Links for 10/11/18

https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/distinctly-catholic/links-101118
MGB: Bless you and you dad in Heaven and bless the Red Sox. I would hate the Cubs to have it too easy.

The Koch's believe racism is a civil right instead of bad and sometimes illegal behavior. They don't realize that if it makes it into actual behavior that it demands a police state to enforce, which is in no way libertarian. Racists can think what they like, but they need to behave. Their outward expression of their hate is essentially terrorism.

The folks who advise the Democrats, be they consultants, staff or their own selves have let public relations overcome policy, even policies that would make things better for workers and their families. People don't despair on politics and voting because the public relations have failed, it is because the ideas that they believe in are not represented. Both sides are "them." Proportional representation overcomes this problem. Where it is in force, everyone votes. It would not be useful in the Senate or in small states, but would work in large states, state governments or even regional governments if representation is entirely by party proportion and not geographic. When everyone has a stake, no one votes but the people who clearly feel represented. At some point, the reactionary party will die - indeed, Trump is killing it - either by bumbling or doing a performance that rivals that of Herman Cain. Can anyone be that stupid?

The bishops need to do more than discipline predator priests, most of whom are retired or dead. At some point, we need to remind everyone that forgiveness helps the victim, not the perpetrator.  As for the bishops, this scandal shows that non-profits are more accountable than medievalist bishops who technically own the property in their Sees.  It is time for them to give the checkbook back to the people. It destroys the bishop's moral authority to make all things Catholic be about them, which is the height of relativism and subjectivism. They have become what they fear the most.

Blogs have democratized the news business. Newsrooms are becoming more irrelevant by the day, which is a shame, because Yale actually teaches them to do good work. Trump is certainly bothered by them, which is good for our democracy.

Most abortions are cash and (I won't go there, it is a bad pun on a sad thing). You are more likely to directly fund abortion by going to McDonald's then by paying your taxes. Low wage workers paying with cash are those most likely to get abortions. States save money by paying for them. Fix that problem and abortion goes away (by funding family income using a Subtraction VAT that directs pay to larger families with a credit to employers on that tax).

Titular sees are the Church's stab at proportional representation for Trads, unless the pope is modern. Bishops should be locally elected by a body of lay deacons elected by their parishes and the priests of the diocese. The bishops can choose their Metropolitan and the Metropolitans their Patriarchs, who then chose which among them goes to New Rome, for either a fixed term or life. If we wish to get rid of Medievalism (the essence of clericalism) then fixed terms are better.

Greece has too much smog, as does Los Angeles and Beijing. Moscow should be avoided at all costs. Since most of the viewership is American (at least in terms of advertising) maybe the center of world power should get the games. Of course, the people of Landover have enough traffic on game day and the games would make the roads even worse. Maybe we need to build a city and call it Olympus - or go to Olympia, Washington instead.