How to Avoid Another Argentina Foreign Debt Crisis | National Catholic Reporter

How to Avoid Another Argentina Foreign Debt Crisis | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Sadly, the Argentines took out too much international debt (a lesson for the US Treasury, which is the leading world debtor) without the revenue stream to pay it back.  To the extent that this situation is the result of fraud from others in the finanical world (say, those who sold them on securitizing revenue streams), those individuals should be gone after with a vengence - as the US Courts are obviously not allowing either mercy or forgiveness for Argentina.  Of course, if Argentina defaults, the banks really have no recourse but to threaten their ability to borrow or trade currencies - so Argentina would have to switch to an asset backed currency (gold anyone?) to tell the banksters to shove it.  Their alternative is the one that Europe should use for its debtors - a unified currency, tax, budget and debt with its closes neighbors under one new government.  The bigger the country, the less it can be pushed around or be vulnerable to declines in one industry or area.  Its what the US did when it passed the Constitution and it seems to have worked.  Europe and South America should both try it (Brazil is actually big enough - but has civil values problems) and see how the banksters change their tone.

Mercy, Part III | National Catholic Reporter

Mercy, Part III | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Having been shown mercy, we must show the same - both in person and in politics (Social Security arrangements are part of this - something I still have arguments with libertarians about.  Mercy  is equated with Love (or Charity) as found in Corinthians Chapter 13.  In other words we must enounter others with love (and pay our taxes in the same spirit.   Kasper mentions the corporal works of Mercy, as found in Matthew 25, which we must accomplish joyfully, while bemoaning their lack of a central place in the current Cathecism. The seven deadly sins are seen as a more productive way to examine the conscience then the Commandments, which often yield an examination of conscience that is self centered rather than other centered - which is exactly the wrong way to go.  He also does not use Mercy as a way to avoid any conscieness of sin - like abortion and assisted suicide (he does not entertain the thought that either might not always be sinful - which to me is a failure of imagination if death is certain or likely to occur in a dangerous pregnancy).



The ultimate end of mercy is not some moral excellence, or enhanced compassion, but the finding of Christ in our acts of mercy - so it is revelation rather than just morality (as often as you do these things you do them for me).  This is not about Heaven, but life here on earth.  MSW writes that this plays into our tendency to reduce morality to ethics - that we must keep God in the center.  This, of course, dances with the words of St. Francis to preach the Gospel, using words only when necessary - about the most succint way of integrating morals with our inner light. It is a light we must share (not hide under a basket). It is not for only our own conversion, but also the conversion of others.  For the whole Church and world, not just for self development.   Kaspar also argues against Mercy as a source of cheap grace to avoid the confessional (maybe - but arguing about the sinfulness of certain acts is not necessarily denial if they have been mischaracterized by the Church).



Kasper also brings in social justice (back to that whole tax and spend thing the Acton Institute rejects as part of Catholic teaching).  Kaspar has taken heat lately because he sounds like Pope Francis - and it seems there is some pent up and unsaid frustration about the Holy Father.  Of course, this book is not about Kasper, the Pope or even Pope Benedict - all of whom say the same thing about this subject.  These words are from Christ - which is bad news for those who would slay the messenger when Jesus is the message.

ROFL: Burke to Chicago | National Catholic Reporter

ROFL: Burke to Chicago | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I'm not that familiar with Fr. Z, but I have the feeling he was not being tongue in cheek.  Considering that Hillary, who is from Chicago originally (though an adopted New Yorker) may be the next president, nothing would be more of a gag gift than Ray Burke in Chicago.  Or they could send him to Rockville Center so he and Dolan can plot sedition.  Neither is likely - indeed, the whole thing about Curial service being a sacrifice is very funny - since it was more of a penance than an honor - one Burke probably has not yet served out.  Still, I do have a retort to Burke going to Chicago - ordain Fr. Michael Pfleger as his adjunt bishop.  Now that would be funny.

Meyerson on Morally Corrupt Corporate Greed | National Catholic Reporter

Meyerson on Morally Corrupt Corporate Greed | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: A must read.  The Post gives an interesting headline, but the text also includes treatment of how the CEOs gain a bit over much.  The takeway is that nowadays return on investment exceeds economic growth.  In other words, someone is being cheated. (Hint, its both the workers and the consumers).

A Real Religious Liberty Issue | National Catholic Reporter

A Real Religious Liberty Issue | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: You can read the underlying article if you can read Spanish.  Mine is a bit rusty, so I will take MSW's word for it.  I wonder if the harsh tone is meant to get a bit more attention with both the populace and the Cuban government?

Mercy, Part II | National Catholic Reporter

Mercy, Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The most important thing about the nativity story is not that we believe it, but that Jesus believed it.  That is why he could speak with authority about forgiving sins and curing on the Sabbath.  As important is that he said the Sabbath is for man (in other words, not for God) and that this can be applied to all our moral teaching, including that about the family and including those individuals we don't consider to be families - but are.  What caused Jesus the agony on the cross was that he at some point had to tell his mother that he is dead (Gods don't die), giving up his divinity by giving her to John's care and giving John the mission to care for her, not baptize the world just yet.  This emotional pain, only possible after the physical torture, had Jesus cry out to the Father for mercy - which was granted as he finally drank of the fruit of the fine before dying.



If the Passion is a divine vision quest, not a bloody divine sacrifice, the whole idea of mercy must be turned on its head - probably a bit more than Kasper intended in his treatment of substitutionary attonement. God felt what we feel, so we can now go to him, and his altar, to escape our sin.  Ironically, it is easier for many in the Curia to except two dudes getting married than this change.  Of course, one implies the other.  All morality must be looked at through the lens of Jesus suffering to understand our suffering and as a balm for our souls, not a ransom.  Morals which do not serve that purpose are not, therefore, from God.  Damnation is not part of the afterlife as much as it is part of this one.  Jesus is the answer and should not be the cause of greater alienation through unbearable moral precepts.  The harder thing, of course, is for both clergy and faithful to follow the example of mercy, to bring happiness where there is pain, especially the pain of divorce.

Clouthier: How Much Is Enough (Income)? | National Catholic Reporter

Clouthier: How Much Is Enough (Income)? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Third way economists ask these questions all the time (the third way being not capitalist, not Marxist, and attempting to put meet on the bones of Catholic Social Teaching, especially Rerum Novarum.  The answer, by the way, is it depends - mostly on family size - rather then comparison between estimates of the same size that are geographically sensative.  The better question is, how do we get families that amount of income with or without government action - because capitalism can't seem to do it - or the free market (not the same as capitalism).  The other pregnant question is how do you make sure the boss and the janitor have roughly the same standard of living (nice house, good food, decent clothes, working transporation).  THAT is the question no one likes to ask, because it is more Marxist than Third Way - but it is the demand of both justice and mercy.  By the way - that includes the worker in China who is actually making the products.

The Problem with Dr. Mirus | National Catholic Reporter

The Problem with Dr. Mirus | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I am not sure why MSW gives this idiot the gift of a mention, although Mirus certainly is an example of why Ph.D means Piled Higher and Deeper.  I would recommend to Mirus that he read the Book of Amos, as well as all of the scriptures in the Old Testament which requiring gleaning and the forgiveness of debt during Jubilee years, then shift to all the times Jesus has the wealthy go to Hell.  I will grant that the Third Way thinking which has evolved from Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum has been fractured into many paths (Georgism, Distributism, Binary Economic, Inter-Independence) - but the fact that it has not been implemented speaks more to the opposition of the Capitalists than to the coherence of either the message or any of its options.  The one thing that is constant in all of these streams of thought is the REQUIREMENT (not the prudential option) for a just wage that considers the size of the family and its needs.  The prudential part is HOW to make it happen, not IF - and action is necessary because Capitalism does not seem to be able to. Since Capitalism cannot, then capitalism is what must be replaced - and any capitalist funded operation like the Tea Party and Catholicculture.org should be disregarded entirely.

Mercy, Part I | National Catholic Reporter

Mercy, Part I | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Kasper makes a nice start, but does not go far enough.  The key scripture when considering the mercy and justice of God is when the Lord says "Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light. (Matthew 11:28-30)"  In other words, the justice of the Lord is not for the Lord, it is for us.  The justice of the Lord is the Mercy of the Lord.  It is how we live our human lives best.  More importantly, where a moral precept has been made and it is not merciful it is also not just.  That must be true with divorce and with who can get married.



God never says, sorry, you are out of luck - you must suffer.  It is both just and merciful to say that a physically abuse marriage is ended or that a long time companion whose husband lay dying is the legitimate next of kin when others would exclude him from making the appropriate decisions a spouse makes.  The perfection of God is His love for us - for the law is for us, not for God.  God is necessary for us, but we are not necessary for God.  He is not offended when we err - but when we likewise show no mercy to the other. Indeed, all the requirements to do right by the poor are acts of mercy and also justice - for no one owns the bounty of the Lord, it is given to us all and must be shared by all.  That is true in ancient agricultural societies and in modern Capitalism - and woe those who do not deal mercifully with those who depend upon them.

