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Bishops Should Reprimand Wayward Politicians

Posted by Mike on Saturday, November 28, 2009 1:17:31 PM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
Controversy has again erupted over the episcopal actions to admonish and instruct wayward Catholic politicians and statesmen. This benefits the people of America because our government has clearly overstepped its bounds in several vital areas.

The bishops' actions are intended to instruct and discipline Catholics, and to combat scandal caused by those in public office who publicly flaunt Church teaching. Of course, in many instances such public disapproval would have no effect or be counter-productive. It is therefore a question of prudence for each bishop to decide whether in a particular case, the matter should be handled privately, or whether a public slap on the wrist or other disciplinary action is in order.

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Status Quo? Don't You Guys Want Change?

Posted by Mike on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 4:03:54 PM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
The opposition to the Stupak amendment in Congress and in the Mainstream Media is now being portrayed as an attempt to preserve the status quo of the Hyde Amendment limitations. They conveniently ignore the fact that most Americans oppose government funded abortions, and that an explicit, overt prohibition on abortion funding is necessary in any health care bill to make circumvention of the funding prohibition punishable by law.

These liberals are playing politics with our lives. It is time to force them out of the closet. Do they want abortion funding or not? If not, why are they against putting a ban on funding in the bill? Americans don't care about the status quo. They only want to make sure that tax dollars are not used to pay for abortions, or to subsidize organizations or health care plans that provide abortions whether or not the actual payment for abortions comes out of federal funding.

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Is Right to Health Care in Constitution?

Posted by Mike on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 12:36:40 PM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states or to the people all rights not specifically enumerated. The Constitution gives Congress the express power of the purse. This means that only Congress has authority to decide how tax revenues are spent.

Whether or not required by the Tenth Amendment, prudence following the principle of subsidiarity would dictate that state and local governments should be in charge of health care. The primary responsibility rests with the individual and families. Government has an obligation to assist only where necessary.

Will liberals in Congress derail health care over abortion? Probably not. Sixty votes are only needed in the Senate to overcome a procedural obstacle, not to pass the legislation with or without inclusion of the Stupak amendment or similar pro-life language.

Will the Stupak amendment come back to haunt Senators and Representatives in the years ahead? We can expect a shift in the balance of power after 2010 and possibly a new administration in 2012. This is before health care reform gets off the ground. There is plenty of time to add explicit pro-life language at a later date. The Stupak amendment is at least a noble beginning.
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The Dangers of Jihadism

Posted by Mike on Saturday, November 14, 2009 1:53:39 PM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
The collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century seemed to many civilized Romans like the end of the world. The barbarians from the North and East were able to conquer Rome because of Rome's own internal contradictions and weaknesses.

A similar, though not identical, phenomena is happening today in regard to Western Europe and America. Islam is gradually becoming the dominant religion, and with it a foreign culture to replace the decadent culture of the West.

Corruption at all levels of government, abortion, pornography, financial fraud, all of these things and more are in need of correction. Rome's government toppled largely because of unsustainable military entanglements throughout the Empire, and because of the high cost of a lavish economy based upon slave labor. The barbarian influx proved in the long run to be the very thing that preserved classical learning and civilization.

Something similar is happening today. An arrogant secular state born out of the ashes of the French Revolution is becoming increasingly burdensome. Deficit spending and outrageously high taxes are causing opposition to government throughout the land. Amidst this chaos, Muslim jihadists see an opportunity to win acceptance of their belief system as the cultural norm, and for some fanatics the expectation of a quick ticket to paradise with an eternal reward of a plurality of virgins to make up for all of the disappointments, rejections and inadequacies of their earthly lives.

Could this be the beginning of another cultural transformation taking mankind to a higher level of development?

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Basic Health Care a Right for All

Posted by Mike on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1:17:17 PM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
Opposition to reasonable health care reform and support for legalized abortion are really two sides of the same coin. They both reject human solidarity. They both view life as a zero-sum game.

There can be no solidarity without deference to subsidiarity. All persons in society have a basic right to health care as a matter of social justice, which includes the corresponding responsibility of all to contribute in some way to the common good. Basic medical care should be provided first at the local level, and only receiving state assistance when the standard of care falls below normal. Capitalism tends to exalt personal choice above the common good, which is a form of libertarianism and leads to a decrease in the overall standard of care.

In actuality, there are two rights which are the subject of the debate. The first is the right to life, without which no other rights can be realized. This means that abortion is not legitimate health care because it denies human beings the fundamental right to life. Abortion and legitimate health care are polar opposites.

