9/25/2008

Opposition to the bailout growing: DeMint on Glenn Beck

Filed under: Bills & Legislation , News @ 6:16 am

Read it here.

Snippet:

SENATOR DeMINT: No one should be fooled by this at all. And once if government gets into something, it never gets out. We’re basically selling out our free enterprise system here. And for my part, I can’t see how we can ask men and women to go around the world, fight and die for freedom when we’re going to sell it out here. I mean, under the guise of trying to stop a recession. The real frustrating thing, Glenn, is there are some things that we could do to make the free market work better. I mean, we could lower our corporate tax rate. We know we need to do that. We could eliminate the capital gains tax. We could fix Sarbanes Oxley that’s chasing capital offshore.

1/20/2008

legislators and vote fraud

And we’re worried about who we’re going to put in office? People have been fooled into thinking their votes mean something….I’m convinced right now there is no difference between the democrats and the republicans - they’re both for earmarks, bigger government, amnesty for aliens, legislate our freedoms because of the global warming sham, etc.

12/2/2007

Tax refunds could be delayed

How odd.

Congress has been dawdling all year on a tax bill, and as a result, millions of early filers could have to wait extra weeks for refunds that averaged last year at $2,291.

The Internal Revenue Service is looking hard at delaying the start of its filing season, set to kick off on Jan. 14, if Congress fails to pass legislation in the next two weeks. At issue is how to handle what could be a dramatic increase in the number of people facing a higher alternative minimum tax.

What it boils down to, is -approximately half of taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes in the $75,000-$100,000 range will be affected by the “Alternative Minimum Tax” this year; which is a huge tax increase.

The alternative minimum tax was passed in 1969 and was aimed at about 155 very wealthy families who used deductions to avoid paying any federal income tax. The AMT disallows certain deductions and credits. It was not adjusted for inflation; as a result, over the years it has hit a growing number of middle-income taxpayers.

More than 4 million were subject to it in the 2006 tax year, and that could soar to 25 million this year without congressional action.

We just need to go to the FAIRTAX and stop monkeying around with all of this.

X posted at Cao2

10/27/2007

Demonrats show their ignorance again — why does that not surprise me?

House bill — Homeowners could sue Wall Street
The New York Times - October 22, 2007

Rep Barney Frank (D-Lite) introduces a bill that would allow homeowners to sue mortgage lenders for giving them loans that they never had a realistic chance of repaying. Personal Responsibility?

WASHINGTON - House Democrats introduced legislation on Monday that would for the first time let homeowners sue Wall Street firms for relief from mortgages that the borrowers never had a realistic chance of repaying.

>>> Critics warn the bill could chill and freeze a huge source of capital <<<

9/29/2007

Judge Rules Against Parts Of Patriot Act

Patriot Act

Ruling Points To Search Warrants Without Probable Cause

PORTLAND, Ore. – Two provisions of the USA Patriot Act are unconstitutional because they allow search warrants to be issued without a showing of probable cause, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken ruled that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, as amended by the Patriot Act, “now permits the executive branch of government to conduct surveillance and searches of American citizens without satisfying the probable cause requirements of the Fourth Amendment.”

Portland attorney Brandon Mayfield sought the ruling in a lawsuit against the federal government after he was mistakenly linked by the FBI to the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people in 2004.

She seriously needs Anal Sex by a Horse

8/25/2007

Police Voice Concerns Over a Directive on Immigrants

NEWARK, Aug. 23 — One local police chief called it a publicity stunt. In a sheriff’s office, the directive was passed out at roll call, by officials anxious to quickly comply. And another chief — one of many who spoke on the condition he not be named for fear of ruffling the feathers of the state’s top law enforcement officer — said it seemed like a recipe for racial profiling.

A day after New Jersey’s attorney general, Anne Milgram, ordered local law enforcement agencies to start inquiring about the immigration status of the people they arrest, local officials and advocates for immigrants across the state began grappling with how the edict would change the already complicated relationship between the authorities and immigrants on the streets they patrol.

