Post Election Ponderings 2008
John Michael Talbot

Well, the election was in weeks ago. With the hubbub, I have hesitated writing anything, but several folks have asked me to, and so I will oblige. I really have little original to say.

First, like many or most, it was with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes that I witnessed the jubilation of the first African American elected to the highest office in our land. It was a monumental event in our nation's history. Whether one agrees with President-elect Obama on all his points or not, you would have to be racist, or ideologically hard-lined not to be deeply moved by the immense significance of this election. Some historians have called slavery and racism the "original sin" of America. Great founding fathers such as John Adams believed it was a sin and that until it was eradicated, would continue to haunt us. This election is a step toward satisfaction in atoning for that sin before God. It is also a fulfillment of Dr. King's dream. So many people from all races who marched to fulfill the dream of conquering racism and racial discrimination were moved beyond words at this monumental moment in a nation's history. I was moved to tears, and still am when I ponder it.

John McCain's concession speech touched me deeply. It was one of the most eloquent, heartfelt, and patriotic I have ever heard. When a man patriotically and humbly calls his duly elected rival "my president-elect," it speaks volumes. He asked us to respect and honor the president-elect, and this we all should do. Again, whether one agrees with all of Senator McCain's positions or not, this revealed him as a great man.

Like many other Catholic Christians, and Christians in general, I am concerned about President-elect Obama's position on pro-life. He has supported late-term abortion, and has promised to support the pro-abortion Planned Parenthood during his administration. This is troubling. Archbishop Chaput of Denver has rightly pointed out that, since the unborn are the most vulnerable and innocent of all humanity, while there are many pro-life issues such as poverty, quality of life and war, the life and death issue of abortion stands in precedence among them. However, President-elect Obama only supports abortion with those who have rejected the preferable option of chastity and abstinence to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and adoption for children who are allowed to come to full-term and be born into this world. The Catholic bishops have offered their support and help in working out this issue. We should do the same.

The fact remains that in today's environment the pro-life battle must be won by ministering love and compassion to mothers, person-to-person, and woman-by-woman. This issue is beyond mere legislation. It is a matter of the human heart. When the heart heals, lives can change. When lives are changed, votes can change. When votes change, legislation can change. That is the way democracy works.

But pro-life has not been even a minor issue in this year's election. It was mainly about our troubled national economy. This problem is global. Most of the governments of the developed world, and President-elect Obama support economic bailouts. Time will tell if they will work or not. At least he is not in favor of the bailouts we have witnessed in past months where there is no accountability.

He is also offering job creation through investigation of alternate renewable energy sources like wind and solar; hybrid vehicles; and maintenance of our country's roads and bridges. The Catholic Church has increasingly argued for greater environmental care for God's earth, as well as care for the economic health of the entire world. This is all good as long as we do not lapse into mere socialism where the state slowly eats away at the freedom of the people.

He is in favor of a swift end to the war in Iraq. The Catholic bishops opposed it at the start, but once we were committed, recommended a responsible pull out, without relinquishing our vigilance regarding anti-terrorism. The Church recognizes a nation's right to defend itself when its borders are invaded. President-elect Obama seems substantially in step with that teaching.

Lastly, there is health care. The Catholic Church says that health care is a basic human right, and it is the role of the government to provide the means for it. This does not necessarily mean socialized health care. However, we must admit that, while American medicine offers the best health care in the world to those who can afford it, the poor in our nation often are left insufficiently treated. If you are lower middle class or poor, it would be far better to live in Britain, which has socialized medicine, than to live in the USA. If you are rich, things are great here. But if you are truly rich, it really does not matter where you live. You just go where you need to in order to get the best health care.

Beyond these specific points, there is no political party in the USA that fully represents Catholic values. Perhaps we should all give up political parties and register as "independent". This alone would shake up both parties significantly, and perhaps get their attention to a more complete "Catholic vote?"

As President-elect Obama transitions into office, we need to be praying for him. We are to honor, respect, and obey him as our civil leader. We also pray for Senator McCain as he settles back into the non-campaign life. Likewise, we are to pray for our current President, George W. Bush, as he settles back into private life and all that is ahead for him. We thank him for all the good has done for us, regardless of what we may think his failures are.

In Jesus,
John Michael Talbot
John Michael Talbot
Founder and Spiritual Father
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage