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CF

The Rev. Augustus Tolton, the nation’s first known black Roman Catholic priest, could become St. Augustus.

Cardinal Francis George announced Wednesday that he will appoint a commission to assemble facts about Tolton’s “heroic virtues” and introduce his cause for sainthood to Rome. He also invited anyone who can report spiritual or physical favors granted through prayer in Tolton’s name to submit their testimony to the archdiocese.

“We need his prayers and his help, especially to become a more united church,” George told the Catholic New World, the archdiocese’s newspaper.

Tolton’s rise to prominence began with his family’s escape from slavery in Missouri as the Civil War began. Baptized before crossing the Mississippi River to Quincy, Ill., Tolton and his siblings became members of the Catholic Church. Years later, the parish priest there encouraged him to join the priesthood.

Because no American seminary would admit a black man, Tolton traveled to Rome to be ordained.

Via Chicago Tribune

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CF

Senate parliamentarian Alan Frumin ruled against Senate Republicans Monday night, setting aside the first of many expected procedural objections from the GOP.

The parliamentarian ruled that changes to a proposed excise tax on high-cost plans would not violate the 1974 Budget Act by changing contributions to the Social Security trust fund.

via The Hill

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CF

The Rethuglicants can SUCK IT!

More than a year’s worth of intense political haggling, legislative maneuvering and emotional debate reached its stirring conclusion Tuesday morning as President Barack Obama officially signed health care reform legislation into law.

Speaking in the East Room of the White House, with roughly 200 lawmakers seated before him as well as Vicky Kennedy, the widow of the late Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), the president called the moment a “new season in America.”

“Today, after almost a century of trying, today, after over a year of debate, today, after all the votes have been tallied, health insurance reform becomes law in the United States of America. In a few moments when I sign this bill, all of the overheated rhetoric of reform will finally confront the reality of reform.”

“We are not a nation that scales back its aspirations,” Obama said. “We don’t fall prey to fear. We are not a nation that does what’s easy. That is not who we are, that’s not how we got here. We are a nation that faces its challenges and accepts its responsibilities.”

via The Huffington Post

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CF

This is just good, enjoy!

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CF

Conservative baller David Frum is one of the few conservative republicans making any sense today. Here’s what he had to say.

No illusions please: This bill will not be repealed. Even if Republicans scored a 1994 style landslide in November, how many votes could we muster to re-open the “doughnut hole” and charge seniors more for prescription drugs? How many votes to re-allow insurers to rescind policies when they discover a pre-existing condition? How many votes to banish 25 year olds from their parents’ insurance coverage? And even if the votes were there – would President Obama sign such a repeal?

We followed the most radical voices in the party and the movement, and they led us to abject and irreversible defeat.

There were leaders who knew better, who would have liked to deal. But they were trapped. Conservative talkers on Fox and talk radio had whipped the Republican voting base into such a frenzy that deal-making was rendered impossible. How do you negotiate with somebody who wants to murder your grandmother? Or – more exactly – with somebody whom your voters have been persuaded to believe wants to murder their grandmother?

I’ve been on a soapbox for months now about the harm that our overheated talk is doing to us. Yes it mobilizes supporters – but by mobilizing them with hysterical accusations and pseudo-information, overheated talk has made it impossible for representatives to represent and elected leaders to lead. The real leaders are on TV and radio, and they have very different imperatives from people in government. Talk radio thrives on confrontation and recrimination. When Rush Limbaugh said that he wanted President Obama to fail, he was intelligently explaining his own interests. What he omitted to say – but what is equally true – is that he also wants Republicans to fail. If Republicans succeed – if they govern successfully in office and negotiate attractive compromises out of office – Rush’s listeners get less angry. And if they are less angry, they listen to the radio less, and hear fewer ads for Sleepnumber beds.

So today’s defeat for free-market economics and Republican values is a huge win for the conservative entertainment industry. Their listeners and viewers will now be even more enraged, even more frustrated, even more disappointed in everybody except the responsibility-free talkers on television and radio. For them, it’s mission accomplished. For the cause they purport to represent, it’s Waterloo all right: ours.

As always, be well

CF

Happy New Year!!!!

Make this year purposeful and fantastic.

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CF

I had no idea about the personal tragedy that happened in Corinne’s life, I just thought she was a one trick pony like many of the music artists today and simply disappeared. But, here she is with new music from her forthcoming album “The Sea” to be released in January 2010.

Enjoy!

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CF

…for playing the dumb blonde

Gretchen Carlson Dumbs Down

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CF