Why is Bill Donohue Defending Finn? | National Catholic Reporter

Why is Bill Donohue Defending Finn? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Donohue is not accountable to the Church.  He listens to his donors, who honor the clerical culture that made child sexual abuse by priests possible.  Its best just to say the word "Shame" over both Bill and Finn and let the Nuncio handle it.  Indeed, Arroyo and Donohue defending Finn will give them a black eye once Finn is removed and/or jailed.  The only reason he is likely there is for sentencing.  No ticked to Rome for him at all.

GOP Senate Prospects: Wave or Wipeout? | National Catholic Reporter

GOP Senate Prospects: Wave or Wipeout? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: As Larry says, its still early and the big six are still competitive.  These states will likely all have chances for the Tea Party to embarrass their candidate or the candidate can embarrass themselves.  Indeed, if any of them start thinking that motivating the base is their best move, Harry Reid will stay majority leader.

Acton Institute Strikes Again | National Catholic Reporter

Acton Institute Strikes Again | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I would shudder to think what Acton U. would teach in any year.  The truth is that welfare, education and the rest were offered at the township level.  If the Catholic Church or others offered assistance to the poor, it wa because the township level assistance was inadequate, as was private charity. The elderly poor were cared for by families, if they could afford that - or they would be objects of charity as well.  Usually people worked until they died and they did not live that long.  As for Medical assistance, medicine was dangerous - both the practice of and patent medicine available.  We are so much better off now.  Indeed, the reason we have social insurance, and need it, is because people don't die like they used to.  I wonder if Bradly would like his parents and in-laws Social Security benefits taken away and have them live with him.  The reason for such insurance is to prevent accidents of birth (family size) and death (parental mortality or not) make some families poor and others rich, regardless of other factors.  If he really wants to get rid of Social Insurance (and secretly, all wing-nut thinkers do) then he should support equalized Employer contributions in Social Security - with an ever increasing percentage going to employer voting stock (as well as changing pension rules to concentrate investment to 66% of each fund doing likewise).  Then we can get rid of Capitalism (and his funding) and make workers much better off.

Building Solidarity | National Catholic Reporter

Building Solidarity | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Archbishop Chaput mentions the crisis of children at the southern border and blames both sides for not passing legislation - however legislation to handle this exists (but the crisis needs to be funded and tweeked and we know who is holding things up).  He begins speaking about the Cather's and the bloody Crusade to stamp them out.  Of course in that era, simply talking through it was not an option and thank Heaven the CDF has no army.  What really wiped this out though was the rise of the Franciscans.  In the end of the talk, he links that Francis to the current one.  He also talks about the religious demographics of Latinos (which MSW seems to ignore).  A majority are Catholic, some are Protestant and some are former Catholic.  That actually looks a lot like what Anglo Catholics experience, with non-Catholics becoming more Protestant  - although Latinos go more Evangelical and younger people usually just become non-believers (although many people my age found that they came back to Church when they had kids). Getting back to the Francis effect, it seems that some do come back to Church, or at least reconnect with Reconciliation, due to the election of Francis (both here and abroad).



Chaput said that studies of North American Catholics show them to be cathecized but not evangelized.  That makes sense - everyone who gets confirmed goes through extra cathecesis - which does not always keep them in Church afterward (in my generation, we were confirmed in primary school and went to Mass until College.  Chaput said that Latino Masses are much more devotional.  Also, while almost everyone goes to Communion in English Masses (one last Vatican II effect), this is not the case at Spanish Masses.  Obviously, someone did not get the memo - or rather, some got the memo for the Clergy and others from the Lord.  The clergy seem to delight in creating minor Mortal Sins.  Most Anglo Catholics ignore them.  Who has the greater faith?  That is up to each person to answer.  Chaput also says that Latino Catholics (I suspect he means the immigrants) are more Evangelized that Cathechized.  That could be true if Spanish CCD is not available.  The fact is, many Anglo Catholics (fewer now) went to parochial school.  I suspect that everyone i the CCD generation is probably under instructed, as the nuns have left many parishes making Catholic School more of an elite institution. Sad.



What does Chaput suggest?  1.  More Spanish Masses. 2. More CCD - including for adults. and 3. CALL should ask itself if it is working hard enough or meeting the right needs.



Now for MSW.  He gives a cursory summary that confuses the part about the child immigration crisis with immigration reform as a whole, speaks of some of the statistics and promise more on the Evangelicization v. Cathecization.  Its an interesting question - and I suspect the answer to both is to get more students into Catholic School (all of them actually), regardless of their ability to pay (including public funds).  Also, adult remedial high school should be offered by each diocese - to include relligion classes - again with public funds, except for the religion classes.  The same goes for Vocational High Schools (which the Church does not offer and should).



MSW mentions the difference between the Calvinism and Individualism in American culture, versus the more Catholic Latino culture.  This sounds good, but it is not really true.  Poor people in Latin America have been underserved the the Church.  The more well off, who are less likely to migrate, are indeed Catholic - and urban poor people are more likely to be Catholic as well.  In many nations, the country-side has been left to the Mormons and the Evangelicals (especially the Seventh Day Adventists - a religion that poor people would glom onto, although they will soon find that Jesus is not coming right away to give them propserity).  The exception was the Archbishop who is now Pope Francis.  He actually went out to the poor.  The other bishops, not so much.



The other fact that is unmentioned in MSW's remarks is that to a very great extent, our political culture is Masonic.  Indeed, the Masons can be found in Mexico City in their government (it was their demand that Catholic clergy dress as laity outside of Mass).  I am not sure about masonic penetration to the south, but it would not surprise me.  As you can see, it has different effects on various sides of the Rio Grande. Masons are a bit more benevolent in the US, so no restrictions against the Church emenate from the lodge (where they still exist they do come form Evangelicals who maintain that the Pope - even Francis - is the anti-christ, although the USCCB joining with the GOP on abortion and contraception has removed much of that friction.  In Mexico, the Church was on the wroing side of the last revolution, which was led by Masons, who govern to this day.



On assimilation - I expect the younger generation to do so, once they have kids - just like American young people.  The only way to get them in the Pews until at least college is to offer Catholic education to grade twelve.  As for common Masses - many Latinos do go to English Masses and participate (including Filipinos who are also Spanish and Tagalog speakers).  I expect that in time there will be more Spanish parishes, rather than Spanish Masses.  Just like there are and were German, Polish and Irish parishes in the midwest. The key to assimilation is inter-marriage.  When we see that, assimilation will be complete (in 50 years or so).



Sister parishes and ESL/SSL classes are a nice step, although unless the Latino partners are rural and a large part of the collection is sent there each week, this is only a nice gesture.  Again, on language classes, full on adult high school seems appropriate for all newly arrived Catholic adults (so civics and religion can be thrown in, as well as English and maybe math)  this should even be true for non-Latino immigrants, like the Bosnian Engineer who was waiting tables MSW describes.  Not that symbols are not important.  The Mass at the Border did not change any votes in Congress (still wonder why no discharge petition has been started), but it might make a difference among bishops who have been absent.



Boston College's suggestions are good and Chaput's are not without merit - but I like mine better, especially because they force the Church to spend more money where there is the most need - so much that they must keep working with civil government.  Rather than lawsuites on contraception (which were always ill advised) we need suits to overturn the Blaine Amendments to the money can flow to Catholic Schools.  These violate our equal protection rights and cannot be allowed to stand.  This will free up money to fund sister parishes south of the border, so that they can make a stand against those who would steal our parishoners away.  Even more should go to Haiti and the Dominicans who so mistreat them should be excommunicated as segregationists were in the Civil Rights era.

Osoro to Madrid | National Catholic Reporter

Osoro to Madrid | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Only the organization of antiquity gives Spain more than one archbishop (or a Cardinal for that matter).  I wonder if Francis is about to decrease the number of pronvices in Europe?  Interestngly enough, my reading of the word Overseer in the letters of Paul is Pastor - not Bishop.  Imagine the Church if Pastor was as high as you could get - and that became a locally selected office.  We might need a few patriarchs - but for teaching and spiritual leadership - not governance.

Senate Dems Running on Obamacare, the Law, not the Name | National Catholic Reporter

Senate Dems Running on Obamacare, the Law, not the Name | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Sadly, Obama-anything does not work too well in the southern PR machine - but that is because being against Obama is the last vestige of reasonable racism some of these old birds have, although it is emboldening some of the old ways, especially among law enforcement.

