The ethical corruption of our nation's highest office is worse than impeachment
Trump is simply a thug. He is also mentally ill and Vice President Pence should have removed him when Mueller was appointed. Since that point, Pence bares the moral burden for Trump's bad acts. He should have resigned as well because of his role in clearing the room for Trump's attempt at Omerta. He had to know.
Mick Mulvaney should be arrested for a great many things, but in this instance, withholding the funds to help the shakedown. Steve Miller too over immigration.
Steyer should run against Pence in the GOP to preach to the voters about warming, because GOP voters love billionaires (so they will listen) and to tell the truth that voting GOP is not a life issue.
Bush and Trump appointees, and even Thomas, will not vote to return the issue to states. Neither does Thomas, who believes the Court can use its power derived from Congress to end abortion. He is correct, but rights of due process and privacy mean that the rest of the Court will not. Scalia was the state power guy. He is still dead.
The public does not vote on impeachment. The Senate does. The GOP members are about to get an earful and face empty wallets when asking for money. They will pull the plug before McGahn can testify. A Senate trial is not good for them. They will either force a resignation or get Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Links for 9/26/19
Links for 9/26/19
Coleman is always a contrarian.
Stephen Miller is the source of immigrant abuse, sometimes criminally so. Pavone is the perfect spokesman for the Right to Lie about repealing Roe movement. Put the Synod protests in the same reactionary boat. So are many news editors, who tell reporters how to slant their stories.
Biden needs to be asked whether he can serve 8 years. Also rans are a good voice for bringing up what needs to be said.
Coleman is always a contrarian.
Stephen Miller is the source of immigrant abuse, sometimes criminally so. Pavone is the perfect spokesman for the Right to Lie about repealing Roe movement. Put the Synod protests in the same reactionary boat. So are many news editors, who tell reporters how to slant their stories.
Biden needs to be asked whether he can serve 8 years. Also rans are a good voice for bringing up what needs to be said.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Book on pagan-Christian culture wars sweeps its metaphors too far
Book on pagan-Christian culture wars sweeps its metaphors too far
The Greco-Romans had Demigods. The difference between early and late paganism was the link to the Emperor. Sadly, the Church capitulated quickly to Constantine, which turned disputes over heresy to blood fueds.
The Church had been Hellenizing since Clement of Antioch. Even earlier, John of Patmos was still objecting to the Council of Jerusalem and despair over the sack of Jersulem. Cultural appropriation is very human, as are such humanistic responses to the environment, such as Yule. Sadly, the early Church adopted Stoic, rather than biblical sexuality. The modern Church continues the error and the culture wars.
The Greco-Romans had Demigods. The difference between early and late paganism was the link to the Emperor. Sadly, the Church capitulated quickly to Constantine, which turned disputes over heresy to blood fueds.
The Church had been Hellenizing since Clement of Antioch. Even earlier, John of Patmos was still objecting to the Council of Jerusalem and despair over the sack of Jersulem. Cultural appropriation is very human, as are such humanistic responses to the environment, such as Yule. Sadly, the early Church adopted Stoic, rather than biblical sexuality. The modern Church continues the error and the culture wars.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Links for 9/24/19
Links for 9/24/19
Trump will be told to leave once the McGahn testimony starts costing Senators their donations. Indeed, it could come sooner. They who pay the piper call the tune.
Inequality in power is the problem. Much higher marginal income taxes and employee ownership can control that. Also robust asset and invoice value added taxes, which would be impossible to evade. If the rich pay an income tax and their companies pay a subtraction VAT with credits rather than deductions, then buy assets and goods with "post tax" money (including paying for consumption with proceeds from asset sales and dividends already taxed), their burden gets much higher.
The question is making the rich want to pay more. Actual public debt liability is 13 times income tax paid. This works out to $3 Trillion owed by the top 0.1% (using 2016 figures), $3.5T for the next 0.9%, $6T for the next 9%, $5T for the next 40%. The bottom 50% owe less than $1T and those who have no income tax burden owe NOTHING! The children or the top 10% owe almost EVERYTHING! Of course, much of their wealth is paper if you take away the power the paper buys. See above.
