Ahh, movement conservatism

David Frum lost his job at the American Enterprise Institute. What is AEI? Its a conservative think-tank that researches, comes up with policy ideas etc. to generally promote "conservative" agendas.

Liberal versions exist as well, but the conservative ones are more numerous and better funded.

Anyway, he lost his job. Why? Because oh my word he didn't toe the party line.

From the article above:

Bruce Bartlett, another conservative scholar who has been at odds with the
right, wrote that Frum told him AEI staffers "had been ordered not to speak
to the media" about health care "because they agreed with too much of what
Obama was trying to do. . . . The donor community is only interested in
financing organizations that parrot the party line.

See, this is a problem. The donor community, mostly massive trusts set up by very very rich people, don't care about fact. They don't care about the greater good. They care about what's good for them. And having paid scholars who can be fired anytime they aren't spouting what you want is handy.

I'm not saying this doesn't exist on the liberal side. But not to this degree. How can this not horribly undermine what little legitimacy some of these places have when stating opinions contrary to what donors want gets you fired.

I questioned them before, now it becomes apparent they are just mouthpieces for the Enterprise that's in their name. This is sad.

Equal Treatment Under the Law?

Albert Gonzalez, the hacker who broke into Barnes & Noble, TJ Maxx and others and stole credit card numbers, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors claim he caused 200 million dollars in damages. Numbers are always hilariously inflated in hacking cases because there is no real way to prove how much money was lost.

The executives, brokers, and traders at the nations largest banks stole/lost well over 200 BILLION (actual losses probably far closer to a trillion, but anyway) and what do they get?

Just another $30 BILLION (yes, 150x the losses this hacker supposedly caused) in bonuses in 2009 while 10% of americans are out of work and the REAL number is closer to 15%.

So, does the hacker deserve to go to jail? Yes.

For 20 years? (Probably 10 with good behavior.) No.

Should something happen to the bankers? Yes.

A 150x Yes.

Remember Your Witness

During the past twelve months or so a loose conglomeration of people have formed the semi-organized "Tea Party." Their beliefs are varied, but it mainly appears to be a libertarian belief of "less government" and lower taxes.

That's ok. This isn't a commentary on the lack of intellectual thought to their platform.
If you are in the the Tea Party, and a believer, please remember your witness. This applies to Christians involved in any political group, but currently, its the Tea Party that is the loudest, most obnoxious, hate-filled and borderline terroristic group out there.

Now, I understand, its a small percentage of the Tea Partiers who are hinting at violence. However, its a larger, though still most likely a minority, who are being very hateful and ugly vocally at protests.

It is a wonderful right in this country to voice your opinion. You can voice it loudly if you like. However, as Christians we are called to a higher path. It is imperative we act with love.

Spewing hateful words, racist words, is not loving.

Please, voice your displeasure at the things the government does. But please do so in a Christlike manner. The Roman's did some pretty horrid stuff, but Christ wasn't screaming in the streets about it.

He did seem to get pretty upset at religious leaders who were a bit focused on monetary gain and rigid moralism though...

Pray For Glenn Beck

I'm serious. He is seriously lost and confused. I may not like his politics, but the lies he is spouting about Jim Wallis, and the teachings of Christ are, well, I'm glad God is the arbiter of salvation, because then its up to God. Beck needs to stick to bad political diatribes and stay out of theology which he apparently knows very very little about.

Seriously, Glenn Beck needs to be prayed for.

Listen to where he says that "Jesus' message was about choice." It was? Interesting take on the Gospel message. Especially following a 1 line response from Jim Wallis saying the Gospel message was about the redistribution of wealth. Just going from what I've read of Rev. Wallis's books, I'm pretty sure there was a lot more to that statement then a single line snippet showed.

Anyway, here's the video clip.

And here is a link to a column Rev. Wallis wrote in response to Beck's show. Note the difference in tone between the two.

Hans Kung's questions for the Pope

A great read.

I love the Catholic church even though I disagree theologically with them on many points. This is a great piece on the German (and in general) sex abuse scandal that is ongoing.

The points he makes about celibacy are wonderful, and if you suffer through the comments you will see some people arguing that "marriage doesn't prevent pedophilia."

This is true. But, it does allow more, healthy, men to join the clergy, leaving less space for problem priests. Well, there's much more to say, but enjoy the read.

How'd I miss this?

"The united states of america was established as a white society, founded upon a near-genocide of one race and then the enslavement of yet another."
Jim Wallis, The Soul of Politics pg 98.

