Matt Mazewski

Econ PhD (@Columbia '22) / Contributing Writer @commonwealmag.
Tweets are random draws from 2^{public policy, Covid, labor, Catholic social thought, NJ}.

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

Despite parts of it being rendered out-of-date almost immediately after filing by the now-daily oscillations in U.S. trade policy, I’m pleased to have my article on the Trump tariffs featured as one of the cover stories in the May issue of @commonwealmag. https://t.co/ygLqvZrlcw

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@crawlings13 I learned last year when he was being mentioned as a candidate in the conclave that he's apparently a very well-regarded literary figure, completely apart from his Church career. (I even read at one point that there have been fans of his writing who had no idea he's a priest!)

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@augustinaaquina @crawlings13 The new Almoner is also a devotee of John XXIII (which may explain why one of the prominent trad blogs is now calling that position a "more symbolic role"): https://t.co/qysXz9XH65

[Nick Freiling @NickFreiling]

A cutting reflection from Cardinal Ratzinger, Good Friday 2005:

"Pilate is not utterly evil. He knows that the condemned man is innocent, and he looks for a way to free him. But his heart is divided. And in the end he lets his own position, his own self-interest, prevail over what is right.

Nor are the men who are shouting and demanding the death of Jesus utterly evil. Many of them, on the day of Pentecost, will feel "cut to the heart," when Peter will say to them: "Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God... you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law."

But at that moment they are caught up in the crowd. They are shouting because everyone else is shouting, and they are shouting the same thing that everyone else is shouting. And in this way, justice is trampled underfoot by weakness, cowardice and fear of the diktat of the ruling mindset. The quiet voice of conscience is drowned out by the cries of the crowd.

Evil draws its power from indecision and concern for what other people think."

[Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR MBA @michael_hoerger]

I would not unmask in a public indoor space voluntarily until there are compelling data in favor of more enduring vaccines, compelling treatments, or data suggesting Long COVID stops becoming a problem after some number of vaccinations. None of that is coming any time soon.

A relative lull is a better time to engage in necessary unmasked activities, like dental visits, ENT exams, colonoscopies, surgeries, etc.

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@mfjlewis From that standpoint, it would in fact be out-of-character for him to have chosen anyone *but* a "progressive" here (especially when that person has just proven how "mainstream" they are by winning an election for president of the national bishops' conference!).

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@mfjlewis I think this is actually not that surprising if you consider that Leo seems to prioritize appointing bishops who are "centrists," but where "the center" is defined relative to the ecclesiological/political spectrum in a particular place rather than that of the Church as a whole.

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

All men and women, especially Christians, are called to fix their gaze on those who suffer, on the pain of the lonely, and on those who are emarginated for various reasons, for without them we cannot build a just society. Only together can we build communities of solidarity capable of caring for everyone, in which wellbeing and peace can flourish for the benefit of all. Caring for the humanity of others helps us to live our own lives to the full.

[Munther Isaac منذر اسحق @MuntherIsaac]

Asked about the words of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who during a briefing went so far as to quote Psalm 144 to invoke a divine blessing on the ongoing attack, Cardinal Pizzaballa replied that “as believers we must do everything possible not to leave the discourse to them. We need to say that no, there are no new crusades. If God is present in this war, He is among those who are dying, who are suffering, who are in pain, who are oppressed in various ways”—
Amen!!
https://t.co/8EXIfXFkKu

[Christopher Hale @ChristopherHale]

March 12, 2013.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio walks into the Sistine Chapel to elect a pope — not knowing he is about to become one.

In front of him is Cardinal Claudio Hummes, one of his closest friends in the Church.

Hours later, after the vote, Hummes leaned over and whispered four words: “Don't forget the poor.”

That's where the name Francis came from.

[Óscar A. Contreras @oscarcontrarius]

Fellow journalists, here's something you may not know: 6 years later, the pandemic has still not been declared over by the WHO.

Probably worth remembering when you read/type the inaccurate phrase "during COVID" or "post-pandemic" throughout the day today and in future stories.

[Tricia Dearborn @TriciaDearborn]

The water we drink is highly regulated (so we don't catch e.g. cholera from it). The food we eat is highly regulated (so we don't catch e.g. salmonella from it).
Indoor air in public spaces – from which we can catch e.g. Covid, flu, measles, RSV – is NOT regulated. It needs to be

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

In the long run, however, insisting that we have to "live with" harmful pathogens is often more costly than putting in the kind of hard work that can enable us to live without them.

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

It's worth bearing in mind that a major reason why disease eradication/elimination in particular is now "underappreciated" is that it has been deliberately portrayed as unrealistic and unattainable by political leaders who are no longer willing to invest in making it a reality.

[Charlie Petty @incredutility]

I think people dramatically underestimate the ROI of major public health initiatives - the value to civilization of eradicating a disease is especially high.

[Cardinal Cupich @CardinalBCupich]

I encourage you to read my statement, “A Call to Conscience”
https://t.co/W4eLcnbqOd

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@SalvMattera https://t.co/Sgr5HtokCs

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@Biff234523 @NoHealthNoFun @Invivyd @PutrinoLab @michaelmina_lab I think a charitable/optimistic read here is that this is part of their strategy to frame C19 prevention as more "mainstream." They've been explicit about positioning VYD2311 as a "vaccine alternative," for instance, which to me shows they're actually quite politically savvy.

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@Biff234523 @NoHealthNoFun @Invivyd @PutrinoLab @michaelmina_lab Their messaging has been incredibly strong and it would be deeply upsetting if Mina leads them to water down their ambitions in any way, but if his involvement increases the probability they can get past the FDA then it could be for the best.

[Matt Mazewski @mattmazewski]

@Biff234523 @NoHealthNoFun @Invivyd @PutrinoLab @michaelmina_lab I think a charitable/optimistic read here is that this is part of their strategy to frame C19 prevention as more "mainstream." They've been explicit about positioning VYD2311 as a "vaccine alternative," for instance, which to me shows they're actually quite politically savvy.

[Kimberly Prather, Ph.D. @kprather88]

1/ If I hear one more public official call indoor air filters a "band-aid," I'm going to explode! It's so logical, yet so readily dismissed. Filtering indoor air should be as standard as filtering water. Full stop. 🧵

[Rich Raho @RichRaho]

Bishop Stowe: “It is critical that members of Congress re-claim their role and provide some restraint on a president who is completely unaccountable for his disastrous decisions. In this Lenten season, may we repent of our sins of violence.” https://t.co/InJiHoPW5I

[chantzy @chantz_y]

Agree.
In BC, permanent daylight savings means very dark winter mornings - worse for sleep & mood. More kids commuting in full darkness = higher traffic accident risk. How many kids will die as a result of this?

https://t.co/aCDyPHyXt1