UK Cardinal Dares Speak Truth to Power

The BBC reports on the scathing assessment of the British austerity programs which hurt the poor while asking nothing of the rich.

Britain's most senior Roman Catholic, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, has accused the prime minister of acting immorally by favouring the rich ahead of ordinary citizens affected by the recession. 

The cardinal also denounced David Cameron's opposition to a "Robin Hood tax" on financial institutions. 

And he urged Mr Cameron not just to help "your very rich colleagues".

It is a breath of fresh air, although immorality is too weak a criticism. Evil and utter depravity would be better descriptors. The economic mess in the UK was the fault of the bad decisions and worse behavior by people in the financial sector and in government. Those with the least were not responsible for the deficits and financial setbacks, but suffered the most through job losses. In response to the impact of the recession on government revenues, the British government has enacted austerity programs that reduce deficits on the backs of the poor.

Using economic data from the US, Canada, and eurozone countries over the past 30 years, the International Monetary Fund reports that austerity programs increase unemployment, contract the economy, and dramatically widen the gap between the wealthy and poor. In other words, austerity means taking a stick to the poor for the sins of the rich.

Adding insult to injury, the cowardly politicians who preach austerity also refuse to increase taxes on the rich. Cardinal O'Brien sums it up nicely.

"It is not moral, just to ignore them and to say 'struggle along', while the rich can go sailing along in their own sweet way."

Contrast that statement to the tepid response given by US Bishops on the budget proposed by Paul Ryan and friends. A moral budget should protect the poor. No kidding, but that is not even a tap on the wrist. It is more like a a gentle reminder. It is the cowardly, particularly as it is the second consecutive year Ryan has proposed draconic cuts that will hurt the poor while protecting the rich and the military. Let's not forget the overwhelming evidence that tax cuts for the rich and two wars are the largest contributors to the US federal debt since 2001. The bishops had no problem expressing their outrage over contraception so one can only conclude that harming the less fortunate is far less important. The bishops even stayed quiet as Ryan attempted to justify his vicious budget blueprint as consistent with Catholic teachings. Well, they are consistent with the decrees of Tomás de Torquemada, but substitute starvation for burning at the stake. The new heretics are the poor.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. (Luke 6:24-25)