In case you missed it, last Thursday was National Polygamy Day, and the 10th annual celebration, too! This event is organized by a group, which has the slogan, “Polygamy the Next Civil Rights Battle.” They celebrate the gains made each year, mostly by homosexual demands groups, in the unraveling of marriage in the United States in hope of legalizing polygamy in the US.
On the fourth anniversary of the Lawrence v. Texas ruling, which legalized sodomy, Polygamy Day, Inc. filed for a federal trademark for their celebration day, which began not in Utah or Arizona, but in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

This year’s event included the group’s gathering to celebrate a Massachusetts Judge’s ruling against the Defense of Marriage Act, the overturning of the California Proposition 8 referendum, and the dismissal of charges against polygamist leader and likely statutory rapist Warren Jeffs.

Ideas still have consequences, even if many do not want to acknowledge those consequences. As my friend, radio talk show host Peter Heck, recently told me, “The battle over same-sex marriage is not really about the redefining of marriage. It is actually the un-defining of marriage. If the homosexual activists win, marriage will become meaningless because it swings the door wide open to anything and everything.” That’s exactly why American polygamists are eagerly waiting in the wings today. The scary question is who else is waiting in the shadows also cheering on the homosexual demands groups’ systematic dismantling of marriage?

A Question of Presidential Faith

Before President Obama weighed in on the wrong side of the victory mosque on the site of the 9/11 massacre, Americans were polled about the faith of the President. This poll from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life has generated a lot of discussion and alleged angst inside the White House because an increasing number of Americans (1-in-5) believe that our President is a Muslim.

I actually think that this number is even higher than 24% in reality, but many people do not want to say so out of fear of being criticized. In fact, the poll found that this is not simply a measure of Obama’s critics. A significant number of the Presidents supporters even think that he is a Muslim.

What we do know as fact is that Barrack Obama was a Muslim according to Islamic tradition because his father and stepfather were Muslims. This is why the President spent part of his childhood raised in Islamic schools and why he seems to still have deep knowledge of Islamic teachings. His paternal father later became an Atheist and his stepfather apparently followed what the President described in his book as “a unique brand of Islam.” The President has described his mother as “a Christian-turned-secular.”

It is understandable why the White House or the President’s political consultants are concerned about these poll numbers in a post-9/11 world. While there are some elitists who immediately blamed Americans for their ignorance, there are no doubt others behind closed doors who have told the President that a lot of these poll numbers are his own making which he should work to undo through a series of religious steps. (The President has attended church only once since entering the Oval Office. That may now change and news stories will probably accompany the President’s acts of Christian faith.)

What I find far more interesting is not that we have a President whom some Americans see as a Muslim, but one whose profession of Christianity is losing credibility as quickly as his economic policies. Last year, roughly half of all Americans (48%) identified the President as a Christian. This year only34% say this. This sharp decline is accompanied by an increase in the number of Americans (43%) who now say that they have no idea what the President’s faith is. Again, this decline is seen among both his critics and his likely supporters.

Here again, however, these polling numbers are largely the fault of the President. Within days of his inauguration, he had implemented sweeping expansions of public funding for abortion and cancelled annual White House ceremonies for the National Day of Prayer. He also quickly showed hostility toward Israel that he seems unable to keep behind closed doors. That’s just the start of a very long list of questionable faith-connected missteps.

I guess such widespread confusion may have been a foregone conclusion after the nation elected a candidate who had told audiences in Ohio that the Sermon on the Mount justified his support for homosexual marriage. Nevertheless, it is a sad reflection upon our President surrounding an issue of such major importance to millions of Americans.

There is a very interesting article on this subject from an author who has written books on the faith of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton. He discusses this matter in a very fair and insightful manner at this link: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=1134060

Big News on Hold . . . Watch This Congressional District

AFA of Indiana has some big and encouraging pro-family news occurring in September.  I can’t wait until I can finally announce it to you with all the details through this weekly e-mail and an official news release.

Until then, I mentioned that I might recap a few political races that I am often asked about when traveling around the state. One race that is getting very little attention is in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, which essentially encompasses most of Marion County and the City of Indianapolis. The district leans significantly toward the Democrat party. It contains all of Center Township, but the outer lines of the district do not include many of the Republican parts of Indianapolis, most notably the far north side near Hamilton County, which is drawn into Congressman Dan Burton’s district.