Larry Summers did more to cause and prolong the Great Recession than even Bush and Greenspan. The quicker way out would have been marking all mortgages held by the Fed to market. This would have restarted housing and simply would have reduced M3. Iowa does not care who Larry supports and he will never work in this town again.
The Register is EWTN. No one cares what they say outside their readership (or what Burke says).
Trump will be told to leave once the McGahn testimony starts costing Senators their donations. Indeed, it could come sooner. They who pay the piper call the tune.
Inequality in power is the problem. Much higher marginal income taxes and employee ownership can control that. Also robust asset and invoice value added taxes, which would be impossible to evade. If the rich pay an income tax and their companies pay a subtraction VAT with credits rather than deductions, then buy assets and goods with "post tax" money (including paying for consumption with proceeds from asset sales and dividends already taxed), their burden gets much higher.
The question is making the rich want to pay more. Actual public debt liability is 13 times income tax paid. This works out to $3 Trillion owed by the top 0.1% (using 2016 figures), $3.5T for the next 0.9%, $6T for the next 9%, $5T for the next 40%. The bottom 50% owe less than $1T and those who have no income tax burden owe NOTHING! The children or the top 10% owe almost EVERYTHING! Of course, much of their wealth is paper if you take away the power the paper buys. See above.
Larry Summers did more to cause and prolong the Great Recession than even Bush and Greenspan. The quicker way out would have been marking all mortgages held by the Fed to market. This would have restarted housing and simply would have reduced M3. Iowa does not care who Larry supports and he will never work in this town again.
The Register is EWTN. No one cares what they say outside their readership (or what Burke says).
Monday, September 23, 2019
The new Supreme Court term
NCR has the CNS curtain raiser in the upcoming Supreme Court term: Religious liberty, discrimination and DACA highlight court's new term
In June v. Gee, the Center for Reproductive Rights is representing June Reproductive Health Services in applying for Certiorari to overturn the 5th Circuit in upholding the Louisiana Trap Laws.
The Court can hear the case (possibly reopening Roe), deny Certiorari (leaving Trap in place and maybe overturning Roe by opening the door for state government power) or reverse the Circuit and repeal the state law.
There are 3 questions at play in June v. Gee. Can the 5th Circuit decision stand as is? Are there new arguments on the issue? Does the Court want to hear them?
2 new Justices is not the answer. If you think it is, you do not understand the Court or law in general.
A per Curiam ruling reversing the 5th Citcuit signals the Circuit to pass on hearing any appeal to the inevitable overturn of the Alabama Abortion Law. For all intents and purposes, this will end the pro-life movement as a Republican entity. We will know October 7th. The only way forward for the movement would be massive subsidies for all families with children as part of tax reform. That takes joining the Democrats to pass.
On October 8th, the Court hears 3 cases on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act relating to sex discrimination and whether it can be decided judicially. This is not a case about marriage equality per se. The question before the Court is whether the spate of findings that have recognized gays and lesbians as a protected class allow the meaning of sex in the CRA to be expanded to sexuality without having to pass ENDA? It is an argument about how the Court rules, not the result. This is not a First Amendment question.
If the merits of Catholic HR policy were before the Court (that would be a District Court matter to be separately litigated), the question would be of fact. Specifically, does the Church allow employees to enter into heterosexual civil marriage and not homosexual marriage.
No. Bigotry cannot be sanctified in that way, nor can sour grapes over its argument in Perry v. Brown against marriage equality being laughed out of court.
The profound issue is how many retirements will it take until the Church starts blessing gay unions? While the number of global South cardinals is an indication, I must note that they are already bishops.
Amoris Laetitia was pastoral. So is blessing legal civil marriage, especially with a Pope with a doctoral degree in the sciences. He actually can make sense of the argument of disordered or created. Disordered is a sophistry - a relativistic way to avoid scientific reality.
Being gay is biology, not rebellion, and to not believe gay men when they assert otherwise is not only bad behavior, but it asks them to accept our lived experience of faith when we reject their lives experience of their sexuality.
In June v. Gee, the Center for Reproductive Rights is representing June Reproductive Health Services in applying for Certiorari to overturn the 5th Circuit in upholding the Louisiana Trap Laws.
