Here’s one of his “five most radical statements about capitalism and poverty”:

Capitalism Is Idolatry

In an open letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron on the eve of the G-8 Summit, Pope Francis called capitalism a new form of idolatry, saying the money should serve humanity, not lead it.

“The goal of economics and politics is to serve humanity, beginning with the poorest and most vulnerable wherever they may be, even in their mothers’ wombs. Every economic and political theory or action must set about providing each inhabitant of the planet with the minimum wherewithal to live in dignity and freedom, with the possibility of supporting a family, educating children, praising God and developing one’s own human potential.”

“We have created new idols. The worship of the golden calf of old has found a new and heartless image in the cult of money and the dictatorship of an economy which is faceless and lacking any truly humane goal.”

He has a way with words. Pretty rich stuff.

He launches “a salvo against global capitalism,” recommending we Catholics say “‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality.” 　

Our current economic system is “unjust at its roots,” in that it “defend(s) the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation.” Such a system, he warned, is creating a “new tyranny,” which “unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules.”　

Hes looking more to market than state as worriesome thing, says a theology teacher:

“Benedict seemed to aim his critique at state and market alike, whereas Francis seems to move the ball considerably in the direction of the idea that the market has far more powerthe power to do good for humanity as well as to dehumanizethan the state,” said Chad Pecknold, assistant professor of theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington.

Nothing he said as quoted in news accounts demonstrates any worry about overreaching government. Dorothy Day, of Catholic Worker fame, a onetime Communist with anarchist leanings, spoke mockingly of “holy mother the state.” Maybe Francis, who has shown an affinity with her, might lean more in that direction.

He has an opinion about market effect which constitutes papal overreach shockingly:

. . . 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.

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.

Spoken with authority embarrassingly so.

. . . and the enemy is us — free-market capitalists with hearts of stone.

In case there was any doubt left, Pope Francis made it clear that he shares little in common with U.S. conservatives.

The pontiff released his Evangelii Gaudium, or Joy of the Gospel, attacking capitalism as a form of tyranny and calling on church and political leaders to address the needs of the poor.

As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the worlds problems or, for that matter, to any problems, the pope said in the 224-page document that essentially serves as his official platform.

The good news is, he did not endorse liberal democrats by name. “Pope endorses Hillary!” What a headline that would make. Or “ObamaCare the cat’s meow, says Pope.” He did have ideas about campaign slogans, however:

Denying this was simple populism, he called for action “beyond a simple welfare mentality” and added: “I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor.”

Hey, for “genuinely disturbed” politicians, consult the campaign platforms the world over, no one more than Marxists’.

But to judge by news accounts, not a word about political corruption, vote-stealing, and state-run economies that favor the connected. Too bad. He can’t hit all the world’s evils in one swoop.

— Must apologize profusely. Discovering the blankness of this post almost immediately, I immediately also had a virtual browser crash and had to attack the slow-down mechanism with a program. Then I went to the Y for a dip. Then I got back here to supply something. Sorry . . . —

What should have been here:

Have they no shame??!!

From my friends Democrats 2014, by e-blast:

We just wanted to take a minute to say thanks, Jim.

Just since last week, when we told you about the Republican playbook brimming with marching orders against the Affordable Care Act, 9,000 of you have stepped up! That’s exactly the type of grassroots boost we needed to fight Republican smears with the facts. As a show of our appreciation, we wanted to make sure you get a free Obamacare bumper sticker!

Click here to get your FREE Obamacare sticker >>

Get one for yourself — or, if you already have one, get one as a stocking stuffer for the holidays.

Thanks again for everything you do!

No problem.

Drug-law enforcement.

WHAT WON’T THEY FIGHT FOR?

Their Catholic identity?

Paddy bar the door.

For 224 years it protected the rights of the minority party.

But yesterday, Senate Democrats killed it.

They didn’t reform the filibuster. They vaporized it.

The message is clear: Obama and Senate Democrats will soon open the floodgates and jam the federal courts and executive agencies with as many radical anti-life and anti-family [and
freedom-busting, federal bank-breaking] appointments as possible. [added]

Left-wing radicals are growing impatient and many are now worried. With Obama’s approval ratings plummeting to record lows of 40%, their agenda is in jeopardy.

So it is not surprising they pushed for this extraordinary step of changing the Senate rules. And I suspect they aren’t done yet.

On to 2014 and “the battle for the Senate.”

(I love this statement, obviously; but Brian at Catholic Vote, “2014 has all the markings of a title wave“? Please.)

The bishop explains:

“Our diocesan Department of Education worked diligently several years ago to create comprehensive academic standards. Their hard work, coupled with our faith integration model, provides our students with an exceptional academic education and formation in their faith.”

He stressed the need to “support what we have created,” while striving to improve the existing curriculum with the “best ideas available.”

Bishop Ricken noted that he hopes that the Common Core State Standards, which were created for the public schools, will help the local public school system improve. . . . ” [boldface
added]

Wishing the best for public schools, he notes the difference. The Catholic schools are quite different places.

– See more here.

Begin with Sen. Durbin of Illinois, advises Dennis Byrne in Chi Trib:

President Barack Obama isn’t the only politician who falsely promised that Americans could keep their health insurance under Obamacare.

Illinois’ very own Dick Durbin, the second most powerful Democrat in the U.S. Senate, adamantly and without qualification made the same promise in 2009 when the Affordable Care Act was being debated in the Senate.

Durbin was so vehement, so absolutely dismissive of any opposing view, that he could have been speaking with papal infallibility. He smugly intoned:

Etc. Read on. You will find no better an encapsulation of administration, shall we say buffoonery, and the witches’ brew that is our president’s trademark achievement.