Tell it to the Irish Catholic nuns, Mitt Romney - Government funds vital to helping American people
By: Tom Deignan | Published Wednesday, December 19, 2012, 2:01 PM | Updated Wednesday, December 19, 2012, 2:01 PM
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| Sister Mary Rose McGeady |
Earlier this month, Sister Mary Rose McGeady died at the age of 84.
Back in 1990, Sister Mary Rose bravely stepped into what had been a media firestorm.
Sister Mary Rose was selected to run Covenant House, a highly respected charity which offered shelter to homeless youth. Covenant House’s original founder,
Father Bruce Ritter, had been hailed as a visionary. He started Covenant House in the late 1960s, offering little more than two cold-water apartments to those who needed a roof over their heads.
By 1990, however, Covenant House was serving as many as 30,000 youths in 11 cities across America, as well as in Latin America. Annual donations were estimated at $80 million.
Then came the sex abuse allegations against Ritter.
It may seem hard to imagine now, but there was a time when such allegations still had the ability to shock. That, of course, has changed thanks to the avalanche of sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church in Ireland, America and elsewhere since the late 1990s and 2000s.
No charges were ever filed against Ritter, who adamantly denied the allegations. But, as The New York Times noted, an independent investigation commissioned by Covenant House “found that although none of the sexual allegations could be proved, enough evidence existed, including evidence of financial irregularities, to warrant Father Ritter’s dismissal.”
Enter Sister Mary Rose, who picked the organization up off of the floor and made it into a miracle once again.
She retired in 2003, and Covenant House is now said to be serving 50,000 people in over 20 cities, with annual donations of well over $100 million.
This Irish American Catholic nun’s heroic effort was worth thinking about in the wake of Mitt Romney’s now infamous comments that roughly half of the American population (47 percent) expects handouts from the government.
It’s not even worth distorting the comments. Romney did not call people “moochers” or “freeloaders.”
His own words need not be twisted. For they are damning enough.
We should actually give Romney credit. We want our politicians to be honest?
Well, it seems to me Romney was simply being honest.
Many Republicans are not merely opposed to handing out welfare checks so that drug addicts can get their fix. Many of them are also opposed to financial aid for college students. And unemployment insurance. And aid for the elderly. And so on and so forth.
This even as they want to boost military spending, not to get soldiers the kind of medical assistance they deserve, but to purchase a lot of high-tech gizmos which just so happen to be manufactured by corporations that make hefty donations.
Again, give Romney credit. He simply explained where the Republican Party stands.
Now voters have to ask themselves – do I know anyone who benefits from financial aid? Unemployment? Medicaid or Medicare?
Where does Sister Mary Rose fit into all this?
Well, don’t forget, the Republicans were happy a few weeks back when Timothy Cardinal Dolan made an appearance at the Republican convention. It reinforced the notion that the GOP is the party of God, while the Democrats are Godless.
As usual, the Democrats did themselves no favors by not welcoming Dolan, and then by leaving God out of their platform.
But if the Republicans are so happy to tout themselves as the party of God, they should have some long conversations with the likes of Sister Mary Rose McGeady, and the thousands of religious people like her toiling to make the lives of the miserable and wretched slightly more bearable.
In the Republican universe, Covenant House is an exemplary organization. It is a religious charity that raises its own money, meaning tax money is not required. (Irish American Kevin M. Ryan now runs the organization.)
But Romney, and all the other Christian GOPers, should actually talk to some nuns. Don’t just prop them up and say, “Look, we actually like Catholics now.”
For if you actually talk to those toiling with the impoverished and needy, they will tell you government funds remain vital to helping out not just the poor, but working and middle class Americans.
That might even add up to more than 47 percent, Mitt.
(Contact Sidewalks at
tdeignan.blogspot.com or
tomdeignan@earthlink.net)
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelb | Oct 02, 2012, 07:45 PM EDT
Your 40yrs. of work has left you bitter and twisted Smyrnian.
seanomelb | Oct 02, 2012, 07:01 PM EDT
Thank you EphraimKibbey. Smyrnian doesn't get it at all, he's not even close. The vast majority of unwed mothers are not on welfare, they work for a living. Yet, like other grievance-driven dunces he takes a tidbit of dubious anecdotal evidence ( I seriously doubt that he has personal knowledge and if he does he must be visiting these unwed mothers??) and morphs it into a ludicrously huge number, e.g. the infamously false 47%. To say that these unfortunate women - and young girls whose babies are quite often the result of rape - have a "great social life" betrays an appalling ignorance of the grim reality of life on the bottom rungs of the social ladder.
