The bishops' political agenda

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Mar 25, 2003

Are you for or against the Conservation Security Program? Would you support increased funding for the Millennium Challenge Account? Do you think the identity card issued by the Tohono O'odham Indian tribe should be accepted as proof of US citizenship?

What? You say you don't know? Well, the US bishops have strong opinions on all these issues.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops-- the agency allegedly run by the American bishops-- has put all those issues on this year's political agenda. The list of issues on which the bishops will be lobbying goes on and on: child-care funding, immigration reform, welfare, foreign aid.

If you scroll all the way down to the end of the list, you'll notice that the bishops are also supporting pro-life legislation. That's nice.

But if you see anything on that long, long list that would help Catholic families with lots of children-- say, something that would provide tax relief for families in which the mother stays at home-- let me know; I couldn't find it.