Saturday, July 6, 2013

#571 (7/6) "Syrian Christians in the Crosshairs,"

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

July 4 - Egypt Facing Civil War? - PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.

July 4 - Texas To Vote On Major Pro-Life Bill Next Week - PRAY that the Texas House will finally vote to approve a bill  (which the Governor is ready to sign) that will, among other things, make illegal abortions before the 20th week (when babies are discovered to first feel pain) and which  will regulate abortion clinics just as any other medical facilities are. PRAY that the passage of this law will spur other such laws throughout the country and eventually be made into a federal law.

American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org

UPDATE: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com;  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.

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"Syrian Christians in the Crosshairs," - Arming Jihadis, by \
Eric Metaxas - Break[oint.orgJuly 3, 2013


On June 23, Francois Murad, a Franciscan priest, and two of his assistants were beheaded by Jabhat al-Nusra, an al Qaeda affiliate in Syria. The killings took place less than two weeks after members of the Syrian Free Army, the main opposition force in that country’s civil war, massacred dozens of Christians in a village near Deir el-Zour.

Both atrocities coincided with reports that, after resisting pressure to do so, President Obama had decided to arm Syrian rebels. We’ve said on BreakPoint why this is a bad idea. Sadly, our leaders – both liberals and conservatives – have not gotten the message.

To understand why this is a bad idea, a short history lesson is in order. Syria, like its neighbors Lebanon and Iraq, was created by French and British diplomats from the remains of the Ottoman Empire. The borders were more influenced by how much diplomats had to drink than by demographic and religious facts on the ground.

Thus, countries like Syria and Lebanon became condominiums of sorts, containing many different religious and ethnic groups who had little in common and even less desire to share a nation.

Syria, for instance, is 74 percent Sunni, and 13 percent Shia – most of whom are Alawites, an esoteric sect whom most Sunnis don’t regard as real Muslims. That leaves 10 percent Christian, and 3 percent Druze, a group even more esoteric than the Alawites.

Then there’s ethnicity. Ten percent of Syrians are non-Arabs: Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians and Turks.

Since Independence,  Syria has been held together by  a series of proverbial “strongmen,” nearly all of whom were the products of its military and who were secular in their orientation. The most important of these “strongmen” was Hafez al-Assad, the father of the current president, Bashar al-Assad. 
It was Assad who elevated the minority Alawites to their outsized position of influence. Not coincidentally, it was Assad who declared war on Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.

Given Syria’s history, it was almost inevitable that any large-scale uprising against al-Assad would eventually take the form of sectarian conflict, just as occurred in Lebanon and Iraq. The 13 percent cannot rule the 74 percent indefinitely without creating some resentment, especially when many of the 74 percent regard their rulers as heretics.

Equally inevitable was that Christians, as a relatively small and  unarmed minority, would be targeted.

Given these facts, American intervention should be, if nothing else, guided by the maxim “First, do no harm.” Arming the side that massacres Christians doesn’t meet that standard.

Pretending that we can somehow keep Islamist ideology from playing an outsized role in the Syrian opposition is culpable fantasy. Since 1979, Islamism has been just about the only alternative to the rule of strongmen in the Middle East. Even when non-Islamists have taken power, such as in Tunisia and even Iraq, sectarian concerns have dominated the debate.

This debate leaves little, if any, room for the region’s Christians. Why anyone expects Syria to be different is beyond my comprehension.

Fortunately, there is still time to tell our leaders that we want no part in Syria’s sectarian conflict. We can urge them to be generous with humanitarian assistance but to refrain from making matters worse. Let’s pray that they get the message this time.
Next Steps
The first step in addressing the Syrian crisis is to pray--PRAY for a spiritual transformation in hearts and pray for the safety of Christians in Syria. 

The American public needs to know that Christians are being murdered. Talk to your pastors and link them to this BreakPoint commentary so they can learn more about this situation. Post the link on Facebook and Twitter. Your government representatives need to hear from you on this issue, too. Get informed, and then spread the word.
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Friday, July 5, 2013

#570 (7/5) "Q&A on Egypt"; "Egypt: Morsi [Was Not] A Democratic Leader"

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

July 4 - Egypt Facing Civil War? - PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.