In Englewood, where the police estimate that up to a fifth of the population of 26,000 are illegal immigrants, the authorities have long asked about immigration status, so “this doesn’t change things at all,” according to Arthur O’Keefe, the deputy police chief. But in Freehold, where a lawsuit recently ended attempts by borough officials to fine day laborers, a new police chief, on the job for only seven weeks, said he was still trying to divine what Ms. Milgram’s instructions actually meant.

“I’m not sure how we’re going to go about enacting it on the local level,” said the chief, Mitchell E. Roth, adding that his 34 full-time officers do not routinely ask about immigration status. “We have special-interest groups. We have to be very diplomatic.”

[ EDIT ] Diplomatic my Southern a$$ — these Illegals aren’t diplomatic when it comes to killing natural-born Americans on our streets — C’MON COPS — WAKE THE HELL UP AND DO YOUR DAMN JOBS OF “TO PROTECT AND SERVE”!

Arrest of an Illegal Immigrant in a brutal triple homicide here this month

8/21/2007

Foreclosures Rising Rapidly — When Will It Stop?

By John W. Schoen - Senior Producer - MSNBC

With fresh data showing home foreclosures on the rise, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are considering various measures to restore a mortgage market now in disarray. Some are suggesting that lenders and borrowers involved in the risky loans that are now going bad should simply suffer the consequences. But supporters of more aggressive measures argue that the government may need to step in before the current mortgage mayhem threatens the wider economy.

U.S. foreclosures continued to rise in July – up 9 percent from June and up 93 percent from a year ago, according to the latest monthly numbers tracked by RealtyTrac, an a Web site that tracks foreclosed properties. Nearly 180,000 fillings – including default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported during the month. That means that one in every 693 U.S. households was hit with foreclosure in July.

Like everything else involving real estate, the impact of the mortgage mess and the ongoing wave of foreclosures has been felt unevenly across the country. Much of the damage has occurred in the states like California and Florida where the housing boom – combined with rampant speculation and easy-money lending – grew the fastest.

Other hard hit states such as Michigan were already battered by weak economic conditions before the recent credit storm hit. Detroit posted a 70 percent month-over-month increase in foreclosures in July, pushing the city’s foreclosure rate to one filing for every 97 households — more than seven times the national average.

Congress seeks to halt rising foreclosures

8/20/2007

Fed may have to cut federal funds rate

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — U.S. credit markets remained extremely fragile Monday, and observers said the Federal Reserve may have to lower its federal funds target rate to inject permanent liquidity into the market and provide investors with more assurances that the central bank will act to keep the economy growing.

Yields on short-term Treasurys plunged on Monday, evidence that fund mangers were parking their cash in the safest and most liquid assets rather than risk them in any asset backed by mortgages or even in the normally sedate commercial paper market.

The yield on the three-month Treasury fell more than a full percentage point at one point, finishing at 3.09%, down 66 basis points on the day and down about 150 basis points in a week. It was the largest decline since the day the market crashed in 1987. See Bond Report.

“The psychotic atmosphere that has gripped the financial markets recently remains in place,” said Tony Crescenzi, chief bond market strategist for Miller Tabak & Co.

“The extraordinary declines in the bills’ rates show the need for liquidity injections, of the permanent type,” Crescenzi said. “The Fed may have to act” to cut its federal funds rate, not just the discount window rate that it lowered on Friday in an emergency move. Read more about Friday’s cut.

Yields on asset-backed commercial paper continued to inch higher on Monday and are now about 80 basis points higher than the least-risky commercial paper, Crescenzi said.

“The theme in short-dated corporate debt remains limited liquidity for second-tier credit borrowers and obligations beyond two-weeks,” wrote David Ader, a bond strategist for RBS Greenwich Capital.

