The influence of a minister, and the vote of a parishioner As a church staff ministry professional for 34 years, I feel a responsibility to express my feelings regarding those in ministry who believe they have the responsibility to tell their parishioners who to vote for. They don't.
The main responsibilities of any person serving in church staff ministry is first to teach the faith, and second to emulate it by the way they live, then encourage their parishioners to live according to the faith as they have understood it.
It is not the responsibility of a person in ministry to tell anyone who to vote for. Politics are divisive, and expressing one's feelings about whom one should vote for may create divisions in a parish. In fact, to vote as they see fit is their right and duty as American citizens, and no one has the right to tell anyone how to vote!
If a person in ministry teaches the faith well, and lives accordingly, then one has to trust that the parishioners can use their own deductive reasoning and well-thought-out feelings to vote for the person they feel best fits their faith, if, in fact, the parishioners choose to base their vote on faith values.
JOAN STRICKLAND JOHNSON, BLOOMINGTON
Financial fiasco also has Democratic fingerprints Sen. Amy Klobuchar says, "America's current financial crisis is an indictment of eight years of failed economic policies from the Bush administration" (Opinion Exchange, Oct. 6). She and most in her party have a short memory.
On Nov. 4, 1999, 90 senators (including Joe Biden) voted for the Financial Services Modernization Act (deregulation of the U.S. financial system). Interestingly, John McCain did not vote. The bill was signed by President Bill Clinton on Nov 12, 1999.
When casting blame based on 20/20 hindsight, it's a good idea to check the facts. In this case, both parties are in the dock, as are all those people who for years have been living beyond their means.
