Links: New priests; Democratic voter divide; uneven economic recovery

Links: New priests; Democratic voter divide; uneven economic recovery 

Parish ministry has much to offer our society, especially in charity and education. White, elitte elementary and high schools have lost this. As for the priests and other clergy, there is much work to be done in the area of gender theory, especially around demi-sexuality for the laity and asexuality for the clergy. We are unconscious of both as natural phenomenon, so we are plagued with the perceived holiness of what is simply fitting for asexual priests that are struggling with their own identities. Although the gay priests have a head start. The stone that the builders rejected...

The analysis of campaign volunteers and professionals is not entirely true. The Bernie corps, which hang out in Democratic Socialists of America (pushing us oldsters out) would have been better educated by seeking precinct, county and state level Democratic Committee memberships. This is the best education in what rank and file party members think. The GOP campaigners, especially the MAGA crowd, know this - which is a profound problem for the Republicans. They key to both groups, however, is the desire to win. All politics is local.

The key issue for the working class is how the wealthy use gender and race issues to divide it. This is not a new thing. It goes back to Burke and further in response to universal male suffrage. The best thing the Democrats can do is stress how supporting the child care provisions in Building Back Better are a pro-life thing - and that the feminists are right when they say that abortion is about controlling women's bodies. In the pro-life movement, there is resistance to family support because it is seen as subsidizing sexuality. QED

The GOP Party line is that social welfare is keeping people from going back to work. People have been saving their stimulus payments. When these are spent, people will likely return to the labor force. The key to building back better is to raise the minimum wage. This will stimulate growth and jobs. We cannot go back to the old two-tier economy.

Let us not forget the Stacey Abrams factor in supporting the ethical behavior by the Georgia Secretary of State - who would have likely done the right thing. He is no Katherine Harris. The Trumpists need to be tagged with Trump's support for Putin. Note to Dems: call them Soft on Putinism and then prove such links exist. It is not hard, especially when Igor Fruman pleads out in December.

Federal support for states in the area of social welfare and college education is not a new thing and it has nothing to do with elections. On the Texas case, the narrative is faulty. There is literally no way to deal with defending Roe until after cases deal with standing questions. The first task is to seek the state of Texas' exclusion from the current case. If they are immune from suit, they cannot be allowed to defend the law. Gomez v. Braid does not explicitly address standing, but the local court will, unless the counter-suit in federal court get the law first. So far, no hearing dates have been set.

New report on Midwest 'factory towns' shakes up the way we look at politics

New report on Midwest 'factory towns' shakes up the way we look at politics 

The reason factory towns have worse health is because their residents are older. The younger people who stay are more likely to parrot their parent's politics or have come back from overseas wars. A lot of the younger, smarter people have moved to cities or suburbs, especially the gay ones. Only my youngest brother, who inherited the family home, stayed in Iowa. Of the four of us that left, three have graduate degrees and one of the latter is an MD. None of us are going back. Ever.

That they do not focus on age or religion makes the 21st Century Democrats results problematic. Older and more conservative voters are not exactly experts in biology or constitutional law. They don't know that Roe is not doomed and that, if they don't stand up for very liberal solutions on family income, the unborn will also be doomed. Including in Factory Towns. 

The answer to dealing with these towns is brutal honesty. Start using the term Soft on Putin for Trump supporters, especially candidates. Then frame economic justice as a pro-life issue. Don't be afraid of offending feminists when you do - although few feminists will disagree with more money for families.

Supreme Court's conservative majority tackles hot-button culture war issues

Supreme Court's conservative majority tackles hot-button culture war issues 

I would not expect Justice Barrett to drag her large number of children to Red Mass. My family had five kids and we went to Mass in shifts with the toddles and infants not going at all. With Kavanaugh sick, the others were likely exercising caution in not spreading a virus they may have been exposed to.

Supreme Court cases don't decide details as much deciding who has authority to act. A clear line is now drawn on public and private sector labor law. Expect a case one day that balances Hosanna-Tabor and the Title VII definition of sex including gays and lesbians. 

Gun rights and abortion cases are just not the same since Nino died. Heller is not at risk, but sanity is more likely. This is a state power question as much as anything else.

The Court will have no appetite to bring back the state power regime that Mississippi (and Alabama and Texas) want in civil rights cases. They may draw lines in the second trimester, but that is not overturning Roe. It would be easier if the Center for Reproductive Rights stated that Congress could alter the terms of the 14th Amendment, but the States cannot. 

It is risky, but not so risky given the implications of recognizing legal personhood rather than regulating a medical procedure. Pregnancies would have to be registered as births, police would be empowered to investigate pregnancy loss and mothers would have to be punished as ordering a murder. None of that will be allowed by the Court.

The media likes a dramatic narrative. If the rights of state governments are briefed and discussed, the tea leaves will be easier to read. The reason the case is being heard at all is because the 5th Circuit got it wrong. Thanks Senate Dems for playing with the filibuster so that McConnell got his judges. That the case is being heard means that at least four justices think the circuit went too far.

