The 2006 Election Issues Booklet can be
downloaded by clicking here.
To Purchase a printed booklet, please
mail $2.00 ($1 for printing, $1 for S&H) to:
Catholics for the Common Good--Michigan
PO Box 7064
Huntington Woods, MI 48070
Discounts are available for multiple copies.
Email: ccgMich@yahoo.com with questions.
A single-issue voter trivializes the complexity
of the life process. The U.S. Bishops write that “a political
commitment to a single aspect of the Church’s social doctrine does
not exhaust one’s responsibility towards the common good.”
For at the heart of political decision-making stands the common good:
“What kind of a nation do we want to be?
What kind of a world do we want to shape?”
In agreement with the U.S. Bishops, Catholics are urged to vote for candidates “based
on the full range of issues, as well as on the candidate’s personal
integrity, philosophy and performance,” keeping in mind that “a
Catholic moral philosophy does not easily fit the ideologies of ‘right’ or ‘left’,
nor the platform of any party…Our responsibility is to measure all
candidates, policies, parties, and platforms by how they protect the life,
dignity and rights of the human person, whether they protect the poor and
the vulnerable and advance the common good."
Election Issues
This election raises many issues of great importance
to our nation’s future. To assist Catholic voters, a wealth of social teaching
and moral principles on these issues provides guidance:
Globalization and Jobs
STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE
The fact of globalization is not at issue here. Global trade and networks
and companies are growing and will continue to grow as our world grows smaller.
But these changes need to happen in a way that minimizes the negative effects,
particularly on workers and the environment. Do the wages and benefits and
working conditions of the workforce plummet as we "race to the bottom" in
global competition? Does globalization as currently practiced hasten the
destruction of the environment? Are less developed countries the losers
in trade pacts? Is the globalization of the economy too much under the control
of corporations that are not accountable enough to the people through our
elected representatives? Is the Congress of the U.S.A. doing its job when
it abdicates its role of reviewing and revising trade pacts (the fast-track
process)? Should there be an accountable body at the international level
to regulate the global economy and make sure it is working for the good
of all?
THE CHURCH ON GLOBALIZATION:
"The new realities that are having such a powerful impact on the productive
process, such as the globalization of finance, economics, trade and labor,
must never violate the dignity and centrality of the human person, nor the
freedom and democracy of peoples. If solidarity, participation and the possibility
to govern these radical changes are not the solution, they are certainly
the necessary ethical guarantee so that individuals and people do not become
tools but the protagonists of their future." (Pope John Paul II, Homily
at the Mass for the Jubilee of Workers, May 2, 2000). "The loss of centrality
on the part of States must coincide with a greater commitment on the part
of the international community to exercise a strong guiding role." (Compendium
#370) "Global economic forces empower some and impoverish many. The gulf
between rich and poor nations has widened, and sense of responsibility toward
the world's poor and oppressed has grown weaker…The effects of these forces
are evident in our economy, the immigrants and refugees among us, the threat
of terrorism, dynamics of the drug trade, and pressures on workers." ("International
Challenge for U.S. Parishes", U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997)
Federal Budget and Tax Issues
STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE
Our federal government faces serious and difficult challenges in both how
it raises sufficient funds to operate (taxes) and in how it spends those
funds (budget). These are large and complicated questions. This paper simply
presents a broad outline of the issues
REFLECTION ON CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING:
The U.S. Bishops' 1986 letter, "Economic Justice for All," teaches
that a tax system should be continually evaluated on these principles: first,
it must raise enough revenue to pay for the needs of society, especially
the poor; second, it must be progressive so that those with means bear the
greater share of taxes as a "means of reducing severe inequalities
of income and wealth."
Michigan Budget and Tax Issues
STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE
Michigan is locked in a structural budget deficit. Our present
revenues simply will not pay for essential state services. Michigan incurred
$7.8 billion in budget deficits from 2000 to 2005. The state's fiscal
reserves were exhausted and programs were reduced by $3 billion to cover
these deficits. In February 2005, the Michigan League for Human Services
(MLHS) projected that an additional five billion in deficits will be incurred
in the next decade. Although Michigan's weakened economy caused some revenue
losses, incremental multi-year tax reductions beginning in 1999 are a
large cause of our deficits--75 percent or $5.9 billion of the $7.8 billion
deficit total as of 2005 according to MLHS. These cuts were in the Personal
Income Tax and in the Single Business Tax.
