Interesting Questions to Ponder

There is little question that for the most part, Rudy Giuliani is a liberal on several significant social issues like legalized abortion. On that basis alone, social conservatives in the Republican Party, such as myself, would normally not have a reason to support Giuliani's yet to be announced candidacy for President.

But here's the thing. Important issues like abortion have pretty much been out of the hands of our publicly elected officials since 1973. Sure, there are some things our legislatures can and should do to curb the frequency of abortion, but the bottom line fact is they can't outright ban it because abortion has been determined by the Supreme Court to be a constitutionally protected right.

It therefore stands to reason that until the Supreme Court reverses itself in rulings like Roe v. Wade, whether a candidate for President is pro-life just may not be that important; at least in the short term. Indeed, what might actually be a more appropriate gauge for pro-lifers and social conservatives in evaluating a presidential candidate for 2008 is the kind of judges that candidate would appoint to the Federal courts. On that, Ed Morrissey from Captain's Quarters provides information which strongly suggests that if Rudy Giuliani were elected President, he would appoint Federal judges who are in the mold of Justices Scalia, Alito and Roberts (why Justice Thomas was not mentioned is a bit curious)and presumptively in favor of reversing cases like Roe.

On the Federal judiciary I would want judges who are strict constructionists because I am. I'm a lawyer. I've argued cases in the Supreme Court. I've argued cases in the Court of Appeals in different parts of the country. I have a very, very strong view that for this country to work, for our freedoms to be protected, judges have to interpret not invent the Constitution. Otherwise you end up, when judges invent the constitution, with your liberties being hurt. Because legislatures get to make those decisions and the legislature in South Carolina might make that decision one way and the legislature in California a different one. And that's part of our freedom and when that's taken away from you that's terrible.

Is this enough for pro-life advocates and other social conservatives to support a probable Giuliani candidacy for President? Would it make a difference that several polls show Giuliani as the only nationally known Republican who can beat Hillary Clinton in a head-to-head match? Frankly, these are questions that I myself will have to work through.

No Faith League

In the name of protecting its' god, Ratings, the NFL invokes an FCC rule and bullies several churches into shutting down planned Super Bowl parties.

Under NFL guidelines — and federal law — churches, schools and other public venues can hold football-viewing parties only if they use a single, living-room-size TV, no bigger than 55 inches. When they project the game onto 12-foot screens or set up banks of TVs, they cross the line, according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.

Jumbo screens "have the potential to draw thousands of people, and if we had that going on across the country, it would eventually erode the television ratings," McCarthy said.

Poor NFL. It must really be hurting for ratings and having a hard time attracting advertisers.

What a Language Can Tell Us

In Mandarin Chinese, the words for "Catholic Church" are "Tian Zhu Jiao." Literally translated into English, these words mean master, or primary, religion of Heaven.

The words for "Protestant" in Mandarin Chinese are "Xin Jiao." Literally translated into English, these words mean new religion.

Kind of interesting, eh? Especially considering that the Chinese language and culture predate Christianity.

Paleo-Con Bush Derangement Syndrome

So the American Enterprise Institute, a private "neo-conservative" think tank, makes a public offer to compensate scientists who will refute the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, and that is viewed by some as a nefariously orchestrated "bribe" by the Bush Administration.

Give me a break. If you want to criticize AEI for actively soliciting scientific studies/reports that have a specific result to them, fine. But to suggest that the Bush Administration is behind this without a shred of credible proof is illustrative of a disturbed mind.

Thomist Schwag

Along with the appropriate wine, what better way to introduce most people to possibly the greatest philosopher and theologian in world history?

You Murder Babies

The cool thing about having a Site Meter counter on my blog page is that I can see where almost every visitor to this page is coming from. Yesterday, someone with a Planned Barrenhood IP address came by five times. In case that person ever comes back, I'd like him or her to pass on the above headline to everyone he or she knows at that God forsaken organization.

Cafeteria Catholic Personified

OK, this is uncharitable, but former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe is an ass. As illustrated in this interview with radio pundit Hugh Hewitt, McAuliffe makes a mockery of the Catholic faith he professes by assuming it to be indistinguishable from a political ideology. I'm also pretty sure McAuliffe is flat out lying about the late John Paul II holding a private Mass especially for him and his wife, and that the pope knew he was pro-abortion prior to or during that Mass.

As a sidenote, I wonder why Hewitt describes himself as Catholic in this blog, seeing as how he fell away from the Church several years ago and is now member of a Presbyterian affiliated church.

Fr. Robert Drinan Dead

The guy certainly will have a lot to answer for now that he's passed, and I pray that God will have mercy on his soul.

He ran for Congress on an anti-Vietnam war platform. During his Congressional tenure, Drinan continued to dress in the robes of his clerical order and lived in a simple room in the Jesuit community at Georgetown.

But Drinan wore his liberal views more prominently. He opposed the draft, worked to abolish mandatory retirement and raised eyebrows with his more moderate views on abortion and birth control.