S.C. Sen. Tom Davis is more than South Carolina’s most aggressively pro-free market, pro-liberty advocate – he’s also one of its most well-known Catholic elected officials.
So naturally we were curious as to his response to recent comments made by Pope Francis about capitalism.
This week Davis obliged us with a post on his Facebook page in which he argued the pontiff’s remarks – which have created a firestorm in free market circles – have been misinterpreted.
In fact according to Davis, Pope Francis is really criticizing the bastardized form of “capitalism” we have in the United States.
Hmmm …
First, here’s what Davis had to say on the subject.
I read Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation last night and really don’t get the conservative hand-wringing. The pope specifically rejects “all forms of collectivism” and reaffirms the principle of subsidiarity, saying “a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order.” Hardly a call for statism or a command economy. Yes, Pope Francis does condemn “unfettered” capitalism and “trickle-down” economics, but a careful reading makes clear his quarrel is really with DYSFUNCTIONAL capitalism and, in particular, the perversion of free markets by financial institutions (read: Wall Street Banks, the Fed). And to that I say: Amen.
Well, we certainly agree with Davis when it comes to rejecting crony capitalism … but our interpretation of “unfettered” is probably a bit different than his.
We think its the “fettering” of capitalism that’s the problem.
Oh well … whether Davis’ interpretation of the Pope’s remarks is accurate, the bottom line is he is the most aggressive, consistent advocate for true free market capitalism in the S.C. General Assembly.
If we had forty-five more Tom Davises in the State Senate (and 124 of him in the S.C. House), then South Carolina might actually become the educated, innovative and prosperous state it’s capable of being.
25 comments
Well there you go! I have been on pins and needles waiting on the carpetbagger to weigh in on the Popes remarks. Thank you Tom!
I, for one, appreciate this guidance from our Beaufort overlord. Until Tom’s revelation, I had no idea that the Pope is indeed a Tea Bagger.
I think it’s great that Will’s bromance Davis took the time to tell the Pope what he(the Pope ) meant to say.
Judge Napolitano had a more in depth and critical write up on the Pope’s economic viewpoints:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/12/andrew-p-napolitano/preaching-marxism/
Well, when Judge Napolitano obtains the title Vicar of Christ on Earth, I will listen to him. Until then he is just another Fake News Network actor.
Napolitano doesn’t work for FOX anymore. They canned him for not chanting the GOP party line.
If you make your religious decisions on the basis of who the man is that speaking instead of what he is saying then I suppose if there truly is an afterlife that you’ll have some explaining to do to Jesus.
God didn’t give you a brain and the ability to reason so you could throw it in the trashcan when someone says something that disrupts your worldview.
(and in fairness to you, I’m an agnostic, I’m just using reason in coming from the perspective of how I would think any believer would want to treat any difficult theological subject)
The Pope was discussing what is moral in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church. If Judge Napolitano wants to espouse his beliefs as to the best economic system that’s his business. I still won’t pay any attention to him, because he has no educational background upon which to base his beliefs. He, like most of the world, simply holds a personal opinion. My judgment is just as good as his. I can’t listen to every crackpot with a pen, like Napolitano and Davis.
However, when it comes to saying what is moral in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, I don’t think Judge Napolitano is in any position to criticize the Pope, who is the authority on what is moral in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church. Thus I say, when he obtains the title “Vicar of Christ On Earth” he can say what is moral in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church.
Just as Davis trying to change what the Pope said about the moral obligations of political leaders to meet Davis’s personal opinions of morality is a joke.
William,
The problem is that you have no considered any logic in your decision. You aren’t even giving the man a hearing.
Is the Pope human? Has God’s church failed at times, assuming that God can’t fail, one would suppose it was human failings within His church, correct?
I see great dangers is not considering logic on theological issues. But then again, maybe that’s why Protestants worry so much about Catholics. (no offense to either group)
Ok, you got me. I actually read the article. As I suspected, it was just a string of Republican talking points. The rich are great. The rich pay for everything. Everyone owes the rich a debt of gratitude. The Pope should just thank his lucky stars the rich are repairing his churches. Government is the problem. Government is bad. Cut taxes! Everyone will better off if we just let the rich run the show. Not the bad rich of course, just the good rich; whoever they may be. But the rich know, I guess.