Certain vocal Christian preachers attempt to make statements saying America's woes are because of sins such as homosexuality, abortion, etc. While I don't know how many Christian's believe that explicitly, there seems to be a large section of believers in this country who seem to think all the sins are committed by "someone else." (Everyday sins such as greed, coveteousness, gossip and slander aren't talked about as often.)

However, there is a pervasive sin that is crippling America. Is it causing the wrath of God to fall down in the form of hurricanes, terrorist attacks and other natural disasters? Heck no.
Is it aiding and abetting the distintegration of society through consumerism, fear, hatred, reactionism, and other forms of exclusion.

Am I saying every white person in the US is racist? No. Sure, we all have our moments and thoughts, but not actively racist.

However, because we do nothing to truly change our behaviors or attitudes, the end result is a divided country. This isn't good for anyone.

So...Social Justice is bad?

Glenn Beck, that bastion of logical thinking, stated on his show last week that any Christian should leave a church that teaches "social justice." Apparently wanting a more equitable and better life for the less fortunate is really just a code word for communism and nazism.

To quote Dave Berry, "I am NOT making this up." Of course, he usually was, and this is totally true.

So, here is a lovely rebuttable from a Jesuit priest to Mr. Beck.

Oh, also, from Sojournor's website you can send Glen Beck an email message saying how you believe what he said to be very wrong and completely missing the point of much of the Gospels.

Shhh, you can't say this out loud

A fascinating interview with Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of one of Hamas' founders. He worked as a spy in Hamas for the Shin Bet (Israel's FBI it seems, since I think Mossad is their CIA).

He was coverted to Christianity during this time, and has since quit being a spy and is now living in the US.

What I found fascinating, and do agree with, is that he views Muslims as trapped by Allah. He says that Allah is a fundamentalist terrorist god, and that by extension his followers, even peaceful moderate Muslims, are stuck.

Does YHWH, or Jehovah, or "God" have issues in the Judeo-Christian tradition? Yes. Many parts of the Old Testament are VERY hard to reconcile with the God who sends his Son to die for us in Jesus Christ.

Islam, from the beginning was spread by war with the prophet Muhammed leading a mercenary army to capture Mecca.

Am I saying there is no difference between peaceful "moderate" Muslims and terrorists? Of course not. There is a difference.

However, the god they serve is NOT the same as the Christian God. At least not the one understood since Christ.

Also, this doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of Christians who pervert the Bible or Christ's teachings, but that isn't what this post is about.
But, the prophet Muh

Great Read

I love it when smart people reinforce the things I've been thinking (and saying to friends and family who listen to me...)

Here is a great read by a Harvard Law prof.

Nice summation

Yes, this is a blog, not a "hard news" report. However, its a great piece on why I am so unhappy with Obama's administration so far.

Really, its summed up by who he chose to help him lead.

Its why I was disappointed even before he was ever officially President. Oh well.


Yeah, you notice he made a few quick million on Wall Street too. Nice having that cushion to fall back on when politics gets old. Be a shame if any politician had to go back to a 9 to 5 job like the rest of us after they leave office or a post....

Its a joke

Just to show you what a complete joke wealth equity has become in this country, the current senate bill wandering around will provide $15billion to the nations unemployed. (That number is hovering the in millions, around 10% of the workforce.)

However, 165,000, Wall Street bankers recieved $20 BILLION (yes, BILLION, it breaks down to a median of 121212.12 each how much did you make last year? )

So, MILLIONS are getting to spread out $15 billion. A few score thousand got $20 billion in bonuses.

You have to be kidding me right? What is it going to take for American's to revolt against this sort of inequity?

More Education Stuff

Here is an article summarizing OBama's grant plan for education.

I have a better idea. What if the money was given to the schools that needed it directly? Then they could fix up buildings, hire more staff, buy new books and other aids and possibly catch up with the funding the suburban schools get.

Wait, that wouldn't make sense.

It saddens me that the Democrats are just following along the Republican trail as far as education is concerned. Its not going to help. Not in the long run.

The brilliant thing is this is aimed at "stopping dropping out" but most of the money is headed to high school kids, some to junior high.

That's great, but the seeds of eventual dropping out are usually planted much earlier than even the 6th grade.

Can you tell I've been reading a bit on the issues and inequities of the American Education System lately?

Oh, and notice how I'm not saying "its cause the teachers suck!"