The Court can hear the case (possibly reopening Roe), deny Certiorari (leaving Trap in place and maybe overturning Roe by opening the door for state government power) or reverse the Circuit and repeal the state law.
There are 3 questions at play in June v. Gee. Can the 5th Circuit decision stand as is? Are there new arguments on the issue? Does the Court want to hear them?
2 new Justices is not the answer. If you think it is, you do not understand the Court or law in general.
A per Curiam ruling reversing the 5th Citcuit signals the Circuit to pass on hearing any appeal to the inevitable overturn of the Alabama Abortion Law. For all intents and purposes, this will end the pro-life movement as a Republican entity. We will know October 7th. The only way forward for the movement would be massive subsidies for all families with children as part of tax reform. That takes joining the Democrats to pass.
On October 8th, the Court hears 3 cases on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act relating to sex discrimination and whether it can be decided judicially. This is not a case about marriage equality per se. The question before the Court is whether the spate of findings that have recognized gays and lesbians as a protected class allow the meaning of sex in the CRA to be expanded to sexuality without having to pass ENDA? It is an argument about how the Court rules, not the result. This is not a First Amendment question.
If the merits of Catholic HR policy were before the Court (that would be a District Court matter to be separately litigated), the question would be of fact. Specifically, does the Church allow employees to enter into heterosexual civil marriage and not homosexual marriage.
No. Bigotry cannot be sanctified in that way, nor can sour grapes over its argument in Perry v. Brown against marriage equality being laughed out of court.
The profound issue is how many retirements will it take until the Church starts blessing gay unions? While the number of global South cardinals is an indication, I must note that they are already bishops.
Amoris Laetitia was pastoral. So is blessing legal civil marriage, especially with a Pope with a doctoral degree in the sciences. He actually can make sense of the argument of disordered or created. Disordered is a sophistry - a relativistic way to avoid scientific reality.
Being gay is biology, not rebellion, and to not believe gay men when they assert otherwise is not only bad behavior, but it asks them to accept our lived experience of faith when we reject their lives experience of their sexuality.
Ancient worldviews might shed light on our contemporary culture wars
Ancient worldviews might shed light on our contemporary culture wars
Pagan gods explore human archetypes, including cruelty by the powerful. This has justified fascism and a caste system and a stoic morality. Christianity is more humanistic on a good day. When it adopted Roman sexual idealism, it was not a good day. We have had a string of bad days.
A moral focus on man is not a bad thing if it has a living God in the background. When it simply swaps one authority structure for another, not so much. A City of God can be just as cruel as a city if gods. A flawed mythology, in our case about Eve, can be just as pernicious.
Pagan gods explore human archetypes, including cruelty by the powerful. This has justified fascism and a caste system and a stoic morality. Christianity is more humanistic on a good day. When it adopted Roman sexual idealism, it was not a good day. We have had a string of bad days.
A moral focus on man is not a bad thing if it has a living God in the background. When it simply swaps one authority structure for another, not so much. A City of God can be just as cruel as a city if gods. A flawed mythology, in our case about Eve, can be just as pernicious.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
America: 7 Claims on the Trumpian Age
Tonight in America Magazine, Holly Taylor Cool man wires about Seven claims about what’s at stake in the Age of Trump
Trump gave us two Kennedy proteges, who shared his view on abortion (and Trump's). On October 1st, SCOTUS will conference on June v. Gee (and important cases). It could deny Cert, which would let Louisiana Trap laws stand and essentially overturn Roe, hear the case and allow a Roe rehearing or reverse the 5th Circuit, repealing Trap and ending the pro-life movement's access to repealing Roe. We will find out October 7th.
Trump is either a vile idiot and the worst President ever or a false flag operation to destroy the GOP, with Pence set to pardon him at the end. Obama may even be in on it. Once the GOP is destroyed, the Democrats will split into a socialistic Warren, Sanders, Harris party and a Biden, Delaney, Klobachar neo-liberal party.
