We Must be Talking

The Catholic Church suffered a double whammy during the summer with the resignation of 88-year old Cardinal Theodore McCarrick   because of credible accusations of sexual abuse with an altar boy in the 1970's and later with numerous seminarians. This was followed by a voluminous grand jury report in Pennsylvania detailing many lurid stories describing the abuse of more than a thousand children by three hundred priests over seventy years - with more to follow. These shocking events must be viewed as part of the shameful revelations of sexual abuse by priests and brothers, monks, friars, bishops and nuns in dioceses all over the world. No wonder that the Catholic Church is in crisis. The sexual abuse of children involves such awful and reprehensible acts of terror by   trusted adults against innocent children that trying to come to terms with this widespread abominable behavior has sapped the spirit of Catholics everywhere. Instead of pride in their church community, many a

Progress for Trade Unions in America     Gerry O'Shea President Trump was elated by the recent monthly report on the economy. He pointed out that he is presiding over the longest period of job growth ever - 94 months of unbroken success, not mentioning, of course, that 76 of those months happened under President Obama's leadership. He boasted that the unemployment rate of 3.9% reveals a buoyant economy, a tribute, he claims to his tax-cutting budget. That budget gave big financial breaks to corporations and   top earners. The promised dribble-down increase in revenue for the national exchequer has not materialized; in fact, the deficit is projected to grow by close to a massive trillion dollars this fiscal year - debt that will have to be repaid by our children and grandchildren. Still we are living in booming times - low unemployment and inflation, strong stock market   and reduced company taxation rates add up to a positive business environment.   But, how are

Divisions in the Democratic Party        Gerry O'Shea Some commentators assert that the Democratic Party is seriously divided   ideologically, with strong left and right wing factions   clashing over important policy issues as the November congressional elections approach. The victory of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over the incumbent, Congressman Joe Crowley, in the recent Democratic primary in Queens, New York, is   viewed as a prime example of this division.   Joe, age 56, was part of the Democratic leadership team in Washington   and was often mentioned as a possible successor for Nancy Pelosi. He was a highly-respected product of traditional machine politics in Queens. Alexandria, just half his age, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), presented herself as part of new age politics to the left of Crowley and the Democratic Establishment. Cynthia Nixon, the famous actress and political activist, is running a plucky campaign in the Democratic gub