More Cheap Political Tricks

by Thomas A. Droleskey

The willingness of so many Catholics to suspend rational thought and to heap praise upon the "pro-life" charlatan who is President George Walker Bush never ceases to amaze me. Simple, incontrovertible facts, facts that have been outlined and documented over and over the years, seem not to matter to those who are permitting themselves to get caught up in the "rush" of the "issues of the moment," forgetting to apply the clear, simple truths of the Catholic Faith to matters of public policy.

This willingness to enable a killer of innocent human beings, George W. Bush, is quite similar to the willingness of some Catholics to "lowball" such things as the International Theological Commission's "findings" on Limbo and the conciliar Vatican's survey of the conciliar bishops of the world in order to see if passages in Sacred Scripture are being used to foment "anti-Semitism."  Indeed, the analogies are amazing. Catholics close their eyes about the truth of George W. Bush's policies while at the same time they exchange silence about apostasy in order as they  keep waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting) for the enemy of souls known as Joseph Ratzinger, who does not believe that the Catholic Church has a mission to seek with urgency the conversion of all souls to the Catholic Faith and who does not believe in the Social Reign of Christ King, to issue his "motu proprio" to "liberate" the modernized version of the Immemorial Mass of Tradition, which suppresses ancient feasts and changes certain prayers and practices in preparation for the Novus Ordo Missae. This is indeed the convergence of "dark forces" that I had noted in a recent commentary, written at the outset of my as of yet ongoing attack of bronchitis.

President Bush is being given a great deal of credit for writing  a letter (which is not, as far as I can tell,  to be found anywhere as of yet on the White House website) to Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-California) in which he threatened to veto legislation that weakens existing "pro-life" laws. There is a little problem with this: existing "pro-life" laws are not pro-life. Each permits exceptions, as Bush admits in his letter to Pelosi, to the inviolability of innocent human life, thereby conceding that it is perfectly permissible for the civil law to provide legal sanction for the slicing and dicing of the innocent preborn in certain cases.When, my friends, are we going to learn that anyone who supports a single surgical abortion under cover of law is not pro-life? Such a person is simply less pro-abortion than one who believes that babies can be killed under cover of law at all times without any restrictions whatsoever. Any talk of "weakening" existing "pro-life" legislation is a joke. Existing "pro-life" legislation is simply a series of cheap political tricks designed to burnish the credential of phony "pro-life" candidates while babies are killed with abandon, both chemically an surgically, with our taxpayer dollars. How can any intelligent Catholic continue to fall for such tricks?

To wit, Representative Christopher Smith (R-New Jersey), who votes repeatedly to fund domestic and international "family planning" programs, which fund the chemical assassination of preborn children by means of abortifacient contraceptives, has said that President Bush will stand fast by his 2001 "reinstatement" of the Reagan era "Mexico City policy that prohibits the government of the United States from distributing "internal family planning" funding to organizations that either kill babies on their premises or refer women to agencies or hospitals that can kill their babies. This is all very nice, except for the simple fact that this is all a gigantic sham. As I have noted and documented any number of times in the past six years, the actual Executive Order, as detailed by Howard Phillips of the Conservative Caucus Foundation six years ago this very month, issued by Bush in April of 2001 permits employees of such organizations as International Planned Parenthood, for example, to directly counsel women to places that can kill their babies as long as they do so on their own time and off of the "premises" of the organization. In other words, a employee of Planned Parenthood in Zimbabwe, can say to a woman, "Look, there are things I can't tell you here. Meet me for lunch as McDonald's. I can tell you more then." This, ladies and gentlemen, is all a sham. And Catholics, believing Catholics, continue to fall for this kind of sham. We are supposed to close our eyes to reality, to simple facts in order to "feel good" about hollow threats that do nothing to save a single preborn life?

