Veritas Rex

The Heritage Foundation Links ENDA to Same-Sex Marriage

2009-11-06T08:00:00-05:00

Before the ink even dries on the Pedophile Protection Act (aka Federal Hate Crimes) self-identified GLBT groups are already pushing for the Employment Non-Disrimination Act (ENDA). The concept is fairly similar in both bills. As "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" are now federally protected classes within criminal law (thanks to the new Federal Hate Crimes law), those same groups will receive special protections in federal "anti-discrimination" law. This public policy idea is similar to that which was defeated in Goshen this year.

The Heritage Foundation (not usually the leading voice against self-identified GLBT legislation) has an in-depth analysis of ENDA in relation to it's ability to redefine marriage. Here is an excerpt:

"Proponents often argue that ENDA and similar laws at the state and local levels are focused exclusively on workplace issues, but a large body of evidence suggests that such legislation would also be viewed as, and in many cases expressly intended to be, a significant step toward redefining marriage to include homosexual unions."
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Planned Parenthood Director Chooses Life

2009-11-05T08:00:00-05:00

This is pretty amazing stuff. I welcome Planned Parenthood Directors in Indiana with open arms to the pro-life movement and hope they will follow this brave former P.P. Director's lead, step away from PP, and join us in our efforts to protect the lives of the unborn.

Government is God's Idea - Day Six

2009-11-04T08:00:00-05:00

From On Christian Citizenship, by Curt Smith

Government is God's Idea

DAY SIX

1 Timothy 2:2 calls us to pray for those in authority. It amplifies or underscores that specific act from among several reverential activities specified in the Romans 13 passage, which we just focused upon. The fact that prayer is underscored is worthy of reflection as we seek to understand our responsibilities as citizens of this realm and the heavenly realm.

In this passage Paul is sharing with his ministry student, Timothy. Much of his advice is personal and practical. But he also teaches him about being a pastor, a shepherd of the flock and a teacher of God’s word. So, as pastors, this admonition is especially directed at us.

Again notice the passage details the benefit of praying for those in authority: “...so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” But the instruction occurs in the context of Paul helping his understudy lead worship and order life in the church. This is confirmed by closely following chapters with additional teaching on the role of women and the qualifications of elders. While the benefit of prayer for those in authority is in a private life of faith made more tranquil and godly, the call is for prayer in the church by its leaders.

One wonders how the life of the church—as well the attitude of the typical churchgoer toward government—might change if we regularly prayed for those in authority over us. And what if we lifted in prayer the issues before government (the mighty matters like abortion and capital punishment as well as the more mundane matters like traffic studies supporting zoning requests and the operation of the waste water treatment plant)?

But let’s move a step beyond that. What if the church sent a card, note or an e-mail to a civil authority stating that it had prayed for a particular public servant before a visible vote or a difficult decision? If there is a consensus, the views of the congregation would be appropriate to express. But the purpose of the note is to indicate a fulfillment of this Biblical admonition, not to lobby on an issue (though we’ll see later why both are essential).

As one who regularly interacts with elected officials and their staff, from the White House to the county courthouse, I can confidently report that few folks communicate they are praying for our leaders. The President, especially in challenging times, will be a prayer focus of many congregations and pastors.

But day in and day out, we fail to lift up all our elected leaders and appointed officials, and so we realize less of the tranquility and godliness available to us through the power of prayer in the church.

It Begins: Leftist Groups Lobby FCC to Investigate "Hate Speech"

2009-11-03T16:00:00-05:00

For years conservatives have been warning that if federal hate crimes legislation would become law, non-politically correct free speech would soon be labeled "hate speech" and silenced, as has been the case in other parts of the world.

Matt Barber believes this effort has already begun. Check out his press release below:

DATE: November 3, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

It’s Begun: Liberals Invoke Specter of “Hate Crimes” to Eradicate “Hate Speech”

Cleveland, OH – Matt Barber, Director of Cultural Affairs with both Liberty Counsel and Liberty Alliance Action issued the following statement on News that the left-wing United Church of Christ (UCC) and other quasi-Christian liberal groups are calling for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to officially investigate talk radio and other conservative media outlets in an effort to “put an end” to “hate speech” and so-called “media violence:”

“One man’s principled conviction is another man’s ‘hate speech,’” said Barber. “For this reason – to protect the free exchange of ideas – our Founding Fathers gave us the First Amendment. The election of President Obama and the recent passage of so-called ‘hate crimes’ legislation has galvanized the radical homosexual lobby, the pro-amnesty crowd, the quasi-Christian left and other fringe factions. Now, more than ever, they are emboldened to silence all dissent.

