Links 2: The Crisis of American Democracy

This essay continues today's link to Fr. Drew Christiansen's essay, The Crisis of American Democracy.

The biggest missing in Christian's essay is not saying the word "capitalism." It includes the progressive and radical roots of the Grand Old Party. His essay merits an independent review. 

Any examination of Catholic education must also address both the Catholic ghetto, the golden years of Catholic supremacy in culture and the reaction of women to a Church that would not change to include them. The review also glosses over the fact that the goal of public education was to not educate non-whites so that they can remain a servant class. Welfare reform seems to have the same goal. 

I cannot argue with condemning reality TV. It was a reprise of the sexual revolution. We are now back in the world of the variety show.Trump is a Reagan redux, without the intelligence of Reagan, but with all the flawed economics. Purging the myth that speculation is investment is job one in defeating the neo-liberalism which infects both parties. The GND is just a social democratic band-aid. 

Voter suppression goes back to reconstruction Until White and Brown people find common ground, capitalism will use differences - especially those on sexuality and race - to forestall reform. This trend goes back to Edmund Burke. Oddly, voter suppression measures allow Congress to target states outside of the South for a new list of states requiring prior review of all procedural changes. Citizens United is a powerful tool in the hands of capitalists - it will also be one in the hands of cooperatives to defeat capitalism. Let us not be hasty in abandoning a useful tool against authority and patriarchy.

The current constitutional problem is the ineptitude of McConnell. The job of Majority Leader is to find compromise, not stop action. One of the great debates in the political science profession is whether this brake is a feature or a flaw. The Senate is a must to have a President, otherwise the Speaker could be head of state and government. The problem is the size of the nation. Regional governance demands bicameralism, lest California, Texas and New York dominate their regions,

The elections were a mixed bag. Schumer overplayed his hand. He would probably be as bad as Reid and McConnell in avoiding compromise. The big takeaway is that the Never-Trumpers won. I'll take it. Mitch is his own worst enemy. Three members could pull a Specter if he does not behave. Also, God may have something to do with it. There are two older Senators who have Democratic Governors and one is from Kentucky.

Once Trump is broke - and the writing is on the wall, the GOP will drop the Trump family like they dropped the Bushes. The saddest reality for them is that Mitt chose 2012 to run, rather than 2016. The prosperity gospel GOP would pick him over Trump any day and twice on Sunday.

Surveys show that American voters have a rather dim view of the basic rights of their fellows. Some of these are priests and bishops. We still have the federal courts. Most of the judges are professional, not partisan. Legislators go both ways. Fear of the Koch brothers (one of whom is gone) dominated the GOP. Their influence has waned in the age of Trump.