Sunday, April 11, 2010
2 Article Summary
Whats up with the gas money? The US needs to come on and become allies, is just funny how nations have their dignity. One day we will all end up needing each other and we are all going to need backup and social necessities from each other why cant we just loosen up and work our way to becoming allies and all its really no big deal. The big deal is in the price of the gallon of gas. Ever since the year 2005 prices have been speeding their way up to the top and the us government simply doesnt have an answer to that.
2 Article
Gas prices increase nearly 4 cents
Prices at the pump are up nearly 4 cents in the past three weeks, continuing a trend of rising prices since mid-February, according to a survey published Sunday. The national average national for a gallon of gasoline is $2.85, Lundberg Survey found in the survey conducted April 9.
The rise in price coincides with a rise in crude oil prices in past three weeks. Crude prices rose the equivalent of 10 cents a gallon.
Although not assured, the trend points to a possible national average of $3, said survey publisher Trilby Lundberg.
The biggest determinate of whether gas prices will hit the $3 mark will be oil prices, she said.
"If it does (hit $3), it will be crude oil that does it, because gas demand continues to be very weak," Lundberg said.
While demand for gasoline typically increases in the summer months in the United States, high unemployment rates will keep demand weak, she said.
The current average price is 80 cents above the price of a gallon of self-serve a year ago, Lundberg said. The survey tallies prices at thousands of gas stations nationwide.
The city with the lowest average price in the latest survey was Newark, New Jersey, at $2.64. The highest was Honolulu, Hawaii, at $3.43.
Here are average prices in other cities:
Chicago, Illinois – $3.15
Portland, Oregon – $2.92
Portland, Maine – $2.88
Boston, Massachusetts – $2.80
Des Moines, Iowa – $2.79
Tucson, Arizona – $2.77
Atlanta, Georgia – $2.74
Salt Lake City, Utah – $3.01
Denver, Colorado – $2.68
Prices at the pump are up nearly 4 cents in the past three weeks, continuing a trend of rising prices since mid-February, according to a survey published Sunday. The national average national for a gallon of gasoline is $2.85, Lundberg Survey found in the survey conducted April 9.
The rise in price coincides with a rise in crude oil prices in past three weeks. Crude prices rose the equivalent of 10 cents a gallon.
Although not assured, the trend points to a possible national average of $3, said survey publisher Trilby Lundberg.
The biggest determinate of whether gas prices will hit the $3 mark will be oil prices, she said.
"If it does (hit $3), it will be crude oil that does it, because gas demand continues to be very weak," Lundberg said.
While demand for gasoline typically increases in the summer months in the United States, high unemployment rates will keep demand weak, she said.
The current average price is 80 cents above the price of a gallon of self-serve a year ago, Lundberg said. The survey tallies prices at thousands of gas stations nationwide.
The city with the lowest average price in the latest survey was Newark, New Jersey, at $2.64. The highest was Honolulu, Hawaii, at $3.43.
Here are average prices in other cities:
Chicago, Illinois – $3.15
Portland, Oregon – $2.92
Portland, Maine – $2.88
Boston, Massachusetts – $2.80
Des Moines, Iowa – $2.79
Tucson, Arizona – $2.77
Atlanta, Georgia – $2.74
Salt Lake City, Utah – $3.01
Denver, Colorado – $2.68
1st Article Summary
I think that this is a waste of time Obama is trying to destroy all these nuclear weapons but at the time something is going to go wrong. There is going to be alot of sickness or plagues since the weapons carry out a lot of uranium that can easy contaminate a persons whole body. Or for instance china might have a backup plan they might just get a plan and a good one full of army ppeople and just simply fight their way out to stealing the weapons. All this is a waste of time all the nations want to be the most powerful there is a big doubt that this will ever happen. Then there is the followers the one nation that is always like ill go only if this nation goes there is no solution lets face it.
1st Article
• Summit is centerpiece of Obama objective to prevent spread of nuclear weapons
• Leaders from 46 countries are coming to Washington for the two-day summit
• Obama signed treaty with Russia last week to reduce nuclear stockpiles of both
• Obama holding meetings with some of the visiting heads of state starting Sunday
(CNN) -- President Obama hosts leaders from 46 countries for a two-day nuclear security summit starting Monday that will focus on how to better safeguard weapons materials, both old and new, to keep them out of the hands of terrorists.
The gathering at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the nation's capital is considered an unprecedented effort to rally global action on securing vulnerable nuclear materials.
It also is the centerpiece of a major Obama objective aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and technology.
As the summit begins, the United States is negotiating with the four other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council on tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
"The central focus of this nuclear summit is the fact that the single biggest threat to U.S. security, both short term, medium term and long term, would be the possibility of a terrorist organization obtaining a nuclear weapon," Obama said Sunday, appearing with South African President Jacob Zuma in Washington.
"This is something that could change the security landscape in this country and around the world for years to come," Obama said. "If there was ever a detonation in New York City, or London, or Johannesburg, the ramifications -- economically, politically and from a security perspective -- would be devastating. We know that organizations like al Qaeda are in the process of trying to secure nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction and would have no compunction at using them."
Obama signed a new treaty with Russia last week to reduce the nuclear stockpiles of both nations, and his administration issued a revised U.S. nuclear arms strategy intended to reinforce the nation's nuclear deterrent while isolating terrorists and rogue states that fail to comply with international regulations.
It all fits together as an ambitious effort to mobilize a unified global effort against nuclear proliferation, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in interviews broadcast Sunday.
"We want to get the world's attention focused where we think it needs to be, with these continuing efforts by al Qaeda and others to get just enough nuclear material to cause terrible havoc, destruction, and loss of life somewhere in the world," Clinton told the ABC program "This Week."
Of particular concern are older nuclear weapons and materials that aren't safeguarded as well as they should be, particularly in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union, Clinton said on the NBC program "Meet the Press."
It used to be considered a U.S.-Soviet issue, Clinton said, rather than the high international priority "we intend to make it in the coming week."
