CONGRESS PASSES COLLEGE STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATE EXTENSION WITH JUST TWO DAYS TO ITS EXPIRATION............

In a rare display of bipartisanship for this current session of Congress, the House and U.S. Senate after several months of wrangling, and facing its expiration deadline tomorrow, passed as an attachment to a federal Transportation Bill, an extension of the College Student Loan Interest Rate of 3.4 percent for another year.  Without this vote, the interest rate would have doubled to 6.8% on Sunday.  The Transportation Bill which is a comprehensive, two year plus, set of highway and infrastructure expansion projects costing $120 million; was the vehicle for passage of the student loan extension, a common practice in Congress when there is difficulty getting individual passage of proposed legislation.  House Democrats successfully attached the student loan interest rate extension, just as the House sought to get provisions of the Keystone Pipeline project included as attachment, but agreed in the end to the deferment of  monies proposed for highway beautiful and biking and lighting upgrading; in favor of funding for more essential national highway and infrastructure improvements, without increasing the cost of the Transportation Bill.  It is a byzantine way to guarantee passage of desired legislation, but one of the American political and governmental means of delivering on contentious constituent needs and wants.  With millions of middle class college students economically challenged and struggling with tuition rising inordinately at all levels of higher education, this one year extension of the 3.4% student loan interest rate, is a welcome relief from the continuing pressure, as they either complete their studies or graduate and enter the first stages of their professional lives.  The vote in the House was 373-52, with 10 members not voting;  the tally in the Senate was 74-19, with 7 members not voting.  The Bill will be signed into Law by President Obama weekend............Fr.  Troy

SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL AND THE EPISCOPAL ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY OF BISHOP EMERITUS FRANCIS ANTHONY QUINN............

On this liturgical Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles; who are among the first priests, bishops, and in Peter's experience primary leader (Pope) of the Church; in the past two weeks having celebrated his 66th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood, on June 15, 1946, two weeks ago today - Bishop Emeritus Francis Anthony Quinn today marks the 34th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Episcopacy of the Church, when he along with the Most Reverend Pierre DuMaine were ordained Auxilary Bishops of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.  Less than a year and half later on December 12, 1979, the Most Reverend Francis Quinn, was appointed 7th Bishop of the Sacramento Diocese.  Happy Anniversary Bishop Quinn !!!!!!!!!!!!............Fr.  Troy

THE DAY AFTER CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS MAJORITY OPINION ON OBAMA CARE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONTEMPT VOTE AGAINST ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER............

Having stunned the nation yesterday by joining with the United States Supreme Court liberal bloc of four Associate Justices for the first time in his seven years as Chief Justice, in upholding the Individual Mandate and all but one provision of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, National Health Care Law, Chief Justice John Roberts is being viewed today by many on the left and the right, very differently than how he was until yesterday morning.  The common thought until now was that he would be a reliable, traditional, strict constructionalist, judge of the law and the Constitution; appointed to the Supreme Court at age 50, by President George W. Bush in 2005. The very conservatives and Republicans who have touted him and his judicial leadership and skills, are now severely disappointed and disparaging of his majority opinion; while the liberals, Democrats, moderates, and independents, who have been skeptical and highly critical of his judgments and constitutional philosophy, are hailing him heroically for upholding the what opponents of the Law call, Obama Care.  A few members of Congress are suggesting his removal from the Court may now be the best course of action against him.  How sad such a narrow point of view is, as decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States on the Constitutionality of the Laws they review, are far more than political agendas to be meted out.  As Chief Justice, John Roberts has a dual responsibility, not only to adjudicate the constitutionality of the rule of law, but also to guide the entire Supreme Court and his eight fellow Associate Justices, in assuring the integrity of the principles of legal interpretation remain intact and not to let politics or non constitutional interests, determine the decision making  rendered by the members of the nation's highest Court, the ultimate source of what is Constitutional or UnConstitutional.  Yesterday was governmentally historic in America for a second reason.  The Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder, was voted in Contempt of Congress by the lower chamber, for failure to cooperate in the House of Representatives investigation of the Fast and Furious Gun Program, which went awry and resulted in the killing of a federal agent in Mexico.  Whether Attorney General Holder truly deserves to be the first ever Presidential Cabinet Member to be voted in Contempt of Congress is questionable, if lack of cooperation is the principal reason for finding him so; as in the past year the Attorney General and the Justice Department have released 2,000 pages of documents and he has testified before the Congress' House Oversight Committee investigating the Fast and Furious problem, eleven times.   Committee Chairman Representative Darrell Issa, Republican from California, and his Party's majority on the Committee want more and despite President Obama's declaration of Executive Privilege of any further release of documents, the first time he has invoked it in his Presidency; the Committee vote was strictly along party lines and the full House vote in favor of finding General Holder in Contempt, had only a small number of Democrats voting yes, primarily because the N.R.A., National Rifle Association threaten to target them for re-election;  and more than a hundred of the Democrats walked out on the votes in protest.  Therefore, is this more principle driven, or politically engineered ?  Even former Florida conservative Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough, now co-host of MSNBC's morning news discussion program, "Morning Joe", said in response to the House Holder Contempt vote it is, "the worse possible time for Republicans to do this", as they come off looking, "partisan" as the General Election approaches.  In an already highly charged and contentious Presidential Campaign and Election Year, the core American Principles of governing fairly, righteously, with civility, and in the best interest, of our Nation between now and November must be maintained.  Chief Justice Roberts is not - as is already being uttered a, "coward", "traitor", or leader of a, "death panel"; any more than Attorney General Holder has been proven liable for criminal or civil acts as greivous as former Attorney John Mitchell was, nearly forty years ago, as a result of Watergate............Fr.Troy

