Foreign Digest Updates: Venezuela, Sudan, the United Kingdom and Italy

Venezuela

            Australia recognized the leader of the congressional democratic opposition as the President of Venezuela earlier this week.  The European Parliament voted yesterday in favor of recognizing him.  Several member states are demanding free elections.  The duly-appointed Venezuelan Supreme Court supports the self-declaration of the opposition leader as President.  Meanwhile, peaceful protests continue in Venezuela against the Socialist dictatorship, with the death toll rising.

Sudan

            Peaceful protests against the Islamist tyranny of Sudan continue.  There has been bloodshed.

The United Kingdom

            The United Kingdom still has not approved a deal to withdraw from the European Union by the March 29 deadline, when it will leave without a deal if none is agreed to, after the passage in June 2016 of the referendum in favor of leaving the body.  The British Parliament this week approved a series of relevant non-binding bills, including one to reject leaving without a deal and another to encourage the Conservative-led Government to re-negotiate details of its deal in regard to the border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland, which the Prime Minister has announced her intention to do.  However, the EU has made clear there will be no renegotiation.  The British have been making contingency plans in case there will be a no-deal exit from the EU.

Italy

           Italy dipped back into recession last year, after two consecutive quarters of slightly negative gross domestic product, just as its employment rate has recovered to the pre-debt crisis numbers.  The trade war between the United States and Communist China was cited by the Prime Minister as the cause.

Conservative Analysis of Liberal Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s First Term

           Pennsylvania’s liberal Democratic Governor, Tom Wolf, was sworn into a second term in mid-January.  A conservative analysis of his first term is centered on his frequent proposals to raise taxes.

            Wolf has called every year for a tax on natural gas extraction—on top of the usual high business taxes they already pay and the “impact fee” they pay, even though the industry is a boon for Pennsylvania.  He has also called for raising income taxes.  The Republican-led General Assembly has thus far thwarted his plans, but Wolf was able to increase spending to a degree.  He blocked the kind of pension reform the Commonwealth needs, but did allow some modest reform for some newly hired employees.  Wolf chose not to eliminate the state alcohol monopoly, which could have netted much revenue, but allowed some liberalization in sales.  Similarly, he avoided necessary welfare reform, making only minor changes.  Wolf continues to fund Planned Parenthood with taxpayer dollars.  There has continued to be an expansion of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania under his administration to find more revenue.  The legalization of certain fireworks, which was intended to increase revenue, was ill-conceived and disastrous in its implementation.

            Wolf was successful at implementing many anti-opioid measures, both through executive action and legislation.  He legalized medical marijuana and liberalized industrial hemp production, but is proposing legalizing recreational marijuana.  Wolf is unfavorable to the right to keep and bear arms, but has not implemented significant anti-gun policies.  He takes the side of organized labor in employment issues.  One significant scandal in Wolf’s administration was the registration of non-citizens to vote.

            There has been no elimination of burdensome real estate taxes in the Commonwealth under the Wolf Administration.  Wolf has stopped the long-planned phase-out of Pennsylvania’s onerous inheritance taxes. 

           Overall, Wolf has continued to advocate for higher taxes in order to fund more spending, while avoiding some of the reforms that would reduce unnecessary spending.  He has instead only made modest fiscal reforms.

Foreign Digest Updates: Macedonia, Italy, Ukraine,the Measles Outbreak and Venezuela

Macedonia

            The Greek Parliament approved this weekend the accord between Greece and its northern Slavic neighbor, Macedonia, over the name of the latter, which had approved the deal last year.  The former Yugoslav Republic is now the Republic of Northern Macedonia, to allay Greek fears over any separatism in its similarly named province on the border with Northern Macedonia.  The resolution of the dispute after more than two decades clears the path for Macedonia to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.

Italy

            The Council of Europe last week cited the populist Italian Government, which includes the far-right anti-immigrant League, for increasing racism. 

Ukraine

            The former President of Ukraine was convicted late last week of treason for abetting the Russian invasion and annexation of Crimea.  The Russian puppet had fled Ukraine for Russia after a rebellion against his increasing authoritarianism and corruption. 

Measles outbreak

            There has been an outbreak of the measles in both Western Europe and the States of the American Union because of populist and cynical anti-vaccination attitudes.  Both the far-Left and far-Right are skeptical of or opposed to vaccination and extreme libertarians oppose, at least, mandated vaccination.  The regime of Russian Federation tyrant Vladimir Putin spread anti-vax propaganda and disinformation in order to weaken the West and the United States.  With fewer people vaccinating, there is less immunity, which is why measles, which once was nearly eradicated, has come back.