July 4 - Texas To Vote On Major Pro-Life Bill Next Week - PRAY that the Texas House will finally vote to approve a bill  (which the Governor is ready to sign) that will, among other things, make illegal abortions before the 20th week (when babies are discovered to first feel pain) and which  will regulate abortion clinics just as any other medical facilities are. PRAY that the passage of this law will spur other such laws throughout the country and eventually be made into a federal law.

American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org

UPDATE: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com;  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.

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"Q& A on Egypt" - by James Carafano On July 3, 2013 

Heritage expert James Jay Carafano, vice president of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies and the E. W. Richardson Fellow, gives his answers to questions about the turmoil in Egypt.

Q. Is President Mohamed Morsi’s downfall a blow to democracy in the Middle East?
A. No, far from it. Morsi was a wannabe sectarian Mubarak. His primary interest was in solidifying the Muslim Brotherhood’s control of Egypt. He embarked on a policy of silencing dissenting voices, free speech, and human rights [1].

 Q. Why did the people rise up in protest?
A. Morsi failed to deliver on resolving the key issue raised in the Egyptian Arab Spring: the country’s utter lack of significant economic freedoms [2]. The economy of Egypt is in shambles.

Q. Did the U.S. government do the right thing?
A. No, the Administration merely rubber stamped Morsi’s election, mistakenly equating the Middle East practice of “one vote, one time” with the exercise of democracy. The U.S. needs to press the case that any legitimate Egyptian government needs to deliver on the promise of human rights and economic freedom.

Q. Where does Egypt go from here?
A. Hard to say. The opposition was only unified in its hate of Morsi. There is no agreement on the way forward, and the Muslim Brotherhood is still the most well-organized political force in the country.

Q. What does this mean for Islamic extremism and stability in the Middle East?
A. Certainly, this is a blow to the Muslim brotherhood. But al-Qaeda and its franchises, as we have seen in other countries from Iraq to Libya, thrive on instability. Further, the instability in Egypt complicates and distracts from Syria. Turkey is also undergoing a round of political disruption. If anything, this highlights the limits of President Obama’s notion [3] that he can pivot to Asia and ignore other areas of vital interest to the U.S. His lack of realism coupled with reductions in U.S. military forces and the other instruments of national power leave the U.S. looking weak and ineffective.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]
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Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/03/qa-on-egypt/

URLs in this post:
[1] silencing dissenting voices, free speech, and human rights: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/03/egypt-morsi-regime-shaken-by-massive-protests-and-army-ultimatum/
[2] utter lack of significant economic freedoms: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/02/egypt-protests-one-reason-for-the-unrest/
[3] the limits of President Obama’s notion: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/03/egypt-marines-on-standby/

Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.

"UPDATED | Egypt: Morsi Is Not a Democratic Leader," by Charlotte Florance On July 3, 2013 

 UPDATED: It’s official. Mohamed Morsi is now the former president of Egypt.

Egypt’s top military commander, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, announced that Morsi is out, and the chief justice of the constitutional court is in as interim president. New elections will be held, the commander promised, but he didn’t say when.

Democracy lovers need not shed many tears over the apparent coup. Morsi was no defender of democratic rights. Indeed, the current crisis in Egypt arose because he consistently ignored the will of the people while ramming through his Islamist agenda. While Morsi tried desperately to preserve his own power within the current system, he failed to safeguard the rights of ALL Egyptians. Morsi’s attempt to equate his “legitimacy [2]” with “democracy” was a very tough sell for most Egyptians.

Over the last three days, anti-Morsi protestors have flooded Egyptian streets. The news feeds were reminiscent of the anti-Mubarak protests in 2011. Democratic change that many hoped for in early 2011 still has not swept through Egypt. Not only have the huge crowds of protestors rejected Morsi’s claim to democratic legitimacy, but many foreign Arabs have recognized [3] that Morsi “failed spectacularly” to build accountable institutions that merit continued popular support. The Egyptian protests show how badly Morsi underestimated the Egyptian appetite for real democratic change.

