MCC: Off-Target

The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is the lobbying arm of the Archdiocese of Washington, Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Diocese of Wilmington (DE).  It represents the Roman Catholic Church in the Maryland Legislature. 

 

There is nothing wrong with having a office dedicated to pushing issues that are important to you.  There are many groups out there who have such a lobbying effort.

What really bothers me is when the MCC gets involved in an issue for which they show their ignorance.  The recent example is their support of gun control in the State of Maryland.

So, let's take a very brief look at their press release/talking points.

First, let's ask the question:  Which is an "assault weapon?"  

 A.  a knife   

 B. a baseball bat   

C.  a Colt® AR-15 Tactical Carbine    

D. All of the Above.   

 Answer:  D.  All of the above.

You see, you can use any of the above items to "assault" someone.   The term "assault weapon" is a made up phrase from the 1994 piece of legislation which outlawed certain semi-automatic rifles because of their cosmetic appearance.  That is right, the MCC is more worried about what a rifle looks like, than what it can do. 

Second, they claim that reducing magazine size will reduce killings. The 1994 legislation which banned magazines holding more than 10 rounds, it had NO EFFECT on the crime rate.  Don't trust me, look at the statistics.

Third, their support of licensing, database, etc. does absolutely nothing to deter criminals and puts an undue burden on law abiding citizens.  Criminals do not go into gun shops and purchase a gun (with all of the paperwork that goes along with it), so that they can go out and commit a crime.  Criminals do not leave their guns at crime scenes.  If they do, it is a gun which has been stolen or unregistered.  The only people that this really puts a burden on are law abiding citizens, who look to protect themselves and their communities.

Finally, the MCC takes a statement by the US Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) and "sells-it" as official Church teaching, which it is not.  It is simply a statement which has no official bearing.

What we have there is the MCC using the talking points of the radical left and making it their own.  They are wasting their time and limited resources on measures, which do nothing to help end violence and promote a culture of life.  All this is, is a "feel good" attempt  to allow them to say that they did something, even if it does absolutely nothing to change the hearts and minds of those for whom life is cheap.   

Maybe it is time to ban the Maryland Catholic Conference instead of "assault weapons." 

IRONY: MCC & NAACP Join Forces on Death Penalty

On January 15, 2013 the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) on their Facebook page, a photo of their interns meeting with the NAACP President.  This photo op was due to their opposition to the death penalty.

So here we have a pro-life group, teaming up with a race based, pro-aborition group to abolish the death penalty. 

So my question is:  Why would the MCC join forces with a group which supports death sentences to the unborn?

I mean posting a photo on their Facebook page only gives street creed to what the NAACP supports. 

Justice for US Citizenship takes a step forward in MD!

Support Justice for US Citizenship

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The Maryland State Board of Elections validated over 63,000 signatures to place the Repeal of the Maryland Dream Act before the CITIZENS of Maryland. There are another 40,000 to be verified.

All I can say is WOW and THANK YOU!!

This week's Catholic Standard has a full page article, written by the Communications Office, on the Maryland Catholic Conference's Immigration Task Force to fight this repeal. (Thanks Melvin for getting this to me, so that I don't have to get it at Church this weekend.)

Now you can tell it is important to the Archdiocese, because it is on Page 3 -- and that is where you want important stories to be when you open a tabloid -- and written by the Communications Office because it is a "Special to the Standard".

So, let's take a look at the Standard story a bit more in depth...

• There is little mention that these students are illegal aliens (the legal term).



• They do not mention that will cost the taxpayers of Maryland $12,000 per student per year. With a possible cost to the taxpayers of over $60 million per year.



• They state that these students will not take slots away from residents but they will take away slots from other citizens! What the MCC ITF is saying is that who cares if it takes away from other US citizens, as long as it does not take away from Maryland citizens.



• The MCC states that they do not condone people breaking the law, but they they go right back to the argument that we should embrace the law breakers and give them this benefit.



• According to Msgr. Brennan of St. Martin of Tours in Gaithersburg we must allow these students to attend at a discount. Baloney. We don't have to and should not.



• The article states that they will getting on the phones and into parishes. Let's see if we will get sermons on this from the MCC, parish inserts, etc. Let's keep a watchful eye on this one.

It is time we tell the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) and the Archdiocese that there are more important things to focus on -- like tax breaks for Catholic school parents and stopping gay marriage.

Stop wasting your time on this nonsense and support JUSTICE for US CITIZENSHIP.

Repeal the Dream Act -- Was I Wrong on This or What!

Click here to sign the petition to REPEAL THE MARYLAND DREAM ACT.

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Well folks, I was wrong on the Maryland Dream Act. Yep, hard to believe. Even harder to believe that I would admit to it, but I am.

You see the figure of $16,000 per student seems to a bit high. It is actually about $12,000 per illegal alien for a two year period. The total cost was seen as $800K in the first year, and $3million at the end of the third year.

It also seems that the figures provided by Legislative Reference were only for one (1) community college, not for the sixteen (16) that are in the State of Maryland.

