61 - 68 of 68 Comments

1. Pete Brady

   2 years ago

   In a nutshell the Tea Party is all about this: Constitution; limited government (like the Constitution delineated); reduce the size of government, which is to say cut spending DRASTICALLY, and GET RID of the Federal Reserve and fiat currency.

2. John Mainhart

   2 years ago

   As far as I acn see the Tea Party movement is our only chance to move toward subsudiarity. The Democrats believe in gaining more power for the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REPUBLICANS BELIEVE IN GAINING MORE POWER FOR cAPITALISTS. The present political systems must be overhauled so that the individual leaders can vote their conscience rather than this lock step approach to voting for their party's position. I don't look mor perfection in this new movement but I do believe it is presently our only chance to move the decision making to the local level.

3. Bulbajer

   2 years ago

   I liked this article. I may not agree with some of the Tea Party positions (nor do I claim to be anything close to a perfect Catholic) but I admire their sense of grass-roots activism. The Tea Party movement is essentially a good thing, because people are getting up off their couches and making their voices heard. And we definately do need to cut government spending, and we certainly should keep a close eye on our politicians. However, I agree with the authors about certain faults that more hardline Tea Partyers are preaching; they smack of anarcho-capitalism and isolationism. But then, no political movement is perfect.
   Anne P, arguably immigration is an issue that deals with the fundamental rights of man. Sure, some of the illegal immigrants are just trouble makers, but a lot of them are just fleeing a very insecure home for the Land of the Free which we so often advertise. If we are to truly be a Land of the Free and a Home of the Brave, we can't take an "America First" attitude.

4. Lance Patrick

   2 years ago

   So what I get from this is that although the tea party movement is decidedly pro-life, pro-marriage, believes sexual perversion is a sin, believes in governance at the lowest level, believes in defending oneself and the innocent, and calling for non-citizens to obey our sovereignty laws, it is not line with Catholic teaching?
   
   Just a hunch but I could guess that our 'Catholic Thinkers' are somehow associated with at least one of our 'enlightened' catholic institutions of higher learning who are well known for their faithfulness to the magisterium of the Church(read progressive social justice catholics in name only).
   
   How these folks love to quote the pope only when it serves their purpose. The 'right to health care' is a God given right, not a constitutional right. If it were otherwise then our overwhelmingly progressive catholic politicians would have to support the 'right to life' constitutionally, which they don't.
   
   By the way, an economy with such a large number of unemployed workers and a shrinking middle class tax base is social issue.
   
   Apparently the writer is not immune from amnesia and a reread of 'A Tale of Two Cities' would be well advised.
   

5. Kathy

   2 years ago

   In April the Tea Party voted on a "Contract FROM America". The following was adopted. - 1) Protect the Constitution; 2) Reject Cap & Trade; 3) Demand a Balanced Budget; 4) Enact Fundamental Tax Reform; (5) Restore Fiscal Responsibility & Constitutionally Limited Government in Washington; (6) End Runaway Government Spending; (7) Defund, Repeal & Replace Government-run Health Care; (8) Pass an 'All-of-the-Above' Energy Policy; (9) Stop the Pork; (10) Stop the Tax Hikes. None of these are in conflict with the "CCC 2nd Ed".

6. Ed

   2 years ago

   Many USCCB committees, and individual Bishops, have over-stepped their authority and not adhered to the CCC in its entirety in their activism involvement in many Social Programs and politics. In addition, with the massive debt load of the USA of over $13,734,826,582,124.00 and the Administration borrowing another $600 Billion to pay our bills this summer,the USA is no longer a wealthy nation but a DEBTOR nation.

7. Anne P

   2 years ago

   Someone needs to remind the USCCB that - . . . . "Social Justice" without "Subsidiarity" which protects the rights of the individual and family is wrong (CCC 1883, 1885, 1894, 2209, 2211). . . . . Socialism, Communism, pure Capitalism, Collectivism, and Excessive Government Intervention are wrong (CCC 1883, 1885, 2425, 1907). The Church is not to be confused with the Political Community, and ONLY is to pass moral judgments in politics when the "fundamental rights of man" or the "salvation of souls" require it and then in accord with the Gospel (CCC 2245, 2246, 2257). Governments have the right to make laws regarding immigration and immigrants must obey the laws (CCC 2241).
   

8. Anne

   2 years ago

   The Pope speaks to the entire WORLD, not just the USA (unless he says otherwise). In the USA we already have Medicare for all the elderly, Medicaid for the poor, emergencies taken care of at hospitals regardless of ability to pay, Food Stamps for low income, rent subsidies, subsidized housing for the poor, and special housing loans for the low income, extended unemployment benefits for those out of work and not asking them to use their savings first. All we really need is to add is something for those with pre-existing conditions, and perhaps "tweek" a few existing programs not a whole new bill. US taxpayers have no clue what they are currently paying for - and got pulled into politcal and special interest group legislation. Jesus and the Pope have asked us to help the needy (poor); They did not ask us to support those who do not need it. I'm really tired of those who verbally attack the USA for being hard hearted - without disclosing all the facts.
   The Pope and the "CCC 2nd Ed" have never used the words- "Universal Health Care" - in fact this would violate the Church's teachings against Socialism and in favor of Subsidiarity.

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