Mark Shea has two good blog posts on the recent changes to the language of the Catholic Catechism that declares the death penalty to be inadmissable. I am sure conservative Catholics will be freaking out over this.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markshea/2018/08/the-pope-has-just-declared-the-death-penalty-inadmissible-in-all-cases.html

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markshea/2018/08/here-is-the-new-language-of-the-catechism-on-the-death-penalty.html

I see this sometimes where I live in the Midwest but it looks like the problem is worse on the West Coast. My cousin just returned from Seattle and he said that he saw many people living out of their cars.



Full article: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-americans-are-living-in-their-vehicles-amid-high-housing-prices/

I thought this was an interesting article on the issue of downward mobility and increasing precariousness among white-collar Americans.

https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/americas-white-collar-middle-class-takes-a-terrifying-slide-down-the-mobility-ladder

One thing I have to say, though, is that a lot of middle-class Americans were fine throwing poor and working-class Americans under the bus in the past when times were better for the white-collar middle class. I recall many of my white-collar friends and family members complaining about unions and saying that factory workers should have gotten an education in response to plant closings. There was little sympathy for poor and blue-collar Americans. Now that many of the same problems are starting to hurt more affluent Americans some of them are changing their tune although I still hear a lot of nasty comments whenever fast food workers or other low-wage workers try to organize or get a raise in the minimum wage.

I am all in favor of solidarity between all American workers but this should be a good political lesson. Never, ever punch down and never assume that you are untouchable because you will be next on the chopping block. After the powerful demolish those at the bottom the middle and upper-middle will be next.

Interesting ruling today.



Full article: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-gun-carry-ruling-20180724-story.html#

This is pretty depressing coming from a wealthy country like the United States. Apparently sewage problems are not just confined to Alabama but exist in other states as well.



Full article: http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-alabama-hookworm-sewage.html

La Civiltà Cattolica has published an interesting critique of the Prosperity Gospel.



The article focuses on the history of the Prosperity Gospel movement, its origins in the United States, its spread around the world and its relationship to a certain interpretation of the American Dream. Highly recommended reading in my opinion.

https://laciviltacattolica.com/the-prosperity-gospel-dangerous-and-different/

I have been reading a bit about Ronald Reagan and I was surprised to find out that he was a Democrat in his younger years. Reagan was a big supporter of FDR and the New Deal and was very pro-union. Regan was even president of the Screen Actors Guild. But Reagan would eventually become a Republican in 1962 and supported Barry Goldwater in 1964.

I have read all sorts of reasons for Reagan changing parties, everything from making more money and getting hit with higher marginal tax rates to his stint working as a spokesman for General Electric.

Why do you think Reagan changed parties and ideology?

I am not sure if this has been posted yet but it seems significant in light of the recent deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain.

According to the CDC suicide rates have increased 30 percent since 1999.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/suicide-rates-are-30-percent-1999-cdc-says-n880926

I thought this was an interesting article in the NYT. It is a review of a book about the Carter presidency by Stuart E. Eizenstat, Carter's White House domestic policy adviser. Eizenstat argues that Carter's presidency was more consequential than is typically thought.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/books/review/president-carter-stuart-eizenstat.html

I thought some DUers might find this interesting.

It looks like ABC might be considering continuing Roseanne without Roseanne Barr.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/01/media/roseanne-reboot-without-roseanne-barr/index.html

I have to admit that I felt bad for the cast and crew when I heard that Roseanne was cancelled. It was unfortunate that other people had to lose work due to Barr's stupidity. Apparently there is talk of refocusing the show on the Darlene character.

Any thoughts? Would you watch a Roseanne spin-off without Barr?