Democrat Andre Carson represents the 7th Congressional District. Rep. Carson was elected in a special election on March 11, 2008 with 53% of the vote, after his grandmother, Congresswoman Julia Carson, passed away. Prior to this, Rep. Carson had served on the Indianapolis City-County Council since 2007. He also won that office in a special election held by party caucus members after a council vacancy. Rep. Carson served as an investigator for the excise police for nine years. Interestingly, Rep. Carson attended Catholic schools for a time as a child and was raised as a Baptist. However, as a teenager, Andre converted to Islam. This is notable because he is one of only two Muslims currently serving in the US Congress. The other is Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota’s 5th district first elected in 2006. (This is not a smear. It is simply a unique fact about the Hoosier Congressman.)

Butler University Sociology Professor, Marvin Scott, is challenging Andre Carson for Congress, hoping to finally win this seat which Marvin narrowly lost to Andy Jacobs in 1994.

Conventional wisdom says that this district often hinges upon the African-American voter turnout, which represents 30% of the district’s population. In 2008 the district went for President Obama with71% of the vote. Even though both congressional candidates are black, this Obama number is largely why the state and county GOP have seemingly written off this district following a primary in which Dr. Scott defeated the party’s slated candidate.

However, the Scott campaign is making the argument that this is in no way a 60 or 70 percent Democrat district, particularly in this off year. They see this as only a 53% or 54% Democrat voting district based upon similar congressional elections involving even the formidable political machine of Julia Carson. They claim that this year is different.  They are sensing that they can win with their well-known candidate.

There may be some reason for optimism in the Scott campaign IF they can get a large number of volunteers and enough funding to run an effective get out the vote effort and final media push to Election Day.  Rep. Carson has irritated TEA Party groups with his accusation of racist remarks from these groups shouted at him during the health care vote. (Those charges have been disproven by several independent reviews of videotapes of the rallies at the US capitol that Rep. Carson walked through in March.) Will those groups now work to defeat one of their most vocal critics whom they believe smeared them with charges of racism? Can Dr. Scott raise money to compete with a freshman Congressman who may be more vulnerable in this unique year than in others to come? Will national issues and high unemployment produce a desire to change leadership in this urban district as may be happening in other areas? On the other hand, does Andre Carson have his grandmother’s coat strings and her remarkable ability to turn out the vote that we saw even when her numbers did not look good at the start of an election night?

No one seems to know the answers to these questions. There are also local races that play into voter turnout, too, for this countywide congressional district. These local races don’t come into play as much in other Congressional districts that may cover eight, ten or twelve counties. These races could cut both for and against Carson and Scott depending upon the strength or weakness of the candidates.   However, if on election night we start to see solid margins rolling in for Jackie Walorskiand Todd Young of more than 5% in those two Democrat leaning districts early in the night, Marvin Scott’s numbers could be part of a wave that results in a very bad night for Democrats all across the nation. The Scott people hope that such a wave is in the works for them and that they can create a victory that few people expect at this time. Unlike Representatives Donnelly and Hill, the Carson campaign does not seem too worried about a national wave at this time . . . but should they be?

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Give it up Tommy-boy.

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If after the negatives about Jackie and they still said they would vote for her over Donnelly, they were told positives about the libertarian candidate and then asked if they would be more inclined to vote for them instead of Jackie.

Donnelly is running scared. Why else would the the Dems try to drive people to the libertarian? To keep Donnelly in office. It’s also reported the DCCC did a major ad buy in CD2 for the last 3 weeks of the campaign yesterday.

For those of you here in the third that may not be familiar with Jackie Walorski, she’s currently a state house representative in Indiana district 21. The NRA graded her as an A+ for both voting in favor of and promoting gun rights, while Donnelly has voted to keep U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who the NRA rates an F, as speaker of the House.

Walorski also also supported the “castle doctrine” back in 2006, which allows Hoosiers the legal right to use deadly force to defend their homes, and a new law this year that prohibits employers from banning firearms in their parking lots as long as the guns are stored out of sight in locked vehicles.

Walorski’s has been successful raising cash. Her campaign raised $260,111 from April through June, while Donnelly raised $249,737 during the same period.

