The Politics of Sarah Perino

Tempered Joy

2011-05-02T10:26:00.004-04:00

Today I find myself with mixed emotions.

With the news of Osama Bin Laden's death, I am glad that one threat to the safety and peace of America and her citizens is gone. Unfortunately hate spreads like a cancer and there are certainly others that will continue to plot against us. Thankfully, those who have pledged to protect us and the Constitution know this and will continue to be vigilant.

I am proud of our military who was relentless in their search and dedication to bring justice to the many who suffered and died as the result of Osama's terrorist attacks against the USA. To the military who has, does, and will protect us and our freedoms I say, "Thank you."

I smiled (BIG) at the facebook post: "May 1st, the day Osama found out that the story of the 72 virgins waiting for him was bunk" -news report. Fun and clever.

The bigger truth is that a man entered eternity without Christ. Ezekiel 18:32 says, "For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!" God's heart desire is that every person would turn from evil and be reconciled to Him. God has made himself a way for all and any who would choose to embrace that gift of forgiveness and life and He leaves that choice of whether to accept or reject Jesus' payment to us. As Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Osama Bin Laden made his choices. Justice was carried out.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." - Jesus (John 3:16-18)

Vote on Values not Labels

2009-10-29T11:44:00.004-04:00

I was reading an article in the New York Times yesterday about the Congressional Race in New York's 23rd district. There is a three way race: Bill Owens - Democrat, Douglas Hoffman - Conservative Party, Dede Scozzafaza - Republican.

It is alarming to me that people, who are supposedly in the know, think that electing someone with the desired label next to their name is all that is needed when that person's beliefs and record show that they have little in common with their label. In this case, Dede Scozzafaza has been endorsed by Newt Gingrich who believes that the Republican party must prioritize getting its numbers up. I think Newt is wrong. We must first take a stand for our principles. Compromising our principles is not a way to win support but to become obsolete as an option.

Why should I or any other conservative vote for a person/label who doesn't and won't support my principles, beliefs, and values? I would think that Mr. Gingrich would have learned a lesson by the example of Senator Arlen Specter who happily took Republican money and endorsements but switched labels when it was beneficial for himself.

I agree with Sarah Palin when she wrote on facebook, "Unfortunately, the Republican Party today has decided to choose a candidate who more than blurs the lines, and there is no real difference between the Democrat and the Republican in this race. This is why Doug Hoffman is running on the Conservative Party's ticket."

Doug Hoffman says that he values "smaller government, less taxes, fiscal responsibility and not spending money you don’t have". I think a lot more of our senators and representatives need to learn some fiscal responsibility - especially since it is NOT their money that they are wasting.

One may wonder what some other district's election has to do with anything. My answer is that each of the elected members of Congress vote on laws concerning all Americans, not just their own district. What can you do? You can spread the word and you can support Hoffman's campaign.

Send a message to Washington: We are silent no more.

Letter to the President

2009-08-28T12:04:00.005-04:00

I just sent a letter to President Obama via Susan B. Anthony List. In the letter are the facts concerning the funding of abortion in the current congressional health care bill. Because this form letter has such good information, I posted it here for you to read. If you would like to send a letter to the President demanding the truth be told, you may write your own or go to http://www.sba-list.org/obama.

Dear President Obama,
As one of your constituents, I am disappointed that you have chosen to mislead the American people in regard to abortion funding in the health care bill.
On August 19th, you stated: “You've heard that this is all going to mean government funding of abortion. Not true. This is all, these are all fabrications that have been put out there. . .”
President Obama, you are misleading the American people. Here are the facts:
The Capps Amendment, as passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, explicitly requires every enrollee of a government-subsidized health insurance plan to be charged an extra fee to cover abortions. The federal agency administering the health care plan will collect the premium money, receive bills from abortionists, and send the abortionists payment checks from the federal Treasury account.
In response, many pro-abortion politicians are hiding behind the Hyde Amendment, but the truth is the Hyde Amendment does not apply because federal subsidies for private plans and start up money for the public plan are directly appropriated under H.R. 3200.
Therefore, I demand that you oppose any health care bill unless abortion is explicitly excluded from the scope of any federally mandated, federally subsidized, or federally defined health insurance plans.
President Obama, my concerns are not fabrications, they are facts. They are facts that even the mainstream media confirms. Consider these quotes:
“The health-care reform proposed by House Democrats, if enacted, would in fact mark a significant change in the federal government's role in the financing of abortions. […] So in effect, anyone who wanted to sign up for the public option, a federally funded and administered program, would find themselves paying for abortion coverage. […] Nonetheless, the new system differs markedly from the old federal policy of not involving the government in abortion services unless issues of rape, incest or the life of the mother are at play.” - TIME, August 24, 2009, “How Abortion Could Imperil Health Care Reform.”
“Health care legislation before Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue.” -The Associated Press, August 5, 2009, “Gov’t Insurance Would Allow Coverage for Abortion.”
“Obama has said in the past that ‘reproductive services’ would be covered by his public plan, so it’s likely that any new federal insurance plan would cover abortion unless Congress expressly prohibits that… Therefore, we judge that the president goes too far when he calls the statements that government would be funding abortions ‘fabrications.’”-Factcheck.org, August 21, 2009, “Abortion: Which Side is Fabricating?”
President Obama, the current health care reform proposals, if enacted, would result in the greatest expansion of abortion since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision imposed abortion on America in 1973.
Polls consistently show that the overwhelming majority of Americans are pro-life. Abortion must be explicitly excluded to ensure the pro-life views of Americans are properly reflected in any health care reform effort.
Susan B. Anthony List Activist

Words from a Great Defender of Freedom

2009-08-27T19:40:00.005-04:00

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

- President Ronald Reagan

The Tip of the Healthberg

2009-08-26T15:50:00.004-04:00

There is so much to say regarding the Health Care Plan in Congress that I will have to do it a portion at a time. The bill is H.R. 3200 with the "short title" being ‘‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009’’ and it is 1,017 pages long. You can read it online. I urge you to request your Congressman to read it as most have not and seem to have no intention of doing so. I have begun to read it in its entirety as well as having read sections of it.

What is the purpose of the Congressional Health Care Plan?
To begin the statement of purpose is "To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes." The emphasis is mine because when I read that, I immediately wondered what other purposes are in this health care bill?

Will you be able to keep your current health insurance plan?
On page 16, Section 102, ironically titled "Protecting the Choice to Keep Current Coverage", states that individual health insurance issuer cannot enroll new individuals on or after the first day of Y1 (which is 2013) except for new dependents of current individuals who are already covered. Neither can the health insurance issuer change any of its terms, conditions, benefits, or cost-sharing. If a health insurance company is so regulated as to be unable to accept new clients or make any changes whatsoever that company will be put out of business. No new clients equals a dying business. Page 19, lines 1-5 states that individual insurance coverage offered on or after the first day of 2013 must be "an Exchange-participating health benefits plan". What is that? Page 116, line 10-12 tells us that an Exchange-participating health benefits plan is referred to as "public health insurance option." Some "option" that is! The answer is that if you have individual health insurance coverage, you may be able to keep it for awhile but it won't be long before your insurance company would be forced out of business and your only option would then be the public option.