[bold and italics  emphasis mine]
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Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/03/egypt-morsi-is-not-a-democratic-leader/

URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://blog.heritage.org/wp-content/uploads/egypt-muslim-brotherhood.jpg
[2] legitimacy: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/07/201372233516913164.html
[3] recognized: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Columnist/2013/Jul-03/222326-the-battle-for-egypts-future-continues.ashx#axzz2XyPsk39L

Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Thursday, July 4, 2013

#569 (7/4) Happy Independence Day! - The Constitution; THE Declaration, The SCourt; 4th Funnies

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

July 4 - Egypt Facing Civil War? - PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.

July 4 - Texas To Vote On Major Pro-Life Bill Next Week - PRAY that the Texas House will finally vote to approve a bill  (which the Governor is ready to sign) that will, among other things, make illegal abortions before the 20th week (when babies are discovered to first feel pain) and which  will regulate abortion clinics just as any other medical facilities are. PRAY that the passage of this law will spur other such laws throughout the country and eventually be made into a federal law.

American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org

UPDATE: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com;  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.

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  Newscom
"A Constitution for the 21st Century," -  By Rich Tucke, June 18, 2013 

 Newscom [1]

 Economists often point to the “wisdom of crowds [2]”—the idea that a group of people is likely to make better decisions that an individual will. Then again, your mother probably taught you the importance of individualism when she admonished you that “if everyone else jumps off a bridge, would you do it, too?”

 In this case, the Constitution favors your mother’s view.

 In a recent series on PBS, Peter Sagal set out to determine [3] how the Constitution applies to modern American life. As part of the final installment, Sagal journeyed far beyond our borders to Iceland, where citizens are drafting a new, “crowd-sourced” constitution. Sagal wonders, “Is our Constitution up to the challenges of the 21st century?” After all, “national constitutions are like cars. After enough wear-and-tear they can break down.” That’s certainly true for most constitutions. Law professor Mila Versteeg has read every national constitution drafted since World War II and found they are rewritten, on average [4], every 19 years. Some cars do indeed last longer than that.

 But the beauty of the American Constitution is that it predates automobiles and many other modern conveniences. Today’s governing documents read like a laundry list of “rights” the government is required to “give” to you. South Africa’s constitution [5] guarantees a “right” to “adequate housing,” “reproductive health care,” and “to receive education in the official language or languages of their choice in public educational institutions where that education is reasonably practicable.”

 In contrast, our Constitution simply sets out a framework for a free people to confront the political questions of their times. As Heritage’s David Azerrad puts it [6],

 "Its words and principles, anchored in the Declaration of Independence, categorically rule out certain laws—e.g., bills of attainder—and create a system of checks and balance between different levels of government. But within the confines of these restrictions and delineations, it leaves the people free to deliberate via their elected representatives on the questions and problems of the day.'' Its simplicity was a stroke of genius [7]. As Sagal later admits, it has lasted for so long because it is brief and allows for occasional “repairs” through amendments.

 Of course, there are a few parting shots at the Constitution during this episode. Former Representative Barney Frank (D–MA) tells Sagal that the entire system is weighted toward inaction. But commentator P. J. O’Rourke counters that that’s a feature, not a bug: “Tyranny was more worrisome to the Framers than legislative deadlock.” They wanted it to be difficult to enact national laws, because that would leave most power in the states.

 It would be impossible to write a limited constitution today. Every interest group under the sun would demand “rights” be included, and it would end up reading like a menu instead of a governing framework. All the more reason to avoid following the crowd of countries that are constantly reworking their constitutions and instead rededicate ourselves to defending the one we’re blessed enough to have.

 [bold and italics emphasis mine]

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Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/18/a-constitution-for-the-21st-century/

 URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://blog.heritage.org/wp-content/uploads/Constitution-flag.jpg
[2] wisdom of crowds: http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Wisdom_of_Crowds.html?id=hHUsHOHqVzEC
[3] set out to determine: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/05/10/pbs-constitutional-road-trip-smooth-ride-with-a-few-bumps/
[4] on average: http://www.heritage.org/events/2012/10/other-nations
[5] South Africa’s constitution: http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sf00000_.html
[6] As Heritage’s David Azerrad puts it: http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2011/06/constitutionalism-here-are-a-few-things-richard-stengel-doesnt-know-about
[7] was a stroke of genius: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/09/the-formation-of-the-constitution

 Copyright © 2011 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
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[Go to this link to read the actual words of the Declaration of Independence.]

