Ryan's initial response to a pointed question about whether the church, with urging of "the global community to steer its institutions towards achieving the common good," might be engaging in the "class warfare" he so frequently decries, was to try and laugh the contradictions off.
"Um, I actually do read these," Ryan joked, with regard to Pontifical pronouncements. "I'm a good Catholic, you know ... get in trouble if I don't."
Pressed to actually answer the question, the usually direct and unequivocal Ryan suddenly embraced moral relativism.
"You could interpret these in different ways," he said of the statements from the church's hierarchy. "I think you could derive different lessons from it," he added.
Amusingly, the congressman then took a shot at moral relativism, suggesting that when the pope expresses concern regarding the global financial system he is "talking about the extreme edge of individualism predicated upon moral relativism that produces bad results in society for people and families, and I think that's the kind of thing he is talking about."
That's an interesting statement coming from a congressman who frequently mentions his reverence for Ayn Rand, the novelist who set herself up as a high priestess of individualism.
It's also wrong.
The statements from the pope and the pontifical council have been focused and clear in their criticism of the greed and abuse that characterizes the current financial system, of their concerns about the economic inequity its has spawned, and especially about the damage done to the poor by the "idolatry of the market."
The pontifical council is calling for dramatically more oversight and regulation of financial markets, and for the establishment of new public authorities "with universal jurisdiction" to provide "supervision and coordination" for "the economy and finance."
"These latter (economy and finance) need to be brought back within the boundaries of their real vocation and function, including their social function, in consideration of their obvious responsibilities to society, in order to nourish markets and financial institutions which are really at the service of the person, which are capable of responding to the needs of the common good and universal brotherhood, and which transcend all forms of economist stagnation and performative mercantilism," the council continues. "On the basis of this sort of ethical approach, it seems advisable to reflect, for example, on ... taxation measures on financial transactions through fair but modulated rates with charges proportionate to the complexity of the operations, especially those made on the 'secondary' market. Such taxation would be very useful in promoting global development and sustainability according to the principles of social justice and solidarity. It could also contribute to the creation of a world reserve fund to support the economies of the countries hit by crisis as well as the recovery of their monetary and financial system""
That's a reference to a financial speculation tax, something that Ryan -- a major recipient of campaign contributions from traders, hedge-fund managers and other Wall Street insiders -- has historically opposed.
The pontifical council says that such a tax should be considered "in order to nourish markets and financial institutions which are really at the service of the person, which are capable of responding to the needs of the common good and universal brotherhood, and which transcend all forms of economist stagnation and performative mercantilism."
There is no moral relativism in that statement, no list of options. Rather, there is a call from the Catholic Church for the development of an economy and financial systems "capable of responding to the needs of the common good and universal brotherhood."
I happen to agree with the church on this one. My sense is that my friend Paul Ryan does not.
America is not a theocracy. Ryan certainly has a right to deviate from church doctrine as he chooses. But, hopefully, he will recognize that he is, like those members of Congress who support reproductive rights or same-sex marriage, distancing himself from the position of the church.
He is free to do so, of course. But those of us who understand that budgets are moral documents -- which outline the values and priorities of a society -- are equally free to wonder whether Paul Ryan, as chairman of the House Budget Committee, is perhaps engaging too ardently in the "idolatry of the market."
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
