, we have too often been digested. We have been changed by our culture too much, and we have changed it not enough. If we are leaven, we must bring to our culture the whole Gospel, which is a Gospel of life and joy. That is our vocation as believers. And there is no better place to start than promoting the beauty and sanctity of human life. Those who would claim to promote the cause of life through violence or the threat of violence contradict this Gospel at its core.

[Norseman82]

My first resource is the candidate evaulations published by our state right-to-life group:

http://www.icl-life.com/Gen10.pdf

[CatherineM]

My Grandmother always voted for whoever had the prettiest name.

I use [url="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/"]Politifact[/url] to look at impartial views of the truthfulness of politicians.

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='Brother Adam' timestamp='1287937381' post='2182050']
Our Duty to Vote

With the development of popular government comes the duty of citizens to participate in their own government for the sake of the common good. Not to do so is to abandon the political process to those who do not have the common good in mind. Given the nature of democracies this inevitably leads to unjust laws and an unjust society. These may come about anyway, but they should not come about through the negligence of Christians, who would then share in the guilt.

This duty is chiefly exercised by voting, through which citizens elect their representatives and even determine by referendum the laws which will govern them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

2239 It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom. The love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community.

2240 Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one's country [Rom 13:7]:
[/quote]

In other words, you imply that the Catholic Church doctrinally teaches that every coercive State objectively and actually works more for the common good than against it, and that the coercive State, using the means of taxation and conscription, is the only way in which the goods of society, namely, peace, charity, order and freedom, can be secured. I will make it very clear: that is [i]not[/i] what the Church teaches, and it never [i]can[/i] teach that, any more than it could teach that boiling is the only way to sterilize something.

Or any more than it could say, "To not throw water on a grease fire is to abandon the firefighting process to those who do not have the common good in mind."

~Sternhauser

Edited October 24, 2010 by Sternhauser

[SaintOfVirtue]

[quote name='Sternhauser' timestamp='1287934444' post='2182042']
I first take a long look at their stand on certain issues, see how they conduct their personal lives, then recognize that they are politicians who think they have a moral right to use violence against innocents to provide services for the common good, and then I do the sane thing and do not vote. [i]
[/i]
"Every election is a sort of advanced auction of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
[i]
[/i]
[b]Your Obligation to Not Vote[/b]
Posted by [url="http://c4ss.org/content/author/voluntaryist/"]Alex R. Knight III[/url] on Sep 9, 2009

The recent death of Ted Kennedy and assorted other reasons have resulted in an upcoming crop of U.S. Senate “special elections” and related blather. It’s amazing to me, even after all this time as an anarchist, how people speak of the “right” to vote – said “right” being nothing more or less than a legal claim on something. Of course, government laws are nothing more than the opinions of bureaucrats backed up by the lethal violence of guns in the first place, but in the case of voting it gets even worse.

No one has any “right,” under ordinary everyday circumstances, to use violence or the threat thereof to control another’s life or property. In fact, each of us has a very serious moral obligation to not engage our fellow human beings in such a manner. Yet, cloak a cop or a tax collector or a politician in the magical, quantum-physics defying aura of government, and suddenly this becomes not only acceptable, but even commendable and necessary. Such is the intrinsic nature of the State.

Thus, by voting in political elections, a voter implicitly endorses this kind of immoral and intellectually indefensible behavior by proxy. No, Mr. or Ms. Voter, it’s not you specifically who holds the gun to the taxpayer’s head, throws the marijuana smoker into the jail cell, imprisons the peaceful owner of a certain type of weapon for life – and it may not even be the series of politicians you voted for – but in essence, by voting, by casting that ballot for the continuation of government, you are hiring hit men (and women) to do those things for you. You are endorsing the inherent violence and thievery of government.