Because Michigan's constitution requires a balanced budget, any deficit
must be met with an equivalent reduction in services or increase in taxes
or fees. Significant cuts were made in higher education ($297 million
or 14% in just two years) and in revenue sharing with local governments
($396 million, 26%, over four years) according to the Citizens Research
Council of Michigan. The state's workforce has also been cut by 14 percent,
or 8,500 workers, to its lowest level since 1974.
REFLECTION ON CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING:
The U.S. Bishops' 1986 letter, "Economic Justice for All," teaches
that a tax system should be continually evaluated on these principles: first,
it must raise enough revenue to pay for the needs of society, especially
the poor; second, it must be progressive so that those with means bear the
greater share of taxes as a "means of reducing severe inequalities
of income and wealth."
CCG Issue Paper: The Exclusive
Health Care System
THE PROBLEM AND ITS IMPACT
The last major proposal to provide comprehensive health care to all Americans
was sent to the U.S. Congress by President Clinton in 1994. It failed and
since that time the nation's problems have deepened: Aggregate health care
spending in 1994 was $2 trillion, 12 percent of the gross national product.
In 2005 it is $3 trillion, 16 percent. (NYT, 8/22/06)Americans pay for the
most expensive health care system in the world, yet more than 45 million
people have no insurance and limited access to primary or non-emergency
care. Many of the insured grow increasingly threatened about their continued
coverage and its affordability. U.S. leadership has been unwilling to summon
the political will, moral courage and willingness to sacrifice for the common
good that universal health care requires.
CATHOLIC TEACHING ON HEALTH
The U.S. Bishops have reminded us that "Affordable and accessible
health care is an essential safeguard of human life, a fundamental human
right, and an urgent national priority. We need to reform the nation's health
care system, and this reform must be rooted in values that respect human
dignity, protect human life, and meet the needs of the poor and uninsured."
(Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility)
Everyone wants universal coverage, but few of the insured are willing to
change the way they access services and choose to believe that if the "middlemen"
(private insurance company) administrative costs were eliminated there would
be sufficient resources to cover an additional 46 million persons with open
access to the growing range of health care services. Few serious analysts
believe this.
Meanwhile, advocates commonly understand that life turns out differently
for the uninsured--about 18,000 Americans die each year of treatable diseases
because they don't have health care coverage--a number comparable to having
a 9/11 disaster occur every other month. Should this impact cause us to
take the Bishops' words in Faithful Citizenship more seriously: "What
kind of a nation do we want to be?"
ABORTION
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The Roe vs Wade decision of the United States Supreme Court in 1973 made
abortion legal in all fifty States. Since then an estimated 47 million abortions
have been performed in the U.S.A. Currently, there are slightly over a million
abortions performed each year. The question is: How can we eliminate or
greatly reduce this scourge of abortion from the American scene.
CHURCH TEACHING
"Human life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment
of conception." (Vatican II Gaudium et Spes #46) An important explanatory
note to this statement says: "This declaration expressly leaves aside
the question of the moment when the spiritual soul is infused. There is
not a unanimous tradition on this point and authors are yet in disagreement."
With regard to voting for a pro-choice candidate Cardinal Ratzinger (now
Pope Benedict XVI) stated: "When a Catholic does not share a candidate's
stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for a candidate
for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can
be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons." (Ratzinger-Memorandum
July 6, 2004)
Proposal 2: Michigan Civil Rights
Initiative
BACKGROUND AND OFFICIAL BALLOT LANGUAGE
In November 2006, Michigan voters will be asked whether
to adopt or reject a constitutional amendment banning affirmative action
in many different facets of civic life. The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
(MCIR) is modeled after Proposition 209 adopted by California voters in
1996. We, in Michigan, can expect the impact of this initiative to be
quite broad, affecting not only affirmative action programs but also outreach
efforts designed to ensure access to opportunity.