Smyrnian | Oct 02, 2012, 06:55 AM EDT
Ephraim - I get it all right. I work hard every day for 40 years only to see unwed mothers on welfare with free housing, flat screen TV's various social allowances and a great social life. I get it but do you?
EphraimKibbey | Oct 02, 2012, 01:27 AM EDT
TomSwinford, very well explained, but note that 6 hours later, Smyrnian still doesn't get it. They miss that most of the cheating is done by the rich just like all the voter fraud we are discovering is being done by the GOP. Because they are corrupt, they project their own demons on to the rest of humanity. As a teacher I often found that the kid who was most vocal in accusing others of something was the real culprit.
Smyrnian | Oct 01, 2012, 04:05 PM EDT
Jamthecat - It sure seems to me a lot of unproductive folk are eating a whole lot of cake paid for by other people. Ahhh, the joys of socialism (when on the receiving end, of course).
Smyrnian | Oct 01, 2012, 10:04 AM EDT
Pittsburghkid, so it's an "economical" problem, is it? As you are clearly a kid your economical ignorance may be excused. Of the infamous 47%, approx. 45% do work (IRS data), many work two jobs. They just don't meet the federal threshold to pay federal income taxes. They are not exempt from all other taxes, including federal payroll taxes, state income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, etc. In fact many of these people pay a higher percentage of their modest income in taxes than Mitt Romney pays on his income. Are you with me so far lad? Many of the remaining 47% are senior citizens living on social security - and the rest are military personnel and their dependents who also don't meet the federal threshold to pay federal income taxes. This 47% are what we now call the "working poor." It is the fastest growing segment of our population. The fastest shrinking segment is what we nostagically called the "Middle Class." To assume that almost half the population in the hardest working country on earth are freeloading bums defies common sense, it defies reason. Anyone believing this nonsense is brain-dead stupid - and who should have been taken care of by nature in the normal course.
irishpjk | Oct 01, 2012, 12:22 AM EDT
wtf Helping the people is a good idea the problem is the middle man. That is the government they collect the help in the form of taxes and use that money to help the poor. The problem is how much disappears while it is the hands of government, then add in the cheats, the people who take advantage of and abuse the system by overcharging because it’s government money. Cheating takes place from medical care to food stamps, and that is why we cannot afford to continue down this slippery slope. The system will go broke like all the other places that have tried it.
Scrivner | Sep 30, 2012, 09:16 PM EDT
Think about this: is it right for the government to pass out taxpayer money without oversight? If it's buying things for defense, NO, there must be oversight or you will find $600 toilet seats and missles that cost more than their intended targets. Likewise when money is spent for social services the providers (nuns?) will have to comply with the currents secular regs (funding abortions? turning in illegals, etc) or the funds are cutoff, maybe even having to be paid back if already advanced. Ouch! For someone like Mitt who consistantly tithes, the government grant looks like a long term trap to a charity.
Renelda M. | Sep 30, 2012, 07:39 PM EDT
I have always loved nuns because they really seem--no--are doing God's work. Frankly, I am disillusioned with both the DEms and Repubs. I will continue to pray that at some point in my late life America will have the choice to elect a Man of The People--ALL the people.
EphraimKibbey | Sep 30, 2012, 07:17 PM EDT
The Sep 30, 2012, 06:57 PM EDT post uniformed should be uninformed, sorry!
seanomelb | Sep 30, 2012, 07:13 PM EDT
The Obama trolls below are typical GOP shallow thinkers.They have no empathy or commonsense.4 MORE YEARS
EphraimKibbey | Sep 30, 2012, 07:12 PM EDT
Mr. Deignan, thanks for a well written and very informative article. Thanks IC for hosting an important timely tribute to this worthy woman.
EphraimKibbey | Sep 30, 2012, 07:07 PM EDT
irishpjk, you only read the title, didn't you. Watch out for that trap on IC. This article ACTUALLY concerns Nuns working in the US with the part of our population that our economy has passed over in favor of the Romneys of the world. These Nuns are not getting their information FROM any media, they are LIVING with it everyday and helping to make it just a bit better for all of us. All they are asking of you is a wee bit of a helping hand through our government and taxes. If a Nun asks your help, it seems like the Christian thing to do, right?