Venezuela

           The United States, Canada, and several states of Latin and South America have recognized the government proclaimed by the democratic opposition leader in Congress instead of the Socialist tyrannical “President” because of the lack of free and fair elections.  Only a handful of Communist or other authoritarian regimes around the world recognize the Socialists.  More than two dozen people have been killed in the latest protests as the Socialists do not tolerate the right to peaceful assembly.  A United Nations body led by the former liberal President of Chile condemned the Socialists’ use of force.  The Russian Federation, which recognizes the Socialists, has sent hundreds of mercenaries.  The U.N. Security Council plans to meet on Venezuela, where authoritarian states Russia and Communist China have vetoes.  The European Union does not recognize the Socialists, but has not come to a decision on recognizing the new President.  Several E.U. leaders call for the Socialists to accept new elections.

Troublesome Participants and Associations at the 46th Annual March for Life

This year, every year since 1974, the annual March for Life was held in Washington, D.C. Friday to protest the 1973 United States Supreme Court Decision that legalized abortion.  Tens of thousands participated in the 46^th annual march, as well as many more in other cities around the Union, which are ignored by all but local media.

            This year’s march was problematic, as I had warned in posts about previous marches and the overall challenge of advancing the right to life in the current political circumstances and disastrous for the pro-life cause in terms of publicity, among other reasons. 

            In attendance were representatives of an anti-Catholic “Christian” church who held signs calling the Pope the “Antichrist” and the Catholic Church an “Abomination.”  They told the attendees that they and others supporting the pro-life cause would go to Hell for not being adequately pro-life.  Such hateful organizations repel others to the pro-life cause and undermine Christian unity for the right to life.  They should be banned from future participation in the March for Life.

            Usually, the March for Life is peaceful and respectful and does not make news for unusual arguments that could reasonably be misinterpreted or misbehavior, as the liberal media usually prefers to ignore or minimize it.  However, some participants in this year’s protest provided the media an opportunity.  The biggest news events from the march were for a point made by a conservative speaker that even “Baby Hitler” would not have been aborted if pro-lifers would have had the opportunity and a group Catholic high schoolers who participated in the march wearing the Donald Trump slogan “Make America Great Again (MAGA)” apparel who taunted Native American participants of a separate protest near the Vietnam War Memorial with physical intimidation, mocking and Trumpist shouts of “Build the wall!”  Such behavior was inconsistent with the pro-life philosophy of welcoming every human life and loving every human being and respecting the freedom to peaceful assembly.

            The overall association of the march with Trump was the most problematic issue.  Trump may be advancing anti-abortion policies, although he has failed to make good on his promise to end federal funding of Planned Parenthood and is appointing pro-life judges, but he is not pro-life.  Being pro-life does not mean adopting liberal policies or opposing just war, but it does mean more than opposing abortion and euthanasia.  It means opposing the deliberate taking of innocent human lives.  Instead, Trump praised the policy of the Filipino President of promoting murder of suspected drug dealers.  His overly broad travel ban, which risks the lives of some of those who help the United States in the War on Terrorism, killed an American woman whose organ donor was denied entry.  Trump’s restrictive policies toward refugees fleeing for their lives knowingly puts them needlessly at risk of death.  Moreover, as I have previously warned, Trump’s misogyny, promotion of nativism—often with dehumanizing rhetoric—and authoritarian tendencies taint the pro-life cause by making it appear not to be based upon respecting the dignity of every human life and defending liberty.   

            It is appropriate for pro-lifers, conservatives and Republicans to appreciate and support Trump’s anti-abortion actions, but not to be overall supporters of him or his Trumpist policies, such as nativism and support for authoritarianism and to allow the pro-life movement to become too associated with Trump or Trumpism.  It is even more inappropriate for Church leaders to make alliance with Trump or to support Trumpism. 

