Christianity Today, the journal of opinion for American evangelicals, looks at the death of pro-life Democrats.
"Thanks to pro-life groups and backlash over health care reform, the Democratic pro-life vote in the House of Representatives is likely to halve on November 2, making abortion even more of a partisan issue.
Republicans fighting to take back the House of Representatives have focused on seats currently held by moderate, pro-life Democrats. They're getting help from pro-life organizations unhappy with these House members' votes for the health care legislation passed last spring. Conservative pro-life groups argue the bill allows federal funding of abortion, though President Obama signed an executive order prohibiting abortion funding.
"There certainly is a real prospect that the number of pro-life Democrats will decline," said John Green, a professor of political science at the University of Akron. "There's been a lot of complaint across the political spectrum that American politics is too polarized on issues like abortion. And yet the results of this election may be to polarize it even more in Congress because the pro-life voices are likely to be less common in the Democratic caucus and more common in the Republican caucus."
THE PERSON MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF PRO-LIFE DEMOCRATS IS PRESIDENT OBAMA HIMSELF. In 2006 and 2008 pro-life Democrats took a number of Republican seats. When these same Dems were forced to sign on the health care bill they demonstrated the secondary or tertiary place abortion held in their priorities. Republicans naturally decided to call them on it.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Bachmann To MSNBC's Matthews: That Thrill Isn't Tingly Anymore
A combative Chris Matthews accuses Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) of being "hypnotized" and under a "trance."
Bachmann says we're out of this "nightmare" and "we're thrilled."
"I think people are thrilling tonight, I imagine that thrill is maybe not quite so tingly on your leg anymore, I'm not sure anymore," Rep. Bachmann told Matthews.
After the interview, a purple-faced Matthews said "I never used that word" and called Bachmann a moron.
Bachmann says we're out of this "nightmare" and "we're thrilled."
"I think people are thrilling tonight, I imagine that thrill is maybe not quite so tingly on your leg anymore, I'm not sure anymore," Rep. Bachmann told Matthews.
After the interview, a purple-faced Matthews said "I never used that word" and called Bachmann a moron.
The skeleton in this Lutheran's closet
A preliminary look at Ron Johnson (R) indicates that he opposes gay marriage and abortion (except rape & life of mother), opposes embryonic stem cell research funding and he whipped Russ Feingold for whom the President and the First Lady campaigned. Maybe Catholic radio in Wisconsin is having an impact. First Things talks about the skeleton in his closet: his cooperation with the Catholic Church. Johnson is a Lutheran.
Pro-life Dems who backed Health Care bill
I just noticed three pro-life Democrats who set aside their prolife convictions and voted for the final health care bill. They lost tonight. When we look at this more carefully we should note the fate of the other new pro-llife Democrats who came in the 2006 and 2008 elections.
Volatility of the American electorate
Sometimes it seems as though these last few elections are about disgust for the status quo rather than support for a clear agenda.
2006: We hate Bush but don't trust Democrats
2008: We hate Republicans and Democrats and Obama seems a new type..
2010: We hate Obama but still don't trust Republicans or Democrats
2012: ??????? Who do we hate?
2006: We hate Bush but don't trust Democrats
2008: We hate Republicans and Democrats and Obama seems a new type..
2010: We hate Obama but still don't trust Republicans or Democrats
2012: ??????? Who do we hate?
Dem Joe Manchin ran as a conservative republican
W. VA Senate-elect Joe Manchin (D) was a very popular governer with a 70% approval rating. He was the gun toting, Obama trashing, anti-abortion candidate. Take a look at this.
The Devil and Daniel Webster
National Review profile: The Devil and Daniel Webster Meet the man poised to take down progressive giant Alan Grayson.
When Daniel Webster signed up to run for Congress against liberal instigator Alan Grayson, he never imagined he would be called “Taliban Dan.” Or that he’d be portrayed as a draft-dodging, woman-hating career politician. “I knew they would be rough. Maybe I didn’t know they’d be that rough,” Webster says.
