Another Cuomo Term Is No Longer Inevitable

Why Cuomo Is No Longer Invincible

 

 

 

” As his run for re-election starts to gear up, Gov. Cuomo is in surprisingly weak shape. With a huge war chest in a heavily Democratic state, he’s still the odds-on favorite — but he’s suddenly looking a lot more vulnerable.

Here are 10 big reasons why the governor has to worry.

  He burned Mayor de Blasio. Sure, he made himself look good to centrist voters by humiliating the new herald of progressivism on both pre-K and charter schools. But he also earned a black eye with the left — and made an enemy of the mayor, who after all is the top politician in a city where Cuomo needs a lot of votes come November.

  He’s annoyed the public-employee unions. He tightened the state school-aid spigot and put in his property-tax cap, making it harder for teachers locals across New York to win higher pay. Then he pushed for test-based teacher evaluations, anathema to the unions. (Yes, the scheme never had real teeth, but unions can’t stand the precedent.) And he topped it all off with his embrace of charters — which the unions, not without reason, see as a naked bid for fat hedge-fund donations. Other unions feel burned because he forced modest contracts on most state-employee unions and won minor public-pension reforms. They won’t go to war on him for that — but why should they lift a finger to help?Now his sudden rush to win some union friends is getting ugly. Few voters will notice or care that the Transit Workers Union contract pays for raises by adding hundreds of millions to the MTA’s long-term liabilities — but they can understand a $6 million TWU slush fund.

  His robotic pretense that he’s still “studying” fracking after three-plus years is an oozing political sore. It tells people leading hardscrabble lives all across Upstate that he cares more about millionaires and special interests than he does about them — and doesn’t even have the guts to be upfront about it. The hypocrisy of his pose is so rank, it’s hard to see how anyone can trust his word on anything, public or private.”

 

Read the entire , heartwarming analysis at the NY Post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—

Pope’s Derision Of “Unfettered Capitalism” Is A Punch In The Gift Horse’s Mouth

The Pope’s Self-Defeating Anti-Capitalistic Rant

 

 

 

 

” Pope Francis doesn’t have to thank capitalism, a system that has done far more to alleviate poverty, his pet crusade, than the institution he leads. But he should at least stop demonizing it—not least because it enables the very activity that he cherishes most: charity.

  For about the 6th time since assuming office eight months ago, the Pope last week offered a sweeping condemnation of “unfettered” capitalism, blaming its alleged obsession with the “golden calf” for perpetuating poverty, oppression, tyranny and much else. “

 

   Read this to see how much money that “unfettered capitalism” provides the church … and how little of it goes to feed the poor …

”  The Economist estimates that annual spending by the church and entities owned by the church was around $170 billion in 2010 (the church does not release such figures). We think 57% of this goes on health-care networks, followed by 28% on colleges, with parish and diocesan day-to-day operations accounting for just 6% and national charitable activities just 2.7% (see chart). In total, Catholic institutions employ over 1m people, reckons Fred Gluck, a former McKinsey managing partner and co-founder of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management, a lay organisation seeking to improve the way the church is run. For purposes of secular comparison, in 2010 General Electric’s revenue was $150 billion and Walmart employed roughly 2m people.”

   According to the above Economist article the Catholic church spent $170 Billion in 2010 of which 4.7% went to charity . That’s a paltry $7.9 billion for charity , a pitiful rate of return on a charitable investment wouldn’t you say ? That measly amount is dwarfed by private American giving who gave $286.9 billion in the 2010 fiscal year . And that is just American charitable giving . 

 

   For the Pope , who lives like a king on the kindness of strangers to belittle the very donors that allow he and his cartel to maintain such a lifestyle is the height of hypocrisy . When the Church starts selling off it’s assets to feed the poor and the hierarchy live like monks , then and only then can Pope Francis have the moral standing to criticize the producers of the world .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—

A Rare Court Victory For Religious Liberty … Obamacare Contraceptive Mandate Struck Down

OBAMACARE’S HHS CONTRACEPTION MANDATE STRUCK DOWN

 

 

 

 

” On Friday a federal appeals court struck down ObamaCare’s HHS contraception mandate, deciding that the requirement is an infringement upon religious liberty.

According to The Hill, the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in favor of two Catholic brothers, Francis and Philip Gilardi, who own a 400-person produce company based in Ohio. The Gilardis argued that they oppose contraception due to the tenets of their Catholic faith, and challenged ObamaCare’s provision that requires them to provide free contraception to their employees through a health insurance plan.