Here’s a link to her campaign web site: http://www.standwithjackie.com/

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Yesterday, Dr. Patrick Egan with the Department of Politics at New York University released a study covering a decade of research on political polling on homosexual marriage efforts. A scientific look at 33 state ballot initiatives since 1998 reveals that the homosexual demands groups are not making any headway convincing Americans that two men equal a mom and a dad.

The study finds that in spite of homosexual demands groups routinely outspending the defenders of marriage in political campaigns, voter opposition does not really change from the beginning to the end of a referendum battle. 

From Maine to California, from Florida to Wisconsin, Americans consistently oppose the radical redefinition of marriage in the midst of the most pro-gay culture in American history. The study found that support for having both genders represented in a marriage also does not change regardless of the size of the homosexual population in a state that is mobilized.

The other finding of significance is that polls consistently underestimate the opposition to the redefinition of marriage by an average of 7% less than the vote on Election Day. Obviously more people oppose same-sex marriage than are willing to say so, which is understandable given the way in which “tolerance” is forced upon Americans. (As columnist Cal Thomas often says, “intolerance is the only nationally recognized sin left in America today.”)

Interestingly, I have recently heard that the Indiana Republican Party once again has a poll showing64% support for the passage of a Marriage Protection Amendment. With this New York University study, the reality is that most likely seven-out-of-ten Hoosier voters actually support protecting our marriage laws. In spite of this, the Indiana House Democratic leadership, under the control of Speaker Patrick Bauer, has blocked such a measure four separate years.  Each time there was always an estimated 65 out of 100 votes waiting to defend marriage on the House floor.

Just a Reminder that We’re Natural Allies, Not Sworn Enemies

Yesterday, I perhaps unwisely, conceded to speak with an assistant to a famous Washington, DC insider who seems to love to stir up division between social and fiscal conservatives. You may have occasionally heard this person debate radio talk show host Laura Ingraham over his criticism of Governor Sarah Palin and other issues.

They were fishing for any juicy local criticism of Governor Mitch Daniels regarding his calling for a “truce on social issues,” which I did not provide.  The most critical thing I said was that we sometimes seem to have different priorities. I don’t know what will become of my comments, but I doubt if my explanation that there need not be a division between social and fiscal conservatives will show up in any Washington blog or newspaper. 

Here is the message I think needs to now come out of this “controversy.”  Social conservatives have largely failed to adequately explain how we are actually quite often fiscal conservatives’ best ally. A social conservative is almost always also a fiscal conservative who also supports smaller government and spending restraint. 

The opposite is much less true.  Many fiscal conservatives are not social conservatives. Ironically, social liberalism and fiscal conservatism often have contradictory outcomes.  Social conservatism leads to smaller government and fiscal restraint. Scarcely a dollar is spent today in Washington, DC outside of the defense budget that isn’t in some way or another linked to a breakdown of the family or the decline of societal values and morality.

As Frmr. Governor Mike Huckabee pointed out in an e-mail this week, “The fact is that every value voter I know is truly committed to fiscal conservatism, but many fiscal conservatives and libertarians range from disinterest to contempt for social issues. ??I learned a lot during 13 1/2 years as a Governor and Lieutenant Governor about why government gets big and taxes get higher and what causes and solves the issues of poverty and crime. Here’s the simple truth: poverty and crime are the direct results of broken families and broken values of responsibility, work, marriage, and respect of others. Prisons are overflowing and government “relief” programs get traction often because of the breakdown of our social structure. If we don’t respect the value of each individual life, whether in the womb, or the classroom, or the living room, we devalue property and intangible qualities of life. It gets expensive.”

Similarly, President Ronald Reagan’s all-star scholars’ Report to the President in 1986 concluded, “It is no accident that every totalitarian movement of the 20th century has tried to destroy the family. The essence of modern totalitarianism has been to substitute the power of the State for the rights, responsibilities, and authority of the family. Everywhere the equation holds true: where there are strong families, the freedom of the individual expands and the reach of the State subsides and contracts. Where family life weakens and fails, government advances and intrudes, and ultimately compels. Somehow the bottom line was always the same: government would take resources from families . . . in order to “help” them.”