Tell Companies To Stop Price-Gouging American Consumers

7/12/2007

House waves the white flag: April 2008 pullout date from Iraq

And Al Qaeda is celebrating. GREAT move, guys. I wonder if the democrats will be able to connect the dots THEN, when Al Qaeda follows us home.
clipped from michellemalkin.com

By a vote of 223-201, the House of Representatives passed a surrender timetable that culminates in an April 1, 2008 withdrawal. How appropriate. It’ll be vetoed, but don’t think our enemies aren’t hearing the defeatist message from the House loud and clear.

AP

  blog it

Ed Morrissey has John Shadegg’s speech in opposition to the bill. He talked about how it doesn’t define terms, how it’s a political tool to whip the president and beat nervous Congressmen into submission.

this bill is about beating up on the President and about scaring nervous Members of Congress.

That’s what it’s turned into, you know…it’s not much of a political process or even ‘representative government’ when legislation is used to intimidate people.


It’s Time To Move On linked with It’s Time To Move On

5/22/2006

Take action on the Amnesty Bill

The disastrous amnesty bill is ready for a “vote” from the Senate, and if we do not strenuously object, S. 2611 will pass this week. The repurcussions of its passing would horribly change the demographics of our country to begin an even steeper slide down the slippery slope of: more crime, more visible signs of a growing drug culture, and worse; bringing third world poverty HERE. Every thinking American should run to the phone phone, fax, or visit their United States Senators to vehemently oppose this dangerous legislation.

The Senate will try to convince us, just as our President has, that this is not amnesty, it’s just a “guest worker program” with provisions for a quick path to citizenship; but don’t be fooled. They are giving away our country to people who do not care about the United States; some of those who were demonstrating actually HATE the United States and fly the Mexican Flag instead of the American flag. These people have not paid their dues; they have not earned this free ride on the coattails of American taxpayers.

The only legislation that makes sense, if we are to remain an educated and prosperous and freedom-loving people, is the “enforcement only” bill from the House of Representatives.

From the American Daughter:

The votes on the floor of the Senate are convoluted. What is actually needed today is a NO vote on cloture for S. 2611 to allow continued discussion and prevent it from going to a vote. If you have the time and can make the effort, follow all the tricky amendments on the scorecard at

NumbersUSA

Otherwise, just find the phone numbers for your Senators here and tell them how deeply concerned you are on this issue and you urge them to oppose S. 2611.

Tip o’ me tam to the American Daughter

11/10/2005

Online freedom of speech act threatens bloggers

Filed under: Bills & Legislation , Blogosphere , General @ 6:49 pm

From the Online Coalition:

You haven’t heard from us in a few months – but we’ve been working hard to protect your freedom to speak online. And now we need your help.

Right now – there are TWO bills in Congress that will affect bloggers – one good, one bad. The bill that deserves our support is HR 1606 – The Online Freedom of Speech Act.

The other bill – HR 4194 – is a substitute offered by those most interested in regulating the internet. Its supporters are engaged in an aggressive campaign to pass this legislation in Congress, in an effort to muddy the waters and distract Congress from passing real protections for bloggers. They’re so terrified of your freedom to speak your mind that they’ve actually compared giving freedom to bloggers to the scandal involving Scooter Libby in the White House. No, we’re not making that up.


Read the whole thing.

Then, pick up a pen. Write your congressmen. Put a notice on your blog, send e-mails to friends letting them know. This form of expression that we love will change –and not for the better. If you really value the First Amendment, do this now!!!!

Tim o’ me tam to GM Roper

7/27/2005

Preservation of San Diego’s Memorial Cross Supported by Voters

This just in from KESQ NewsChannel 3 and other sources:

SAN DIEGO San Diego voters have approved a ballot measure aimed at keeping a 29-foot cross erected to honor Korean War veterans at its location on a city-owned hilltop.

A judge ruled that the measure needed two-thirds of the vote to pass. With 68 percent of precincts reporting, more than three out of four voters favored the transfer.

The Mount Soledad cross has been the subject of a 15-year legal battle over whether the cross’ presence on city-owned parkland violated the separation of church and state.