"Unfortunately, we have a situation in which there is a lot of loose nuclear material around the world," Obama said Sunday. "And so the central focus of this summit is getting the international community on a path in which we are locking down that nuclear material in a very specific time frame, with a specific work plan."
South Africa, he said, is a moral leader on the nuclear issue, since it began and then dismantled a nuclear program.
The summit's goal is to get an agreement and working plan on how each of the participating countries will control nuclear materials or otherwise prevent their spread, Clinton said on the CBS program "Face the Nation."
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced last week that nations participating in the summit would be Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Vietnam.
In addition, the United Nations, the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency will be represented at the summit, Gibbs said.
Obama also is holding bilateral meetings with some of the visiting heads of state, which started Sunday afternoon with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, followed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, South African President Jacob Zuma, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan and acting President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.
Obama's nuclear strategy has been criticized by Republicans as too weak in the face of threats and defiance by Iran and North Korea.
"While the treaty [with Russia] may be in the right direction and the nuclear summit that's coming to town may be an impressive group of people, the nuclear posture statement that the president put out is troublesome to me," Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said on the "Fox News Sunday" program. " I mean, it takes away the ambiguity about our use of nuclear power. Ambiguity in foreign policy is sometimes very useful."
On Sunday, Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Obama administration "poses a threat to international peace" and is "wicked and untrustworthy."
Khamenei made the remarks Sunday in a meeting with the Armed Forces chief of staff and other top military officials, according to IRNA. According to the news agency, Khamenei said Obama had recently threatened Iran with nuclear weapons and called for Iran's military to prepare itself.
Khamenei apparently was referring to last week's announced shift in U.S. nuclear strategy, in which the administration said it would swear off developing new generations of nuclear weapons and would not use its existing arsenal to attack non-nuclear states that are in compliance with nonproliferation agreements.
Gates made clear Sunday that the new policy left Iran vulnerable to a U.S. nuclear attack because Iran refuses to comply with nonproliferation agreements.
"All options are on the table" regarding Iran and North Korea, which also defies international regulations, Gates said on the CBS program.
Clinton defended the Obama administration's policy of seeking a unified international response to Iran's nuclear ambitions, including stronger U.N. sanctions.
The policy, which broke with President George W. Bush's nonnegotiation stance, has exposed Iran's intransigence, Clinton said on the NBC program.
Now, with the U.N. negotiations on tougher sanctions, "the Iranians have been beating down the doors of every country in the world to try to avoid" a new sanctions resolution, Clinton said.
However, when asked whether Iran had the capability now to develop a nuclear weapon, Clinton avoided a direct answer, saying it was unclear.
Gates had no hesitation, declaring immediately that "it's our judgment here they are not nuclear capable."
"We're doing everything we can to try and keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons," Gates said, adding that there probably would be another Security Council resolution with tougher sanctions on Iran.
He called such a resolution important on its own and as a legal platform for others to take their own steps.
"At the end of the day, Iran has to decide that not having nuclear weapons is a better defense strategy than having them," Gates said.
• Leaders from 46 countries are coming to Washington for the two-day summit
• Obama signed treaty with Russia last week to reduce nuclear stockpiles of both
• Obama holding meetings with some of the visiting heads of state starting Sunday
(CNN) -- President Obama hosts leaders from 46 countries for a two-day nuclear security summit starting Monday that will focus on how to better safeguard weapons materials, both old and new, to keep them out of the hands of terrorists.
The gathering at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the nation's capital is considered an unprecedented effort to rally global action on securing vulnerable nuclear materials.
It also is the centerpiece of a major Obama objective aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and technology.
As the summit begins, the United States is negotiating with the four other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council on tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
"The central focus of this nuclear summit is the fact that the single biggest threat to U.S. security, both short term, medium term and long term, would be the possibility of a terrorist organization obtaining a nuclear weapon," Obama said Sunday, appearing with South African President Jacob Zuma in Washington.
"This is something that could change the security landscape in this country and around the world for years to come," Obama said. "If there was ever a detonation in New York City, or London, or Johannesburg, the ramifications -- economically, politically and from a security perspective -- would be devastating. We know that organizations like al Qaeda are in the process of trying to secure nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction and would have no compunction at using them."
Obama signed a new treaty with Russia last week to reduce the nuclear stockpiles of both nations, and his administration issued a revised U.S. nuclear arms strategy intended to reinforce the nation's nuclear deterrent while isolating terrorists and rogue states that fail to comply with international regulations.
It all fits together as an ambitious effort to mobilize a unified global effort against nuclear proliferation, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in interviews broadcast Sunday.
"We want to get the world's attention focused where we think it needs to be, with these continuing efforts by al Qaeda and others to get just enough nuclear material to cause terrible havoc, destruction, and loss of life somewhere in the world," Clinton told the ABC program "This Week."
Of particular concern are older nuclear weapons and materials that aren't safeguarded as well as they should be, particularly in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union, Clinton said on the NBC program "Meet the Press."
It used to be considered a U.S.-Soviet issue, Clinton said, rather than the high international priority "we intend to make it in the coming week."
"Unfortunately, we have a situation in which there is a lot of loose nuclear material around the world," Obama said Sunday. "And so the central focus of this summit is getting the international community on a path in which we are locking down that nuclear material in a very specific time frame, with a specific work plan."
South Africa, he said, is a moral leader on the nuclear issue, since it began and then dismantled a nuclear program.
The summit's goal is to get an agreement and working plan on how each of the participating countries will control nuclear materials or otherwise prevent their spread, Clinton said on the CBS program "Face the Nation."
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced last week that nations participating in the summit would be Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Vietnam.
In addition, the United Nations, the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency will be represented at the summit, Gibbs said.
Obama also is holding bilateral meetings with some of the visiting heads of state, which started Sunday afternoon with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, followed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, South African President Jacob Zuma, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan and acting President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.
Obama's nuclear strategy has been criticized by Republicans as too weak in the face of threats and defiance by Iran and North Korea.
