The Pontiff and the Pontificator

Pope Francis, Dine Kampf

On the night he was elected, Pope Francis declined a ride in the papal limousine and took a bus with the other cardinals back to the hotel he had been staying at before the conclave. When he checked out, he insisted on paying his bill. He chose not to live in the Vatican Palace and instead resided in the Vatican guest house. During his first trip abroad, Francis denounced the "globalization of indifference" around migrants. He was known for his humility and concern for the poor. In the first speech by a pope at the US Capitol, Francis focused on climate change, immigration, and poverty reduction. He famously stated that, "those who build walls will become prisoners of the walls they put up." In the other words, he was in many ways the yin to the yang of Trumpism, and the noxious stench of authoritarianism that is engulfing America and the world. I'm not an expert on religion and I'm certainly no expert on popes. But Francis was a leader who moved his organization in the direction of decency at a moment in history when doing so was going decidedly against the grain. The big question now is whether the Church will elect a new pope that carries on in that direction, or one who follows the demands of so many of Francis's detractors, including those among America's right wing, who want to reverse course, and essentially make Vatican City great again. NYT (Gift Article): "Pope Francis, who rose from modest means in Argentina to become the first Jesuit and Latin American pontiff, who clashed bitterly with traditionalists in his push for a more inclusive Roman Catholic Church, and who spoke out tirelessly for migrants, the marginalized and the health of the planet, died on Monday at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. He was 88."

+ "In a historic moment characterized by autocrats and would-be autocrats, Francis was the antithesis of a strongman." The New Yorker: The Down-to-Earth Pope.

+ "Francis inherited a deeply divided Church after the resignation in 2013 of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. The conservative-progressive gap became a chasm after Francis, from Argentina, was elected the first non-European pope in 1,300 years. The polarization was fiercest in the United States, where conservative Catholicism often blended with well-financed right-wing politics and media outlets." Reuters: A pontiff who shook up the Catholic Church.

+ NYT (Gift Article): How Francis, a Progressive Pope, Catalyzed the Catholic Right in the U.S.

+ And back to his polar (or maybe infernal is a more accurate adjective) opposite: The New Yorker: How Trump Worship Took Hold in Washington. "In Trump’s Washington, the imperative has never been more plain: if you want to get ahead or stay out of trouble, praise the President as much as he praises himself. 'You are the leader of the world,' Archbishop Elpidophoros, of the Greek Orthodox Church, said, at a recent celebration in the White House’s East Room. 'You remind me of the great Roman emperor Constantine the Great.' The crowd cheered. Elpidophoros presented Trump with a gold cross—the symbol, he remarked, that led Constantine to victory. 'Wow,' Trump replied, as he cradled the cross. 'I didn’t know that was going to happen, but I’ll take it.'" (Maybe it's an expected irony that Trump pontificates more than the pontiff.)

2

Trump Stakes

A new week brings more pain to the markets. Trump called Fed Chair Jerome Powell 'a major loser,' a move that spooked investors and damaged the dollar (which is becoming less almighty by the day). "Perhaps more worryingly, the value of the U.S. dollar also sank as a retreat continues from U.S. markets. It’s an unusual move because the dollar has historically strengthened during past episodes of nervousness. But this time around, it’s policies directly from Washington that are causing the fear and potentially weakening the dollar’s reputation as a pillar of the global economy." Wall Street and the dollar tumble as investors retreat further from the United States.

+ "The sell-America trade gathered momentum on Monday on concern President Donald Trump will act upon his threat of firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and implement policies that lead to a recession."

+ Swiss banks are back in style for rich Americans..

3

The Russell Index

"A self-described 'boring budget guy,' he’s best known for co-authoring the 900-page policy playbook of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which has become something of a bible for Trump’s second term. Vought’s think tank, the Center for Renewing America, has produced numerous policy papers that advocate for such Trump fixations as the annexation of Greenland ('a prudent aim,' according to a CRA paper) and enacting broad tariffs ('just as sometimes a nation must go to war with guns and bombs, so sometimes are trade wars necessary'), among others. At the center of Vought’s ideology is the unitary executive theory, which critics say amounts to an argument that Trump should have wide latitude to do whatever he wants." The always interesting Max Chafkin in Bloomberg (Gift Article) on The Architect: Behind Trump’s imperial presidency (and Elon), there’s Russell Vought.

4

Dine Kampf

A little more than a week ago, Bill Maher shared the details of his friendly dinner with Donald Trump. To some, his description sounded a bit like a fiddle reporting on what it feels like to be played. Larry David has offered his retort in the form an NYT(Gift) Op-ed: My Dinner With Adolf. "I joked that I was surprised to see him in a tan suit because if he wore that out, it would be perceived as un-Führer-like. That amused him to no end, and I realized I’d never seen him laugh before. Suddenly he seemed so human. Here I was, prepared to meet Hitler, the one I’d seen and heard — the public Hitler. But this private Hitler was a completely different animal. And oddly enough, this one seemed more authentic, like this was the real Hitler. The whole thing had my head spinning." (Heil have what she's having.)

5

Extra, Extra

Signal Crossed: "The previously unreported existence of a second Signal chat in which Mr. Hegseth shared highly sensitive military information is the latest in a series of developments that have put his management and judgment under scrutiny." Hegseth Said to Have Shared Attack Details in Second Signal Chat. Politico: Former Top Pentagon Spokesperson Details ‘Month From Hell’ Inside the Agency. (Reminder: This job couldn't be more important and Hegseth couldn't have been more unqualified for it, yet the Senate confirmed him.)

+ Cold, Hard Truth: "Tech giants like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, along with some of Mr. Trump’s allies, including Howard Lutnick, his commerce secretary, have invested in companies prospecting here. According to a recent Danish study, 31 of 34 materials defined as critical by the European Union, like lithium and titanium, are found on the island. But for every square on the periodic table that Greenland can fill, there’s an even longer list of challenges." NYT (Gift Article): For Greenland’s Minerals, the Harsh Reality Behind the Glittering Promise.

+ Stork Barrel Spending: "The White House has been hearing out a chorus of ideas in recent weeks for persuading Americans to get married and have more children, an early sign that the Trump administration will embrace a new cultural agenda pushed by many of its allies on the right to reverse declining birthrates and push conservative family values. One proposal shared with aides would reserve 30 percent of scholarships for the Fulbright program, the prestigious, government-backed international fellowship, for applicants who are married or have children. Another would give a $5,000 cash “baby bonus” to every American mother after delivery." NYT (Gift Article): White House Assesses Ways to Persuade Women to Have More Children. Last month Trump said he would be "the fertilization president" and in the past has said, "I want a baby boom." (Which is a pretty bold statement, considering Eric and Don Jr.)

+ It's Never VO2 Late: "Most runners see substantial performance losses after they turn 70. Not Jeannie Rice, who just turned 77 and hopes to run the Boston Marathon on Monday. She has broken world women’s records in the 75-79 age group for every distance and, at times, beaten the fastest men in that age group." At 77, she’s as fit as a 25-year-old. What her body tells us about aging.

+ These Tips Are Off the Hook: Wired: How to Protect Yourself From Phone Searches at the US Border.

6

Bottom of the News

"A Michigan man who ended up waist-deep on an unstable beach was rescued, and found himself in a relationship." NYT (Gift Article): Man Sinks in Quicksand and Emerges With a Girlfriend. (At least he wasn't being misleading about his future prospects...)