He left out, how god rewards people by making them rich and how hard it is for a poor man to get in to heaven.
Did I leave anything important out? I don’t think so.
Allegedly God communicates directly with the Pope as he is God’s rep on earth. So other than Sic Willie and Sanfraud, who communicates with carpetbagger Davis?
My understanding is that he talks to himself a lot. Also he records these conversations where he can play them back at a later time.
Once he plays the tapes if he determines that he, when talking to himself, was wrong he takes a cat o nine tails and whips the shit out of he who was talking to him
If he determines that he was right when talking to himself , he sits in front of a mirror and admires the two of himself
“So other than Sic Willie and Sanfraud, who communicates with carpetbagger Davis?”
Bush?
Our Father, speaks to Our Overlord Tom Davis through one of Gods Eight chosen Holy Places in South Carolina, the Sixth of those Holy Places being The Law Firm of Harvey and Battey; Toms Overlords. Do you want to see the other seven Holy Places in SC on the list, yes?, how is it to want?
Ground Control to Major Tom – “Is the Pope Catholic?”
A majority of people in SC are protestant and don’t give a rat’s ass about the pope.
Phew. It’s a good thing this article is about an elected official who *happens* to be Catholic, and not an article on what people from SC think about the pope.
What controversy?
He’s the fucking pope, isn’t he?
Everybody knows that Pope Francis is a Marxist. Would Rush Limbaugh ever say anything that is not true?
If we had forty-five more Tom Davises in the State Senate (and 124 of him in the S.C. House), then” Fits would never get up off his knees
Read more at https://www.fitsnews.com/2013/12/05/tom-davis-weighs-pope-francis-controversy/#TwS21RsoH1EZGhXJ.99
Is there any other capitalism BUT “crony capitalism?”Never knew a “businessman” who wasnt suckin every big one in town to get ahead.Fits and his little band of “free
market” purists are quaint in their naïveté.
If by “naievte” you mean principled(aka purist), how can anyone take that as a slight?
I do know ethical businessmen however. You obviously don’t run in to them in the circles you travel.
“Crony capitalism” is unique in that it takes government involvement and the use of taxpayers dollars for graft to occur and it’s rarely classified as theft or corruption when it happens.
When an employee of private corporation buys a product from another at too high a price consistently he gets fired(unlike a government employee). If a private corporation employee takes a kickback of some sort and uses company resources to buy from a favored vendor without reference to price versus quality then not only is he fired, but generally prosecuted.
In such a transaction under government, the government employee is usually rewarded with a PAC contribution if elected or a seat on the board(or direct employment; see Goldman Sachs) of either the favored company or one of its subsidiaries. Rarely is it considered theft to act in such a manner as a government employee because it’s taxpayer money, and no one gives a shit too much about taxpayer money because there’s so much of it and there’s little accountability.
Obamacare is the classic example of all of the above:
1. There’s a no bid contract awarded for the website design. No one gets fired for that.
2. We have a non-functional website after $300 million plus and 3 years is gone. No one gets fired for that.
3. We have ongoing issues with no security on said website and it’s quite clear that it isn’t going to make it’s number of enrollments any time soon to allow Obamacare its “break even” point. No one gets fired for that.
Come to this website every day to see a different agency on a different level of government have the same failings on a daily basis.
America has been in decline ever since they clasped hands with the pope.
Nations under the lead of Rome have always been impoverished.
Wow, a Republican who actually has said something I tend to agree with. that has not happened to me in the last 25 years. Well maybe the time was when I voted for Reagan for President. But that has haunted me for years, so I must be missing something.
What could you possibly agree with in this nonsensical statement. Not only does he change what Pope Francis said to something he did not say. The argument he credits to Pope Francis is not even logical.
It’s rather interesting that Davis, a Roman Catholic, supports and promotes his social issues, which are against the teachings of the church. The bottom line, Davis is a hypocrite and two faced liar who doesn’t comprehend the teachings of his faith.