The US House of Representatives is expected to vote today on the repeal of the controversial Health Care Reform Act passed by the Congress last year. The political change in legislative leadership stemming from the November election has, by design, made this the first major vote of the new Congress. The Senate which is still led by Nevada Democrat Harry Reid is not likely to pass a repeal or allow its consideration on the floor with and up or down vote, but “not likely” does not mean “impossible” if there is a groundswell of calls, emails and faxes for a Senate vote on the measure.
There are several philosophical reasons why Hoosiers should be concerned about the heavy hand of government and the command and control nature of this legislation. There are also many economic concerns surrounding such a major expansion of government in the midst of the “Great Recession.” Additionally, there are social and moral concerns like abortion funding, and the possibility of rationed care impacting the lives of the disabled and elderly.

If you would like to send an email to your member of the House, you can do so in less than 60 seconds through this AFA alert:
http://www.capwiz.com/afanet/issues/alert/?alertid=22451501&type=CO

Churches for Gun Control

Many Hoosier United Methodists reading this weekly email may be surprised to know that one of their denominational offices in Washington DC is using the Arizona shooting by a mentally sick individual as a justification for gun control and locking arms with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Although there are already over 20,000 local, state and federal gun laws and ordinances in place, many mainline churches have joined to call for even more laws. Apparently they believe that a deranged drug using man who stalked, planned and then shot a dozen people, including a 9 year-old girl, would not have carried out his murderous plans had there just been one more law.

AFA of Indiana does not take an official position on gun control, though you may be able to guess my personal opinion pretty easily. I am not against many firearms laws but I do not see a logical or better yet, a theological reason why a religious denomination would work with a gun control advocacy group whose view of the 2nd Amendment is, well, constitutionally questionable. (I understand that the Brady group would claim that the NRA’s view of the Second Amendment is unconstitutional. For a good understanding of our founder’s view, I would highly recommend David Barton’s short book on this issue from Wallbuilders.) It is true that Jesus told Peter to put down his sword. This seems to me to be a statement regarding its use at that moment in the preordained circumstance of Christ’s capture, not a condemnation of Peter’s possession of the sword or dagger.

According to various reports, in addition to falling through the cracks in the mental health system, the shooter had run-ins with law enforcement at least ten times in recent years including his being stopped for running a red light on the very morning of the tragic shooting.

Could the limitation of a magazine capacity change the mind of one who “smoked pot” had paranoid conspiracy views about 9/11, and various legal troubles stopped this shooting? Given that a handgun’s magazine can be switched in a matter of seconds, and that other Brady agenda items really have no moral component surrounding the value of life, I personally think not.

Obviously, the UMC General Board for Church and Society and a dozen other religious groups including American Baptists, Brethrens, Episcopalians, Friends, Presbyterians and United Church of Christ groups would answer my question differently. (It is worth noting that these groups were quick to speak out on this tragedy, but many remain perpetually silent or confused over the annual loss of life of over 1 million children through abortion each year in America.)

To see a list of those churches and religions calling for more gun control click on this link:
http://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/bcen/advocates/faith/Faiths_United_Participants.pdf

To see what they propose, click on this link hosted by the Brady Center:
http://www.bradycenter.org/xshare/bcen/advocates/faith/Faiths_United_Resolution.pdf

You’d Better Be Cursing When You Use the Name of God

In case you missed it, the American Civil Liberties Union in Pennsylvania has won for residents the right to flip off or curse out police officers. As in most states, police have the ability to cite or arrest a person for disorderly conduct, but now in Pennsylvania you can cuss out an officer of the law without repercussions. In fact, the police in the Keystone State will now be trained, thanks to the ACLU lawsuit, on the right of motorists to use profanity against them. (The state police also had to pay $17,500 in court costs for the privilege of being told where to go.)

So let’s get this straight. The ACLU will defend your right to publicly use God’s name as profanity against those in authority as a public good, yet, to mention God as an authority in a respectful way in public is not to be allowed and they will fight to prohibit that harm to America.

I have begun to wonder how many ways modern America can devise to shake its fist at God. With this story, it seems that I have grossly underestimated the number of ways.   I only hope that I have also underestimated God’s mercy upon our nation for the sake of my children and my fellow citizens.

Family Freedom Days at the Capitol

Advance America is hosting its training session on the legislative process for interested Hoosiers on the Tuesdays of January 25th, February 22nd, March 22nd and April 5th . They will occur on their 7th floor conference room at 101 West Ohio, one block east of the State House. These sessions are a great way to receive pro-family updates on legislative actions. They run from 9 am to 10:15 am. For more information go to www.advanceamerica.com

Congressman, Governor or President Mike Pence?

I was at the State House most of the day yesterday meeting legislators and discussing various bills we are watching. It just so happened that in between meetings, I was on the third floor when Congressman Mike Pence spoke before the Indiana House. The last time the Congressman was on the House floor then Speaker, Patrick Bauer, refused to recognize him, though he had recognizedCongressman Andre Carson just weeks before.

Although not a common event in the state legislature, it is customary to recognize a member of the US House or US Senate and allow them to speak for a few minutes to the chamber. In fact, a legislator told me that when Senator Dan Coats spoke there last week, he was the first Senator to address the chamber in over 20 years.

I was near the chamber doors that Congressman Pence entered and exited, and I now know what it must have been like to be at an Elvis concert. He and half a dozen staff members were swarmed with people wanting to talk to the Congressman every step of the way.

The Congressman’s visit brought even more speculation over his future plans. I have given him my opinion, but I’d be curious to know your thoughts. Should Mike Pence stay in the US House, run for Governor, run for President, or perhaps you think he should retire in 2012?