HHS Contraception Saga, Part XXVI | National Catholic Reporter

HHS Contraception Saga, Part XXVI | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: In the order of MSW's points - first, it is clear that this is still a staff driven exercise and it saddens me that Archbishop Kurtz is participating in it.



Second, there is no difference between a form or a letter in participating in covering contraception - which is not evil in any circumstances unless it is provided for Eugenic reasons, which removes power from the patient - as does the Church's policy.  The bishops are under the misapprension that life begins at conception.  It does not.  It begins at gastrulation - as any high school sophomore who is paying attention should notice when the difference between generative and regulative development is explained.  Generative development is not life. As for the goal that all religious employers who object should be provided an exemption - that is not possible since all such employers have been providing contraception if they provide preventative care since 2000 - and because it is not the place of the USCCB to ask - it is the Chamber of Commerce - and they hav been silent on this issue.



Third, the Conference's lawyers won on Hobby Lobby - which was an easy lay-up.  As for the accommodation - Biden won, not the USCCB staff - and Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Health caved so fast, it almost looks like this was all planned.  The Bishops are losing, by the way.  They are keeping alive the perception that they are part of a War on Women - whihc is very believalbe as they continue the fiction that women have some kind of inherent characteristic that does not allow them to be priests (like ovaries?). The Conference is not in melt-down.  It is just being clumsy enough to show itself  to be an integral part of the Republican Party - including the staff.  Its not that too many are leaving - it is that not enough are.

Are Bishops Committing Murder? | National Catholic Reporter

Are Bishops Committing Murder? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: To be fear to Sirco, he is citing someone else's work on the Bible confirming a rather recent development in American constitutional law (less than two hundred years ago).  Indeed, if what he was calling for was really a level playing field on political speech when all was said and done, he would not be so blatantly obnoxious.  Indeed, if corporations really spoke in the interests of their shareholders, he might get a pass. That is not the case, however.  Corporations speak for their executive leadership, who often plunder both worker salaries and a more generous distribution of dividends to feather their own nests.  They want a monopoly on political speech - including less than truthful advertising campaigns that fool voters into voting against their own interests (see right to work, which is really right to hire undocumented immigrants and treat them like slaves).  I am not one who thinks a simple amendment to rebalance money as political speech will fix everything.  The problem is capitalism, both corporate and private (think Romeny).  Fix that and speech will not be a problem.

Why the House Won't Pass Immigration Reform | National Catholic Reporter

Why the House Won't Pass Immigration Reform | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It is hardly news that nativism, and lets face it, racism animates the Tea Party rank and file.  A piece about Tea Party Nationalism a few years ago is a great source on this.  What is not widely discussed is that the food industry relies on undocumented workers who can be abused and discarded if they complain with one quick call to Homeland Security.  Whether picking oranges or processing chicken nuggets, a docile workforce saves money (especially if under-paid).  The only real way to give the nativists what they want is to end all work restrictions and repeal right to work.  Then it won't matter whether Food, Inc. workers are Latino or not, they will have the same interests as American workers, leading to more such workers being hired and less foreign labor being used.  Of course, that also means that reliable union Democrats will dominate the South eventually.  Seems that the GOP can't win this one.

Damien Thompson Hits His Thumb | National Catholic Reporter

Damien Thompson Hits His Thumb | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Once the Spectator is cited as having the article being criticized, you know its going to be bloody.  I am quite sure that the cleric in the know about curial moral is in a state of low morale, if not fear, as our his colleagues.  Fear usually comes when knowledge and trust are not present - and the Pope's reform council is most likely playing things close to the vest.  Also, lack of trust often comes from a certain untrustworthiness - and if that cleric is named Law, Burke or Rigali, that kind of hits the nail on the head.  What they most fear is not loss of position, but lost of a system where position and orthodoxy are important - especially on pelvic issues.  As for the American Church having fire in the belly on the right wing - that fire in the belly is partisan, from supporting an abortion plank that won't win (so it is perfect for fundraising and getting out the vote) to going along with defeating a perfectly decent Republican health care plan passed by Obama (with a few tweeks raising the funds by taxing high income GOP donors - who also contribute to the Chruch), the issue really is more partisan than the Jesuits v. the Jansenists.  I am sure they also fear that the dominos will also fall on the ultimate pelvic issue, woman priests.  This pope won't do it, but I am sure they think that any change in doctrine will shake this issue loose in a way they abhor with all of their beings.

Winright on Policing | National Catholic Reporter

Winright on Policing | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This piece hits all the right points, especially his first-hand knowledge of that metro area, hitting racism in the police force (and incidentally the Church), the militarization of policing, and the need for a non-violent, British style, community policing model rather than a war on crime.  I would add that ending the war on drugs - not just weed, is an essential first step.  Are murders sane?  Ever? I think not.  In most cases, crime can be treated - either thourgh health or fixing economiic and social deficiencies - like illiteracy.  In this model, should mental health workers carry guns?  Of course not.  Note even tasers.  A nice, fast acting, tranquilizer dart should do.  The only times lethal force should be necessary is defense against terrorism and when a murderous prisoner is not reachable with treatment - say a sociopath - and the only option besides locking them in a cage until they die is euthanizing them quietly (not as a media event showing the strength of the justice system).  This probably should have been the #1 story, not the Obama vacation.

C. J. Reid on Missouri 'Whistling Dixie' | National Catholic Reporter

C. J. Reid on Missouri 'Whistling Dixie' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Reid is actually talking about just one neo-confederate Yahoo, or so he says.  For all he knows, the assemblyman in question was pursuing Nullification because he wanted to legalize Weed - or he might be just that kind of idiot.  More importantly is why Ferguson is evolving has it has, a former sundown city that now has a majority black population, with surrounding ghetto towns who are as apt to send protesters to the streets as Ferguson itself - maybe more so.  Housing rights and white flight say more about this than one member of the legislature - especially in a state that is getting more purple all the time (as in, if Kerry had put some money into it, he might have beaten a sitting President).  That is why it is so toxic - because it is potentially in play.

Obama's Vacation: Not a Problem | National Catholic Reporter

Obama's Vacation: Not a Problem | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Its not that FoxNews does not like Obama's vacations - they just don't like Obama.  They especially don't like Obama at Martha's Vineyard because the Kennedy's live near the Vineyard and the Clinton's vacation there as well.  What they really hate, however, is that he does Christmas in Hawaii, where he is from and where he used to visit his mother while she lived, and now while she reposes.  What galls them as bad is Chicago - which to them is Mayor Dailey (both of them) and now Mayor Immanuel.  He is so quintisentially Democrat they simply hate him to the core.  I think the problem is FoxNews.  To hate someone that much, you must really hate yourself - which is why they don't take vacations.  Even Rush, who is abhorrent, takes vacations.

Christian on Clark | National Catholic Reporter

Christian on Clark | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Interesting, although communitarianism rejecting both individuality and collectivism is to an extent also combining the best features of both, as I do in inter-independence - which is more about practical considerations than doctrine.  Still, this should be required reading to any Catholic who thinks that Paul Ryan is anything other than a self-seeking idealogue - including Ryan himself.

The Execution of James Foley | National Catholic Reporter

The Execution of James Foley | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I suspect this beheading and others is why the large networks use Muslim journalists to cover Muslim wars to the greatest extent possible - although that American passport is often what gets them killed.  The thing is that most people in war zones will work with journalists.  Have any journalists been killed in Gaza by Hamas?  No, but they are at risk of the IDF.  Are war correspondents like this seeking heroism?  Maybe - they certainly don't shirk it.  I won't pile on to the need to annihilate ISIL, whether from a CIA to its head or with death from above.  Sadly, they seem to have taken the Sunni population with them into madness - at least for now - though I suspect they will wear out their welcome with tribal leaders who are not above turning on idiots like this (so doing nothing might be best - note the Romany curse).  My only other comment is that the press conference given by James Foley's parents about their son after meeting with the President was amazing - raising Foley to not only a journalistic or national hero, but possibly a Christian Martyr.  St. Francis would be impressed and probably is.  A couse for sainthood may be appropriate.  Journalists need a saint.

Why We Love WSC (Cont) | National Catholic Reporter

Why We Love WSC (Cont) | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: An interesting paragraph on both the limits and majesty of history.  I wonder what Churchill would think about the last fifty years?  I imagine he would be very disappointed with his current successor as PM.

Lessons from Cincinnati's 2001 Race Riots | National Catholic Reporter

Lessons from Cincinnati's 2001 Race Riots | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Suprisingly good analysis from what is usually a too conservative to be stomached magazine.  The question is, when did the 24 hour news coverage of the Cincinnati riots stop?  Also, I wonder where the Ferguson looters were from (probably not Ferguson) while the Cincinnati looters were likely from Over the Rhine but most likely did not loot there - so those looted most likely pressed for a quick curvew.  The main problem in Ferguson is low black voter turnout, leading to white people governing a majority black suburb.  That should change and when it does, the rest will change too.  Ferguson needs its own Marion Barry or Harold Washington.  It also needs the cameras to turn off.