"While the treaty [with Russia] may be in the right direction and the nuclear summit that's coming to town may be an impressive group of people, the nuclear posture statement that the president put out is troublesome to me," Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said on the "Fox News Sunday" program. " I mean, it takes away the ambiguity about our use of nuclear power. Ambiguity in foreign policy is sometimes very useful."
On Sunday, Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Obama administration "poses a threat to international peace" and is "wicked and untrustworthy."
Khamenei made the remarks Sunday in a meeting with the Armed Forces chief of staff and other top military officials, according to IRNA. According to the news agency, Khamenei said Obama had recently threatened Iran with nuclear weapons and called for Iran's military to prepare itself.
Khamenei apparently was referring to last week's announced shift in U.S. nuclear strategy, in which the administration said it would swear off developing new generations of nuclear weapons and would not use its existing arsenal to attack non-nuclear states that are in compliance with nonproliferation agreements.
Gates made clear Sunday that the new policy left Iran vulnerable to a U.S. nuclear attack because Iran refuses to comply with nonproliferation agreements.
"All options are on the table" regarding Iran and North Korea, which also defies international regulations, Gates said on the CBS program.
Clinton defended the Obama administration's policy of seeking a unified international response to Iran's nuclear ambitions, including stronger U.N. sanctions.
The policy, which broke with President George W. Bush's nonnegotiation stance, has exposed Iran's intransigence, Clinton said on the NBC program.
Now, with the U.N. negotiations on tougher sanctions, "the Iranians have been beating down the doors of every country in the world to try to avoid" a new sanctions resolution, Clinton said.
However, when asked whether Iran had the capability now to develop a nuclear weapon, Clinton avoided a direct answer, saying it was unclear.
Gates had no hesitation, declaring immediately that "it's our judgment here they are not nuclear capable."
"We're doing everything we can to try and keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons," Gates said, adding that there probably would be another Security Council resolution with tougher sanctions on Iran.
He called such a resolution important on its own and as a legal platform for others to take their own steps.
"At the end of the day, Iran has to decide that not having nuclear weapons is a better defense strategy than having them," Gates said.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Family History essay
Well i am Mexican American and come from a mexican family obviously. As far as my parents can remember is as far as my grandma. I dont have any communication with my grandma for family purposes so i really dont know much about my family history. I have two parents my mom and my dad which is my step dad but for respect i treat him as my real dad. I have two grandpas and two grandmas which in their early ages they all dedicated to farming and running businesses. My moms side have a big business in Mexico in which they sell tacos, tortas, burritos, etc., all those good foods. My dads side of the family dedicated themselves to farming, enough for their family to eat, which is called subsistence farming. Over the years they have been buying large pieces of land which are now becoming the wealthiest people in Mexico. Many large companies are going to their land provinces and buying mostly all their vegetables fruits and beans. Maybe a 20 acre piece of land is alot for us but as far as they are concerned thats nothing companies some times end up asking for more as they sell quick products and there is a huge demand. I have alot of siblings such as cousins and uncles. yea if there is one thing that my family is known for is by not loosing any time. I have 65 Uncles and cousins altogether. Thats alot. Although i do not no many of them because they live in mexico and the situation is getting real bad to go over there i chat with them through yahoo or face book thats how i know about twelve of them but the rest who knows. This is all i can say about my family history as i recall my family is going through problems so there really isnt much to say.
5th Six Weeks Personal Narrative
This six weeks have been the hardest of them all so far. My grades are looking pretty bad and im trying my best to bring'em up. Failing two classes is nothing simple to make up but im managing to bringing those grades up. Is also very difficult to figure if im going to eventually come up and recieve the credits for those classes. is not looking anything good to this point. I still have that fifty nine in my chemistry class and so far thats the only class that im struggling with but im pretty sure that i will be alright by the end of these six weeks as i am doing alot of extra credit work and attending tutoring to manage to get better in that class. Next six weeks i think are going to be the easiest but i also think that we are going to start to lack off so yea is going to be pretty difficult. My parents are pretty upset about last six weeks and they are pushing me to pass all my classes if not i might not even have a phone or my laptop for next six weeks which pretty much sucks. Many of my teachers and my classes are loosing up and im getting to approach them with better ease which i can describe as kissing their behinds to get those grades at least to a flat out seventy. i am hoping to get better and as most of my class mates i am looking out for the summer vacation. Which does not seem to far from now. Theres alot of things that i want to do but little time to get it all done.
6th Event
Erupting volcano boosts tourism in Iceland
Tourists gather to watch lava spurt out of the site of a volcanic eruption at the Fimmvorduhals volcano near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier on March 27, 2010.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
• Curious onlookers are paying to get a closer look at Eyjafjallajokull volcano
• Tours depart from the capital, Reykjavik, toward the southern part of Iceland
• The volcano is located underneath a glacier
• Contrast of snow, ice with the lava flows called 'amazing'
(CNN) -- A long-dormant volcano in Iceland that began erupting last month has sparked a tourism trend as curious onlookers are paying to get a closer look.
Despite the Eyjafjallajokull volcano's remote location, beneath a glacier to be exact, the area surrounding it has been teeming with tourists in search of spectacular views of its lava flows and volcanic plumes.
Various vendors have surfaced, offering tours of the area by helicopter or jeep.
For less than $400 a person, tours depart from the capital, Reykjavik, toward the southern part of Iceland. Part of the roughly 100-mile trip includes a drive on the Myrdalsjokull glacier. Finally, at nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level, the fire from the volcano comes into view.
"It's amazing to see the volcano because of the season," says Vidir Reynisson, Iceland's Civil Protection Services Department Manager. "There's a lot of snow, and it's quite spectacular to see the contrast" with the burning lava.
A few isolated spots are open for sightseeing, but a one-kilometer radius encircling the immediate area is restricted to tourists and some areas of the glacier are off-limits.
Reynisson says there's no immediate threat to onlookers, and nearby residents who were evacuated last month because of flooding concerns have returned to their homes.