Not that anyone should be too surprised. Grayson is, after all, the Florida congressman who described Dick Cheney as a vampire, who once suggested that gasoline would be cheaper if President Bush had let a Saudi prince “get to second base,” and who took to the House floor a year ago to pronounce that the GOP’s health-care plan was for sick Americans to “die quickly.”
The theatrics have made him reviled by Republicans, revered by at least some Democrats, and a potent fundraiser. But they may prove his undoing. Moderate voters have not reacted well to Grayson’s brutally negative and demonstrably false attack ads, and thousands of dollars in donations have flowed into Webster’s coffers. A poll released on September 29 showed Webster leading 43–36, and New York Times prognosticator Nate Silver gives Webster a 75 percent shot at winning.
UPDATE:
Democrat U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson has conceded victory to Republican former state lawmaker Dan Webster, ending his congressional tenure after a single term.
Dan Coats is not Republican Establishment
Indeed, Coats' has plenty of congressisonal experience but he is not a Rockefeller Republican or RINO which is usually what is meant when someone is derisively identified as part of the Republican establishment.
Last I knew, Coats was an evangelical Protestant who went to Wheaton College. He has been a pragmatic, creative, conservative leader in Washington who actually can work with Democrats. Jeff Sharlett's abominable book The Family refers to Coats as part of that shadowy religious underground in Washington.
NRTLC and Susan B. Anthony List have supported Coats.
In 1998, Coats suggested that when Bill Clinton sent planes into Afghanistan and Sudan to conduct anti-terrorist strikes, he was 'wagging the dog' in order to redirect public attention from the Lewinsky scandal. If you don't know 'Wag the Dog' look it up at imdb.com. Hardly an establishment thing to do. Most Republicans disavowed Coats' remarks.
***Fox' Carl Cameron just made a remark that Rubio in Florida was not necessarily a Tea Party candidate. ARE THEY TRYING TO CREATE A NARRATIVE WHICH UNDERPLAYS THE STRENGTH OF SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES BY IDENTIFYING THEM AS EITHER TEAPARTY (OUTSIDER) OR ESTABLISHMENT (INSIDER)? WHAT UNITES RUBIO, RAND AND COATS IS SOCIAL AS WELL AS FISCAL CONSERVATISM. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF INIES OR OUTIES BUT PRINCIPLED SOCIAL AND FISCAL CONSERVATISM.
Al
ACLU: Kids Have a Constitutional Right to Contraception
The local Great Falls Tribune reported that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is helping Planned Parenthood sue the state, with hearings set for next May. The two groups allege that the state's Children's Health Insurance Program, a part of Healthy Montana Kids, violates the equal protection clause of the state constitution and denies girls their “right to privacy” by failing to subsidize free contraception for low-income children.
State Representative Chuck Hunter, a Democrat from Helena, said that Montana could save money by preventing teen pregnancy through a contraceptive mandate. But Republican State Senator Keith Bales told EWTN News on Nov. 1 that he considered more than the state budget, in his decision to oppose contraceptive funding provisions during the 2009 legislative session.
Senator Bales recounted that Planned Parenthood had been historically “very active in giving contraceptives to teenagers, without the knowledge or consent of their parents.” Even those who accept contraception, he said, should acknowledge that such initiatives circumvent responsible parenting.
“I strongly feel that that is something the parents need to discuss with their children, and come to some kind of decision or conclusion about,” Senator Bales said, acknowledging that some parents are likely to “be fine” with their dependent children becoming sexually active and using birth control.
But, he said, regardless of parents' opinions, it is essential to maintain their role – rather than encouraging children to make these types of decisions on their own.
“The issue is, when you have the government going on ahead and just (providing contraceptives), not involving the parents, then it totally cuts the parents out of that equation. I think it's important in this day and age that parents do interact with their children, and are more involved.”
The state senator went on to reject the notion, advanced by the ACLU, that the lack of subsidized contraceptives would endanger a “right to privacy” purportedly found in the state's constitution. Even if that right is broadly assumed, Bales said, it cannot be considered to apply to independent adults and dependent children in the same manner. The distinction, he said, is fundamental to the law.
