Why I Vote 100% Catholic – and so reject both Political Parties

I am 100% Catholic.  I proclaim as true all that Holy Mother Church professes and proclaims to be Truth and heck, I don’t even KNOW all that she proclaims to be Truth.  I am a Third Order Dominican.  I do my best, one day at a time, to live as Holy Mother Church – and, therefore, God Himself, asks me to live.

For all the above reasons, I find it impossible to vote for either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.  I reject both political parties and I reject those Catholics who insist that by voting Third Party I am actually voting for (fill in the blank with the candidat they do not support).  Hogwash.  As my old Texas daddy would say, “Use your head for something other than holding your ears apart”.

Economist Milton Friedman states,  “the true size of the state is measured by how much money it spends.”  According to articles written by non-partisan organizations and watch dog groups, budget data shows that all modern presidents, regardless of party affiliation, have increased the federal fiscal footprint—but Republican administrations have generally increased the amount spent at a faster rate than Democratic ones.

So the myth that voting for the GOP candidate means a smaller government is just that – a myth.

Democratic candidates may couch their beliefs in statements that sound pretty.  Who wouldn’t be for a health care policy that allows for an individual to freely decide what treatments they will receive, that makes that decision solely one between them and their doctor?

However, these same people will refuse to acknowledge that some ‘modern treatments’ means the destruction of human life.  They will refuse to look closely at the reality of women in this country, often forced by circumstances they perceive as insurmountable problems – problems that range from economic to sexual exploitation and domestic violence – as the reason for choosing to terminate a pregnancy.  They will not look to how they can help women.  In fact, they will actively try and shut down organizations that ARE trying to help women because those particular organizations will not offer the woman an abortion. 

The reality of my dilemma as a Catholic American hit me the year the GOP chose Sarah Palin as the running mate for a perfectly good Presidential candidate.  While Mr. McCain – like Mr. Trump – was not 100% Pro-life he was in favor of returning the power to determine abortion law to the States as well as restricting the TIME a person can get an abortion in much the same way European countries do.  Again, while not perfect, he was reasonable.  However, the idea of putting someone who had shown such failure to govern in her home state in the position of becoming the president of my country simply because she looked really good in a pencil skirt was appalling to me.

For the first time I since the age of 18 I was not going to vote.

Then, I found The American Solidarity Party.

I am going to vote for American Solidarity Party for as long as I can.  I will help that party field candidates for President and candidates for Dog Catcher.  I will do so because that party truly embodies Catholic Social Justice – the idea of subsidiarity rather than simply yelling about ‘no big government’, the idea of truly protecting the environment that God created for us because WE are its stewards, the idea that EVERY human being at ALL stages of development deserves a chance at a life that is good, solid and productive.

While founded by Catholics, The American Solidarity Party is a home now for people of all faiths and no faiths.  It has gained popularity slowly and surely especially among people like me.

I hated the idea of not exercising my right to vote.  I cherish that right.  My family has fought to protect that right since my family showed up on these shores and this country was founded. 

Today, I get to vote my heart and my principles – because I can…..and because today I have a real party to support.