from my parents when growing up, and who has read about them and admire them in my adulthood, that's about the highest compliment one can give.

Thanks for your post NBachers. Have a wonderful weekend.

Great pick.

Get out the vote everybody!

It's always a colossal concern for me - when I hear someone is not pro-choice. But as long as he (and it's often a man) keeps his personal opinions to himself and doesn't try to shove them into lawmaking or policy-making, I can live with it. A politician can have his or her own personal views about it, but dammit - stay OUT of my bedroom AND my doctor's office!!!

Plus points for his Spanish fluency, AND his exposure to the Jesuit mindset. Two of the men in public whom I admire most have that: my governor, Jerry Brown; and Pope Francis. The Jesuits are all about thinkers, study, education, learning, wisdom, and compassion.

Also - his "F" grade from the NRA speaks loudly in his favor to me.

I can quickly think of four different Jesuit universities relatives have attended, and I'm probably forgetting someone.

My most recent contact was attending a graduation where the speaker was Mark Shriver, a Kennedy cousin. His career is in social services and his speech was one of the most inspiring I have heard over the years.

A nun told me years ago that if anyone could save the Church, it would be the Jesuits. Let's hope that the Jesuits are now plotting how to bring Trump down.

But then again, I like nerds. During the late 60s when the first "Star Trek" series was on, with Team Kirk versus Team Spock? I was FIRMLY with Team Spock (lol)! I even married a nerd!

Last edited Sat Jul 23, 2016, 03:30 PM - Edit history (2)

before he realized he just couldn't give up girls, that is. But he'd graduated from the local Jesuit high school, and the Jesuit university, and taught comparative religions at the high school level. He's the one who taught that you read the Bible, Old Testament in particular, and keep two words in mind: "as if." That you explained the miracle stories, the parables, and the subjective accounts based on the likely authors and translators, and the interpretations and understanding that governed it all.

The Jesuits, as a religious collective, are about as staggeringly polar-opposite as it's imaginable to conceive, from the evangelicals. The Jesuits are about facts, reality, making sense of that reality, and keeping an open mind. "All Things Considered" would not just be the name of a radio program. Facts don't spook the Jesuits. Reality doesn't scare the Jesuits. They don't scare easily. They lead with their BRAINS. With logic. With reason.

The Jesuits don't do bullshit. I found myself thinking - if Donald Trump had been enrolled in a Jesuit school, he probably wouldn't have lasted a week. Either he'd drop out, or the principal would recommend that his parents find him a school that was a better fit for him. But then again, I thought about it and felt kinda sad that he DIDN'T go to a Jesuit school. Maybe they could have straightened him out a little.

all the while claiming opposition to the death penalty. I believe that is called lacking the courage of your convictions.

Just where would this country be if death penalty opponents REFUSED to run for governor?

Is it okay if they run for state attorney general instead, or must those important positions also be ceded to the Ted Cruzes of this world?

Can they run for legislative positions if that means they'll be part of a caucus that supports the death penalty? Wouldn't think "courage of convictions" would allow that, so whole legislatures would have to be ceded to death penalty proponents.

How about judgeships? Judges, like governors, are required to apply the law. Maybe the virtuous ones should just stick to traffic court?

Btw, the entire time Kaine was Governor of Virginia he was blocked by a Republican-controlled legislature. Strongly punitive conservatives are the reason we still have the death penalty in the U.S., and Kaine's opportunity for getting rid of it was exactly 0.

I think the GOP forgets that. Ivanka Trump embodies that attitude, btw. It's only about making money. When I was fresh from listening to her speech - and, full disclosure, I was pretty impressed with her - but then later it was revealed that she tweeted - "Shop Ivana's look from the Republican Convention!" And the website for her dress and her shoes and her accessories that she designed...

Sigh...

J.A.M. Just Another Mercenary

Many all the while claiming to be ardent supporters of the death penalty. Kaine executed eleven men and spared only one all the while making a martyr of himself over it. It's tacky and cynical.