As a lifelong Catholic, former Sunday school teacher, and current student at a private Catholic university, I have had to weigh what issues really matter to me and who is going to honor those ideals that I have come to believe in during this election to decide which candidate to vote for. Although Catholics have officially endorsed Senator John McCain because he is pro-life and ambiguous about gay rights, I believe these are not the only issues in this election and certainly not the issues that will get the most attention once the new president is in office (or at least I hope not).
So, why am I going to vote for Senator Barack Obama? There is something inadvertently Catholic about his position on the issues that matter the most and on his view of the American people in general.
By Stephanie Isacco
Staff Writer
As a lifelong Catholic, former Sunday school teacher, and current student at a private Catholic university, I have had to weigh what issues really matter to me and who is going to honor those ideals that I have come to believe in during this election to decide which candidate to vote for. Although Catholics have officially endorsed Senator John McCain because he is pro-life and ambiguous about gay rights, I believe these are not the only issues in this election and certainly not the issues that will get the most attention once the new president is in office (or at least I hope not).
So, why am I going to vote for Senator Barack Obama? There is something inadvertently Catholic about his position on the issues that matter the most and on his view of the American people in general.
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is a collection of documents written by the Church that outlines the proposed local and global conduct of Catholics in society. It is CST that has strengthened and reaffirmed my support for Obama. Many Catholics know the expectations of the Church, but have never read or heard the actual documents that make the guidelines concrete.
As a student of Seton Hill University, I am required to take liberal arts classes in theology, and thinking and writing, that emphasize the importance of CST, but if you have never heard of CST: you are not alone. Some themes of CST are dignity of the human person, preferential option for the poor, and stewardship of creation. Obama follows these principles, and many others, in his proposed social, environmental, and foreign policies.
With the economy in the state that it is, ensuring that the majority of Americans can put food on their tables, afford to pay for gas, have a job to earn an income, and have access to the healthcare they need to treat and prevent their ailments, the next president will need to use the principles of CST to give preferential option for the poor and economic justice to all.
Obama has economic plans to include the lower and middle income families that are struggling to make ends meet by enacting a tax cut for 95 percent of Americans and creating universal healthcare. McCain, on the other hand, plans to cut 1.2 million dollars from Medicare and Medicaid, two programs directed towards providing the poor and elderly with medical coverage.
With global warming becoming a bigger threat and evasive processes of drilling for oil looming, the next president will need to understand the CST principle of stewardship of God’s creation to protect the state of the environment for future generations of not just Americans, but the world. Obama plans to invest $150 billion towards making alternative energy a viable option and limiting our dependence on foreign oil. He is also dedicated to creating five million green jobs and ensuring safer nuclear power and waste.
With the implications of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan affecting so many, the next president will need to be in favor of the promotion of peace and disarmament, another CST principle. Obama opposed the war from the beginning, something few politicians can say. He realizes that the fear that ensued after September 11, 2001 blinded the government from addressing the real threat of terrorism by Al-Qaeda. With a definitive plan to end the war responsibly, Obama is striving to restore peace and the overall world opinion of the United States.
I am democrat by nature; I believe that the people of our country deserve to be taken care of, that the environment that we (and our future descendents) have to live in needs to be protected, and that the defense of our country through unfounded and poorly managed wars needs to be revised.
I am not impressed by McCain’s answers to social, environmental, or defense questions because he does not have in mind the ideals that I live by, despite his so-called “moral” positions. My Catholic ideals drive my actions, whether it be volunteering, recycling, or simply participating by writing this article, and it is these same ideals that draw me to support Obama.