Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A Prayer for Gaza
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052871.html
Wed., January 07, 2009 Tevet 11, 5769
A Jew's prayer for the children of Gaza
By Bradley Burston
If there has ever been a time for prayer, this is that time.
If there has ever been a place forsaken, Gaza is that place.
Lord who is the creator of all children, hear our prayer this accursed day. God whom we call Blessed, turn your face to these, the children of Gaza, that they may know your blessings, and your shelter, that they may know light and warmth, where there is now only blackness and smoke, and a cold which cuts and clenches the skin.
Almighty who makes exceptions, which we call miracles, make an exception of the children of Gaza. Shield them from us and from their own. Spare them. Heal them. Let them stand in safety. Deliver them from hunger and horror and fury and grief. Deliver them from us, and from their own.
Restore to them their stolen childhoods, their birthright, which is a taste of heaven.
Remind us, O Lord, of the child Ishmael, who is the father of all the children of Gaza. How the child Ishmael was without water and left for dead in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba, so robbed of all hope, that his own mother could not bear to watch his life drain away.
Be that Lord, the God of our kinsman Ishmael, who heard his cry and sent His angel to comfort his mother Hagar.
Be that Lord, who was with Ishmael that day, and all the days after. Be that God, the All-Merciful, who opened Hagar's eyes that day, and showed her the well of water, that she could give the boy Ishmael to drink, and save his life.
Allah, whose name we call Elohim, who gives life, who knows the value and the fragility of every life, send these children your angels. Save them, the children of this place, Gaza the most beautiful, and Gaza the damned.
In this day, when the trepidation and rage and mourning that is called war, seizes our hearts and patches them in scars, we call to you, the Lord whose name is Peace:
Bless these children, and keep them from harm.
Turn Your face toward them, O Lord. Show them, as if for the first time, light and kindness, and overwhelming graciousness.
Look up at them, O Lord. Let them see your face.
And, as if for the first time, grant them peace.
_____________
With thanks to Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman of Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem.
______________
Thursday, January 1, 2009
The Best Christmas Ever!
None of my gifts to my family were under the tree this year.
The best gift of Christmas Eve was that I finally got to have one of my Dad's stuffed artichokes. He'd offered me one at least four times, but I never actually got to eat one. They take forever to eat, and I had to put up with a lot of obnoxious bluster while I ate, but I never lacked for company while I enjoyed it. I was sad that all the lasagnas were given away before I got a chance to try them, but I got some breaded eggplant, so that was OK too!
For my father, there were several gifts. First, I brought my boys to the towns where he spent his summers as a child. We went to mass, prayed at graves, and bought treats at the bake sale. I passed on his email address and the reminder that he remembers his family and is happy to share. The best gift of all would be if his distant cousins send him emails about his family tree.
Everyone got a church bulletin, a business card from the restaurant in Effingham, and copies of the prayer cards from his aunts and uncles with their pictures. Second, I remembered his mother Ida, his father Frank, his brother Frankie, and his sister Millie in a mass on the Feast of the Holy Family. We need to hear the names of those we love from time to time. I always say "my grandma Santina" to my mother, especially at Christmas time.
For my mother, for once I didn't give her more jewelry. I know how cold it is in that front room, and how she and dad argue about the thermostat setting. I remember how important it is for her to have things of the right texture--silky soft--as well as functional, and found just the right oversized robe for the living room. They also argue about the classical music my dad wants to hear in the car, and I found a tape that she'll enjoy hearing with him. I also fried up for her the breaded eggplant, blanching it with salt the way her mother taught me.
