Why Paul Ryan should be ashamed as a Catholic of endorsing Donald Trump
By John Gehring June 7 at 2:09 PM
House Speaker Paul Ryan’s recent endorsement of Donald Trump is more than another typical case of a politician putting expediency and power before principle. It’s also a low moment for anyone who cares about the intersection of faith and politics. In particular, this should be a time of anguish and introspection for thoughtful religious conservatives who have long admired Ryan as a serious thinker who unabashedly brings his Catholic values into the public square.
As one of the most prominent Catholics in Washington, Ryan has faced theological pushback for citing Catholic teaching to explain elements of his economic views. He once quoted Pope Benedict XVI to warn about the national debt, and he has exchanged friendly letters about the budget with Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. He gives substantive speeches at Catholic universities, and praises Pope Francis for “breathing new life into the fight against poverty.”
What then to make of Ryan’s support for a crass sexist, a demagogue who demonizes Muslims and that rare figure willing to publicly square off against the pope?
The speaker’s calculus is perhaps predictable given the fierce demands of partisan orthodoxy in an election year. The pressure on Republican and Democratic leaders to fall in line with their prospective presidential nominees is a strong undertow that requires a solid moral anchor to resist.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/06/07/as-a-catholic-paul-ryan-should-be-ashamed-of-himself-for-endorsing-donald-trump/
= new reply since forum marked as read
