At the NYTimes, Meghan Clark, St. John's Professor of Theology, fellow at the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies, currently on a Fulbright in Kenya, and all-around theological superstar on Pope Francis ending the GOP-RC alliance. The money quote:
For a while it seemed as if there was an alliance between Catholicism and the Republican Party as both oppose abortion and same sex marriage. However, conservatives could conveniently distort or deny Benedict and John Paul II’s critiques of capitalism, of the Iraq war, and their support of the option for the poor. The perceived alignment between Catholicism and American conservative politics was always an illusion.
At Daily Kos, the first map I have seen looking to next year's Senate races. Of the four toss-ups, only one seat is currently held by the Dems, The Dems have only one seat in the "Leans Dem" category, while the GOP has four, and the Republicans have 3 seats in the "Likely GOP" category and the Dems have none. If this is where the race is today, 2016 is going to be a good year for Democrats' hopes to re-take the Senate.
At RNS, Mark Silk spanks newly consecrated Bishop Robert Barron for placing the blame for the California legislature's passage of physician-assisted suicide on Harvard. Welcome to the big leagues Bishop Barron. Round 1 goes to Silk.
At the Chicago Sun-Times, Neil Steinberg on +Cupich's labor talk yesterday.
