I don't want a Catholic Government... yet.

[Chrysostom]

I don't think anyone has benefited more from the separation of church and state in the US then the Catholic Church. When this country was founded about 1% of the population was Catholic, indeed many early settlers were extremely hostile towards the Church. If it wasn't for that separation the Church probably never would have been able to grow into the largest single denomination in the US.

[CarmeliteAtHeart]

actofidei,

Are you newschoolman in disguise? ;)

Check out this thread with 30+ PAGES of posts on this topic.

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/apologia/vpost?id=3005238&trail=434

I agree with you that we should be active in evangelization as individuals and the Church in the current situation, but if it is possible to have a government that recognizes the Catholic faith and uses that recognition to strike down immoral laws (abortion, porn, euthenasia, etc.) so much the better.

But since we have a democracy/ religious freedom set up, I think all Popes have said we are to take advantage of the benefits it allows us as Catholics to practice our faith unimpeded, to evangelize, and to vote Catholic Christian views on morality into the law as much as possible.

It does sound like newschoolman. I agree with you on all you've said Stevus. As always, I reject the premise that a Catholic government has to be coercive, forcing everyone to be Catholic. That government would enact laws based on the Catholic Faith since it is the true Faith. Citizens would have to abide by such laws but that would mean that they would be abiding by true and good moral norms. Then the government would be allowing true freedom, as Leo XIII said, which means assisting men in doing good (not just allowing men the freedom to choose to do whatever they desire). However other religions would be tolerated. The Church has always held that the State has a duty to align itself with the Truth - e.g. the true Faith. That is the ideal.

Pax Christi tecum.

[Walty]

When Perot got something like 19% of the popular vote and 0 electoral votes (I think), he lost whichever way you count it.  And he got Bush kicked out, which was his goal, and what third parties are mainly for.

Oh please.  If you want to blast third parties go right ahead but dont start with all this nonsense about how they are only there to influence the two 'legitimate' parties.

I mean, apparently my being an independant is just my underhandec way of getting democrats elected huh?

[frerejacques]

Mhoram, I might be placated by your electors-by-congressional district idea because it's a sensible approach, although I still like the idea of a directly elected Chief Executive.

Sometimes I think we would be better off with an overhaul of the system which does away with the electoral college and allows us to use the popular vote to choose a president.

BTW, the reason that the US does not have long-lasting Third Parties isn't because of a dark conspiracy, it is because when one or the other of the major parties sees it gaining ground, they will pull the third party's plank into their own platform.

Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose party was very strong, for example.

Sure, you only have to look at the way the Dems have jumped all over the Green Party's platform from the year Nader burnt them good.  The party has learned that if they pretend to care about these issues, they are probably going to win votes.  It remains to be seen, though, whether those issues will actually get addressed.  The same could be said about the Republican Party and the religious right.  They pay lip service and put planks in the platform, but does anything ever actually happen?  How long are people going to keep falling for this?

Back to the stitchery!  No more from me on politics until the next general election!

 I still say that Senators are creepy and need to be watched closely.

[frerejacques]

actofidei,

Are you newschoolman in disguise? ;)

Never mind that, what have you done with Cary?

[StevusMagnus]

 Cary was a casualty of the avatar crash we are currently experiencing.

I had to switch over to a web address picture.

Another favorite of mine, the great Dean Martin, will have to fill in for now... ;)

[jovan66102]

The entire government would have been better served if we had left the Senate the way the Founders intended, elected by the state legislatures. FDR monkeyed with that and look at where we are today.

 

While I agree with you, since the XVIIth Amendment was ratified in 1913 when FDR was Ass't Secretary of the Navy, I doubt he had much to do with it! lol

[jovan66102]

 Cary was a casualty of the avatar crash we are currently experiencing.

I had to switch over to a web address picture.

Another favorite of mine, the great Dean Martin, will have to fill in for now... ;)

 

Host Cary on photobucket or tinypic and use that url. It'll work fine.

[jovan66102]

I don't think anyone has benefited more from the separation of church and state in the US then the Catholic Church. When this country was founded about 1% of the population was Catholic, indeed many early settlers were extremely hostile towards the Church. If it wasn't for that separation the Church probably never would have been able to grow into the largest single denomination in the US.

 

Of course, at the founding of the Republic, there was no 'separation of church and state' with 11 of the original 13 states having established protestant churches.

[Baskerville]

If this was 1950 maybe, but today, no. I do not want a Govt that is nothing but a socialist leaning, social justice, homosexual goon squad i.e. the NO Church. Can you Imagine Cardinal Mahoney Prince Archbishop of the United States.  I for one will take a "Freemasonic Gov't"  over the modern Catholic Church running political things. Frankly the NO church needs to shut its left leaning trap when it comes to politics. The Conciliar Church can't even run itself much less a Nation. If you like to have secure borders and no Illegal migrants forget it that is huge with the Bishops.
 Who could we have as a king, there are no Catholics, mainstream anyway that are qualified. Personaly I rather like America, we just need better political parties and leaders.