“There is a dramatic difference between the right of privacy when you are talking about adults, as compared to when you are talking about underage juveniles,” he observed. “They're trying to apply the right of privacy for adults, to young people who are (living) with their parents.”
Senator Bales drew a comparison between juvenile offenders who may commit crimes equivalent to those of an adult, but who are not tried in adult courts. “There is a reason that we don't try young teenagers in adult court,” he said, “because we do not feel that they have reached the point of accountability.”
Similarly, he said, a young person who can engage in sexual activity is not, on that account, an “adult.” Thus, the same principle that considers the youth of juvenile criminals as a mitigating factor, must be applied to preserve parents' involvement in the matter of birth control.
“They are not adults,” the senator said. “They should not be treated as adults.”
Someone Has A Guardian Angel Working Overtime
"My son saw a little boy on a balcony. He had gone right outside the railing... I said to myself I mustn't miss him," the toddler's saviour, local doctor Philippe Bensignor, told AFP, recounting Monday's drama.
"I had time to move from side to side to get in the right position," he added. "The little boy was fine. He cried a little bit but calmed down straightaway."
An official involved in investigating the incident said the boy had been left alone in the family apartment in northern Paris with his sister by their parents, who were taken into custody afterwards.
"It's a real miracle," said the cafe's barman, who gave his name as Gaby, pointing to a small tear in the awning where the toddler bounced off.
"We were closed yesterday but the mechanical device for closing the awning wasn't working."
Don't look now, but I'm agreeing with Bill Maher
His demographic analysis of Islam is off, although widely believed, but at least he has the guts to say what he said and the guts to stand by it.
Today on Kresta - November 2, 2010
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 2
4:00 – Iraq Cathedral Raid Bloodiest Attack on Christians Since War Began
Iraq launched an investigation on Tuesday into a church raid in which 52 hostages and police were killed, trying to find out how al Qaeda-linked gunmen managed to storm the building despite checkpoints, an official said. Sunday's attack was the bloodiest against Iraq’s Christian minority since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and drove fear deep into the hearts of many Iraqi Christians who had so far resisted the urge to flee their war-torn country. We talk with Joseph Kassab, Executive Director of the Chaldean Federation of America.
4:20 – TBA
4:40 – Catholics and the Election: It’s More Than “the economy, stupid”
Tom Pauken is a Catholic layman who headed a federal agency in the Reagan administration and served as Republican Texas State Chairman in the mid-90s during a time when the Republicans became the majority party in that state. Pauken makes the point that, no matter what we do to address economic and foreign policy issues, if we don't fix the culture, he argues, everything will be for naught. He highlights the insights of the great Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn who says that the West, which once was the bastion of Christianity, is running the risk of falling prey to the flawed philosophy of secular fundamentalism. The Russian author points out that "Men have forgotten God" and there are consequences of that. On this election day we look at where we are headed in America.
5:00 – Reformation Day: A Failure for All
Sunday, October 31, is Reformation Day. It marks 493 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the famous church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Within the Lutheran church, Reformation Day is considered a lesser festival, and is officially referred to as The Festival of the Reformation. It is a civic holiday in Slovenia. But Al points out that it actually represents a failure for us all.
5:40 – Archdiocese Shelves Mass for Gays
The Archdiocese of San Antonio has discontinued a long-standing Mass that was offered for the dissident homosexual group “Dignity” for more than 15 years to at a near-downtown parish. The Mass at St. Ann Catholic Church was the subject of periodic complaints to the archdiocese. But until recently, the local hierarchy declined to shut it down. It had been conducted by a handful of local priests sympathetic to the group. The decision was made by Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú, who's the interim head of the archdiocese until Chicago Bishop Gustavo GarcÃa-Siller becomes the new archbishop of San Antonio on Nov. 23. We talk with canon lawyer Michael Dunnigan who was involved in this case.
5:45 – Beleaguered Haiti Fights Cholera / Braces for Hurricane
A hurricane may hit Haiti this week, adding to the woes of a nation where cholera is spreading in the countryside and more than 1 million earthquake survivors have only a plastic tarp or tent to protect them. A U.S. Navy vessel, the amphibious warfare ship Iwo Jima, was steaming toward Haiti today to provide disaster relief in case Tropical Storm Tomas strikes late in the week as forecast, possibly as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm has already caused 14 deaths in the eastern Caribbean. Haiti issued its highest storm warning to inform people they may need to evacuate — though most have nowhere to go. Jim Cavnar of Cross International Catholic Outreach joins us.