The good news is that the majority of people don’t vote – either because they don’t want to, or because they don’t satisfy governmental criteria for being able to do so. As a result, there are a minority of individuals to whom this message must be carried. It would also not do any harm to bring these points to the attention of non-voters, who although they are already doing good by politically abstaining, consistently show in survey after survey that they fundamentally share the same political views as those of voters. One does well by working to change that. Yet, even then, think of the typical reasons most non-voters give for not showing up at the polls: “There’s no one running who I like.” “I don’t watch the news or pay attention to politics.” “The system is rigged.” “I’m too busy, I have bills to pay.” In each and every instance, what is implied is a.) a mistrust of and disdain for government, and; b.) that the life, career, family, and recreational time of the non-voter is more important than what bureaucrats and politicians are doing and are all about. That alone is still healthy.

Saying you have a “right” to vote only empowers government, not you or anyone else. Again, it’s like saying you have a right to hire assasins and thieves to give you what you want at someone else’s expense. This is never justifiable. Each of us has an obligation to not kill, to not steal, to deal with each other as co-equals in a open, honest, and peaceful manner. Even getting your name put on a voter registration list contravenes these essential principles of a free and prosperous society. If that’s you, consider not only ceasing and desisting from voting, but getting your name removed from the registration rolls. It’s not difficult; I know people who’ve done it with very little effort. Even that’s not the point, though.

You have an obligation to not vote. Own up to it.


[i]
[url="http://c4ss.org/content/1051"]http://c4ss.org/content/1051[/url]
[/i]
~Sternhauser
[/quote]


"All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='SaintOfVirtue' timestamp='1287946682' post='2182102']
"All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."
[/quote]

Not voting is not "doing nothing," any more than not rubbing snow on frostbite is "doing nothing." All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for men to have good intentions and little understanding of efficacious [i]and [/i]moral means of achieving the good ends they seek.

~Sternhauser

Edited October 24, 2010 by Sternhauser

[dominicansoul]

I find it more and more difficult to vote, because there are really no "pro-life" candidates...


...almost all of them declare they are pro-life with exceptions...


and I'm getting kinda tired of voting for the "lesser of two evils..."

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1287947239' post='2182108']
I find it more and more difficult to vote, because there are really no "pro-life" candidates...


...almost all of them declare they are pro-life with exceptions...


and I'm getting kinda tired of voting for the "lesser of two evils..."
[/quote]

You feel the discontent. Voting is not a way to create a pro-life culture: creating a pro-life culture from person to person is the way to create a pro-life culture.

~Sternhauser

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='Sternhauser' timestamp='1287948192' post='2182114']
You feel the discontent. Voting is not a way to create a pro-life culture: creating a pro-life culture from person to person is the way to create a pro-life culture.

~Sternhauser
[/quote]

That's true...as always, I feel if we Catholics really lived our faith, we can change the world....and it is our responsibility to create a pro-life culture sharing the Gospel of Life with the people we meet in our lives...not rely on politicians to do much about abortion...

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1287949409' post='2182119']
That's true...as always, I feel if we Catholics really lived our faith, we can change the world....and it is our responsibility to create a pro-life culture sharing the Gospel of Life with the people we meet in our lives...not rely on politicians to do much about abortion...
[/quote]

So true.

~Sternhauser

[Brother Adam]

[quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1287949409' post='2182119']
That's true...as always, I feel if we Catholics really lived our faith, we can change the world....and it is our responsibility to create a pro-life culture sharing the Gospel of Life with the people we meet in our lives...not rely on politicians to do much about abortion...
[/quote]

It is not an either or situation. Yes, our culture must be re-evangelized, but our responsible civic participation can save lives while the bigger job is being accomplished. The duty to participate in responsible voting remains.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

[quote name='Norseman82' timestamp='1287946018' post='2182097']
My first resource is the candidate evaulations published by our state right-to-life group:

[url="http://www.icl-life.com/Gen10.pdf"]http://www.icl-life.com/Gen10.pdf[/url]
[/quote]

Thank you for living in Illinois. You just made my life much easier. Thank you!

[Winchester]

Politicians always tow the party line. You never vote for an individual--you vote for his party.