In other fun news, Catholic politicians get strict orders from the Pope

Pope Benedict XVI strongly reasserted Tuesday the church's opposition to abortion, euthanasia and gay marriage, saying that Catholic politicians were "especially" obligated to defend the church's stance in their public duties.

"These values are non-negotiable," the pope wrote in a 130-page "apostolic exhortation" issued in Rome, forming a distillation of opinion from a worldwide meeting of bishops at the Vatican in 2005.

"Consequently, Catholic politicians and legislators, conscious of their grave responsibility before society, must feel particularly bound, on the basis of a properly formed conscience, to introduce laws inspired by values grounded in human nature."

Fuck you, Palpatine.

Really, it would be poetic justice for Gonzales to end up being detained somewhere without benefit of habeas corpus over his improprieties. Since the Constitution apparently doesn't guarantee it.

"These values are non-negotiable,"

Negotiate this!!!

::fires anti-Pope rays at the Vatican::

(Yeah, I know that makes no sense....)

Quote of the Day ....From General Tony McPeak (ret.):

America has been conducting an experiment for the past six years, trying to validate the proposition that it really doesn't make any difference who you elect president. Now we know the result of that experiment. If a guy is stupid, it makes a big difference.

Link is to an article in Rolling Stone that I haven't read yet.

eta: The article is called

Beyond Quagmire A panel of experts convened by Rolling Stone agree that the war in Iraq is lost. The only question now is: How bad will the coming explosion be?

On the one hand, US Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the president. On the other hand, this maneuver was ridiculously political and bad for the country. Rumsfeld, Miers and Brown left under those circumstances, but I suspect Gonzales will get to stay.

Harriet Miers though-- she ran up a test balloon of firing ALL of the USAs. Jesus what a hack.

Catholic politicians get strict orders from the Pope

Um, am I wrong or was this a big campaign issue, where the candidate basically promised that he did have a conscience of his own, and would make decisions as he thought fit, and would not attempt to squash his personal beliefs onto his diverse constituency?

Oh wait, that was JFK, and it was forty-seven years ago.

Get with the program, Pope!

Oh wait, that was JFK, and it was forty-seven years ago.

I expect it's more of a factor in Italy.

Because Italians as a people are known to be such rigorous Catholics? I don't necessarily think so.

If I understand post-Vatican II Catholicism correctly, there's plenty of room in a "properly formed conscience" to conclude that, for instance, legal abortion is permissable. It sounds like the present Pope is hoping most Catholics will overlook that little loophole....

Because Italians as a people are known to be such rigorous Catholics? I don't necessarily think so.

I think the political import of Catholicism has more weight in a country like Italy. I doubt the Pope could point a finger at a politician and force the pol to do his bidding. But I think Vatican condmenation could put pressure on some politicians. Much moreso than here.