The measure, which could face a court challenge, aimed to preserve the cross by transfering the cross and surrounding land to the U-S Interior Department as a national veterans memorial.

Roger Hedgecock, who is based in San Diego and is filling in for Rush Limbaugh today, reported that 76% of voters supported the measure.

Is this a small victory for Christianity in America, that, through the likes of the ACLU, has been thrust from the public square for years? We’ll see… there is cause to be a little optimistic. I do expect a furious battle, though.

Mt. Soledad Cross, San Diego
Photo courtesy of the San Diego Union Tribune

Cross-posted at TMH’s Bacon Bits

7/1/2005

CAFTA approved by the Senate

Filed under: Bills & Legislation , General , NWO @ 5:09 am

This is very disheartening news, considering our already existing borders problem.

June 30 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. Senate approved the Central American Free Trade Agreement today by a vote of 54-45, clearing the second to last hurdle to implementation. The House of Representatives is planning its vote for sometime after July 11.

Today’s vote is the smallest margin for a trade agreement in the normally pro-trade Senate since at least 1993 when senators approved the North American Free Trade Agreement 61-38.

And why is that? That’s because NAFTA has already brought disastrous results, these people think that CAFTA is going to IMPROVE the situation? CAFTA is a “free” trade agreement that includes the United States, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica. The Dominican Republic may also be added to the group. Negotiations for CAFTA were complete in December and January. CAFTA is modeled after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA has been a disaster for small farmers and working people in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, family farms foreclosed, and public interest laws overturned or challenged in secret NAFTA courts. Despite this dismal record, the Bush administration is seeking to expand NAFTA to Central America and the rest of the Western Hemisphere.

From the beginning of CAFTA negotiations, the Bush administration has been clear that completion of CAFTA is crucial to move the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations forward faster, by adding extra pressure to countries like Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina to either accede to U.S. demands, or be left out. CAFTA is NAFTA extended to Central America.

Here is more information on stopping CAFTA.

For people who don’t know what kind of havoc CAFTA is going to rain on us, here are some points worth considering:

* Have negative effects on workers, small farmers, and immigrant communities in the United States;

We know that poor communities in the United States are most harmed by the corrosive effects of free trade. We know that free trade leads to massive job loss in the U.S. as corporations continue to outsource and move factories to countries with the cheapest wages. Unions in the U.S. have opposed CAFTA and the FTAA because of the effects that these agreements have on workers. We know that the loss of family farms in the U.S. has accelerated under liberalized trade rules since 1994. Family farm associations in the U.S. oppose CAFTA precisely because it furthers the same damaging policies.

* Bankrupt millions of small farmers and deprive the people of Central America and the Dominican Republic of the ability to grow their own food;

We know that in the past 10 years 1.5 million small farmers in Mexico have lost their land, as dumping from large multinationals have depressed prices of corn and other grains. And yet, the price of food has not gone down. Indeed, the same multinationals that use their market dominance to lower corn prices own controlling interests in companies such as Maseca that overcharge for corn based products such as tortillas. While the price of food has gone up in Mexico, the country has become a net importer of food and grains.

* Destroy small businesses, making them prey to large national and transnational corporations;

We know that in just the first three years after NAFTA went into effect that twenty-eight thousand small businesses were forced to close in Mexico. The “Walmartization” of the Mexican economy continues; Wal-Mart is currently the largest private employer in Mexico. As a result of the closing of small businesses unemployment and poverty have increased. Indeed, the minimum wage in Mexico has fallen 25% since NAFTA was implemented.

* Particularly hurt women who endure poverty wages and abusive treatment in the maquila sectors;

We know that in the maquila sector of Central America and the Dominican Republic women are consistently the targets of sexual abuse, humiliation, and are denied access to basic health services. We know that wages are so low, they rarely meet mandatory minimums in each country. We know that when women attempt to organize to defend their rights, they are fired. We know that CAFTA contains no provision that will ameliorate this situation, and will in fact remove what limited mechanisms currently exist under U.S. General System of Preferences trade law to address the ongoing crisis. We know that in 10 years since NAFTA passed, women in Mexico have faced the same situation, and that the supposedly stronger labor provisions in NAFTA?s labor side agreement have never been enforced.