The Deeper Issues in Ferguson | National Catholic Reporter

The Deeper Issues in Ferguson | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The original sin is actually blame and it is endemic and why we have both tanks and molotov cocktails in Ferguson.  What Christ brings us is forgiveness, and the requirement to forgive, which overcomes all blame. This is exacerbated by 24 hour news coverage, which attracts both the New Black Panter Party, a variety of anarchists and the Klan.  Civil rights marches should mean something besides getting on TV. The lesson for Ferguson is that black people must vote - only six percent do so now, which is why the Mayor and police are white. Hopefully these events will help them realize that voting matters.  Further information is needed on why voting does not occur in the majority of the community.  Is it apathy or is it deliberate disenfranchisement of voters?  People are looking so time will tell.  As for poverty in Ferguson, it does not appear that there is any.  Photos show it is nice place with nice people, which is what makes this so tragic.   (Oh, and turn off the damn cameras).

Poverty & the Safety Net | National Catholic Reporter

Poverty & the Safety Net | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: After this last bit of economic ruin, quite a few of us in our 50s are waiting to reach 62 to be able to experience some economic security again - and 65 for some good health care.  While many of this age have gotten new jobs first, many others have not.  The net is a good concept and the most significant parts are the new Obamacare law and Unemployment Insurance.  Sadly, the GOP has done its best to pare both down.  Make no mistake, the safety net needs some repair - I would start with a $1,000 per month per child refundable tax credit and a higher minimum wage (with an entitlement to salaried training at whatever level is next, including grad school) so that no one falls through, especially not the long term poor.

'I should not bring the other to me' | National Catholic Reporter

'I should not bring the other to me' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Francis aruges authenticity over doctrine.  Had he recently done the Landmark Forum?

The Culture of Death on Display at WaPo | National Catholic Reporter

The Culture of Death on Display at WaPo | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: First, let us deal with a matter of terminology.  Until the 13th week, the life in the womb is an embryo, not a fetus (or, little man). At that stage of pregnancy, the humanity of that life is easy to ignore, especially if the pregnancy is light on nausea.



Second, if Ms. Harris had been aware of the humanity of the child, she would not simply or blithely ended its life.  The reason it was so easy to do so is that she did not consider it to be anything but a pro-being - one that might become a child but has not yet.  Anyone who has read much biology of pregnancy (we got a great coffee table book when we were expecting Catie), knows this is not the case, but if one does not really suspect it, then the philosphical term is not Evil, it is invincible ignorance.  For most young people, manl or female, invincible ignorance is something of a constant state. Any Swiftian suggestion that young people would kill to get ahead generally is, using the terminology of the young, bogus.  What makes Operation Rescue so successful is that it puts that information out there, making the ignorance vincible.



Third, from the economic point of view, Ms. Harris has a point - until society organizes itself to allow these young people - and their partners - to finish their educations and care for the child at the same time (not to fuel the adoption needs of infertile Catholics with white babies), the pregnancy will be seen as a tragedy rather than the hope of new life - and the Right to Life Movement seem wholly impervious to that need - but in this case the ignorance is vincible.

Why We Love Churchill | National Catholic Reporter

Why We Love Churchill | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Not sure how Bavaria, where my ancestors once lived for a time, to Churchill and His Majesty King Williams feelings about young men, which can assuredly be read that he did not stand on protocol when they spoke and sought discussion.  That says nothing about his sexuality, although Catholic Stewart pretenders seemed to be quite willing to make such an inference during his time.

The Holy See & Iraq | National Catholic Reporter

The Holy See & Iraq | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: In all matters Iraq, the Holy See has always supported the local Church, including not supporting the Iraq war which was opposed by the Chaldean Patriarch (a very old See).  The Pope, however, does not make alliances (it appears they at least listen to George Washington on this matter) and is presumably glad that the refugees were saved - and politely silent about the air bombardment of ISIS on the other side of the mountain.



On Iraq, Joe Biden had the best idea of all, several years ago, to turn each relgious reason into what amounts to a state - an idea that I have him at a Dubuquers in exile reception on the Hill and which he asked for (and I provided) in writing.Would this have prevented ISIS?  Maybe not - but it might have prevented them from trying to take ground.  What is essential is to deny their claim of global caliphate by recognizing what would be a legitimate claim by the heir to Mohammed, Jordan's King Abdullah of the Hashemite Dynasty.  He is the one who should be given resources and tasked to clean up both Syria and Iraq, else he will be the leaders of all the refugees who escape to his kingdom.

The Protests in Missouri | National Catholic Reporter

The Protests in Missouri | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB:The conduct of the local and county police in Ferguson was beyond the pale.  They just loved playing army dress up, although I am sure any professional soldier would be ashamed - as would most professional police (including my late Uncle Don, who was a highway patrol officer who never had to fire, or even unholster his weapon in the line of duty.  The local police may have well put up a burning cross to get their point out.  Sadly, their conduct mostly reflects on the local leadership.  If there is a city manager, he should be fired and the mayor should resign.  My proposal was to send in the National Guaard and federalize it to make a point, but the Governor took an even more measured action by putting the state police in charge.  Now, everything is peaceful.  Turns out, when you don't goad a crowd, they don't respond back.  Word is that there are more than a few outside protestors there to make a point about the local police.  The point has been made - they have been humiliated and the Justice Department will make sure the original shooting is prosecuted appropriately.  It is now time for any outsiders to take a break and get things back to normal - although in the long term there needs to be a conversation about affirmative action in police hiring.

Hillary's First Big Mistake | National Catholic Reporter

Hillary's First Big Mistake | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Not sure if Hillary's thoughts were her own or something done strategically.  Either way, it harkens back to her 2008 campaign which made real errors, like not competing in caucus states.  She has made herself the George H.W. Bush of her party, very well prepared but for what?  Still, she's better than any Republican.  Now, as for the use of a column by the New Republic - stop that!  The magazine is hardly the excellent journalism of Bill Buckley.  If the Nation ran the same analysis, I would take it much more seriously.  Irregardless, this was not a major mistake - indeed it might have been a growth moment for her and her campaign to follow the Obama Doctrine - Don't Do Anything Stupid.  If she wins Iowa and New Hampshire handily, I would not expect any mistakes until the General Election.  Of course, Paul Ryan is more likely to insert foot in mouth when that happens.

GOP Doubles Down Against Immigrants | National Catholic Reporter

GOP Doubles Down Against Immigrants | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Hopefully the ads will make Latino-Americans angry enough to come out and vote.  I suspect the change happened because someone ran a poll that stated that regardless of what the GOP did now, their reputation is so poison among Latino voters that there was no hope anyway.  I am sure they are hoping for voter suppression to help too.  Hopefully the DOJ won't be caught napping on election day, especially if Latino voters are somehow forced to fill out provisional ballots (don't say it can't happen).  The modern GOP is like the Germans after Normandy, they know they ar finished but can't quite stop fighting.

Income Inequality Debate Continues | National Catholic Reporter

Income Inequality Debate Continues | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Cowen of GMU is of the von Mises school of libertarian economics. They are the kind of folks who think that every labor agreement is freely negotiated between the business owner and the worker.  This is quaint, but wrong.  He is correct that High IQ people found companies and do innovations - it is not true that all the innovators in big companies get direct rewards for their inventions - often they get $1000 while the company absorbes the return - although these tend to be high salaried workers.  It is the CEO, however, that gets the lion's share of the rewards, often from a compensation committee made up of his friends.  Pay and management in most firms is hierarchical - and this means that the system sets pay, not any bargain between worker and owner - especially when the proxy for the owner is a CEO who gets more if you get less.  The Reagan tax cuts made that possible, by the way.  It used to be that a CEO who raked in too much would see it all go to Uncle Sam in taxes.  Lower those rates and the incentive comes in to cheat the workers.  Its not about the CFOs, as Myerson implies, or even the shareholders, who get a normal profit. Its the CEO.



Chuck Lane does us all a favor by sharing Michael Graetz latest article on tax reform. (Full Disclosure - Michael and I occassionally talk about these things, though my comments are my own). Michael points out the same thing I have been saying, that 1986 was different and that Chairman Camp's proposal, while a great classroom exercise in tax reform, has not constitutency.  From what I remember of 1986 - there was a great deal of unrest among voters on the large tax shelters rich people used to pay no or few taxes (kind of like the ones corporations use now).  1986 fixed that - although sadly it left a dangerous loophole for second mortgage interest which introduced the concept of "cashing out equity."  That led us full tilt into 2008.



