Religion & Law

I've very much enjoyed not thinking about the election in recent weeks, but . . . with respect to the post by Eduardo, about Kmiec, et al.:

What many of us (and, more specifically, what I) found frustrating and objectionable about Kmiec's arguments in recent months is not merely that they were marshalled in support of Sen. Obama.  I have always been clear that, for me, the issue is not whether or not a faithful, reasonable, informed Catholic could conclude that, all things considered, a vote for a pro-abortion-rights candidate is the way to go.  ("Believe in infant baptism?  Sure.  Hell, I've seen it done.")  First, as I contended (many -- too many? -- times), here and elsewhere, the problem with Kmiec's arguments was not their pro-Obama-all-things-considered conclusion, but their failure (in my view) to correspond with and take account of the relevant abortion-policy-related facts and history.  Second, I do not believe Kmiec provided (and, because he is not a reluctant, "hold my nose" Republican but a longtime conservative public intellectual and partisan, I think it was incumbent on him to provide) an admission that he was changing his mind (on a number of issues) and an account of why he was changing his mind.  (Remember Mitt Romney?)

And with that . . . how about them Irish?