A 5 - 4 UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION UPHOLDING THE NATIONAL HEALTH CARE "MANDATE" AND MOST OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LAW............

The headline of the hour at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, delivered within the last several minutes is that Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., writing the majority opinion for the United tates Supreme Court, has rendered a 5-4 vote decision, upholding the bulk of the Affordable Care Act, National Health Care Law, known commonly, as "Obama Care", declaring the Individual Mandate, Constitutional.  The provision to expand Medicaid to more of the Poor, by the States was declared an overreach by the Federal Government and overturned by the Supreme Court.  Voting in the majority along with Chief Justice Roberts, are Associate Justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia SotoMayer, Elena Kagan; with Associate Justices Antoin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alioto, voting in the minority.  The lifetime durabilty of health insurance coverage in the Law, without limitation was also upheld;  as was no limitations on health care insurance coverage due to pre-existing conditions; and also the right of children to remain covered by their parents health insurance policies until age 26.  Thus, four out of the five major provisions of the Affordable Care Act have been found Constitutional, with the Conservative Chief Justice, a Catholic, voting to uphold the Law; while the Moderate swing Justice Sacramento born Anthony Kennedy, a Catholic, joining with the other three Conservatives and Catholics, in voting to overturn the National Health Care Law............Fr.  Troy

ANN CURRY BEING DROPPED FROM TODAY SHOW CO-ANCHOR CHAIR ?............

The NBC News "Today Show", which has been on morning television since January 14, 1952, has dominated in the ratings for most of its 60 years on the air, including the past 16 years until this April, when it has been under increasing ratings pressure from rival ABC's "Good Morning America",  during the past year, resulting in being beat for first place after 852 weeks at number 1.  A year ago when Meredith Vierra departed the co-anchor chair next to Matt Lauer, she was succeeded internally by Today newsreader and special foreign crisis reporter, Ann Curry.  After fourteen years with the Today Show, Curry became the next woman co-anchor in a thirty five year line of female co-anchors, from Barbara Walters, Jane Pauley, Deborah Norville, Katie Couric, and Meredith Vierra.  Of her five predecessors, only Norville had difficulty finding acceptance in the role, and was replaced in little over a year as ratings declined in Good Morning America's favor.  Ann Curry has endured the same kind of struggle seeming comfortable and meshing with Matt Lauer on the air of the Today Show during the past year, and as ABC'S Good Morning America co-anchor team of George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts, have excelerated in viewer acceptance and ratings; the Today Show's plunge and fall from first place, has been blamed largely on Curry.  Three weeks ago, it became apparent her days as Today co-anchor were numbered; when her predecessor Vierra was sent to London with Lauer, to cover and co-anchor coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.  Then, last week the New York Times published a story reporting Curry's departure as co-anchor was coming, and would likely be out before the start of NBC and the Today Show's coverage of the London Olympics in late July.  A   foreign correspondent role with NBC News was mentioned as a possibility.   Further word this week is that NBC is negotiating with her a contract buyout between $10-20 million.  Savannah Guthrie, currently the third hour Today Show co-anchor, who has recently served as NBC News Legal Affairs correspondent, and was co-anchor with Chuck Todd, of MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown", is reportedly been chosen to take Curry's place as soon as next week.  The sticking points now are whether Ann Curry will accept $10 million and a foreign correspondent role, in departing the Today Show, or will hold out for $20 million, the supposed sum of the two years remaining on her contract, and forego any on air assignment on NBC for the next two years ?  Well accepted on both the Today Show and "Dateline NBC", until she was named Today co-anchor last year, why she has borne the disfavor of the audience and now the blame of the network for Today's decline is telling.  Has she failed to meet the standard of Vierra and Couric, with whom she appeared before now ? Or as one of my  colleagues thinks, is her intellectual personality failing to connect with the viewers in a morning ratings battle between Today and Good Morning America, that is increasingly entertainment oriented, versus hard news driven ?  What role, what affect, Curry being removed as Today Show co-anchor, will have on her future and the restoration of ratings dominance for Today, will become apparent in the weeks ahead, and most likely re-establish her credentials as a correspondent with NBC News or elsewhere. For now it seems she is a casaulty of a loss in ratings, that translates into advertising profits............Fr.  Troy

WITH 63% OF UTAH PRIMARY VOTE COUNTED............

