The Pope gets it.

I'm liking Pope Francis more and more each day. He is doing what Pope Palpatine did not, and for that matter what Saint John Paul II seemed unable to do either when he was Pope. Namely highlighting the societal trends that at odds with church teachings-and using the bully pulpit ( and the real pulpit in many locations) to stand up and say things that need to be said:

“Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world,” he wrote. “This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system.”

He is coming straight out and saying it. Un-regulated capitalism kills. The key word there being "un-regulated". Obviously western societies need to be capitalistic. But the excesses that started under the reign of Reagan and carried onward till a group of self appointed banker "masters of the universe" nearly destroyed the global financial system has gone too far. Even worse in my view, is the completely selfish viewpoint of so many Americans who rather than speak of it in polite double talk, boldly come out and defend the actions of a few who are screwing over literally millions of their fellow citizens. They speak in glowing terms in defense of attitudes that can only be described charitably as manifestly evil. Cue Romney and his 47% nonsense. The selfish pigs who like Sarah Palin make their living spouting this nonsense.

Now the Pope is caling them out as the selfish pigs they are. If Francis can keep talking this way, he can bring me back to closer ties with the church. Especially if he would finally stop the whole birth control nonsense. Of course nothing will ever change the church's position on abortion which is also discussed in the same document and is as Charles Pierce points out :"the ideas on abortion in the same document are tough and ought not to be enshrined in law." But this is an important step for Pope Francis and Pierce goes on to lay out why:

"Trickle-down." The SOB actually used the phrase? In an official document? Classic. Faith in markets has "never been confirmed by facts"? Okay, right off the top, any time this guy wants space on the blog, it's his. I keep waiting for him to give me the Latin for "zombie-eyed granny starver."

 

"Crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power"? Neil Cavuto just had a stroke.

 

I know, I know. St. James. "Faith without works" and all. (And the ideas on abortion in the same document are tough and ought not to be enshrined in law.)  But one thing to remember is that the Church is still producing seminarians, and the new ones are going to be trained in obedience to this guy's ideas. That was how we wound up with a great generation of progressive priests during and after Vatican II. The problem came when John Paul II, a theological reactionary, got elected and spent more than two decades rolling back the achievements of those priests, particularly in the oligarchical tyrannies of places like Central America. Popes can transform the Church without noisily transforming its doctrines. We can hope (and pray, if you're so inclined) that historical precedent is not ironclad.That may not seem like much, all things considered, but I hope Paul Ryan, good Catholic boy, has made his nine First Fridays because this is a papacy with his name on it.

Good job Francis!