Links for 06/02/16 | National Catholic Reporter

Links for 06/02/16 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Williams' interview largely mimics Camosy's book on the subject, which was also reviewed here. A few observations - a human rights perspective on the unborn was never an easy sell in the first trimester, because any formal action to claim rights for this group would also adhere to miscarried embyros, which complicates things immensley. Some things are just not possible.

I agree that something was lost when the Democrats and the pro-lifers parted company - that thing being an emphasis on economic empowerment for women who would have abortions. Sadly, such arguments don't hold sway in the GOP, who believe the myth that poor are lazy and deserve their lot and helping them only hurts them in the long run - that those who are blessed by God are simply not poor. Only repeated defeats in overturning Roe have the capacity to change their minds - especially as Roberts and Alito, the two Bush appointees, vote with Kennedy on this issue. Only Thomas would repeal Roe, and he is among the oldest of justicies. Indeed, there may never be another abortion related case.

There are still Catholics in the movement, however, the bishops and nuns being the prime movers here. They also still join the Evangelicals in their aversion to a sexualized cultural aesthetic (these are cultural, not moral questions), although this is nothing new. Back when the Church was riding high opposing abortion, they were also in the lead in resisting a growing aesthetic of freedom in all things cultural - and exercised a great deal of religious power (as opposed to religious freedom) in that area. Those days are happily gone.

I would compare Trump to a teenage bully with bipolar disorder. He needs help and public pity - it may be the only thing that will shame him into decent behavior. I hope he picks a good Vice President, because if he wins we may need to use the 25th Amendment to make him control his mood or remove him if he remains in denial about his illness.

Good work by the Sunlight Foundation on the extent of the Dark Money campaign against Puerto Rico. Shame on Connie Mack, who has been a hired gun against economic justice, especially for brown people who speak Spanish. I hope there are hearings, that he testifies and someone gets his donor list on the record.