Who will run the "Public Option"?
There are many people listed in just the first 40 pages who will be responsible for portions or all of the government run insurance plan. There will be a Health Benefits Advisory Committee which will include: the Surgeon General (who is appointed by the President) will be a member and the chair of this Committee, 9 non-federal employees appointed by the President, 9 non-federal employees appointed by the Comptroller General of the United States (who is appointed by the President), and an even number (up to 8) of Federal employees and officers appointed by the President. At this time there is both an Acting Comptroller General of the United States and an Acting Surgeon General who will be replaced by a President Obama appointee. 2/3 of this Health Benefits Advisory Committee will be directly appointed by the President and 1/3 of the Committee will be appointed by a person who was himself appointed by the President. The job of the Committee is to recommend covered benefits and essential, enhanced, and premium plans to the Secretary of Health and Human Services as stated on page 32, line 22-25.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services is to establish the office of ombudsman for the public health insurance option. (I have not yet read what the ombudsman is supposed to do.) Page 116, line 14-17 tells us that the Secretary designs the "options" of the Exchange benefit levels: basic, enhanced, premium, and premium-plus. (Is that supposed to be the "competition" I hear about?) The Secretary shall collect such data as required to establish premiums and payments rates for the public option as stated on page 118, lines 4-9.
Then there is the establishment of the Health Choices Administration, an independent agency in the executive branch of the Government, which will be headed by the Health Choices Commissioner who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Read this for yourself in Section 141 on page 41. The Commissioner shall collect data for the purposes of carrying out Commissioner's duties... and may share such data with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (page 43, lines 19-24) The Commissioner, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Labor shall conduct a study of the large group insured and self-insured employer health care markets. (page 21, lines 23-26) Page 42, line 12 states the Commissioner is responsible for the establishment and operation of a Health Insurance Exchange which is the Public Option. (page 116, line 14-17)
To sum up, the Public Option will be run by a newly established government agency in the executive branch, a Commissioner appointed by the President, the Surgeon General appointed by the President, the Secretary of Health and Human Services appointed by the President, and a Committee which is 2/3 appointed by the President and 1/3 appointed by a presidential appointee. Does anyone else see a massive power grab by the Executive Branch of the Government?

Who will choose your coverage?
In all these 1,017 pages, the specific coverage and exceptions of benefits and the cost to us is not specified but instead power is given to the above listed people (most of whom are yet to be appointed) to choose insurance for you instead of you having the power to choose your own plan, or choose not to be insured, or the amount of coverage you want for yourself.

Just as you only see the tip of a massive iceberg, so the health care bill only shows us portions of what is its entirety. The rest will be determined after power has been handed over to the Government. Will the United States choose a collision course with this monstrosity? I hope not.

If this posting makes you feel overwhelmed, just consider that I've only partially commented on the first 40 pages and those pages to which they referred. There is much more to come.... another day.

Justice for All?

2009-07-15T11:24:00.005-04:00

President Obama has nominated his first Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor. When he spoke of selecting a Supreme Court justice, he said he wanted to choose a woman or a minority. Sonia Sotomayor is both a woman and Hispanic. This limited idea of what sex or race from which to choose bothers me. Should he not simply choose the best person for the job instead of choosing the best from a certain group? Is the United States not worthy of the best? If a Hispanic woman happens to be the best then that is great. Good for her. However, I do not think that Sonia Sotomayor is qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice.

Judge Sotomayor has stated that "a court of appeals is where policy is made." Really? Perhaps someone should let the legislature know that their services are no longer needed because I'm pretty sure that is why they are working. The legislature makes the laws. We do not need legislating from the bench. A court's job is to interpret the law and decide cases brought before it.

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” This is a statement made by Sotomayor! How does that sound to you? What about this? I would hope that a wise white man with the richness of his experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a Latina woman who hasn't lived that life. I suggest that if a white male judge made this statement he would be lambasted with criticism and not given a chance at advancement and rightly so. Justice is to be blind. The law is to be enforced fairly without favoritism to one sex, race, or ideology. If her race, sex, and experiences trump the Constitution and federal laws then she should not be a Supreme Court Justice. According to Title 28, Chapter I, Part 453 of the United States Code, each Supreme Court Justice takes the following oath:

"I, [NAME], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as [TITLE] under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God."

Regarding the preborn, Senator Jim DeMint stated "When I asked if an unborn child has any rights whatsoever, I was surprised that she said she had never thought about it. This is not just a question about abortion, but about respect due to human life at all stages -- and I hope this is cleared up in her hearings." I would expect someone who has made decisions about abortion to have considered all the facts instead of simply dismissing that there is another human life to consider in a case.

As she testifies before the Senate judicial committee this week she is not getting great reviews.

In response to Senator Coburn on the use of foreign law, Sotomayor says, “There’s a public misunderstanding of the word ‘use.’" Really? Please don't insult Americans by telling us we don't know the meaning of simple words.

When asked if a person has the right to self-defense, she wavers. She starts talking about if she were to go home and get her gun... Um, excuse me, even most crime show watchers know that is not self-defense but revenge. Maybe someone should buy Judge Sonia a dictionary. Certainly I'm not the only one who wonders why she feels as though she must cloud questions and answers with political non-sense.

Republican senators are being criticized for the questions they are asking. Should they go easy on her because she is a woman? I thought women wanted equality. When you are considering someone for such an important job that is a lifetime appointment, you would be negligent not to determine how that person will perform that job. I find it ironic that a person can be chosen for a position based on their sex or race and then criticism of that person's policies is called racist.

Iran and Freedom

2009-06-20T11:06:00.005-04:00

I've been "watching" the news of Iran on Twitter. All you can get are short snippets and links to video, pictures, or articles. The news in Iran is state run so the people are circumventing regular channels in order to let the world know what is happening. All the while, I've been praying for the people of Iran. Like all souls, they long for freedom. What began as an election protest is escalating into a revolution. When people are discounted, silenced, and oppressed something has got to give. The call of every heart is FREEDOM. I do not know what the outcome will be but I know the longing has been loosed and the sparks are spreading.

There are several great editorials about what is happening in Iran: One by Peggy Nonoon, one by Paul Wolfowitz, and another by Charles Krauthammer. The protesters are trying hard to get their message out to the world and their government is trying just as hard to silence them. This week the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution in support of the Iranian citizens. The resolution states:

Expressing support for all Iranian citizens who embrace
the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law, and for
other purposes.
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of
freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law;
(2) condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators by the Government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well as the ongoing government suppression of independent electronic communication through interference with the Internet and cellphones; and
(3) affirms the universality of individual rights and the
importance of democratic and fair elections.

Will President Obama support hope and change in Iran? Will he take a stand against tyranny? I hope so.

Perhaps their struggle for freedom will remind us that freedom is not something we should take for granted. Freedom lost is hard to regain. As we stand in spirit with Iranians, let us not give up our freedoms here. Let us be free to speak, free to disagree, free to give input, free to compete, free to pray, and free to worship. Let FREEDOM ring. In Iran. And in America.