"Is the Supreme Court the Final Word?," - Rich TuckerJune 30, 2013  http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/30/is-the-supreme-court-the-final-word/

 "...It is the job of each branch of the federal government to determine if a law is constitutional.
“Everyone who holds an office in the United States—the President, members of Congress, federal judges—takes an oath to uphold the United States Constitution,” The Heritage Foundation explains. “As the Supreme Court must dutifully and faithfully interpret the Constitution when determining the validity of the laws in the cases before it, so too must the members of Congress when they make laws and the President when he enforces them...”

---------------------------------------------------

today'sFUNNY (c/o MikeysFunnies.com):

 What would you get if you crossed the first signer of the Declaration of Independence with a rooster? 
John Hancock-a-doodle-doo!

 What protest by a group of dogs occurred in 1773? 
The Boston Flea Party!

 What happened as a result of the Stamp Act? 
The Americans licked the British!

 What would you get if you crossed a patriot with a small curly-haired dog? 
Yankee Poodle!

 Did you hear the one about the Liberty Bell? 
Yeah, it cracked me up!

 What would you get if you crossed George Washington with cattle feed? 
The Fodder of Our Country!

 What did one flag say to the other flag? 
Nothing. It just waved!

 What's red, white, blue, and gross? 
Uncle Spam!

 What's red, white, black and blue? 
Uncle Sam falling down the steps!

 Which colonists told the most jokes? 
Punsylvanians!

 "How was the food at the Fourth of July picnic?
"The hot dogs were bad and the brats were wurst!"

 What has four legs, a shiny nose, and fought for England?
Rudolph the Redcoat Reindeer!

 How is a healthy person like the United States? 
They both have good constitutions!

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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

#568 (7/3) Why the Senate Immigration Bill Fails America

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org

UPDATE: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com;  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.

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"5 Immigration Questions for Members of Congress," by James Carafano On July 1, 2013 

It’s July 4 week, which means Members of Congress are at home in their districts. As you head to your nearest town hall meeting, take these questions for your Representative. Below, we also provide the real answers you should be listening for.

1. Since the Senate-passed bill doesn’t require the flow of illegal immigrants to stop, how can you say this approach secures the border?

No one can make that promise. The Senate bill [1], S.744, throws tens of billions of dollars at the problem and calls for meeting arbitrary security standards, but it doesn’t guarantee that illegal immigration will stop. Also, many of the bill’s “requirements,” such as 700 miles of border fencing and new border patrol agents, would not commence immediately but over time. As with current immigration laws, some provisions would end up being ignored or waived.

S.744 contains no guarantee that the government would keep its promises of more security and enforcement. Even if it did, it wouldn’t even come close to stopping illegal immigration. We’d revisit this debate again within 20 years.

2. The Senate-passed bill requires the U.S. government to manage many more visas, even though it doesn’t do a good job with today’s smaller work load. So how does this “fix” our legal immigration system?

It doesn’t. The bill makes some changes to various types of visas but does little to fix the broken bureaucracy in charge of the legal immigration system. Without significant changes, new requirements and more responsibilities would only make the system worse.

S.744 does away with some flawed visa programs, such as the “diversity” lottery. It creates a merit-based program and adds work-based visas. Although these are steps in the right direction, the devil is in the details [2]. For example, the bill would make the H-1B visa program unworkable [3] by creating expensive restrictions and costs.

In short, S.744 fails to make the legal immigration system better.

3. The Senate-passed bill puts the federal government in charge of enforcing immigration laws, even though state and local governments want to help and would be good partners. Is this federal focus the right approach?

No, giving the federal government all the responsibility is the wrong approach. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has fewer than 6,000 agents, and S.744 does little to augment that. Putting all the authority in federal hands is a surefire way to hamstring enforcement, simply because the federal government can’t do it all. A million local and state law enforcement officers are ready and willing to help enforce federal immigration law. These officers know their communities best and are already in place. By partnering through programs such as 287(g) [4], state and local authorities can help. Sadly, S.744 ignores them.

4. Since the Senate-passed bill would add huge costs and likely depress wages for many current Americans, is it really good for the citizens you’re supposed to represent?