“We knew it was merely a matter of time until liberals – to include the Obama administration – would begin using the euphemistic terms ‘hate crimes’ and ‘hate speech’ interchangeably. None of us thought it would happen this fast. Those of us who opposed the new ‘hate crimes’ law have charged for years that the bill’s true objective was to silence any opposition to liberal views, including principled opposition to the homosexual lifestyle and illegal immigration. Before the ink on Obama’s ‘hate crimes’ signature is even dry, we have our smoking gun. The verdict? Guilty as charged.

“Unfortunately, the UCC’s leadership is cut from the same counter-biblical, anti-American cloth as President Obama’s racist pastor Jeremiah Wright. The religious-left movement fervently pushes the doctrines of postmodern secularism – all dolled-up and tagged ‘Christian.’ They want to have their religion cake and eat it too. In order to achieve their extreme left-wing goals, they are willing to stand by – strike that – they are willing to advocate the trampling of our beloved First Amendment under jackbooted government heel.

“But I’m encouraged. Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the rest of their like-minded cohorts continue to over play their hand. Despite open attempts to “remake” America, we are not an Eastern Bloc country. We’ve defeated the cancer of Marxism before and we’ll do it again. As I believe today’s election will prove; the tide is turning. Liberty will prevail.”

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Marriage: It's Not Just For Your Grandparents

2009-11-03T13:53:09-05:00

A son of divorced parents has a very interesting take on marriage. Here is an excerpt:

"Without marriage, Generation X will miss out on the joy and fulfillment that our grandparents experienced. Studies show that married couples have happier and healthier lives, not to mention that married couples live longer and have better sex lives. Cohabitation and friends with benefits aren't enough. Statistics show that both paths lead to failed relationships."

James' story is quite inspiring...check it out.

Families Beware: House Version of Government Health Care Takeover May Be Even Worse

2009-11-03T11:54:50-05:00

Mike Fichter and our allies over at Indiana Right to Life have chronicled all the new federal bureaucracy that would come about under the House version of government run health care (Check it out after the jump). That doesn't look very family-friendly to me. I can't imagine my grandma having to cut through all of that to get adequate health care. What a nightmare.

They've also just put out a press release on "Blue-dog Democrat" Brad Ellsworth (IN District 8) undercutting a pro-life amendment to the government run health care plan in the House. Currently, the House plan would fund abortions with our tax dollars.


		New bureaucracies created by Pelosi's plan
		Too much at stake to remain silent	November 3, 2009

Contact your legislator

Capitol Switchboard

(202) 224-3121

Maximize your impact by forwarding this alert to all of your pro-life family and friends using the convenient forwarding link below.

