Christian Civic Education | Capital Commentary

Christian Civic Education | Capital Commentary by Arlen Koppendrayer.  MGB: When I was in Catholic high school civics, we used a book and a course which mostly would have been the same as we would have had in public school.  Nothing theological intruded.  That was probably a good thing, as the teachers may have bristled.  I certainly had different opinions then.  They have even evolved since college.  I suspect that college and the Internet are more fertile places for such arguments, although I mostly don't argue with school friends on these topics, unless they themselves discuss them.  We keep it friendly instead.

Obama’s Journey from Oslo | Capital Commentary

Obama’s Journey from Oslo | Capital Commentary by John Carlson.  MGB: As I have said before, most presidents are presented with the options as they arise.  Moral vision often goes by the wayside.  Most arguments about vision v. realpolitick are best held in college class rooms and staff development seminars.  Unless we really push to expand our union to our allies and then the entire world as it develops into a more free society, we are stuck with a responsive foreign policy.

Incremental Immigration Reform: Give the Undocumented a Voice | Capital Commentary

Incremental Immigration Reform: Give the Undocumented a Voice | Capital Commentary by Julia K. Stronks.  MGB: I had not heard about ACHIEVE.  It might be a short term compromise until comprehensive reform gets done, or we simply do away with immigration regulation altogether.  I do fear, however, that anything which takes those who are abused by employers and ignored by police out of the shadows will be resisted by bad actors in the food and law enforcement/prison industries.

Thoughts on the Newtown Massacre | Capital Commentary

Thoughts on the Newtown Massacre | Capital Commentary by Aaron Belz.  MGB: Well done essay on Newtown. Let me underline that if we have a society that does not reach out to either help or prevent those who might perpetrate these evils, then the evil is in us, not them.

Stewardship and the Fiscal Cliff | Capital Commentary

Stewardship and the Fiscal Cliff | Capital Commentary by John E. Anderson.  MGB: The stewardship required is of man's resources, not God's - except to the extent that the current system rewards ownership of the work of others more than the actual workers themselves. Under any concept of justice, this cannot be allowed to continue. Long term tax reform should work to end THAT if it wants to conform to the teachings of Christ. This must always be remembered when addressing the taxation of dividends and capital gains and how much tax is paid on these items.

Reflections on Justice from Hurricane Sandy | Capital Commentary

Reflections on Justice from Hurricane Sandy | Capital Commentary by Joanna Stephens.  MGB: On Sandy, we must also be concerned with efficiency and effectiveness - not to be accusatory but to always improve. I also agree that there are very real environmental justice issues on the possibility that global warming may bring us this type of storm on a more regular basis.

Cliff Notes from the Edge | Capital Commentary

Cliff Notes from the Edge | Capital Commentary by Timothy Sherratt.  MGB: As Christians, we must fundamentally champion the needs of the poor, both for redistributive justice through adequate family pay (even if it involves tax subsidies) and restorative justice through education of those who were not reached by the educational system in their youth - both male and female.  I'm not sure the last minute compromises to avert the fiscal cliff will help that.  Indeed, the atheists who support more for the poor in the socialist movement believe we should go off the cliff so that everyone pays more taxes with no service cuts.  They may have something there.

The Environmental “Cliff” | Capital Commentary

The Environmental “Cliff” | Capital Commentary by Stephen E. Meyer.  MGB: Technology caused the problem and it will likely solve the problem.  I am a bit more sanguine on the possibility that someone will invent a new power source that will have a lower carbon footprint.  Helping governments facilitate these advances is a good role for Christians.

Peering into the Bird’s Nest of Public Service Unions | Capital Commentary

Peering into the Bird’s Nest of Public Service Unions | Capital Commentary by Brian Dijkema.  MGB: Public sector unions only survive as long as there is  public sector.  If we shift services to families to employers or private sector institutions, the current membership of public sector unions will  join private sector employee-owners, who should retain a union structure in the future, not to bargain with management, but to represent members in corporate decision making in a more socialized workplace.

Sad Christmas Songs Say So Much | Capital Commentary

Sad Christmas Songs Say So Much | Capital Commentary by Aaron Belz.  MGB: Sad Christmas songs help bring about catharsis that may help the depression of shortening of the days.  As for the fiscal cliff, most families can handle a little tax increase - rather than a smaller subset feeling the pain of deep budget cuts.  Sadly, this crisis does not seem to be useful in coming to a longer term agreement on tax and spending policy.  The GOP must soon realize that they will have to submit, as Obama has a far better hand.

A More Inclusive Republican Vision | Capital Commentary

A More Inclusive Republican Vision | Capital Commentary by Michael Gerson.  MGB: I don't see how either Ryan or Rubio departed much from the standard GOP message that did not do so well this year.  Ryan seems to think that just because solutions are better at the local level, that this does not mean that some type of mandatory financing is not still necessary.  Indeed, it is much more expensive to education TANF clients than to teach them to be a nursing assistant.