Does Biden's religion matter ?

[Funtatlaguy]

Morning Joe talking today about Biden being Catholic and that’s why he struggles with the abortion question. Joe Scarborough said if Joe Biden moves toward abortion on demand with no restrictions that it would hurt him in the general election with Catholics.
I’m not so sure about that.
We now have 5 members of SCOTUS that are Catholic.
23% of Americans identify as Catholic.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/13/us/no-religion-largest-group-first-time-usa-trnd/index.html

[oldsoftie]

1. There was a silly "fear" of Catholics when Kennedy was running. It was a HUGE deal.

I think he turned out just fine; although i would have loved to see what he would have been able to accomplish with a 2nd term

[no_hypocrisy]

2. It matters as much (or as little) if he had no religion at all.

It's his positions on behalf of the country, his positions on preserving the fundamental rights of Americans that count, not his personal beliefs.

I believe Joe Biden can quarantine his personal beliefs from public policy.

[Funtatlaguy]

3. Most of the Morning Joe crew think Biden needs to

further clarify where and how he has evolved on his abortion positions.
They said that other Dems will hit him hard on it in the debate.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

10. I think that's true, but Joe should have easy answers to his abortion positions...

No question, Joe's debate advisors should have him well prepared.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[bearsfootball516]

4. I doubt it. I'm Catholic and pro-choice.

I know I'm not representative of everyone, but I know there are a large amount of pro-choice Catholics out there.

[Wounded Bear]

16. Because there are rational Christians out there...

who don't necessarily think their personal beliefs should be forced on others thru legislation.

Oh, and most Catholics are more 'Christian' than the typical Evangelical, it would seem.

[Deb]

5. No, because no matter the religious convictions, a President supports the law

or at least they are supposed to.

Using abortion as a tool to influence politics has a way of backfiring especially with women who are sick of being used as pawns.

[Funtatlaguy]

6. Scarborough named several states.

He said that even though most Americans are pro choice, they still want some restrictions.
He said that any Democrat including Biden that don’t include some abortion restrictions will have trouble in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida with anti choice Catholics and Evangelicals.

[thesquanderer]

8. No candidate is arguing for fewer restrictions than Roe v Wade

and those restrictions are likely enough for most Americans (i.e. the viability test).

[Shrek]

12. Didn't Roe use a trimester framework?

I believe the viability standard came later in Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

[Wounded Bear]

18. Viablilty is kind of an amorphous concept...

which probably doesn't align well with a specific number of weeks or months of gestation.

Certainly, heartbeat is a poor indicator to hang restrictions on.

[Peacetrain]

7. No, not to the general public and majority of Catholics.. You can have a belief system

But not impose it on anyone else.. Only those on the edges.. think that it is okay to impose their personal belief systems on others who are not part of that same community..

[JI7]

9. no, and he doesn't struggle with the abortion question

[SidDithers]

11. Only if he uses it to determine his policy positions...nt

Sid

[MineralMan]

13. Not to me, and I'm an atheist.

Everyone has the right to choose a religious position. I care about how politicians vote and what they say they'll support or oppose, not how they pray or if they pray.

[SharonClark]

14. Evangelical xtians are more anti-choice than are catholics

[Funtatlaguy]

19. I agree. I think the a evangelicals are

already baked into the pie. A D to them doesn’t mean Democrat. It means Devil 👿. They just will not vote for a Democrat.

[Turin_C3PO]

15. Doesn't matter to me.

It’s not like he’s going to let the Catholic Church write policy.

[customerserviceguy]

20. Joe's got one vulnerability

If the bishop in his diocese were to excommunicate him, it would be a big story. Yes, millions of nominal Catholics would be outraged at what they perceived was their church's meddling in our election, but millions would take it seriously.

The last time I attended Catholic services was in the early 1980's, and I saw a lot of Catholics gravitating to Reagan during that time, and I lived about an hour north of Seattle. I have no idea how they lean these days.