Michael's tax plan is the latest iteration of the one he published in a book "100 Million Unnecessary Returns" whose purpose was to stop most households from having to file taxes.  The money they would have filed in taxes would go into paying a Value Added Tax - and poorer people would get a rebate to pay those taxes through either an EFT card or as a rebate in their paychecks against their Social Security Taxes (the taxes would be credited, but they would still get the bonus, like the EITC.  The progressivity remains in the system through income taxes for the top 20% of filers.  Aside from the prebates, items like the Child Tax Credit would come through the same rebates.  Indeed, he would also do what I propose (and sadly, Catholic Charities USA has not mentioned in their agenda) - expand the credit!  Graetz would lower the corporate tax rate - which may stop inversions - but what will be most effective will be the VAT - because unlike todays wage based taxes, it also taxes profit.  If the government gets the profit through the VAT, there is no reason to do an inversion to prevent the profit from being captured.  VATs are the most unavoidable things, which is why the GOP hates them.



Kim Daniels offers an interesting analysis of the newest Ryan Plan on poverty. Let me add a few things.  First, Ryan is is Cowen's camp of von Mises economists and always will be - which is something he needs to hide better because it makes him unattractive to those who are picking the Chair of Ways and Means (since it also means he is probably as much of a gold bug as Ron Paul - and no one would put Paul on as W&M Chair).  It would be good if Ryan adopted Michael Graetz's plan (which is similar to my plan, but not the same - I also direct social insurance taxes to private accounts holding employer voting stock - and you thought liberals were afraid of the VAT!).  In truth, Obama would veto any radicalism Ryan would propose, so not much will come out of his committee if he gets it.  Ironically, the whole proposal to have case managers serve as a kind of one-stop shop is essentially current law.  We already have One-Stop Centers under the Workforce Investment Act and most states already have a single form for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid and all the rest (sadly, housing is still its own feifdom).  Its a decent idea that Obama will sign, but it is not revolutionary.



As for Obama, whom MSW seems to delight in bashing nowadays, regardless of how much Valerie Jarrett would make the campaign about pelvic issues, the Middel East seems to be catching up. Of course, if she succeeds in getting local elections to be about the Trap Laws enacted in Virgnia, North Carolina and Texas, and attempted elsewhere, it will not look good for the GOP - especially as the Federal Courts will likely invalidate these measures beforehand.  While the best thing for workers would be a really big tax rate increase on the rich (even if it actually cuts down on revenue), I don't see anyone proposing and voting on it any time soon - certainly not until the GOP is kicked out of the Speakership and kept out of the Majority Leader's desk.  Unless the pelvic issues work, gridlock will continue. Still, Obama got a lot of what he wanted on the inequality front already.  The American Tax Relief Act of 2013 essentially ratified his tax proposal from 2008, with the Affordable Care Act going even further on the rich.



While he still has a Buffett Rule proposal on the floor, it won't go anywhere.  Most of the Buffett effect was taken care of in the ATRA and ACA.  The only other thing he could do is one of the things I propose - credit the employer contribution to Social Security equally for each worker (as in regardless of wage) and take off the cap - or better yet, fund it with a consumption tax so both labor and profit are taxed.  That would essentially tax Buffett as much as his Secretary in percentage terms, if not more overall.  Still, there is not constituency for this among liberals, like Henry Aaron of Brookings (who I shared my plan with - and believe me, he responded) - because equalizing the benefit gives the program the stink of welfare, which makes it vulnerable - and he hates personal accounts - even socialistic ones.

Vox Nova & the Challenge of the RC Blogosphere | National Catholic Reporter

Vox Nova & the Challenge of the RC Blogosphere | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Congrats to Vox Nova and to MSW for getting a mention in the last paragraph.  I think on the left side, we need to not only attack the right when it is (frequently) wrong - but to get behind why they are wrong and why they say what they say.  As importantly, we must call out our friends on the left and sometimes the hierarchy of the Church as well.  Let us be ever vigilent in separating out those doctrinal issues that are essential because of shared belief and those which should be considered more up for debate than the Curia and USCCB would like to think they are - challenging any claimed monopoly on natural law by the curia or even ourselves.  No one gets a free pass - especially when their motives are less than pure (read misogynistic).

Evangelical 'Persecution Complex' | National Catholic Reporter

Evangelical 'Persecution Complex' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Almost everything Noble says about the Evangelicals (and lets say mostly While - Dr. King and the Black Chruch were being persecuted) can be said about the right wing of the Catholic Church - particularly the bishops.  The thing is, what they think of as persecution (like the rise of Marriage Equality) is really the loss of Church power (starting with Griswold v. Connecticut).  When Abortion Trap Laws are overturned in the very near future, as they must be under Casey, the strain will go up again.  I suspect that women will say they were persecuted, not persecutors.  Much of the talk of persectution is more about group dynamics - wheter it be about poor Pope Pius IX or Christians in places where they really are being persecuted.  In prior times no one would call the State Department - they would pray that their brothers and sisters would have faith when it came time to witness with their lives.  Indeed, the whole Left Behind series is premised on the fact that the most favored in the Church are raptured to avoid the persecution.  The hope for a Rapture is the cowardly way out.  Glory is about facing the Anti-Christ, as is said about the countless numbers who are in white robes washed in the blood of the lamb (by dying in martyrdom).  Of course, the irony is that John of Patmos may have really been writing against the non-Judaizing Church where we are now - the sect he was defending is no more.

Whites, Demographic Change, the Church & Labor | National Catholic Reporter

Whites, Demographic Change, the Church & Labor | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Let's not forget that many of the whites who are in fear of a declining white population are responding to fears by the opinon leaders of the Repbulcian Party. It is a form of radicalization and it follows old prejudices in the South, where a slave rebellion was their worse fear because they were outnumbered. It is also why voter suppression was official policy, and to some extent still is (althouth Eric Holder won't let it continue).  Its also why immigration reform won't pass any time soon because certain factions think they can maintain control without it.  Its also why the criminalization of African American males was the real reason behind the drug wars - and that is all you need to know about the break-up of poor families (which must also be broken to receive benefits - largely because of the Southern White inflence in the Senate - so much for an ideologically diverse party  being a good thing).



Do extended family links still matter?  Of course?  Even if siblings don't hold together, this economy has forced chidren - who often have children - to seek safe harbor and the day of the corporation moving people around the country is over (unless they are military or military contractors).  Whether this cohesion survies the Great Recession (such doublespeak, it was a legitimate depression) or not is to be seen?



Should Labor be brought back by Latinos?  Of course - but it would take immigration reform first because any undocumented worker trying to join a union will trigger a call to the Homeland Security.  African-Americans may be the vanguard as they come to work with cleansed records, thanks to the recent actions of the Administration to take the influence of Jesse Helms out of the drug laws entirely.  In either case, however, the yeast to do so won't be Catholic Social Teaching - it will be something a bit more Marxist.  It is not that Marxist will organize all the unions (although there is one case in the fast food world where that is happening how), but they will put the fear of Marx into the minds of factory owners and capitalists everywhere, thus getting them to cooperate with reunionization.  Hopefully, this time, we won't allow ourselves to be sidelined i some renewed Red Scare - since there is no Joseph Stalin to demonize (Putin is not a Red, he is a nationalist).  If labor does come back, by the way, union jobs will gain keep families in close proximity.



So, what is the prospect of the Republicans?  As the old white male party, the prospects are not good.  That is not good for the Democrats, because it will have too many people to hold together for long.  Will the fault line be abortion?  Probably not.  Young people forget the issue when they start "hooking up."  Since Roe, it has been an organizational tool, like race, for the Republicans.  I fervently hope that those who would do so again die off with the GOP.  I suspect it will be more about economics and that will be interesting.



It is true that the Church is becoming much more Latino among active members, but that is because so many members of the Church have fallen away into secularism or to another Christian faith - some going Evangelical (not sure why any Catholic who thinks the Chruch is too harsh would go to the Southern Baptist Convention!) or the the Disciples of Christ (the faith of my grandfathers) and more often going to High Church Protestantism, like Lutheranism, Presbyterianism and that liberal giant, Episcopalianism).  I suspect the time will come when the prophesies on Christian unity will become true - although I suspect that to end anti-papism the Pope must submit to the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch - and divide the Church more nationally or linguistically.  An American Catholic/Orhodox/Episcopal Patriarch may just end the divisions in American Christianity.  Will that means that Sunday will no longer be the most segregated day of the week?  I suspect not - since people join congregations where they love the singing and there are lines in time not likely to be crossed.  The other thing that will help is a renewed hierarchy that learns emough about sex to know that Humane Vitae was a mistake.  Admit that and mountains will move as people come back to the Church.