Don't Allow Hate to Beget Hate

2009-06-11T11:57:00.004-04:00

In the wake of these recent shootings, I hear people claiming this one is a right-wing extremist and this one is a left-wing extremist. When I hear these outrageous claims, I think that people are trying to paint with the same brush anyone who has any commonalities as these men who had allowed themselves to be filled with bitterness and who fed on their anger. These men are hateful extremists, period. I don't believe either side of the spectrum would claim them as their own.

We don't need to polarize each other. Everyone has different views and should be free to express them without the fear of being clumped in the same category as a murderer. I am pro-life but I do not condone the murder of an abortion provider. Another person is anti-war but doesn't condone the murder of a U.S. soldier. And racism is just plain stupid. To quote Prince of Thieves, "God likes variety."

Let's not demonize each other. I suggest the proper reaction is to convey our sympathy and grief to those families that have lost a loved one and allow no root of bitterness and hate to take hold of us. The more people hate each other, the more damage is done to our souls and we become that which we don't want to be. Angry. Hateful. Bitter.

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:13-14

What do you support?

2009-05-05T12:15:00.001-04:00

Red Envelopes

2009-03-31T13:01:00.002-04:00

Today is Red Envelope Day and people around the country are sending their red envelopes to President Barack Obama.

The message is simple: This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception.

50 million babies have died in abortion and were not given the choice to live. Numbers are hard to "see." As these envelopes make their way to the White House, perhaps we'll have a better picture of how many lives have been lost and mothers have been used, misinformed, and wounded.

There are so many people longing for babies ...

Irony

2009-03-31T11:07:00.005-04:00

Isn't it ironic that our "pro-choice" president wants to remove the federal regulations known as "conscience protections" which protect medical/health care professionals' freedom of choice? The only choice he seems to want to promote is abortion.

These regulations are in place to prevent doctors, nurses and other health care providers from being discriminated against, persecuted, fired or denied promotions based on their refusal to perform actions which violate their conscience. Forcing people to choose between their conscience and their occupational success doesn't sound like freedom to me.

James Madison wrote, "Conscience is the most sacred of all property..."

There is still time to let your opinion be known. You can read more and comment here.

Should I Get That in Writing?

2009-03-20T12:46:00.006-04:00

When my husband first mentioned to me that Congress wanted to pass a law taking away 90% of the bonuses paid by AIG, "I thought that won't happen, it's not legal."

Apparently, the majority of the House of Representatives doesn't care about legality. Yesterday, they trampled the constitution by passing legislation taxing 90% of this group of people's income. This is government taking aim at a group of people they don't like and confiscating their money, the income they had contractually earned.

These bonuses were no surprise. The payout of these AIG bonuses were even provided for by Chris Dodd inserting a loophole for "contractually obligated bonuses agreed on before Feb. 11, 2009" in the stimulus package. The outrage by Congress is a sham. Now it is evident that contracts and words spoken mean absolutely nothing to Congress and Timothy Geithner.

Who will be the next target of Congress? Who else will be targeted because the government doesn't like them, their income, their job, their political beliefs, their religion? Will you only say something if the target is you? Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean you can punish them at will.

So much for private property and the pursuit of happiness.

Battle for Free Speech

2009-02-27T12:52:00.000-05:00

Senator Jim DeMint has put forth the Broadcast Freedom Act banning the Fairness Doctrine. At the same time, Senator Durbin has offered an amendment which will impose the fairness doctrine through FCC regulations.

The Fairness Doctrine is a clever name. Who doesn't want to be fair? If liberals truly wanted fairness, they would be talking about balancing the liberal-leaning television news, Hollywood, newspapers and more. These liberals don't want to be fair though. They want to silence the voices of dissent. In actuality, it is a censorship doctrine. By trying to force a balance of ideas on radio, the government stomps all over free speech. Powers that be, which are supposed to be representing the people who elected them, are instead trying to determine to whom and to what people listen. Apparently, we don't have the sense to choose for ourselves.

News from Senator DeMint on the Senate floor yesterday:

Senator Durbin says "the contents of media should reflect the diversity of America." translation: DC politicians decide what Americans hear.

The Durbin amendment passed 57 – 41. All the GOP opposed it. Democrats exposed their plans to impose the fairness doctrine in the backdoor by FCC regulation .

The Broadcast Freedom Act ban Fairness Doctrine also passed. Victory for free speech.

Senator DeMint: We have closed the front door on Fairness Doctrine, but the Durbin amendment opens back door to censorship. The fight goes on.

The ban on Fairness Doctrine passes 87-11. But the fight is not over, Democrats have attacked from back door on media ownership and localism.

Senator Durbin argued that what he was proposing is already in place. So why propose it? Hmm? He's hoping that by forcing diversity in ownership, less airtime will be given to conservatism.

Let's think about this: Diversity in ownership. Who determines diversity? Is it male/female? Black/White/Hispanic? Republican/Democrat? Christian/Atheist/Muslim? I suggest it will be whichever promotes liberal viewpoints. They may have to switch it up in order to find "the right balance."

The First Amendment says, in part, that "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press." To silence or ration the voices of dissent is unethical and unconstitutional.

Red Envelopes for President Obama

2009-02-24T16:32:00.001-05:00

I received this email today. I'll be participating and I hope you will too!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,

This afternoon I was praying about a number of things, and my mind began to wander. I was deeply distressed at the symbolic actions that President Obama took as he began his presidency. Namely, that he signed executive orders releasing funds to pay for abortions, permission to fund human stem cell research, and federal funding for contraception. I have been involved in the pro-life movement for nearly 20 years, and it pained my heart to see a man and a political party committed to the shedding of innocent blood. This man, and this party lead our country, but they do not represent me or the 54% of Americans who believe that abortion is wrong and should no longer be legal.

As I was praying, I believe that God gave me an interesting idea. Out in the garage I have a box of red envelopes. Like the powerful image of the red LIFE tape, an empty red envelope will send a message to Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear.

Here is what I would like you to do:

Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, or on a note inside, write the following message.

This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception.

Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this email to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died before having a chance to live. Maybe it will change the heart of the president.

We should all try to mail them on the same day so they arrive within a day or two of each other and be even more of a visual at the White House. With Valentine's Day coming up, red envelopes should be easy to come by too. Say we all mail them on the weekend of March 27-31st*. That gives us almost month to pass the word as far and wide as we can. Of course, you can send a red envelope anytime you want, but getting lots at once is great too.

So pass the word!

And all your children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13

*The date has been adjusted to March 31st as Red Envelope Day. You can visit the website for more information. http://www.redenvelopeday.com/

No Strings Please

2009-02-24T11:41:00.000-05:00

Governor Bobby Jindal gets kudos from me for sincerely doing the best for Louisiana. The Governor said, "We'll have to review each program, each new dollar to make sure that we understand what are the conditions, what are the strings and see whether it's beneficial for Louisiana to use those dollars."

The stimulus bill that was passed has strings attached causing the federal government to grow, to expand beyond what our founders designed and set forth in the Constitution of the United States. When strings are attached to a "gift", it's not a gift but a way to control others.