EphraimKibbey | Sep 30, 2012, 06:57 PM EDT
Pittsburghkid, you STILL have no idea who the 47% who pay no INCOME taxes are, do you? Go look it up before you embarrass yourself again! I'm tired of explaining it to the uniformed, Foxified, GOP morons on here.
Pittsburghkid | Sep 30, 2012, 02:26 PM EDT
Romney is right. This is an Economical Problem. If 53% of the American must support the other 47%, then is that fair. 47% of Americans can not be incable of supporting themselvies. The 47% is a growing number.
SCVMalcolm | Sep 30, 2012, 01:31 PM EDT
Irishpjk, Correct! Far left FOX News is headquartered in NYC!
Nicomax | Sep 30, 2012, 12:50 PM EDT
Article I, section 8 of our Constitution gives Congress the power to raise revenues to do mainly three things: 1) pay the debts; 2) provide for the common defense; 3) provide for the general welfare. These are broad enough directives permitting our elected officials in a republic to determine how much revenue to raise, and then how to spend it on these three major areas. Some in the GOP would be willing to spend very little if anything on general welfare, most of it on common defense, and with very low taxes [i.e. revenue] not be able to have much left over to pay down our debt.
irishpjk | Sep 30, 2012, 12:35 PM EDT
wtf On my last visit to Ireland I had lunch with some nuns and I learned that they get their information from US east coast media. Now most of you should know that east coast media is far to the left of liberal and very biased. So my conclusion was that many of the nuns are very misinformed about the facts. When asked about how the can support a person who wants to favor taxpayers paying for abortion and birth control they just did not know the facts. I find out if you inform them about Obama and what he stands for they do change their minds. I am just glad they don’t have a vote here because I don’t have time to visit all of them.
jamthecat | Sep 30, 2012, 11:59 AM EDT
Republicans are the party of Javert, from "Les Miserables" and Marie Antoinette, of "Let them eat cake" infamy. If that's the sort of society you want, vote Republican. If you want a society that cares about others, vote Democrat. It's as simple as that...and shows exactly what type of person you really are.
PhlutiePhan | Sep 30, 2012, 11:53 AM EDT
The good sister is absolutely right. However, the choice is not socialism versus capitalism. It is Marxism and its attack on religion versus Capitalism which exploits people. Guess which choice the people of Germany took in the 40s?
PhlutiePhan | Sep 30, 2012, 11:51 AM EDT
@checkfacts: Check your facts. You are sorta right. Dolan prayed and the media cut if out "live". So, if Dolan cuts down a tree in a forest and there is no one there to hear it, did he really pray?
checkfacts | Sep 30, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT
Cardinal Dolan did pray at the Democratic Convention as well as the Republican one. The Democrats also had a brilliant talk by one of the "nuns on the bus".
torbreezy | Sep 30, 2012, 09:40 AM EDT
Huh? A totally GRATUITOUS piece--not worthy of Irish Central ! ! !
Seanmor | Sep 29, 2012, 10:46 AM EDT
When it comes to government help to the needy that Republicans tend to opose, one is reminded that when Guiliani was mayor of N.Y.C. he substantially reduced the welfare rolls by encouraging and requiring able-bodied dole-receipients to find employment. Around that time I knew an Irish waitress who lived in Yonkers and worked in Manhattan and paid taxes to the IRS, N.Y State, New York City and Yonkers. She had to leave for work at 4AM every morning. Were it not for Mayor Guiliani, this waitress would have had to pay higher taxes to NYC. As a loyal, law-abiding, tax-paying citizen who honorably served 4 years in tbhe Marine Corps, I have to pay $50 for each visit to the V.A. hospital, but illegal aliens receive all the health care hey need in emergency rooms FREE of charge. Why is it considered racism to be against all kinds of free benefits to undocumented immigrants while legal immigrants who served in the military have to pay for their own health care?
Frosty38 | Sep 28, 2012, 08:58 AM EDT
Did you not hear God was a DEM LOL Just joking but could not resist it
bogsidebunny | Sep 28, 2012, 08:25 AM EDT
Although never charged, the evidence of abuse including documented testimony of numerous men is overwhelming evidence that Ritter was indeed guilty of "sexual misconduct" and yes that pedophile activity still shocks today. What his legit charitable work has to do with Mr Romney's misconstrued statement is evidence "IrishCentral" is indeed BIAS in favor of the Democrats.
irishamerica46 | Sep 27, 2012, 01:53 PM EDT
Author should check out the United States Budget Dilemma on YOUTUBE.It was done by an accountant with many years experience. I was shocked by it as will anyone who views it.