4:00 – Iraq Cathedral Raid Bloodiest Attack on Christians Since War Began
Iraq launched an investigation on Tuesday into a church raid in which 52 hostages and police were killed, trying to find out how al Qaeda-linked gunmen managed to storm the building despite checkpoints, an official said. Sunday's attack was the bloodiest against Iraq’s Christian minority since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and drove fear deep into the hearts of many Iraqi Christians who had so far resisted the urge to flee their war-torn country. We talk with Joseph Kassab, Executive Director of the Chaldean Federation of America.
4:20 – TBA
4:40 – Catholics and the Election: It’s More Than “the economy, stupid”
Tom Pauken is a Catholic layman who headed a federal agency in the Reagan administration and served as Republican Texas State Chairman in the mid-90s during a time when the Republicans became the majority party in that state. Pauken makes the point that, no matter what we do to address economic and foreign policy issues, if we don't fix the culture, he argues, everything will be for naught. He highlights the insights of the great Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn who says that the West, which once was the bastion of Christianity, is running the risk of falling prey to the flawed philosophy of secular fundamentalism. The Russian author points out that "Men have forgotten God" and there are consequences of that. On this election day we look at where we are headed in America.
5:00 – Reformation Day: A Failure for All
Sunday, October 31, is Reformation Day. It marks 493 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the famous church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Within the Lutheran church, Reformation Day is considered a lesser festival, and is officially referred to as The Festival of the Reformation. It is a civic holiday in Slovenia. But Al points out that it actually represents a failure for us all.
5:40 – Archdiocese Shelves Mass for Gays
The Archdiocese of San Antonio has discontinued a long-standing Mass that was offered for the dissident homosexual group “Dignity” for more than 15 years to at a near-downtown parish. The Mass at St. Ann Catholic Church was the subject of periodic complaints to the archdiocese. But until recently, the local hierarchy declined to shut it down. It had been conducted by a handful of local priests sympathetic to the group. The decision was made by Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú, who's the interim head of the archdiocese until Chicago Bishop Gustavo GarcÃa-Siller becomes the new archbishop of San Antonio on Nov. 23. We talk with canon lawyer Michael Dunnigan who was involved in this case.
5:45 – Beleaguered Haiti Fights Cholera / Braces for Hurricane
A hurricane may hit Haiti this week, adding to the woes of a nation where cholera is spreading in the countryside and more than 1 million earthquake survivors have only a plastic tarp or tent to protect them. A U.S. Navy vessel, the amphibious warfare ship Iwo Jima, was steaming toward Haiti today to provide disaster relief in case Tropical Storm Tomas strikes late in the week as forecast, possibly as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm has already caused 14 deaths in the eastern Caribbean. Haiti issued its highest storm warning to inform people they may need to evacuate — though most have nowhere to go. Jim Cavnar of Cross International Catholic Outreach joins us.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Former President Bush's memoir will highlight influence of Pope John Paul II
An early preview of President George W. Bush's forthcoming memoir “Decision Points,” has revealed that the book will discuss the former president's relationship with Pope John Paul II—especially the Pope's influence on his decision to restrict embryonic stem cell research.
The Pontiff and president met publicly in 2001, 2002 and 2004, for discussions that displayed both profound agreements and serious differences between the two men.
On October 28, 2010, the Drudge Report posted exclusive details from the president's memoir (available November 9). Their first look at “Decision Points” mentioned that the Pope's vision of a “culture of life” helped the president understand the dignity of embryonic human lives, even as proponents of embryonic research urged him to consider the possible benefits.
During their first meeting, in July of 2001, Pope John Paul II reminded the president that “a free and virtuous society, which America aspires to be, must reject practices that devalue and violate human life at any stage from conception to natural death.”