With 63% of the precincts in Utah counted and reporting, Romney has 91% of the vote; Paul 4%; Santorum 2%; Gingrich 1%; and candidate Fred Karger 2%; of the vote, in the Republican Presidential Primary.  In the Republican U.S. Senate Primary with 63% counted, Hatch has 67%; to Liljenquist 33%;............

THE FIRST VOTE PROJECTIONS IN TODAY'S UTAH REPUBLICAN PRIMARY............

First results at 8:04 p.m Mountain Time, four minutes after precincts in Utah closed, with 2% counted in the Republican Presidential Primary, Mitt Romney is winning 93%;  Ron Paul 4%;  Rick Santorum 2%;  Newt Gingrich 1% of the vote.  In the Republican U.S. Senate Primary, with 2% of the votes counted the six term incumbent Hatch has 70%; to former State Senator Liljenquist with 30%............Fr.  Troy

UTAH'S REPUBLICAN U.S. SENATE PRIMARY TODAY MORE CONSEQUENTIAL THAN FINAL PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY............

Utah is the last of the fifty states to hold a 2012 Presidential Primary today, concluding the primaries and caucuses season.  It is a foregone conclusion that Governor Mitt Romney will win the Republican Primary, in what is the most Republican, and overwhelmingly Mormon State in the country.  The more intriguing race is the the first Primary challenge in thirty six years to six term incumbent Republican U. S. Senator Orrin Hatch, who is targeted by the Tea Party.  Former State Senator Daniel Liljenquist, who is 37 years old, is mounting a challenge to Senator Hatch, age 78, which has set a record for campaign spending in Utah political history.  Liljenquist fueled by contributions from Tea Party supporters has spent nearly $1 million on television advertising, while Hatch has amassed and spent a campaign war chest of over $9.8 million.  In 2010, Utah's former U.S. Senator Robert Bennett was upset for re-election at the State Convention, by Tea Party supported Mike Lee, who went on to win the U.S. Senate seat.  Liljenquist has tried to to run just such a challenge to Hatch, but although he forced the six term incumbent into a primary election at the GOP State Convention this year, could not fund himself sufficiently to overtake Hatch in the primary election.  The latest poll of the Deseret News / KSL, shows registered voters in Utah expressing 60% support for Hatch; 32% support for Liljenquist.  Learning lessons from the Bennett defeat and the defeat of fellow six term, Indiana U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, in his primary last month, Senator Hatch has re-enforced his conservative credentials underscoring his strong support for balancing the Federal Budget, and working to repeal the Affordable Care Act .  Hatch also has the endorsement of Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin.  Vowing that this will be his last term in the U.S. Senate, an almost two to one Hatch primary victory, will validate that a well organized, two year campaign, that is ten to one financed over his opponent, while tacking further to the right politically, can overcome Tea Party opposition and win.  It will also break the two year tide of Tea Party candidate victories in U.S. Senate primaries, right where it started two years ago : in Utah............Fr.  Troy

SCOTUS OVERTURNS THREE QUARTERS OF ARIZONA IMMIGRATION LAW............

In the case of the United States versus Arizona, the Obama Administration's challenge of the Arizona Immigration Law passed by the State Legislature and signed by Governor Jan Brewer, the United States Supreme Court, (SCOTUS) decided by a vote of 5 - 3, to overturn three of its four provisions, and seemed to welcome a test case on the part left standing.  The controversial law's central provision the Supreme Court unanimously upheld, which requires law enforcement officials in Arizona to check the immigration of those persons they stop, which opponents argue could cause illegal ethnic and racial profiling of Latinos.  Making their finding a split decision, the SCOTUS  threw out the necessity of carrying immigration papers at all times; that banned illegal from seeking work in public places; and that allows arrest of illegal immigrants without warrants if they are believed to have committed crimes making them deportable.  The 5 - 3 decision was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, a native Sacramentan, acknowledged as the swing vote among the nine Supreme Court Justices.  Justice Kennedy's majority opinion leaves open the possibility for additional constitutional challenges to the law in regards to racial / ethnic profiling, as the Arizona Immigration Law proceeds.  Both sides in the case claimed victory.  President Obama in a statement following the announcement of the decision said, "I am pleased the Supreme Court has struck down key provisions of Arizona's immigration law", as his Administration had argued in this case that it is the Federal Government, not individual State Governments, that has jurisdiction over Immigration.  Conservatives, led in Arizona by Governor Jan Brewer, are pleased that the core element of the law was upheld.  Governor Brewer speaking about how the heart of Arizona's Immigration Law she signed was preserved said, "It is a victory for the rule of law".  She also pledged that the law will be implemented without racial profiling.  Thus the debate about the problem of illegal immigration and arriving at an effective resolution to securing our borders continues, while Monday's finding by the U.S. Supreme Court underpins the necessity of enacting and carrying out laws that maintain the constitutional prerogatives of our citizens and the dignity of all persons............Fr.  Troy

NO MAN GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST............

