He’s a globalist with a program.

In a nutshell, the pope believes that to do greater justice to the poor, the entire architecture of the global economic system has to be rethought. He also believes powerful forces stand in the way of that happening.

In his recent encyclical letter on the environment, Francis takes several swipes at what he describes variously as “interests” and “powers” that prop up an unjust, and unsustainable, status quo. Though he never quite specifies who the villains are, it’s clear he doesn’t believe the global system can be relied upon to reform itself.

Instead, he believes the developing world must find new ways to assert itself, to stand up in defense of the planet’s impoverished masses. Francis also realizes he’s in a unique position to move the ball on that agenda in his own backyard.

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a pope, wasn’t he? Fuzzy notions, exaggerated…

It’s why he was elected, says R. Andrew Chesnut, Chaired Professor of Religious Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University:

Pope Francis was elected pope to reverse monumental Catholic decline in a region that is home to 40 percent of the world’s Catholics. The only way to do this is to target those sectors of the population who have most defected to the Pentecostal competition, the poor, Indigenous peoples, youth, women and prisoners. Whether or not the overwhelming popular enthusiasm shown for the Argentine pope in the three South American nations will translate into more parishioners in Latin American pews remains an open question.

Well, this makes him a traveling salesman to beat all, crafty and a trifle unscrupulous.

Anyhow, he wasn’t elected to shoot down free-market capitalism? I’ll be darned.

Pope Francis finds it hard to be offended by a left-wing dictator. Of course.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis says he wasn’t offended by the “Communist crucifix” given to him by Bolivian President Evo Morales during his South American pilgrimage.

Morales surprised the pontiff with the unusual gift, a crucifix attached to a hammer and sickle, when Francis arrived in La Paz on Wednesday

It’s his leaning. The offenders have just leaned too far. Strayed from the path. Lost sheep.

Free marketers? Not so much.