“Through a vibrant culture of life,” the Holy Father told Bush on that occasion, “America can show the world the path to a truly humane future, in which man remains the master, not the product, of his technology.”
According to the Drudge Report preview, President Bush was strongly moved by the Pope's cultural vision, as well as his personal witness. John Paul II had been suffering from Parkinson's disease for up to a decade at the time of the meeting. But he opposed research into any possible treatment that would have involved the destruction of embryonic lives.
The Pope's words and witness that summer led the president to make a decision protecting embryonic life in crucial ways. On August 9, 2001, President Bush announced that federal money would not fund research involving any further destruction of embryos for research purposes. The ban remained in place throughout his administration.
Although the president's address on stem cells drew some criticism for its moderately positive take on in vitro fertilization (which also involves the mass production and killing of embryos), many observers praised his cautious approach to bioethical questions, as well as his advocacy of adult-derived stem cell research.
Crown Publishing Group, the publishers of the former president's book, has revealed that “Decision Points” will also detail the considerations that led to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. In regard to this decision, President Bush did not agree with Pope John Paul II.
The Holy Father publicly opposed the “Bush doctrine” of preemptive war against countries suspected of threatening the U.S., stating that war was to be regarded only as a last resort once all other options were exhausted. On March 18, 2003, two days before the invasion, the Pope warned of “tremendous consequences” for the Iraqi people, and said there was “still time to negotiate” to avoid war.
That same day, President Bush declared that America had exhausted its options, describing the invasion as a necessity due to weapons of mass destruction allegedly being prepared by Saddam Hussein. When the two men met again in 2004, the Pope reaffirmed that the stance against war remained “the unequivocal position of the Holy See.”
Catholic magazine denounces violence against pro-life women in Argentina
In its November edition the Argentinean Catholic magazine Familia y Vida (Family and Life) has published a full report on the violent attacks against pro-life advocates that took place at the National Women’s Conference in the city of Parana between Oct. 9 and 11. While the country’s secular media completely ignored the story, Family and Life published its November edition early in order to provide readers complete coverage, including analysis, eye-witness accounts and exclusive photos filed by its team of journalists.
The magazine reported that the violent attacks by pro-abortion feminists left 50 women injured, and one hospitalized. The story was passed over by the vast majority of local and national news media.
It also detailed how pro-abortion groups sought to expel women who were identified as Catholics from a workshop in which the issue of abortion was debated, to keep them from voicing their opinions.
Likewise, it provided ample coverage of how left-wing and pro-abortion groups that were unable to attack nearby Catholic churches—which were being guarded by hundreds of Catholics—resorted to spray-painting local homes, business and public areas with anti-Catholic slogans, as well as vandalizing the public schools that they were allowed to use for their accommodations.
Since 1980 similar women’s conferences have taken in place in various cities across Argentina. They often provide a forum for the development of proposed legislation that later makes its way into state and federal legislatures.
Outrageous Statement of the Day
Keith Olbermann has already begun arguing that narrow Democratic defeats in House races are really wins.
Today on Kresta - November 1, 2010
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 1
4:00 – Al on All Saints Day
5:00 – Finding Freedom From Substance Abuse
The Life Process Model© is a nationally accredited, 8-week residential drug treatment program that offers an alternative to 12-step drug rehab and alcoholism treatment programs. Unlike traditional alcohol and drug addiction recovery programs, you now have a choice for permanent recovery from drug or and alcohol abuse without a lifetime of AA/NA meetings and relapse! It’s offered at the St. Gregory Retreat Center in Des Moines, IA and Co-Founder and CEO Mike Vasquez is here to tell us about it.
4:00 – Al on All Saints Day
5:00 – Finding Freedom From Substance Abuse
The Life Process Model© is a nationally accredited, 8-week residential drug treatment program that offers an alternative to 12-step drug rehab and alcoholism treatment programs. Unlike traditional alcohol and drug addiction recovery programs, you now have a choice for permanent recovery from drug or and alcohol abuse without a lifetime of AA/NA meetings and relapse! It’s offered at the St. Gregory Retreat Center in Des Moines, IA and Co-Founder and CEO Mike Vasquez is here to tell us about it.
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