-
Death, Taxes, or the Dentist: Which is Worst?
Tweet Share on Facebook April 15, 2010 Comment (6)By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Big surprise, as Tax Day approaches. According to a recent survey, when forced to choose their least favorite activity, a majority of people chose death over taxes. Technically, 51 percent said that attending a funeral is their least favorite thing to do, and only 21 percent said their least favorite activity was paying their taxes. Just as many people enjoy paying their taxes as love to visit their dentist (23 percent), but only 5 percent would rather visit the in-laws.
-
Civics 101: The Supreme Court vs. American Idol
Tweet Share on Facebook April 13, 2010 Comment (9)By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Can you believe that only 1 in 7 Americans knows that John Roberts is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, yet two-thirds of Americans can name a judge on “American Idol”? According to former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, that’s because only half of the states require civics or government classes for graduation anymore. Here’s what she told the National Education Association about her new website for middle-schoolers, ourcourts.org:
-
Obama, the GOP, and John Paul Stevens’ Supreme Court Retirement
Tweet Share on Facebook April 9, 2010 Comment (13)By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Breaking, but not surprising, news: that Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has announced that he would retire at the end of this term. This means it'll be another summer of confirmation battles in Washington.
President Obama will probably be urged by his friends on the left to make a bold choice and nominate a very liberal replacement for Stevens, who is the leader of the liberals on the bench--especially while he's got a chance before the midterm elections. He should resist that urge and not go to the far left. It's too polarizing. With Sen. Brown now in office, the Republicans have 41 votes and Obama would be smarter to move toward the center and choose a candidate who is less liberal than Stevens was, and who has a better chance of getting through the Senate. Plus the president would woo back some of the independents that he lost during the healthcare reform fight.
-
Palin, Imus, and Why Female Politicians Don't Have Sex Scandals
Tweet Share on Facebook April 7, 2010 Comment (6)By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Here's a fun discussion on Michele Martin's NPR program, Tell Me More, about the fact that there are far fewer female politicians involved in sex scandals than men these days. Cokie Roberts and Michele are right: What female governor has time to book a flight to South America to see her boyfriend? Somebody's got to keep the kids in line and, as Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison recently said, women officeholders are "too busy doing their jobs to cheat." Nancy Pelosi doesn't have time to make a sex tape!
-
Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Scandal Is No 'Smear' Campaign of Pope
Tweet Share on Facebook April 7, 2010 Comment (22)By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Over Easter weekend, the pope said nothing about the sexual abuse scandal that continues to unfold. Instead, at Easter Mass at the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals, said a few words unexpectedly, according to the New York Times:
"With this spirit today we gather around you, successor of Peter, the bishop of Rome, the unfailing rock of the Holy Church of Christ ... Holy Father, the people of God are with you, and do not let themselves be impressed by the gossip of the moment, by the challenges that sometimes strike at the community of believers."
The Times also refers to an article in the Vatican newspaper that collected words of support for the pope from bishops and cardinals around the world, who variously called the questions about the pope's knowledge of child sexual abuse cases "defamation," "lies and vileness," and "a smear campaign" against the pontiff.
I don't think the church is facing a smear campaign from its enemies, and I don't think that this story is just some sort of "gossip." I agree with the newly ordained priest whose first Easter Mass I attended Sunday: that these allegations of crimes against children and their cover-up are akin to the initial disappointment of the women on Easter morning. They first found the empty tomb of Christ and thought something had gone horribly wrong. We all have our empty tombs—heartbreaking moments of disappointment, betrayal, or sadness. And to many Catholics, that's just what this is: heartbreaking.
Mary Kate Cary
Mary Kate Cary is a former White House speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush. She currently writes speeches for political and business leaders.
advertisement
Cartoons
Follow U.S. News
Like Us On Facebook
advertisement