The brothers claimed that if they chose not to obey the law, they would incur a $14 million fine.

A requirement that companies cover their employees’ contraception, the court ruled, is unduly burdensome for business owners who oppose birth control on religious grounds, though they may not be purchasing contraception directly.”

 

Sandra Fluke was unavailable for comment .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—

Four Stabbed At Albuquerque Church

 

Police Question Suspect In Stabbing Of Four At Albuquerque Church

 

 

 

 

” Albuquerque police said they were questioning a suspect in the stabbing of four choir members, two of whom were critically wounded, at a Catholic church.

Police were interviewing Lawrence Capener, 24, in the attack Sunday morning at St. Jude Thaddeus Parish, the Albuquerque Journal reported.”

Related articles

• Man Stabs 4 People at Church in Albuquerque (abcnews.go.com)
• Albuquerque Church Stabbing: Man Stabs 4 People At Catholic Church (huffingtonpost.com)
• Police say 4 people stabbed at Albuquerque church (cnsnews.com)
• 4 Choir Members Stabbed at Albuquerque Church (newser.com)
• Identity released for man accused of NM stabbings (cnsnews.com)

 

 

 

 

 

—

Habemus Papem … Jorge Mario Bergoglio Of Argentina … Pope Francis I

Latin American Becomes New Pope

 

 

 

 

New Pope: Pope Francis I

 

 

 

” VATICAN CITY, March 13 (UPI) — Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires is the new pope, the first Latin American in history, taking the papal name of Francis Wednesday.

The fact that he chose a reformer’s name was seen as a signal he might make great changes in the church. Like Francis, Bergoglio was known for his simplicity, humility and rejection of material comforts.

He is also the first non-European pope in history, and is an Argentinian, though of Italian ancestry.

The 76-year-old pope appeared on the balcony above a packed St. Peter’s Square before more than 100,000 cheering people who braved cold and rainy weather.

Before being introduced, the new pope was clad in his papal soutane in the “room of tears” behind the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. The room is so named because new popes have been overcome with emotion.”

 

 

 

 

Meet Pope Francis I

Early Life

” Jorge Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, one of the five children of an Italian railway worker and his wife. After studying at the seminary in Villa Devoto, he entered the Society of Jesus on March 11, 1958. Bergoglio obtained a licentiate in philosophy from the Colegio Máximo San José in San Miguel, and then taught literature and psychology at the Colegio de la Inmaculada in Santa Fe, and the Colegio del Salvador in Buenos Aires. He was ordained to thepriesthood on December 13, 1969, by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. He attended the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel, a seminary in San Miguel. Bergoglio attained the position of novice master there and became professor of theology.

Impressed with his leadership skills, the Society of Jesus promoted Bergoglio and he served as provincial for Argentina from 1973 to 1979. He was transferred in 1980 to become the rector of the seminray in San Miguel where had had studied. He served in that capacity until 1986. He completed his doctoral dissertation in Germany and returned to his homeland to serve as confessor and spiritual director in Córdoba.”

 

 

Styles of Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	Buenos Aires

“Bergoglio succeeded Cardinal Quarracino on February 28, 1998. He was concurrently named ordinary for Eastern Catholics in Argentina, who lacked their own prelate. Pope John Paul II summoned the newly named archbishop to the consistory of February 21, 2001 in Vatican City and elevated Bergoglio with the papal honors of a cardinal. He was named to the Cardinal-Priest of Saint Robert Bellarmino.”

 

 

La Eucaristía – Cardenal Bergoglio

 

 

Profile: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio

 

” He certainly has the credentials.

The 68-year-old trained chemist and son of a railway worker has been a cardinal since 2001 and is widely seen as being open and compassionate.

He stands out for his humility, living in a modest apartment, rather than his luxury official residence.

“In favour of Bergoglio is his pastoral attitude, as they say in the Church – his relationship with the people,” says Leandro Pastor, a philosophy professor at the University of Buenos Aires, who has known Cardinal Bergoglio for 25 years.

“He’s a very simple man. He’s very austere. And also, I think he’s an intelligent man and someone who is very good at communicating.”

He impressed fellow prelates in 2001 when he skilfully helped to manage a synod of bishops in Rome.

He’s as uncompromising as Pope John Paul II, in terms of the principles of the Church Monsignor Osvaldo Musto

Buenos Aires’ cardinal is also a strong advocate for the poor. And, as a Latin American, he comes from a region which is home to around half the world’s billion or so Catholics.”