"The situation is good," he said. "We have rescue teams, police and lots of tourists traveling to the areas."
Reynisson said the only problems security crews have encountered are hikers who are not properly equipped trying to make their way toward the area on their own.
The volcano, which last erupted in 1821, continues to be active since it came back to life March 20. Two additional fissures erupted Thursday, directing new lava flow toward the northeast.
Glaciers in the area are not affected, but authorities are on alert if changes develop, according to the country's Civil Protection Services.
Tourists gather to watch lava spurt out of the site of a volcanic eruption at the Fimmvorduhals volcano near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier on March 27, 2010.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
• Curious onlookers are paying to get a closer look at Eyjafjallajokull volcano
• Tours depart from the capital, Reykjavik, toward the southern part of Iceland
• The volcano is located underneath a glacier
• Contrast of snow, ice with the lava flows called 'amazing'
(CNN) -- A long-dormant volcano in Iceland that began erupting last month has sparked a tourism trend as curious onlookers are paying to get a closer look.
Despite the Eyjafjallajokull volcano's remote location, beneath a glacier to be exact, the area surrounding it has been teeming with tourists in search of spectacular views of its lava flows and volcanic plumes.
Various vendors have surfaced, offering tours of the area by helicopter or jeep.
For less than $400 a person, tours depart from the capital, Reykjavik, toward the southern part of Iceland. Part of the roughly 100-mile trip includes a drive on the Myrdalsjokull glacier. Finally, at nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level, the fire from the volcano comes into view.
"It's amazing to see the volcano because of the season," says Vidir Reynisson, Iceland's Civil Protection Services Department Manager. "There's a lot of snow, and it's quite spectacular to see the contrast" with the burning lava.
A few isolated spots are open for sightseeing, but a one-kilometer radius encircling the immediate area is restricted to tourists and some areas of the glacier are off-limits.
Reynisson says there's no immediate threat to onlookers, and nearby residents who were evacuated last month because of flooding concerns have returned to their homes.
"The situation is good," he said. "We have rescue teams, police and lots of tourists traveling to the areas."
Reynisson said the only problems security crews have encountered are hikers who are not properly equipped trying to make their way toward the area on their own.
The volcano, which last erupted in 1821, continues to be active since it came back to life March 20. Two additional fissures erupted Thursday, directing new lava flow toward the northeast.
Glaciers in the area are not affected, but authorities are on alert if changes develop, according to the country's Civil Protection Services.
5th Event
Economy getting better, but still 'a long way to go'
Lawrence Summers tells CNN's Candy Crowley that the economic trend has turned.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
• Alan Greenspan says recovery so far has led to conditions for compounding growth
• Lawrence Summers refuses to say when the unemployment rate might decline
• 162,000 jobs were created in March; unemployment rate remained at 9.7 percent
Washington (CNN) -- The slow but steady U.S. economic recovery appears set to continue, with underlying indicators signaling a growing strength, some of the nation's senior economists said Sunday.
"The trend has turned," said Lawrence Summers, director of the White House National Economic Council, on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "But to get back to the surface, we've got a long way to go."
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told ABC's "This Week" that the recovery so far has led to conditions for compounding growth. In particular, Greenspan cited an increasing demand for inventory that spurs production as a signal of a possible significant buildup in growth.
"I suspect it's month by month," Greenspan said of continued economic growth, adding that "a statistical aberration is possible."
He said he doubted there would be another drop in growth to create what economists call "double-dip recession" after the downturn of 2008-09, saying the odds were "very much against that now."
On NBC's "Meet the Press," the chair of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, Cristina Romer, said the recovery would have to be systemic rather than consumer-driven because, in the wake of the recession, "we're not going to be see people maxing out their credit cards again."
Romer predicted economic growth for the year of 3 percent, which she said would be enough to keep creating jobs but not enough to significantly reduce the unemployment rate.
All three spoke two days after the government announced 162,000 news jobs created in March but the unemployment rate remaining at 9.7 percent.
Obama, GOP spar over new jobs figures
Summers refused to be pinned down on when the unemployment rate might decline, noting that the increase in jobs does not automatically reduce overall unemployment.
As jobs are created, Summers told the ABC program, more people re-enter the labor force to look for work, so unemployment figures stay stagnant or can even go up.
On "State of the Union," Summers cited steps the Obama administration is taking to reduce the unemployment rate, including continued implementation of the $800 billion economic stimulus package from February 2009; new tax credits intended to encourage businesses to increase hiring; incentives for small businesses to expand; and initiatives to create a "new energy economy" that focuses on energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy.
Republicans complained that the administration's policies were creating government jobs for political expediency, rather than stimulating private sector economic growth.
"At this time of high unemployment, when we need to focus on jobs, we should not be expanding government spending, government commitments, and government promises that crowd out the small businessman and businesswoman," said Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-California, in the GOP weekly radio address.
Lawrence Summers tells CNN's Candy Crowley that the economic trend has turned.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
• Alan Greenspan says recovery so far has led to conditions for compounding growth
• Lawrence Summers refuses to say when the unemployment rate might decline
• 162,000 jobs were created in March; unemployment rate remained at 9.7 percent
Washington (CNN) -- The slow but steady U.S. economic recovery appears set to continue, with underlying indicators signaling a growing strength, some of the nation's senior economists said Sunday.
"The trend has turned," said Lawrence Summers, director of the White House National Economic Council, on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "But to get back to the surface, we've got a long way to go."
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told ABC's "This Week" that the recovery so far has led to conditions for compounding growth. In particular, Greenspan cited an increasing demand for inventory that spurs production as a signal of a possible significant buildup in growth.
"I suspect it's month by month," Greenspan said of continued economic growth, adding that "a statistical aberration is possible."
He said he doubted there would be another drop in growth to create what economists call "double-dip recession" after the downturn of 2008-09, saying the odds were "very much against that now."
