Fr. Lawrence Smith Interview

The Traditional Catholic news and opinion weblog TrueRestoration has reprinted an interview done for The Remnant, the oldest English-language Traditional Catholic periodical in America.

The editor of the weblog, Stephen Heiner, interviewed Fr. Lawrence Smith, former columnist for Gilbert Magazine and a prolific writer. The interview deals with many things we Distributists support, especially the plight of the family farmer, local communities and the rootlessness of what is called "modern life". As is always the case, Fr. Smith makes many sharp, clear points that deserve both our attention and much deep thinking.

Which deserves to be then translated into concrete action wherever we find ourselves.

Part one of the interview is here, and part two is here.

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Prayer request

Today I found out that due to a corporate buy out and resultant "restructuring" I will be taking a $8K-$15K per year paycut. I ask the prayers of all our readers for this situation, that I may soon find a job paying approximately what I have been making.

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EIC Website on "America's Economic Rot"

From the website Economy In Crisis, this is a hard-hitting and stinging essay on "The Underlying Rot of the U.S. Economy".

With both American parties mired in corruption for decades, the need is great for both local communities - as well as the states and counties - to fix economic matters in their own areas. And the best way is via Distributism.

Take the burden off of small businesses, small manufacturers and worker-owned and managed co-operatives. Reduce the load of over-regulation and micro-management of the same. Protect and de-centralize productive private property in these areas. Consider regional currencies within each state that is good in that state only, to help promote local economic stability.

America's enemies can only prosper if our country is mired in a morass of economic anemia. Distributism is the way out of it. So let's learn of it and promote it where we live.

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The Swiss Example

Via the weblog God, Family and Nation, there is an article by Dr. J. P. Zmirak called "The Home of the Free: Switzerland" from the notorious neo-conservative website FrontPage.

It is about how Switzerland fits the pro-small government and pro-small business model we distributist strive for. Be warned, though, Zmirak is pro-Libertarian. Please keep that in mind.

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New Blog Defending Distributism

Reported via the Distributism Yahoo Group, there is a new blog that - in part - is presenting and defending Distributism. Go to "HaJollyHa" to find out more.

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Harper's On Wal-Mart

Due to predicted severely high temperatures in this area where I write this today, this will be a brief post.

For those who can get it at your newstands, pick up a copy of the July 2006 edition of Harper's.

The lead essay is by attorney Barry C. Lynn called "Breaking the Chain: The Antitrust Case Against Wal-Mart". A very thorough article indeed.

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Distributism under attack!

A thread has just begun on "RomanCatholics" at Yahoo! Groups attacking distributism. The readers of this blog might want to check it out, with a view to responding!

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Review of "The Big Ripoff"

In the current edition of the magazine The American Conservative - July 17, 2006 edition - there is a review of a new book by Timothy P. Carney called "The Big Ripoff: How Big Business and Big Government Steal Your Money". The book is published by John Wiley & Sons, a hardcover book of 304 pages.

The review of this book, written by Bruce Bartlett for the magazine, is titled "Partners in Crime". And he is on the money. Chesterton, co-founder of Distributism, warned his readers of the tricks of Hudge and Gudge (big government and big business) making deals and steals to their own mutual advantadge.

Why are there no more mom-and-pop stores to shop at? Why are there no more worker-owned and managed businesses with which to employ the unemployed? Why are the family farms dissapearing? Why the increasing over-regulation of every aspect of life? You can thank the partnership between "Hudge and Gudge" for that. This book goes into details on it.

The cure, of course, is to reverse this trend by learning about Distributism and putting it into practice in our local neighborhoods, cities, states/provinces and home countries.

We encourage you to get this book, read it and pass it along to interested friends and family members. And then all of you ACT on what you read. Thank you.

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