This week at progressive state blogs: Exporting Alabama jobs; Iowa Dems urge little change to caucus

This week in progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Let me know via comments or Kosmail if you have a favorite state- or city-based blog you think I should be watching. Inclusion of a diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement or endorsement of its contents. 

At Juanita Jean’s of Texas, Primo writes—You think you know better than the Pope?

The Godfather Part III is terribly underrated, I think, because most of us just can’t get past Sofia Coppola. One of my favorite double easter eggs in it is the character of Michael Corleone’s press agent. His name is Dominic Abbandando and he is the grandson of Don Vito Corleone’s oldest friend and first consiglieri, Genco Abbandando.  That’s one egg.  But the actor who plays him is Don Novello, better known as Father Guido Sarducci  from SNL. I find it engagingly priceless – and nostalgic – when he spits out the line, “You think you know better than the Pope?”

Don Hairleone thinks he does.

The Donald intends to join all the other great wall builders of history – like Chinese Emperors and East German Communists – in order to Make America Great Again.

But how great is America if we have to cower behind a wall? That’s not greatness.  That’s cowardice.

And, according to the Pope, that’s not Christian, either.