What Makes Catholics Different?

Here is an interesting piece from Tuesday’s Washington post:

Catholic Republicans’ political beliefs challenged by their faith

I’d like to contrast my favorite two paragraphs from the piece with a response given to that paragraph over at America magazine’s In All Things blog.

First Michael Gerson, whom I understand to be a Republican himself:

What influence is this shift [towards more Republican Catholic representatives] likely to have? Judging from the broader behavior of Catholics in American politics, not much. A century ago, many Catholics voted Democratic out of ethnic solidarity. Today, most Catholics vote almost exactly like their suburban neighbors. Catholics are often swing voters in elections precisely because they are so typical. So it was a sign of the times when last year a poll found 58 percent of Catholics sympathetic to Tea Party protests. [link original to quote]

There is something vaguely disturbing about the precise symmetry of any religious group with other voters of their same class and background. One would hope that an ancient, demanding faith would leave some distinctive mark. A reflection may move and smile, but it lacks substance and will.

And now Tom Maher in the America comboxes:

Gerson understanding of what “Catholic Republicans sympathetic to the Tea party movement” is all about is a very narrow personal vision of Catholics, Republicans and Tea party members are all about.  He shoudl [sic] begin with political realities rather than his own personal preconceptions.  The reason Catholics are not differenciated from non-Catholics is that there is no basis for being different. The facts unite many people to the same conclusion on immigration, poverty , health  care and foriegn policy.  All people do not come to the same political concluions as Gerson or the author. [emphasis added]

So, should we be concerned that Catholics look and act too much like everyone else?  What are our options?  A third party?

Brett Salkeld is a doctoral student in theology at Regis College in Toronto. He is a father of two (so far) and husband of one.