Biden's American Rescue Plan is Catholic social doctrine in action

NCR  Mar 12, 2021

Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress passed the $1.9 billion American Rescue Plan, (ARP) and President Joe Biden signed it into law yesterday. The new law includes efforts to confront the pandemic and the economic consequences of the pandemic, but it also addresses child poverty and other long-standing issues of economic inequality. Biden promised to "build back better," and this law is a major step toward redeeming that promise.

The plan constitutes a decisive repudiation of trickle-down economics in favor of a bottom-up approach to economic stimulus that is far more consistent with Catholic social teaching.

"This legislation is about giving the backbone of this nation — the essential workers, the working people who built this country, the people who keep this country going — a fighting chance," the president said after the House passed the final legislation on Wednesday.

Biden and the Democrats have placed a big bet. If this stimulus package fails to stimulate the economy, if unemployment is still horrifically high next year, if children are still unable to go to schools in some cities because the poor ventilation in the school buildings make them viral incubators, if child poverty continues at its unconscionably high rate, the Democrats will pay a political price for this American Rescue Plan, and they will deserve to pay a price. And if it works, the Republicans might pay a price for having been bystanders at a time when so many of our fellow citizens are in profound pain. Whatever the political calculus, we all can hope that it works and, as Catholics, take some pride in the fact that our values and habits of ethical thought have played a role in coming to the nation's aid.

Are pandemic relief checks making universal basic income inevitable?

MSN 12/31/2020

Major crises can effect rapid changes in public opinion that otherwise would have required years or even decades to develop. Among the permanent opinion shifts of the COVID-19 pandemic, I expect to see a new — and perhaps even bipartisan — move toward universal basic income (UBI) or something like it, an evolution influenced by Americans' experience with pandemic relief checks, both the fact of them and the drawn-out political fights surrounding their passage.

UBI is exactly what it sounds like: a government income program which is not tied to recipients' employment (like unemployment insurance), age (like Social Security), income (like TANF), medical care (like Medicare or Medicaid), or food purchases (like SNAP). It's simply a monthly cash stipend that goes to everyone. The stipend could be big enough to cover all basic expenses (this is called a full UBI) or it could merely supplement other income (former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang's proposal of a $1,000 per month "Freedom Dividend" is an example of this sort of partial UBI).

A year ago, when Yang was promoting his dividend, he was a clear outlier in mainstream politics — maybe not entirely outside the Overton Window, but perched precariously on the sill. Surveys in 2017 and 2019 showed a consistent minority of 43 percent were supportive of the idea.

Pope Francis teams up with UN to educate world on sustainable lifestyles, gender equality, global citizenship

Lifesite Dec 18, 2020

VATICAN CITY, December 18, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Pope Francis launched a new partnership between the Vatican and United Nations (UN) this week that aims at educating the world in “sustainable lifestyles,” “gender equality,” and “global citizenship,” among other goals.

The launch of the collaboration between the Pope’s own Global Pact for Education and the UN’s Mission 4.7 took place this week during the Vatican Youth Symposium. Amongst the speakers at the launch were pro-abortion globalists Jeffrey Sachs, the director general of UNESCO, and the former Secretary General of the U.N. Ban Ki-Moon, who were joined by Pope Francis. The symposium was co-hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS) and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) / SDSN Youth.

The Symposium aims to bring about the “instilling” of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Pope’s encyclicals Fratelli Tutti and Laudato si. The Vatican’s Youth Symposium promotes the SDGs even though targets 3.7 and 5.6 include “sexual and reproductive health services,” what pro-life critics point out are euphemisms for abortion and contraception.

Venezuela is facing complete socioeconomic ruin. What comes next?

By Salvatore Giannavola,  Jun 3, 2017

The economic and political crisis in Venezuela is rapidly deteriorating into a monumental human tragedy. Essential goods are becoming exceedingly rare and political violence is on the rise.

We decided to analyze the Venezuelan paradox from close up. Alejandra, a Venezuelan girl who left her country about four years ago for Europe,offered us some perspective on what is happening in her homeland. Today she works as an architect in Malta. Find the video of the complete interview here at Blogstermind.

Venezuela through Alejandra's eyes

Hi Alejandra, thank you for accepting our proposal. For us, this testimony has enormous value. Let's start with the first question.

How is the typical day of a young Venezuelan?

I can answer this question as I have a 23-year-old brother. There is nothing to do because it is dangerous to walk in the streets, there is no money to devote to something other than food, water, and utilities. Those few who have the money work for the government, for criminal organizations or are tourists.

We read in the international newspapers that today electricity and other essential goods have been rationed. Is this true?

Yes, the rationing of resources in my country has been a sad reality for years and the situation is aggravated by the unpredictability with which the government operates. It often happens that electricity and water are missing for several hours without any notice and this does not allow the population an adequate organization. This economic war pushes companies, nationally and not, to impose fixed prices that increase each day.

Who are the Bachaqueros? How did this profession come out?

The Bachaqueros are marginal people willing to wait for hours in lines at the shop, and then resell the necessities on the black market for three times their purchase price. They're the "daughter-in-law" of the food shortage, which has caused endless lines in front of supermarkets, accompanied by party restrictions that allow purchases only one day a week per person.

How long have you been abroad? How often do you visit your family?

I've been twice in my country for the last four years. Traveling is only possible if you have your passport; they're very difficult to obtain because the bureaucracy doesn't even have the paper needed to print them. Those who managed to leave without a passport have serious problems coming back because then when he returns, he would not get one. There is no paper to print them in the offices.

Alejandra, history teaches us that discontent and repression cannot last long, when and how will you end all this? Do you think the Trump administration will intervene?

