Is it Safe to Elect Politicians Who Don't Believe in Good Government Regulations?

A question we must ask ourselves every day since the BP Deepwater Oil Rig Disaster off the coast of Louisiana: 

Should private industry be left alone to extract energy from our land and seas in the cheapest, dirtiest, riskiest, most life-threatening ways in order to save a few bucks here and there to maximize profits for investors? 

The Philadelphia Inquirer just published an amazing series on the deliberate dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agency by the Bush Administration. 

In good faith, they probably thought they would prove the economic superiority of deregulation by giving free rein to energy producers.  Instead, we have a string of disasters and environmental catastrophes in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and the whole Gulf Coast.  

Click here for very compelling reading - especially since we've had a string of accidents and contaminated water sources in Pennsylvania: 
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/special/36110664.html

Women of Faith Deserve Full Equality in Every Church!

This morning, I was delighted to see the editorial on the Vatican's treatment of women who seek ordination in the Roman Catholic Church.  I am amazed that American Catholic women are so tolerant of the Vatican's mistreatment of women.  Catholic sisters raised generations of immigrants out of poverty by running schools, hospitals, universities - and their self-sacrifices were only matched by the sacrifices of military personnel.

One of my priest friends has often noted that the Vatican would only change its ways if Americans voted their conscience by withholding their dollars.   Maybe now is the time to consider that strategy.  Here's the article that made me proud to write for the Delaware County Daily Times:

http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/07/21/opinion/doc4c465cbc85c19993955169.txt

Specter Should Decline $2 Million for Personal Library

The Delaware County Daily Times printed my commentary on possible responses by Senator Arlen Specter to the ill-advised decision to allocate $2 million of state funds to his personal library at a time when state cutbacks are forcing libraries to close across the state.  Click here to read my suggestions to the Senator:  Senator Arlen Spector's Library Legacy

Maybe Senator Arlen Specter Could Convince his Campaign Donors....

Open Secrets reports that Senator Arlen Specter raised $2.7 million from his top 101 corporate sponsors this year.  Maybe he could invite his donors to fund the Arlen Specter Library and Professional Offices.  I would hope that he will inspire his donors to prevent the closing of libraries in our low income communities, too.  Here is a list of Specter's top corporate donors:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00001604&type=I