Therefore, it was especially shocking and disappointing that the leader of Priests for Life, Father Frank Pavone, a participant in the march, made an anti-refugee statement last week at odds with Christian teaching about love and the dignity of life and the Christian requirement to welcome refugees fleeing for their lives, even though the refugees are usually Christians.  During the presidential election, when Trump was calling for the murder of the families of terrorists and while Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan openly supported his candidacy, and ever since, including in the nativist statement, Pavone has continued to promote the “MAGA” Trump slogan, which puts his ministry at risk for losing its tax exemption, let alone undermines its purpose.  Given Pavone’s Trumpism, the hateful behavior of the Catholic high schoolers who look to him for leadership toward the Native Americans is not surprising.  I call upon the United States Catholic Bishops Conference and the Pope to rebuke Pavone publicly and strip him of his ministry as head of Priests for Life.  It is one thing for the Church to conclude a concordat with a despotic regime to safeguard freedom of religion for its flock, but another to make an alliance with any government, let alone to be associated with one with such immoral policies.  

The pro-life movement must immediately disassociate with evil governments, organizations and people and clearly disavow evil policies and deeds.  It should refocus on love, life and liberty.

Foreign Digest Updates: Sweden, Sudan, Zimbabwe

Sweden

            Four months after parliamentary elections in Sweden, in which no party gained a majority, a minority government was formed late last week, led by democratic socialists.  They received a majority of votes in Parliament only because of the abstentions of the leading center-left, centrist and center-right parties, who united in this manner to block the far-right anti-immigrant party, which had gained seats.  None of the parties considered forming a coalition government with the xenophobes.

Sudan

There were more protests in Sudan last week about the cost of living and more deaths of protesters. The Sudanese Government is one of the most repressive in the world and is also a state sponsor of terrorism.

Zimbabwe

           There have been more protests in Zimbabwe about the cost of living.  Last week, the leading human rights advocate was arrested and Internet service suspended.  Zimbabwe is led by an authoritarian socialist government that has been in power since 1980.

Update on the Illegitimacy of the Socialist Venezuelan Dictatorship

           In addition to the Lima Group mentioned in my last post, the European Union also is not recognizing the second presidential term of Venezuela’s Socialist dictator because of the lack of free and fair elections.  The United States declares the government of Venezuela to be illegitimate.  

Meanwhile, the leader of the Venezuelan Congress, which is led by the democratic opposition, declared late last week an interim presidency ahead of new elections.  He was arrested over the weekend, interrogated and released.  The Secretary General of the Organization of American States expressed support for the interim presidency.  The opposition does not recognize the new national assembly with which the Socialist regime supplanted the Congress, as the body is partly appointed and there were no free and fair elections for the remainder of seats.  

Socialists have ruled Venezuela with increasing authoritarianism since being elected in 2002.  Many Venezuelans have fled the country beset by inflation, crime and energy shortages, despite the production of oil, in addition to the lack of freedom.

Cinfici’s Letter to the Reading Eagle Editor Promoting Competitiveness in School District Contracts

           Here is the link to my letter to the Editor of the Reading Eagle:

https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/letter-city-school-board-must-change-policy.  In light of the sentencing for pay-to-pay related charges of the former Board President, whose Board succeeded the one on which I served in 2013, I call for changes in Board policy, as I did in my 2015 campaign for School Director and in addresses to the Board since, that would make the awarding of contracts for professional services competitive and eliminate pay-to-play (government favoring of businesses in exchange for political campaign contributions).

Foreign Digest: Italy, Hungary, Venezuela and Ukraine

Italy

            Several Mayors of major port cities are rebelling against the xenophobic populist Government’s anti-migrant law that closes ports to refugees or immigrants rescued at sea, thereby jeopardizing the migrants’ safety and violating their human rights.  Some Regions are joining the Mayors by challenging the national Government’s law in court.

Hungary

            There have been continued protests against the increasingly authoritarian Hungarian Government.  The Government uses nativist arguments tinged with anti-Semitism to try to delegitimize the protestors, even though there is almost no immigration into Hungary.

Venezuela

            The Lima Group of twelve States of the Western Hemisphere, with the sole exception of Mexico, declared late last week it does not recognize the presidential term begun a year ago of the Venezuelan Socialist dictator  because of the lack of free and fair elections in Venezuela.  The eleven signatories of the declaration include Canada, St. Lucia, Guyana and eight Latin American States.

Ukraine

           The Ukrainian Orthodox Church officially became an autochthonous national church late last week.  The independence of the Ukrainian national church from the Russian Orthodox Church validates Ukraine’s independence from the Russian Federation.  The authoritarian and oligarchical Russian regime of Vladimir Putin objected to the independence of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church.  Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and annexed Crimea, in violation of its treaty with Ukraine recognizing the former Soviet Republic’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, including its recognized ownership of Crimea.  Russia also fomented a rebellion by Russophiles in eastern Ukraine that has claimed ten thousand lives.