From the "Twelve Tribes of American Politics:

Convertable Catholics

Percent of voting-age population: 8.1%
Percent of 2004 voters: 7.0%

Convertable Catholics are the core of the white Catholic community in the U.S., they outnumber conservative Catholics by nearly two to one. Moderate in practice (42% claim to attend worship weekly) and belief (less than one-half agree with papal infallibility). 52% agree that "all the world's great religions are equally true and good."

29% are conservative, 49% are moderate, and 22% are liberal.  34% consider themselves Republican: 47% are members of the Democratic Party, and 19% consider themselves independents.

They represent the quintessential swing vote. Clinton edged out Bush senior in 1996, while Bush junior edged out Gore in 2000; 55% of Convertible Catholics voted for Bush, making up 7% of his total vote, while 45% voted for Kerry, accounting for 6% of his total vote.

What they care about: Half gave priority to economic issues, with a special emphasis on liberal social welfare policy. To the dismay of the Catholic Church, small majorities are pro-choice and supportive of stem cell research. They are moderate on foreign policy. Only about one-fifth report that their faith is important to their political thinking.

JFK, RFK, John Kerry and Arnold ("Ah-NULD") Swartzennegger have been past leaders of the "Convertable Catholics; who do see as the leaders now?

If Convertable Catholics represent a "swing vote," what direction do you see them swing during this election?

Tend to agree.  But again as "convertable" Catholics tend not to adhere to strict orthodoxy (like divorce and abortion), they would naturally gravitate to the Democratic Party.

Gee -- said so in TWELVE TRIBES OF AMERICAN POLITICS

They DID constitute a swing vote for Bush

McCain may have damaged himself with the Hagee endorsement - waiting to see if either Dem candidate courts them...

[QUOTE=ptbc;340032]I can only speak for myself as a "Convertable Catholic" ( btw...I know you didn't coin it,  but I really hate that label because to me it reads as if I'm able to be converted to another faith...like I'm ripe for the picking, which may be what it's intended to convey politically but it has other overtones ) but I don't need courting, nor do any of the Catholics I associate with.[/QUOTE]

I only use the term from the article THE TWELVE TRIBES OF AMERICAN POLITICS as it decribes those who do not necessarily prescribe to orthodox theology.  The article did not state nor imply those individuals as "ripe for conversion" although it did state that those individuals do not neccessarily believe the Pope as the infallible representative of God nor in abortion and divorce were heinous sins. 

Im sure the author did not mean to be offensive.

I'm also sure that somebody could take the 'Twelve Tribes" labels and turn them into twelve thousand.

[QUOTE=ptbc;340032]I can only speak for myself as a "Convertable Catholic" ( btw...I know you didn't coin it,  but I really hate that label because to me it reads as if I'm able to be converted to another faith...like I'm ripe for the picking, which may be what it's intended to convey politically but it has other overtones ) but I don't need courting, nor do any of the Catholics I associate with.[/QUOTE]

I only use the term from the article THE TWELVE TRIBES OF AMERICAN POLITICS as it decribes those who do not necessarily prescribe to orthodox theology.  The article did not state nor imply those individuals as "ripe for conversion" although it did state that those individuals do not neccessarily believe the Pope as the infallible representative of God nor in abortion and divorce were heinous sins. 

Im sure the author did not mean to be offensive.

I'm also sure that somebody could take the 'Twelve Tribes" labels and turn them into twelve thousand.

[QUOTE=Whisperingal;340520]I don't need courting, nor do any of the Catholics I associate with."[/QUOTE]


Okay.  No problemo.  I'm married anyway.  She happens to be Catholic  ;)