Michael Sean Winters

Whiplash. President Trump, after a year of divisive tweets and regressive policies and public demeaning of political opponents, called the nation to unite behind his leadership in last night’s State of the Union address.

Distinctly Catholic: It is not my place to referee the intellectual debate between Catholic conservative Rod Dreher and Jesuit Fr. Andreas Gonçalves Lind, but I do hope that it can be directed towards a more fruitful exchange.

Distinctly Catholic: Can we be sure that the American people, if they feel that their pockets are fuller than before and their prospects more rosy, will not look the other way while President Donald Trump deports people and ignores the environment?

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Sen. Chuck Schumer is compromised; artificial intelligence hype; sustainable energy surge; Mark Silk on Barros

Distinctly Catholic: I confess I cannot make heads or tails of Pope Francis' comments at the press conference aboard the flight back to Rome, regarding allegations against Bishop Juan Barros Madrid.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Calling out the Catholic left; bishops support workers' right to organize; two very different reactions to the HHS civil rights division; updates on Puerto Rico's power grid

Distinctly Catholic: Three recent developments suggest there is more fluidity in the political debate surrounding abortion than I had anticipated, and one sign of how intractable that debate remains.

Distinctly Catholic: Dominican Fr. Romanus Cessario, professor of systematic theology at St. John's Seminary, should be sacked. Not permitted to retire early. Not permitted to resign.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Ethics of threatening a first strike; Safeguarding integrity of U.S. Census; Republicans lose another special election

Distinctly Catholic: President Trump uses words to divide, that is clear and it is reprehensible. But, he also uses words to distract, and that is why he had a self-described "victory lap" last week.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Build the wall if it means Dreamers can stay; who is pro-life in the Pennsylvania special election; Cardinal Dolan weighs in on Trump's boorish remark

Distinctly Catholic: In contrast to the current penchant for the lens of group victimization, King's identity politics were morally redemptive because he invoked universalist impulses.

Distinctly Catholic: What we know is that she is famous, and we Americans, left or right, we like famous. It is that adulation for fame that got Trump into the White House.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: The essential role of Christian dogma; interviews with Wilton Gregory and Joe Tobin; the Vatican's fake organ.

Distinctly Catholic: Recent televised interviews with Trump staffers, like Stephen Miller and Corey Lewandowski, demonstrate an alarming amount bowing and scraping to the president.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Koch outreach to Puerto Ricans; Report examines shared values between organized labor and church; There is no 'crisis we are living'

Distinctly Catholic: The opposition to Francis is not diminishing in volume, although I still wonder how widespread it is. Lots of sound and fury, but does it signify anything?

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Top political races of 2018; Chicago's mayor interviews Cardinal Cupich; Previewing the U.S., sans pensions

Distinctly Catholic: How religion affects politics is unlikely to change much in 2018, but the capacity of religious organizations to resist the influence of politics is more promising, at least for Catholics.

Distinctly Catholic: President Trump lucked out by inheriting a strong economy and military strategy. He benefited from Democrats being the congressional minority. But his high-wire act can't last.