Here’s a sharp and compelling piece by Meghan Clark, professor at St. John’s University and a consultant to the USCCB, on the Republican budget proposal. It is lucid and thoroughly Catholic.
A snippet:
In response to Speaker Boehner and Congressman Ryan, I would respectfully state, I do not think you get the bigger picture. Boehner, Ryan and their colleagues seem to grossly and dangerously miss the point regarding poverty and vulnerability. Yes, 1 in 6 Americans are living below the poverty line and millions of Americans are struggling, jobless, homeless, hungry and suffering. This is the bigger picture. Catholic social teaching promotes a people-centered economy not the reverse. As Catholics, we simply cannot sacrifice and scapegoat the poor. Hiding behind the debt/deficit and welfare reform attempts to do just that – to take our eye off the bigger picture (47 million people in poverty, a continuing homelessness/foreclosure problem, and high unemployment).
Full piece here. Dr. Clark helpfully responds to a commenter’s objections in the comments, too.