The fact is, this approach costs too much, and hurts current citizens. The bill is loaded with wasteful pork and kickbacks, such as $1.5 billion for a mini-stimulus “jobs for youth” program. What’s more, the bill would harm the nation’s long-term fiscal health. After amnesty, illegal immigrants on average would receive more in government benefits, such as welfare and entitlements, than they pay in taxes. The total cost of amnesty to taxpayers could be $6.3 trillion or more. 

Finally, the bill would lower the wages of current citizens as they compete for jobs with illegal immigrants who get amnesty. By introducing millions of newly legalized workers to the market, the bill would drive down wages.

 5. In 1986, when Congress last passed amnesty, the sponsors said it was a “one-time” thing. The Senate-passed bill follows the same “amnesty first, security and enforcement later” approach. Why are we doing that again?

There is no reason to make the same mistake twice. The U.S. government gave out amnesty and legal permanent residency to at least 2.7 million illegal immigrants as a result of the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986. That amnesty didn’t stop illegal immigration, because the government didn’t (and still doesn’t) want to tackle border security or enforcement of immigration laws. In fact, amnesty only encourages more illegal immigration by sending the message that once enough illegal residents are here, the government will hand out amnesty again.

Some have argued that S.744 is not amnesty, but this is simply double-talk. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), when running for office in 2010, said “an earned path to citizenship is basically code for amnesty.” He was right. S.744 allows illegal immigrants, including many criminal aliens, to remain here legally and even become citizens. It rewards those who broke the law, even as millions legally wait in line. This is amnesty, and this is unfair.

[bold and italics emphasis NOT underlined is mine]
----------------------------------------------------------
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org;URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/01/morning-bell-5-immigration-questions-for-members-of-congress/

 URLs in this post:

[1] Senate bill: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/27/senate-passes-bill-that-fails-to-fix-immigration-and-border-security/
[2] devil is in the details: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/04/23/morning-bell-top-5-problems-with-the-comprehensive-immigration-bill/
[3] H-1B visa program unworkable: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/05/20/immigration-gang-of-eight-would-make-h-1b-program-unworkable/
[4] 287(g): http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/04/house-stands-up-for-important-immigration-enforcement-program/

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

#567 (7/2) The SC Marriage Decisons - What Can/Should We Expect From Conservatives; Impact on Religious Freedom

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org

UPDATE: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com;  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   "God, Not Anthony Kennedy Writes The Majority Opinion On Marriage," David Brody,CBN News Chief Political Correspondent, The Brody File,  June 27, 2013, http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2013/06/27/god-not-anthony-kennedy-writes-the-majority-opinion-on-marriage.aspx