The wording of the ballot will be as follows:
"A proposal to amend the State Constitution to ban affirmative
action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals
based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public
employment, education or contracting purposes"
CATHOLIC CHURCH POSITION ON PROPOSAL 2
The Michigan Catholic Conference of Bishops (MCC) representing all
the bishops of Michigan strongly urges all Catholics to reject Proposal
2. In its September 2006 Focus issue, the Bishops quote the position of
the conference of U.S. Bishops regarding affirmative actions programs:
"We support judiciously administered affirmative action programs
as tools to overcome discrimination and its continuing effects".
Rationale for the Catholic Church position In a perfect world, affirmative
action programs would not be necessary. Unfortunately, the reality is
quite different and we are not all borne with the same opportunities.
Because of a long history of discrimination, because of fundamental injustices
in our policies, be it health care, housing, education, many people cannot
compete in all aspects of our society without specific programs which
will help level the field for a fair competition. Proposal 2 is not only
bad policy for the State of Michigan, it is a rejection of what is central
to our Gospel value: the care of the most vulnerable in our society.
Proposal 5: Mandatory School Funding Initiative
BACKGROUND AND OFFICIAL BALLOT LANGUAGE
In November 2006, Michigan voters will be asked to adopt
or reject a legislative initiative whose purpose is to ensure appropriate
funding for all schools K-16 in the State of Michigan. This proposal would
ensure:
- Appropriate funding in 2007 for K-12 and all public community colleges
and universities
- Use of a 3 year average to calculate enrollment (protect district
with a declining enrollment)
- A reduction in the gap between basic per pupil allowance and maximum
state guaranteed from $1,300 to $1,000
- A cap to contribution of employer to the Michigan Public School Retirement
Fund to 80% or 14.87 % of payroll. The State of Michigan would be responsible
to make up the difference.
- Funding requirements would be achieved through State School Aid Fund,
federal resources and the State General Fund in 2007 and years beyond.
CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING REFLECTION
In a world where just taxation is unfortunately not a moral priority,
this proposal creates a conflict between two important Catholic Social
Teachings: on one hand the right of every person to a good education
(elimination of discrimination in education based on economic situation)
and on the other hand the protection of the poor and disadvantaged served
today by many programs funded by the General Fund budget. Beyond educating
ourselves around the full impact of this proposal, one should reflect on
the role of taxes and its link to the common good, as well as the role of
our representatives in establishing a just budget.
Stem Cell Research
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The most promising area of medical research for remedies or cures to some
of our most devastating illnesses (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Spinal Cord
Injury) lies in the field of stem cell research. Most people heartily endorse
research using stem cells from adult tissue and umbilical cord blood but
strongly object to embryonic stem cell research on the conviction that it
deliberately destroys human life. Scientists, on the other hand, almost
universally are convinced that that the greatest hope lies precisely in
research with embryonic stem cells because they have the greatest potential
for development and least danger of rejection.
CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING
Sometimes it is wrongly said that the Catholic Church opposes stem cell
research. The fact is: the Catholic Church has long supported research using
stem cells from adult tissue and umbilical cord blood which is already providing
cures and treatment for suffering patients in a number of areas. What the
Church does oppose is embryonic stem cell research when it is conducted
in a way that deliberately destroys human life. "I condemn in the most
explicit and formal way, experimental manipulations of the human embryo,
since the human being from conception to death, cannot be exploited for
any purpose whatsoever." (John Paul II 1982)
<<>>
Guided by the U.S. Bishops,
Catholics are urged to vote for candidates “based on the full range of issues, as
well as on the candidate’s personal integrity, philosophy and
performance,” keeping in mind that “a Catholic moral philosophy
does not easily fit the ideologies of ‘right’ or ‘left,’…”
<<>>
“Most issues are moral issues. If we take
moral issues seriously, we need to vote accordingly.”
– Bishop Thomas Gumbleton
Caucus Co-chair
Sources for specific proposals : The statements, positions, and recommendations of the presidential candidates
in the health care area are available from the Leadership
Conference of Women Religious Region VII Justice Coordinators;
and the DC-based NETWORK,
a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby.
Back to top
War
and Peace