I'm also experiencing a quantum shift in my political outlook. I'm
heading towards the ideology of the bleeding heart liberal, and I DON'T
LIKE IT. However, I'm finding the "every man for himself" type of philosophy more amd more diificult to reconcile with my faith, particularly in light of my recent profession. SO...
- I am renouncing my libertarian leanings and have left the
Libertarian Party. The unregulated, unfettered free market and the bungled attempt of our government to trust the mice with the cheese in the bailout has convinced me that there needs to be far more oversight, not less, of the financial markets.
- I'm still pro-life, but I take the seamless garment approach. Life is ALL life, not only pre-born life. Every person, from the unborn child to the convicted killer to 'collateral damage' in foreign wars, has inherent worth and dignity and right to life. These are HUMAN rights, not American rights.
- I continue tobelieve that the primary use of our Armed Forces is the defense of our country, not empire building or in pursuit of business interests. However, I believe it is proper to use our Armed Forces overseas to protect basic human rights, where human beings are dying of starvation, thirst, disease, and murder by corrupt governments.
- Every human person has the right to food and shelter.
- Every human person of age has the right to a living wage.
- I've become convinced that every person has a right to
basic healthcare.
- I've become convinced that every child under the age of 18
has a basic right to a world-class education.
- I'veI continue to believe that the "War on Drugs" is a gross
failure. Our society incarcerates more non-violent criminals than any western nation. The land of the free? Regulate the sale of drugs in a similar fashion to alcohol, and watch the street gangs dry up as quickly as the Mafia did when Prohibition ended.
Now, I've ridiculed the policies of FDR in the past as vast overreaching of governmental power. But his "Economic Bill of Rights" is making more and more sense to me. And in my considered opinion, these ideals are far more in line with a just and fair society. See below:
"...In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all-regardless of station, race, or creed. Among these are:
The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
The right to a good education.
All of these rights spell security...America's own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for all our citizens. For unless there is security here at home there cannot be lasting peace in the world."
Amen, Brother.
Again, I'm not happy to come to these realizations. Fire away, folks.
Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude
Daily Mass Readings
Ephesians 2:19-22
Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
Luke 6:12-16