I reminded my brother Dave how highly Curt and I always regarded his judgment, updating the financial details he holds for me in case of need. For Pam and her girls, I brought my Pizelle iron. I used to make about 60 of them, with 40 going to the my side of the family and 20 going to my husband's side. I usually made anise, but over the years I had also included chocolate, vanilla, and almond. I used my own recipe for several years, then Grandma Santina insisted I switch to her cousin Mayme's recipe. She'd already passed, but Theresa wrote out the card for me. The only change that I made was that I always added finely ground almonds to the batter. When Emily married into the family, her mother included pizelles in her cookie tray, so my mother told me to stop making them. This year, my nephew Michael mixed the batter and my two sons made them over the range at my sister's house. I gave Pam a copy of the recipe for herself and for Cousin Lynn. Zac's Barbara knows how to make the Pizelles, as does David Scott's Hayley, so I shouldn't have to do the teaching.
For my sister Janet and her husband David, we came to their home twice. We brought two cases of sliders and Savoia's salads for dinner one night. As a gift, I brought them homemade frozen manicotti--enough for a dinner for her, Dave, & Mike--so that Janet wouldn't have to cook at least one night since she's working too hard and worrying too much. David had time to play guitar with his godson, and I helped him with some computer work on line.
Ron and Ian are both my godsons. This year, Ian should make his first communion. I told them both the story about how St. Joseph and St. Anthony are special patrons of our family on both Grandy's side and on Papa's. Both saints are especially close to the Infant Jesus. I gave them a new small prayer book and marked the prayer to St Joseph for them.
I told Barbara stories, especially about the Christmas years that Zac spent with my boys after their father died. We talked about pizelles and pasta...and dancing.
Each of my nieces got a set of crochet hooks. Janet, Karen, and I all know how to crochet. My sisters-in-law all also have the recipes for the fillings for meat and cheese raviolis. I taught Pam's girls how to make the pasta over the summer, and hopefully they can all learn one day from me or Janet.
I taught Camden how to make the "Big Hug" cross that Stephen gave me when he made his First Communion, and Ian got the first one that we made. The beads, of Army camouflage colors, were from the crosses that I made for Fr Bob Kantor, a Navy chaplain, to take to the troops.
I'm confirmation sponsor for David Scott. He was in the family room with Hayley sitting on his knee, so I got the other knee. I gave him the Little Flower Society membership goodies this year. I explained to him about the 3rd degree relic of felt cloth, and showed him the St Therese medal 'for the pretty girl'. I asked him if Hayley was 'the pretty girl', and when he said yes, he gave the medal to her. She had her priest bless it for her at the midnight mass. I told both of them about the roses, and sent Hayley to Karen to hear more.
Michael and Kevin both received my promise to take them out here in Florida when they come. Each of them took the time to visit with me while I ate my artichoke. Since Mike is drinking age, I told him that we could go to Ft Myers Beach for music, and that Kevin could probably come if he stayed with me. I suggested to them that they take their Uncle Mike--and their dad, if he comes--to the 10,000 islands to fish from the kayaks or canoes.
I gave Karen's gifts of three prayers to Doug. With Michael now married, their lives will change. I also sent Hayley to her, and reminded Emily's girls that she can teach crochet.
I spent most of one afternoon before Christmas with Emily and her girls. They received the rolling pin with the red handles that I got from Grandma Santina, who got it from her mother Antonia Caravana. My mother's rolling pin has green handles, and I think Dad also uses the heavy one made of marble. (My green frog needs to be told that it is there, since that will mean more to him than to the girls.)
We had the best Christmas ever at Harriet's home this year, too. Steve & I found a little "Bah Hum Bug" that hid in the plant. I taught the girls how to make pasta using Harriet's machine to roll it out and cut it, and taught both girls to crochet. I made Linda caponata and pizelles like I used to make years ago, and my mother sent gifts, too. The kids had fun shopping with each other for their gifts, and I hope they will do it again next year.
This year, I enjoyed the best Christmas ever! I must remember next year NOT to shop, and NOT to put anything under the tree!
The best gift of Christmas Eve was that I finally got to have one of my Dad's stuffed artichokes. He'd offered me one at least four times, but I never actually got to eat one. They take forever to eat, and I had to put up with a lot of obnoxious bluster while I ate, but I never lacked for company while I enjoyed it. I was sad that all the lasagnas were given away before I got a chance to try them, but I got some breaded eggplant, so that was OK too!
