My response to the conservative "Voting Guide" that was forwarded to me:

Original text of the "Voting Guide" I received:

> Depending on the way you lean, the following information could have a bearing on decisions you make in November 2004.
>
> Issues of Importance:
>
> Gay Marriage:
> >President Bush is opposed.
> >John Kerry favors.
>
> Partial-Birth Abortion:
> >President Bush is opposed.
> >John Kerry favors.
>
> Restoring voluntary prayer in the public schools:
> >President Bush Favors.
> >John Kerry is Opposed.
>
> Mel Gibson & the making of a film about Christ:
> >President Bush supports Gibson.
> >John Kerry participated in Left's assault on Gibson, suggesting possible anti-Semitism even though Kerry had not seen the film.
>
> Boy Scouts' belief in God and not allowing Homosexual Scout Leaders:
> >President Bush supports Boy Scouts' stand.
> >John Kerry opposes boy Scouts' stand.
>
> Asking for God's blessing on America:
> >President Bush often asks God to bless America in his speeches.
> >John Kerry attacks Bush for mentioning God so often
>
> Judges:
> >President bush says "We need common-sense judges who believe our rights are derived from God."
> >John Kerry insists on judges who support the ACLU's radical anti-Christian, anti-God, anti-family agenda. John Kerry is insistent on blocking President Bush's federal judge appointments.
>
> Overall Record:
> >President Bush does not vote on issues before Congress but, based on his publicly stated positions, would receive an 85% conservative rating.
> >John Kerry, according to the highly respected, politically-neutral National Journal, rates Kerry the most liberal U. S. Senator in 2003 -- more liberal than Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.
>
> With help from you and many others, we hope to distribute 25,000,000 copies of this Voter information across the United States.
>

And my response:

A couple of notes first:

I was not able to find the source of this particular "Voting Guide" --
however, a Google search of the initial statement "Depending on the
way you lean" finds it reproduced exclusively on religious blogs and
sites. From the bottom: "we hope to distribute 25,000,000 copies of
this Voter information across the United States." If anyone can find
out who "we" are, let me know. As far as reputable voter guides go,
the nonpartisan League of Women Voters (http://www.lwv.org) has pretty
much been the gold standard for decades.

Also, you'll notice that this "Voting Guide" sticks exclusively to
social issues - conveniently ignoring President Bush's atrocious
record on the economy. Largest deficit ever, highest oil prices ever,
and a few days ago, yet another tax cut in time of war (this time for
corporations, signed into law with little or no fanfare):
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&ncid=584&e=15&u=/nm/20041022/pl_nm/bush_taxes_dc

It's an old, but effective strategy: push intractable social issues to
get votes to pursue the real target -- their economic policies, which
generally screw anyone making less than $200,000/year. Federal law on
gay marriage, abortion, school prayer, etc. have barely moved an inch
in decades. Attempts at such with the current Republican White House &
Congress have been quickly rebuked by the courts as unconstitutional.
Now, as to this "Voting Guide":

1. "Gay Marriage: John Kerry favors."

Kerry does NOT favor gay marriage. He opposes Bush's proposed
Constitutional Amendment to ban it, preferring to leave the issue to
the states. States' rights is (well, used to be) a hallmark of
Republican platforms. Historically, any time the Constitution has
LIMITED rights, it's been a disaster -- counting slaves as 3/5 of a
person, women's suffrage, Prohibition, etc.

2. "Partial-birth Abortion: John Kerry favors."

The term "partial-birth abortion" was invented by Congressional
Republicans, as a way to try to get traction against Roe v. Wade.
Abortion is abortion, folks - the fetus is terminated however you do
it. Saying one "favors abortion" is a divisive tactic -- no one
"favors" abortion, rather the option to keep it safe and legal. Asked
in the third Presidential debate whether or not he would seek to
overturn Roe v. Wade, President Bush dodged the question - twice. That
could be because the majority of Americans are still "pro-choice".
Regardless of where you believe life begins, having the federal
government tell a woman what she can and can't do with her body is
frightening.

3. "Restoring voluntary prayer in the public schools/Mel Gibson/the
Boy Scouts/God's blessing on America"

School prayer is one of those intractable social issues which clearly
violates the separation of church and state. The men who drafted the
Constitution remembered well the rule of English kings who told them
who and how to worship, so protections were put in place to keep the
state out of religion. The founding fathers were all religious men who
would find today's "faith-based initiatives" horrifying.

