Off the Fence Before Iowa

Tomorrow night's Iowa caucus will give us our first true information about the GOP primaries. Donald Trump's been sucking up all the oxygen with a brilliant media campaign. The guy knows television and branding.

I can't believe --which is to say I absolutely can, but shake my head-- his pulling out of the most recent GOP tactic worked to get everyone talking about him for 72 hours. Goodness. He pulled that threaten-to-pull-out stunt already with the first two debates. If FOX news were a serious news organization and not a ratings gimmick, it would have responded with a simple, "We will have a podium ready for Mr. Trump and hope he'll come" and left it at that. But of course, it was to their advantage to play along and amplify his game, so they taunted him with a snotty news release instead. Fun reality tv: but unserious, and unfair to the other candidates.

I'll give Trump something else, an understanding to which I've been late in coming because I've been so put off by his personal vulgarity and long history of supporting Lefty causes (though he's probably not done so out of ideological commitment, but merely to grease the skids for business dealings -- something about which he's unapologetic). I watched his "speech" (really his random commentary) at Liberty University and realized that deep down, the man is motivated by a certain patriotism. His understanding of the Declaration, the Constitution, the rule of law, statesmanship, and the value of limited government is no better than the average American's in our age of college-teaches-you-nothing. But he at least loves his country in his limited way, and that plus the promise of jobs in an economy that's closing out a full decade of disastrous economic policy ON TOP of an economic revolution akin to the industrial revolution that not one single politician understands, much less addresses, is Trump's appeal.  People aren't fools and they aren't fooled by him. They're not loving his crassness; they're tolerating it in order to get some of these "wins" he promises.

He's been riding high in the polls, but the interesting question will be if those polls translate into actual voters in the caucuses. Reporters traveling with the various campaigns have said for months that Cruz has an excellent get-out-the-vote campaign and has been doing the hard work of retail politics, visiting every polling site.  Trump, by contrast, is said to have been relying on big rallies and events that are captured on camera. His poll numbers are good, but they're good with people who haven't been previously active in caucuses. So will they actually show up? If so, maybe we're a reality tv nation now, and retail politics means less than it once did. Or maybe not.

Meanwhile, I'm crossing my fingers for Marcomentum. Marco Rubio is also said to have a don't-count-him-out ground game in Iowa, and everyone's noticing that Ted Cruz' attack ads have suddenly gone viciously against Rubio rather than Trump, which suggests a Rubio surge.

I've decided I really whole-heartedly like Rubio. As I've mentioned previously, I see him as a more effective legislator than Ted Cruz --who, for all his vaunted constitutionalism, seems not to understand the body to which he was elected and how it works, and has spent his time helping to weaken it rather than shore it up against executive encroachment.  Polling continually shows that of the GOP candidates, only Rubio consistently beats Hillary and Bernie, and Cruz, whatever his merits, I think is too angry and too condescending a figure to appeal to the electorate at large. Trump TALKS angry and say horrible insulting things, but somehow he doesn't actually seem all that angry or condescending. Whereas with Cruz, something in his face just makes you want to slug him for being so smug -- even when you agree with him.

People who have worked with Rubio always remark on his sincerity, his transparency, his hard work in understanding issues, and that is what comes across to me when I hear him in interviews. I am always impressed with his detailed knowledge on defense issues in particular, but also on economic policy. He's been a champion of religious liberty and persecuted Christians (don't take my word for it, take a look at what Michael Cromartie has to say), and I love him for this:



It's not just that he cut a pro-life ad. That's what you do when you're running in Iowa and courting evangelical voters. It's that he didn't use the throw-them-some-red-meat boilerplate that insincere GOP politicians use: where they say they're pro-life and that they think Roe v. Wade should be overturned and would support a constitutional amendment to defend life.  That's what politicians say when they either know nothing about the issue or intend to do nothing whatsoever about it. The fact that Rubio tells you specific measures he'll support -- how he will advance the cause-- tells you he's given it some thought, understands the state of play, and actually means it.

Here's another Rubio ad I like. I'm not sure I fully get it, actually -- there seems to be an in-joke that I don't know about.  But it shows his sunny personality, and I'll tell you what's smartest about it: it shows his wrinkles, so he doesn't seem so young. His youthful good looks, along with his rushed, earnest delivery (even though he's capable of great eloquence), are weaknesses. They make him seem too young. But any time I hear him in an interview where there's time for an actual answer as opposed to a sound bite, I am impressed.

I Predict the Sudden Rediscovery of the Male Chaperone

This 16-year-old German girl's video asking the perfectly reasonable question, "Why do we have to live in such fear" about the growing phenomenon of girls being raped by Muslim refugees has gone viral.

Front Page magazine has more on the story, as well as links to the kinds of incidents Bibi Wilhailm is referring to. Such as the assault of hundreds of women in Cologne on New Year's Eve by gangs of "North African-looking men."

Sweden now has the #2 rape rate in the world, thanks to a wide open door policy for migration from the Middle East and North Africa.

I could link much more, but google it yourself.

It will be interesting to see whether any European government actually values its liberty and its women enough to put a stop to this. And whether the U.S. will continue on its follow-Europe path and import that madness here.

Meanwhile, I predict a sudden surge in male chaperoning among private citizens who care about one another. Not looking so patriarchal and condescending at the moment, is it?

Update: See? Soldiers of Odin protect women in Finland. Not necessarily a great development, however: where law fails, vigilantes spring up.

Rubio Answers A Question from an Atheist

Stick with it.