One of only three persons liturgically commemorated with a nativity feast day, John the Baptist whose Birthday Catholic-Christianity celebrates today, was raised up by God to not only be, "A voice crying out in the wilderness", but the one to come just before the Alpha and Omega, the Great I Am, the Son of God, who is the Messiah, the Savior of the World, and Redeemer of Humankind, Jesus The Christ.  John the Baptizer proclaimed Reform and Readiness, as he baptized with water, those who listened to him , while proclaiming the One who Comes baptizes in Water and the Holy Spirit.  John  fulfilled his role as the Divine agent in the dawning of Salvation, that Jesus The Christ is, and whose Herald John was.  As we commemorate this Sunday and the Solemnity of John the Baptist's Birth, may we too pledge ourselves to being daily heralds of the Good News of God's Love, and Redemption in Christ, as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, as is the one described in the Christian Gospel as, "no man greater than he born of woman", until the One he foretold  came, Jesus - the Lord of All Creation............Fr.  Troy

DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS UNDERGOING CHANGES AS THEY ARE PRESENTED TONIGHT............

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which bestows the Emmy Award for excellence in television, developed recognition for daytime programming in 1974, when an annual broadcast in addition to the prime time Emmy Awards show, was established.  From 1974 -1990, the Daytime Emmy Awards were broadcast on either ABC, CBS, or NBC, as an afternoon television special.  Beginning in 1991, the Daytime Emmys have been aired in prime time on one of the major broadcast networks.  Daytime dramas, game shows, talk shows, judge shows, and children's shows, are nominated in 68 categories. and chosen by members of the National Academy as winners in each of the entertainment, creative arts, and technical fields.  As the landscape of daytime has changed over the past several years, with thinning numbers of soap operas which from the 1950's -2000's dominated the airwaves of daytime, the focus and viewership of the Daytime Emmys has shifted and the ratings declined.  Moved out of May sweeps month at the conclusion of the television season, into the summer reruns period; the 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will air tonight for the first time on cable television, namely HLN, Headline News, at 8 p.m. Eastern; 5 p.m. Pacific Time.  Until HLN agreed to air this year's Daytime Emmys, whether it would have a national viewing audience was seriously doubted.  How much of an audience on cable it will attract on Saturday night, the least watched night of television, is most likely lesser than before.  Possible reasons some viewers may tune in is to see if, "All My Children", cancelled last year by ABC, will go out winning the Best Daytime Drama Award, which the 49 year old soap, "General Hospital", with twenty three total nominations tonight is favored; whether Anthony Geary, (Luke Spencer) of "General Hospital", and Erika Slezak, (Viki Lord) of the former "One Life To Live", will win their 7th Emmys each, setting a record for the number garnered by an actor;  if, "Live With Regis and (Cindy, Kathy Lee) Kelly, after twenty eight seasons, can finally win the Best Daytime Talk Show Award, his farewell show last November the nominated broadcast; and if "Judge Judy", the most popular Judge show on daytime television will at long last get an Emmy.  With talk shows and lifestyle shows taking hold of daytime tv, the tone, tenor, and timeslots, of broadcast and cable, and how they are recognized, are also undergoing a transition that may be as perilous as some of the scripts and storylines of daily soaps, past and present............TDP

WITH CALIFORNIA STATE BUDGET 2012-2013 A WEEK OVERDUE "CONCEPTUAL AGREEMENT" REPORTEDLY ARRIVED AT............

The yearly deadline for passage of a California State Budget by the two chambers of the State Legislature is June 15th, a deadline rarely met since the early 1990's.  Now that California voters changed the necessary majority for passage of the Budget from a two thirds vote of both the State Assembly and State Senate, to a simple majority vote of both Houses, and with the Democrats holding majorities in both chambers, and Governor Jerry Brown being a Democrat, on time passage should be assured.  But that is not the case, as the 2012-2013, is now a week overdue, as arguments, strategies, and negotiating, over the Governor's proposed cuts to State spending to address the $16 billion dollar deficit and the Democratic legislators unwillingness to cut as deeply into California social services programs as Brown wants, and Republican legislators objection to raising taxes to close the deficit gap, are all vying to keep the attempt to pass the new California State Budget.  Yesterday, the Governor's Office issue a press release announcing there is a, "conceptual agreement", to pass the State Budget, which is supposedly grounded in the transfer of 880,000 children whose families receive Welfare payments, known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children, (A,F.D.C.) from the Healthy Families Program to MediCal, for savings of $13 million in 2012-13.  State subsidized Child Care cuts and transfers, totaling $245 million, and the loss of 10,500 slots for child care supplied by the State are also part of the Compromise being reached.  The Cal Works Program, which grants 586,000 California families with job training, child care, treatment, and transportation, will also be cut and parental requirements for working at the federally mandated 39 hours a week, or lose theit Cal Works benefits enacted in the new Budget, while phasing out exemptions, for a savings of $423 million, is also in the conceptually agreed to budget plan.  Agreement over deep cuts to the In Home Support Services Program, details have not yet been disclosed.  Avoiding starkly deeper cuts to Education and Public Safety in the new Vudget being arrived at, will depend on passage or failure of Governor Brown's statewide Ballot Initiative on November 6th.  A vote on passage of the 2012 -2013 Budget for the Golden State, is expected next Tuesday or Wednesday, just seventy two to ninety six hours before the end of California's Fiscal Year, and the State Constitution mandated signing and start of a new  Fiscal Year Budget on July 1............Fr.  Troy

SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN THE GREEK AND EGYPTIAN ELECTIONS............

Last weekend two international elections of note took place in Greece and Egypt.  With the financial crisis in Europe, threatening to crush the Greeks ability to survive their mounting debt; and whether they will stay with the Euro as their source of currency, or pull out and replace it again with the Drachma, likely resulting in Greece's withdrawal from the European Union.  Narrowly, Greek voters gave Antonis Sanparas and the New Democracy Party, the most conservative of political parties in the country, and the most pro-European, a first place plurality over the Syriza Party, led by Alexis Tsipras.  This should assure that for the time being Greece will remain in the Euro Zone, standing by the Euro as their currency, and maintaining membership in the European Union.  Thus a potential, wider. crisis was averted by the voters.  In Egypt, the presidential election after the deposing of former three decade President Hosni Mubarak, as a result of the Arab Spring revolt in early 2011, came down to a choice between Mubarak's final Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood. Although Muslim Brotherhood Chairman Mohamed Morsi, has declared victory over the former Prime Minister and Air Force General Ahmed Shafik, by as much as a one million vote margin; the Military currently governing Egypt who were expected to release the vote tally today, has postponed doing so.  The New Democracy Party / Samparas triumph in Greece can be argued a success not only for Greece, but Europe and World markets, as far as the financial stability of the Euro and developing a better plan to combat the economic peril presently besetting many of the European Union countries.  A Muslim Brotherhood Party / Morsi victory, could well be judged a failure for future hopes for return to a democratic government, that is not imposed upon them by the dictates of the radical Islamists, or inordinately controlled by the Greek Military.  How both governments proceed and prosper will undoubtably have an impact on economic and peace initiatives in Europe, the Middle East, and on the United States and the World............Fr.  Troy

THE POLITICS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA's TEMPORARY IMMIGRATION POLICY EXCEPTION EXECUTIVE ORDER............

Like in 1948, when President Harry S Truman, who was politically beleaguered when he sought election in his own right, after three years in the White House, effectively campaigning and unexpectedly capturing victory against Republican New York Governor Thomas Dewey, and third and fourth party challenges from the left and right wing of the Democratic Party; much of the key to President Truman's electoral success was based on his running against the Do Nothing Republican 80th Congress and the specifics avoiding Dewey candidacy.  Shift forward sixty four years to 2012, and President Barack Obama faces the same kind of re-election campaign in much the same way.  In his nomination acceptance speech in 1948, Harry Truman dared to call the recalcitrant 80th Congress back into special summer session to enact legislation they said they were for, but had failed to pass for the first year and a half they were in session.  Barack Obama finds himself in a similar situation, with an uncooperative 112th Congress Republican majority House of Representatives, which for its year and a half duration to date, has refused to work with him on proposed legislation and where a minority membership of 47 Republican members in the U.S. Senate, under Senate rules can stall, fillibuster, or kill, proposed legislation; and the certain Republican Presidential nominee, former Massachusetts Governor Romney presently being less than clearly specific about his proposals to address current issues facing the country namely Immigration;  the President finds himself faced wit the probabilty of running a Truman like campaign against the 112th Congress and his presidential challenger Romney.  Therefore, having campaigned for President four years ago pledging to get immigration reform accomplished and having been unsuccessful in getting Congress to act upon passing such legislation, such as the DREAM Act, the President used his Executive authority last Friday to temporarily address the status of youth sixteen years of age and younger, who were illegally brought to the United States by their families from being deported, as a short term response to the problem, until a permanent solution can be enacted.  Governor Romney will not say what he will do should he be elected President about this Executive Order, underscored by his unwillgness five times on Sunday to answer Bob Schieffer's questioning of him about this, on CBS News' 'Face The Nation'; other than to critique it in favor of a permanent solution that will have to be passed by Congress and signed into law, instead.  President Obama's is being accused by Republicans of election year politics in issuing this Executive Order, by a margin of better than two to one, polling being released this week is showing overall, 64% Approve of the President's doing so;  30% Disapprove of the President's issuing of the Order;  and among Independent voters the margin favoring President Obama's Executive Order is a margin of forty percentage points, 66% - 26%.  As for charging politics which lies at the heart of this dispute - partisan politics is currently permeating and polarizing the ability to get anything substantially  done, and that is true on the part of Governor Romney and Congressional Republicans, as much as it is President Obama and Congressional Democrats.  The only answer to this kind of poisonous partisanship is to invoke a bedrock definition of political science and government : the art of Compromise.  Sadly, far too few present day politicians have the ability to value the necessity of Compromise in order to legislate and govern for the greatest Common Good of the entire nation.  Yet presidential election politics may cause it to come somewhat back into favor, as the latest Bloomberg Poll released today has President Obama leading Governor Romney by the largest margin in the last several weeks - 53% - 40%; with a margin of error of 4%, said to be primarily due to the President's Executive Order last Friday  ...........Fr.  Troy