For my father, there were several gifts. First, I brought my boys to the towns where he spent his summers as a child. We went to mass, prayed at graves, and bought treats at the bake sale. I passed on his email address and the reminder that he remembers his family and is happy to share. The best gift of all would be if his distant cousins send him emails about his family tree.
Everyone got a church bulletin, a business card from the restaurant in Effingham, and copies of the prayer cards from his aunts and uncles with their pictures. Second, I remembered his mother Ida, his father Frank, his brother Frankie, and his sister Millie in a mass on the Feast of the Holy Family. We need to hear the names of those we love from time to time. I always say "my grandma Santina" to my mother, especially at Christmas time.
For my mother, for once I didn't give her more jewelry. I know how cold it is in that front room, and how she and dad argue about the thermostat setting. I remember how important it is for her to have things of the right texture--silky soft--as well as functional, and found just the right oversized robe for the living room. They also argue about the classical music my dad wants to hear in the car, and I found a tape that she'll enjoy hearing with him. I also fried up for her the breaded eggplant, blanching it with salt the way her mother taught me.
I reminded my brother Dave how highly Curt and I always regarded his judgment, updating the financial details he holds for me in case of need. For Pam and her girls, I brought my Pizelle iron. I used to make about 60 of them, with 40 going to the my side of the family and 20 going to my husband's side. I usually made anise, but over the years I had also included chocolate, vanilla, and almond. I used my own recipe for several years, then Grandma Santina insisted I switch to her cousin Mayme's recipe. She'd already passed, but Theresa wrote out the card for me. The only change that I made was that I always added finely ground almonds to the batter. When Emily married into the family, her mother included pizelles in her cookie tray, so my mother told me to stop making them. This year, my nephew Michael mixed the batter and my two sons made them over the range at my sister's house. I gave Pam a copy of the recipe for herself and for Cousin Lynn. Zac's Barbara knows how to make the Pizelles, as does David Scott's Hayley, so I shouldn't have to do the teaching.
For my sister Janet and her husband David, we came to their home twice. We brought two cases of sliders and Savoia's salads for dinner one night. As a gift, I brought them homemade frozen manicotti--enough for a dinner for her, Dave, & Mike--so that Janet wouldn't have to cook at least one night since she's working too hard and worrying too much. David had time to play guitar with his godson, and I helped him with some computer work on line.
Ron and Ian are both my godsons. This year, Ian should make his first communion. I told them both the story about how St. Joseph and St. Anthony are special patrons of our family on both Grandy's side and on Papa's. Both saints are especially close to the Infant Jesus. I gave them a new small prayer book and marked the prayer to St Joseph for them.
I told Barbara stories, especially about the Christmas years that Zac spent with my boys after their father died. We talked about pizelles and pasta...and dancing.
Each of my nieces got a set of crochet hooks. Janet, Karen, and I all know how to crochet. My sisters-in-law all also have the recipes for the fillings for meat and cheese raviolis. I taught Pam's girls how to make the pasta over the summer, and hopefully they can all learn one day from me or Janet.
I taught Camden how to make the "Big Hug" cross that Stephen gave me when he made his First Communion, and Ian got the first one that we made. The beads, of Army camouflage colors, were from the crosses that I made for Fr Bob Kantor, a Navy chaplain, to take to the troops.
I'm confirmation sponsor for David Scott. He was in the family room with Hayley sitting on his knee, so I got the other knee. I gave him the Little Flower Society membership goodies this year. I explained to him about the 3rd degree relic of felt cloth, and showed him the St Therese medal 'for the pretty girl'. I asked him if Hayley was 'the pretty girl', and when he said yes, he gave the medal to her. She had her priest bless it for her at the midnight mass. I told both of them about the roses, and sent Hayley to Karen to hear more.
