It's all about the Schism.

[ck4829]

I've noticed that the Catholics and the Protestants in the 'christian' Right are far from friends.

One only has to go to Freeperville and post something about Catholics in particular to get a "Catholics are not real Christians" Flame War going.

It's quite funny.

But, back to the topic of this post.

If there was just some way to drive some sort of wedge between these two factions, victory would be in our grasp.

Ideas?

[metisnation]

1. Catholic opionion

There are a ton of Catholics that refuse to be Democratic for one reason and one reason only...which is the right to life. I think we abjucate this group by showing that there are guys like Harry Reid who believe in that too. I am not saying an all out war on Roe V Wade, but if Democrats showed leadership by suggesting something like a cooling off period if you will for the procedure or some other give they could make it a mout point and tip the scales in our favor.

:dem:

[ck4829]

2. Or Abortion Prevention

Democrats might want to support Welfare that helps families, children, and mothers. This will prevent abortions.

I also know that the more moderate Catholics support Contraception, perhaps we can woo them over with increased support of that too.

[JDPriestly]

10. How about sex education in schools that discusses alternatives

to abortion? How about protecting the rights of pregnant women in the workplace for real -- such as really, really making sure they can't lose their jobs because they are pregnant and making sure women don't have to sacrifice their careers because they take off time to care for children. These are measures that would make a real dent in the abortion statistics, especially among women in their twenties.

[Fridays Child]

3. Didn't you bring up the make-up of the Supreme Court, recently?

Or was it someone else? I can't remember. Anyway, with Alito, there will be a Catholic majority and, as I was just posting over here, that should be of grave concern to the fundies.

Edit: And the Vatican just came out in support of Evolution, too. That can't be sitting well with the fundies, either.

[ck4829]

4. Someone else did

But I did hear that Tim LaHaye IS bothered by Catholics becoming the majority in the SCOTUS.

[Fridays Child]

6. I edited my post to add that...

...the Vatican just came out in support of Evolution, too. That's certainly a wedge issue.

Of course, they're tightly bound to one another in their positions against choice and gay marriage. But I think that gay marriage is something of an internal wedge issue for the Catholics. We'll have to see how that develops.

[stillcool]

5. Fundies are fundies..

and the right to have an abortion does not belong in the hands of a bunch of zealots. Reasonable people, regardless of faith...can draw conclusions for themselves on abortion, ...without interfering with another persons life. This is about control...and controlling women...and surpressing sex....Do our laws have to reflect the sickest among us? What kind of a society are we shooting for here?

[LiberalEsto]

7. My Catholic, Republican co-worker

told me today that she is frightened by the fundamentalists. At last we agree on something.

[seabeyond]

14. tell her she firghtens me. i said that to a catholic friend last summer

her mouth dropped open. i told her, her religion is passing law on their beliefs and telling me i have to follow their catholics religion thru law. scary stuff to me

[AntiFascist]

8. I'm starting to see more and more where.....

Judeo-Christian Zionism is being used as a wedge issue by pro-Arabs to explain war in the Middle East. Personally, I think this is just used for political purposes and the real underlying motives for war are greed and protection of royal wealth. But playing politics for a moment, is there a significant difference between Catholics and Protestants with respect to Zionism?

[pat_k]

9. Bridging the gap -- message that seems to work

The short version

Everybody is pro-life. The difference is, Democrats don't want to put frightened women and their doctors in jail.

Long version

We are all pro-life. The difference is, Democrats don't think that frightened women and their doctors should be thrown in jail. Democrats believe women should never have to face such desperate circumstances -- no health care, poverty wages – that the only option they see is ending a pregnancy.

Democrats are fighting to guarantee access to health care for every single American. Democrats are fighting to guarantee a living wage for every American worker. Democrats are fighting to make it possible for families to have confidence they will be able to give their children, and their children’s children, the life they deserve. Democrats are fighting to give women more options, so they can be assured that when they bare a child, that child will be loved, protected, and provided for, even if they are unable to do so themselves.

Democrats are committed to true individual freedom, which cannot exist without freedom from fear of economic hardship. Democrats know that a vigorous private sector cannot exist if work is not valued. Democrats know that economic security requires access to quality education and medical care. They know that private industry can only flourish and create prosperity for all when the power of the people to protect their interests is embodied in strong public institutions.

We are all pro-life. The difference is that some of those who call themselves pro-life think throwing frightened women in jail is the solution. The threat of jail did not work before 1967. Democrats know we can do better than that.

Key Points
Never use the word abortion. It is too loaded. Figure out, and practice using, alternate words and phrases.

Never concede that the Democratic position is NOT pro-life. Assert the fact that the position is pro-life – and assert it with confidence. Point out the difference and use simple words. Instead of saying something like "Democrats don’t want to criminalize abortion", say "Democrats don't want to put frightened women and their doctors in jail." Examine your talking points. Are there "dry" statements that can be modified to create an image or evoke an emotional context?

[JDPriestly]

11. Thank you for speaking for me.

[pat_k]

12. Glad it struck a chord!

I'll try to add something to the long version to address the points in your post above more directly. Perhaps "Democrats know how critical those first months are in the life of a child; they know paid family leave benefits all of us."

[seabeyond]

13. oh they dislike each other so, yet..... they see they have the same

goals and last couple years have joined forces regardless. i tried. i went around telling all my firends, baptists say you arent real christians, and to baptists i say, catholics say you are going ot hell.....(if you dont convess to a priest)

but right now they are will to unite to conquer us