THE WATERGATE CORRUPTION SCANDAL......40 YEARS LATER............

Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of what the White House Press Secretary at that time - Ron Ziegler, initially attempted to pass off as a, "third rate burglary".  It was a break-in and burglars discovered at 2:30 a.m., in a Washington, D.C. office and hotel complex, on June 17, 1972, that over the following two years unfolded and exploded as the Watergate Corruption Scandal, with its inception rooted in the White House and the Administration of President Richard Milhous Nixon.  Far more than just a bungled burglary attempt on the offices of the Democratic National Committee, in the re-election year of President Nixon a Republican; this criminal act turned out to be the tipping point of a systemic series of corruption concocted and controlled by persons affiliated directly with the Nixon White House.  John Dean, H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, Gordon Liddy, Egil 'Bud' Krogh, E. Howard Hunt, John Mitchell, were among the dozens of persons involved in the planning, carrying out, and cover-up of the crime and the scandal, which President Nixon's own personal White House audiotapes have shown included the President himself in the discussion, planning, and carrying out, of the crimes and the cover-up of Watergate.  Some forty persons went to prison, due to their involvement in, or for perjuring themselves about the Watergate caper.  The Watergate scandal also brought to prominence the young Washington Post newspaper reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who became the first truly famous,"investigative reporters".  The judgment, courage, and wisdom, of their Editor Ben Bradley, and that of CBS Evening News Anchor and Managing Editor Walter Cronkite, and CBS News President Richard Salant,  in unrelentingly reporting the unfolding story and an anonymous source codenamed, "Deep Throat", learned only in 2005, to be an Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.)  Mark Felt, providing information that drew out the story of the Watergate affair,, were instrumental in unraveling it.  In a Washington Post special retrospective  June 10th, and 12th, last week on, "Watergate 40 Years Later", Woodward and Bernstein wrote about, and then with PBS/CBS 's Charlie Rose spoke about, what they have learned and reported on subsequently about the Nixon White House shenanigans along these lines from its outset in 1969.  They define what they now call, "The Five Wars of the Nixon White House from its inception ; 1.) the Anti-Vietnam War Movement war;  2.) the News Media war;  3.) the war against the Democrats;  4.)  the Justice system war;  and  5.) the war against History itself;  all which were overlapping and endemic throughout the Nixon Presidency.  Woodward and Bernstein also state that the historical record now provides documentation attesting to, "the President's dominance over a massive campaign of espionage, sabotage, and other illegal activities against (President Nixon's) real or perceived enemies".  They argue in their fortieth anniversary  essay that, "Long before the Watergate break-in, gumshoeing, burglary, wiretapping, and political sabotage, had become a way of life in the Nixon White House".  This Washington Post Woodward Bernstein Watergate 40th essay describes the above as the pervasive and organizing principle of the Nixon Presidency.  As a student of the American Presidency and Richard Nixon's political / governmental career, I have long said that despite the intelligence and academic acumen he possessed,  personal insecurity and almost, paranoiac obsession with political opponents and perceived enemies, so threatened him that he continuously went beyond the bounds of fairness, justice, honesty, and ethics, to achieve his goals.  From portraying his first political opponent,  Democratic Representative Jerry Voorhies in 1946, a five term member of the House and New Deal Democrat, as a Communist; to painting actress and Congresswoman Helen Gahagan  Douglas, his 1952 U.S. Senate opponent, a liberal Democrat, as the "Pink Lady", a Communist sympathizer; to his Re-Elect the President Committee's 1972 efforts to destroy the Senators Edmund Muskie, Hubert Humphrey, and Henry Jackson, presidential campaigns to get his preferred Democratic challenger, Senator George McGovern;  Richard Milhous Nixon, the politician and governmental leader, always had to have an unethical or illegal activity in the works, lacking the self confidence and esteem to act straightforwardly and trust that legitimate dealings would achieve desired results.  Forty Years following Watergate and what we continue to learn from it, may every citizen of the United States and the World, from pauper, politician, president, pope, or potentate, learn and unwaveringly practice the values and virtues, of honesty, integrity, compromise, and public service, for the common good, and not just self interest............Fr.  Troy

JAMES MICHAEL MCNAMARA......GOD GRANT HIM ETERNAL LIFE AND PEACE............

