The following comes from an October 26 Valley Catholic article by Liz Sullivan:

On October 12, at Our Lady of Refuge Parish in San Jose, homeless advocates, including representatives from Working Partnership USA, People Acting in Community Together (PACT), Women Religious of the South Bay and San Francisco area and the Diocese of San Jose Social Justice Project joined Sister Simone Campbell, SSS, leader of Nuns on the Bus and the Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice for a roundtable discussion. [Editor’s note: Sister Simone Campbell is a dissident nun best known for campaigning to support Obamacare with its blatant pro-abortion provisions.]

“There is such a huge (economic) gap in Santa Clara County,” said Father Jon Pedigo, Director of Projects for Peace and Justice for the Diocese of San Jose. “There has to be a way to mend the gap and hopefully a workshop like this will.” [Editor’s note: Father Pedigo is known as “a very social-activist, rather left-wing priest”]

Among the major areas of discussion were two measures on the November 8 ballot. For Measure A approval would mean that $950 million would be raised to provide affordable housing for those most in need across Santa Clara County. In the City of San Jose, Measure E would require employers to offer additional work hours to existing qualified part-time employees before hiring new staff.

Sister Simone shared some interesting statistics about the American economy.

From 1949-1979, household incomes in the United States went up an average of 100 percent. However from 1980-2014, wages have remained basically flat, while costs continue to rise.

How did we get this way? Campbell said it began in 1980 when Ronald Reagan became president. Reagan, she said, changed the notion in America from “We the People” to the one, lone, rugged, individual. Reagan also changed the tax bracket for the richest Americans from 80 percent tax to 33 percent or trickle-down economics. That, Sister Simone said, changed who we are as a country and the importance of winning.

“Part of the change in this country has to be the notion of winning,” said Sister Simone. “How do we change the measure of winning?”

For more background on Father Jon Pedigo, see CalCatholic story “Father-Mother-Creator-Friend”.

For more background on Sister Simone Campbell, see CalCatholic story “Questionable Credentials“.