Mind you, Nancy Pelsosi is an egregious pro-abortion "Catholic," one who remains in perfectly good standing in the structures of the counterfeit church of conciliarism, something that should be an ancillary proof of the bankruptcy of the conciliar structures. By what stretch of logic, however, can Pelosi be faulted for seeking to make it permissible for these pro-abortion organizations to do on their own premises what Bush permits them to off of their premises? Bush closes his eyes to the surgical killings that his Executive Order permits. Pelosi simply supports such killings openly. Ladies and gentlemen, can we not see that this is nothing other than the false "opposites" that the forces of organized naturalism seek to raise up in order to get us so "excited" about various issues that we lose our sensus Catholicus and start to slobber like a Boxer or a Saint Bernard dog over meaningless rhetoric that is founded in illogic and absurdity and is designed to pursue the ends of cynical career politicians?

Furthermore, my friends, have we lost sight of the simple fact that the so-called "pro-life" Bush administration funds openly and proudly domestic and international "family planning" programs that kill millions upon millions of babies in this country and around the world each and every year? How can a man in his right mind say that he wants to work for the day when "every child will be welcomed in life and protected by law" when he believes that the civil law must permit as a matter of principle the surgical dismemberment of babies in certain "hard cases" and when he funds the the chemical execution of millions upon millions of children? The warfare against the preborn is not simply surgical. It is chemical. Not only does Bush support the surgical dismemberment of children in their mothers' wombs in certain cases he funds the chemical murder of children in their wombs and has stated that he believes in contraceptives as a basic "right" of "family planning." How can we consider it a "victory" that a phony Executive Order permits counseling for surgical abortions to be done "off premises" of "international family planning" agencies as pills and devices that kill preborn babies are distributed on these very premises?

It is also ludicrous (and I am choosing that word very carefully) to speak of the desire to work for the day when "every child will be welcomed in life and protected by law" when one campaigns actively for the election of completely pro-abortion candidates for public office who belong to his own political party. How can you say that you are serious about "building up a culture of life" when you endorse and campaign for candidates who support the unlimited destruction of human beings in their mothers' wombs? Give the Democrats credit for being people of perverse integrity by being completely dedicated to the evils of the day. Republicans say that they are opposed to these evils as they fund them with our taxpayer dollars and as they enable the careers of their fellow party members who are completely in the pro-death, pro-perversity camps. How can anyone be taken seriously as a "pro-life" "champion" who makes "exceptions" to God's immutable prohibition against the direct, intentional killing of the innocent and when he campaigns for pro-aborts and appoints them to the highest offices in his administration (Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, et al.)?

Yes, talk of "watering" down existing "pro-life" laws is simply cheap political rhetoric designed to arouse the "conservative" political base, fueling the lie of the organized forces of naturalism that "something" is being done in the face of evil. How can the evil of baby-killing be retarded when one concedes that there are cases when baby-killing, both chemical and surgical, can be permitted? It's good political theater, I suppose, for the Fox News Channel and MSNBC and CNN. What we forget is this simple truth: the Fifth Commandment admits of no exceptions at any time. There is never a circumstance in which the civil law may permit a direct, intentional attack on an innocent human being, something that is lost on the likes of Bush, who contended eight years ago when running in the pre-caucus and pre-primary season that abortion was a "difficult issue about which people of good will could legitimately disagree." What's so difficult about "Thou shalt not kill"? What's so difficult?

Pope Leo XIII, writing in Libertas, June 20, 1888, reminded us that we ought not accustom ourselves to the toleration of evil. Yes, he noted, it might be necessary for the civil state to tolerate certain evils but without recognizing those evils as legitimate by seeking to approve them. George W. Bush believes in chemical baby-killing at all times and surgical baby-killing in some cases as a matter of principle, not as a matter of a flawed exercise in political expediency. He approves such evils. Once again, repeat after me, George W. Bush supports the evil of surgical baby-killing in three so-called "hard cases" and he supports the chemical murder of children by means of abortifacient contraceptives at all times. This simply accustoms even otherwise right-thinking Catholics to believe that it is indeed morally licit to kill babies and/or "prudentially" "necessary" to fund "family planning" programs.