The So-Called Freedom of Choice Act

2009-02-21T16:22:00.000-05:00

When President Obama was campaigning, he said that he wanted to reduce the number of abortions. However, during his first week in office he signed an executive order overturning the Mexico City policy. The Mexico City policy, first enacted by then President Ronald Reagan, prohibited use of U.S. tax dollars to fund or promote abortions in foreign countries. This means that our tax dollars now are funding abortions in foreign countries. His order does not reduce the number of abortions but forces us to pay for the expansion of abortion around the world.

Throughout his political career, Mr. Obama has had a legacy of death. When making a campaign speech, he said, "if my daughters make a mistake then I wouldn't want them punished with a baby." As a senator in the Illinois Senate he voted against the Born Alive Act. When asked what decision he would do differently, he chose the Terri Schiavo vote where he actually did vote to give her a chance at life. When speaking to Planned Parenthood, he promised that if he were elected as president that he would sign the Freedom of Choice Act.

The Freedom of Choice Act would allow abortion to take place at any time during pregnancy, for any reason. According to NOW, this legislation would “sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws and policies.” These are laws and policies that elected officials and everyday people have voted on and passed. This act would negate the choice of the people to limit and reduce abortions. It would sweep away laws and policies protecting girls and women from an uninformed decision regarding a medical procedure that kills an innocent baby and often causes mental and/or physical harm or even death to the mothers. FOCA would override laws that require parental consent before an underage girl can be given an abortion. It would eradicate laws like The Partial Birth Abortion Ban that put a stop to stabbing the head of a late term baby before she is completely born and sucking her brains out. The Freedom of Choice act would not give hospitals and doctors the choice to refuse an abortion, regardless of their beliefs. Would Catholic hospitals have to close their doors as an alternative to sinning against their conscience? Pro-life doctors and nurses would have to choose between being forced to kill or quit their vocation. Where is the freedom of choice in that?

So far the public outcry against this legislation has been loud and clear. We must not stop fighting for what is right. Stand strong for our God-given rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Congress has not yet reintroduced FOCA. Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards told the Wall Street Journal: "We're going to be smart and strategic about our policy agenda to bring people together to make progress for women's health. The Freedom of Choice Act is very important . . . but we have a long list of things to get done that I think can address problems immediately that women are facing, that are really immediate concerns." If this legislation were to be introduced and passed piecemeal, it would still be just as devastating to our nation.

If you do not know what abortion entails or have never fully considered the consequences of it, you can click here. This site will give you abortion facts, articles, and testimonies.

You can contact your Representatives and tell them not to allow the taxpayer funding of abortions. You can sign a petition against the Freedom of Choice Act at http://www.fightfoca.com/ This is our nation, let's make our voices heard. Stand strong and choose life at every opportunity.

Quoteworthy

2009-02-21T16:18:00.000-05:00

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever."
-Thomas Jefferson

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
-Thomas Jefferson

"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child - a direct killing of the innocent child."
-Mother Theresa

Is it really a Stimulus Package?

2009-02-12T10:24:00.000-05:00

President Obama says spending is stimulus. I believe sustained spending is stimulus. Spending that business owners can continue to count on will, in return, encourage investment and more hiring. Temporary influx of money is just that: nothing long term. Who do you think is wiser in how to spend? Do you think it is government which does not have a balanced budget and is known for wasteful spending or you who knows there is a limit to spending and prioritizes? Will it think there is stimulus when inflation skyrockets because of our government printing all this extra money and our dollar's value drops?

When the government takes less away from hard-working, business-owning, investing Americans, we will have more of our own hard-earned money to invest in the economy in ways that benefit other businesses and local economy. When the government takes more from the achievers, i.e. business owners and entrepreneurs, there is less incentive to work so hard and to succeed since you are "punished" for your success.

This is an interesting website where you can see exactly to where and on what this stimulus bill has designated money. http://www.stimuluswatch.org/ You can vote on what you think is critical or not. I would suggest you consider whether that project truly will stimulate the economy or whether it is just a pet project or social program put into the bill while "the spending is good." Some projects listed seem like good ideas but don't seem to belong in this bill and probably should be paid by their own states or municipalities.

Our Constitution begins with "We the People of the United States" not "Those who govern the masses". We must take responsibility for our lives and our nation. Government is not supposed to manage our lives or our companies but to secure these rights: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

If you believe this stimulus package is not what they call it, you can sign this petition.

Big Pushes - Stand Firm

2009-02-10T12:49:00.000-05:00

"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste," said Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's chief of staff on November 21, 2008.

It seems that Obama and his team are trying to push through so much legislation and nominations as quickly as possible to overwhelm and/or prevent people from realizing what is being crammed down our throats.

President Obama has nominated four people to the Justice Department who have horrible records on pro-family issues. These are David Ogden, Dawn Johnson, Thomas Perrelli, and Elana Kagan. David Ogden opposes restrictions on abortion and pornography. He filed a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of child pornographer, Steven Knox. Dawn Johnson is the former legal director for NARAL Pro-Choice America. Thomas Perrelli, Obama’s nominee to serve as associate attorney general, represented Terri Schiavo’s husband as he fought to have food and water withheld from his disabled wife. He was successful and she died a horrible death. Elana Kagan lacks the qualifications for solicitor general as she has never argued a case to the supreme court which is the solicitor general's function. Apparently, she has not even tried a single case. She does qualify as a far-left liberal though.

The stimulus bill just passed in the Senate. The House and the Senate still will need to reconcile the bill. It contains grievous governmental growth and interference. President Obama has claimed it there are no earmarks in this bill. I guess he hasn't read it or even been briefed on it. Why are groups like ACORN (which is being investigated for voter fraud) being given 4 billion dollars? Why is there $600 million stipulated for preparation for universal healthcare? $50 million to the National Endowment of the Arts? $650 million to switch from analog to digital TV? $600 million for "climate change" research? The list goes on extremely long. This bill gives money to special interest groups, groups that supported Obama's campaign. Earmarks, pork, special interests, whatever you want to call it, it is wasteful and not stimuli.

Universal healthcare was inserted into the so-called stimulus bill. They want to oversee your doctor's care of you and computerize all your health records. Good-bye privacy. Tom Daschle has said that senior citizens need to just grow old instead of seeking treatment. This is outrageous that people would use the fear of recession to further their own agenda.

The worst offense to me is the provision in the stimulus bill that attacks religious freedom. The provision reads: "PROHIBITED USES OF FUNDS. - No funds awarded under this section may be used for - (C) modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities - (i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or (ii) in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission." This is religious discrimination and an affront to freedom of speech. Christian groups such as Campus Crusade, Christian Athletes, Catholic Student Ministries and others could very well be banned from campuses and facilities that would remain open to other non-religious organizations.

This is our nation. We the People of the United States are ultimately responsible for what our nation and what our government does. We must be vigilant. We must pray. We must take a stand for our rights and freedoms. We must not be silent.

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:9

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

CALL YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES. Let them know where you stand. Both your representative and your two senators can be reached at 1-202-224-3121. Find more contact information for your congressional representative and senators here.