Let me know by sending a short email simply saying, “congressman,” “president” or “governor.” Perhaps, I’ll pass the responses on to the Congressman’s staff.

No related posts.

Lanny Davis, Attorney and Democratic strategist:

The “shout downs” organized by the Republican right meet one of the classic definition of “fascist” tactics–defined as using shouting and disruption to deprive the civil and respectful debate of ideas. There is literally no defense to these tactics. I don’t criticize those who feel genuine anger or fear and show up to meetings to express those emotions. But I do call out the tactic of screaming and disrupting a meeting and the fact that this is a systematic tactic by thugs who want to prevent civil discourse, not promote it.

Let’s have the media name names, publish photographs, and do interviews of those responsible for approving, even organizing these techniues. And let’s find an investigative journalist – are there many left – to prove these so-called grassroots shouters are, or are not, being paid.

Ironic, eh? Today the left bussed-in a couple hundred members of several unions, including pipefitters and SEIU union members from points as far away as New York State for the Obamassiah’s event in Wakarusa, Indiana. Conservatives came on their own, around 700 of them. Obama’s Secret Service detail also told Wakarusa town manager Tom Roeder, (a republican), his tickets to the event were being revoked.

Even more ironic is President Bush appointed Davis to serve on the five-member Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board back in 2005. I suppose if you’re a conservative in Davis’ book, you have no civil liberties. And we thought all along that civil liberties are supposed to be freedoms that protect you from the government.

I’ll bet Davis can’t wait until all driver’s licenses contain an RFID chip so he can place operatives with RFID readers at tea party protest to gather names of conservative terrorists.

No related posts.

A federal commission concluded a GPS-based mileage tax to offset the revenue decline by newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles was the “best path forward”, and now University of Iowa researchers are tweaking a GPS system that will track your vehicles every move. With the current by-the-gallon fuel tax is not generating enough revenue, many are proposing a pay-by-the-mile tax. The only way to accomplish this would be to equip all vehicles with a device to track your mileage.

I think the concept of a pay-as-you go fuel tax may have merit, but using GPS is not the answer as it will allow a further breach of our civil liberties. With the technological advances in the last decade, far less intrusive technology could be used. How about a device that doesn’t track your vehicle, but records your mileage since your last fill up at the gas station and charges you at the pump?

Proponents of the project claim the GPS devices could also be used to as a tool to help manage traffic and relieve congestion. Bullshit. There are other ways to monitor traffic including below pavement ground sensors, cameras, etc.

As one blogger put it, “I’m also paranoid enough that I’d prefer not being harassed or suspected of a crime because I’m one of 200 other cars listed as “near” a crime scene.” Or another who said:

I’m a pretty good shade tree mechanic, even on newer cars.

You’d better believe that the transponder on my next car is going to get removed and will be emitting a nice, regular signal from the corner of the garage, while it gathers dust. It will keep company with the restrictive catalytic converter, intake manifold, and exhaust system that I removed from my sports car.

Welcome to George Orwell’s world.

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Members of the Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP want the Confederate flag banned from the Homestead-Miami Motor Speedway, and they will meet Thursday to decide whether to boycott a NASCAR race slated there for November.

But officials at NASCAR and the raceway say there’s little they can do to prevent spectators from displaying or waving the Confederate flag.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston told FOXNews.com that NASCAR’s “longstanding policy” prohibits displays of the Confederate flag on its cars, uniforms, licensed merchandise or in advertisements.

[...]

He said Confederate flag items are not sold or officially displayed throughout the 65,000-seat raceway, but there’s no official ban on spectators bringing miniature flags to the track, or wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the symbol.

“… we don’t regulate the lawful behavior of our fans or prohibit free speech and expression of our guests,” Gray told FOXNews.com. “We can’t tell people what to wear. Where do you start? Where does it end, as far as individual expression?”

Brandon Hensler, a spokesman for American Civil Liberties Union’s Florida chapter, said bringing a Confederate flag to the race or any public event would be protected speech.

“If someone wants to show up with a shirt like that, there’d be no legal recourse for that,” Hensler said. “Unless there’s a specific threat, all speech is protected.”

The Confederate battle flag was appropriated as a symbol by the Ku Klux Klan, and more than 500 other extremist groups use the Southern Cross as one of their symbols.

For others, it’s simply a emblem of their Southern heritage. The Mississippi state flag (pictured right) still bears the Southern Cross as part of its design. In 2001, Mississipians voted in a special referendum to keep the flag, leaving them as the only state to still fly the Confederate cross.

Jonathan Lintner, a columnist for The Bleacher Report had this to say.

NASCAR the Wrong Target in NAACP-Confederate Flag Tirade

The NAACP is targeting the wrong people if they wish to ban the Confederate flag at the racetrack. What people bring to the track on flagpoles, bumper stickers, and tattoos isn’t NASCAR’s problem, but rather one of the whole Southeastern United States—and that’s if displaying the symbol is even a real problem.

I’m not for the Confederate flag and I don’t like it, but it’s more Constitutionally wrong for an organization to go against the law upon personal belief than for someone to exercise the rights and freedoms bestowed upon American citizens—and this definitely has nothing to do with NASCAR, which would lose half a drop of water in the bucket if the NAACP decided to boycott.

For NASCAR to be targeted ahead of other sporting events like Southeastern Conference Football is another dig I have with the NAACP. Perhaps they should do something about the Ole Miss Rebels, whose fans proudly display the flag in the stands during football season.

And how about the rest of the conference, where Confederate flags are as common as burgers and hot dogs during tailgating festivities?

So, does the NAACP need to just get over it? Some people think the American Flag is offensive. We’ll have a story on that later today.

No related posts.