Both results are inevitable unless the GOP removes Trump soon, except the June v. Gee thing, although my per Curiam guess is most likely. Then the question for pro-life members is whether to fade away or insist on a much larger refundable child tax credit, putting it in the Warren wing. The Biden wing won't take them, but will continue to use them as a foil to keep feminists fired up.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
America Magazine: There is time for the church to support black Catholics—if it has the will to do so
Tonight, this was posted on the America Magazine web page: There is time for the church to support black Catholics—if it has the will to do so by Tia Noelle Pratt. An essential read. My response: Step one in dealing with the issues are to read the article and buy the book.
Step two is a red hat for Archbishop Wilton Gregory. He has certainly earned it. DC has shifted parish schools to charter schools. It is a step away from the evolution of elite parish schools.
Step Three, we should support DC statehood, BLM and SPLC. Heaven knows that in some parts of Alabama, Catholic Churches are still burned. My niece and her family live in St. Louis and are Black. Given the conduct of law enforcement in that part of the world, I see BLM from a different lens.
Step Four (or maybe now), get out of the GOP coalition. All but one of the Catholic justices will not, nor should they, seek the repeal of Roe, including the three appointed by Bush 43 and Trump. This will be obvious if June v. Gee reverses the Fifth Circuit and overturns Louisiana Trap Law per Curiam. We will know on October 7th. There should be no room in the GOP white supremacists and the Church and the former won't leave. The latter must unless the party embraces a middle class negative income tax for each child. Those who won't can stay with the White reactionaries.
Step two is a red hat for Archbishop Wilton Gregory. He has certainly earned it. DC has shifted parish schools to charter schools. It is a step away from the evolution of elite parish schools.
Step Three, we should support DC statehood, BLM and SPLC. Heaven knows that in some parts of Alabama, Catholic Churches are still burned. My niece and her family live in St. Louis and are Black. Given the conduct of law enforcement in that part of the world, I see BLM from a different lens.
Step Four (or maybe now), get out of the GOP coalition. All but one of the Catholic justices will not, nor should they, seek the repeal of Roe, including the three appointed by Bush 43 and Trump. This will be obvious if June v. Gee reverses the Fifth Circuit and overturns Louisiana Trap Law per Curiam. We will know on October 7th. There should be no room in the GOP white supremacists and the Church and the former won't leave. The latter must unless the party embraces a middle class negative income tax for each child. Those who won't can stay with the White reactionaries.
Friday, September 13, 2019
Clearest winner of third debate: The Democratic Party
Clearest winner of third debate: The Democratic Party
Beto won. Everyone is talking about guns. It may even help in a race for Governor. Sanders and Warren need to say why single payer is coming ready or not. Insurance company business models soon them. Castro lost bad because we kill the messenger. The vote Biden needs most is Jill's. She may vote no. He does not have two terms in him. Everyone lost by not running against Pence and calling out presidential pro-life voting as a scam. Iowa and New Hampshire will winnow the field. If someone wins both, its over and the race is for VP. The nominee has the vote that matters in that race.
Beto won. Everyone is talking about guns. It may even help in a race for Governor. Sanders and Warren need to say why single payer is coming ready or not. Insurance company business models soon them. Castro lost bad because we kill the messenger. The vote Biden needs most is Jill's. She may vote no. He does not have two terms in him. Everyone lost by not running against Pence and calling out presidential pro-life voting as a scam. Iowa and New Hampshire will winnow the field. If someone wins both, its over and the race is for VP. The nominee has the vote that matters in that race.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Links for 9/12/19
Links for 9/12/19
If group cited are conservatives, and they are, then Trumpians are reactionaries. Trump himself is just pathetic. First Things is both reactionary and pathetic. You are in good company. What can I do to have these fools call me out too? That is almost as good as being condemned by the CDF.
Diverting money is bad but not forbidden. The key for the Dems is exciting the base. The key for the GOP is Pence manning up and invoking the 25th Amendment.
In 2004 for, the DNC had its finger on the scale. A young DNC staffer told me in early 2003 that Clinton would not be the nominee. It would be Kerry. This was probably for the Ketchup money. Mistake one was not putting Wes on the ticket as he would have destroyed Cheney. Mistake Two was letting the Swift Boaters get a pass without using the Ketchup money.