The Silencing of Dissent

2009-01-21T21:04:00.000-05:00

"To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist." - President Barack Obama

President Obama, let us not silence the voices of dissent.

Let's put away the Fairness Doctrine which would force radio stations to air both sides of any controversial topics but leave liberal-run television and newspapers alone. Christian radio stations voicing moral concerns would be forced to share viewpoints in opposition to the Bible. Talk radio would lose revenue and jobs because people that want a conservative viewpoint don't want to listen to the emotional ranting of liberals. It is an attempt to silence conservative voices.

Let's stop supporting hate crimes legislation which elevates one group of people above others, creating a special class. Our laws protect every citizen equally. Each crime has a consequence. What crime is not based in hate? This legislation seeks to punish extensively anyone who commits a crime "with actual or perceived bias against" a person's sexuality or religion. Perceived bias. Do we now have thought police? The Declaration of Independence says "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Our right to free speech is under attack by an inquest of "hate speech." Hate Crimes legislation is an attempt to silence anyone who believes and says that homosexuality is wrong. It is an attempt to silence Christians who believe what God says in the Bible.

Let us keep the Motion to Recommit. The Motion to Recommit has been used for a century by the minority party to amend a bill before it passes. In the last Congress, Republicans were able to block some tax increases using the Motion to Recommit. Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats passed rules severely limiting the ability of conservatives to debate policies important to a great many Americans. It is an attempt to silence many concerned voices in America.

President Obama, please don't silence our voices of dissent.

Where's MY Bailout??

2009-01-08T14:54:00.000-05:00

Everyone seems to be lining up to get money from the government. States, cities, programs, insurance companies, car companies, ... and the list goes on.

Car companies have a legitimate complaint but they shouldn't get a financial bailout. They should get a bailout from all the regulations that government has put on them. The car companies know how to make good cars that people want. Let them do what they do best instead of congress stipulating to the companies what government thinks is best.

Government regulated the banks and mortgage companies into bankruptcy by stipulating that they give bad loans. Any regulating should have been to keep people's savings and investments sound by not allowing bad loans. Even Bill Clinton spoke out and said that the democrats in Congress during his administration caused much of this housing mess. I would love to see those "overseers" held accountable for their actions.

One that makes me laugh is student loan forgiveness. These people knew what they were getting into. Supposedly, on average, a degree will help you to earn a million dollars more in a lifetime than someone without a degree. So what percentage of a million dollars is their school loan? 20%? 10%? Less? It seems like a good deal to me. Why should they get a bailout for services rendered? Perhaps they should give their degrees back. I thought these people went to college to be productive members of society. At least they have student loans and didn't just go to college and put it on Mom and Dad's tab. (Hey, if you study and work hard and don't party away mom and dad's money, "Way to go!" and "Thanks Mom and Dad!") These students must have gone into college with the idea of making their own way in the world. Maybe the colleges persuaded them that society owes them. In that case, they received a disservice.

President-elect Obama is talking about another stimulus package. The last one didn't work. Congress is demanding to know where the money went and how it was spent. Maybe they should have considered that before giving so much power to the Secretary of the Treasury. Maybe they shouldn't have rushed through a bailout bill when the majority of the country was against it. We can't bail our way out of this.

Where do you think this money is coming from? Our government has a deficit. They don't have the money. They are either borrowing money or simply printing it. When we borrow more money, we give foreign nations a bigger say in our government. Proverbs 22:7 tells us "the borrower is servant to the lender." If we simply print more money, then the value of our dollar drops dramatically and prices soar.

I'd like to bail out of all these bailouts.

Free Health Care?

2008-12-22T11:14:00.000-05:00

Everyone wants something for free. Why not? It's free, right? Or is it? Somebody is going to pay. What makes you think it won't be you?

Hawaii tried providing health care for children. It failed. Why? Because those that were buying their own health care stopped doing so in order to get the free health care. Hawaii couldn't afford to pay for every child's health insurance and so had to end the program.

I hear people say Canada has free health care. Norway or Switzerland too. It brings to mind how the ancient Israelites asked for a king "that we may be like all the other nations." They didn't know how good they had it. Samuel warned them what a king would do. A king would take the best of all you have: sons, daughters, servants, land, crops, and livestock. In their desire to be like the other nations, Israel gave up their freedoms. They got their king and they got their wealth and freedom taken as foretold. 1 Samuel 8.

What is the cost?

Higher taxes.
Are you ready to bring home 30% of your paycheck? You are already only bringing home roughly 70%. 30% will be less than half of what you bring home now. This is what the other nations do.

Loss of privacy.
With government running things, you can bet your privacy will be invaded. Just ask WIC recipients. How much do you eat? How much do you weigh? What is your iron count? How many ounces of juice do you drink? Are you drinking from the proper cup?
Do you like to be micro-managed? I think I'm a grown-up and can make my own decisions but when you expect government to be your sugar daddy, you give up liberties and decisions to your new parent.

Lack of choices.
Who decides which doctor you can see? Which medicines will be best? What treatment to pursue? What about alternative medicines? You? Your doctor? Not if you give government a foothold.

Medical advances will dwindle.
What happens to the motivations of scientists and doctors to invest in new medical advances? Who in government is qualified to decide which avenues should be pursued? Which medical breakthroughs will be missed or abandoned?

Long waits
Every country that has government run health care has notoriously long waits for procedures. Are we willing to wait 6 months to get a lump examined? What if it's cancerous? Then you may have sacrificed your life. That's not free.

Morally objectable procedures
When government pays for health care, they pay for it with taxpayer's money. (Our money, yours and mine) When government then pays for procedures such as abortions, sex changes and assisted suicides, they force a huge percentage of people that find such things morally wrong to participate in them by paying for them. That's not free.

This story was shared with me recently. A boy broke his leg. It was a spiral fracture. These are very painful and require more care. At the hospital, the doctor decided to put his leg in a cast even though he thought the leg may require surgery. Sure enough, two weeks later they had to return and have surgery. The belated surgery caused more pain and a longer healing time than if it had been done right away. Why would the doctor not just do the surgery in the first place? This boy is covered by ACCESS. ACCESS is government paid health insurance and the doctors and hospitals first try the less expensive route since they must accept whatever the government will pay.

I've never heard anything good about an HMO. Everyone seems to hate them. Yet people want the government to run their health care system? That is one colossal HMO.

Corruption

2008-12-18T09:47:00.000-05:00

In the past couple of weeks, the news has been about corruption. The governor of Illinois is caught on tape demanding bribes and arrested. Bernard Madoff's major financial scheme on Wall Street is exposed.

It is extremely disappointing to see how corrupt people can be but it is necessary for the corruption to be exposed in order to allow healing, freedom and stability. When the ugliness and darkness of corruption are exposed, justice can be done. When justice is done, law abiding people don't have to be cheated of their voice and afraid of persecution.

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Proverbs 14:34

God says in His Word that all things will be exposed, that nothing is hidden that shall not be revealed. The good, the bad, and the ugly can't hide forever. Truth does prevail.

"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13

We the People need to keep our representatives and elected officials accountable and hold them to a high standard. If we look the other way or make excuses for them, we allow sin and injustice to abound.

