I've moved!

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Please check-out my new blog, Profoundly Catholic. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be here, so I hope you'll move over with me. :)

Two simple political rules

Reading this political candidate's bigoted comment about her rival, a Catholic father of a large family, put me in mind of two simple political rules of thumb I've heard and used well in the poll booth over the years:

1. The best candidate is both moral and intelligent, but lacking such a candidate, it is far better to elect a moron who is moral than a genius who is immoral.

After all, immoral leaders do evil, which is far more harmful than almost any foolish thing a moron can do. Furthermore, ignorance can be easily cured with education and experience, but immorality requires a much more radical cure: conversion. Similarly, Winston Churchill has been popularly quoted as replying to a woman who accused him of being drunk: "Madam, you're ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober!"

2. (An adage that I have yet to see properly attributed:) "If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it."

A busy person is often used to getting things done more-or-less efficiently and is less likely to meddle in what is not his business. Bored/lazy people have plenty of time to mess-around in others' lives -- and little good to show for it.

So, when I vote in November, I'll be looking for the pro-life/pro-family (moral) candidate who has the best policy ideas, and the one who has shown that he gets things done. Sadly, in the current political climate here in California, most candidates can't even make it across the moral threshold, so I'm often rendered a one-issue voter. That's fine with me, though; if a candidate won't even support the right upon which all other rights are based -- the right to life -- than he is both too immoral and too foolish to properly handle any other issue facing us.

Gut check

On my (inevitable) death bed, what will I treasure and enjoy the company of more:

a lucrative and prominent career, or a game/hobby, or my time online -- or a fab body -- or whatever I chose to put first in my daily life

OR the people (God, family, and friends) I loved first and foremost every day?

Not every good interest can be the top priority.

Health care: the most important thing and politics

Beyond the non-stop health care "news" (much of which is conflicting and confusing), I'd like to link to a brief selection of the best of today's least-talked-about -- but important -- reflections:

• The Anchoress reminds us of the usefulness -- and proper focus -- of our prayers:

Got this from reader Alexandra, and thought it was such incredibly simple (but profound) advice, that I had to share it. It really humbled and instructed me:

. . .when the Bush-Gore recount battle was going on, I asked my parish priest, a very wise man who loves Christ, how to discern God’s will. I wasn’t asking so much for his opinion on the politics of the day but when I am in one of these political battles and a religious person, can I discern God’s will in the course of trying to decide whether I should write letters, call my Congressperson, or whatever?

His simple answer was “God’s will will always be for the salvation of the individual involved.”

So I try every day now to pray for the salvation of the president, all members of Congress, and the American people. I cast my cares upon the Lord.

We are in a deeper battle here, which you well know . . . I also think in the end this all has to do with the salvation of souls, including the souls of our president and these politicians who deign to rule over the rest of us. I think we who believe must hold fast to Christ, the True Center, and bring as many along with us as possible.

• Creative Minority Report has a sobering, but realistic take on today's vote:

I fear that ominous signs indicate a likely terrible defeat for us today. The Politico reports some disturbing news:

THE ATMOSPHERE: The difference between today and November’s vote is stark. On the night before the House vote last fall, the Speaker's office was a beehive of activity. Last night, the speaker was gone by 9 p.m. and most of her staff seemed to filter out within the hour. And the Capitol itself was surprisingly quiet. Even most reporters had gone home...

ABORTION: Anti-abortion Democrats met with White House officials last night on how to word an executive order by Obama that will satisfy their concerns. Leadership needs to peel off some of those lawmakers to get to 216.

...

The major pro-life organizations have all made it clear that an Executive Order can't negate the bill, as pointed out by Kathryn Lopez. Anyone who supports this bill CANNOT be supported by pro-lifers in coming elections.

• Father Z discusses the culpability of those who call themselves Catholic while undermining Church teaching and ministry, and how the "Last Things" will touch each one of us. (Both posts are too short and simple to excerpt here.)
  

• On a related note, even Thomas Jefferson said: "To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." (posted by a Facebook friend)

• American Principles Project has some of the most helpful liveblogging.