There are two things that have not changed despite the fact that the Supreme Court ruled DOMA unconstitutional: First of all, in their 5-4 opinion, the SUPCO Justices did not declare Gay Marriage legal in America and secondly, the biblical definition of marriage is still the same. Put another way, Anthony Kennedy and his cohorts may have decided that DOMA is unconstitutional and no longer the law of the land but by a 1-0 margin God decided a long time ago that traditional marriage is the law of the World. God wins. Remember, God, not Anthony Kennedy wrote the ultimate “Majority Opinion.” See Genesis 1:27-31,Matthew 19:4-6, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27 and 1 Corinthian 6:9-10 (Just for starters).
The Brody File won’t take up any more space documenting the biblical case for traditional marriage not to mention all the empirical evidence as to why traditional marriage has benefited society throughout the years so let’s move on to the political ramifications. Excuse the pun but the GOP is about to have a “Come To Jesus Moment.”
Look, Republican politicians are going to be faced with a political dilemma. The Brody File calls it a, “Judeo-Christian Backbone Moment.” Will they run away from the issue of traditional marriage or embrace it? Polls suggest more Americans (especially younger voters) are accepting of gay marriage so does that mean these “pro-family” politicians will modify their views? Does it mean they will change their views (Hello Rob Portman)? Or will they simply stop defending traditional marriage and run away from it like the plague? After all, unless they live in a super secure congressional district or a very conservative state, they may believe that one of the options above may keep them afloat politically. The American people are about to find out who the pretenders are. Will these GOP Congressman choose political survival or Judeo-Christian Statesmanship?
You can be sure that GOP House leadership has no appetite for a fight over gay marriage. Boehner and company may technically believe in traditional marriage and their words on a press release will sound nice but what about their actions? Lip service is one thing. Actions are quite another. Congressman Tim Huelskamp has introduced a Federal Marriage Amendment. Will this get any serious traction in the Republican-controlled House? For now, Speaker Boehner says he has no plans to press forward with anything to replace DOMA. Does anybody really believe GOP Establishment politicians are going to touch this marriage issue at all? They’re going to need more than a ten-foot poll. Don’t hold your breath. It’s a social issue! Run for the hills! I can hear the Political Consultants screaming, “We can’t win on the marriage issue. Abandon ship!”
And what about the upcoming 2016 GOP presidential candidates? The safe play is to say that this marriage issue is a “states rights issue.” You’re going to hear that talk quite a bit in the GOP Primaries but that’s a default position. Which candidate is going to really stand up for traditional marriage and make it a bully pulpit issue? Which candidate is going to go out on a limb and defend traditional marriage knowing in this day and age of political correctness it might cost them something politically? Good luck if you find one.
All of this will leave evangelicals with some choices. They can wallow in their misery, feel defeated on this issue of gay marriage, stay home and watch reruns of Little House On The Prairie and continue to head to church on Sunday and attend their weekly Bible studies. OR….They can get engaged. They can educate themselves. They can vote. They can get serious about what’s happening in America. Simply put, will the church be listless or lively? Will they become politically involved or uncommitted?
Ultimately, the fight to save traditional marriage isn’t about politics or political parties. The GOP is just a faulty vessel, full of people who will disappoint their followers along the way. This really comes down to evangelicals getting off the couch and proclaiming enough is enough. This will be done precinct-by-precinct, county-by-county, state-by-state. It’s hard work but you know what? Homosexual activists have put in the hard work and don’t give up because they believe in their cause. Will evangelicals match that fervor? Conservative Christians outnumber the gay activists so the numbers are on their side but apathy is lethal.
"Tony Perkins: Gay Rulings Will Open 'Pandora's Box'," CBNNews.com; Monday, July 01, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/July/Tony-Perkins-Gay-Rulings-Will-Open-Pandoras-Box/
The president of the Family Research Council predicts that many Americans who are tolerant of same-sex marriage will be shocked to see how it cuts back on religious freedom.
"I think Americans will begin to see that with same-sex marriage does not come a hope chest; rather it's a Pandora's box," FRC President Tony Perkins told CBS' "Face the Nation."
Perkins predicted Christian business owners will increasingly face prosecution if they won't take part in gay weddings."It's already happening," FRC President Tony Perkins told CBS' "Face the Nation." "We're already seeing bakers and florists and photographers forced to participate in same-sex marriages under the threat of law and even jail. I can't think of anything that's more un-American than that."
Perkins also said parents may soon find their children's public schools promote the acceptance of same- sex marriage.
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Monday, July 1, 2013

#566 (7/1) "The False Narrative of Gay Marriage - It is Not Inevitable"

REMINDER: Check out this week's "Truth That Transforms" broadcast (Cen. FL -  Mon., 7 pm, ch. 52.2, and at www.truthinaction.org) which this week discusses the role Christians are to play in bringing “Spiritual Sight” to society. Don’t miss it!

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.org

UPDATE: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com;  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

"The False Narrative of Gay Marriage - It Is Not Inevitable"; By: Eric Metaxas|Breakpoint.org: June 25, 2013  http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/breakpoint-commentaries-archive/entry/13/22605?spMailingID=6422140&spUserID=MTMyMjM2ODE5OQS2&spJobID=76661876&spReportId=NzY2NjE4NzYS1

