Of all the issues in the survey, the most important factor in determining how Catholics will vote in November is their confidence in President Bush's ability to resolve the conflict in Iraq: at the time of the poll, 54 percent had confidence in the president's ability to resolve the war in Iraq, while 46 percent were not confident.
The high priority Catholics place on protecting Social Security and improving Medicare and public education is underscored by the findings that majorities support canceling some of the tax cuts and using the money to protect Social Security and improve Medicare (74 percent) or using the money to improve public education (68 percent).
The findings contrast sharply with the public agenda of the nation's Catholic bishops, who have by and large concentrated on candidates' positions on abortion, stem cell research, and assisted suicide, yet have remained relatively silent on the issue of the war, the economy, Social Security, and Medicare -- traditional areas of concern for Catholics.
Matt's Chat
The survey produced a mix-and-match set of results on a wide range of issues. Interesting nonetheless...
John Kerry Delenda Est!