In short, social conservatives are often the greatest ally of fiscal conservatism and limited government, but we have not always explained this message as well as Governor Huckabee or the “Great Communicator” Ronald Reagan did. I believe this is one part of the reason why this recent controversy has some of the support it has received from those who may mistakenly see a great divide between two parts of the this political movement. If there is a divide, it is in many ways, philosophically unnecessary.

What Indiana Really Needs in this Lousy Economy is More Business Regulations!

The South Bend City Council has revived a controversial ordinance it rejected last year following significant public opposition to the measure. The divisive, politically-correct ordinance creates new regulations upon, and legal liabilities for, businesses in the city surrounding the hiring or firing of people involved in homosexual behaviors. (This liability can apply even if the business owner isn’t aware of what sexual choices their employees may make in the privacy of their own homes.)

Homosexual demands groups in Indianapolis have been targeting several cities in Indiana with money for training and activism efforts to pass city ordinances which they have acknowledged came from theGeorge Soros funded Tides Foundation. Some people think that this is part of a strategy to ultimatley challenge Indiana’s marriage statutes.  Such ordinances are often used as justification for recognizing homosexual relationships as the same as marriages between a man and a woman.

The South Bend City Council will consider the controversial employment ordinance on July 12th.

We Have an Official Congressional Contest in Northeast Indiana

Congratulations to State Senator Marlin Stutzman on his impressive victory this weekend! On Saturday, Republican precinct committee members met to fill the ballot vacancy left by the resignation of Congressman Mark Souder. With a very strong showing on the first ballot of 180 votes from among fifteen candidates, Marlin easily gained the 24 more he needed to win on the second ballot. This November Marlin will face Democrat Tom Hayhurst, a former city councilor, and a doctor, from Fort Wayne who ran a solid challenge to Rep. Souder a few years ago.

The Incredible Shrinking President

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, I thought that this humorous new political cartoon of President Obama and Former President Jimmy Carter said far more than I ever could in this e-mail.

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Congratulations to state Senator Marlin Stutzman on his nomination by Republican Party leaders. I look forward to an honest debate and spirited campaign focused on the issues.

[...]

I’ve opened up free health clinics throughout the district, treating our neediest citizens when no one else would.

From his web site:

Helping Others: For over 30 years, Tom Hayhurst has practiced medicine in this part of Indiana. He’s helped thousands of patients and their families through illness and back to good health. He co-founded the Matthew 25 Health & Dental Clinic’s free pulmonary clinic. In 2007, Dr. Tom co-founded the Wolf Lake Free Health Clinic that serves Noble and Whitley counties. And every week, he works at the Allen County Tuberculosis Clinic, battling an ancient disease that still haunts our region.

Nice, sounds very philanthropic. However, note the last sentence woven into this which would make some assume he’s volunteering his time there.

I checked into this when he used the exact same language on his web site in 2006. According to the Auditor at the Finance Department for Allen County, back in 2006 Hayhurst received $1325.00 a month for his time at the Tuberculosis Clinic. He spends two hours a week there. That’s $162.62 an hour. We’ll check next week to see what the pay rate is for 2010.

His WIKI entry used to have this statement.

Dr. Hayhurst opened the Matthew 25 Pulmonary Clinic in Fort Wayne and volunteers weekly at the Allen County Tuberculosis Clinic.

That has since been scrubbed.

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While at the caucus today I was told something about one of the candidates, Ryan Elijah, and decided to ask Ryan personally if it was true.

I told Ryan I had heard he had been promised a job if he would drop out of the race, and asked if it was true. He said it was. He said, “oh yes.” I then asked if it was Randy Borror and Ryan replied, “no, it was some of his supporters.” Ryan obviously didn’t take them up on the offer.

I was telling this to Phil Troyer and he informed me that during the primary, Bob Thomas had offered him the position of campaign manager if he would drop out of the race. Troyer said he declined.

Interesting.

Marlin Stutzman is your candidate, and I feel certain he’ll trounce Obamacare supporter Tom Hayhurst in the general election November 2nd. Congratulations to Mr. Stutzman.

I have a lot of pictures, I’ll try to post them tomorrow.

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Caucus is voting again with Stuzman, Thonert and Wright to replace Souder in Congress.

Thonert and Wright apparently left the caucus without ‘signing off’ to replace Souder on the November Ballot.