In his book, “The Black Swan,” Nicholas Nassim Taleb discussed what he calls the “narrative fallacy.” This refers to our “limited ability” to look at a sequence of facts “without weaving an explanation into them.” While this tendency helps us make sense of the world around us, it can and often does mislead us. It creates a mistaken impression that we understand things better than we really do. And, it often causes us to view the facts in ways that are consistent with the narrative we ourselves have created.
Case in point: the recent news – or in this case, news blackout – out of Illinois. A few weeks ago the state legislature took up the issue of same-sex marriage. The outcome was regarded as a foregone conclusion. Illinois is President Obama’s home state, and his party enjoys commanding majorities in both houses. Same-sex marriage enjoyed the support of both the governor and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The president had even personally lobbied state legislators. Given all that, the vote in favor of gay “marriage” in Illinois was inevitable, right?
Well, no one bothered to tell the state’s African-American pastors. As Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage wrote in the National Review, the pastors “worked hard to reach and convince African-American legislators to stand tall for the truth of marriage.” The pastors demanded that legislators acknowledge that marriage “is an institution created by God to bring men and women together for the benefit of children that can only be created through the union of men and women.” Their efforts paid off: Illinois did not succumb to the “inevitable.” They defeated “gay-marriage advocates and their supporters in the legislature in the bluest of blue states.”
If you haven’t heard about this important victory, you’re not alone. Until we here at BreakPoint read Brown’s piece, we hadn’t heard about it, either. Not that the lack of media attention is any surprise, because on this issue I'm sorry to say, the mainstream media are cheerleaders and activists, not reporters.
That’s not only my opinion: a study by the Pew Research Center found that in the run-up to the Supreme Court’s rulings on same-sex “marriage,” “the news media coverage provided a strong sense of momentum towards legalizing same-sex marriage.” How strong? It said that “Stories with more statements supporting same-sex marriage outweighed those with more statements opposing it by … roughly 5-to-1.” That kind of coverage bears no resemblance to actual public opinion on the subject. Instead, it presents same-sex marriage as an idea whose time has come and those who insist otherwise as relics from a less-enlightened age.
What happened in Illinois cuts across the grain of this worldview and the narrative it produces. Instead of considering the possibility that the story they are telling is not true, the tellers of this story in the media completely ignore facts that contradict the narrative. That doesn’t make their story any more true. There is nothing “inevitable” about the redefinition of marriage. While we face an uphill battle, what else is new?
In this battle, the Church matters. All of the Church. What happened in Illinois was the result of African American pastors taking the lead. In other states it may require the leadership of Latino ministers. What matters is that all of God’s people “stand tall for the truth of marriage.” ...
FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION

BP-Takeaction_62513The False Narrative of Gay Marriage: It Is Not Inevitable - Next Steps
The open debate about marriage has been smothered and many are afraid to speak out. Can you stand up to the crowd, especially when our society is caught up in what Eric calls the "Inevitability Narrative" of the media? Perhaps you are asking: 

1) Have I bought into the narrative? 
2) Where and to whom can I speak out?
3) What can I say that will matter? How can I start?

We at BreakPoint encourage you to stand strong and prepare for the debate. Eric does a good job on the "inevitability" argument here. Consider this: The Roe-v-Wade decision in 1973 did not stop the abortion debate. In many ways, it opened it up on a grand scale. Whatever the courts decide about marriage, we are headed for a long-lasting, passionate debate. As to the question of where to speak, speak everywhere, especially to the church. That is what happened in Illinois. 

What can you talk about? Amazingly, many in our generation do not understand either the historical or the biblical foundations for marriage. You can help here. Read some of the great resources we have listed below. We highly recommend the book: What is Marriage?: Man and Woman: A Defense. Take every opportunity to educate. Realize that understanding the true nature of marriage not only affects marriage "redefinition," but also impacts divorce, cohabitation and all of the sexual mores in our society. It is a complete package. Where to begin? Why not use this conversation starter: "Did you hear the amazing thing that happened when Illinois tried to pass a Same Sex Marriage bill a few weeks ago?..."

BOOKS:
What is Marriage?: Man and Woman: A Defense
Sherif Girgis, Ryan Anderson, Robert George | Encounter Books | December 2012
The Black Swan
Nassim Nicholas Taleb | Random House | 2007
ARTICLES:
On Winning the Marriage Debate; Eric Teetsel | The Witherspoon Institute | June 24, 2013; http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10426/
Justice Kennedy's 40,000 Children; Robert Oscar Lopez | Public Discourse, The Witherspoon Institute | May 2, 2013; http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/05/10034/
WEBSITES:
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