Milwaukee Journal Sentinal endorses Lassa-Pasch bill - cites "religious leaders" opposition

Past efforts to pass a child victims bill ran into opposition from religious leaders in Wisconsin and their insurers. Concerns that small churches, in particular, might have to go bankrupt and close their doors because of financial claims from past victims have some merit and deserve consideration.

But Pasch argued that closing doors has not been the experience in other states where such laws have been passed, California and Delaware. The Lassa-Pasch bill is modeled on those laws, and there is no reason to expect a different outcome here.  [Better worded legislation is what will convince me, not, nobody has used the loopholes yet - it will be fine]

And in the case of the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese, that boat has sailed. The archdiocese is already in a bankruptcy proceeding as a result of claims from victims of clergy abuse but has assured parishioners that church doors won't be closed as a result.  [Bankrupting the dioceses of Wisconsin is the goal here??  Why don't they take a look at Milwaukee's pastoral plan.  Parishes are already being consolidated.]

The partisan divide in Madison is deep and bitter, but the Child Victims Act is not a partisan measure. It's a measure aimed at helping past and future victims of abuse. Even though it is being introduced by two Democrats, all legislators should see beyond the divide and support this bill.  [Not discussed, how much money each victim should be awarded(not to mention where that money comes from), or the ongoing work that the Milwaukee Archdiocese is already doing with victims.  Nobody can undo the past, only to help victims with their grief and work to put safeguards in place so that it never happens again.  This bill doesn't put any safeguards in place, and it doesn't put predators behind bars.]

MJS

Nobody's quoting Jeff Anderson anymore which makes me think his motives have become a little too transparent.  His fake rallies do a disservice to victims really.  It makes it look staged - like there aren't really victims out there hurting, and treat Catholic Dioceses like cigarette companies adding arsenic to tobacco.  Do they want to take money away from our orphanage in Peru?  Those eeeeeevil bishops with all their monnnnnneeeeeey!  Excuse me, but bishops don't make money, we do, and then we give it to them to do good works(including healing of victims).  Victims do need funds for healing, but so do orphanages in Peru.

I would totally support this bill if it had something to do with criminal prosecution of abusers.  But it doesn't.  And it doesn't stop it from happening again.  What does it have to do with?  Say it with me:

Those eeeeeeeeevil bishops with all their monnnnnneeeeeey!