On NBC's "Meet the Press," the chair of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, Cristina Romer, said the recovery would have to be systemic rather than consumer-driven because, in the wake of the recession, "we're not going to be see people maxing out their credit cards again."
Romer predicted economic growth for the year of 3 percent, which she said would be enough to keep creating jobs but not enough to significantly reduce the unemployment rate.
All three spoke two days after the government announced 162,000 news jobs created in March but the unemployment rate remaining at 9.7 percent.
Obama, GOP spar over new jobs figures
Summers refused to be pinned down on when the unemployment rate might decline, noting that the increase in jobs does not automatically reduce overall unemployment.
As jobs are created, Summers told the ABC program, more people re-enter the labor force to look for work, so unemployment figures stay stagnant or can even go up.
On "State of the Union," Summers cited steps the Obama administration is taking to reduce the unemployment rate, including continued implementation of the $800 billion economic stimulus package from February 2009; new tax credits intended to encourage businesses to increase hiring; incentives for small businesses to expand; and initiatives to create a "new energy economy" that focuses on energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy.
Republicans complained that the administration's policies were creating government jobs for political expediency, rather than stimulating private sector economic growth.
"At this time of high unemployment, when we need to focus on jobs, we should not be expanding government spending, government commitments, and government promises that crowd out the small businessman and businesswoman," said Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-California, in the GOP weekly radio address.
4th Event
Seven killed in West Virginia mine blast
(CNN) -- Seven miners died Monday and 19 others were unaccounted for after an explosion erupted inside an underground mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia, the mine's parent company said.
Another 21 miners were injured in the blast at the Upper Big Branch Mine, according to Michael Mayhorn, emergency dispatcher for Boone County, which was called in to assist in the response.
At least 20 ambulances and three helicopters were dispatched from surrounding counties, and the state medical examiner was heading to the scene, Mayhorn said. At least one miner was evacuated by helicopter, according to Mayhorn.
Don Blankenship, the chief executive officer of Massey Energy Co., which oversees the mine, said in a statement that the company is "working diligently on rescue efforts."
"Our prayers go out to the families of the miners," he said. "We want to assure the families of all the miners we are taking every action possible to locate and rescue those still missing."
The explosion happened about 4:30 p.m. at Massey Energy's Performance Coal Co. mine in Whitesville, West Virginia, 30 miles south of Charleston, West Virginia, CNN affiliate WCHS reported.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately known, but methane gas has been blamed in several deadly mining accidents in recent years, including the 2006 explosion at the Sago mine, also in West Virginia, that killed 12 people. Five miners in Harlan County, Kentucky, were killed five months later in a methane gas explosion in Kentucky Darby Mine No. 1.
Manchin, however, said spring is an unusual time of year to see such explosions, which typically occur in winter as barometric pressure changes occur inside mines.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said he had spoken to Blankenship, who told him that the mine was equipped with rescue chambers, a safety measure put in place following several deadly accidents in 2006. The chambers are stocked with such supplies as first-aid kits and oxygen tanks in the event of an emergency.
"We're very hopeful that the miners who are missing were able to make it to those rescue chambers," said Manchin, who was on his way to the site.
Manchin also spoke to President Barack Obama, who offered his condolences and federal government assistance in the rescue effort.
Miners paced outside the mine shaft, trying to help emergency responders treating their injured colleagues, said Shawn Kline, a reporter for CNN affiliate WVVA.
"The look of worry is on just about everyone's faces," Kline said as dozens of fire trucks, ambulances and police cars streamed into and out of the site.
CAMC spokeswoman Elizabeth Pellegrin said the hospital received one person from the mine via a helicopter at 6 p.m. That patient is getting treatment in the hospital's intensive care unit, she said, declining to elaborate on the person's injuries.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, said in a statement Monday that he is "working with state and federal officials to get as much information as possible and ... doing all I can to help make sure all resources are made available for this rescue effort."
Massey Energy Co., based in Richmond, Virginia, has operations in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia. It is the largest coal producer in Central Appalachia, it said in a statement.
Three other deaths have happened in the Upper Big Branch Mine in the past 12 years, according to federal records.
In 1998, a man was killed when a beam he was constructing collapsed; in 2001, a worker died after a rock fell on him; and in 2003, an electrician who was repairing a shuttle car was found dead, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Monday's explosion is the latest in a string of problems for Massey Energy, which operates 44 underground and surface mines and controls 2.2 billion tons of coal reserves in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee, according to the Environmental Protection Agency and Massey's Web site.
The company has been fined for several incidents, some fatal, at its facilities in recent years, including a 2006 fire that killed two miners in Aracoma Coal Company's Alma Mine No. 1. Aracoma is a division of Massey. The company pleaded guilty to 10 criminal charges in connection with the fire and was fined $2.5 million in 2009.
In 2000, a coal sludge impoundment owned by Massey Energy broke into an abandoned underground mine, oozing more than 300 million gallons of coal waste into tributaries in eastern Kentucky.
Also in 2000, a series of accidents at Massey facilities killed eight miners during the course of the year, according to Davitt McAteer, former director of the Mine Safety and Health Administration during the Clinton administration.
"Massey has had difficulty with their accident records and their numbers of citations and penalties that have been issued against them," McAteer said. "There is a problem here, and it's a problem that we hoped had gone away."
The U.S. mining industry in 2009 saw its safest year in the history of American mining with 18 deaths. Prior to Monday's explosion, two deaths had been recorded for 2010.
(CNN) -- Seven miners died Monday and 19 others were unaccounted for after an explosion erupted inside an underground mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia, the mine's parent company said.
Another 21 miners were injured in the blast at the Upper Big Branch Mine, according to Michael Mayhorn, emergency dispatcher for Boone County, which was called in to assist in the response.
At least 20 ambulances and three helicopters were dispatched from surrounding counties, and the state medical examiner was heading to the scene, Mayhorn said. At least one miner was evacuated by helicopter, according to Mayhorn.