As a native Sacramentan, proud of my hometown of Sacramento, California, I am always happy to celebrate and chronicle the contributions of other Sacramentans and their lifelong commitment to the betterment of this community.  James Michael "Jim" McNamara, who passed from this life last Wednesday June 13th, was one such man.  His family I have been privileged to know since childhood.  Jim McNamara gently and conscientiously lived his interpersonal commitment to his family, his Catholic-Christian Faith, to his skill for baseball / softball, and to his unwavering dedication to serving the Sacramento community, with excellence and zeal.  A  graduate of Christian  Brothers High School where he was the Baseball team co-Captain in the year, they garnered a 15-0 winning season for the CB Gaels, Jim was also named an All City baseball player that year, in which the team won the Sacramento City Championship, and is who  what his nephew Joe describes as, "one of the finest fielding shortstops from Sacramento ever", he was drafted by the New York Giants in 1948, and spent several years playing with the NY Giants minor league teams.  With his brothers Johnny and Frank, Jim played in the Sacramento bush leagues, and in the 1950's they were instrumental in winning Winter League championships three times, for the well known Julius Men's Shop.  Born as one of five children to John and Josephine McNamara, and beloved brother of Mary, John, Frank, and their late sister Ann, Jim was the devoted husband for 56 years of Mildred Petralli, the father of  daughter Patti, and son Tom, as well as grandfather to two granddaughters, and four grandsons.  The fidelity to his Faith and Family Jim McNamara exemplified throughout his life and carried out in every facet of his earthly dwelling, were instilled in him early and remained indelibly.  They were cultivated in the McNamara Family Home; in St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church; at Christian Brothers High School; and in his thirty four years working for Sacramento County, as a judicial administrator..  The bond with baseball/softball, that is a predominant McNamara Family trait, has continued in Jim's life for the past twenty five years, up until the most recent last months of his life.   The Funeral services commemorating Jim McNamara are being celebrated tonight and tomorrow morning in St. Anthony's Church in the Greenhaven/Pocket area of Sacramento.  The Rosary Vigil Service this evening at 7:30 p.m., and his Funeral Mass tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m.  The authenticity of the depth of the Irish Americans he and his family are, and represent, I have encapsulated in a photograph placed on my Facebook page.  It is a picture of Jim hoisting aloft a bottle of Guinness, a most appropriate memorable moment of this affable and stellar man.  Please consider viewing it, along with the sympathy guestbooks of the Sacramento Bee, and W.F. Gormley's Funeral Directors, both which can be found at SacBee.com, online.   God Grant the Soul of James Michael McNamara Eternal Light in the Life and Peace of God's Everlasting Kingdom.  In Thanksgiving and Gratitude For Jim and the Exemplary Faithful Witness He was and will be Forever,............Fr.  Troy

............It strikes me as most appropriate that Jim's earthly life concluded just hours after he watched San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain's Perfect Game !!!!!!!!!!!!

THERE'S ORDINARY TIME......THEN THERE'S IN-ORDINARY TIME............

Today the Catholic-Christian Liturgical Year returns to Sundays of Ordinary Time, for the remainder of Church Year 2012, until the end of November.  On this 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time, it is Fathers' Day in the United States, the day on which we annually acknowledge and remember our fathers.  Living or Dead; Nearby or Far away; it is right we give special individual and collective consideration to the men who biologically, adoptively, mentoringly, and spiritually, have fathered us with love, care, devotion, discipline, and support.  In the midst of the next twenty six weeks of Ordinary Time, named for the progression of numbered weeks and Sundays; the ordinary occurrences of life and faith outside the high seasons of Salvation History, there are also in-ordinary passages of time.  My current involuntary exile away from and outside of parish life and pastoral, priestly ministry, is one such example of in-ordinary time.  As a Priest of Jesus Christ, with twenty five years service and experience, to currently be sidelined - when despite my physical limitations, I retain the intellectual and communicative ability to continue ministering; is disappointing, frustrating, and squandering, my resourcefulness to preside at Mass and Sacraments, and to preach the Gospel.  To all who my priestly ordination has permitted me until now, to minister to as a spiritual father, I say thank you on this Father's Day 2012, for the opportunity and support you have provided me to carry out the pastoral service I vowed to fulfill and will not shrink, walk away, or retire from, God willing for many, many, more years to come.  To all Dads and Grand Dads, a happy and affirming day celebrating the vocation you have been chosen to fulfill and denotes the Fathers' Day, we celebrate in the USA today............Fr.  Troy

DUELING ECONOMIC SPEECHES IN THE SWING STATE OF OHIO............

