Our Values
No matter where we live, the color of our skin, or how much we make, we the people know that for democracy to work for everyone, it must include everyone. Catholic teaching affirms that every person has the freedom, right, and responsibility to cast a ballot and to join in shaping our society for the common good—so that everyone can thrive, no exceptions.
THE CURRENT REALITY
Our freedom to vote in the U.S. is under assault at the state and federal levels.
- Some politicians try to make it harder for us to vote, because they know that their policies do not serve the common good and do not have the support of the people—Black, Brown, or white. They attack our freedom to vote so that they can pass economic policies that line their pockets at our expense.
- These politicians use false claims and scare tactics to justify further restrictions on voting. Laws that make voting harder often target Black, Brown, Native American, and low-income voters.
- 17 million voters have been taken off voter rolls since the Supreme Court’s 2016 decision in Shelby v. Holder. Since 2020, dozens of states have passed laws further restricting access to the ballot.
- As of 2022, 4.6 million voting-age citizens have been denied the right to vote after serving time for a felony conviction.
- A few ultra-wealthy people try to drown out the voices of ordinary Americans by pouring unlimited money (“dark money”) into political campaigns, enabled by the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision. They buy this political influence to push narratives that divide us and distract us from their power-grabs. This is why many politicians who do not represent the interests of ordinary people get elected.
- Our democracy relies on freedom from political violence and intimidation. Yet, some politicians encourage violence and abuse against people who disagree with them, trying to scare voters off. Election workers and public elected officials, especially Black and Brown officeholders, increasingly face abuse and threats of violence. Such threats make government worse for everyone and are anti-democratic.
- We know that when we the people vote, we deliver good jobs, health care, and funding for infrastructure, schools, resources for our communities, and more.
Will you vote for candidates who…
Catholic teaching affirms that every person has both a right and a responsibility to participate in our shared political processes, which we must structure to serve the common good.