When it comes time for me to vote, what should influence my support for one candidate over another? As a Catholic, I am hearing a lot about single-issue voting, especially with the Illinois primary elections coming up Tuesday. We are being told, “Find out where your candidate stands on abortion and, unless he is publicly opposed to it, don’t vote for him.”
How sad. On the basis of a single issue we could withhold support from someone who otherwise might do enormous good–moral, ethical, spiritual good for his country and constituents.
As responsible voters we should, of course, investigate where our candidate stands on the abortion issue. Then we should take the time to investigate where he stands on other moral issues, such as war, poverty and hunger, to name a basic few.
To restrict your appraisal of a candidate’s qualifications to his posture on any single issue could be counterproductive to the advancement of several other programs quite consistent with our moral objectives.
Support for the splendid pro-life organization is a good thing. Support for everything it proposes is not necessarily so. To find guidance on how to proceed, look to your own conscience.