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204 needed to win

Marlin Stutzman–229

Liz Brown–39

Ryan Elijah–46

Bob Thomas–17

Randy Borror–69

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Round 1 voting:

Need 21 to stay on after first ballot. 204 to win.

Marlin Stutzman–180

Liz Brown–46

Randy Borror–67

Ryan Elijah–43

Lonnie Powell–1

Greg Dickman–0

Mike Foster–5

Rachel Grubb–1

Richard Thonert–0

Soctt Welsh–0

Bob Morris–16

Dennis Wright–11

Joe Schomburg–4

Bob Thomas–21

Wes Culver–11

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407 Delegates here. Voting starts soon.

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Precinct Committeeman Dave Dupee, from Allen County, made a motion to have the same candidate be nominated in the voting for both the Special Election and General Election. They are currently in recess and are discussing rules.

Motion was withdrawn.

Voting may start in half an hour or so.

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If you’re a PC and intend on voting for Bob Thomas, report at Trier Ford Lincoln Mercury, 502 S. Main Street, Columbia City, IN at 10:00 a.m. You’ll get to test drive the new Ford Mustang and spend some quality time with Bob.

If you’re a PC and intend on voting for Bob Morris, start at Maplecrest and Monarch street, (map link) and follow the “What about Bob” stickers, illegally placed on the backs of streets signs to get to your location. Given the high number of stickers, you are advised to show up by 7:00 am.

If you are voting for Mike Foster, report to the Allen County Sheriff’s Reserve, 3022 Easterday Road, Fort Wayne, IN by 8:52 a.m. K-9 units will lead you to your final destination.

If Greg Dickman is your man, report to the Allen County Bar Association, 924 South Calhoun Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802. A lawyer will meet you there with instructions.

If you’re a Borror person, you will have to get up early and meet at Matt Bell’s house. Matt’s serving up Randy’s famous “Bailout Biscuits and Gravy,” and will have a discussion on HB 1604 before you find out where you’re meeting to vote. Be there by 6:00 a.m. and have a donation ready.

If Ryan Elijah is who you plan on voting for, come to 3401 Butler Road, Fort Wayne, IN. Ryan will address you, his viewers, on where to go from there. Meeting time is 11:52 a.m. and free face makeup is available.

For the John Schomburg supporters, meet at the IPFW School of Nursing, 4133 Hobson Road, Fort Wayne at 4:00 a.m. Free circumcisions will be available, with orange juice and English muffins.

If you’re a Stutzman supporter, meet at the Smith Field Hanger at 6520 Lima Road, Fort Wayne by 9:33 a.m. for a free airplane ride to the caucus.

Supporting Liz Brown? Meet on the 9th floor of the city country building at 9:00 a.m. for a presentation by Allen County Commissioner Bill Brown on, “What Brown can do for you.”

If you like Wes Culver, stay home. No just kidding. Kind of lost my creative juice on this one.

If Rachel Grubb is your gal, stay home. Seriously.

Like Richard Thonert? Meet at the Indiana Supreme Court, 30 South Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 for a brief on proper conduct of an attorney.

Yeah, I know I left a few, I have things to do. This is just tongue-in-cheek, and was inspired by John McGauley’s post of Facebook, see below.

Top 10 OTHER Things that Could Disrupt the 3rd District Republican Congressional Caucus

10.) Two hour delay caused by hell freezing over.

9.) Facebook message from Mark Souder telling everyone “The party’s at my house!”

8.) Mass distraction caused by unannounced return of good Saturday morning cartoons.

7.) Pre-caucus setup is being coordinated by BP.

6.) Swarm of locusts stranded in Whitley County by baggage handlers strike.

5.) State of Indiana accidentally sold U.S. 30 to a foreign conglomerate.

4.) Stutzman sends Borror, Brown and Elijah voters free tickets to a Saturday morning cookout at the Shipshewana flea market.

3.) Abundance of “What About Bob?” stickers on road and street signs makes it impossible to find the school.

2.) TSA agents at the door aggressively screening voters for “suspicious” coffee and donuts.

1.) Sarah Palin unveils line of sleeveless “First Dude” t-shirts at Columbia City Wal-Mart.

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The 3rd District Caucus will be moved from the Columbia Joint High School to the Indian Springs Middle School due to water in the basement of the high school that has shorted out the electrical system

Click here for a Google map.

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