The second right that must be secured is the right of all to basic health care. Each individual who actively participates as a member of society has this right. This also includes immigrants here legally, but not immigrants here through subterfuge. Of course, local governments may nonetheless require that emergency services be provided even to those here through subterfuge for the common good of all.

These two fundamental rights are not opposed to each other. There is no reason why the Senate and House cannot together pass legislation that protects the life of the unborn and at the same time makes sure that the right to basic health care is insured where necessary.

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Basic Health Care a Right for All

Posted by Mike on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1:17:14 PM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
Opposition to reasonable health care reform and support for legalized abortion are really two sides of the same coin. They both reject human solidarity. They both view life as a zero-sum game.

There can be no solidarity without deference to subsidiarity. All persons in society have a basic right to health care as a matter of social justice, which includes the corresponding responsibility of all to contribute in some way to the common good. Basic medical care should be provided first at the local level, and only receiving state assistance when the standard of care falls below normal. Capitalism tends to exalt personal choice above the common good, which is a form of libertarianism and leads to a decrease in the overall standard of care.

In actuality, there are two rights which are the subject of the debate. The first is the right to life, without which no other rights can be realized. This means that abortion is not legitimate health care because it denies human beings the fundamental right to life. Abortion and legitimate health care are polar opposites.

The second right that must be secured is the right of all to basic health care. Each individual who actively participates as a member of society has this right. This also includes immigrants here legally, but not immigrants here through subterfuge. Of course, local governments may nonetheless require that emergency services be provided even to those here through subterfuge for the common good of all.

These two fundamental rights are not opposed to each other. There is no reason why the Senate and House cannot together pass legislation that protects the life of the unborn and at the same time makes sure that the right to basic health care is insured where necessary.

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Was It the Forty Virgins?

Posted by Mike on Saturday, November 07, 2009 10:19:32 AM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
Speculation continues as to what could have possibly motivated Major Nidal Malik Hasan MD to open fire in Fort Hood, killing 13, most of whom being active duty service men and women, and wounding 31 others. Obviously, Hasan was distraught over his orders to deploy to Iraq after Thanksgiving. He gave away many of his personal belongings stating that he was being deployed three weeks ahead of schedule, obviously not expecting to live much longer. One clue may be found in the Qur'an itself. As in the case of the 9/11 hijackers, it may be that Hasan, a devout Muslim, was expecting his reward of forty virgins in Paradise for waging jihad against the infidel.

Medical doctors are called to heal, to save lives, not to kill human beings. If Hasan survives, he will learn this vital lesson, hopefully being confined to the military brig for the rest of his earthly life. Abortionists had better take notice.

So much for the virgins.

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A Reconstituted Reagan Coalition?

Posted by Mike on Friday, November 06, 2009 10:21:42 AM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
The Reagan presidency reconciled three elements that often seemed opposed to each other. These were the social, fiscal and defense conservatives respectively.

Today's world is much different than that of 1980 when Reagan began making his stump speeches across the country igniting a wave of prairie fires caused by discontent with big government. But the principles are the same. Limited government and lower taxes, keeping the federal government at bay.

Today there is no central national leader to lead the charge. Instead, the wave of indignation is occurring spontaneously at tea parties and town hall meetings nationwide. The lesson of November 3 is that Americans are reasserting their God given liberty which transcends political categories. Either the politicians will get on board, or they will face extinction in the upcoming elections.

Those who view Doug Hoffman's showing in New York's 23rd as a defeat completely miss the point of the reawakening process. As in the days of Ronald Reagan, this is all about redistribution, but not as Obama's supporters envision.

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Both Wars Stink

Posted by Mike on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 10:00:05 AM
http://westernperspective.blogspot.com/
While the MSM has predictably jumped on the Obama bandwagon in distinguishing between the Iraq war as a war of choice as opposed to the Afghanistan war of necessity, the fact remains that both wars together have taken a huge toll in terms of American lives, economic resources, and world recognition. The criticism leveled against Bush 43 for leading American forces into Iraq is not altogether justified. There had to be some strong military response after 9/11. To blame everything on Al Qaeda, and the Afghan Taliban for harboring Al Qaeda, seems simplistic at best. Saddam's regime was far more brutal and dictatorial than that of the Taliban, and was responsible for some of the terrorist violence preceding 9/11.

Unfortunately, America's war crimes, particularly those directed against detainees many of whom were demonstrably innocent, more than offset any rational justification for war at this point. Capitalism breeds vindictiveness. The legitimate goal of interrogation gave way to the temptation to exact vengeance and to dehumanize and ridicule.

Obama's exit strategy is the beginning of our economic recovery. Iraq and Afghanistan will never become like us. The sooner we realize this, the better.

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