	Greetings! Want a startling look at what Democrat leaders are preparing under nationalized health care? Here is a look at new federal bureaucracies that will be created under the Pelosi plan that will be voted on this week: 1. Retiree Reserve Trust Fund (Section 111(d), p. 61) 2. Grant program for wellness programs to small employers (Section 112, p. 62) 3. Grant program for State health access programs (Section 114, p. 72) 4. Program of administrative simplification (Section 115, p. 76) 5. Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 223, p. 111) 6. Health Choices Administration (Section 241, p. 131) 7. Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 244, p. 138) 8. Health Insurance Exchange (Section 201, p. 155) 9. Program for technical assistance to employees of small businesses buying Exchange coverage (Section 305(h), p. 191) 10. Mechanism for insurance risk pooling to be established by Health Choices Commissioner (Section 306(b), p. 194) 11. Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund (Section 307, p. 195) 12. State-based Health Insurance Exchanges (Section 308, p. 197) 13. Grant program for health insurance cooperatives (Section 310, p. 206) 14. "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 321, p. 211) 15. Ombudsman for "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 321(d), p. 213) 16. Account for receipts and disbursements for "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 322(b), p. 215) 17. Telehealth Advisory Committee (Section 1191 (b), p. 589) 18. Demonstration program providing reimbursement for "culturally and linguistically appropriate services" (Section 1222, p. 617) 19. Demonstration program for shared decision making using patient decision aids (Section 1236, p. 648) 20. Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicare (Section 1301, p. 653) 21. Independent patient-centered medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302, p. 672) 22. Community-based medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302(d), p. 681) 23. Independence at home demonstration program (Section 1312, p. 718) 24. Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (Section 1401(a), p. 734) 25. Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (Section 1401(a), p. 738) 26. Patient ombudsman for comparative effectiveness research (Section 1401(a), p. 753) 27. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1412(b) (1), p. 784) 28. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for nursing facilities (Section 1412 (b)(2), p. 786) 29. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1413(a)(3), p. 796) 30. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 1413(b)(3), p. 804) 31. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 1422, p. 859) 32. Demonstration program for approved teaching health centers with respect to Medicare GME (Section 1502(d), p. 933) 33. Pilot program to develop anti-fraud compliance systems for Medicare providers (Section 1635, p. 978) 34. Special Inspector General for the Health Insurance Exchange (Section 1647, p. 1000) 35. Medical home pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1722, p. 1058) 36. Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1730A, p. 1073) 37. Nursing facility supplemental payment program (Section 1745, p. 1106) 38. Demonstration program for Medicaid coverage to stabilize emergency medical conditions in institutions for mental diseases (Section 1787, p. 1149) 39. Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund (Section 1802, p. 1162) 40. "Identifiable office or program" within CMS to "provide for improved coordination between Medicare and Medicaid in the case of dual eligibles" (Section 1905, p. 1191) 41. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 1907, p. 1198) 42. Public Health Investment Fund (Section 2002, p. 1214) 43. Scholarships for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 1224) 44. Program for training medical residents in community-based settings (Section 2214, p. 1236) 45. Grant program for training in dentistry programs (Section 2215, p. 1240) 46. Public Health Workforce Corps (Section 2231, p. 1253) 47. Public health workforce scholarship program (Section 2231, p. 1254) 48. Public health workforce loan forgiveness program (Section 2231, p. 1258) 49. Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p. 1272) 50. Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 1275) 51. Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 1286) 52. Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1295) 53. Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1301) 54. Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 1305) 55. Grant program for research and demonstration projects related to wellness incentives (Section 2301, p. 1305) 56. Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 1308) 57. Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 1313) 58. Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 1322) 59. Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 1330) 60. Grant program to support the operation of school- based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 1352) 61. Grant program for nurse-managed health centers (Section 2512, p. 1361) 62. Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2521, p. 1372) 63. Grant program for interdisciplinary mental and behavioral health training (Section 2522, p. 1382) 64. "No Child Left Unimmunized Against Influenza" demonstration grant program (Section 2524, p. 1391) 65. Healthy Teen Initiative grant program regarding teen pregnancy (Section 2526, p. 1398) 66. Grant program for interdisciplinary training, education, and services for individuals with autism (Section 2527(a), p. 1402) 67. University centers for excellence in developmental disabilities education (Section 2527(b), p. 1410) 68. Grant program to implement medication therapy management services (Section 2528, p. 1412) 69. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors in underserved communities (Section 2530, p. 1422) 70. Grant program for State alternative medical liability laws (Section 2531, p. 1431) 71. Grant program to develop infant mortality programs (Section 2532, p. 1433) 72. Grant program to prepare secondary school students for careers in health professions (Section 2533, p. 1437) 73. Grant program for community-based collaborative care (Section 2534, p. 1440) 74. Grant program for community-based overweight and obesity prevention (Section 2535, p. 1457) 75. Grant program for reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in primary and secondary schools (Section 2536, p. 1462) 76. Demonstration project of grants to medical-legal partnerships (Section 2537, p. 1464) 77. Center for Emergency Care under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (Section 2552, p. 1478) 78. Council for Emergency Care (Section 2552, p 1479) 79. Grant program to support demonstration programs that design and implement regionalized emergency care systems (Section 2553, p. 1480) 80. Grant program to assist veterans who wish to become emergency medical technicians upon discharge (Section 2554, p. 1487) 81. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 2562, p. 1494) 82. National Medical Device Registry (Section 2571, p. 1501) 83. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 2581, p. 1597) 84. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 2581, p. 1598) 85. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 2581, p. 1602) 86. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1610) 87. National Women's Health Information Center (Section 2588, p. 1611) 88. Centers for Disease Control Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1614) 89. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women's Health and Gender-Based Research (Section 2588, p. 1617) 90. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1618) 91. Food and Drug Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1621) 92. Personal Care Attendant Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 2589(a)(2), p. 1624) 93. Grant program for national health workforce online training (Section 2591, p. 1629) 94. Grant program to disseminate best practices on implementing health workforce investment programs (Section 2591, p. 1632) 95. Demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (Section 3101, p. 1717) 96. Demonstration program for substance abuse counselor educational curricula (Section 3101, p. 1719) 97. Program of Indian community education on mental illness (Section 3101, p. 1722) 98. Intergovernmental Task Force on Indian environmental and nuclear hazards (Section 3101, p. 1754) 99. Office of Indian Men's Health (Section 3101, p. 1765) 100. Indian Health facilities appropriation advisory board (Section 3101, p. 1774) 101. Indian Health facilities needs assessment workgroup (Section 3101, p. 1775) 102. Indian Health Service tribal facilities joint venture demonstration projects (Section 3101, p. 1809) 103. Urban youth treatment center demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1873) 104. Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for diabetes prevention (Section 3101, p. 1874) 105. Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for health IT adoption (Section 3101, p. 1877) 106. Mental health technician training program (Section 3101, p. 1898) 107. Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1909) 108. Program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims and perpetrators (Section 3101, p. 1925) 109. Program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (Section 3101, p. 1927) 110. Native American Health and Wellness Foundation (Section 3103, p. 1966) 111. Committee for the Establishment of the Native American Health and Wellness Foundation (Section 3103, p. 1968) Even if you have already called and written your congressman about the health care bills, it is critical that you call again now. For guidance on how to make your call, go to the NRLC Legislative Action Center · Rep. Dan Burton (202) 225-2276 · Rep. Steve Buyer (202) 225-5037 · Rep. Andre Carson (202) 225-4011 · Rep. Joe Donelly (202) 225-3915 · Rep. Brad Ellsworth (202) 225-4636 · Rep. Baron Hill (202) 225-5315 · Rep. Mike Pence (202) 225-3021 · Rep. Mark Souder (202) 225-4436 · Rep. Peter Visclosky (202) 225-2461

