Commentary

Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat pick for Vice-President, is a near-perfect running mate for Hillary Clinton. He is a decent looking person, with a moderate amount of charm.  Kaine seems reasonably intelligent and able to answer most questions.  Not quite bland – but close enough so as to pose no challenge to Hillary, probably the least charismatic candidate ever nominated for the presidency.

But those are all the superficial reasons Clinton settled on the senator from Virginia.

A much more important qualification is Kaine’s Catholicism. His most important job is to lure moderate Catholics into supporting the Democrat ticket.  He will preach the Democrat gospel of “social justice” from the campaign trail, rather than the doctrine of Catholic orthodoxy. 

Ronald Reagan won the Catholic vote in 1980 and 1984; George Bush won Catholics in 2000 and 2004. Clinton and Obama won the Catholic vote in other recent elections.  The only Republican to win the presidency and (narrowly) lose the Catholic vote was George Bush Sr.

That data suggests the critical nature of Kaine’s mission this November.

Kaine is well-suited to the task: He has a history of third-world missionary work, which serves as an entrée into the Hispanic Catholic communities. But it is his practicality and self-serving character which will make him most useful to Clinton.

Long ago, Kaine jettisoned the teachings of the Church on core moral questions: He is now “personally” pro-Life – but has vigorously defended the government’s imposition of legalized abortion on America. (And, by “personally” – we presume that he would never, personally, seek an abortion.  Which is a good thing).  He joins a long list of Catholic public officials – Pelosi, Kennedy, Cuomo – who have seemingly prospered in this world by jettisoning the inconvenient truths of their faith; officials who continue to succeed without a peep of censure from the hierarchy of the Church.

For years, Kaine has defended the notion that taxpayers – many of whom are Christians with a deeper grasp of the abortion horror – should not be coerced into paying for abortions; but that “principle” has come into conflict with the Democrat Party’s new platform. Consistent with a lifetime of adjusting his principles to accommodate his ambition, Kaine has recently come to believe that taxpayers should help poor women and girls kill their babies. 

Which brings us to the central reason that Tim Kaine is such a perfect match for Hillary Clinton. The Clinton Family won’t have to worry about VP Tim raising Cain over the Mafioso-like operations of their White House.  He is perfectly flexible.

In the wake of the most recent Supreme Court ruling, some in media have suggested that the political, social and legal fight for preborn is all but over. Of course, wishful thinking is not a measure of reality.

In recent days, it has become clear that the pro-Life community is more resolute than ever to end the tyranny of legalized abortion.

For example, just yesterday the House Appropriations Committee voted on a key funding bill for the State Department and foreign aid programs. In it, Republicans fought to defend pro-Life values by denying funds for the UN’s Population Control programs – so long as they continue to aid China in forcing women there to submit to abortions.  In addition, Republicans included language which would codify the “Mexico City Policy” – long a battle ground with Planned Parenthood and their Democrat advocates.  Started under President Reagan, the policy prohibits U.S. tax dollars from going to international organizations who perform abortions in foreign countries.  (In other words, Planned Parenthood International).

Since Obama destroyed the Mexico City Policy upon taking office back in 2009, the House measure obviously sets up a confrontation with Senate Democrats and Obama later this year.

We also saw a meeting of the Platform Committee yesterday preparing for the Republican National Convention. Reports indicate that they are recommending to the convention the strongest pro-Life platform in history.  The Platform will call for an end to taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, as well as a ban on the use of aborted baby parts for medical research.  Another section condemns the recent Supreme Court edict (Whole Woman’s Health) which prioritizes Planned Parenthood profits over the health and safety of women and girls.

The Republican platform stands in complete contrast to the upcoming Democrat statement on abortion, which apparently is becoming ever more radical. News reports indicate that Hillary will demand that taxpayers pay for all abortions if a woman or girl can’t pay the gangland slayers at Planned Parenthood.

Thus sets up an historic election. No genuine pro-Lifer can afford to be caught on the sidelines this fall.

As we celebrate fatherhood this weekend, we should note the marvel of God’s ordered universe. His gift of Life to mankind, the power to participate with Him in the actual creation of Life, is a wonder and power to be revered.  Too often in our culture, fatherhood is portrayed as a great burden to be escaped; more often fatherhood is belittled.  Yet the actual experience of humanity is that fatherhood is among God’s greatest gifts.

Children are the secret agents which help us to grow into real adulthood. From the outside, it appears that fatherhood is a matter of giving and sacrifice.  Certainly there is truth there.  But the more profound reality is that God uses children to lead us into a deeper life experience in which we are given opportunities to escape the bondage and limitations of self.

So, this weekend, let us celebrate what children give us – acknowledging that we owe them more than we can ever repay.

And let us pray for those fathers who have been denied the fruits of God’s gift because of abortion and all the false promises made by a deceived culture. May our heavenly Father bring those men healing.