Power needs to change but I do not want American intervention at all. I would not like to see Trump's intervention, I hope rather than the national governments of other states pledge to help us get out of this crisis situation.       Russia Insider

Why Pope Francis Won't sell the Treasures of the Church

Vatican City, Nov 6, 2015 / 09:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).-

In a new interview ranging from fame to finances to his childhood dreams, Pope Francis explained that despite his strong concern for the poor, he will not sell the “riches of the Church.”

Asked whether he has ever felt pressure to sell “the treasures of the Church,” the Pope responded, “This is an easy question. They are not the treasures of the Church, (but) the treasures of humanity.”

“For example, if tomorrow I say that Michelangelo's Pieta is going to be auctioned, it can't be done, because it's not the property of the Church. It's inside a Church, but it belongs to humanity,” he said, explaining that this is true “for all the treasures of the Church.”

The Pope’s comments came in an interview with a Dutch newspaper “Straatnieuws.” The paper’s most unique quality: it is published by the homeless of the Dutch city Utrecht.

The interview was conducted Oct. 27 at the Pope’s Vatican residence and published Nov. 6.  

Questions were conducted by a homeless street newspaper vendor named Marc. Vatican journalist Stijn Fens and the former spokesman of the Dutch Bishops’ Conference, Jan-Willem Wits were also present for the interview, as well as the paper’s editor, Frank Dries.

Among the topics discussed by the Pope were the dangers of corruption, his childhood dream profession, the Vatican’s finances, and his personal commitment to fight poverty.

In his answers to some of the tough questions, Francis did not hesitate to wade into sensitive topics. One of them was whether or not he is worried that his frequent pleas for solidarity in defense of the poor are being politically exploited, as well as how the Church can talk about the issue in an influential way while staying outside the political spectrum.

The Pope underlined two temptations in this area, the first being hypocrisy.

“If a believer speaks about poverty or the homeless and leads the life of a pharaoh – this cannot be done,” he said. “The Church must speak the truth and also with witness: the witness of poverty.”

He also pointed to the dangers surrounding government agreements. While agreements with secular governments can be made, “they must be clear agreements, transparent agreements.”

As an example, Francis pointed to the Vatican’s management of the Apostolic Palace. The Vatican is in charge of handling the finances, but “the accounts are all controlled, to avoid corruption, (because) there is always the temptation of corruption in public life – both political and religious.”

Discussing the perception that the Vatican is rich, the Holy Father acknowledged that if one makes a catalogue of all the goods of the Church, it might seem like “the Church is very rich.”

However, many of the Church’s “riches” are actually treasures that belong to humanity, he explained.

He added that while these items are for the enjoyment of all, there are some things that he does sell, such as many of the elaborate gifts he has received. Among them are motorcycles and cars that have either been given away or sold through an auction.

Proceeds of the sales then go to the Papal Almoner, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, and are used for the needs of the poor.

And while the Church does have a lot in real estate, he continued, the money is used “to maintain the structures of the Church and to maintain the many works the Church does in needy countries: hospitals, schools.”

As an example, the Pope explained that just the day before, he had asked that 50,000 euros be sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to build three schools, because “education is important for children.”

He also pointed to the 1929 Lateran Concordat that recognized the sovereignty of the Holy See. When the Italian government at the time offered the Church a large park in Rome, Pope Pius XI “said no.”

Instead, Pius XI told them, “I want only half of a square kilometer to guarantee the independence of the Church,” Francis observed, explaining that “this principle still stands.”

Catholic News Agency

Not to share wealth with poor is to steal': Pope slams capitalism as 'new tyranny'

Published time: 26 Nov, 2013 14:34Edited time: 28 Nov, 2013 13:51

Pope Francis (Reuters/Giampiero Sposito) / Reuters

Pope Francis has taken aim at capitalism as "a new tyranny" and is urging world leaders to step up their efforts against poverty and inequality, saying "thou shall not kill" the economy. Francis calls on rich people to share their wealth.

The existing financial system that fuels the unequal distribution of wealth and violence must be changed, the Pope warned. 
"How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?" Pope Francis asked an audience at the Vatican.
The global economic crisis, which has gripped much of Europe and America, has the Pope asking how countries can function, or realize their full economic potential, if they are weighed down by the debts of capitalism.
“A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules,” the 84-page document, known as an apostolic exhortation, said.
"To all this we can add widespread corruption and self-serving tax evasion, which has taken on worldwide dimensions. The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits", the pope’s document says.
He goes on to explain that in this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which has become the only rule we live by.

Shameful wealth

Inequality between the rich and the poor has reached a new threshold, and in his apostolic exhortation to mark the end of the “Year of Faith”, Pope Francis asks for better politicians to heal the scars capitalism made on society.
"Just as the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills," Francis wrote in the document issued Tuesday.
His calls to service go beyond general good Samaritan deeds, as he asks his followers for action “beyond a simple welfare mentality".
"I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor,” Francis wrote.
A recent IRS report shows that the wealth of the US’s richest 1 percent has grown by 31 percent, while the rest of the population experienced an income rise of only 1 percent.
The most recent Oxfam data shows that up to 146 million Europeans are at risk of falling into poverty by 2025 and 50 million Americans are currently suffering from severe financial hardship.
"As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation, and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world's problems or, for that matter, to any problems," he wrote.
Named after the medieval saint who chose a life of poverty, Pope Francis has gone beyond general calls for fair work, education, and healthcare.
Newly-elected Pope Francis has stepped up the fight against corrupt capitalism that has hit close to home - he was the first Pope to go after the Vatican bank and openly accused it of fraud and shady offshore tax haven deals.
In October, Pope Francis removed Vatican bank head Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, after revelations of alleged mafia money laundering and financial impropriety.
RT