A Vote For Us All

I think this voter guide, A Vote For Us All, issued by the Australian Bishops Conference for their own upcoming election, is one that should be read by all interested in knowing what issues must be taken into consideration when voting. The Australian Catholic Bishops outline eight key points:

1) Pro-Life.
2) Pro-Family.
3) Respect for Indigenous Peoples and policies which work for their betterment.
4) Education.
5) Health
6) Environment
7) Immigration and Refugees
8) Peace

Despite being a relatively short document, I think it hits very well the key issues a Catholic involved in any election should be concerned about. It’s a great presentation of Catholic Social Doctrine, clearly pushing Catholics to think holistically about elections and not just focus on single (although very important) issues. Moreover, its discussion of the key points is also refreshingly because it is not concerned with one specific example to represent the whole issue. Thus, while the presentation on what it means to be pro-life clearly hits the issues of abortion and stem cell research, it also points out, “All human life is to be respected, particularly the most vulnerable, including the unborn, the sick and elderly, people with disability, and communities ravaged by poverty, abuse, famine or war.” To be pro-life is to be more than anti-abortion, but to actually be pro-life, to actually respect life, and to work for the betterment of life in all stages of life, and in those areas where life often seems to be treated as a cheap commodity. To be concerned about the family is to be concerned more than with the definition of family, but how to improve the tough, dehumanizing situations families often have to face. “Industrial laws must also support family life by ensuring a fair wage fixing system, an adequate minimum wage, proper protections for workers’ conditions and fair compensation for the working of unsociable and un-family friendly hours.”

While I, like many others, am not usually a fan of voter guides, this is one I can promote. If only more were like this instead of thinly-veiled political commercials for specific candidates.