Finally, as I posted earlier on Facebook: Watching CSPAN/Fox/CNN today is like watching a wreck in very, very slow motion. So, I'm trying to turn it off and pray instead -- far more useful, plus the kids seem to enjoy Little Bear reruns on Nick Jr. more than politics. Are these really MY kids?! :)

This weekend, my family is attending Sunday evening Mass. It looks like 5:30 Pacific time might be right about the time the final vote takes place. I know what my intention for Mass will be. Miracles still happen!

Celebrate St. Patrick today!

Happy St. Paddy's Day and, most importantly, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What I mean by this is that sometimes, amidst all the St. Patty's Day partying (which is generally fine, of course), we forget that today is chiefly the memorial of a saint, Patrick.

So, perhaps before we start-in on the green beer and corned beef and cabbage, we can honor this saint by thanking him for his holy example and intercession, and by trying our best to imitate him, particularly his manifest forgiveness and love towards those who enslaved him. Here's a much more detailed biography.

Briefly put, when he was young, Patrick was kidnapped from what is now England and taken as a slave to Ireland. He eventually escaped and, rather than seeking revenge or avoiding Ireland altogether, he chose to return and -- with great difficulty -- try to help the pagans there find their way into Christ's Church.

Maybe today would be a good day for all of us to pray blessings on our enemies, to pray for the grace to forgive them, and if possible, show love to them in a practical way.

Warning: Abortion "sidecar" to health care is a ploy!

Does anyone really think that once the House passes the Senate's disastrous health care bill, immediately followed by President Obama signing it into law, the pro-life "sidecar" bill will ever even be considered by Congress, let alone passed by both houses and signed by the president?!

It would be the scam of all time if House members were talked into going first and voting for the Senate bill “to keep the process moving” toward passage of a reconciliation package, only to find that they have put Obamacare over the finish line with no guarantee of any changes. If the House passes legislation identical to the Senate bill, the president will surely sign it, and it will become law. That means House Democrats will have voted for a bill that clearly allows federal funding for abortion, which the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops solidly opposes. Any promises that this would be fixed later on won’t be worth the paper they might, or might not, be written on.
...

When all of the pro-abortion provisions are considered in total, the Senate bill is the most pro-abortion single piece of legislation that has ever come to the House floor for a vote...

The House could vote anytime on the Senate bill...

[Read the full story: Dangerous Negotiations Over Abortion]

Let's not fall for the ploy; rather Congress must pass major amendments to the Senate bill itself or -- even better -- scrap it to begin a new bill that really reforms health care!

The health care bill now: an excellent brief summary

Thom Peters at American Papist has one of the best brief summaries of the current situation for the health care bill that I've yet seen. Here are some key excerpts, but it is well worth reading the entire post:

No chance for pro-life healthcare this time around

Pundits continue to claim that this is a fight between Democrats and Republicans. It isn’t. This is a fight between Democrats and other Democrats within their own caucus, a fight between Democrats and the majority of Americans, and a fight between the Democrat leadership and the US Bishops.

How did we get here? The Democrat leadership burned the bishops and pro-life interests. Badly. From day one they attempted to sneak abortion funding into the bill, and they continually shot down every attempt to remove it, either from within their own caucus or when it was offered by Republicans.
...

All of this backstory and context is prelude to this point: when it comes to abortion funding, the cat is out of the bag, and the Democrat leadership is responsible for this sorry state of affairs. If they refuse to start over, the only health-care bill that can be passed at this point is a pro-abortion bill.
...

Indeed, because of the corner Democrats and the President have painted themselves into, they cannot give pro-lifers what they have been demanding without admitting to the public that for months, and months, time and time again, they were lying about what this bill really represents when it comes to the interests of the unborn.

A final word: I’m not declaring this legislation dead, by any means. But I’m declaring the possibility of this legislation becoming pro-life before final passage impossible, given the political landscape I have laid out.

Peters also shows how the health care bill does fund abortion in several different ways, despite Democrat claims to the contrary.

It also bears repeating that even if the abortion issue were to somehow be resolved satisfactorily, this bill would remain a disaster for our nation's health care system and economy, with the government mismanaging an already damaged medical system as it has the bailout, the tax code, disaster relief, terror policy and just about everything else it touches -- while adding trillions of dollars of debt.

I urge everyone to read and consider these points and pray for new and genuine health care reform!