Therefore, if there are apx. 1,000 illegal aliens, each costing the taxpayer $12K, the ACTUAL COST IS $12million minimum per year.

Now, the state believes there will be apx. 5,000 illegal alien students eligible per year, so you do the math.

Oh, and don't forget, after community college comes the four year programs. How much more will that cost us?

Sign the petition!

Stop the hijacking of your tax dollars by CASA of MD and the Maryland Catholic Conference to support illegal activities. Send them a message that if we do not tolerate this type of behavior by them.

Click here to sign the petition to REPEAL THE MARYLAND DREAM ACT.

Who is John Galt?

Notice that there seems to be a swelling anger at the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama?

Many seem to be saying: "I work hard. Pay my taxes. Pay my bills. Live within my means. And those who don't are going to get rewarded? What is going on here!"

The Most Mericful, Lord High Barack Obama has been president barely one month and already there is a groundswelling of anger and outrage about his socialistic policies.

I am just wondering when the USCCB and/or Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) will come out swinging for these policies.

The Maryland Catholic Conference and Illegals: Not Telling the Whole Story, Again.

According to the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC):

Undocumented immigrants are barred from receiving many federal benefits, including food stamps, temporary cash assistance (welfare), permanent housing, social security, the earned income tax credit and most forms of Medicaid.

Once again, the gang at the MCC is stating a correct fact to give you the impression that illegal aliens get nothing. However, the truth is very, very different.

Although they may be barred, in reality we know that there are billions being spent on them.

The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that illegal aliens cost Medicaid approximately $2.5 billion per year; and, Food Assistance Programs, such as food stamps, WID and free school lunches, approximately $1.9 billion per year.

So, it is costing you, a grant total $4.4 billion per year.

Once again, we have the MCC not quite telling the full story.

Once again, Richard Dowling, Julie Varner and the crew should be given a couple of pink slips.


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Remember: Help stop the Montgomery Country Transgender Bill. Sign the petition (if you are a registered voter in MoCo.) Click here.

Transgender Bill Passes, Catholic Church Silent

The Montgomery County (MD) Council passed a Transgender non-discrimination bill (Bill 23-07) today. One of the most frightening aspects is that there is no exemption for religious organizations.

So, we have a bill that could force Catholic schools to hire a transgender or transsexual teacher or even a principal. Wouldn’t that be an interesting sight in a second or third grade class.

However, what I find very interesting is that over the last few weeks, I saw no notice in the parish bulletin asking us to write to the Council, no word from the pastor (and I consider him to be a good priest), no mention of it neither in the Catholic Standard nor from the Maryland Catholic Conference. (I did receive emails from the American Family Association (AFA) asking me to contact the Council requesting them to vote against it. I did.)

I wonder how many of my fellow parishioners voted for these council members in the last election? I wonder how many will vote again for them again because they are “open-minded” and for “social justice?” I wonder when our Catholic leaders will stand up to these politicians or is it simply too late?

Soak the Rich but let's not worry about the MoCo Transgender Bill

The Catholic Standard (Nov. 8, 2007 Page 31) ran an article entitled: Taxes, health care and slots top MCC's concerns to state lawmakers. According to the article, Richard Dowling (MCC Exec. Director) said that the tax system should be guided by three principles: raising "adequate revenues to pay for the public needs of society, especially the basic needs of the poor, structured according to the principle of progressivity, so that those with relatively greater financial resources pay a higher rate of taxation," and families below the poverty line should not have to pay income taxes."

What is the "public needs of society?" Is it public safety? Is it a free elementary education? Is it a chicken in every pot? The problem with Mr. Dowling and the MCC is that they offer no definition of "basic needs." Is it is one of those open ended statements that can mean almost anything to anyone. To some it means an apartment with hot/cold running water, a fridge and a stove. To others, it means a one family house on an tract of land with two cars. Still to others, a vacation to Disney at least once in every child's lifetime.

There is also this "soak the rich" and the "government knows what to do best with your money" Marxist mentality at the MCC. As I said in my last posting, the more you hit people up with higher taxes, the less they are going to give to charity. When you reduce taxes, you actually increase revenue and when people keep more of their money, they usually donate more of it.

Now, while the MCC was looking to "soak the rich" they seemed to miss the entire effort by the Montgomery County Council to pass Bill 23-07 which was sponsored by Councilmembers Tractenbery, Ervin and Elrich. This bill would allow "Any place of public accommodation...must not...make any distinction based on gender identity." Gender identity is defined as "an individual's actual or perceived gender..." To quote a council member when asked by the mother of a 10 year old girl about this, the reply was: "I cannot absolutely put to rest your concern that girls might find themselves in a locker room or dressing room in the presence of a person who expresses or asserts herself as a woman but who still has male genitals..."

Where the heck was the MCC on this? Nowhere to be found.

I think that Archbishop Wuerl needs to hand out a couple of pink slips at the MCC starting with Mr. Dowling.