The “Post Poll” is a reader participation feature of The Catholic Post. Responses are posted here as they arrive and also may appear in the weekly diocesan newspaper. To take part, send an email to cathpost@cdop.org, or use the “Email Us” link at the left of this page. Put “Post Poll” in the subject line, and include your name and parish.

This week’s question: With the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates now official, what are three issues (in order) you will consider highest priority as you decide your vote in the November election? You may include a brief explanation of why these matter most to you as a Catholic citizen.

This is an issues-only poll. Responses should not mention specific candidates or parties. Any such references will be edited.

Responses:

You asked for the 3 most important topics, in order, for this
election. #1. Sanctity of life #2. Sanctity of life #3 Sanctity of
life.
This is such an important election for the pro-life movement. There
are several anti-life justices on the Supreme Court who are ready for
retirement. This is our best chance in decades to make true progress
in reversing Roe v. Wade. There are many important agendas worthy of
considering when voting, however, all pale in comparison to defending
the lives of the frail and unborn. Vote pro-life! — Kim Weber, St. Patrick’s Parish, Wapella

The three issues most important to me are 1) pro-life education, especially for young women; 2) reasonable housing as well as food and fuel costs for senior citizens, and 3) more money for wholesome education of young children provided by better teachers.
The economy is affected by greedy self-interested politicians and wealthy people. Older people and poorer folks cannot afford the basics of daily life, and kids are damaged by near-pornographic television.
Teaching young women about what women’s role really is and helping them understand why birth control is always wrong so that they make better life choices, bringing down prices so the elderly can live as independently as possible and providing more and better teachers in both grade and high school, with lower fees for parochial schools: these are the most important issues for me. — Ruth E. Keyes, St. Mark’s Parish, Peoria

The three top issues? 1. Abortion, 2. Judicial nominations, 3. Marriage Amendment.
Nothing just happens. Abortion didn’t fall out of the sky and hit us. The American people didn’t vote to make abortion legal. This November, however, we have an opportunity to vote on this issue. All three of the issues I consider most important relate to one overriding issue: will we be a “nation under God” or will we be a nation that ignores God and chooses our own path? — Pat Wagner, Utica

My highest priority issues for the coming election are (1) Life, (2) Liberty, and (3) the Pursuit of Happiness. They are borne of the same “laws of nature and of nature’s God” that Thomas Jefferson referred in his foundational writing for our country 232 years ago. The issues of our day, specifically abortion, war on terror, economic stability, even environment and immigration reform, are inherent in these unalienable rights.
(1) Life: To ignore or subordinate the abortion issue is to rate God’s most precious gift as “second-string.” There are public servants who are doing precisely that while attempting to redefine Catholic teaching.
(2) Liberty: Some Americans disagree about the validity of the war on terror and some, even the necessity of war. Catholics should consider reading sections 2265 & 2266 of Catechism of the Catholic Church which discusses the “duty of legitimate public authority…to repel by armed force aggressors against the community in their charge.” Undoubtedly, it is easier to subscribe to general anti-war thinking given that not all wars fulfill the “Just War” tradition. Our Presidents, past and future, are morally duty bound to protect and defend this country.
(3) Pursuit of Happiness: Note that this unalienable right is not simply “happiness” but the “pursuit of happiness.” First, it is not economic stability through “hand-out” but rather by “leg-up”. Opportunity has dignity, “hand-outs” do not. Secondly, it is not immigration at any cost and it is not illegal immigration, it is opportunity to immigrate legally. If that means adjustments to the process through immigration reform, let that be the goal to happiness. Finally, environmental Happiness should include the pursuit of energy independence of all kinds and as immediately as possible. Economic stability demands it.
Thanks for letting us prioritize our electoral concerns. — Robert Sell. St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Peoria

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Thank you for sharing your opinions. Please also feel free to suggest future poll topics. A new topic will be announced Sept. 19.