Pope Leo XIII's words in Libertas are a very good and prophetic rejoinder to those who contend that it is necessary to make concessions in the civil law so as to "pragmatically" "save" babies. We forget that it was the existence of exceptions in state legislation prior to the 1960s that made it possible for those promoting surgical baby-killing upon demand to push for the "liberalization" of abortion statutes. We forget that in non-Catholic, indeed, anti-Catholic nation that the forces of naturalism will always seek to convince us that it is "necessary" to "tolerate"  and to approve certain grave evils. Pope Leo reminded us otherwise:

Yet, with the discernment of a true mother, the Church weighs the great burden of human weakness, and well knows the course down which the minds and actions of men are in this our age being borne. For this reason, while not conceding any right to anything save what is true and honest, she does not forbid public authority to tolerate what is at variance with truth and justice, for the sake of avoiding some greater evil, or of obtaining or preserving some greater good. God Himself in His providence, though infinitely good and powerful, permits evil to exist in the world, partly that greater good may not be impeded, and partly that greater evil may not ensue. In the government of States it is not forbidden to imitate the Ruler of the world; and, as the authority of man is powerless to prevent every evil, it has (as St. Augustine says) to overlook and leave unpunished many things which are punished, and rightly, by Divine Providence. But if, in such circumstances, for the sake of the common good (and this is the only legitimate reason), human law may or even should tolerate evil, it may not and should not approve or desire evil for its own sake; for evil of itself, being a privation of good, is opposed to the common welfare which every legislator is bound to desire and defend to the best of his ability. In this, human law must endeavor to imitate God, who, as St. Thomas teaches, in allowing evil to exist in the world, "neither wills evil to be done, nor wills it not to be done, but wills only to permit it to be done; and this is good.'' This saying of the Angelic Doctor contains briefly the whole doctrine of the permission of evil.

But, to judge aright, we must acknowledge that, the more a State is driven to tolerate evil, the further is it from perfection; and that the tolerance of evil which is dictated by political prudence should be strictly confined to the limits which its justifying cause, the public welfare, requires. Wherefore, if such tolerance would be injurious to the public welfare, and entail greater evils on the State, it would not be lawful; for in such case the motive of good is wanting. And although in the extraordinary condition of these times the Church usually acquiesces in certain modern liberties, not because she prefers them in themselves, but because she judges it expedient to permit them, she would in happier times exercise her own liberty; and, by persuasion, exhortation, and entreaty would endeavor, as she is bound, to fulfill the duty assigned to her by God of providing for the eternal salvation of mankind. One thing, however, remains always true -- that the liberty which is claimed for all to do all things is not, as We have often said, of itself desirable, inasmuch as it is contrary to reason that error and truth should have equal rights.

And as to tolerance, it is surprising how far removed from the equity and prudence of the Church are those who profess what is called liberalism. For, in allowing that boundless license of which We have spoken, they exceed all limits, and end at last by making no apparent distinction between truth and error, honesty and dishonesty. And because the Church, the pillar and ground of truth, and the unerring teacher of morals, is forced utterly to reprobate and condemn tolerance of such an abandoned and criminal character, they calumniate her as being wanting in patience and gentleness, and thus fail to see that, in so doing, they impute to her as a fault what is in reality a matter for commendation. But, in spite of all this show of tolerance, it very often happens that, while they profess themselves ready to lavish liberty on all in the greatest profusion, they are utterly intolerant toward the Catholic Church, by refusing to allow her the liberty of being herself free.

 

The only antidote for the madness of the present moment is Catholicism. People must understand that career politicians use cheap rhetoric, most of which contradicts itself as the rest of it is contradicted by hard facts. We must, therefore, continue to pray and work for the day when the Catholic Church is restored in all of her glory as the fruit of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It will be at such a time that men will be converted to the true Faith and that their nations will submit themselves with humility and docility to the Social Reign of Christ the King of of Mary our Immaculate Queen. The illogic that feeds Protestants and Skulls and Bonesmen such as George W. Bush will be wiped away. The apostasy that sustains and enables the likes of Nancy Pelosi will be wiped off of the face of the earth.

What can we do in the face of these "false opposites" presented to us by the organized forces of naturalism, that is the forces of Judeo-Masonry that sustain both major political parties and advocacy groups in this nation? Pray Rosaries. Pray Rosaries. Pray Rosaries. Pray Rosaries. Urged on by the great saint we commemorated on Saturday, May 5, 2007, who gave us the only "indult" we have ever needed for the Immemorial Mass of Tradition, Saint Pius V, Our Lady's Most Holy Rosary stopped the Turkish Fleet at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Urged on by the courage and valor of Polish King Jan Sobieski, Our Lady's Most Holy Rosary vanquished the Turks at the Gates of Vienna on September 12, 1683. Do we dare to think for a single, solitary moment that Our Lady's Most Holy Rosary is not Heaven's weapon to deal with the forces of Judeo-Masonry that control our government and our media, causing otherwise sane people to take leave their Catholic senses and to congratulate mass murderers for the "pro-life" heroism?

