http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/ Catholic Democrats of Minnesota Web Site en Copyright 2008 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:05:58 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss essay that elicited hundreds of reader comments. One respondent focused on Mayor Giuliani's biggest applause line belittling Senator Obama, that "change is not a destination .. just as hope is not a strategy." Mr Klein's reader recalled a relevant quote in "Some old book stupidly suggesting hope might be a strategy: 'More than that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.'" The author of that homage to hope was, of course, St Paul (Romans 5:3). Link to The Catholic Spirit Newspaper, Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Patrick Whelan MD PhD is the co-director of Massachusetts Pax Christi, the international Catholic peace organization. He serves as president of the Catholic Democrats, a national organization of state-based groups serving as a voice for Catholics within the Democratic Party. He is also a pediatric specialist on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. ]]> http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/from_the_catholic_spirit_refle.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/from_the_catholic_spirit_refle.php Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:05:58 -0600 Giving the lie to Republican claims to being the family values party, the Bush administration is proceeding with plans to cut off health insurance support for 18,000 parents whose children are enrolled in the Minnesota Childrens Health Insurance Program. According to an article written by Kevin Diaz for the September 11 edition of the StarTribune, the new administration rules will eliminate a decades-old practice of using federal Medicaid funds to expand MinnesotaCare to assist the families of children needing health coverage. 'We believe that by covering parents, you improve access for kids,' state Medicaid Director Christine Bronson said. The entire Minnesota delegation has issued a letter opposing this plan by the Republican administration, which has already vetoed two separate Democratic proposals to expand children’s health insurance coverage. To Catholic Democrats Minnesota, this is yet another proof that the Bush-McCain 'pro-life, pro-family' rhetoric is all talk, no action. When the cameras are rolling, Republicans say great things, but in the real world of federal regulations, where no one is looking, their administration consistently harms real families. http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/administration_to_cut_health_i.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/administration_to_cut_health_i.php Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:11:29 -0600 Paula asks: I hear Catholic Democrats wanting to tell the world that our church, though it is religiously conservative, is politically liberal. In this it is unlike the Religious Right which is both religiously and politically conservative. Am I correct in this? My question is: why bother to defend the Catholic Church on this point? Mainstream Protestant denominations, Jews, Muslim, Humanists, garden variety atheists all have traditions of political liberalism. It is embarrassing to me when Catholics speak of "Catholic social teaching" as if they had never heard of the humanitarian traditions of other religions. Leo XIII came to his understanding of the social gospel right along with the rest of humanity/Christianity if not after they did. Are the majority of Catholics distinguishable from their non-Catholic neighbors in their responsibility for the marginalized? I don't think we are any better or worse than the general run of U.S. citizens on that score. We could all get better, but I don't think that telling the world that Catholics also have a social conscience is as effective as just pitching in with others as Citizen Democrats to get the job done. http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/why_emphasize_catholic_democra_1.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/why_emphasize_catholic_democra_1.php Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:17:55 -0600 The Catholic Spirit (Minneapolis/St Paul Archdiocese) Thursday, August 28, 2008 by Maria Wiering As the Nov. 4 election draws closer, Democrats and Republicans are carefully courting a group capable of swinging the vote to get their candidates elected - Catholics. Both the Democratic National Convention in Denver, which ends Aug. 28, and the Republican National Con­vention in St. Paul Sept. 1 to 4 will include events focusing on Catholic voters. According to a study from the Center of Applied Research in the Apostolate, there are an estimated 47 million potential voters who are Catholic in the United States. Although the national party committees have designated staff members to work to attract Catholic voters, party members are organizing groups on their own like Catholics for McCain, Catholics for Obama and Catholic Democrats to persuade members of their church to support their candidates. "This is going to be a tight election. Catholics are seen as an extremely important swing vote," said Theo Chalgren, a member of the Catholics for McCain steering committee and parishioner at St. Victoria in Victoria. A retired lawyer, Pat Schaffer said she felt someone should organize a Democratic outreach to Catholics. She finally decided it was up to her and became the Minnesota chairperson of Catholic Democrats, a nationwide grassroots organization. The group relies primarily on e-mail and word-of-mouth, said Schaffer, a parishioner at St. Stephen in Minneapolis. Its members collect names for e-mail distribution, walk door-to-door and encourage people to speak about politics with their friends. "We've learned [the Web] is a wonderful way of connecting with people, but it is no substitute for words, one-on-one talking, so the combination is what's powerful," she said. The organization's Web site, www.catholicdemocrats.org, daily updates visitors on campaign news and relates it to issues of Catholic concern, Schaffer said. People can also leave comments and discuss ideas. She's creating a Minnesota Catholic Democrats site, which can be accessed through the national site. Catholic Democrats are also planning to publish a 24-page booklet to encourage Catholics to vote for Sen. Obama, said Patrick Whelan, national president of Catholic Democrats. Although the Democratic Party platform doesn't call for making abortion illegal as the Republican platform does, Catholic Democrats talk to voters about lowering the number of abortions in the U.S. through increased funding for things like prenatal and postnatal care, Whelan said. They also emphasize their position against the war in Iraq and support of other life-related issues. Catholic Democrats want Catholics to think of the Democratic Party as a values-based party, and one that espouses many of the tenets of Catholic social teaching, said Whelan, who has advised the Democratic National Convention on Catholic outreach for three years. Faith-based outreach Whelan became involved in Catholic Democratic outreach during Sen. John Kerry's 2004 campaign. During that elec­tion, the news media were not interested in campaigns' faith-based outreach, he said. It's a different story this year, and Catholic Democrats are trying to reach its audience through the media attention, he said. Organized Catholic outreach is new to the Democratic Party, he said. He thinks faith-based outreach has helped candidates become more confident in speaking