Posted by
Joe Knippenberg on Thursday, March 08, 2007 5:08:30 PM
Michael Novak calls our attention to
this important Bush speech, which, I think, compares favorably with
its 46 year old predecessor. The impulse is on some level the same, but JFK speaks more often than I'd like of (central) planning and leaves only a little room for "private activity and initiative," not to mention non-governmental and faith-based initiatives.
By contrast, Bush has lots to say about encouraging what he calls "capitalism for the campesinos." He ties this to "social justice," by which he means, above all, "meeting basic needs" to education, health care, and housing so that people can "realize their full potential, their God-given potential." But social justice, thus conceived, doesn't require massively redistributive government action; rather, it requires unleashing the potential of individual initiative, sowing some seeds, and leveraging the efforts of non-governmental organizations, especially faith-based ones.
Here's a nice summary:
On these three vital social issues -- education and health care and housing -- we're making a difference across the Americas. You see, by investing in programs and empower people, we will help the working families of our hemisphere build a more hopeful future for themselves.
Finally, social justice requires economies that make it possible for workers to provide for their families and to rise in society. For too long and in too many places, opportunity in Latin America has been determined by the accident of birth rather than by the application of talents and initiative. In his many writings, Pope John Paul II spoke eloquently about creating systems that respect the dignity of work and the right to private initiative. Latin America needs capitalism for the campesino, a true capitalism that allows people who start from nothing to rise as far as their skills and their hard work can take them. So the United States is helping these nations build growing economies that are open to the world, economies that will provide opportunity to their people.
If you compare GWB to JFK, you'll see that the goals aren't all that different, but the thought put into the methods is. And it's all tied to a self-conscious vision that yokes American ideals and American interests, even though the language is that of a kind of conservative Catholic social thought. Novak should be pleased. Might it be possible to call George W. Bush America's first genuinely Catholic president?
Update: RC2 is very pleased with the speech and points to other important passages that indicate a thoughtful analysis of the roots of Chavezism and an appreciation of the importance of transparency and fighting corruption. She comes close to agreeing with me that GWB is our first Catholic president, so to speak.
Update #2: SDP's Jon Schaff thinks GWB has a Catholic soul; Acton's Jordan Ballor offers a little more context.