Related articles

• Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (local10.com)
• Argentina’s papal candidates: Bergoglio and Sandri (voxxi.com)
• Argentina has very different papal candidates (sacbee.com)
• Argentina has very different papal candidates (foxnews.com)
• Cardinal short list emerges for new Pope (ktvb.com)

—

10 Things You May Not Know About The Vatican

 

 

 

” More than 100 cardinals began to meet inside the heart of the Catholic Church today to elect a new pope. As they gather in conclave inside the Sistine Chapel to choose a successor to Benedict XVI, explore 10 things you may not know about the Vatican.

 

3. Caligula captured the obelisk that stands in St. Peter’s Square.
Roman Emperor Caligula built a small circus in his mother’s gardens at the base of Vatican Hill where charioteers trained and where Nero is thought to have martyred the Christians. To crown the center of the amphitheater, Caligula had his forces transport from Egypt a pylon that had originally stood in Heliopolis. The obelisk, made of a single piece of red granite weighing more than 350 tons, was erected for an Egyptian pharaoh more than 3,000 years ago. In 1586 it was moved to its present location in St. Peter’s Square, where it does double duty as a giant sundial. “

 

Related articles

• Vatican scandals & the power of Egyptian occult symbols (lpobryan.com)
• Cardinals convene for 2nd day of conclave to pick next pope – CNN (edition.cnn.com)
• Cardinals convene for 2nd day of conclave to pick next pope (cnn.com)
• Papal conclave to resume in Rome (bbc.co.uk)
• Black smoke at Sistine Chapel; no decision on pope (worldnews.nbcnews.com)
• Pope Election Under Way at Vatican (huffingtonpost.com)

 

 

—

New Pope Any Day Now … Maybe An American ?

Archbishop: New Pope Within ‘A Few Days’

 

 

 

” The Catholic Church will have a pope within “a few days,” predicted Archbishop of Vienna Christoph Schoenborn, a participant in the conclave that opens Tuesday.

Schoenborn said he’s seen a spirit of camaraderie “I’ve rarely experienced” in the week before balloting begins to select a successor to Benedict XVI, who resigned last month, citing health and age, ANSA reported Monday.

“In a few days we will have the new Holy Father,” Schoenborn said.

U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan evaded Roman parishioners’ calls for him to succeed Benedict, telling worshipers and the rector of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Monte Mario he hoped to visit the congregation again before he returned to New York.

The 63-year-old archbishop of New York and Washington, D.C., Archbishop Donald Wuerl, 72, are the two U.S. cardinals seen as strong papal candidates. “

Related articles

• Vatican readies to elect new Pope (bigpondnews.com)
• Cardinal Wuerl Discussed As Potential Pope (pittsburgh.cbslocal.com)
• Before the conclave, horse-trading has begun (boston.com)
• Cardinals hold mass in titular churches across Rome- SELECTING A POPE: Complete conclave coverage (latino.foxnews.com)
• SLIDESHOW: Top contenders to be the next pope (savannahnow.com)
• Vatican prepares to elect new pope as top contenders gather in Rome (newsday.com)
• Austrian cardinal: a conservative open to reform (sfgate.com)
• Before smoke rises at Vatican, it’s Romans vs. the Reformers (staradvertiser.com)
• Vatican installs new chimney ahead of pope vote (abc.net.au)

 

 

—

First African Pope Or Fourth ?

Turkson Wouldn’t Be First African Pope

 

 

 

” Yesterday morning a Lutheran friend sent me an email joking that he was “off Team Turkson” on account of Turkson campaigning for the job of pope. That would be Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson. Now, I realize just how unseemly it is for a churchman to campaign for any job but this may be an unfair reading of an interview Turkson gave in the Telegraph.

Some media outlet called The Week pretty much just recycled someone else’s work into their story headlined “Peter Turkson not shy about his wish to become first black Pope.”

CARDINAL Peter Turkson, the Ghanaian prelate who is hotly-tipped to become the next Pope, has given a candid interview about the “life-changing” responsibility of leading the Catholic Church.

I know of at least three African popes and I don’t believe I’ve heard anything about their skin color. I have heard that Victor I — the first African pope — was the first black pope but I don’t think that’s been proven. Apparently skin color is a more modern obsession. As for Miltiades and Gelasius I — and any other African popes — no reports on their skin color.”

