# The Biden Administration - the first 1,500 days \[NOT an Afghanistan discussion\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 8, 2020, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057 "2020-11-08T15:09:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 73
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1446 "2021-11-05T02:12:31Z")
I don’t think he’s a practicing Catholic, which means it’s irrelevant for Pope Francis to support him. That was my point. The same goes for Trump referring to the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1447 "2021-11-05T02:17:10Z")
He’s more of a neocon/neolib, like the Presidents from either party who came before him. In countries like the Philippines, he would be referred to by some as “trapo,” the Spanish word for “rag,” but also referring to politicians who are part of and/or work with the ruling class. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1448 "2021-11-05T02:19:53Z")
> [@ralfy](#): > > He’s more of a neocon/neolib, like the Presidents from either party who came before him. And this is mutually exclusive with being a catholic because…? ---
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1449 "2021-11-05T02:25:12Z")
Catholics support social justice, together with liberals. Neoconservatism, OTOH, calls for attacks on other countries in the name of freedom and democracy but its actual goal is to control them and make sure that they remain in the orbit of the U.S. Neoliberalism calls for more deregulation, which leads to financial speculation and its effects (such as the 2008 global financial crash), as well as compels weaker countries to open up their economies in exchange for financial aid and trade deals, thus allowing for foreign exploitation. An example is structural adjustment via the IMF-WB. ---
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1450 "2021-11-05T02:28:12Z")
Biden has been warmongering for decades and generally follows what both parties want, which are the two ideologies I mentioned in another post. The same goes for Trump, who supported the Democratic Party for years and even contributed funds to the Clintons and Harris. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1451 "2021-11-05T03:20:08Z")
> [@ralfy](#): > > Catholics support social justice, together with liberals. Catholicism is a religion. It’s adherents, like those of other religions, have at different times interpreted their faith in support of all kinds of political philosophies. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1452 "2021-11-05T09:37:14Z")
Biden ended the war in Afghanistan. He supported past dumb wars, but he’s been an anti war president so far. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1453 "2021-11-05T10:32:00Z")
The Pope thinks Biden is a Catholic. **ralfy** doesn’t. Those two viewpoints should clearly be given equal weight. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1454 "2021-11-05T12:04:10Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The Pope thinks Biden is a Catholic. **ralfy** doesn’t. Those two viewpoints should clearly be given equal weight One is the supreme authority on catholicism; the other lives in Italy and wears a funny hat. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1455 "2021-11-05T12:26:10Z")
> [@ralfy](#): > > I don’t think he’s a practicing Catholic, which means it’s irrelevant for Pope Francis to support him. He goes to Mass every week, and I’m guessing goes to confession regularly. He raised his children in the church and saw they received the sacraments. What’s your definition of practicing Catholic? Because he meets mine (I’m a lapsed Catholic, if that makes any difference), and, as @gyrate noted, the Pope’s. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1456 "2021-11-05T12:35:04Z")
How much practice does one need to become a professional Catholic? Is Biden still an apprentice, then? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1457 "2021-11-05T14:10:52Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Is Biden still an apprentice, then? Can there be only 2? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1458 "2021-11-05T14:15:02Z")
Democrat. Sith. Republican. Jedi. It’s all true, from a certain point of view. ---
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2021, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1459 "2021-11-06T03:36:56Z")
It also promotes social justice, etc. Read _Vatican II_ documents for more details. ---
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1460 "2021-11-06T03:38:47Z")
Please go to the thread about Afghanistan concerning that. I posted news that they are now making deals with Pakistan to attack Afghanistan using aircraft, etc. ---
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2021, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1461 "2021-11-06T03:44:15Z")
Anyone who’s a Catholic should be attending Mass at least on Sundays and required days. In every Mass, the psalms are spelled out as they are in the missal, lectors may refer to the responsorial psalm, and the celebrant can do the same in the sermon. Given the fact that he’s been attending mass for decades, there’s no way that he would mispronounce the word. One can argue that that might have to do with stuttering, but I find that questionable because he made the same mistake in two forms of the word, referring to the Book of Palms and to the author as the palmist. That means he’s not really a practicing Catholic, or attends Mass for the sake of it, i.e., he doesn’t understand or listen to the readings and the sermon. It’s either that or he was reading a prepared speech that he didn’t understand or didn’t care for, and that someone wrote it and misspelled “psalms”. But doing that twice? Palms and palmist? ---
**Author:** ![ralfy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ralfy/32/600_2.png) [@ralfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralfy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2021, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1462 "2021-11-06T03:53:57Z")
My guess is that he doesn’t understand much about his faith, or sees it only as a way to show the public that he’s a decent person. The same goes for Trump who keeps talking about or shows a Bible but can’t say much about it unless he has a prepared speech about it. In short, we’re not so much seeing policitians whose views are shaped by religious beliefs but who use the latter and anything else to encourage the public to see them in certain ways. That’s why the meeting with the Pope is for me just another media stunt. That’s also why the Pope’s answer to his question about taking communion is expected: go ahead. Vatican won’t interfere in U.S. politics but will give the safe answer. Didn’t the same thing happen to St. Pope John Paul II? He was very harsh when it came to Communist dictatorships but managed to negotiate between social justice and anti-Communism when it came to right-wing dictatorships, including those backed by the U.S. and other Western countries. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2021, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1463 "2021-11-06T05:09:45Z")
> [@ralfy](#): > > I don’t think he’s a practicing Catholic, which means it’s irrelevant for Pope Francis to support him. That was my point. And yet: > [@](#): > > Why, then, does Biden provoke such fury? Every weekend, we see a photo of the president emerging from Holy Trinity Parish in Washington or St. Joseph’s on the Brandywine Parish in Delaware. We have seen him with the smudge of ashes on his forehead every Ash Wednesday. We know he carries a rosary with him. We have heard the tales of the nuns who taught him as a boy. We know that his schedulers are reminded that if it is a holy day of obligation, the president needs to find a church no matter where he is traveling. How many Catholics do you know who never miss a holy day of obligation? Clearly, he’s just pretending to be a Catholic. > **[When Biden meets with Francis, some heads will explode](https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/when-biden-meets-francis-some-heads-will-explode)** > > Michael Sean Winters: For a certain kind of Catholic, President Biden provokes fury, and that kind of Catholic also tends to be less than enthusiastic about Pope Francis. Photos of the two together will be too much. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1464 "2021-11-06T15:17:34Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > How many Catholics do you know who never miss a holy day of obligation? (Note: embedded quote, not NPs words). Hell, how many Catholics actually still attend mass on any holy days of obligation (aside from Christmas)? I’m guessing the turnout is maybe twice that of the normal daily Mass crowd (which is small). I may have to swing by the old parish next time one comes up and see. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2021, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057/1465 "2021-11-06T18:00:17Z")
Well, we all know and love that one Aussie-American actor who is a very staunch Catholic. What a great President he would make. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057.md?page=72) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biden-administration-the-first-1-500-days-not-an-afghanistan-discussion/925057.md?page=74)