Left at the Altar: How the Democrats Lost the Catholics and How the Catholics Can Save the Democrats (Easyread Large Edition)
by Michael Sean Winters (9781458749703)

In the 1930s, Catholics helped create Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal coalition; they remained a loyal constituency of the Democratic Party for decades. In 1960, Catholics and Democrats united to elect John F. Kennedy, America's first Catholic president. But the historic partnership between Catholics and the Democrats has collapsed in recent decades, leaving the Democratic Party bereft of votes fromthe fastest-growing demographic in the United States. In Left at the Altar, journalist and religion scholar Michael Sean Winters chronicles the rise and fall of this vital alliance and offers compelling arguments for its revival. For the Democrats, the stakes could not be higher: the explosive growth of the Latino population will make the Catholic vote decisive in the twenty-first century.The stakes are high for Catholics, too: In their defection to the Republican Party, Catholics have drifted from their traditional advocacy of core values including peace and social justice. The Democratic Party needs Catholics-for values as well as votes. For much of the twentieth century, it found in Catholic tradition a principled language that inspired voters and won elections. And in the Democratic Party,Catholics found the political expression of profound religious ideals.By reuniting with Catholic constituents, the Democratic Party can regain its soul-and reclaimits rightful place in American politics.

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