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Leviathan, civil society and national morality
The national debate over contraception and other intimate moral issues has a lot to do with the unchecked growth of state power incarnate in the welfare state.Here I come to save the World Bank
Recently, Professor Jeffrey Sachs made a public application to be the next president of the World Bank with an op-ed in the Washington Post titled "How I would lead the World Bank." I was not aware they were taking applications, but since they are, I thought I'd throw my name in the ring.Secular scapegoats and 'The Hunger Games'
“The Hunger Games” trilogy penned by Suzanne Collins has proven to be hugely successful, and deservedly so. The tale of post-apocalyptic love, poverty, war, and oppression poignantly captures the fundamental injustice of tyranny. As the film premiere of the first book dominated the box office this past weekend, it’s worth reflecting on what can be learned about faith and freedom from “The Hunger Games.”Human nature: The question behind the culture wars
Culture wars can produce nasty rhetoric. Political discourse quickly becomes emotionally charged and divisive. We are tempted to view those with whom we disagree as not only irrational but evil. The culture of demonization of our political opponents is what moral psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt seeks to dismantle with his new book, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion.Benedict XVI and the irrelevance of 'relevance'
Pope Benedict has shown tremendous interest in assuring Catholics understand the content of their faith.The American Left's European nightmare
In mid-February, the European Central Bank's new president, Mario Draghi, bluntly stated: "The European social model has already gone." That is decidedly not music to American liberal earsCorn subsidies at root of U.S.-Mexico immigration problems
America’s immigration debate will never be adequately addressed until we think clearly about the economic incentives that encourage Mexican citizens to risk their lives to cross the border. In fact, if we care about human dignity we must think comprehensively about the conditions for human flourishing so that the effective policies promote the common good. Sadly, U.S. government farm subsidies create the conditions for the oppression and poor health care of Mexican migrant workers in ways that make those subsidies nothing less than immoral.
Overcoming the merely therapeutic: Human excellence and the moral life
This is not to reject the use of medicinal or therapeutic imagery in conversations about either the spiritual or cultural lives. The problem occurs when such imagery comes to dominate at the expense of other, equally valid, ways of speaking about human experience (as for example the juridical model of salvation).Corrupted capitalism and the housing crisis
To say that our public discourse today stands in need of some improvement is undoubtedly an understatement, but perhaps no area of our common life requires more careful consideration than our political speech. All too often we find public discussions of political economy cast in stark terms, such as “socialism” versus “capitalism.” Very often these characterizations fall out along party lines, with Democrats branded as socialists by conservatives, and Republicans branded as free-market fundamentalists by progressives.Obamacare vs. the Catholic bishops
What the state giveth, the state taketh away.Playing politics with unemployed veterans
Older military retirees can remember a time when they counted on the promise of free health care for life. Many sacrificed more lucrative private sector careers, non-payment for overtime, and additional time with their family because of patriotism and promised security. Now they pay premiums for their care.An unconscionable threat to conscience
The HHS mandate threatens conscience rights far beyond the confines of the Roman Catholic Church and Her institutions.