Don Blankenship, the chief executive officer of Massey Energy Co., which oversees the mine, said in a statement that the company is "working diligently on rescue efforts."
"Our prayers go out to the families of the miners," he said. "We want to assure the families of all the miners we are taking every action possible to locate and rescue those still missing."
The explosion happened about 4:30 p.m. at Massey Energy's Performance Coal Co. mine in Whitesville, West Virginia, 30 miles south of Charleston, West Virginia, CNN affiliate WCHS reported.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately known, but methane gas has been blamed in several deadly mining accidents in recent years, including the 2006 explosion at the Sago mine, also in West Virginia, that killed 12 people. Five miners in Harlan County, Kentucky, were killed five months later in a methane gas explosion in Kentucky Darby Mine No. 1.
Manchin, however, said spring is an unusual time of year to see such explosions, which typically occur in winter as barometric pressure changes occur inside mines.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said he had spoken to Blankenship, who told him that the mine was equipped with rescue chambers, a safety measure put in place following several deadly accidents in 2006. The chambers are stocked with such supplies as first-aid kits and oxygen tanks in the event of an emergency.
"We're very hopeful that the miners who are missing were able to make it to those rescue chambers," said Manchin, who was on his way to the site.
Manchin also spoke to President Barack Obama, who offered his condolences and federal government assistance in the rescue effort.
Miners paced outside the mine shaft, trying to help emergency responders treating their injured colleagues, said Shawn Kline, a reporter for CNN affiliate WVVA.
"The look of worry is on just about everyone's faces," Kline said as dozens of fire trucks, ambulances and police cars streamed into and out of the site.
CAMC spokeswoman Elizabeth Pellegrin said the hospital received one person from the mine via a helicopter at 6 p.m. That patient is getting treatment in the hospital's intensive care unit, she said, declining to elaborate on the person's injuries.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, said in a statement Monday that he is "working with state and federal officials to get as much information as possible and ... doing all I can to help make sure all resources are made available for this rescue effort."
Massey Energy Co., based in Richmond, Virginia, has operations in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia. It is the largest coal producer in Central Appalachia, it said in a statement.
Three other deaths have happened in the Upper Big Branch Mine in the past 12 years, according to federal records.
In 1998, a man was killed when a beam he was constructing collapsed; in 2001, a worker died after a rock fell on him; and in 2003, an electrician who was repairing a shuttle car was found dead, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Monday's explosion is the latest in a string of problems for Massey Energy, which operates 44 underground and surface mines and controls 2.2 billion tons of coal reserves in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee, according to the Environmental Protection Agency and Massey's Web site.
The company has been fined for several incidents, some fatal, at its facilities in recent years, including a 2006 fire that killed two miners in Aracoma Coal Company's Alma Mine No. 1. Aracoma is a division of Massey. The company pleaded guilty to 10 criminal charges in connection with the fire and was fined $2.5 million in 2009.
In 2000, a coal sludge impoundment owned by Massey Energy broke into an abandoned underground mine, oozing more than 300 million gallons of coal waste into tributaries in eastern Kentucky.
Also in 2000, a series of accidents at Massey facilities killed eight miners during the course of the year, according to Davitt McAteer, former director of the Mine Safety and Health Administration during the Clinton administration.
"Massey has had difficulty with their accident records and their numbers of citations and penalties that have been issued against them," McAteer said. "There is a problem here, and it's a problem that we hoped had gone away."
The U.S. mining industry in 2009 saw its safest year in the history of American mining with 18 deaths. Prior to Monday's explosion, two deaths had been recorded for 2010.
3rd Event
U.S. seeks $16.4 million fine against Toyota
Federal safety agency hits Toyota with largest possible fine for a single reporting violation. More fines still possible.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is seeking the maximum fine of $16.4 million against Toyota Motor Corp. for failing to notify the agency of a "sticky pedal" defect in its cars for at least four months.
Under federal regulations, automakers are required to inform the agency within five days of determining that a safety defect exists in one of its products.
NHTSA learned, through documents obtained from Toyota (TM), that the automaker knew of sticky gas pedal problems since at least September, 2009, the agency said in an press release.
"We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect millions of drivers and their families. For those reasons, we are seeking the maximum penalty possible under current laws."
NHTSA is still investigating to see if Toyota committed any additional violations that may warrant more penalties, the agency said. Under federal regulations, $16.4 million is the most an automaker can be fined for a single violation.
Toyota said it has not received a letter from the NHTSA about the fine, but responded to the announcement by saying the company has begun to address the agency's concerns.
"We have already taken a number of important steps to improve our communications with regulators and customers on safety-related matters as part of our strengthened overall commitment to quality assurance," the company said in a statement. "These include the appointment of a new Chief Quality Officer for North America and a greater role for the region in making safety-related decisions."
GM to expand use of brake override system
Toyota cars and trucks have been the subject of at least three separate major recalls in the past year. One was for the "sticky pedal" situation in which gas pedals, as they age, begin to stick in a partially depressed position. Another was for gas pedals that can stick on some floor mats and a third was for braking problems on Toyota Prius hybrid cars.
The biggest fine that's ever been levied was just $1 million taken from General Motors in 2004 for failing to deal promptly with a windshield wiper issue, an amount that was negotiated down from the $3 million NHTSA originally asked for.
Toyota could challenge the penalty and question how the NHTSA determined the record amount, especially since the difference between Toyota's and GM's fines is so large, said senior analyst Jessica Caldwell of automotive Web site Edmunds.com.
"It'll be interesting to see how Toyota responds," she said. "But $16.4 million is a drop in the bucket of cash Toyota has, so they might just find it easier to pay and avoid a bigger news story."
It also strikes experts as odd that regulators would seek the maximum penalty in a case in which the specific defect involved resulted in no serious crashes, injuries or deaths. "I see this as politically motivated," said Ed Higgins, a Michigan attorney who has worked with automakers in defect cases. "NHTSA is under a lot of political pressure to get tough."
