In-house business

The BFF Team: Tom Barrett (pro-abort. Catholic), with vile Planned Parenthood of America president Cecile Richards and former WI Gov. Jim Doyle (pro-abort. Catholic)

Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett is a notorious left-wing Democrat who is most likely going to be the candidate of choice for liberals in Wisconsin to run against Governor Scott Walker in the recall election. Barrett, with the proud accomplishment of having done absolutely nothing beneficial for the city of Milwaukee, clearly wants to take his string of successes and achievements to another level. Despite his pro-abortion history and outlook, Barrett is a practicing Catholic. He's quite proud of his pro-abortion record you see. Here's a snippet from a piece that appeared in The Weekly Standard:

As a congressman from Milwaukee in 1993, Tom Barrett broke ranks with the other eight other members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation (three Democrats and five Republicans) when he voted against the Hyde amendment, a measure that prohibited federal funding of elective abortions for Medicaid recipients (the amendment made exceptions for the cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at stake).

At an event in Madison last week, Barrett reaffirmed his support for taxpayer-funding of elective abortions under Medicaid.

"In Congress you voted against the Hyde amendment on Medicaid abortion funding. Do you still oppose the Hyde amendment?" Barrett was asked by THE WEEKLY STANDARD following a candidates forum in Madison on Wednesday.

"Yes, I do," Barrett replied.

Question: When and how is the leadership in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee going to address this scandal? For the sake of the moral credibility of the Church, something should be done about Barrett's shameful comments. What are Milwaukee-area Catholics to think about the Church's commitment to the pro-life cause when one of the most conspicuous Catholics in the city is implacably committed to the pro-abortion cause and is, at the same time, seeking a higher platform from which to inflict damage? Imagine what Barrett the Catholic would do to curry favor with the pro-abortion lobby if elected to the office of governor!

The answer to the question of why so little, or nothing at all, is done in this country on the part of many (not all) bishops, specifically when it comes to dealing firmly with pro-abortion Catholic politicians, is one of those great mysteries of our time. How can we be told that the fight against abortion and the Culture of Death represents the singular struggle of our time on the one hand, and then on the other, repeatedly endure the disgusting spectacle of so-called Catholic politicians nudging the industry of death along with impunity by their votes cast and laws passed? Faithful Catholics have every reason to be outraged by this.

There seems to be this sense among the higher-ups that a soft gloves approach is the most pastoral and appropriate way to handle sticky situations like this. Coming across as too harsh and heavy-handed is to be avoided at all cost. Perception is so important, and we certainly don't want to be perceived by the media and the public as mean-spirited or nasty. That may be how things were done in the past, excommunications, public denunciations and all of that, but now, in our more enlightened, civil times, we handle these little problems via dialogue and coming together, not through confrontation. And in the process, while we're feeling good about our innocuous, soft-sofa modus operandi in dealing with recalcitrant, deviant Catholics, scandal and confusion fester and spread. So what's wrong with being a bit old-school?

When will business as usual end?