A Photo for the Lord's Day

Alexey Kljatov/CC BY-NC 3.0


For heaven's sake, click on the link above and go see Alexey Kljatov's photographs of snowflakes. They're all beautiful, but of particular interest to me are the ones that are triangular or columnar in shape -- never seen that kind before. 
Curtsy: Jaymi Heimbuch, Treehugger.

Cuz I Like It

"Dancing Shoes," Helene Schjerfbeck

Epiphany, Everywhere Else

Jacob de Wet, Adoration of the Magi

Merry Christmas, Day 12!

 Nativity, Brian Kershinik, shamelessly pinched from a random Pinterest page.

(see also the artist's website)

Click to enlarge. Worth it.

On many occasions, the Church feels the joy and duty to raise her song to God with these words of praise, which since the fourth century accompany prayer in important moments of Her earthly pilgrimage. It is the joy of thanksgiving that emanates almost spontaneously from our prayer, to recognize the loving presence of God in the events of our history. As often happens, however, we feel that our voice is not enough in prayer. It is in need of reinforcement with the company of the whole People of God, which makes its song of thanksgiving heard in unison. Therefore, in the Te Deum we ask for the help of the angels, of the prophets and of the whole of creation to praise the Lord. With this hymn, we go over the history of salvation where, by God’s mysterious design, the different events of our life of this past year find a place and synthesis. ...
...our eyes are in need of focusing in a particular way on the signs that God has given us, to touch with our hand the strength of His merciful love. We cannot forget that many days were marked by violence, by death, by the unspeakable suffering of so many innocents, of refugees constrained to leave their homeland, of men, women and children without a stable dwelling, food and support. Yet how many gestures of kindness, of love and solidarity have filled the days of this year, even if they did not make television news. Good things do not make news. These signs of love cannot and must not be obscured by the arrogance of evil. Good always conquers, even if at some moments it might seem weaker and hidden.

~ Pope Francis, Te Deum, First Vespers of the new year

Merry Christmas, Day 11

Borgognone, Madonna & Child

I like to call this one Jesus of the Cute Red Shoes. And the fact that he's holding a rosary or paternoster called to mind this from the internet: 

Merry Christmas, Day 10 (Epiphany, US)

Pesellino, Journey of the Magi

What does it mean to say that Jesus was born in “the fullness of time”? If we consider that particular moment of history, we might quickly be deluded. Rome had subjugated a great part of the known world by her military might. The Emperor Augustus had come to power after five civil wars. Israel itself had been conquered by the Roman Empire and the Chosen People had lost their freedom. For Jesus’ contemporaries, it was certainly not the best of times. To define the fullness of time, then, we should not look to the geopolitical sphere.

Another interpretation is needed, one which views that fullness from God’s standpoint. It is when God decided that the time had come to fulfil his promise, that the fullness of time came for humanity. History does not determine the birth of Christ; rather, his coming into the world enables history to attain its fullness. 

~ Pope Francis, Homily for January 1, 2016

Merry Christmas, Day 9

Lu Lan, The Birth of Christ

Children...love to play. To play with a child, however, means abandoning our logic to enter his. If you want to have fun, you need to understand what will please the child, and not be selfish and make him do things your way. This is a lesson for us. Before Jesus, we are called to give up our claim to autonomy --and this is the crux of the problem, our claim to autonomy-- to embrace instead freedom in its true form, which is to know whom we face and whom we serve.
He, this boy, is the Son of God who comes to save us. He comes among us to show us the face of the Father, rich in love and mercy. So then let's squeeze the baby Jesus in our arms, let's immerse ourselves in his service. He is the source of love and serenity. It will be a good thing, today, when we go home, to visit the creche and kiss the baby Jesus and say, "Jesus, I want to be humble like you, humble as God," and ask him this grace.

~Pope Francis, my translation from General Audience for December 30

Merry Christmas, Day 8 (Feast of the Maternity of Mary)

Victor Vasnetsov, The Virgin & Child

Happy New Year! 

In Mary, God rejoices and is especially pleased. In one of the prayers dearest to Christians, the Salve Regina, we call Mary “Mother of Mercy”. She has experienced divine mercy, and has hosted in her womb the very source of this mercy: Jesus Christ. She, who has always lived intimately united to her Son, knows better than anyone what He wants: that all men be saved, and that God’s tenderness and consolation never fail anyone. May Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us to understand how much God loves us.

~Pope Francis, Homily for Our Lady of Guadalupe, 2015

See also: Holy Mass on the Solemnity of Mary, Most Holy Mother of God

Books Read, 2015

Scroll through, scroll through, nothing to see here: as you know, this is for the external memory drive and not so much for public consumption, which is why it's post-dated. This is not a complete list, as I forgot to keep track of what I read in the middle of the year. Although maybe it's complete enough, given that I can't pull the extra titles up from the memory banks. 

Scripture
John
Captivity Epistles

Ratzingers/Popery
Deus Caritas Est
Fundamental Speeches from Five Decades
Laudato Si
Misericordiae Vultus

Devotional/Professional
Happy Are You Poor
Gift of Faith
The Great Reformer
The Looming Tower
The Return of the Prodigal Son

Book Club
Cranford
Persuasion
Death Comes to the Archbishop
Nation
Remains of the Day

Just Felt Like It 
Finding Peter
Gilead
Great American Short Stories
Housekeeping
Never Let Me Go
The Road to Serfdom
Sense & Sensibility
Tea-Time for the Traditionally Built
Unusual Uses for Olive Oil
What Went Wrong?

With the Kids
King Solomon's Mines
Tom Sawyer