No, we must trust in the the Rosary, which will be the instrument of the conversion of this nation to become the Catholic States of America, a land where there will be no more cheap political tricks, a land where political leaders will work to help to foster social conditions conducive to the sanctification and salvation of the souls of their fellow citizens, a land where all people will live in the shadow of the Holy Cross and give public honor and glory to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Viva Cristo Rey!

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

Saint Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Gabriel the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Raphael the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Stanislaus, pray for us.

Saint Athanasius, pray for us.

Saints Monica, pray for us.

Saint Helena, pray for us.

Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, pray for us.

Saint Peter Canisius, pray for us.

Saint Jude, pray for us.

Saint John the Beloved, pray for us.

Saint Francis Solano, pray for us.

Saint John Bosco, pray for us.

Saint Dominic Savio, pray for us.

Pope Saint Anicetus, pray for us.

Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, pray for us.

Saint Justin the Martyr, pray for us.

Saint  Scholastica, pray for us.

Saint Benedict, pray for us.

Saint Anthony of Padua, pray for us.

Saint Antony of the Desert, pray for us.

Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.

Saint Bonaventure, pray for us.

Saint Augustine, pray for us.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, pray for us.

Saint Francis Xavier, pray for us.

Saint Peter Damian, pray for us.

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, pray for us.

Saint Lucy, pray for us.

Saint Monica, pray for us.

Saint Agatha, pray for us.

Saint Philomena, pray for us.

Saint Cecilia, pray for us.

Saint John Mary Vianney, pray for us.

Saint Vincent de Paul, pray for us.

Saint Vincent Ferrer, pray for us.

Saint Athanasius, pray for us.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, pray for us.

Saint Isaac Jogues, pray for us.

Saint Rene Goupil, pray for us.

Saint John Lalonde, pray for us.

Saint Gabriel Lalemont, pray for us.

Saint Noel Chabanel, pray for us.

Saint Charles Garnier, pray for us.

Saint Anthony Daniel, pray for us.

Saint John DeBrebeuf, pray for us.

Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, pray for us.

Saint Dominic, pray for us.

Saint Hyacinth, pray for us.

Saint Basil, pray for us.

Saint Vincent Ferrer, pray for us.

Saint Sebastian, pray for us.

Saint Tarcisius, pray for us.

Saint Bridget of Sweden, pray for us.

Saint Gerard Majella, pray for us.

Saint John of the Cross, pray for us.

Saint Teresa of Avila, pray for us.

Saint Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us.

Saint Genevieve, pray for us.

Saint Vincent de Paul, pray for us.

Pope Saint Pius X, pray for us

Pope Saint Pius V, pray for us.

Saint Rita of Cascia, pray for us.

Saint Louis de Montfort, pray for us.

Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich, pray for us.

Venerable Pauline Jaricot, pray for us.

Father Miguel Augustin Pro, pray for us.

Francisco Marto, pray for us.

Jacinta Marto, pray for us.

Juan Diego, pray for us.

 

The Longer Version of the Saint Michael the Archangel Prayer, composed by Pope Leo XIII, 1888

O glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil.  Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil.  Fight this day the battle of our Lord, together with  the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in heaven.  That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels.  Behold this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage.  Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the Name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay, and cast into eternal perdition, souls destined for the crown of eternal glory.  That wicked dragon pours out. as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.  These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on Her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck the sheep may be scattered.  Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory.  They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious powers of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude.  Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church.  Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations.  Amen.

Verse: Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.

Response: The Lion of the Tribe of Juda has conquered the root of David.

Verse: Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.

Response: As we have hoped in Thee.

Verse: O Lord hear my prayer.

Response: And let my cry come unto Thee.

Verse: Let us pray.  O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as suppliants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin, immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of our souls. 

Response:  Amen.