- September 22, 2016 -
Issues of Importance to Catholics
Religious Liberty
Religious liberty is enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution. It is our first liberty and provides the most important protection in that it protects our right of conscience. Activist judges and executive orders issued by Presidents who have no regard for the Constitution have put these protections in jeopardy. If I am elected president and Congress passes the First Amendment Defense Act, I will sign it to protect the deeply held religious beliefs of Catholics and the beliefs of Americans of all faiths. The Little Sisters of the Poor, or any religious order for that matter, will always have their religious liberty protected on my watch and will not have to face bullying from the government because of their religious beliefs.
Pro-Life
I am and will remain pro-life. Public funding of abortion providers is an insult to people of faith at the least, and is an affront to good government and governance, at best. I will work to support the dignity of human life from conception to natural, dignified death.
Judicial Nominations
Judicial nominations, particularly appointments to the United States Supreme Court, are one of the most critical issues of this election. I will appoint Justices to the Supreme Court like the late and beloved great Catholic thinker and jurist, Justice Antonin Scalia, who will strictly interpret the Constitution and not legislate from the bench.
Education
Catholic education is a shining example of how education can work very well on the local level without the meddling of Washington bureaucrats. I will defend the religious liberty of Catholic schools, private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling families. I will be the biggest cheerleader for school choice programs so we can give every child in America, particularly disadvantaged African American and Hispanic American children trapped
in failing government run schools, the best possible educational opportunities. I will end Common Core and will get the federal government out of the public education business.
Healthcare
It appears Obamacare is certain to collapse of its own weight. If I am elected president, I will work with Congress to bring much-needed free market reforms to the healthcare industry. Working together to create sound public policy that will broaden healthcare access, we will make healthcare more affordable and improve the quality of the care available to all Americans.
Jobs and Taxation
When it comes to jobs and taxation, our economic policy must be geared towards making it easier to hire, invest, build, grow and produce in America – creating a level playing field for our workers and businesses in global competition. High taxes and excessive regulation push jobs overseas, reduce wages, and create a smaller economy for everyone. There is no dignity for families found in such policies. I will help Catholic families and workers, and all families and workers, by bringing jobs back to our country where they belong.
Safety and Security
The first charge in the Preamble to our Constitution is to "Provide for the common defense." As we are living in dangerous times, it is all the more imperative to maintain law and order to protect the safety and security of our communities. We will create a safer America by securing our borders and ports and by modernizing our military. As we bring stronger security to the nation, we will remain the “shining light on the hill” for all who seek liberty, security and peace.