:: mikefichter@protectinglife.com

:: http://www.protectinglife.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Cathie Humbarger, Communications Director 260-615-1961

November 3, 2009

Congressman Ellsworth undercutting pro-life Stupak amendment with cosmetic language that leaves abortion mandates in place

Indianapolis, IN - Indiana Right to Life today is deeply concerned over reports in today's Congress Daily AM (a subscription-only publication of the National Journal) from Washington that cosmetic language presented by Indiana eight district congressman Brad Ellsworth is undercutting a crucial pro-life amendment offered by Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan.

While the Stupak amendment would remove abortion funding mandates from the House healthcare reform bill, the Ellsworth language does nothing to eliminate federal abortion mandates in the health bill being pushed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Indiana Right to Life is calling on Rep. Ellsworth to immediately withdraw his language and to throw his full support to the Stupak amendment.

"Congressman Ellsworth is undercutting the Stupak amendment," states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter. "If he does not withdraw his language and get solidly behind Stupak, the result could be that he will give Speaker Pelosi all of the window dressing she will need to make it look like abortion problems with the bill have been fixed. We do not believe that Congressman Ellsworth wants to be known as the man who put Speaker Pelosi's agenda over the top, but the only way to prevent that now is to withdraw his cosmetic language."

NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson commented, "We are dismayed that Mr. Ellsworth yesterday apparently proposed language that in substance will allow the new federal government insurance program, the 'public option,' to pay for abortion on demand. The pro-abortion House Democratic leadership is using Ellworth's phony language to undercut the real pro-life amendment, which is the amendment proposed by Reps. Bart Stupak and Joe Pitts . The Ellsworth language is the legislative equivalent of putting pancake makeup on a cancer, rather than performing lifesaving surgery."

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Indiana Right to Life's mission is to protect the right to life, especially of unborn children, through positive education, compassionate advocacy, and promotion of healthy alternatives to abortion.
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