* Accelerate the privatization of essential public services, making those resources and services unaffordable;

We know that access to essential services is determined by the price of those services and the availability of infrastructure to deliver them. We know that following years of forced privatization in Central America and the Dominican Republic, prices have gone up, and infrastructure continues to deteriorate. We know that, under CAFTA, additional service sectors such as water and health will be opened further to privatization. We know that life is not possible without access to water, and we do not accept that proposition that health care should only be available to those who can afford it. We know that there is not single example of privatization in Central America or the Dominican Republic that resulted in expanded access to essential services.

* Increase emigration to the United States of people who can not make a living in their home countries;

We know that migration from Mexico doubled in the period from 1994-2000. This sad reality is the direct result of liberalization policies that have destroyed large segments of the rural economy and small businesses. We know that in Central America and the Dominican Republic there is already a crisis of unemployment that has resulted from liberalization policies, and that CAFTA will make these harmful policies permanent.

* Subject natural resources and the very seeds used to plant food to patents by large foreign companies;

We know that Central America is one of the most deforested regions in the world. We know that mining companies pollute ground water, and destroy ecosystems and livelihoods in Central America and the Dominican Republic with impunity already. We know that the genetic heritage of domestic seed strains in the region are already under attack through official seed exchange, and other U.S. supported programs. We know that the further extension of patent rights to natural resources will reduce the access of Central Americans and Dominicans to the most fundamental building blocks of sustainable community life.

* Prevent the Central American countries and the Dominican Republic from forming industrial policies that would lead to real development.

Under CAFTA, governments cannot require investors to use a certain level of domestic content (of locally produced raw materials) in the goods produced in their countries or require investors to transfer technology or productions processes to local citizens. Because of these and other measures, the Central American countries and the Dominican Republic, under CAFTA, would be destined to remain at on the bottom rung of the development ladder.

* Cripple the ability of Governments to insist on national health, safety, environmental and labor protections for our citizens.

We know that in the ten years since NAFTA went into effect that corporations have challenged the enforcement of existing laws and/or the implementation of new public interest laws 30 times under NAFTA?s infamous Chapter 11 investment provisions. We know that the trade panels that review these cases are not accountable to the public. We know that CAFTA contains the same provisions that would allow companies to challenge public interest laws by seeking damages should these laws be enforced. We know that CAFTA actually expands the definition of investment even more broadly, thus ensuring many more cases.

* Restrict access to affordable medicines for those who need them most.

We know that Central America is one of the impoverished regions in the world and that access to basic medicines is essential for survival. We know that U.S. pharmaceutical companies constitute the most profitable sector of the U.S. economy ? under current trade rules. We know that CAFTA will restrict access to generic medicines by forcing governments to recognize and extend patent rights to U.S. pharmaceutical companies beyond those requirements already in place through the World Trade Organization. We know that exceptions granted to impoverished countries under WTO intellectual property rights rules will be superceded by CAFTA for Central American countries and the Dominican Republic. We know that prices for medicines will increase as a result, and thus access to basic medicines will be reduced. We know that many more people will die from preventable diseases as a result.

We ask that all members of Congress recognize the potential devastation that CAFTA holds in store for the people of Central America and the Dominican Republic. We ask that all members of Congress recognize that the further loss of jobs and small farms in the United States that will result from CAFTA is further proof of a failed trade policy agenda. We ask all members of Congress to recognize that the further expansion of rights to transnational corporations is not a path to development for Central America or the Dominican Republic, and erodes the very basis of democracy for all of us. Before we can move forward in a positive direction, with trade policies that address the vast disparities between the United States and the other countries included in CAFTA, Congress must vote “No” on CAFTA.