Endorsing Newman is a good base move, although probably has nothing to do with abortion. Abortion is not an issue in any election. Amendments 5, 9 and 14 are controlling. Both Bush and both Trump nominees support Roe. It is time to point this out and go all in on a bigger child tax credit. Harris has the biggest boost for it and here's is still to small. My bet is that when the Court comes back, they will overturn the 5th Circuit on Louisiana Trap Laws per curiam. If so, forget Roe.
Greenberg is not wrong, although Pence could save the party. He should also be honest on Roe. A bidding war on funding children would be a nice change for the unborn rather than the silly debater on Roe. Read Bitecofer on the Blue Wall, as well as my abortion blog entries.
Speaker Bercow will be missed. Order!
As for tweets, follow Bruce Bartlett.
If group cited are conservatives, and they are, then Trumpians are reactionaries. Trump himself is just pathetic. First Things is both reactionary and pathetic. You are in good company. What can I do to have these fools call me out too? That is almost as good as being condemned by the CDF.
Diverting money is bad but not forbidden. The key for the Dems is exciting the base. The key for the GOP is Pence manning up and invoking the 25th Amendment.
In 2004 for, the DNC had its finger on the scale. A young DNC staffer told me in early 2003 that Clinton would not be the nominee. It would be Kerry. This was probably for the Ketchup money. Mistake one was not putting Wes on the ticket as he would have destroyed Cheney. Mistake Two was letting the Swift Boaters get a pass without using the Ketchup money.
Endorsing Newman is a good base move, although probably has nothing to do with abortion. Abortion is not an issue in any election. Amendments 5, 9 and 14 are controlling. Both Bush and both Trump nominees support Roe. It is time to point this out and go all in on a bigger child tax credit. Harris has the biggest boost for it and here's is still to small. My bet is that when the Court comes back, they will overturn the 5th Circuit on Louisiana Trap Laws per curiam. If so, forget Roe.
Greenberg is not wrong, although Pence could save the party. He should also be honest on Roe. A bidding war on funding children would be a nice change for the unborn rather than the silly debater on Roe. Read Bitecofer on the Blue Wall, as well as my abortion blog entries.
Speaker Bercow will be missed. Order!
As for tweets, follow Bruce Bartlett.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Remove Malone, make the metropolitan model work in Buffalo
Remove Malone, make the metropolitan model work in Buffalo
As usual, Cardinal Dolan has his finger in the wind. When he fails to act, the local Cardinal in the Council of 8 Cardinals should sack them both. Cardinal Sean, call your office. Also, the local clergy should also have the power to force the bishop to retire. That would solve things more quickly and restore credibility.
As usual, Cardinal Dolan has his finger in the wind. When he fails to act, the local Cardinal in the Council of 8 Cardinals should sack them both. Cardinal Sean, call your office. Also, the local clergy should also have the power to force the bishop to retire. That would solve things more quickly and restore credibility.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Links for 9/10/19
Links for 9/10/19
The question before us is about mitigation. Do we prevent further damage with a crash program to develop He3 fusion, which the fossil fuel, power and car companies do not want while their current lines are profitable? Do we resettle climate refugees and upgrade their skill levels for a better life, making them harder to exploit as cheap labor? Do we continue to subsidize beach house owners for every hurricane or cap what we reimburse, making them more interested in climate change? Can we stop the influence of capitalism on government so that we can make progress on any of this or does talk of eco-socialism scare away even our friends and damage electability?
Expect the GOP to quickly come up with non-partisan redistricting once the possibility of catastrophic loss sets in, although they might wait until 2021 to kick and scream. Like on warming when (if) we put their beach houses at risk.
Talking about goals is like talking about hope and change. We need specifics. even if Obama did not. The goal is winning in every election. With a Blue Wall of 278 against Trump, the key is energizing the base. The real question is whether Pence 2020 changes the map.
How does the abortion debate matter in either case? If it does, talk about it now, not a year from now. Biden, Warren or Harris could advance this debate, but for different reasons. The question on Biden is if he can survive long enough to be elected and complete a term. Two is fantasy.