Related articles

• An African pope? ‘Let God’s will be done’ – Ghanaian cardinal (newsinfo.inquirer.net)
• Who is Cardinal Peter Turkson? Five Things You Should Know (purplegloves.wordpress.com)
• Let us pray for a black pope – he’d be manna from heaven (blogs.telegraph.co.uk)
• Two Africans Among Candidates for Next Pope (voanews.com)
• Two African Cardinals in the Running to Be Pope (abcnews.go.com)
• 2 Cardinals Named Peter in Running for Pope – End of Roman Empire & the Coming of Judgement (bonjublog.com)
• Election of New Pope, Not Political, Says Ghana Cardinal (voanews.com)

Pope Benedict XVI To Step Down … First In 500 Years

Pope Benedict XVI In Shock Resignation

 

 

 

” Pope Benedict XVI is to resign at the end of this month after nearly eight years as the head of the Catholic Church, saying he is too old to continue at the age of 85.

The unexpected development – the first papal resignation in nearly 600 years – surprised governments, Vatican-watchers and even his closest aides.

The then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope after John Paul II’s death.

The Vatican says it expects a new Pope to be elected before Easter.

The BBC’s Alan Johnston in Rome says the news has come “out of the blue”, and that there was no speculation whatsoever about the move in recent days.”

Related articles

• Pope Benedict XVI to Resign on February 28 (mashable.com)
• Pope Benedict XVI to resign on Feb. 28, Vatican says (worldnews.nbcnews.com)
• Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation (charlotte.news14.com)
• Pope Benedict XVI Is Resigning (theatlanticwire.com)
• Pope Benedict XVI to resign, Vatican confirms (metro.co.uk)
• Vatican: Pope Benedict XVI to Resign (foxnews.com)
• Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation comes out of the blue (itv.com)

Good For Him , Good For US

Domino’s Pizza Founder Sues Feds Over Aspects of ObamaCare

 

 

 

” The founder of Domino’s Pizza is suing the federal government over mandatory contraception coverage in the health care law.

Tom Monaghan, a devout Roman Catholic, says abortion and contraception aren’t health care but a “gravely immoral” practice.

He filed a lawsuit Friday in federal court. It also lists as a plaintiff Domino’s Farms, a Michigan office park complex that Monaghan owns.”

Related articles

• Domino’s Pizza Founder Sues Feds Over ObamaCare (amresolution.com)
• Domino’s founder sues feds over health care law (heraldonline.com)
• Dominos Pizza Owner Sues Feds Over Obamacare Insistence He Violate His Religion (patdollard.com)
• Domino’s founder sues feds over health care law (foxnews.com)
• Domino’s Pizza Founder Sues Government Over Obamacare (thegatewaypundit.com)

Contraception IS NOT Healthcare

Reviving the War on Women? 

” Sandra Fluke, the free- contraception activist whose claim to fame was getting insulted by Rush Limbaugh, is hitting the campaign trail with President
Obama in Colorado today. But she
started the day off with an anti-Romney column in the Huffington Post (via Daily Caller ):

  The morning of noted contraception activist Sandra
Fluke’s campaign appearance
with President Barack Obama
in Denver, the newly minted
lawyer explained she is “standing with Obama” in an effort to protect women’s health care. “

“July was officially Liberal Overreach Month”

DC Caller 

 

  ” Wednesday, Aug. 1 marks a new phase in the rule of Obamacare: The first day that private companies will be mandated to provide contraceptive services to their employees through the company-provided health insurance policy, regardless of whether those services are contrary to the employer’s religious beliefs.

So, of course, Wednesday, Aug. 1 is a big day for the left. Or at least it should have been.

But instead of dancing in the streets, praising the president for liberating women from the iron rule of the pope, over half a million people have confirmed online that they are going to Chick-fil-A, with many more who didn’t tell Facebook that they were going, but probably will anyways.”

 

The Battle Lines Are Drawn

 Although not a particularly religious man , partly because of organized religion’s current penchant for towing the government “liberal, statist” line , I find this refreshing in the extreme . –

 

  “Congratulations are in order for the Catholic Church, whose archdioceses in America went to federal court today to challenge the Obama administration on the contraception mandates. Something like a dozen federal lawsuits were filed against the administration by something on the order of 43 plaintiffs, including the Archdiocese of New York, among others, and the crown jewel in Catholic education in America, Notre Dame.* It seems the liberal institutions within the Catholic world have come together with the conservative ones to stand up for the rights of religious Catholics — and by extension, the rest of us — to be free of government mandates in respect of their religion.”