I'm not sure Mel Gibson, the Boy Scouts, or where God chooses to
distribute His blessings have much place in a legitimate "Voting
Guide", but John Kerry is a Catholic. An alter boy, just like I was. I
believe (and if you're Catholic, I hope you do, too) that the Pope is
God's mouthpiece on Earth, not the President of the United States. And
this Pope isn't exactly crazy about President Bush's stand on war, the
death penalty, poverty, etc.

4. "Judges: John Kerry insists on judges who support the ACLU's
radical anti-Christian, anti-God, anti-family agenda. John Kerry is
insistent on blocking President Bush's federal judge appointments."

Amusingly, the ACLU is backing Rush Limbaugh in his court case to keep
his medical records private regarding his drug abuse. Those "radical
anti-Christian, anti-God, anti-family" bastards! And when Congress
refused President Bush's judicial nominations (who actually were
radical, by simple standards), he simply appointed them himself when
they were in recess. So much for the legislative process.

And finally, the candidates' "Overall Record", as scored by the
National Journal:

Here's the NJ article that refers to (which also scores the Most
Conservative members of Congress):
http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2004/0227nj1.htm
And here's a subsequent NJ article, talking about how the "Most
Liberal" tag imposed on John Kerry was taken out of context by
Bush/Cheney spin doctors:
http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2004/0830nj_liberalratings.htm
And I'm not sure, but an "85% conservative rating" would probably make
President Bush the Most Conservative President ever -- a notion that
would likely scare off those swing voters he needs to win next
Tuesday.

OK, there you go. So, "with help from you and many others, I hope to
distribute 25,000,000 copies of this Voter Information (*REVISED*)
across the United States." Better get forwarding, people.

:)

The Guide for Catholic Voters making the rounds comes from Karl Keating of Catholic Answers. I've gotten into a lot of discussions over this with my Catholic friends. I point out to them that if they followed the Guide they would have to vote for Michael Peroutka as he supports the 5 non-negotiables more completely than Bush.

I also direct them to "Faithful Citizenship", a guide for Catholic voters put out by the United States Council For Catholic Bishops. I think these guidelines are excellent for any Christian in trying to vote their conscience and think that it clearly shows that John Kerry is not only the strongest, most intelligent choice, but also the only moral choice.

http://www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/bishopStatement.html

The Catholic community is a diverse community of faith, not an interest group. Our Church does not offer contributions or endorsements. Instead, we raise a series of questions, seeking to help lift up the moral and human dimensions of the choices facing voters and candidates:


1. After September 11, how can we build not only a safer world, but a better world?more just, more secure, more peaceful, more respectful of human life and dignity?

2. How will we protect the weakest in our midst--innocent unborn children? How will our nation resist what Pope John Paul II calls a "culture of death"? How can we keep our nation from turning to violence to solve some of its most difficult problems--abortion to deal with difficult pregnancies; the death penalty to combat crime; euthanasia and assisted suicide to deal with the burdens of age, illness, and disability; and war to address international disputes?

3. How will we address the tragic fact that more than 30,000 children die every day as a result of hunger, international debt, and lack of development around the world, as well as the fact that the younger you are, the more likely you are to be poor here in the richest nation on Earth?

4. How can our nation help parents raise their children with respect for life, sound moral values, a sense of hope, and an ethic of stewardship and responsibility? How can our society defend the central institution of marriage and better support families in their moral roles and responsibilities, offering them real choices and financial resources to obtain quality education and decent housing?

5. How will we address the growing number of families and individuals without affordable and accessible health care? How can health care better protect human life and respect human dignity?

6.How will our society combat continuing prejudice, overcome hostility toward immigrants and refugees, and heal the wounds of racism, religious bigotry, and other forms of discrimination?

7. How will our nation pursue the values of justice and peace in a world where injustice is common, desperate poverty widespread, and peace is too often overwhelmed by violence?

8. What are the responsibilities and limitations of families, community organizations, markets, and government? How can these elements of society work together to overcome poverty, pursue the common good, care for creation, and overcome injustice?

9. When should our nation use, or avoid the use of, military force--for what purpose, under what authority, and at what human cost?

10. How can we join with other nations to lead the world to greater respect for human life and dignity, religious freedom and democracy, economic justice, and care for God's creation?

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