Unlike his predecessors, Francis accepts human evolution. Adam and Eve are metaphor and the fallen state metaphor dies without them. A new metaphor on human suffering must replace it, but how can you justify not ordaining women if they are not the vehicle of sin? What if salvation were about our welfare rather than divine retribution? What if the human environment rather than stewardship is made the focus? See above about capitalism.
What if religion needs to get itself before secularists need to understand it? Maybe secularists give us a mirror we very much need. Maybe the question is not religion without God but God without a personal stake in our affairs other than our happiness. How does that change how we deal with Zionism and the reason people martyr themselves in reaction to it?
The question before us is about mitigation. Do we prevent further damage with a crash program to develop He3 fusion, which the fossil fuel, power and car companies do not want while their current lines are profitable? Do we resettle climate refugees and upgrade their skill levels for a better life, making them harder to exploit as cheap labor? Do we continue to subsidize beach house owners for every hurricane or cap what we reimburse, making them more interested in climate change? Can we stop the influence of capitalism on government so that we can make progress on any of this or does talk of eco-socialism scare away even our friends and damage electability?
Expect the GOP to quickly come up with non-partisan redistricting once the possibility of catastrophic loss sets in, although they might wait until 2021 to kick and scream. Like on warming when (if) we put their beach houses at risk.
Talking about goals is like talking about hope and change. We need specifics. even if Obama did not. The goal is winning in every election. With a Blue Wall of 278 against Trump, the key is energizing the base. The real question is whether Pence 2020 changes the map.
How does the abortion debate matter in either case? If it does, talk about it now, not a year from now. Biden, Warren or Harris could advance this debate, but for different reasons. The question on Biden is if he can survive long enough to be elected and complete a term. Two is fantasy.
Unlike his predecessors, Francis accepts human evolution. Adam and Eve are metaphor and the fallen state metaphor dies without them. A new metaphor on human suffering must replace it, but how can you justify not ordaining women if they are not the vehicle of sin? What if salvation were about our welfare rather than divine retribution? What if the human environment rather than stewardship is made the focus? See above about capitalism.
What if religion needs to get itself before secularists need to understand it? Maybe secularists give us a mirror we very much need. Maybe the question is not religion without God but God without a personal stake in our affairs other than our happiness. How does that change how we deal with Zionism and the reason people martyr themselves in reaction to it?
America Magazine: Should Catholic women preach at Mass? Here’s a better question.
Pia de Solenni asks, Should Catholic women preach at Mass? Here’s a better question.
Or just ordain women. I am sure gay priests would be fine with it. I am also sure that it would freak out the unintegrated asexuals in the priesthood who operate under the illusion that Christ was just like them. He was not. Pharisees were married.
Marriage is no longer an image for the Church and Christ (remember, that model us pastoral, not revelatory) because of equality in both gay and straight marriage. No one is in-charge anymore. Likewise, the hierarchy has modeled itself after the Gentiles in giving themselves honors in exactly the way Jesus said not to do.
As for the latest Roman Missal, it was a counter-revolutionary attempt to pretend Vatican II never happened. It is hardly worded to express the real persona Christi. It is part of the desire for a Church of Magic rather than of Faith and miracles. It takes us away from the Kingdom of God that Jesus spoke of.
America Magazine: Executing shooters will not stop gun violence. The solution requires us to overcome apathy.
Executing shooters will not stop gun violence. The solution requires us to overcome apathy.
The personal protection view of the 2nd Amendment is contingent upon guns preventing more deaths than the cause. That can be all guns or just assault weapons. The National Guard has taken over militia duties and the protection against federal power provisions were overcome by burning Richmond and Atlanta. Their repeal was codified by the section 3 of the 14th Amendment disenfranchizing rebels and section 5 allowing Conress to prevent rebellion.
On execution, it must be reserved for those who pose continuing danger to society, including society inside prison. Prolonged solitary confinement is simply slow execution with mental torture. Incarceration should end with successful long term treatment and a decent interval for victims' families to heal.
Red Flag laws should have red card provisions allowing the self-committed to put themselves on a no gun list and putting on anyone who accepted voluntary commitment who would otherwise be civilly committed. Give them a hearing, but make it stick.
Sadly, such solutions are too sane to implement in a society that loves guns and retribution. Sadly, Colorado legislators get a pass for not passing sensible protections while Governor Sebelius is sanctioned for vetoing an abortion ban that was clearly unconstitutional.
