Priests for Life has released a side-by-side comparison of the Republican and Democratic party platforms – which has been approved for distribution in churches - that reveal dramatic differences when it comes to the rights of the unborn, religious liberty, marriage, the family and respect for the U.S. Constitution.

“We talk about voting with a clear conscience, which means you can’t vote against your values," said Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life. "But to vote with a clear conscience, one must consider that elections not only put individual candidates into power; they put political parties into power.”

The same questions you ask about the candidates’ positions on issues have to be asked of the party's positions, he says.

“The party platform expresses its philosophy, and its policy preferences. If that party comes into power, what people will they assign to committees, and what bills will they allow to come for a vote? What type of people will be in the administration and on the staff of the elected official; what kind of appointments will that individual make?”

The platforms could not be further apart on key issues.

For example, on the subject of human life, the Republic platform states: “ . . . [W]e assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. . .”

On the same issue, the Democratic platform states: “We believe unequivocally that every woman should have access to quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion . . . we will continue to oppose - and seek to overturn – federal and state laws and policies that impede a woman’s access to abortion, including by repealing the Hyde Amendment [which would allow taxpayer funded abortion]. . .”

The Republican platform affirms its commitment to “ . . .support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life.”

The Democratic platform states: “We will appoint judges who defend the Constitutional principles of liberty and equality for all, protect a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion . . .”

The Republican platform seeks to “replace ‘family planning’ programs for teens with sexual risk avoidance education that sets abstinence until marriage as the responsible and respected standard of behavior.”

The Democratic platform supports “evidence-based sex education and a full range of family planning services . . .”

While the Republic platform condemns the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in America and denied 320 million Americans the right to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman, the Democratic platform applauds the decision that “recognized LGBT people . . . have a right to marry the person they love – but there is still much work to be done.”

The platforms represent two diametrically opposed visions for the world regarding everything from human life to medical care, religious liberty, climate change and Iran.

"Even if an individual candidate is weak on a particular issue, the party platform signals the direction in which he or she will be guided and influenced by staff and advisors, and by constituents,” Father Pavone reminds.

“And in the case of a President, the party platform gives a clear signal of the type of philosophy that will prevail, under that President, at the Department of Health and Human Services, at the Department of Justice, in the Surgeon General's office, in the federal courts, in the Supreme Court, and in thousands of other positions in many federal agencies.”

He concludes: "The US Catholic bishops have written, 'We urge our fellow citizens to choose their political leaders based on principle, not on party affiliation or mere self-interest' (Living the Gospel of Life, n.34). Many vote for candidates because of loyalty to a party, without examining the party platform. Our moral duty requires us to look deeper, and our comparison of the Democratic and Republican platforms will help voters do exactly that."

Click here to download a copy of the party platform comparison. More information is available here.

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