In documents filed with NHTSA, Toyota has indicated that it did not originally believe the sticky gas pedals were a genuine safety issue. At worst the pedals got stuck only an inch or so down resulting in a situation the driver could easily control using the brakes.
That belief gives Toyota a ready defense, Higgins said. The regulations state that the automaker has five days from the time it determines a safety-related defect exists to report it. If Toyota didn't see this as safety related, Higgins said, the clock wasn't running.
There were injuries and deaths alleged to result from a separate issue in which gas pedals could become stuck on floor mats. NHTSA has not announced a fine in that recall.
Federal safety agency hits Toyota with largest possible fine for a single reporting violation. More fines still possible.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is seeking the maximum fine of $16.4 million against Toyota Motor Corp. for failing to notify the agency of a "sticky pedal" defect in its cars for at least four months.
Under federal regulations, automakers are required to inform the agency within five days of determining that a safety defect exists in one of its products.
NHTSA learned, through documents obtained from Toyota (TM), that the automaker knew of sticky gas pedal problems since at least September, 2009, the agency said in an press release.
"We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect millions of drivers and their families. For those reasons, we are seeking the maximum penalty possible under current laws."
NHTSA is still investigating to see if Toyota committed any additional violations that may warrant more penalties, the agency said. Under federal regulations, $16.4 million is the most an automaker can be fined for a single violation.
Toyota said it has not received a letter from the NHTSA about the fine, but responded to the announcement by saying the company has begun to address the agency's concerns.
"We have already taken a number of important steps to improve our communications with regulators and customers on safety-related matters as part of our strengthened overall commitment to quality assurance," the company said in a statement. "These include the appointment of a new Chief Quality Officer for North America and a greater role for the region in making safety-related decisions."
GM to expand use of brake override system
Toyota cars and trucks have been the subject of at least three separate major recalls in the past year. One was for the "sticky pedal" situation in which gas pedals, as they age, begin to stick in a partially depressed position. Another was for gas pedals that can stick on some floor mats and a third was for braking problems on Toyota Prius hybrid cars.
The biggest fine that's ever been levied was just $1 million taken from General Motors in 2004 for failing to deal promptly with a windshield wiper issue, an amount that was negotiated down from the $3 million NHTSA originally asked for.
Toyota could challenge the penalty and question how the NHTSA determined the record amount, especially since the difference between Toyota's and GM's fines is so large, said senior analyst Jessica Caldwell of automotive Web site Edmunds.com.
"It'll be interesting to see how Toyota responds," she said. "But $16.4 million is a drop in the bucket of cash Toyota has, so they might just find it easier to pay and avoid a bigger news story."
It also strikes experts as odd that regulators would seek the maximum penalty in a case in which the specific defect involved resulted in no serious crashes, injuries or deaths. "I see this as politically motivated," said Ed Higgins, a Michigan attorney who has worked with automakers in defect cases. "NHTSA is under a lot of political pressure to get tough."
In documents filed with NHTSA, Toyota has indicated that it did not originally believe the sticky gas pedals were a genuine safety issue. At worst the pedals got stuck only an inch or so down resulting in a situation the driver could easily control using the brakes.
That belief gives Toyota a ready defense, Higgins said. The regulations state that the automaker has five days from the time it determines a safety-related defect exists to report it. If Toyota didn't see this as safety related, Higgins said, the clock wasn't running.
There were injuries and deaths alleged to result from a separate issue in which gas pedals could become stuck on floor mats. NHTSA has not announced a fine in that recall.
2nd Event
Martin: Purge clergy who allowed sex abuse
• Church must focus on rebuilding trust
• Martin says some clergy are playing victim when they should be rooting out those responsible
• The church seems to want to denounce the acts, he says, but offer compassion to abusers
Editor's note: Roland S. Martin, a CNN political analyst, is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith," and the new book, "The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House." He is a commentator for TV One Cable Network and host of a one-hour Sunday morning news show.
"If it would just go away."
That could be the new motto of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, a plea for an end to the constant drumbeat of stories related to years and years of sexual abuse against boys by priests.
And I'm sure that same statement is uttered daily by those same boys, now men, who desire to have the thoughts, memories and raw feelings of being sexually abused by priests in the United States, Europe and other countries go away as well.
But it won't. And just like the boys and men have to deal with the fallout from this criminal behavior -- yes, sexually assaulting a minor should have sent these pathetic men to prison -- so must the church.
And frankly, I'm sick of some officials of the Catholic Church playing the victim. We don't need to hear another priest, bishop, cardinal or even Vatican official decrying the constant news stories that reveal the depth of the sins committed against boys by these sexual predators masquerading as men of the cloth.
The reality is that had these deplorable priests been prosecuted for their crimes (some were) other church officials would have been liable for obstruction of justice, for hiding the evidence, for shuffling priests from one parish to another, depositing them in homes for spiritual healing and renewal and doing everything to keep the sordid details under wraps.
What apparently has raised the ire of church officials is that the latest round of stories hit during Holy Week, considered the holiest of all weeks for Christians since it marks the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So exactly when is a good time for these stories? Can the priests, bishops and other leaders let the media know what days and months we should plan our editorial calendar to bring them the least amount of pain and scrutiny?
Let me be clear: I do not care about the bruised feelings of church leaders. What matters the most are the hundreds and hundreds of abuse victims who were victimized, and that the church did not protect them, choosing instead to cover for these wretched men who preyed on them.
In Oregon, Archbishop John G. Vlazny asked all of the church's ministers in the diocese to cancel their subscriptions to The Oregonian newspaper because of an editorial denouncing the church's feeble reaction in the past to the scandal.
The paper reports that Vlazny sent an e-mail on Wednesday to the diocese's ministers, saying: "The editors arrogantly scolded the church for its past failures in handling this matter of child abuse and, in an insulting and unfair attack, chose this most holy time of the year, during our church's Year of the Priest, to connect the practice of celibacy among our clergy with the problem of child sexual abuse, when everyone knows that most abusers by far are married persons!"