Monday, September 9, 2019
Don't like that pope? Read what he wrote.
Don't like that pope? Read what he wrote.
This is all about airplane ride comments on the recent papal trip to Africa on a French book about plans formented at a CUA Busch School cocktail party. It is the same group that wants to form a non-profit the investigate instances of sexual abuse in the American Church. So far the Better Church Governance Group has produced a Mission Statement on a website. Too much scotch by people with too much money looking for a way to not pay taxes on it. They are an argument on Why tax rates on the rich need to go up with no deduction for charitable giving.
This is all about airplane ride comments on the recent papal trip to Africa on a French book about plans formented at a CUA Busch School cocktail party. It is the same group that wants to form a non-profit the investigate instances of sexual abuse in the American Church. So far the Better Church Governance Group has produced a Mission Statement on a website. Too much scotch by people with too much money looking for a way to not pay taxes on it. They are an argument on Why tax rates on the rich need to go up with no deduction for charitable giving.
Friday, September 6, 2019
On both sides of the Atlantic, disruptors bring chaos, hyperpolarization
On both sides of the Atlantic, disruptors bring chaos, hyperpolarization
Johnson thinks he can get a better deal. The Greens think that they can win a national election to stop Brexit. Trump thinks he is a better negotiator than the professionals. Delusion abounds. And people think me crazy for thinking I can do better?
The problem with the UK is that it has no written constitution. This results in majority tyranny if it works. No wonder Parliament is a shouting match. As for a referendum, it is an EU feature. They need a constitution too, rather than a treaty and confederation. These don't work well.
Brexit may leave Wales, Scotland and Ulster in the EU with their own exit. Johnson should count the votes and see if their Ukxit would end his majority. Her Majesty needs to save him from himself and fire him. No monarchy that lets the realm be dismembered is worthy of the title.
Civility could get a Brexit deal passed. I am writing a blog entry on how this could happen and how Pence could win in 2020 by spending the pro-Birth movement and pushing for a high enough child tax credit to stop abortion. The GOP likes winning and will do anything to do so. So does Boris. The jury is out on whether cynicism is good government (both civil and ecclesiastic). I hope it is not, but it does not look that way at the moment.
As for Trump, he will likely be gone before Boris. Cynicism may be his undoing once Nadler really gets going. McConnell and Pence will pull the plug.
Johnson thinks he can get a better deal. The Greens think that they can win a national election to stop Brexit. Trump thinks he is a better negotiator than the professionals. Delusion abounds. And people think me crazy for thinking I can do better?
The problem with the UK is that it has no written constitution. This results in majority tyranny if it works. No wonder Parliament is a shouting match. As for a referendum, it is an EU feature. They need a constitution too, rather than a treaty and confederation. These don't work well.
Brexit may leave Wales, Scotland and Ulster in the EU with their own exit. Johnson should count the votes and see if their Ukxit would end his majority. Her Majesty needs to save him from himself and fire him. No monarchy that lets the realm be dismembered is worthy of the title.
Civility could get a Brexit deal passed. I am writing a blog entry on how this could happen and how Pence could win in 2020 by spending the pro-Birth movement and pushing for a high enough child tax credit to stop abortion. The GOP likes winning and will do anything to do so. So does Boris. The jury is out on whether cynicism is good government (both civil and ecclesiastic). I hope it is not, but it does not look that way at the moment.
As for Trump, he will likely be gone before Boris. Cynicism may be his undoing once Nadler really gets going. McConnell and Pence will pull the plug.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Links for 9/5/19
Links for 9/5/19
Whether a venue can get away with denying service depends on whether they are a public or private venue and the degree of enforcement. Few bother to sue for redress. Desegregation let decent people ignore stupidity. It does not convert the stupid or the biased.
Whether news is biased depends on the bias of the person making the news. It must be reported for the news to be credible. CNA is, by nature, biased because it ignores bias. Speaking of dealing with bias, I would comment on the issues raised in a book review, but would never read a book by Weigel. He gets nuttier with age. The same applies to Burke. He is best ignored. So is suing Popeyes. Ohio State is always newsworthy. Go Buckeyes! Of course, I may be biased.