Michael and Kevin both received my promise to take them out here in Florida when they come. Each of them took the time to visit with me while I ate my artichoke. Since Mike is drinking age, I told him that we could go to Ft Myers Beach for music, and that Kevin could probably come if he stayed with me. I suggested to them that they take their Uncle Mike--and their dad, if he comes--to the 10,000 islands to fish from the kayaks or canoes.
I gave Karen's gifts of three prayers to Doug. With Michael now married, their lives will change. I also sent Hayley to her, and reminded Emily's girls that she can teach crochet.
I spent most of one afternoon before Christmas with Emily and her girls. They received the rolling pin with the red handles that I got from Grandma Santina, who got it from her mother Antonia Caravana. My mother's rolling pin has green handles, and I think Dad also uses the heavy one made of marble. (My green frog needs to be told that it is there, since that will mean more to him than to the girls.)
We had the best Christmas ever at Harriet's home this year, too. Steve & I found a little "Bah Hum Bug" that hid in the plant. I taught the girls how to make pasta using Harriet's machine to roll it out and cut it, and taught both girls to crochet. I made Linda caponata and pizelles like I used to make years ago, and my mother sent gifts, too. The kids had fun shopping with each other for their gifts, and I hope they will do it again next year.
This year, I enjoyed the best Christmas ever! I must remember next year NOT to shop, and NOT to put anything under the tree!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Party like it's 2003: Housing Do-Over
Our current economic fiasco started as a housing bubble. Real estate prices rose to unsustainable levels because those seeking to diversify their holdings by buying real estate were bidding against those seeking homes for their families. (Personally, I think that too much money in too few hands caused the problem, but I can only judge by what I saw here in SW Florida.) Hand-wringing and finger-pointing help dispel our anxiety, so I would expect the silly ranting and ignorant bluster to continue for some time. As we emotionally recover, though, we're in one of Naomi Klein's shock crisis enabling the greedy to make another grab--and boy, are they grabbing! We need another solution, and it must be drastic. Afloat in a sea of relativistic market values, we should have a do-over: set a standard starting value that can be used to make more prudent judgments of these toxic assets.
Too many innocent people are paying for the sins of others and I really want it stopped. In days of yore, a mortgage was a long-term relationship where originating bank serviced the note over its lifetime regardless of whether or not they assigned the payments to a third party. The bank required sufficient collateral, and approved loans based upon impartial assessments and realistic criteria of ability to repay. Buildings and land are almost always taxed, so the vast majority of our communities maintain databases for ad valorem taxes. Why not use the assessments set by the local municipalities to fairly re-set housing prices?
Set 120% of local government's assessed market value at 12/31/2003 as a national benchmark. That year was at the end of a mild recession, but before bubbles reached a fever pitch. Our currency has been devalued by about 20% in the years since if we use the Social Security Administration's cost of living adjustments, so a 120% adjustment of that figure should be close to a present "fair market" standard value. Set a standard "2009 starting price" for ALL of our nation's property, and adjust each and every mortgage to no more than that value. Let's call this number the 2003 Do-Over or TTDO.
Each and every mortgage note currently outstanding should be examined for principal balance at 12/31/08, and that balance compared to the TTDO. The principal amount due for every lien against each piece of property on the books should be reported to the appropriate authority electronically as of 12/31/08. Any liens that don't report at least a $0.00 balance will be wiped from the city or county records and the bank or holder of record loses any future claim on the property. Mandate that each and every bank write off 60% of any excess principal that they imprudently agreed to underwrite.
Then allow a three-to-six month period where any party to the note may renegotiate its terms, allowing market forces to prevail. If the two parties do not renegotiate the note, it will be paid in full years earlier than the original terms and the holder must so notify the borrower.
Capitalism thrives when buyers and sellers have equal power, so having many medium-to-small banks should be much preferred over a few large ones. Having one standard to judge the outstanding mortgages would allow us to get rid of the banks who abandoned prudence and have been insolvent everywhere but on paper.
