Among principles he commends, as enumerated by Rev. Thomas Reese SJ in Natl Catholic Reporter, is this, which tips his hand:

4. Adequate revenue for the sake of the common good.

Unlike many Republicans, the Catholic bishops do not see government as the enemy, but as the way by which citizens unite for the common good. Again, quoting from “Economic Justice for All,” the bishop writes, “the tax system should raise adequate revenues to pay for the public needs of society, especially to meet the basic needs of the poor.”

The bishop is no Reagan Democrat, or Reagan anything in this matter. He does not find with Reagan that “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help” are the “the nine most terrifying words in the English language.”

Nor is he one with Catholic laywoman, of Catholic Worker fame, Dorothy Day, who referred with poignant irony to “holy mother the state,” taking over the care of the poor.

It’s just something to keep in mind when a Catholic bishop gives advice in such matters.

​Say it isn’t so, John and Jane Doe, reporters!

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In U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Fusion GPS, the dossier’s financier via the Democratic Party and the Hillary Clinton campaign money, is fighting a House committee chairman’s bid to find out if the opposition research firm paid journalists

In U.S. District Court in Florida, a self-described dossier victim wants a judge to order the news website BuzzFeed, which published the dossier in full, to disclose who gave it to them.

The cases underscore how a Moscow-sourced memorandum created as opposition research against Donald Trump in the presidential campaign last year often dictates the debate about politics and reporters’ rights in Washington​.

​Another case of those Democrats following up to get at the truth, whatever the cost. Just kidding!

​The disruptor:​

​A year into the Trump era, President Trump is living up to his advance billing as a “black swan” event for American politics — disrupting everything he touches.

He has opened divisions and brought chaos to both parties, and the turmoil is not going to abate with the midterm election next year, no matter what the result.

The GOP may never be the same, while a lurch further to the populist left by Democrats might be a formula for additional electoral disaster. The culture wars have gone thermonuclear, with institutions such as the NFL suddenly embroiled in heightened political controversy.​

​His timing was excellent.

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In assessing Trump’s prospects, let’s keep in mind that Trump’s personal approval rating on election day was nearly as negative. Last year, Americans voted for someone they didn’t much like, reflecting the even greater dislike of Hillary Clinton and the desire for a change of direction in Washington. Change is what we got.​

​If there were never-Trumpers, there were also never-Hillary’s.​

​Signal your virtue to your think-alikes, and it’s all right — whatever it is.​

​Our elites care more about what their peers think of them than about what they’re supposed to be doing. No wonder so many institutions are failing.

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Even David Brooks is admitting it: “Our elites really do stink.” And he’s right. But why? In part because they’re inbred, and care too much about each other’s opinions.

​Take newspapers etc. Lemmings.

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​The irrepressible Cafe Hayek man makes his point:

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When Beijing subsidizes Chinese exports or tariffs Chinese imports (or both) it does indeed tilt the playing field. But it tilts that field in favor of Americans (and others who who buy Chinese exports) and against its own citizens.

These interventions by Beijing raise our real incomes: our dollars buy more from China. And any resulting job losses in America mean that resources are released to produce goods and services here that were previously too costly to produce.

Whenever a trading partner insists on giving you more for your money, you are made better off. This fact isn’t altered if your trading partner happens to live abroad.​

​This his main argument vs. Trump, and my only one.

He’s no Pete Rozelle, who pushed Americanism, and that should be the end of it.​