Archive for May 29, 2009

You know I read Krauthammer today…

Posted: May 29, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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…and I guess on Morning Joe they were reading a different column.

I didn’t see anything attacking Rush or Newt but the way the morning Joe crowd was talking you would have thought it was a shot across the bow attacking them.

You can certainly make the case that since the odds of blocking this appointment are slim we should save our powder for when it matters but I think that apathy and concession breeds apathy and concession.

Charles is trying to elevate the debate, he makes points but it seems to me he is choosing to be Captain America bringing a shield to a sword fight. In case you forgot here is what happens when you do:

What happens when you come to a swordfight without a sword.

What happens when you come to a swordfight without a sword.

This president is a Chicago Pol, the democratic party is one big Chicago Machine in the way it works. The right way to handle it is the Chicago way.

If we are going to uphold what we believe is right we have to be willing to fight. As one of my favorite presidents (a democrat) said: A public office is a public trust. If a person doesn’t meet that standard we need to fight it out. I can’t find the clip but the operative quote here is from the liberal movie The American President:

A. J. MacInerney: Oh, you only fight the fights you can win? You fight the fights that need fighting!

This fight needs fighting.

A Cutie we can do without.

Posted: May 29, 2009 by datechguy in catholic
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If you read this blog at all you might guess that I’m not all torn up about losing Fr. Cutie to the Anglican Communion:

A popular U.S. Roman Catholic priest photographed frolicking with a woman on a Florida beach announced on Thursday he had joined the Episcopal Church to pursue the priesthood in a faith that allows married clergy.

The word that comes to my mind is addition by subtraction. We had a situation like this in my Parish, a very nice priest wanted to leave the priesthood to get married, he struggled with this and talked to the diocese and eventually left the priesthood and got married but remains in the church. To me that is still really bad; but he remained in the church worked through the diocese when he left and with confession is forgiven and is a Catholic in good standing and is bringing his family up Catholic.

There is an interesting contrast here as well. The Archbishop of Miami (via the Curt Jester) touches on it during his pastoral letter on the subject:

I must also express my sincere disappointment with how Bishop Leo Frade of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida has handled this situation. Bishop Frade has never spoken to me about his position on this delicate matter or what actions he was contemplating. I have only heard from him through the local media. This truly is a serious setback for ecumenical relations and cooperation between us. The Archdiocese of Miami has never made a public display when for doctrinal reasons Episcopal priests have joined the Catholic Church and sought ordination. In fact, to do so would violate the principles of the Catholic Church governing ecumenical relations. I regret that Bishop Frade has not afforded me or the Catholic community the same courtesy and respect. (emphasis mine)

Without meaning to the Bishop hits on something. Over and over when I read about Anglican priests becoming Catholic we hear about the study of doctrine and the conclusion that the Church is true and right. On the other side we hear the I wants. The church doesn’t allow something that the person whats or objects to a sin that the person does, so they find a different church.

One group looks for truth and goes toward it, the other has sin and wants justification to allow it.

This is why Fr. Cutie is pathetic. He will be celebrated for his failure and will lead people away from truth for his own desires. It’s a sad thing but it’s on him and he has the rest of his life to repent…

…after that he’s on his own.

Why do Republicans get all the attention?

Posted: May 29, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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It’s Republicans Republicans Republicans

I’m listening to Morning Joe today and the talk is all about the troubles of the republican party.

Limbaugh this, Cheney that, what would MSNBC talk about without them? Is it just me but if this was a national sports cast it would be talking all about the Baltimore Orioles.

As a rule for national sports casts you focus on the stars and the teams that are relevant. The teams that are winning. The republicans have a vast minority in the House, the democrats have a fillerbuster proof majority in the Senate. They have all the cards, yet the only talk is about Republicans…

…the sad truth is if they had to talk about democrats it would be a story of mismanagement and failure in Government since the start of the administration, failure on the economic and the defense side and about backing away from campaign promises.

So the story HAS to be about the republicans, that way it can be a story of political success for democrats. It’s the only success this administration can muster.