How do we pay for this? The federal government will subsidize $20 per property tax bill to each municipality to cover the cost of generating and mailing a TTDO statement to each property owner and lien-holder of record. Reward each bank or S&L who physically holds the note with a one-time tax credit of $20 per mortgage (maybe this will encourage some banks to buy back their own loans). Other holders in due course are on their own as this is a cost of doing business in an unregulated area. The main federal government bailout during this crisis should be to freeze tax rates at current levels while mandating changing the base to the 2003 Do
The cost should be borne by the financial markets that created the problem (a tax credit of $20 per mortgage held should cover it to avoid penalizing the innocent).
Those uninvolved in imprudent acts will see no change at all to their notes and/or home equity lines. Most homes will decrease in value on paper to a firm amount that has been verified; very few innocent people would suffer any real effects. Those who speculated will be upside-down on their mortgage, but they won
Mandate a tax rate moratorium for two years. If the rates stay constant and the assessments are re-set, local revenue will decrease. The front line of the federal government response to the crisis will be to lower all property taxes and to subsidize the difference between the gross tax revenues received in by the municipalities under the lower assessment level. Rather than being a top-down solution, the bailouts will be spent at the local level to maintain essential public services and where there should be better control and auditing at work.
If property taxes decrease significantly for two years, rents can fall more quickly for vacant properties as this has a windfall effect, encouraging all landlords to either leave rents at current levels or to decrease them as they expire to retain tenants.
Void the AIG contracts against these fraudulent assets based on deceit and used to obscure the underlying values; require AIG to refund 85% of all premiums paid over the past five years on such contracts.
At least some of these ideas would work an awful lot better than most of the garbage that I've seen and heard proposed over the last three months. Would somebody please just start doing something that will ameliorate this crisis? Please?
Too many innocent people are paying for the sins of others and I really want it stopped. In days of yore, a mortgage was a long-term relationship where originating bank serviced the note over its lifetime regardless of whether or not they assigned the payments to a third party. The bank required sufficient collateral, and approved loans based upon impartial assessments and realistic criteria of ability to repay. Buildings and land are almost always taxed, so the vast majority of our communities maintain databases for ad valorem taxes. Why not use the assessments set by the local municipalities to fairly re-set housing prices?
Set 120% of local government's assessed market value at 12/31/2003 as a national benchmark. That year was at the end of a mild recession, but before bubbles reached a fever pitch. Our currency has been devalued by about 20% in the years since if we use the Social Security Administration's cost of living adjustments, so a 120% adjustment of that figure should be close to a present "fair market" standard value. Set a standard "2009 starting price" for ALL of our nation's property, and adjust each and every mortgage to no more than that value. Let's call this number the 2003 Do-Over or TTDO.
Each and every mortgage note currently outstanding should be examined for principal balance at 12/31/08, and that balance compared to the TTDO. The principal amount due for every lien against each piece of property on the books should be reported to the appropriate authority electronically as of 12/31/08. Any liens that don't report at least a $0.00 balance will be wiped from the city or county records and the bank or holder of record loses any future claim on the property. Mandate that each and every bank write off 60% of any excess principal that they imprudently agreed to underwrite.
Then allow a three-to-six month period where any party to the note may renegotiate its terms, allowing market forces to prevail. If the two parties do not renegotiate the note, it will be paid in full years earlier than the original terms and the holder must so notify the borrower.
Capitalism thrives when buyers and sellers have equal power, so having many medium-to-small banks should be much preferred over a few large ones. Having one standard to judge the outstanding mortgages would allow us to get rid of the banks who abandoned prudence and have been insolvent everywhere but on paper.
How do we pay for this? The federal government will subsidize $20 per property tax bill to each municipality to cover the cost of generating and mailing a TTDO statement to each property owner and lien-holder of record. Reward each bank or S&L who physically holds the note with a one-time tax credit of $20 per mortgage (maybe this will encourage some banks to buy back their own loans). Other holders in due course are on their own as this is a cost of doing business in an unregulated area. The main federal government bailout during this crisis should be to freeze tax rates at current levels while mandating changing the base to the 2003 Do
The cost should be borne by the financial markets that created the problem (a tax credit of $20 per mortgage held should cover it to avoid penalizing the innocent).