dime95 linked with CAFTA Bill passes in Senate

6/30/2005

ACLU, SCOTUS, and Our Religious Heritage

Gribbit of STOP THE ACLU posted today on this article by Lee Ellis (a retired journalist and a former vice president of both CBS and Gannet), which was published on 29 June 2005 at ChronWatch.com. In the wake of the recent, perplexing decisions by the Supreme Court with regard to the Ten Commandments, I chose to again approach this important issue of religious freedom in America. Here, I highlight what I felt were the core paragraphs from Ellis’ article:

A few days ago, the majority of the Supreme Court ruled as if it were using the Constitution of France instead of the Constitution of the USA. The French Constitution states that its nation is a secular one, while our Constitution states that we are a nation under God. One would not know this if the majority of the Supreme Court today is to be believed

The framers of the Constitution wanted to ensure that all Americans could worship freely, without religious persecution. So they prohibited the federal government from ‘establishing a religion’ and equally prohibiting it from ‘interfering with the people’s free expression of their religion.’

Now the Socialist movement, the ACLU, and other liberal organizations (some with “Mom and Apple Pie” names to fool its readers, its fiscal donators and the country) have been partly successful in its efforts to drive the Judeo-Christian religion out America. The secularists have not failed in making most of Europe and Canada almost wholly secular and they are working hard to do this to America.

How?

They have crammed our courts with liberal legislative judges as replacements for Constitutional judges, and now their representatives in Congress have filibustered to keep President Bush from appointing a majority of Constitutional federal judges. Finally, the ACLU has tried to eliminate any mention of “GOD” from all public places. I don’t think that the word, “God” is a symbol of any one particular denomination or denotes any one specific religion, do you? So why do they act as if it does?

Apparently, the ACLU has forgotten that the founders were only afraid of a federally-owned religion ruled by a King or a President, not by free religious bodies governed by themselves. [emphasis mine]

In addition, the secularists have convinced enough people that they cannot offend any minority; they must all be “politically correct.” They accuse the majority of “trampling” on minority rights. What about the rights of the religious majority? Is not the minority trampling on those? Do the atheists not offend those who believe in God when they try to eliminate Judeo-Christian religious symbols from all public arenas?

One of the most important causes for the Bush Administration and American voters is to get Congress to accept only Federal judges who believe in and will rule upon and in light of what is actually written in the Constitution of America, not that of France, nor any other document, nor of a personal letter written by an individual—whether he is Thomas Jefferson or not.

There is another thing that Americans can do to take back our religious heritage from the likes of the ACLU. Legislation is now before Congress that, if passed, could severely limit the ACLU’s ability to erode our nation’s Christian heritage. Look into the Public Expression of Religion Act (PERA) of 2005 — House bill HR 2679. If this bill is passed and signed by the President, PERA would eliminate the awarding of federal taxpayer funds to the attorneys for plaintiffs in Establishment Clause challenges to the 1st Amendment. These cases are taken by the ACLU (and others) pro bono for the express purpose of gaining these federal funds.

If the awarding of federal funding is removed, the number of these lawsuits which lead to the removal of our public expression freedoms might decrease. Regardless, if the ACLU and other organizations are so devoted to these causes, they should prosecute them with their own funds, not at taxpayer expense.


Here’s how you can support the passage of HR 2679:

1) Sign the petition to get the ACLU off of the taxpayer’s dole.
2) Write, call, and email your Congressman and Senators urging passage of this important legislation.



3) Join the Stop The ACLU Blogburst, every Thursday at a right-minded blog near you.

This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst! If you would like to join, it is very simple.
Go to our new portal at Protest The ACLU , click where it says “sign up now”, and fill out a simple form. This will enable us to send you a weekly newsletter with information, and keep your email private. Current members who have not registered, please do so. There are additional advantages and features that will be available for you there…You can opt to use them, or not. Thank you!

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We are trying to raise money for full page ads and eventually commercials exposing the ACLU’s radical agenda. Help us out! Buy a bumper sticker!
Click Below To See Our Store!