What then for the White Race?  There is really no such thing.  My mother was as white as they come but my father was a mixture of Bohemian Judaism, German Catholicism, Luxemburgois Catholicism (actually, the old home is now in Belgium and my very why cousins are in Denmark) and more than one line of assimilated Roma Sinti.  He looked white enough, but anyone who knew his heritage may not think him (or me) so.  Its not national, its cultural.  MSW mentions the Knights of Columbus and affiliated groups, but they only came about as an alternative Freemasonry - which like it or not is the civil religion of the United States.  Any examination of male jewelry on the metro among middle aged men will find quite a few Masonic rings and hats - my grand father's secret society is not so secret anymore - nor is it all white.  African American and Latino lodge members will add their hues to the Shriners with their funny hats and cute little cars - and to their values of universal brotherhood that seems to still frighten the Catholic Hierarchy.  Maybe it is time to abandon the fear and let some of us rejoin the lodge of our fathers without being considered excommunicate. (noticed I said being considered and not being - it is hardly a serious matter - especially when even Catholic schools teach civics in such a manner that might be acceptable in the Lodge).

Inazu Replies to Garnett on Freedom of the Church | National Catholic Reporter

Inazu Replies to Garnett on Freedom of the Church | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Dr. Inazu adds to the debate on the Freedom of the Church arguments - with a linkage to Church as witness rather than as a privileged part of the system.  Interestingly, this comports with Hobby Lobby attorney's representation that Hobby Lobby had a right to be wrong seated in their religious beliefs (and they were wrong on IUDs and Plan B - I will continue to insist that life begins at gastrulation - not a moment sooner or later - which means the Curia is wrong too).  What is still left out of the debate is the fact that these issues are not about the freedom of the Church - but its power - over both its employees and civil society.  Any other interpreation of this issue is simply a lie - a deliberate miswording.  Sadly, the Church will never admit it -because once it does, it loses the argument in all but theocratic Catholic societies - of which there is currently now one - Vatican City (and I bet even married employees there want coverage for birth control).  I am intersted in how Dr. Inazu would respond to the argument on Church power, religious witness and what the Master would say.  The Jesus who said to not behave like princes of the world and wash each other's feet might object to invoking the power of the Church.

Krugman Tackles Libertarian Economics | National Catholic Reporter

Krugman Tackles Libertarian Economics | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The phosphorus example is interesting - especially Erickson's threat to beat members of a state government to a bloody pulp - which is Republican rhetoric, not Libertarian (although some anarchists have been known to glorify violent action as well).  Of course, there is nothing violent about going into Lake Erie, collecting some alga samples and sending them to Eric at Red State.  I suspect he would call the postal inspector - what a wimp.  I am not sure Krugman really talked about libertarian economics - he was spreading the myth of the benevolent capitalist - and speaking more about government and business relations than economics. Libertarian economics is sadly now synonymous with the Austrian School, specifically the work of von Mises and their obsession with hard currency and letting collapses run their course.  Meanwhile, libertarian socialists talk of other things - the creation of cooperatives that might even include education, retirement and social security within the cooperative or employee-owned corporation - with some of these functions contracted out the the Church (not all libertarians are secularists).  Indeed, if the DMV is bad, the social welfare system has been worse - but that is because the Republicans constantly underfund it.  The economics behind that is obvious - if people can't get help getting out of poverty they will have to take low wage work with no opportunity to advance in order to eat.  Now that's Randian economics ala Paul Ryan!

Gehring on Pope Francis & the 'New Values Debate' | National Catholic Reporter

Gehring on Pope Francis & the 'New Values Debate' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Interesting article, however I suspect that Cardinal O'Malley will great Francis, unless O'Malley rides on the plane.  I suggest that Vice President Biden might be the one offering the official greeting.  I don't suspect that gay marriage will ge the issue, because I don't see any federal circuit disagreeing with the existing consensus. Even some Republicans in the south probably regard marriage equality as the law of the land - so it is not an issue Francis will need to address publicly - no matter how much Chaput would like that.  I would say that I hope Francis is well briefed on abortion in America (where it is a right because of judicial constitutional action rather than parlimentary fiat), but I suspect Cardinal O'Malley has done that - which will hve no hope to those who wish to make the GOP as the official party of the Church.  If things go as I expect, this visit will be no comfort to those clerics (including my own Ordinary in Arlington).

Catholic Conversation Project | National Catholic Reporter

Catholic Conversation Project | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Between the verses of Kumbaya, let me suggest that it is the job of theologians not to argue with the Magisterium but to both warn the Hierarchy to its limits (distinguishing between belief that can only be agreed to but not proven by evidence and natural law  - which should be the province of every thinking person, not just the Curia and its desire for eternal consistency) and to help intergrate new information (like the obvious archeology that shows that Adam and Eve, if they existed in Eden in the shadows of Ararat, were not the first parents, first human, etc. and the whole myth is a story about human nature - useful to understaning salvation history but not essential - Paul's use of them was as a rhetorical tool, not doctrine and doctrine using them as real figures, like original sin, needs recalibaration).



The CCP is a nice counter-punch to those who so inelegantly challenged Obama's participation in a Notre Dame graduation over an issue that Obama has no say in.  There are like three Republican judges total who would over-turn Roe - and none will ever go on the SCOTUS, nor should they.  Like some of the bishops, they are so partisan that this partisanship must be condemned.  Indeed, that no Bishop took those objectors to task, both privately and publicly (since their act was public) IS the scandal and it remains unrepented,.  I would say that a CCP like gathering between older theologians and biships might be useful, but if Cardinal O'Malley and/or Bishop Blase were the invited hierarchs, I suspect the others would scream revolution!  If one actually ocurred, of course, I would not mind at all.

Kristof on Working Class Woes | National Catholic Reporter

Kristof on Working Class Woes | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I agree that we need to bring back the term "the working class" in economic debates, however this article is not about the working class.  This is about the chronically poor who cannot work for physical reasons, addiction or lack of basic education. These don't need unions, industrial training or job hunting skills - in other words - TANF.  They need the kind of remedial attention to education and health issues that looks more like Welfare - although the funds should go toward payment for going to school rather than staying home (although the subject of the article should not have to work or learn - but his disability should be raised so he does not have to work).  In short, we need to do something for the poor - including legalizing drugs and providing treatment.  Sadly, this is not possible in this political environment.  If the working class and the poor would actually vote, there would be no question of them getting the aid they need - of course the GOP is trying to make sure they can't, even if they want to, because if they did there would be no GOP.

'The church isn't for perfect people' | National Catholic Reporter

'The church isn't for perfect people' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB:I like the Cardinal personally and he is exemplary when compared to some of his other prominent brother Bishops and Cardinals, but his not wanting to draw conclusions for others falls a little flat with his participation in the Fortnight for Freedom, which advocates employers in Church institutions doing just that regarding their employees health care choices. Also, his tenure as the local agent for the CDF has hardly been noted for letting us draw our own conclusions on the work of some theologians, particularly Elizabeth Johnson, who did a survey of theology (not just the orthodox brand they the CDF thinks is the only truth) who, oddly enough, was not drawing conclusions herself.

Nixon's Resignation: Forty Years Later | National Catholic Reporter

Nixon's Resignation: Forty Years Later | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I avoided the C-SPAN saturation coverage on Nixon this weekend, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I watched the second Nixon speech and the swearing in of Ford sitting in an arm chair on my driveway with the TV on in the garage (I plugged it back in) as I was waiting for my father to return with a moving van.  How could I forget such an experience?



Later biographers have found that Nixon did not really sleep.  He would eat dinner in OEOB and make phone calls while having a cocktail.  If that sounds like the description of a bipolar alcoholic, than you would not be alone in thinking so. (Sadly, I write this on the news of the death or Robin Williams, who also suffered the twin horrors of addition and depression).  While those who surrounded Nixon became criminals, the started out as enablers - which means their boundaries were gone when it was time to break the law.  Of course, both Nixon and Kennedy were once enablers of Joe McCarthy - who suffered the same way (as did JFK).  In a sad irony, Senator Eagleton abandoned his VP nomination because he was actually being treated for his bipolar disorder - however Senator McGovern knew what the Nixon attack machine - with Roger Ailes - would do with this knowledge.  I think a few hours watching FoxNews in the evening can probably give you a good idea (although their coverage of Robin was exemplary - they are good in crisis TV and on space shots.



I suspect the lasting legacy of Nixon is FoxNews and the current Republican attack machine, as well as the foreign policy of Vice President Dick Cheney, who was President Ford's Chief of Staff during the push-back from Watergate.  That counter-push is why we have Iraq as the top story on tonight's evening news.  We will be cleaning up that mess for a while and the GOP has been turned into a bad evening soap opera - doomed to fail one of these days.



