And Charlie Pierce is loving it:
In case you missed the latest from Pope Central — every Republican politician, every conservative economist, and every wingnut pundit of the past 30 years either already is in H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks, or is on the way down the greasy slope in that general direction. Pope Krugman speaks.
“In this context, some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world,” he said. “This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting.”
“Trickle-down.” The SOB actually used the phrase? In an official document? Classic. Faith in markets has “never been confirmed by facts”? Okay, right off the top, any time this guy wants space on the blog, it’s his. I keep waiting for him to give me the Latin for “zombie-eyed granny starver.”
“Crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power”? Neil Cavuto just had a stroke.
I know, I know. St. James. “Faith without works” and all. (And the ideas on abortion in the same document are tough and ought not to be enshrined in law.) But one thing to remember is that the Church is still producing seminarians, and the new ones are going to be trained in obedience to this guy’s ideas. That was how we wound up with a great generation of progressive priests during and after Vatican II. The problem came when John Paul II, a theological reactionary, got elected and spent more than two decades rolling back the achievements of those priests, particularly in the oligarchical tyrannies of places like Central America. Popes can transform the Church without noisily transforming its doctrines. We can hope (and pray, if you’re so inclined) that historical precedent is not ironclad.That may not seem like much, all things considered, but I hope Paul Ryan, good Catholic boy, has made his nine First Fridays because this is a papacy with his name on it.
Here’s some other good news for Thanksgiving…..and some bad. 1) The price of crude oil has fallen by $6.00+ a barrel since the deal with Iran was signed. Looks like those sanctions not only hurt Iran but were hurting us at the pump as well. 2) The CIA spymaster in Pakistan was outed last week. He’s the guy who runs the drone program in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and elsewhere. They want this guy charged with murder. 3) Kerry is off to Israel next week to set Netanyahu straight. Either get on board with Obama’s Iran deal or go it alone. Also get your ass in gear and get something worked out with the Palestinians. Kerry has accomplished more in his first year in office than Clinton did in her four years. Guess that’s the difference between someone trying to do good and someone trying to become the next president. ******Now for some bad news.***** 4) In Thailand the 1% backed by the military is trying to pull an Egypt. A populist, democratic president is being hounded out of office by a small group of undemocratic elitists who are marching in the streets. Let’s hope that she isn’t arrested on some phoney charges. 5) We come now to the bloody military dictatorship in Egypt. Among their latest atrocities can be counted the arrest, torture, and imprisonment of 21 women for the crime of demonstrating against the military coup that ousted the elected president Morsi. AND the cutoff of fuel to Gaza which has shutdown its only sewage treatment plant and will soon close down its hospitals. Apparently these bloodsucking vampires will sicken, kill, arrest and torture whomever they choose. Happy Thanksgiving.
Let me try:
Qui oculis mortui viventis habentibus avia fame enecat