The Dreaded Elections

Tomorrow is Election Day. I am not looking forward to it. This is one privilege of civic life that I don't enjoy having - a direct hand in the machinations of the country and thus a full share in the consequences. I've attempted to do my research on the candidates, which is of course easier with the higher offices. Just a few clicks and you can find the website of the candidates running for the legislature, for governor.... but not so with local offices such as sheriff, city council, etc. The local newspaper *might* have run one column on a weekday about the race for sheriff, but of course it's long gone and I don't subscribe to the local newspaper for the year just for that column. With the smaller offices, there's no easy way to find a number to call to ask questions. (Anyway when it comes to sheriff, what questions would I ask??) So, I am faced with the higher-level candidates who make their positions on issues known, of whom I both disagree with, and lower-level candidates whose individual positions are a mystery (besides the little D or R after their names).

Each time the elections come around, I see the Catholic Answers version of the "Voting Guide for Serious Catholics" floating around. Each time, I read it and it makes me feel a little sick to my stomach.... this great responsibility I have in conflict with my conscience. In the guide it outlines the non-negotiable issues which are always contrary to Catholic teaching, which are 1) abortion, 2) euthanasia, 3) embryonic stem-cell research, 4) human cloning, 5) homosexual marriage. I'm convinced that 4 of these 5 are symptoms of the widespread acceptance of contraception and there is no clear logical way to allow one and reject the others. But nobody in public office would touch contraception with a 10 foot pole; it's here to stay. So I'm left with the sickening feeling that the current momentum in this country will not change until the attitudes towards contraception change. Here's my current example of this problem. We have the two candidates for state representative in my district. Candidate 1 is against legalized abortion, but he doesn't talk at all about actions to reduce the number of women seeking abortions. Candidate 2 has a plan for improving the situations of women so that less of them seek abortions. Part of his plan has to do with more affordable health care and adoption, the other with the more widespread distribution of contraception (incl. emergency contraception). So, upon voting either candidate into office, which would be more likely to actually have less abortions take place under his tenure? I'm not sure, perhaps neither. But as a Catholic, my choice is to vote for Candidate 1 or not vote in this race.

The guide talks about issues which might be legitimately debatable amongst Catholics, such as the decision to go to war or the application of the death penalty. Well, I wonder, what about torture? Is torture ever acceptable to a Catholic, or is it a non-negotiable issue? What about imprisoning people without recourse to a fair trial? I cannot deny that these things are lesser evils than the denial of life in abortion. But are they as grave or more grave than homosexual marriage? My conscience screams at me not to vote for a person in favor of torture or against "The Great Writ" of habeas corpus, or a myriad of other issues which directly affect basic human rights like "bodily integrity." And perhaps the question of going to war is negotiable, but what about the way a war is waged? Are weapons like cluster bombs used in civilian districts ever acceptable to Catholics?

And so I'm struggling with this today and I'll be struggling tomorrow as I look at the voting card. I'm sure that whatever choice I make (or even if I choose to leave some races blank) I'll be in the confessional soon enough, because my conscience won't be happy either way. And part of me hopes that the races are not close, so that I'll be left with the impression that my vote doesn't really matter.