The fierce defense is coming right from the top.
The Rev. Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household, or commonly known as Pope Benedict XVI's personal preacher, even had the audacity to compare the assault on the church to the persecution of Jews.
The New York Times quoted Cantalamessa as saying: "They know from experience what it means to be victims of collective violence and also because of this they are quick to recognize the recurring symptoms."
He added that he got a letter from a Jewish friend that said, "I am following the violent and concentric attacks against the church, the pope and all the faithful by the whole world. The use of stereotypes, the passing from personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt, remind me of the more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism."
The Vatican was quick to point out that Cantalamessa's statements, made during a Good Friday service with Benedict sitting just a few feet away, wasn't an official statement, and were merely his personal thoughts.
The Vatican has reacted with such force because the pope has come under heavy criticism for his lack of involvement, according to his critics, in stopping abuses in his homeland.
The fundamental reason the sexual abuse scandals continue to widen is that the Catholic Church, as an institution, has tried to have it both ways. Leaders want to issue statements denouncing the acts, while offering compassion, counseling and forgiveness to those who committed the sins.
But the real issue is trust. When the church protects these priestly predators, they are aiding and abetting them. Instead, the Catholic Church should do like Jesus, who turned over the tables and threw out the money-changers. He needed to root evil out of the synagogues.
The church must remove every priest, bishop or cardinal who turned a blind eye and allowed this to fester, even if it means cutting all ties with them. There have been settlements nationwide, and remaining lawsuits should be disposed of globally. The church should also establish transparent rules and procedures that let the faithful know that any allegation from this point on will be dealt with immediately -- and won't just be investigated by the church but will be referred to local law enforcement authorities.
Making excuses and lashing out at critics in the present will do nothing to rebuild the unshakable trust many people once had in the church.
• Church must focus on rebuilding trust
• Martin says some clergy are playing victim when they should be rooting out those responsible
• The church seems to want to denounce the acts, he says, but offer compassion to abusers
Editor's note: Roland S. Martin, a CNN political analyst, is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith," and the new book, "The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House." He is a commentator for TV One Cable Network and host of a one-hour Sunday morning news show.
"If it would just go away."
That could be the new motto of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, a plea for an end to the constant drumbeat of stories related to years and years of sexual abuse against boys by priests.
And I'm sure that same statement is uttered daily by those same boys, now men, who desire to have the thoughts, memories and raw feelings of being sexually abused by priests in the United States, Europe and other countries go away as well.
But it won't. And just like the boys and men have to deal with the fallout from this criminal behavior -- yes, sexually assaulting a minor should have sent these pathetic men to prison -- so must the church.
And frankly, I'm sick of some officials of the Catholic Church playing the victim. We don't need to hear another priest, bishop, cardinal or even Vatican official decrying the constant news stories that reveal the depth of the sins committed against boys by these sexual predators masquerading as men of the cloth.
The reality is that had these deplorable priests been prosecuted for their crimes (some were) other church officials would have been liable for obstruction of justice, for hiding the evidence, for shuffling priests from one parish to another, depositing them in homes for spiritual healing and renewal and doing everything to keep the sordid details under wraps.
What apparently has raised the ire of church officials is that the latest round of stories hit during Holy Week, considered the holiest of all weeks for Christians since it marks the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So exactly when is a good time for these stories? Can the priests, bishops and other leaders let the media know what days and months we should plan our editorial calendar to bring them the least amount of pain and scrutiny?
Let me be clear: I do not care about the bruised feelings of church leaders. What matters the most are the hundreds and hundreds of abuse victims who were victimized, and that the church did not protect them, choosing instead to cover for these wretched men who preyed on them.
In Oregon, Archbishop John G. Vlazny asked all of the church's ministers in the diocese to cancel their subscriptions to The Oregonian newspaper because of an editorial denouncing the church's feeble reaction in the past to the scandal.
The paper reports that Vlazny sent an e-mail on Wednesday to the diocese's ministers, saying: "The editors arrogantly scolded the church for its past failures in handling this matter of child abuse and, in an insulting and unfair attack, chose this most holy time of the year, during our church's Year of the Priest, to connect the practice of celibacy among our clergy with the problem of child sexual abuse, when everyone knows that most abusers by far are married persons!"
The fierce defense is coming right from the top.
The Rev. Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household, or commonly known as Pope Benedict XVI's personal preacher, even had the audacity to compare the assault on the church to the persecution of Jews.
The New York Times quoted Cantalamessa as saying: "They know from experience what it means to be victims of collective violence and also because of this they are quick to recognize the recurring symptoms."
He added that he got a letter from a Jewish friend that said, "I am following the violent and concentric attacks against the church, the pope and all the faithful by the whole world. The use of stereotypes, the passing from personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt, remind me of the more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism."
The Vatican was quick to point out that Cantalamessa's statements, made during a Good Friday service with Benedict sitting just a few feet away, wasn't an official statement, and were merely his personal thoughts.
The Vatican has reacted with such force because the pope has come under heavy criticism for his lack of involvement, according to his critics, in stopping abuses in his homeland.
The fundamental reason the sexual abuse scandals continue to widen is that the Catholic Church, as an institution, has tried to have it both ways. Leaders want to issue statements denouncing the acts, while offering compassion, counseling and forgiveness to those who committed the sins.
But the real issue is trust. When the church protects these priestly predators, they are aiding and abetting them. Instead, the Catholic Church should do like Jesus, who turned over the tables and threw out the money-changers. He needed to root evil out of the synagogues.
The church must remove every priest, bishop or cardinal who turned a blind eye and allowed this to fester, even if it means cutting all ties with them. There have been settlements nationwide, and remaining lawsuits should be disposed of globally. The church should also establish transparent rules and procedures that let the faithful know that any allegation from this point on will be dealt with immediately -- and won't just be investigated by the church but will be referred to local law enforcement authorities.
Making excuses and lashing out at critics in the present will do nothing to rebuild the unshakable trust many people once had in the church.
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