JohnEngland
10-17-2010, 07:04 AM
Interesting article which I'm sure will divide opinions. However, one only needs to look at true Catholics, like Judge Napolitano and Tom Woods, to see that Catholicism and Liberty are totally compatible, despite Katholycs like Pelosi, Biden et al who bring shame to their religion.
The Catholic doctrine of subsidiarity is precisely what is needed. If a Tea Party Manifesto is created, its cornerstone should be the time-tested Catholic principle of subsidiarity.
In the political context, the principle of subsidiarity states that political decisions and other matters generally should be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Sec. 1882 - 1883) clearly instructs Catholics to look to subsidiarity to protect against excessive intervention by the state which threatens personal freedom and initiative. This principle safeguards the ideals of limited government and personal freedom and stands squarely opposed to the welfare state's goals of centralization and bureaucracy.
In the broader social context, subsidiarity stresses the importance of the real common good and the values of family, life, liberty and community.
In his 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II warned us that the welfare state undermined this core principle of subsidiarity. The welfare state discourages human initiative and results in an excessive increase of public bureaucracies. This results in an enormous increase in spending by a government whose goal is to achieve its own statist agenda rather than to serve the public.
The large and still growing number of people who have joined together to evict the political ruling class include Tea Partiers, Libertarians, Conservative Republicans, Reagan Democrats and many others who have suffered in this economic downturn. This is a diverse group indeed and for it to have long-term staying power this reform movement will need to come together on common ideological grounds. This common ground will not be found in the worn out policies emitting from the smoke-filled back rooms frequented by the elites who currently dominate American politics, both Republican and Democrat.
http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=38763
The Catholic doctrine of subsidiarity is precisely what is needed. If a Tea Party Manifesto is created, its cornerstone should be the time-tested Catholic principle of subsidiarity.
In the political context, the principle of subsidiarity states that political decisions and other matters generally should be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Sec. 1882 - 1883) clearly instructs Catholics to look to subsidiarity to protect against excessive intervention by the state which threatens personal freedom and initiative. This principle safeguards the ideals of limited government and personal freedom and stands squarely opposed to the welfare state's goals of centralization and bureaucracy.
In the broader social context, subsidiarity stresses the importance of the real common good and the values of family, life, liberty and community.
In his 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II warned us that the welfare state undermined this core principle of subsidiarity. The welfare state discourages human initiative and results in an excessive increase of public bureaucracies. This results in an enormous increase in spending by a government whose goal is to achieve its own statist agenda rather than to serve the public.
The large and still growing number of people who have joined together to evict the political ruling class include Tea Partiers, Libertarians, Conservative Republicans, Reagan Democrats and many others who have suffered in this economic downturn. This is a diverse group indeed and for it to have long-term staying power this reform movement will need to come together on common ideological grounds. This common ground will not be found in the worn out policies emitting from the smoke-filled back rooms frequented by the elites who currently dominate American politics, both Republican and Democrat.
http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=38763