Originally posted at TMH’s Bacon Bits

NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.


bupropion linked with bupropion
cheap-cruise linked with cheap-cruise
TMH’s Bacon Bits linked with ACLU, SCOTUS, and Our Religious Heritage

6/1/2005

ACLU and Religion: Only If It Feels Good

Filed under: ACLU , Bills & Legislation , General , The Maryhunter @ 8:21 pm

This week’s STOP THE ACLU Blogburst is a free-for-all on what we dislike most about the ACLU. I thought I’d take a second glance at some rather interesting news I saw recently about that organization famous for practicing selective civil rights with impunity. Apparently the Florida branch of the ACLU is assembling a diverse collection of religious leaders in the hopes of getting some friendly advice on improving their image, as reported in this 20 May 2005 article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The ACLU, which by all accounts has a pretty clear message of abject hatred for public expressions of religion in general and Christianity in particular, hopes that their panel of religious (including but not limited to a rabbi, a United Methodist elder, a Baptist minister, and religious studies faculty) will help to “soften the image” of the ACLU and assist in crafting positions on issues ranging from school vouchers to religious practices in public schools and gay marriage.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, things seem to be off to an interesting start:

In their first, wide-ranging meeting in Miami on Thursday [19 May 2005], Howard [Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida] and other state ACLU officials spoke to religious leaders on the teaching of creationism in classes and on right-to-die issues, highlighting the varying opinions each person had on the subjects.

Florida ACLU President Jeanne Baker said creationism should not be taught in science in public schools. The Rev. James R. Summers of Northwest Baptist Church in Miami said creationism should not be excluded from the curriculum solely because of its religious foundation.

“I reject the notion that there’s more evidence for evolution than for creationism,” Summers said. “I have no problem with teaching evolution, but I do have a problem with expunging creationism from the curriculum.”

In fairness, I should point out that Mr. Simon also was quoted in the Sun-Sentinel story thus: “The ACLU is hostile to government’s mingling with religion. We are opposed to the view that religion should be marginalized. The church has got to be the watchdog of government.”

!

Given that the ACLU is wont to violate people’s rights of religious expression in the public square, it just seems a little odd (even hypocritical?) for them to seek advice from those that they would just as soon silence. But that just might be me. I’m sure that my acquaintances who work for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State have no qualms.

If you have qualms, then know that there is hope. A bill, The Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005, has been introduced to the house.

H. R. 2679
To amend the Revised Statutes of the United States to eliminate the chilling effect on the constitutionally protected expression of religion by State and local officials that results from the threat that potential litigants may seek damages and attorney’s fees.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 26, 2005
Mr. HOSTETTLER (for himself, Mr. WAMP, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. JENKINS, Mr. PAUL, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. SODREL, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. PITTS, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. OTTER, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. POE, and Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

In the words of Jay at STOP THE ACLU (who interviewed a legislative aid of one of the bill’s co-sponsors), this is basically what the bill would do:

This bill is specifically designed towards “establishment clause” cases, and would not apply to “free exercise clause” cases. In other words, it would help curb groups like the ACLU from violating people’s right to express their religion in the public sphere. It does not stop their ability to do so, but takes your [taxpayer] money out of their hands if they do so. Furthermore, it could not be used in a case against an individual expressing their religion.

In other words, it’s a step in the right direction. Support the passage of HR 2679. Write, call, and email your Congressman and Senators urging passage of this important legislation.



Join the Stop The ACLU Blogburst, every Thursday at a right-minded blog near you.

This was a production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst! If you would like to join, it is very simple.
Go to our new portal at Protest The ACLU , click where it says “sign up now”, and fill out a simple form. This will enable us to send you a weekly newsletter with information, and keep your email private. Current members who have not registered, please do so. There are additional advantages and features that will be available for you there…You can opt to use them, or not. Thank you!

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Mr . Minority
The Lesser Of Two Evils
TMH’s Bacon Bits
RAGE
The Life And Times

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