On Thursday both President Obama and Governor Romney delivered among simultaneous speeches regarding the state of the American Economy and their plans to address its continuing recovery and the creation of jobs in the throes of high unemployment.  Both candidates for President spoke in the vitally important swing state of Ohio, with 18 Electoral Votes; which no Republican has ever been elected to the White House without winning, and polls currently show in a statistical tie.  Governor Romney speaking in Cincinnati, at a factory told the assembled crowd, that Obama's record is, "long on words and short on action that created jobs",...and touted his fifty nine point plan, that he said will fix the economy from, "the top down".  A spokesman for the Romney campaign later added, that President Obama is, "out of new ideas", to restore and grown the economy.  President Obama spoke at a community college in Cleveland, two hundred and fifty miles away, where he warned those gathered for his speech that Romney's proposals are not new, saying, "if you want to give the policies of the last decade another try then you should vote for Mr. Romney".  He went on to state that voting for Romney and his allies in Congress will lead down that same path once again.  The President pledged if reelected he will focus on education, tax reform, research, and development, to build up the middle class.  Governor Romney is striving to shape the General Election Presidential Campaign as a referendum on President Obama's record, while President Obama is attempting to contrast the contest as a choice between opposite visions as to the direction the USA will take depending who is elected President in November.  Recent polls in Ohio and nationally, show the race to be tightly contested.  Obama edging out Romney within the margin of error in Ohio; but Romney leading Obama by one percentage point nationwide, when voters were asked who would be better at creating jobs.  Another poll indicates there may be an advantage to be gained by President Obama continuing to blame his predecessor for the gravity of the economic hardship.  68% of those asked in a Gallup Poll published Thursday said President George W. Bush, bears a Great Deal or Moderate Amount of the Blame for the fiscal instability; while 52% believe that President Barack Obama Deserves the Blame............Fr.  Troy

"DALLAS" TRIUMPHANTLY RETURNS AS A NEW SERIES ON CABLE TELEVISION............

For thirteen television seasons, 1978 - 1991, the fictional saga of the Ewing Family in Texas was a highly popular CBS Television network that was a worldwide ratings grabber, and garnered as much as 80 million viewers per broadcast, as it did in the United States on the night of November 21, 1980; when the, "Who Shot J.R. ?" episode aired.  For five of it's thirteen seasons the original "Dallas", series was 1st or 2nd in the television ratings.  Last year, twenty years after "Dallas" concluded - the TNT cable network announced  it would revive "Dallas", as a weekly series this summer, focused on the next generation of the Ewing clan, but including some of the key characters and the stars, who protrayed them previously.  Larry Hagman, as J.R. Ewing; Patrick Duffy, as Bobby Ewing; and Linda Gray, as Sue Ellen Ewing; are all back co-starring with the new and younger cast members, Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Brenda Strong, who protray John Ross Ewing; Christopher Ewing; Elena Ramos,  Rebecca Sutter Ewing; Ann Ryland Ewing;.  Wednesday night's two hour premiere attained an audience of 6.9 million American viewers, the highest rating in their timeslot of all the network and cable programs airing opposite them; and the highest rated premiere of any cable dramatic show this season.  So after more than two decades there is a significant audience ready to revisit and or have a first time experience of the "Dallas", phenomenon.  Having been a loyal viewer of the original series, and argued as a seminarian it is a modern day morality play; I found the opening episodes of the new series craftily and enticingly written, with story lines and plot twists.that were all but vintage to the original run.  TNT's "Dallas", will certainly make primetime tv viewing this summer entertaining and refreshing, beyond the plethora of reality shows that otherwise fill the void............Fr.  Troy

ADOPTED IN 1777; CELEBRATED FROM 1885; NATIONALLY DECLARED IN 1949; IT'S A "GRAND OLD FLAG "............

The Stars and Stripes sewn by patriot Betsy Ross following the Declaration of Independence, is the emblem of our national union became the American Flag on this day in 1777.  It was on June 14m 1777, that the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes, as the official flag of the United States of America.  Seven red stripes, alternating with six white stripes, with one white star for each State in the Union on a blue background in the upper left corner, it is a standard that symbolizes freedom, liberty, justice, opportunity, and patriotism.  Local celebrations of this day as, 'Flag Birthday', took root in 1885, when B.J. Cigrand, a schoolteacher on Fredonia, Wisconsin organized an observance for his students.  In 1889, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, George Balch, arranged age appropriate ceremonies to celebrate the day with the children.  From 1890 forward these initial observances led to ever widening ceremonoes in New York, Pennsylvania, and other States annually; that in 1916, led President Woodrow Wilson, to issue a Proclamation declaring Flag Day.  As celebrations continued on June 14th, in the subsequent years from World War I until after World War II, it was in 1949, that President Harry S Truman signed into law, an Act of Congress designating every June 14th, as National Flag Day, in the USA.  Happy Flag Day fellow Americans............Fr.  Troy