about faith. Catholics for McCain members are also networking with friends and people they know from their parish, especially community and parish leaders, said Chalgren. "The key issue is getting correct information out and then encouraging people to get out and vote," he said. Using predominantly e-mail, Catholics for McCain is urging county leaders to build Catholic support teams, Chalgren said. They also use a Web site, www.catholicsformccain.com, to spread their message. "Obviously, the Internet is a powerful way to connect with people, but we're also building leadership again, coalitions that will begin to do phone banking and do telephone calls," he added. Republican National Committee Deputy Chairman Frank Donatelli, a Catholic, said that although the Catholic community is broad, he thinks the Republican message can resonate within it, especially because of its positions on abortion, embryonic stem-cell research and marriage laws. "Catholics are one of the top priorities in campaigning," he said. "It's a large population in virtually every battleground state in the country." Catholics for McCain was one of the first groups formed by the McCain campaign, said Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, national co-chair of Catholics for McCain. The RNC's own Catholic outreach targets key states with large Catholic populations, including Minnesota, he said. "Within each of those states we've committed resources to communicate with Catholics," he said. Several states have staff members talking to Catholics and recruiting local leaders, Donatelli said. Catholics for McCain plans to host outreach events in battleground states like Minnesota, Sen. Brownback added. They also plan to send out mailings and flyers. The discerning Catholic "We urge Catholics to be involved in the political process," said Chris Leifeld, director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the Minnesota bishops. But Catholics have to look beyond partisan politics and campaign slogans to something deeper. The U.S. bishops' 2007 document "Forming Con­sciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility" is a good tool for Catholics to use, Leifeld said. In the document, the bishops note that "Catholics may feel politically disenfranchised, sensing that no party and too few candidates fully share the church's comprehensive commitment to the dignity of every human being from conception to natural death." "As Catholics, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group," the document says. "When necessary, our participation should help transform the party to which we belong; we should not let the party transform us in such a way that we neglect or deny fundamental moral truths." Click here for full article in the Catholic Spirit Newspaper (Minneapolis-St Paul Archdiocese)]]> http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/catholic_democrats_join_the_de.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/09/catholic_democrats_join_the_de.php Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:54:46 -0600 intent of the parties. The court has no right to weigh the welfare of the child or the fitness of the Intended Parent, who may in some circumstances have no physical or prior emotional connection to the child, either genetic or gestational. Some other states enforce such contracts, but only Illinois uses this radical a statute. Many states prohibit payment for surrogacy services, and a number of states, including New York, prohibit the practice altogether. Should Minnesota take the lead in the baby farming business without more thought being given to the practical and ethical consequences? If "freedom to contract" becomes the primary principle governing human relationships, where does it end? Do we really want to create a market in babies, human organs, prostitutes, or slaves, in which the wealthy can buy whatever they desire from anyone desperate enough to sign a contract? People are not things to be bought and sold, even with their permission. These contracts are wrong and the people of Minnesota must have the courage to say so.]]> http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/05/mn_promotes_the_business_of_ba_1.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/05/mn_promotes_the_business_of_ba_1.php Thu, 08 May 2008 13:01:03 -0600 Flynn spends last day on the job pushing for minimum wage hike by Ambar Espinoza, Minnesota Public Radio May 2, 2008]]> http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/05/archbishop_flynn_goes_to_bat_f.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/05/archbishop_flynn_goes_to_bat_f.php Mon, 05 May 2008 11:34:42 -0600 In a departure from his no new taxes policy Governor Pawlenty has proposed a cut in the Renters Credit of 21%. Of course, a cut in a tax credit is just another name for an increase in tax. This new tax is aimed solely at those at the bottom of the economic ladder. The Minnesota Renters Credit is limited to renters earning less than $50,430 a year, so is the new tax. But the plan is worse than that. Because the credit has been designed to decrease as income rises, the proposed new tax will be higher, the lower the income. For example, a renter earning $28,000 a year and paying $5,000 a year in rent will lose $57, while the same renter, if earning half that income, will lose $147. The poorer you are, the more you pay. It is encouraging that the governor is finally admitting that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Fiscal responsibility requires that the state budget be balanced. More tax revenue is needed. One might question the wisdom of seeking that revenue from the economically stressed housing market, which is already burdened by the recent shift in the costs of government from the state to local property taxes. But even assuming the prudence of this choice, why not cut the deduction for mortgage interest instead of focusing on renters? The credit cut, aka tax, could be indexed for income and/or value of the house to avoid an undue burden on those in economic peril. But there can be no moral excuse for a tax exclusively tailored to hit the poor, the disabled, seniors, and those teetering on the brink of homelessness. http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/03/governor_seeks_tax_increase_fo.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/03/governor_seeks_tax_increase_fo.php Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:34:05 -0600 Catholic Democrats applaud our courageous legislators who passed the long needed transportation bill. At last concern for the common good has triumphed over partisan politics. The new law supports roads, bridges, and public transportation around the state. "This is a historic step forward for transit in Minnesota," says Lea Schuster, Executive Director of Transit for Livable Communities. "Our legislators needed to take decisive action, and they ultimately did what was best for Minnesota." http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/02/february_25_legislature_overtu.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/02/february_25_legislature_overtu.php Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:34:22 -0600 February 5 starting at 6:30 pm Minnesotans will have a chance to vote their values. Catholic Democrats need to be there. To find your caucus address click on http://www.dfl.org/ http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/02/caucus_night_february_5.php http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/MN/2008/02/caucus_night_february_5.php Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:38:19 -0600