When we think of others, everyone benefits. When the focus is on ME, other people become stepping stones, casualties, of selfish ambition.
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

This is some encouragement from a man who was abandoned by friends and who was hunted unjustly by a corrupt and jealous king. A man who had to seek help from enemies and feign madness and live in caves before he was vindicated, honored and given authority over a nation.
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!" Psalm 27:13-14

"For with God nothing will be impossible." Luke 1:37

Let Us Pray

2008-12-15T22:22:00.000-05:00

God, in His Word, tells us to pray. Pray without ceasing. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Pray for your friends. Pray for deliverance. Pray for the sick. Pray for wisdom. Pray for Israel. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for guidance. Pray for strength. Pray to confess. Pray for the nations. Pray for miracles. Pray for the harvest. Pray and do not lose heart. Pray that love will abound. Pray for faith. Pray earnestly. Pray the Word of God.

Pray for those in authority over you.

God tells us to pray because God desires relationship with us. God hears and answers.

"Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!" - Psalm 66:20

"The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous." - Proverbs 15:29

"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you." - Jeremiah 29:12

"And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." - Matthew 21:22

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." - I John 5:14-15

We are called to pray for President-Elect Obama and for all those in authority. Let us pray for health, protection, godly wisdom, courage, strength and righteousness.

I like these prayers which Matt posted on his blog so I re-posted them here.

PRAYERS FOR THE PRESIDENT
I pray that You, O Lord will continually bring goodness and sweetness into the President's life rather than sorrow, causing him to know that taking joy in You makes him strong.--Nehemiah 8:10

I pray that the President will delight himself in You, Lord, knowing that You will give him the desires of his heart.--Psalm 37:4

I pray that the President will trust in You, Lord, with all his heart, and lean not on his own understanding. I pray that in all his ways he will acknowledge You, and You will direct his paths.--Proverbs 3:5-6

I pray that you will always help the President to have a gentle answer that turns away wrath, keeping him from harsh words that stir up anger.--Proverbs 15:1

O Lord, remind the President continually that You alone are His strength, and that it is You who allows him to accomplish any high and lofty goals.--Habakkuk 3:19

I pray that when the President faces obstacles he will remember that victory comes not by might nor by power, but by Your Spirit.--Zechariah 4:6

I pray that the President will always love You O Lord, with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind, and with all his strength and that he will love his neighbor as himself. Make him aware that there is no greater command than this.--Mark 12:30-31

O Lord, grant that the President remembers often Your deep and abiding love for him, knowing that he will ultimately be victorious spiritually because You died for him.--Romans 8:37

I pray that the President will put bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil away from him with all malice. I pray also that kindness, tenderheartedness and forgiveness will characterize him, just as they do God and His Son Jesus Christ.--Ephesians 4:31-32

I pray that the President will turn to you for his strength, knowing that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.--Philippians 4:13

I pray that you will grant the President the passion and the will to do all his work heartily, remembering that he is serving You and not men.--Colossians 3:23

O faithful Lord and God, strengthen and protect the President and guard him from the evil one.--II Thessalonians 3:3

I pray that the President will submit willingly to You, O God, resisting the devil so the enemy will flee from him.--James 4:7

I pray that the President, by doing good, may silence the ignorance of foolish men.--I Peter 2:15

I pray, God, that the President will resist the temptation of pride and will humble himself under Your mighty hand, that in Your time you may lift him up.--I Peter 5:6

Lord, I ask You to help the President to confess his sins before You, remembering that You are faithful and just and will cleanse him from sin and forgive him for all unrighteousness.--I John 1:9

O God, let the President always be confident in approaching You, remembering that You hear his prayers when he asks in accord with Your will. May he always pray this way, with confidence.-- I John 5:14-15

The Economy

2008-11-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Some think that you can't vote based on a single issue. I believe that if that issue is protecting the lives of innocent people, it's a powerful enough issue to stand alone; however, if you read my first post, you'll see that I've addressed several issues.

Most economists, including democrats, agree that if you raise taxes in a struggling economy it could grind that economy to a stop. So it goes to follow, even if the economy is strong a raise in taxes makes it less so. The liberal democrats in Congress are already drooling over the taxes they want to raise.

Senator Obama says he wants to give tax cuts to 95% of people but that math doesn't work. 45% of people don't even pay income tax. Despite of what Obama claims, it's on record that he voted to raise taxes on people making $42,000 by repealing the tax cuts they already have. Now giving money to people that don't pay taxes is wealth redistribution or as Obama shared, "spread the wealth around."

Obama has said that because things are the way they are, he won't be able to do all that he has said he'll do. I have yet to hear what he's cutting back on. Which programs won't happen? They only thing I've heard change is the income amount that he plans to tax.

Barack Obama wants to raise taxes on people making $250,000 (or $200,000 or $150,000 or $120,000) a year. Most of these people are the people with small businesses, working hard and supplying jobs for others. If they are only able to keep 38 cents on the dollar, how many people do you think they will be able to continue to employ?

Energy independence is of utmost importance to our economy and our national security. Barack Obama claims that "We can't drill our way out of this.", "they can build their coal powered plants but they will be bankrupted by the fees I will impose on their greenhouse gas" "under my plan, electricity prices will necessarily skyrocket". This summer, Obama said he wished the gas prices hadn't risen so quickly but there wasn't any indication that he was against the price being $4.00 a gallon. Don't drill, stop using coal, electricity prices will skyrocket -- just what does Obama want to do? Tax us more on energy, that's what. Meanwhile, we're still dependent on oil from foreign countries instead of lessening that dependence by using our own oil, natural gas and coal with which our land is so richly blessed.

So when Obama bankrupts the coal industry, job losses explode because of massive taxes on "the rich", how will our economy be? With more people out of work, more unemployment benefits will have to be paid. How will so many more unemployment benefits be paid for? I guess he'll have to raise taxes again which of course will result in less jobs and more costs passed on to the consumers.

When people in government want to raise any costs and/or taxes on companies, those companies make up the difference by passing the costs on to the consumers. When minimum wage goes, every thing in the store or restaurant goes up by at least a dime. For those making minimum wage, the "raise" they just got is spent on higher prices. When businesses' electricity bills skyrocket as Obama has stated they will under his plan, business will pass the cost on to you. You will already be struggling to pay your own electricity bill.

There are so many aspects as to why Barack Obama's policies are bad for our economy that I can't list them all here.

I think government should be responsible in its spending habits, cut back on excesses. When government leaves Americans with more of their own income, people grow the economy, create business and jobs that in turn allow more Americans to better themselves and grow the economy. Americans are generous! We love to give. Americans have ingenuity! We love to come up with new ways to make things work better. Let's not suppress the American spirit to work hard.

Always Vote Life

2008-10-31T22:24:00.000-04:00

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him." Deuteronomy 30:19

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

Without Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness aren't possible.

The candidates' stands in their own words:

I Have a Question.

2008-10-28T11:18:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick thought.

