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10/08/2004: "What do you Think?"

What Do You Think?


After reading each statement, please circle the answer that seems most appropriate to you. If the statement would appear to reflect ideas found in both the Republican and the Democratic Party, please circle the letter B. If the statement would seem to appear only in the Democratic Party, circle the letter D. If the statement would seem to appear only in the Republican Party, circle the R. If you think the statement would not appear in either party's program, please circle the letter N. Circle one letter only for each statement.

Click "link" below to take the test if you are viewing introductory content.

1. This election is a time for debate and decisions about the leaders, policy and values that will guide our nation.
B D R N
2. The most important challenges we face are not simply political, economic or technological, but also ethical, moral and spiritual. B D R N
3. These times and this election will test us as Americans.
B D R N
4. Politics cannot be merely about ideological conflict, the search for partisan advantage or political contributions. It should be about fundamental moral choices.
B D R N
5. Politics in this election year and beyond should be about an old idea with new power- the common good.
B D R N
6. The central question should not be, "are you better off than then you were four years ago?" It should be, "how can we--all of us, especially the weak and vulnerable--be better off in the years ahead?"
B D R N
7. We renew our call for a new kind of politics--focused on moral principles, not on the
latest polls; on the needs of the poor and vulnerable, not the contribution of the rich and powerful; and on the pursuit of the common good, not the demands of special interest. B D R N
8. Each person's life and dignity must be respected, whether that person is an unborn child in the mother's womb, whether that person worked in the World Trade Center or a market in Baghdad, or even whether that person is a convicted criminal on death row.
B D R N
9. The God-given institution of marriage--a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman--and family are central and serve as the foundation for social life. Marriage and family should be supported and strengthened, not undermined.
B D R N
10. Each person has a right to the conditions for living a decent life-- faith and family life, food and shelter, education and employment, healthcare and housing.
B D R N
11. A fundamental measure of our society is how we care for, and stand with, the poor and vulnerable.
B D R N
12. Work is a form of continuing participation in God's active creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers, owners and others must be respected-- the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and choose to join the union, to economic initiative and to ownership and private property. B D R N
13. Knowing and understanding our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. B D R N
14. The world that God created has been entrusted to us. We must protect it, not simply for our own benefit, but for generations to come. B D R N
15. We cannot accept and understanding of pluralism and tolerance that suggest "every possible outlook on life (is) of equal value." B D R N
16. We have a duty to defend human life from conception until natural death and in every condition. We seek to promote laws and social policies that protect human life and promote human dignity to the maximum degree possible. B D R N
17. We encourage the passage of laws and programs that promote childbirth and adoption over abortion and which assist pregnant women and children. B D R N
18. We support aid to those who are sick and dying by encouraging healthcare coverage for all as well as effective care to alleviate pain and suffering. We asked government and medical researchers to base their decisions regarding biotechnology and human experimentation on respect for the inherent dignity and inviolability of human life from its very beginning regardless of the circumstances of its origin.
B D R N
19. As Americans we're called to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by preventing conflicts from arising, to resolve them by peaceful means, and to promote post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation. All nations have a right and a duty to defend human life and the common good against terrorism aggression and similar threats. B D R N
20. In the aftermath of September 11, we called for continuing outreach to those who have been harmed, clear resolve in responding to terror, moral restraint in the means used, respect for ethical limits on the use of force, greater focus on the roots of terror and a serious effort to share fairly the burdens of this response. B D R N
21. While military force as a last resort can sometimes be justified to defend against aggression and similar threats to the common good, we raise moral concerns and questions about pre-emptive or preventative use of force. Even when military force is justified, it must be discriminant and proportionate. B D R N
22. Society has a right and duty to defend itself against violent crime and a duty to reach out to victims of crime. Yet our nation's increasing reliance on the death penalty cannot be justified. We do not teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill others. B D R N
23. We must strive to make the needs and concerns of families a central national priority. Marriage must be protected as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman and all laws should reflect this principle. B D R N
24. We affirm our commitment to the protection of children in all settings and at all times and we support policies that ensure that the well-being of all children is safeguarded. B D R N
