Category Archives: government, law, and politics

Tangled Web

1 Reply

This election’s shaping up to be another humdinger.

THE HOARY QUESTION OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

In the middle of a contentious election, in the fourth year of an administration that didn’t win the popular vote, in an era of ennui, this is the probably the worst possible time to ask one of the hardest questions of our political life. But that is also why this question cannot be avoided:

Should the Electoral College survive in its current form, or at all?

Florida 2000: The Sequel

Newspapers and magazines have been full of stories raising the disturbing possibility that the 2004 presidential election could once again end up in the courts: Will we wake up on Nov. 3 not knowing whether George W. Bush or John Kerry will be president for the next four years? Will the Supreme Court intervene again? How did things end up this way? Didn’t the country learn anything from the Florida debacle of 2000?

A Study in Contrasts

1 Reply

I'm fascinated by bias and slant in the media. Here are two opposing spins on the same story.

Vatican Has Not Denied Automatic Excommunication of John Kerry (LifeSiteNews)

"News which broke yesterday about a Vatican consultant's response to a question about canon law application to Catholic politicians who support abortion, has created a media uproar and contradictory statements about the Vatican's involvement in the response."

"Washington-based Rev. Basil Cole's response to California canon lawyer Mark Balestrieri indicated that Catholic politicians who advocate abortion are 'automatically excommunicated'. This pronouncement was understood by Balestrieri to indicate Vatican support for his lawsuit against Kerry. However, with the Presidential contest in question, Vatican authorities, with unusual haste for an institution that is typically very slow to respond to even the gravest matters, today fended off any suggestion of involvement in Balestrieri's lawsuit. Balestrieri has launched a church lawsuit against Kerry seeking to have him disciplined by Church authorities for his outspoken support for abortion"

Kerry "excommunication" scam exposed (CathNews)

"An official at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has claimed that a Californian canon lawyer seeking a formal decree of heresy against Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry of Massachusetts has misrepresented his contact with the Vatican office."

"The canon lawyer has claimed publicly that he received a communication from the Congregation implying that Kerry is excommunicated because any Catholic politician who says he is 'personally opposed to abortion, but supports a woman's right to choose,' incurs automatic excommunication. If credible, the claim could cause significant damage to Kerry's chances in an election that some pollsters say hinges on the Catholic vote."

"'The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has had no contact with Mr (Marc) Balestrieri,' said Congregation undersecretary Fr Augustine DiNoia."

Boring

1 Reply

America was served twice-reheated leftovers tonight. What’s worse, is that the meal
wasn’t filling or satisfying in the first place. It looked good, but it tasted like
cardboard.

Tonight’s debate was more of the same style over substance we say in the previous
two debates. The answers were all over-rehearsed and lacked any real depth or sincerity.
Like in the first debate, Kerry came off looking and sounding better. Bush didn’t
fall on his face like he did in the first debate, but he didn’t come out swinging
like he did in the second debate, either.

Continue reading →

I’ll Take Substanceless Debates For $1,000, Alex

1 Reply

Part of the Jeopardy! 2004 College Championship was filmed on Pitt’s campus recently. Host Trebek took some time between tapings to talk to the audience.

“I don’t think either one would do particularly well [on Jeopardy!]. We deal in answers and questions. Neither one of these [presidential candidates] seems to answer any of the questions they are asked.” – Alex Trebek