This is not to say that Nixon's presidency did no good.  He limited arms build-up (albeit with an increase) between the U.S. and the Soviets, opened up relations with China (which helped it become a world economic power), ended the Viet Nam war and completed LBJ's work on the War on Poverty (thanks to Erlichman and Moynihan).  Except for his opposition to busing, he is arguably the most liberal President in his party and maybe any since Ike - maybe more so than Obama.



As for Ford, sadly, Cheney his his legacy, which is a shame for such a gentleman.  That, and letting history run its course in Viet Nam.  If he had tried to save the South, it might be Stalinist today rather than the best place to get Lobster in the world.

Zmirak on Immigration - (Prepare to Get Very Upset!) | National Catholic Reporter

Zmirak on Immigration - (Prepare to Get Very Upset!) | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Anything on the American Catholic website is suspect.  I still question why they are discussed at all while my articles are ignored.  This idiot is part of the school that equates God-Country with Bishops-Republicans.  The easy solution, by the way (which he would never consider, or would many of the left) is to make our borders with Mexico as porous as those with Canada - giving Mexican citizens and their families the same rights as Canadian workers under NAFTA - or to be even more libertarian, ope both borders totally.  The only part of his argument that makes sense is to get the migrant kids back with their parents as soon as possible - and that includes when their parents are in the United States (a conclusion he would blanch at because he cannot see beyond his party idiology (idiocy) which he is an apologist for.

Even S & P is Worried about Income Inequality | National Catholic Reporter

Even S & P is Worried about Income Inequality | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: This story, which is correct by the way, has been making the rounds.  It has been in the New York Times, I think as an article by Paul Krugman.  It is about time we started repeating the truth again, which is essentially basic Keynesianism that has never not been true.  The question is, will the Democratic Leadership Council and other Democratic fundraisers try to dodge it or not in hopes of continuing to raise money from the fat cats.  I hope not, especially as one of their own is considered to be the most likely nominee and President in 2016.

Robert Christian on Iraq | National Catholic Reporter

Robert Christian on Iraq | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Yes and no.  He was sold something by Cheney and Rumsfeld.  They thought this would be easy, but once they tore out the Baath Party, it became impossible.  In the end, I hope that ISIS is more Baathist than al Queda.  If it is the latter, then I hope we are quietly arming the Sunni leaders to repeat what they did while we were putting on the show of a surge.  I suspect, however, that some of those leaders are being killed off in revenge for 2007.  Oddly enough, our best hope is with Iranians to contain this mess to the Sunni region.  As for Syria, there was no aid because we could not separate the wheat from the chaff in the opposition.  The chaff won, but at least we did not arm it (at least I hope not). The only really creative thing we can do is massively yet quietly aid King Abdullah so that he can assert his legitimate claim to be Calilph (which may frighten Israel, but that may be a good thing too). Our dreams of Middle East democracy need to be abandonned now.

The Mideast Crises & Morality | National Catholic Reporter

The Mideast Crises & Morality | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Where to begin.  Hamas and ISIS are not governments, they are revolutionary organizations and the first rule of revolution is not to win on the battlefield, but to goad the estabilished government into still harsher action to radicalize the population.  This seems to also be the first rule in fighting terrorism, because an emerging Israeli peace movement is beginning to threaten the establed order in Israel - which includes the settlers movement that was never happy pulling out of Gaza in the first place  and was especially distrubed when Gaza won in a free election championed by those uber-democrats, Bush and Cheney (idiots).  Still, it was entirely illegitimate for Israel to blockade Gaza for seven years - indeed, its war crime - even worse than the sanctions against Iraq and Iran.  Luckily, Iran did not take the bait and move militarily.  Score one for good example.



The instability in that region is the result of the Defense Guidance issued when Cheney was the SecDef of the first president Bush and was designded as a way to avoid demilitarization at home as the result of the cold war. When he became Vice President, he put it back into action - including a program of disinformation about Iran's nuclear ambitions.  We have met the enemy and is us.  As far as ISIS, the air strikes will help the Kurds, not change the balance of power.  Ultimately, it will be Muslim and Jewish women who will settle this - who will reject terror tactics (even with the fire crackers Hamas is using) and put an end to the cycles of violence in the Middle East.  Until they do, expect nothing from within the region.  In the US, it is time to demilitarize, no matter what.  That means don't ever vote Republican again for President.  It is time to stop putting the desires of Israel over the need for peace.  The biblical sign people are searching for has nothing to do with Judaism.  When the King of the North (Israel) returns, that will be the sign people are looking for.  As the Roma have not yet appointed a king, this will not happen any time soon.  Sounds silly, so are the apocolyptic dreams of Evangelicals for the end of the world happening due to Israeli politics.

O'Malley Takes on White House | National Catholic Reporter

O'Malley Takes on White House | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Sadly, there is more care in putting these kids in foster homes than in finding their families and sending them to them, regardless of where they are.  If you can't find the families or they won't cooperate after efforts are made, then deportation is the only option - with the hope that the family is in the home country.  As for the little political skirmish, I suspect this was to give O'Malley some, but not too much, street cred.  It might also be that they have decided to back Hillary and this was to help her out.

'The cat's got their prophetic tongue' | National Catholic Reporter

'The cat's got their prophetic tongue' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Where is the outrage at the GOP for not welcoming immigrant children?  Indeed, where is the admonishment for the outrage against these children? Where indeed.  That MSW and Silk intimate that there is not outrage because the GOP supports them on pelvic issues is weak.  Its because many of them are PART of the GOP insider team (like CCUSA and CHA are part of the Obama innner circle).  You could ask where was their outrage when Affordable Care Act was on the ropes and the GOP was obstructing?  Same answer.  Of course, if someone really reported on the relationship in detail you might see some outrage - the same kind that the Vichy policeman played by Claude Raines had that there was gambling in Ricks American Cafe - right before receiving his winnings.  It turns out that the prophetic tongue resides with those of us who condemn the way the Church operates with the GOP on these issues - because there is no solution to the pelvic issues without both compromise and the commitment to quit using them during the political season. Without that willingness, there are more, not less, abortions.

Contra Fr. Sirico on Hobby Lobby | National Catholic Reporter

Contra Fr. Sirico on Hobby Lobby | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I would agree with Fr. Sirico on shifting from contract money to donor money but for one thing, donor money is optional.  Make the donations essentially mandatory and I am all in, provided that does not change the requirements that they treat their employees according to law and not canon law. Unless donors can match dollar for dollar, Sirico is part of the war against the poor by ersatz libertarians who justify inequality. The Catholic Church will alway be part of public life and should join with the state as long as there is one in making serving the poor more than a few sandwiches and possibly a bed for the homeless.  Besides that, Lutheran Social Services already cleans the Catholic Charities clock in some jurisdictions, like DC, because the bishops don't interfere at LSS.



On the question of whether Hobby Lobby is a person, it is - and not even a publicly traded person.  Still, the only resolution to this case was an outside birth control provider (so no moral victories were won here) - as effectively preventing birth control use by Hobby Lobby employees in all cases would have attacked Griswold v. Connecticut.  Sirico would have loved that to happen, I am sure, but he was sorely disappointed if he did. This was not a question of religious liberty.  It was a question of religious power and those who wanted more power for religion lost.

Remembering Paul VI | National Catholic Reporter

Remembering Paul VI | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I was in a pool when I was told Pope Paul had passed.  I mostly remember the press coverage of his trips, including Time Magezines single issue piece on the trip to New York.  He will always be associated with Humanae Vitae (which I was not aware of when he died - although the coverage quickly covered it) and with the Novus Ordo Mass - a variation being a Mass in his honor.  I was in the young habit of going to Mass with my father and remember when they moved Jesus (the language difference was lost on me since I came to look at the stained glass and be with my father, not follow the liturgy - I was four at the time).  Sadly, it is Humane Vitae that has endured (for the wrong reasons) and the new Mass that has been subverted with a new translation that mimics the vast majority of what one could argue is translated Tridentine (without the references to St. Michael and all the angels).  I wonder how his current successor will deal with these issues and the forces that guide them.  I am sure that Francis will be less collegial in protecting curial prerogatives in the way Paul went along.

Ideology vs. Reality | National Catholic Reporter

Ideology vs. Reality | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Bruce Bartlett and I both agree that the intellectual quality of staffing has declined in recent decades on the Republican side (which is where we both were and where we met and have left).  Scientific policy analysis has been replaced by public relations.  That is as important in promoting Libertarianism as it is in Republicanism.

