Mark Ambinder highlights some interesting new data from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown. It shows that 60 percent of American Catholics support the Democratic party, or lean toward the Democratic party, while 36 percent support or lean toward the Republican party. Stripping out Hispanics changes the numbers only marginally: 57-40. This marks a distinct change from 2004, as Republican support has fallen a full 10 percentage points. (more…) Read more
Previous in Series: “Rational” Racism So far all of our attempts to pick out the specific intent or motivation that make an individual act racist have failed. But perhaps we have been looking in the wrong place. Perhaps, as the example of the restaurant owner might indicate, our thinking about racism should concentrate not so much on the intent of an action and as on its effect, and even there not so much on the individual instance but on wider... Read more
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings’ houses. Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,... Read more
Peter Steinfels wrote an interesting columna few days in which he revealed that Karl Rove is set to be the featured speaker at the National Right to Life Committee’s annual convention (Hat tip: Grant Gallicho.) Steinfels asks: “Is it politically naïve to be surprised that the nation’s leading anti-abortion organization, which describes itself as nonpartisan, would make the star of its election-year convention the embodiment of the Bush administration’s politics at their most calculating and hard-hitting?” (more…) Read more
Previous in Series: Racism without Race? Start with a question that at first glance may seem far removed from matters of race and racism: why do teenagers pay higher rates for car insurance than do other drivers? The answer, obviously, is that they have a higher rate of accidents. Note, though, that a particular teenager will still be a higher rate even if he happens to be an excellent driver and will never get into an accident. Why? Because while... Read more
While researching about tax proposals by each candidate, I came across the Tax Policy Center by the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution. I have only glanced through it for a couple of hours and they seem to have very helpful information. If you are like me and you prefer to see charts and tables rather than text when it comes down to numbers, then this seems to be a good resource. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the Obama and... Read more
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 A Turn of Events The month of January saw little progress for the work of the Fathers. The schemata on faith and discipline had been so dissected that the deputations were forced to not only revise it, but completely rewrite it in light of the hundreds of amendments proposed by the Fathers. It had become clear that some sort of revision to the rules of procedure was needed to maintain a certain level of... Read more
Today is the feast day of St. Thomas More, the patron saint of lawyers and politicians. More was that rarest of all creatures, an honest lawyer and politician. He also got his head cut off, which goes to show what that sort of thing will bring you. I’ve long thought that the example of St. Thomas More was, or at any rate ought to be, of particular relevance to judges. Under our system of government judges are called upon to... Read more
Laura Bush defended Michelle Obama from those silly charges of not being patriotic. Mike Huckabee told Republicans to stop “demonizing” Barack Obama. Cindy McCain thinks wives should be off limits, and that Michelle Obama is a “fine woman. She’s a good mother. We both are in an interesting line of work right now.” Run a respectable campaign, GOP, not a tabloid. Maybe some Catholics should cease promoting propaganda and advocating absurdity by returning to responsible and reality-based political commentary. Criticism... Read more
This upcoming Wednesday, after nine years of being a resident alien, I will become a United States citizen. I have been waiting for this time for so long. It is hard to express in words the great joy that I feel right now. At the same time, I do feel a great deal of nostalgia that leads me to reflect on this important step in my life. It means more than just a U.S. passport: for the first time in... Read more
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