Those uninvolved in imprudent acts will see no change at all to their notes and/or home equity lines. Most homes will decrease in value on paper to a firm amount that has been verified; very few innocent people would suffer any real effects. Those who speculated will be upside-down on their mortgage, but they won
Mandate a tax rate moratorium for two years. If the rates stay constant and the assessments are re-set, local revenue will decrease. The front line of the federal government response to the crisis will be to lower all property taxes and to subsidize the difference between the gross tax revenues received in by the municipalities under the lower assessment level. Rather than being a top-down solution, the bailouts will be spent at the local level to maintain essential public services and where there should be better control and auditing at work.
If property taxes decrease significantly for two years, rents can fall more quickly for vacant properties as this has a windfall effect, encouraging all landlords to either leave rents at current levels or to decrease them as they expire to retain tenants.
Void the AIG contracts against these fraudulent assets based on deceit and used to obscure the underlying values; require AIG to refund 85% of all premiums paid over the past five years on such contracts.
At least some of these ideas would work an awful lot better than most of the garbage that I've seen and heard proposed over the last three months. Would somebody please just start doing something that will ameliorate this crisis? Please?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Up to about 2003, Lou Dobb's show on CNN was one of my favorites; however, his isolationist and bigoted attitudes became highly offensive to the point where I could no longer watch the show but followed it only in the printed media. His views contradict my religious beliefs.
I'm a devout Roman Catholic, and our bishops have repeatedly stated that each person has a basic human right to migrate, especially in the case where they are seeking to support themselves or their families.
I'm a devout Roman Catholic, and our bishops have repeatedly stated that each person has a basic human right to migrate, especially in the case where they are seeking to support themselves or their families.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Update: Voting One's Conscience isn't a Mortal Sin
The Diocese of Charleston repudiated the priest who claimed that the mere act of voting Democratic was a mortal sin by posting a video and .pdf statement on their website at http://www.catholic-doc.org/
Friday, November 14, 2008
AP: Priest in SC denies communion
http://tinyurl.com/5felxs
U.S. Catholic Bishops have specifically addressed the issue of worthiness to receive communion: “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, Copyright © 2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Canon Law is explicit: CIC, c. 912: “Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion.” Prohibited by canon law means (a) excommunicated (and there is a specific procedure for so doing that does NOT consist in a priest's "because I say so") or (2) in a state of mortal sin. In the latter case, the onus is on the communicant and not on the minister.
So, the issue becomes whether or not the act of casting a vote for one political party over another can be a mortal sin. Some Bishops also claim that Catholics are in a state of mortal sin simply by refusing to vote as they are ordered, i.e. that they are "Acting in serious disobedience against proper authority" when they refuse to support a politician who advocates overturning Roe vs Wade over one who doesn't. Another argument rests on the idea of scandal, i.e. that removing legal penalties for a behavior condones it.
Why is one mortal sin a "litmus test" when another one is not? The same position paper quoted above condemns such mortal sins slandering the good name of another and racism. Is it valid to claim that those supporting Sarah Palin, who was manifestly complicit in both these mortal sins and persistently bearing false witness, should be similarly condemned despite her pro-life stance?
Had this priest confessed those he "suspects" and refused them absolution, he may have legitimate reason to refuse them communion. Should he refuse parishioners Eucharist without such knowledge, isn't he the one who violates Canon Law? Isn't he in a much more grave position in his relationship with Christ and the Church than those he condemns?
Some Catholic voters who voted Democratic, including me, believe that a political agenda that violates every tenet of Catholic policy but gives lip service to our position on abortion is the greater abomination. I thought that a GOP vote was an intrinsically evil act of cooperation with sinful behavior. The Bishops should recall the parable of the "disobedient" son who does the will of his Father vs the one who says "yes" with his lips and willingly disobeys in fact.