Review: 'The Word of God at Vatican II' Part III | National Catholic Reporter

Review: 'The Word of God at Vatican II' Part III | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Witherup describes his theory of how the Scriptures are to be interpreted, with the Tenach as presenting salvation in a hidden matter (which is Christian arrogance, it is essentially for the Jews and those who seek their wisdom, history and myth - not necessarily in that order - Leviticus is now understood as coming from Babylonian rebi, not Moses - although the prophesies certainly did set up for the Messianic hysteria of turn of the millenium Judaism).



As for the Gospels, their source in the teaching of Jesus, the preaching of that teaching by the apostles and the storytelling of the Gospel writers essentially kills any claims that we must hang on each word in the same way forever, at the same time forever ending the practice of leaving the laity illiterate of scripture - of course, Vatican II follows previous efforts both within and without the Church to translate scripture accessibly - it could not have done otherwise.  Indeed, in an about face, studying the scripture has become our new homework assignment - both for scholars and the liaty, which started much earlier with the institution of seminaries.  The author highlights that study should follow historical criticism, among others, which I believe lessens the danger of proof texting - although on need only look at the work of the Organization for Marriage to know that it exists in the Catholic side as well.  Fr. Ronald counsels against just that - as using the scriptures for apologetics on every point of teaching forms oppositional relationships, whichi is opposite of the goal of evangelization.



MSW wonders why an apolstolic constition that is so useful is so neglected - as the civil rights movement would say to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable (hoping that scriptural exegis should not necessarily jibe with upper west side or Georgetown cocktail parties - to which I respond - who in Georgetown is still having cocktail parties and why am I never invited!).  I would suspect, however, that Curia has put this one aside because it does make so much sense and does not push their view that Catholic scholarship should be all about Catholic identity and apologetics and not a dialogue with both God and eachother.  Dei Verbum is clearly not that.

Garnett on 'Freedom of the Church' | National Catholic Reporter

Garnett on 'Freedom of the Church' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The link does not seem to work, so I can only comment on the blurb.  Indeed, I tried to Google the article and now clear winner came up.  The term "freedom of the Church" is misleading and it does not describe what the Church wants.  The Church wants power.  It wants power over its employees (in areas which should be no employer's business) and power over society.  Power is what institutions have, freedom is for individuals.  Indeed, this has been our chief error in discussing capitalism.  If capitalism was seen as market power, not free enterprise, society could decide the best way to act on all things economic and Francis would make more sense to people (except guilty capitalists, who know exactly how they sin).

Philippines Bishops' & 'Trickle Down' | National Catholic Reporter

Philippines Bishops' & 'Trickle Down' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The bishops of the Philippines seem to be getting the message, including the economics.  Even if the US bishops make a similar statement, one wonders if it is authentic or for show?

Review: 'The Word of God at Vatican II' Part II | National Catholic Reporter

Review: 'The Word of God at Vatican II' Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: It is good that Fr. Witherup gave a paragraph by paragraph history - such a history prevents revisionism by those seeking a different ruberic than actually happened. That the document is meant to be for evangelization rather than policing theologians is a nice thought, but only experience can judge its practice.  The next chapters speak of the salvation dynamo.  One wonders if the salvation history of revelation is still going on?  From what I understand, there are some who think so and they may not wear Roman collars or red and purple cassocks.  He then describes the types of inspriation (buy the book to read his chart), which he calls a pilgrim journey - meaning it is not static but is continuing.  He also takes up the question of scripture v. tradition and the role of preservation in transmitting tradition, however there are growth in insight.  An epsitomologist would say that each Church has to own a doctrine or it dies, which means change is inevitable as well.  The author goes on that God is the source of revelation (using tradition and scripture).  Also interesting is the tension between scripture and tradition and the Magisterium.  It is noted that the Church never says that any scripture can only mean certain things, and has only spoken to say what it cannot mean.  Of course, at this very moment, new translations of scripture were taking place.  The point is that the Holy Spirit is still speaking, and that we need to keep listening (to Her).

Review 'The Word of God at Vatican II' | National Catholic Reporter

Review 'The Word of God at Vatican II' | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Unlike what MSW says, Trent was not the most important council, Chalecedon was.  It forever defines both what is Orthodox regarding God and what is not and put an end to people making it up as they go along (or tried to).  As importantly, it established that Consensus (not really tradition - tradition proceded from Chalecedon, it did not precede it) was how we, as a Church, deal with questions of belief (it does not matter who is right, it is that we agree - because the truth is, we cannot be right).  From what I understand, it did not deal with personal, especially pesonal sexual, morality - which we now know is best to deal with in natural law, but not natural law as the Curia would have us practice it.  Additionally, on the subject of theolocigal revisions, Academe did not exist in the same way at Chachedon.  It exists now and its findings on those things known but not believed, mostly regarding myth that made it into the Bible to be taken as history or revelation (from Eden to Noah to the Exodus and Laws) have made the CDF's head spin for quite some time.  Their condemnation of Modernism shows exactly how fallible the Magisterium can be, well as the attempts at the begining of Vatican II to ram through their view of the authority of revelation and tradition, which they claimed as much as their own as the realm of natural law. Pius XII let the floodgates on acaemic research stay open, which was probably why the CDF wanted them slammed shut at Vatican II. The Council would not let them.  Indeed, if the Council wished to change any teaching on the beliefs of the Church, it is their right, not that of the CDF to stop them.

Update on Kansas Governor's Race | National Catholic Reporter

Update on Kansas Governor's Race | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: He was a dolt as a Senator and an utter failure as governor.  Even his fellow Republicans want him to lose.  Let's hope the voters are listening.  The sad thing is, he knew that the 2012 tax year windfall was a one time thing - and he went ahead with continuing a long term tax cut when the revenue just would not be there.  Several Republcian governors did and they all should be fired for malpractice and wishful thinking.

Pope Francis Effect For Real | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis Effect For Real | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The power of example

Immigration Smash-up On Capitol Hill | National Catholic Reporter

Immigration Smash-up On Capitol Hill | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Senator Cruz (same name as one of my philosopy professors in college - he was an immigant) may well be the 2016 Republican nominee, but that only means that the GOP is trying to finally exorcize its Tea Party demon by letting them lose spectacularly to Secretary Clinton.  As for the Tea Partiers on this issue, the best play for their ideology is to do nothing because more money brings better due process and better conditions for these children, who should be given enough time to have someone find their families in the US and appear on their behalf.  As for immigration reform, I am for Amnesty, indeed, I am the end of visa requiements for work.  Coupled with the repeal of right to work laws, it will prevent bad employers from hiring undocumented workers because such workers will both be in a union and undeportable.  Of course, that means they won't come up chasing jobs that are not here - and if they do find jobs it will be because they are needed.

GOP Disses Pope Francis | National Catholic Reporter

GOP Disses Pope Francis | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Sadly, not a surprise.  One request, though, do not associate DC with Congress.  Washington? Sure, but the local government is what DC is and any dysfunction it does have has nothing to do with Congress (except for the fact that Congress meddles in its affairs rather shamefully.  Luckily, congressional dysfunction prevents them from doing much damage right now.  As for Francis sounding like Obama, not so much since Obama has been the protector of Capitalism and Francis has made no such noises.  If only Obama were more like Francis.

AFJN Protest for Human Rights | National Catholic Reporter

AFJN Protest for Human Rights | National Catholic Reporter If you are in DC and free...

Clueless in St. Paul | National Catholic Reporter

Clueless in St. Paul | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: The office of Overseer came from God - and I would read that as Pastor, not Bishop.  The current job description comes not from the Bible - indeed, it is opposite what Jesus said in the Gospel of John when he washed the feet of the apostles.  Bishop is a feudal office, an ecclesiastical lord, responsible as much to the King as the Pope.  We no longer have lords, except in the House of Lords -and they are an advisory office with no serfs or vassels - unlike the Church.  Nienstedt is a useful idiot who shows by his pressence why the feudal office of Bishop needs to be stripped of all but sacramental duties.  Democracy would be better for administering offices and assets than Nienstedt on his best day.



Like Chamberlain, who thought he was the essential man to insist on peace, which given Hiter's conduct was a fools errand, so Nienstedt believes himself the essential man to save traditional marriage.  He lost that fight in Minnesota and the fact that the Fourth Circuit struck down all marriage bans in a big part of Dixie means there will be no last minute Supreme Court decision (no federal court has ever struck down marriage equality) validating his commitment to hierarchy within the family - and ultimately in the Church, since the marriage metaphor along those lines has been shattered.



The Nuncio may yet act or have the Pope act - indeed, it seems that the Archbishop just dared the Pope to do just that.  The state could act.  If he is obstructing justice, he could be indicted and imprisoned and I suspect that would end his reign.  If nothing else, his donors should let them know that he is cut off if he does not leave That should include government contracts as well.  Its called debarrment.  Sadly, in the modern Church, the may be the only solution to keep these bishops in line.