Recently there have been rumblings on social media and Catholic blogs about the American Solidarity Party (ASP), a small but growing third party which takes its bearings primarily from those Catholic social principles which are endorsed by a number of non-Catholics as well, specifically subsidarity and — naturally — solidarity. For those not inclined to click around the party’s website to get a grasp of what it stands for, Susannah Black, writing over at Front Porch Republic, has penned an extensive piece detailing the ASP’s history and vision. I suggest you all read it.
Now, from the get-go, there are several aspects of the ASP which I could quibble with. For instance, its absolute stance against the death penalty does not align with Catholic teaching, though, as a prudential matter, I can certainly see the utility in placing a moratorium on it until the United States undertakes more comprehensive criminal-justice reform. Moreover, there is room to discuss the appropriate limits of centralized government programs, entitlements, and wealth redistribution; at this point ASP is keeping its platform fairly general, not particular. And last, Catholics need to always be on guard against letting a political party or movement with non-Catholics turn into an opportunity for religious indifferentism or syncretism.
With that said, I encourage all of you dear readers — Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant — to give serious consideration to the ASP as an alternative to the dreadful options being walked out by the Democratic and Republican parties. The ASP may not fully capture every platform point you hold dear, but if you are faithful to your respective confession’s teachings, I think you will find the ASP comes far closer to upholding them than any other American political party. (For my part, my policy preferences are a bit closer to what a party like Ukraine’s Svoboda upholds, but I’ll save that discussion for another day.)
August 15, 2016
Being so young and small the American Solidarity Party is a lot more malleable than most parties, so those with significant differences can still get in there and push for whatever changes they think is necessary.
August 23, 2016
Not really. The Catholics there are strict Magisterialists, the Protestants are strict Kuyers-ists, and the non-Christians agree with the preceding two. Basically, the spirit of the party is one that is uncompromising and unyielding on crucial issues especially the right to life..
August 15, 2016
Doubling down on the whole Ukrainian Catholic facisim thing, arent you?
August 15, 2016
Hmm? Sorry, I don’t take anonymous comments seriously.
August 18, 2016
Surely you’re familiar with Svoboda’s origins as a neo-Nazi group (they called themselves “Social Nationalists” and used a Wolfsangel as their symbol- subtle!) You could argue that they’ve moved beyond that but I would argue not nearly far enough.
August 18, 2016
I am familiar with its origins. What I support are many aspects of its political platform to the extent they are consistent with Catholic social principles. For instance, any racialist elements still left in the party would have to be rejected. However, having read over their platform, I don’t see such things.
August 19, 2016
This is such a stupid comment that one can only make reference to the ROCOR attitude in the not too distant past, which basically stated that Moscow Patriarchate during the time of Soviet rule, was “the whole Russian Orthodox Stalinist thing.”
August 19, 2016
If the Moscow Patriarchate had been founded with the explicit purpose of promoting Stalinism and incorporated the hammer and sickle into its coat of arms, you might have a point. That said, it would be hard to deny that the MP of today is very much a Soviet relic.
August 16, 2016
If I were American,I would vote for the ASP. The local equivalent of ASP(from where I am)is dormant due to Internal Strife over Constitutional Reform. But like you,I would vote for something like Svoboda(although I am for a Bi-Ritual Integralist Movement that synthesizes Constitutional Monarchy and Fascism practiced by Dollfus,Franco and Salazar).