Partisan orthodoxy does not matter on either side in Abortion. State law going either way has no effect If Congress acts to grant status to the unborn. States cannot depart from it. Of course, equal protection and privacy still apply. No selective enforcement. If law makes abortion murder, women go to jail. If one kind of D&C is investigated, all must be. Selective enforcement is still not allied. Investigation may not be either. The 9th Amendment still applies. Abortion is not nor will it ever be an issue for politics. To say otherwise is fraud on either side.
Whether a professional can decline to assist an abortion should depend on medical necessity. Moral squeemishness must take a back seat to the life of the mother. God is not an Ogre who want women to martyr themselves in his name. The Church is wrong if it expects her too.
Whether a venue can get away with denying service depends on whether they are a public or private venue and the degree of enforcement. Few bother to sue for redress. Desegregation let decent people ignore stupidity. It does not convert the stupid or the biased.
Whether news is biased depends on the bias of the person making the news. It must be reported for the news to be credible. CNA is, by nature, biased because it ignores bias. Speaking of dealing with bias, I would comment on the issues raised in a book review, but would never read a book by Weigel. He gets nuttier with age. The same applies to Burke. He is best ignored. So is suing Popeyes. Ohio State is always newsworthy. Go Buckeyes! Of course, I may be biased.
Partisan orthodoxy does not matter on either side in Abortion. State law going either way has no effect If Congress acts to grant status to the unborn. States cannot depart from it. Of course, equal protection and privacy still apply. No selective enforcement. If law makes abortion murder, women go to jail. If one kind of D&C is investigated, all must be. Selective enforcement is still not allied. Investigation may not be either. The 9th Amendment still applies. Abortion is not nor will it ever be an issue for politics. To say otherwise is fraud on either side.
Whether a professional can decline to assist an abortion should depend on medical necessity. Moral squeemishness must take a back seat to the life of the mother. God is not an Ogre who want women to martyr themselves in his name. The Church is wrong if it expects her too.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Cardinal list is latest from Francis that suggests new breeze blowing
Cardinal list is latest from Francis that suggests new breeze blowing
I would have liked to see Wilton get a red hat. Washington should be a Patricial See, so Sean should be here too.
Dealing with sex is not on the agenda. Outing asexual clergy to themselves and ordaining married and female priests would. Millenials will go there.
I am sure the Group of Eight agreed to shift red hats to the South. It is simple balance.
I would have liked to see Wilton get a red hat. Washington should be a Patricial See, so Sean should be here too.
Dealing with sex is not on the agenda. Outing asexual clergy to themselves and ordaining married and female priests would. Millenials will go there.
I am sure the Group of Eight agreed to shift red hats to the South. It is simple balance.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
US church must repair its relationship with organized labor
US church must repair its relationship with organized labor
Unions were gutted because low marginal tax rates encouraged rent seeking by CEOs. Only ending the power of CEOs through mass cooperation or much higher income tax rates will reverse this. Unions are an essential part of both approaches. The Church can be too if it moves toward more democracy itself in electing bishops, getting them away from high dollar donors.
Using union labor to fix roofs or print bulletins is a start. It would be good to see a union bug on the back of any Church bulletin. It would be even nicer to have the NEA in parish schools. This would help them get public funds. It would end their transformation to elite schools in white neighborhoods and charter schools in the inner city. It need not be a bridge too far. The link between presidential voting and repealing Roe is dead. It is time to bury it.
Unions were gutted because low marginal tax rates encouraged rent seeking by CEOs. Only ending the power of CEOs through mass cooperation or much higher income tax rates will reverse this. Unions are an essential part of both approaches. The Church can be too if it moves toward more democracy itself in electing bishops, getting them away from high dollar donors.
Using union labor to fix roofs or print bulletins is a start. It would be good to see a union bug on the back of any Church bulletin. It would be even nicer to have the NEA in parish schools. This would help them get public funds. It would end their transformation to elite schools in white neighborhoods and charter schools in the inner city. It need not be a bridge too far. The link between presidential voting and repealing Roe is dead. It is time to bury it.
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