BluffTHIS,

You are missing my point. Say a politician believes statement A and has to vote on a law supporting A. If the pope makes a ruling stating A is not allowable. or a a sin, or worthy of excommunication, then by abstaining from the vote (the equivalent from a politician recusing himself) the legislation may not be passed (it may be one vote short). Hence the legislative process of the USA is at the mercy of the dictates of a pope, if there are true catholics in the process. Unfortunately If your loyalty to the pope comes before the loyalty to your country or your constituents, it has to be possible that it is so.