25. Parents have a fundamental right to choose the education best suited to the needs of their children including private and religious schools. Families of modest means especially should not be denied their choice because of their economic status.
B D R N
26. We support regulation that limits the concentration of control over the media we support a TV ratings system and technology that assist parents in supervising what their children view. The Internet must be accessible for students of all income levels, yet we vigorously support efforts to limit its dangers. B D R N
27. We support policies that create jobs for all who can work with decent working conditions and adequate pay that reflects a living wage. We also support efforts to overcome barriers to equal pay and employment for women and for those facing unjust discrimination. We reaffirm the traditional right of workers to choose to organize, join a union, bargain collectively and exercise these rights without reprisal. B D R N
28. We also affirm the importance of economic freedom, initiative and the right to private property, through which we have the tools and resources to pursue the common good. B D R N
29. The measure of welfare reform should be reducing poverty and dependency, not cutting resources and programs. Welfare reform has focused on providing work and training, mostly in low-wage jobs. Other forms of support are necessary including tax credits, healthcare, child-care and safe affordable housing. Because we believe that families need help with the cost of raising children, we support increasing child tax credits and making them fully refundable. B D R N
30. We recognize and support the work of faith based groups not as a substitute for, but as a partner with, government efforts. We are also concerned about the income security of low-and average-wage workers and their families when they retire, become disabled or die. In many cases, women are particularly disadvantaged. Any proposal to change Social Security must provide a decent and reliable income for these workers and their dependents. B D R N
31. We need to reform the nations healthcare 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. B D R N
32. The lack of safe affordable housing is a national crisis. We continue to oppose unjust discrimination or unjust exclusion in housing and support measures to help ensure that financial institutions meet the credit needs of local communities. B D R N
33. The first priority for agricultural policy should be food security for all. We support food stamps, the special nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) and other programs that directly benefit poor and local income people and our support is based on the belief that no one should face hunger in a land of plenty. B D R N
34. Those who grow our food should be able to make a decent living and maintain their way of life. Rural communities deserve help so that they can continue to be sources of strength and support for a way of life that enriches our nation. A priority concern for the poor calls us to advocate especially for the needs of farm workers. B D R N
35. We have a mandate to be a nation that is always open and welcoming as evidenced by the way we cherish the Statue of Liberty and the words prescribed thereon. Therefore, we have a concern for immigrants, both documented an undocumented. While respecting national security concerns, we seek basic protection for immigrants, including due process rights, access to public benefits and fair naturalization and legalization opportunities. B D R N
36. All persons, by virtue of their dignity as human persons, have an inalienable right to receive a quality education. We must ensure that our nation's young people, especially the poor, those with disabilities and the most vulnerable, are properly prepared to be good citizens, to lead productive lives and to be socially and morally responsible in the complicated and technological challenging world of the 21st century. B D R N
37. We also support providing salaries and benefits to all teachers and administrators that reflect the principles of economic justice, as well as providing the resources necessary for teachers to be academically and personally prepared for the critical task they face.
B D R N
38. Our society must also continue to combat discrimination based on sex, race, ethnicity, disabling condition or age. B D R N
39. We believe that care for the earth and for the environment is a "moral issue." The United States should lead the developed nations in contributing to the sustainable development of poor nations and greater justice in sharing the burden of environmental neglect and recovery. B D R N
40. September 11 has given us a new sense of vulnerability. However, we must be careful not to define our security primarily in military terms. Our nation must join with others in addressing policies and problems that provide fertile ground in which terrorism can thrive. As the world's sole superpower, the United States also has an unprecedented opportunity to work in partnership with others to build a system of cooperative security that will lead to a more united and more just world.
B D R N

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These statements were put together to encourage dialogue and discussion between people who may hold differing political views but who may appreciate that values and morality may be even more important than party affiliation. While it is anticipated that each respondent will see these statements through the lenses of their own experience, it is hoped that their honest responses will allow for an acceptance of another's point of view.
Each statement was taken from a pamphlet entitled "A Condensed Version of Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call To Political Responsibility", printed by St. Anthony Messenger Press, Cincinnati, Ohio, April 2004. The statement in full text is available from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at www.usccb.org/faithful citizenship.