The Maine case may be decided Per Curiam because the law is in direct violation of Espinoza v. Montana. The question that must come up is whether Catholic Schools can make a claim on school district budgets. They can already be set up as Charters in some places.

The future of affirmative action in education is murky because no good solution has yet been passed. The best option for dealing with bias is to end legacy admissions and select all but those certain to finish a degree based on their scores by lottery. Let the application process dictate who is in the sample. Affirmative recruiting will affect the outcome, but unprepared students tend to weed themselves out in the first year.

On many issues, Gorsuch has been siding with Roberts and those other justices who are not afraid of change v. those who use process to keep the status quo in place. Also, three justices are long enough in tooth for the current balance to stay in place for long.

Links: Power outages in Puerto Rico; constitutional amendments; God as 'they'

Links: Power outages in Puerto Rico; constitutional amendments; God as 'they' 

The Department of Energy needs to help out in PR, but the Commonwealth's autonomy must be respected as well. On the grid, the perfect cannot be the enemy of the good in getting the lights on. In urban areas, computer controlled cars fueled with rail style overhead power would be very green, but outside of San Juan, even an advanced system will need traditional vehicles and power lines.

I am in favor of a set of amendments for regional government and excise taxes and indirect election of the President. No more Trumps, please. It is also time to ratify the ERA.

The decline in the Senate has to do with the desire to win elections rather than seeing as governing as the way to retain office. Those of us who have been around note the decline in staff expertise. Too much public relations, not enough policy. 

Most of the Democrat's moderate problem has nothing to do with how big the cloture requirement is. Lincoln and Casey derailed the public option and did not seek or achieve reelection in 2010 anyway. 55 and 56 are good numbers for cloture. With the moral decline of the GOP, they are achievable.

Judaism has many names for how God occurs to us, including Shekinah (the divine feminine), who is also the Spirit working within us. That is how Jesus likely believed. It is time to take the hint and use Her pronoun correctly. As for the triune Godhead, Spanish has a term, Vosotros - which fits a Royal We or They. 

Our Theology is about how we see God relating to us. The actuality of God is way above our pay grade (understanding). Theology has been a source of division and even violence, which is the ultimate blasphemy. It is why Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett are not entirely wrong in their prophetic voice.

Someone can always step up as conductor, just like being a CEO does not require being a celebrity or a demand for high pay. Any first chair in strings or horns can step up and do a good job. On the same note, Bronx has some very interesting brownstones.

CatholicVote peddles extreme right-wing politics in religious drag

CatholicVote peddles extreme right-wing politics in religious drag 

CV is about getting out the vote. They only prey on those who they think are convincible, so I would be worried if I got caught in their net. The question is, who else is caught? Could it be pro-life voters? This is more than Catholic identity run amok. The pro-life movement needs to ask itself whether they are concerned with sex (and controlling women's bodies) or ending the need for abortion by Bringing Back Better? Are they willing to abandon Trumpism and is Trumpism really Putinism? Do they realize that by supporting Trump that they are Soft on Putin? How is that for a Push Poll?

Links: 'Pandora Papers'; wealthy donors interfere; the race in Virginia

 Links: 'Pandora Papers'; wealthy donors interfere; the race in Virginia

The Democrats are raising taxes on the wealthy, but they are doing it wrong - and a wealth tax would do no better. Taxing rich people as persons rather than taxing transactions is what causes the cheating. You cannot tax assets, but you can tax their increase in value or their purchase. Increase income for families at the same time and any reform would not be regressive (and certainly less regressive than a capped payroll tax).

The Catholic Church's name is none to popular in Ireland right now. Call it anything but. I hear socialism is becoming a popular term.

Donors are often Alumni, who are represented by the Board of Regents of a university. The problem with the donors is capitalism itself - the view that money buys people's obedience and that this is somehow a free market activity rather than authoritarianism.

All politics is grievance. It sells. The whole pro-life movement is grievance. The desire for economic justice is both grievance and prophetic. It is also linked to social justice. Opposition to Trumpism is grievance because he has grievously wounded this country and, for his time in office, turned our foreign policy into Putinism. Until Trumpism is equated with being soft on Putinism, our politics are doomed. BTW, Youngkin is as Trumpist as it gets, QED, he is soft on Putinism.

Any redistricting in Texas will be settled in court. Note that in Texas, judges are elected too. Paging George Soros.

How do we prepare for a synodal process? Start with the documents of Vatican II

How do we prepare for a synodal process? Start with the documents of Vatican II 

I suggest looking at Dignitatis Humanae in reference to constitutional democracy in reference to individual rights and freedom of conscience. This is the doctrine that some of our bishops resist most strongly. The relationship between such rights and women in the Church would also be a good synodal meditation - along with sexuality in general. 

The sexuality of the clergy should be hashed out in the process. Gender, aka Queer Theory needs fuller explanation, not only to understand gay priests but to examine whether the remainder are heterosexual or asexual. Accepting sexuality as a natural thing rather than as a sign of sin or holiness may raise the Titanic.