Couldn’t Help But Notice (052307)
A DC insider brought this column by Peter Ferrara at NRO to my attention. It’s very good, though the description of the current congressional majority’s plans isn’t.
You see, it’s becoming clear to everyone but the Congressional Budget Office that the federal budget will come into balance (as the government defines it — which is an entirely different discussion) during the next fiscal year if it’s just left on autopilot. Since a balanced budget would make a shambles of all the bogus claims that the Bush tax cuts wouldn’t increase revenues, would wreck the economy, blah blah blah, the majority is frantically trying to spend money as fast as it can:
Starting this fall, therefore, Democrats will be harping on a deficit which was rapidly falling toward extinction, but which they chose instead to sustain and perpetuate with excessive spending increases.
__________________________________________
Right Idea, Wrong Cure — Two prolife groups have called for the resignations the 18 congresspersons who published a letter objecting to the Pope’s reminder of the Catholic Church’s penalty for supporting abortion (i.e., excommunication):
But Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life told LifeNews.com that “Faithful Catholics, as well as those in the pro-life movement from every denomination, have had enough of this double-talk.”
“It is not possible to advance ‘respect for life and for the dignity of every human being’ while tolerating the dismemberment and decapitation of the human beings still in their mothers’ wombs,” he said.
“If they cannot muster the will to protect defenseless children, they should resign,” he said. “We don’t need public servants who can’t tell the difference between serving the public and killing the public.”
I’ll respectfully disagree. They need to be forced to stop pretending that they are members of the Catholic faith, and should be summarily excommunicated.
____________________________________________
Old Media is not carrying the report of a victory in a battle very far, by Confederate Yankee notes (HT Instapundit) — Guess it beats reporting that we lost, which is what might have happened if the Old Media didn’t know it has independent embeds and others looking over their shoulders.
_____________________________________
One thing that shouldn’t be in this sentence:
Avis Rent A Car System is offering customers a wireless Internet service to use in its rented cars, hotel rooms and other places a traveler might go.
The new Avis Connect service, priced at $10.95 per day, can transmit a Wi-Fi signal to multiple laptops and other mobile devices at the same time.
OK, unless there are passengers.
_____________________________________
In an article clearly designed to put globaloney skeptics and those who oppose killing embryos in the name of science in their place, USA Today recounts famous examples of supposedly misguided resistance to science. “Somehow,” they forgot to tell us that resistance has often been justified, including here.
_____________________________________
Getting paid $55 grand to give a speech on poverty (HT NewsBusters). Is this a great country or what?
Curious on the pro-life groups to Catholic politicians: Is there a similar letter for the death penalty to politician’s votes?
Comment by Cornfed — May 23, 2007 @ 10:05 am
#1, if you’re saying that the Catholic Church unequivocally opposes the death penalty in all cases, you would be incorrect.
The Church would prefer that it be very rare.
US Bishops are leaning on the idea that there are ways to guarantee public safety without resorting to it (life without parole), and that cap punishment is not necessary in the US. I am not alone among those lacking such confidence in the legal system, esp over the long-term.
Comment by TBlumer — May 23, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
Tom,
Thanks for addressing the fake Catholic politicians. I thought about blogging on the subject but couldn’t decide which angle to beat up. I can’t remember who said it but one blogger noted that the congresscritters seemed to be accusing the Pontiff of being unAmerican. As far as commenter #1, I hope he can understand there is a difference between society as a whole punishing someone guilty of murder and an individual killing an innocent child for being inconvenient.
Comment by largebill — May 23, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
LB, thank you…some folks have a problem discerning b/w apples & oranges. Kind of like the old anti-gun “we’re not pioneers anymore” argument. Doesn’t matter…we have a right to Life and a right to bear arms. Period, end of report.
Comment by Rose — May 23, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
I agree with Mr. Blumer: There are ways to guarantee public safety without resorting to it, i.e. to capital punishment; e.g. by life without parole. Therefore, cap punishment is not necessary in the US [besides, the appeals by cap punishment lawyers likely uses a disproportionate amount of court attention]. I similarly lack confidence in the legal system, esp over the long-term. Any system is imperfect. Since cap punishment is permanant, it is out of place in an imperfect system. Life in prison allows for a belated proof of innocence (or reasonable doubt) should be allowed for by the due process system; such as via technology (DNA, etc) or via dissipation of mob moods (The Fugitive).
By the way, I did not mean to imply anything about the abortion policy with comment #1. I was just curious if this was a single issue group — abortion politicians — or if they extended a ‘right to life’ issue theme across related issues. Thanks for the reply with Comment #2 info. Very helpful.
Comment by Cornfed — May 24, 2007 @ 11:26 am