Apparently, Barack Obama doesn't like to be questioned or called to task on what he says. When asked a simple question recently about his tax plan by Joe the plumber, Obama let slip his real philosophy, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
In response to people plainly seeing his socialistic views, he tries to change the focus and attacks a citizen. He mocks Joe at rallies; he has Joe's background invaded.

When Senator Joe Biden is finally asked some real questions about Obama's policies by a news anchor in Florida, he's incredulous. He even claims that "Obama doesn't want to spread the wealth around." Excuse me, Senator Biden, but we have video that Obama wants to do just that.
Instead of just answering the questions, he gets huffy and asks who wrote those questions.
The Obama campaign then shuts that station off from any more interviews or access to the campaign. It doesn't end there. They go after the Barbara West's (the news anchor) husband. They try to say that she is jaded because her husband helped raise money for Republicans. Never mind how many mainstream media members are married to Democrats.

All of a sudden associations matter? Disregard that we've heard all year long that it simply doesn't matter that Senator Obama has associations with the likes of Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, Rashid Khalidi, Tony Rezko, ACORN and more.

Since Obama treats people this way now, when he's simply running for President, what would he do if he becomes President?

10/31/08 update: The Washington Times, The New York Post, The Dallas Morning News. Journalists from these 3 newspapers have been kicked off the Obama campaign plane. Why? Their papers endorsed John McCain. The Obama campaign said their reason is that they just don't have room on the plane despite the fact that these reporters have been traveling with Obama since 2007. This is yet another example of Obama allowing no voice of dissent.

Value Voting

2008-10-23T13:35:00.000-04:00

Will you vote your morals?

This is an extremely important election. Our nation is at a crossroad. We have a clear choice. Lives are at stake.

The most important issue to me is the protection of innocent lives.

Abortion kills babies. Some would say an abortion terminates a fetus. That’s just a change in terms. Terminate means to end; conclude; finish. Fetus is Latin for baby.

Recently, I came across someone who was convinced that they could be both pro-Obama AND pro-life. This is a deception.

Barack Obama says that the first thing he would do as President is to enact the Freedom of Choice Act. This act would erase all boundaries on abortion. This would override states rights making abortion available at any time for any reason at any age.

Some would say that I shouldn’t impose my values on others.

Impose values? I would suggest that the Freedom of Choice Act is a massive imposition of the values of the abortion industry on us. According to NOW, this legislation would “sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws and policies.” Laws and policies that elected officials and everyday people have voted on and passed. The will of the people to limit and reduce abortions. That would be laws and policies protecting girls and women from an uninformed decision regarding a medical procedure that kills an innocent baby and often causes mental and/or physical harm to the mothers. Laws that require the consent of parents before an underage girl can be given an abortion. A Ban that put a stop to stabbing the head of a baby before she is completely born and sucking her brains out.

The biggest imposition is that Barrack Obama wants government to provide health care for everybody. That means that my tax dollars and your tax dollars will pay for abortions.
If that’s not cramming something down my throat, I don’t know what is.

Here are some medical facts to consider:

At week 5, only 3 weeks after conception, the baby’s tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood. This is when most women can find out whether they are pregnant.
At week 6, the nose, mouth and ears are beginning to take shape. His heart is beating 100 to 160 times a minute and blood is beginning to course through his body. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones.
At week 7, hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs.
At week 8, in her brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways.
Week 9, your baby’s organs, muscles and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won’t be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks.
Week 10, he's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy. If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

These facts are all from the week-by-week development pages at babycenter.com. There are many more. The ones I listed are all by the time you are two months pregnant.

This is what God says.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you…”[1]
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.”[2]
"Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: fear not…"[3]
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days.”[4]
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”[5]
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”[6]

These are just a few. God has a lot to say about people of all ages. He loves us. He wants us to choose life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

[1] Jeremiah 1:5
[2] Psalm 127:3
[3] Isaiah 44:2
[4] Deuteronomy 30:19-20
[5] Philippians 2:4
[6] Psalm 139:13-16

On the Issues

2008-09-05T14:42:00.000-04:00

These issues are important to me:

Life
School Reform
Defense
Taxes
Government
Guns
Energy
Experience and Character

Life:
Life is a gift. God created mankind in His image. As we are designed to be a reflection of our Creator, we must treat others as God would have us do – in love.
“What is the most loving thing?”[1]

Life should be protected at all stages: pre-born, newborn, children, adults and senior citizens, healthy, disabled and mentally-challenged alike.

Abortion:
I believe that God knows us and has a destiny for us before we are even conceived. I believe abortion cuts a life grievously short. I believe it endangers the health of women. It protects abusers because of cases where incest is hidden and not reported. I believe men and women alike suffer tremendously mentally and spiritually knowing they didn’t stop the abortion or were responsible for it. The “what if’s” torture.
I know women and men who suffer nightmares. I know women who battle depression those times of the year when their child was aborted and when that child would have been born. I know women who were not able to ever again carry a child to term and long for a child to hold in their empty arms.
God loves each of us more than we can ever imagine. When we are harmed, when we cause harm, God grieves. He desires the absolute best for us. He provided a way, Jesus Christ, for us to be forgiven and restored. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”[2] When we mess up and we all do,[3] the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.[4] If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.[5] Forgiveness and a full life have been provided for us, we need only to accept God’s free gift.
Death Penalty:
In contrast to abortion which kills the innocent and causes harm to women and men alike, the death penalty saves lives by putting to death a person who has viciously murdered and will most likely do so again. Countless lives are saved when we hold murderers accountable for their actions. I believe we can be forgiven for anything and everything. I also believe there are consequences for actions taken. A person on death row may very well repent but the consequences/punishment of their action should be carried out. I believe if we were tougher on crime, there would be less crime.
War:
I believe there is a time for war. When I was in third grade, a neighbor boy grabbed me by the throat. My brother quickly came to my aid and put a stop to it. I believe when a ruler, regime, or nation abuses its power and kills, tortures or terrorizes its own people or other people groups, we have the responsibility to come to the aid of those in need. By fighting, removing and killing the enemy in battle, defenseless and innocent civilians can once again have the freedom to live their lives.
Assisted Suicide:
God gives life. We are created for relationship – relationship with God and relationships with other people. Suicide is the taking of a God-given life because of depression and desperation. Anytime we deem a life not worth living, we cheapen the lives of others in similar situations.
A friend of mine saw her uncle battle cancer when she was a youth. Her uncle was in great pain and one day shot himself. This made a deep impact on her. When she struggled through abuse, she remembered her uncle and wanting to end her own pain, attempted suicide several times. She was institutionalized – where she suffered further abuse. It wasn’t until she was introduced to Jesus that she was restored. She realized that she has a God-given purpose and destiny. She was healed and is being healed.
Depression and desperation skew our vision. We think all is lost. Why not end it? Suicide kills the body. It causes grief to all around. It cheapens the lives of others. Suicide does not kill the spirit. Are you ready for eternity? If you say yes, are you ready for the consequences and effects of your actions on others? Difficulties come and go. Some are harder and longer and maybe even more frequent but they will pass. God is love and he desires the absolute best for us. When we give our lives to Him, He forgives, He heals, He restores.
When we approach the slippery slope of assisted suicide, euthanasia is just a heartbeat away. Then it becomes the duty to die when you are no longer a “productive member of society.”