By their fruits shall you know the false prophets from the true, and boy do we have a lot of rotten fruit to eat...
U.S. Catholic Bishops have specifically addressed the issue of worthiness to receive communion: “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, Copyright © 2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Canon Law is explicit: CIC, c. 912: “Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion.” Prohibited by canon law means (a) excommunicated (and there is a specific procedure for so doing that does NOT consist in a priest's "because I say so") or (2) in a state of mortal sin. In the latter case, the onus is on the communicant and not on the minister.
So, the issue becomes whether or not the act of casting a vote for one political party over another can be a mortal sin. Some Bishops also claim that Catholics are in a state of mortal sin simply by refusing to vote as they are ordered, i.e. that they are "Acting in serious disobedience against proper authority" when they refuse to support a politician who advocates overturning Roe vs Wade over one who doesn't. Another argument rests on the idea of scandal, i.e. that removing legal penalties for a behavior condones it.
Why is one mortal sin a "litmus test" when another one is not? The same position paper quoted above condemns such mortal sins slandering the good name of another and racism. Is it valid to claim that those supporting Sarah Palin, who was manifestly complicit in both these mortal sins and persistently bearing false witness, should be similarly condemned despite her pro-life stance?
Had this priest confessed those he "suspects" and refused them absolution, he may have legitimate reason to refuse them communion. Should he refuse parishioners Eucharist without such knowledge, isn't he the one who violates Canon Law? Isn't he in a much more grave position in his relationship with Christ and the Church than those he condemns?
Some Catholic voters who voted Democratic, including me, believe that a political agenda that violates every tenet of Catholic policy but gives lip service to our position on abortion is the greater abomination. I thought that a GOP vote was an intrinsically evil act of cooperation with sinful behavior. The Bishops should recall the parable of the "disobedient" son who does the will of his Father vs the one who says "yes" with his lips and willingly disobeys in fact.
By their fruits shall you know the false prophets from the true, and boy do we have a lot of rotten fruit to eat...
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Stop GOP Obstructionists: Bi-Partisanship Starts At Home
I watched C-Span a lot over the summer, and the hypocrisy of the GOP's actions really started to get to me. My impression was that they were deliberately throwing monkey wrenches into the legislative process in order to condemn the failure of the legislative process. Were they breaking government by the people in order to keep it permanently broken?
Just out of curiosity, I went to the Thomas.gov archive for Congress. I researched how often the term "cloture on the motion" appeared in the record when the Dems were in the minority vs when the Reps were.
YEAR No. of times cloture invoked
2000 32
2001 26
2002 20
2003 20
2004 67
2005 20
LOOK AT THIS!
2006 86 <---start of the Democratic majority
2007 124
2008 138 <--as of 8/28/08
Sure enough, the GOP's abuse of the government was atrocious. We should all give a sigh of relief if the Dems can achieve a filibuster-proof majority.
Just out of curiosity, I went to the Thomas.gov archive for Congress. I researched how often the term "cloture on the motion" appeared in the record when the Dems were in the minority vs when the Reps were.
YEAR No. of times cloture invoked
2000 32
2001 26
2002 20
2003 20
2004 67
2005 20
LOOK AT THIS!
2006 86 <---start of the Democratic majority
2007 124
2008 138 <--as of 8/28/08
Sure enough, the GOP's abuse of the government was atrocious. We should all give a sigh of relief if the Dems can achieve a filibuster-proof majority.
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I've been very ashamed that prominent so-called Catholics like Pat Buchanon and Bill O'Reilly have completely disregarded and/or contradicted our Church's teaching in these matters. Those on the political right wing are the worst "cafeteria Catholics" of all!
Our USA Catholic Bishop's website on the issue: http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/
The Pontifical Council on Migrants and Itinerant Peoples of the Holy See (Vatican Curia office)can be found at: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_...