CLIMATE CHANGE // President Trump made it clear for days that he would likely be leaving the Paris Accord on climate change. But it apparently still got liberals by surprise. Here are four reasons that the decision to leave was the right call. http://cvote.it/2qMK6KC
CLIMATE CHANGE // Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces seemed to overreact in a statement he issued on behalf of the U.S. Bishops: “The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), along with Pope Francis and the entire Catholic Church, have consistently upheld the Paris agreement as an important international mechanism to promote environmental stewardship and encourage climate change mitigation. The President’s decision not to honor the U.S. commitment to the Paris agreement is deeply troubling.” http://cvote.it/2qMArUz
TRAVEL BAN // President Trump has asked the Supreme Court to revive his travel ban executive order. The Justice Department has asked the Court to lift the injunctions that bar Trump’s order from taking affect. They also asked the Supreme Court to add the case to their docket. http://cvote.it/2qMC9p7
BUDGET // Trump’s budget director Mick Mulvaney says that this might be the last year we could get on a path to a balanced budget within 10 years without cutting benefits for Medicare and Social Security. http://cvote.it/2qMcMDM
HEALTH CARE // To get the health care bill passed, House Speaker Paul Ryan first won the support of conservatives, and then dared moderates to torpedo the bill. It looks like Mitch McConnell might deploy a similar strategy to get the bill through the Senate. http://cvote.it/2qMLbSN
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY // The USA Today provides a rather balanced account of the many religious liberty court cases across the country which have arisen precisely because the Supreme Court ruled in 2015 on same-sex “marriage.” http://cvote.it/2qMqqqm
2020 // Democrats in California are considering moving up the state’s 2020 presidential primary from June to March, which would dramatically affect the presidential contest for Democrats next cycle. http://cvote.it/2qMRhTg
INVESTIGATION // A dozen pro-life organizations signed a letter asking Attorney General Jeff Session and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe to investigate Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the selling of fetal tissue. http://cvote.it/2qMF9Sp
CATHOLIC // Cloistered nuns embrace Facebook to reach people with prayer, and to save their order. http://cvote.it/2qMfMQy
SAINT // Saints Marcellinus and Peter – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY MASS // “The Lord has established his throne in Heaven.” (Ps 103:19) – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
NEAT // A priest planted himself outside a popular music festival. This photo then went viral on Reddit. http://cvote.it/2qMzfR9