School Reform:
By removing “God” from our schools we have caused great harm to our youth. Our youth have no reason/purpose to treat others well. The schools tell them that they came from animals by teaching a defunct theory as a fact. Why not act like animals? If we are all here by accident, why should I treat anyone else with any kind of respect when, according to the theory of evolution, we are equivalent with a rat or even a rotten tomato? Without God there is no moral compass.
Schools cannot be a Constitution-free zone. It is outrageous that schools try to silence our youth when they want to speak of their deeply held convictions. It is a gross infringement on freedom when student are told they are not allowed to pray or even to read their Bible during their free time.
So much is done in the name of tolerance. Tolerance used to mean treating others with respect, now it seems to have been redefined as accepting every notion as equal. Now those who are not tolerated are those who would speak up for their own convictions. There is right and wrong. Apparently, it’s wrong to say when things are wrong.
Teach the students. Show them their potential. Don’t indoctrinate them. Let them reason. Let them soar.

Defense:
I believe our nation is strong and should be strong. “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” To weaken our Armed Forces is to invite attacks, hinder our ability to come to the aid of allies and/or victims of genocide, and dangerously stretch our ability to respond to disasters.

Taxes and Government:
I believe that we should pay taxes to the government. I believe the government should use that money wisely. I do not believe that the taxes should be excessive especially since the government has shown over and over its inability to budget and spend wisely. Infrastructure, Armed Forces, Police, Firefighters are all examples of right and wise spending. When the government wastes money, refuses to give accountability for how it spends and won’t listen to the moral values of the people, it is wrong and needs reformed.
When “We the People of the United States” are ignored and looked down upon, dismissed or demeaned, we need to hold our representatives responsible and elect new ones if need be.
As a republic, we are represented be our senators and congressmen. Therefore, we should be aware of issues in our nation and government and let our views be made known to our representatives. As Christians, we should pray for our nation, our leaders and our representatives. We should pray for good government that we may “live peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.”[6]
“Good government maintains law and order, it keeps communications open, preserves civil liberty, and protects freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.” [7]
Good government does not tell us how much to eat and at what temperature we should keep our house. Good government should not try to micro-manage people. It should provide us the freedom to work hard and succeed.

Guns:
In the Bill of Rights, the second amendment guarantees our right to keep and bear arms. I believe that when people have the means to defend themselves and their families, there is less violent crime committed or the crime is effectively stopped.
When I was a youth, my home was invaded by at 3 men intent on robbing everything of value. I awoke to see them in my room. After not responding to their questioning of where my father kept the money, I screamed and screamed again for help, for my dad, for my brother. Instead of slicing my throat with a machete at they had told me they would do, they made a quick exit, leaving me alone. My parents woke up. My dad and a young man staying with us went downstairs to see what was going on. When the thieves saw that my dad didn’t have a gun, they returned upstairs and questioned, struck and stabbed my parents. They did not leave until my dad said, “In the name of Jesus, we have nothing more to give you.” When they heard the authority of the name of Jesus, they immediately left and did not come back. Thank God that He gives us authority, that Jesus’ name is more powerful than any weapon. What would have been better? If we had had a gun, perhaps the murderous thieves wouldn’t have returned. Perhaps if they had not returned, I would not have the understanding of the power of God in my life that I now have.
Just because we have a right to something doesn’t necessarily mean we should go out and buy a gun. We need to be responsible with our rights. If we purchase a gun, we should make sure we know how to use it, how to clean it, and most importantly know the gravity of its use. A gun can take a life. A gun can defend a life. A gun can be used recreationally and even as a way to provide meat for our families. With rights come responsibilities. With actions come consequences. If you kill someone in defense of your life or your family, will that fact haunt you? It is your right. Are you ready for the responsibility?
Jim Elliot, a missionary to Ecuador, was martyred because he was willing give up his life rather than take a life which may not be ready for eternity. He said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” He gave his life and in so doing, a people group was changed.
I believe that if we choose not to exercise our right, that is our choice; but we should not presume to remove someone else’s right guaranteed by our Constitution.

Energy:
Obviously, our nation needs energy.
I think it is wise not to be dependent on oil from countries who do not like us. I believe we should use the resources we have within our own borders. I believe we should drill for more oil. When we can buy more American oil, we won’t need to buy as much foreign oil. I believe we should have nuclear energy, clean coal and natural gas. Do it all. Start now.
We need to take care of our country and environment but at the expense of our people. We have the ability both to use our resources and preserve the beauty of our nation. We have always been a resourceful, hardworking, generous people. We are Americans.

Experience and Character:
Experience is good. Ability is a necessity. Character a must.
If you’ve been in public office and haven’t been effective, I don’t consider that experience. Working is experience. Accomplishments are experience. Character is defined as moral force; integrity; a good reputation.

Our choices as I see them:
The McCain/Palin team is pro-life. They want to keep taxes low and cut spending. They want reform to make the government work for the people again instead of people working to pay their taxes to the government. McCain wants to appoint judges that will rule according to the Constitution instead of legislating from the bench, thereby, protecting our Constitutional rights. They are pro-active and will seek energy and protect our country.
Senator John McCain has experience representing people, first as a congressman, then as a senator. He has experience defending freedom and fighting for his country. He has experience in leading. Senator John McCain has the ability to get things accomplished, make tough decisions, stand by his choices, and still learn and apply new knowledge. His character shines brightly through his life and family.

Governor Sarah Palin has the experience of running a town and a state and doing it well. She has shown she has the ability to get the job done, stand up for what is right, balance a budget and plan for the future of her state and nation. Palin’s character is lived out loud in the choices she makes. With an 80% approval rating, there is a state full of people that will testify to her character and abilities.

Senator Barrack Obama has a legacy of death. He voted against the Born Alive Act. He wants to make abortion legal in all instances at anytime overriding the voice of the people and the states that have set restrictions in place. He says that “if my daughters make a mistake then I wouldn’t want them punished with a baby”. Senator Obama says he will “lower taxes on the middle class” but raise taxes on businesses and “the rich”. When business taxes are raised, prices go up and we all end up paying for these new taxes. He wants to cut defense, wants to leave Iraq without finishing the job when the end is in sight. Obama wants to manage our lives by telling us how much to eat and what temperature our houses should be. The Senator thinks government is the solution to the problem instead of needing reformed and reduced. Barrack Obama thinks we “cling to our guns and our religion” because “we have no hope”. His energy plan? All I’ve heard is, “We can’t drill our way out of this.” And we should inflate our tires and tune-up our cars. Senator Obama was an Illinois state senator from Chicago before he was elected a U.S. senator. He was in the Senate for 143 days before running for president. His associations make his character extremely questionable. What has he accomplished? His own career.

Senator Joe Biden wants to serve his country and even seems a nice man. He has experience. He is also pro-abortion. Has he overcome his need to plagiarize?

[1] Deonn McDowell
[2] John 14:6
[3] Romans 3:23
[4] Romans 6:23
[5] Romans 10:9-10
[6] I Timothy 2:1-4
[7] Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince