#663 (10/7) "Government Shutdown Highlights Need for Head Start Reform,"

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

Oct. 4 - "Muslim Youth Torch Church, Riot in Kenya after Imam Killed," -   http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=2169 - "Young Muslims set fire to a church, burned tires and clashed with police in Kenya’s main port city of Mombasa on Friday, after the killing of an Islamic cleric his followers blamed on security forces..."
As the Lord leads, please pray: 1) About ongoing radicalization of youth across sub-Saharan Africa by factions of Al Qaeda. 2) For Christians of Kenya as they become targets of Islamist terrorism.

9/30 UPDATE: President Obama Calls for Pastor Saeed's Release," - CBNNews.com; September 30, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/President-Obama-Calls-for-Pastor-Saeeds-Release/ - "President Obama asked Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to have American Pastor Saeed Abedini released from prison, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Obama talked by phone with the new Iranian president Friday afternoon, marking the first conversation between leaders of the two nations in more than three decades. ... This is the first time President Obama has addressed Abedini's plight despite publicity campaigns for him to do so." [For more info on Pastor Saeed, see below]

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

- GO TO SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
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"Government Shutdown Highlights Need for Head Start Reform," - by Lindsey Burke, October 2, 2013 


Anne Chadwick Williams/ZUMA Press/Newscom [1]

Due to the government shutdown, roughly two dozen federally funded Head Start day care centers will temporarily close their doors [last] week. For those low-income parents in affected areas expecting to send their toddlers to Head Start this week, the closures will no doubt create some headaches. But all of this might have been avoided if policymakers had been willing in previous years to undertake the reforms the program so desperately needs:

Head Start is ineffective. The Department of Health and Human Services, which administers Head Start, revealed in December 2012 that the nearly $8 billion Head Start program has little to no impact [2] on the cognitive, social-emotional, health, or parenting skills of participants.

Head Start is expensive. Since 1965, taxpayers have spent more than $180 billion on Head Start.

Head Start centers have engaged in fraudulent activity. In 2010, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found [3] several Head Start centers in several states actively counseling families to underreport their income in order to appear eligible for services.

Providing day care is far beyond the purview of the federal government. Providing day care is just not something the federal government was designed to do or should be doing. The diverse delivery system of private preschool options is a better means of meeting the needs of American families, and it includes low-cost providers such as church-based and home-based care. Moreover, most states offer taxpayer-funded public preschool programs. While states should exercise caution when creating state preschool programs, Americans should find the concept of day care financed by the federal government particularly objectionable.

Public preschool at any level of government increases costs for taxpayers by encouraging more participation in public programs, undermining private providers, and thereby reducing American families’ preschool choices. But the problems plaguing Head Start are particularly acute.

After nearly 50 years of operation, the federal Head Start program has failed to improve the educational outcomes and kindergarten readiness of participating children. Head Start should be eliminated [4] or, at the very least, reformed to allow states the flexibility to make their Head Start funds portable, allowing families to use their dollars to send their children to private preschools of their choice.

The federal government shutdown is just one more reason policymakers shouldn’t make low-income parents dependent on distant government programs such as Head Start, which is subject to ongoing political fights in Washington. There’s a better way to meet the early education needs of children from low-income families.

[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/2013/10/02/government-shutdown-highlights-need-for-head-start-reform/

URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://blog.heritage.org/wp-content/uploads/HeadStart131002.jpg
[2] little to no impact: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/01/head-start-impact-evaluation-report-finally-released
[3] found: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/05/head-start-program-fraudulent-and-ineffective
[4] Head Start should be eliminated: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/03/universal-preschools-empty-promises

Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.

#662 (10/7) SUNDAY SPECIAL - "Christian Persecution - Why We Must not Remain Silent"

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

"Millions to Gather [THIS] Sunday to Pray for Jerusalem," - by Chris Mitchell, October 04, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2013/October/Millions-to-Gather-Sunday-to-Pray-for-Jerusalem/ JERUSALEM, Israel -- "This Sunday millions of Christians and thousands of churches around the world will take part in a global day of prayer, fulfilling the biblical command in Psalm 122:5 to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.Organizers of this year's day of prayer, Oct. 6, say it's vital to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Robert Stearns co-founded the call a decade ago."So we gather together the first Sunday of every October globally, 174 nations participating. Close to 300,000 churches registered last year praying for the peace of this city," Stearns told CBN News....The Day of Prayer event will be broadcast globally by God TV."

Oct. 4 - "Muslim Youth Torch Church, Riot in Kenya after Imam Killed," -   http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=2169 - "Young Muslims set fire to a church, burned tires and clashed with police in Kenya’s main port city of Mombasa on Friday, after the killing of an Islamic cleric his followers blamed on security forces..."
As the Lord leads, please pray: 1) About ongoing radicalization of youth across sub-Saharan Africa by factions of Al Qaeda. 2) For Christians of Kenya as they become targets of Islamist terrorism.

9/30 UPDATE: President Obama Calls for Pastor Saeed's Release," - CBNNews.com; September 30, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/President-Obama-Calls-for-Pastor-Saeeds-Release/ - "President Obama asked Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to have American Pastor Saeed Abedini released from prison, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Obama talked by phone with the new Iranian president Friday afternoon, marking the first conversation between leaders of the two nations in more than three decades. ... This is the first time President Obama has addressed Abedini's plight despite publicity campaigns for him to do so." [For more info on Pastor Saeed, see below]

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

- GO TO SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
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"Christian Persecution - Why We Must not Remain Silent,"- by: John Stonestreet|Published: October 4, 2013  http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/breakpoint-commentaries-archive/entry/13/23494?spMailingID=7099649&spUserID=MTMyMjM2ODE5OQS2&spJobID=91563625&spReportId=OTE1NjM2MjUS1

On September 22, suicide bombers connected to the Pakistani Taliban entered All Souls Anglican Church in Peshawar during services. The resulting explosion killed 78 men, women and children.It was only the most recent attack on Pakistani Christians, who make up just two percent of the country’s population. Apparently, even that tiny percentage is too high for some there.

What’s happening in Pakistan is, in turn, part of a larger global pattern. As we’ve said on BreakPoint, Christians around the world are often “harassed, arrested, jailed, tortured, raped, beaten, and killed.” Christian “churches and homes are bombed or burned to the ground.” Children are even “taken from their Christian parents lest they become too tainted with faith in Jesus.”

Yet the vast majority of Americans, and American Christians, would be surprised to hear we’re living in what’s been called “the age of martyrs.” Kirsten Powers of the Daily Beast has had enough of what she calls the “deafening silence” on this issue, especially from American Christians. The lead to her recent column reads like an indictment: “Christians in the Middle East and Africa are being slaughtered, tortured, raped, kidnapped, beheaded, and forced to flee the birthplace of Christianity. One would think this horror might be consuming the pulpits and pews of American churches. Not so.”

In addition to the Peshawar attack, she points to the recent attack in Nairobi in which, according to eyewitnesses, the gunmen said “if you are Muslim you are on the safer side, but if you are Hindu or Christian you will be killed.” She introduces readers to an ominous Jihadist slogan: “First comes Saturday, then comes Sunday.” It means “On Saturday we kill the Jews; on Sunday we kill the Christians.”
This is the world in which millions of Christians live.

Now the good news is there’s evidence of a growing appreciation for our brethren’s plight. For instance, many American Christians opposed intervention in Syria out of concern for the possible impact on Syrian Christians.The better news is that if we insist on keeping the issue of the persecuted church on the front burner, it can yield results. A case in point is a recent phone call between President Obama and Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani.During the call, the President expressed his concern over the jailing of Iranian-American pastor, Saeed Abedini. Abedini’s incarceration has been the subject of an international campaign to draw attention to his plight and secure his release.Abedini’s wife rightly called Obama’s raising of the issue an “answer to prayer.” It’s also a response to concerted efforts to ensure that her husband is not forgotten.[It needs to be noted that the President was asked to speak up personally on the pastor's plight A YEAR AGO but only acted now.]

This is the kind of effort we must make on behalf of all our persecuted brethren. As Hebrews13 tells us, we are to remember “those who are ill-treated, since you also are in the body.” That’s one reason I’m so concerned about preserving religious liberty here in America. While we’re not at the point of shedding blood, Christians in this country are under enormous pressure—from government, from activist groups, and increasingly, from a judge’s bench—to compromise our faith. And if the freedom to speak out is lost here, who will be left to advocate on behalf of our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world?

So before I sign off, I’d like to invite you to listen to the “National Briefing on Religious Liberty” sponsored by the Colson Center. http://www.breakpoint.org/images/content/breakpoint/audio/TNG_2013_MP3.mp3 I was privileged to be a part of this important discussion with Dr. Timothy George, the Acton Institute’s Fr. Robert Sirico, the Manhattan Declaration’s Eric Teetsel and the Heritage Foundation’s Jennifer Marshall.Newsletter

FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION

ARTICLES:
"Christian Tragedy in the Muslim World" - by Bruce Horton | Hoover.org | July 25, 2013 ) http://www.hoover.org/publications/defining-ideas/article/152651

"A Global Slaughter of Christians, but America’s Churches Stay Silent," - Kirsten Powers | The Daily Beast | September 27, 2013 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/27/a-global-slaughter-of-christians-but-america-s-churches-stay-silent.html

"Can We Finally Start Talking About the Global Persecution of Christians?," - Mollie Hemingway | The Federalist | September 25, 2013  http://thefederalist.com/2013/09/25/can-we-finally-start-talking-about-the-global-persecution-of-christians/

WEBSITES:
- Open Doors USA - Resources for International Day of Prayer 2013 - November 3, 2013;http://www.onewiththem.com/resources/?utm_source=opendoorsusa.org&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=nav&utm_campaign=idop
- Persecution.org
- Voice of the Martyrs.org

- Freedom House.org 

#661 (10/5) "THE PRO-LIFING OF AMERICA"

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

"Millions to Gather [THIS] Sunday to Pray for Jerusalem," - by Chris Mitchell, October 04, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2013/October/Millions-to-Gather-Sunday-to-Pray-for-Jerusalem/ JERUSALEM, Israel -- "This Sunday millions of Christians and thousands of churches around the world will take part in a global day of prayer, fulfilling the biblical command in Psalm 122:5 to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.Organizers of this year's day of prayer, Oct. 6, say it's vital to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Robert Stearns co-founded the call a decade ago."So we gather together the first Sunday of every October globally, 174 nations participating. Close to 300,000 churches registered last year praying for the peace of this city," Stearns told CBN News....The Day of Prayer event will be broadcast globally by God TV."

Oct. 4 - "Muslim Youth Torch Church, Riot in Kenya after Imam Killed," -   http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=2169 - "Young Muslims set fire to a church, burned tires and clashed with police in Kenya’s main port city of Mombasa on Friday, after the killing of an Islamic cleric his followers blamed on security forces..."
As the Lord leads, please pray: 1) About ongoing radicalization of youth across sub-Saharan Africa by factions of Al Qaeda. 2) For Christians of Kenya as they become targets of Islamist terrorism.

9/30 UPDATE: President Obama Calls for Pastor Saeed's Release," - CBNNews.com; September 30, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/President-Obama-Calls-for-Pastor-Saeeds-Release/ - "President Obama asked Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to have American Pastor Saeed Abedini released from prison, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Obama talked by phone with the new Iranian president Friday afternoon, marking the first conversation between leaders of the two nations in more than three decades. ... This is the first time President Obama has addressed Abedini's plight despite publicity campaigns for him to do so." [For more info on Pastor Saeed, see below]

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

- GO TO SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
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"THE PRO-LIFING OF AMERICA," - by: Teresa Mull, 9/20/2013; http://www.humanevents.com/2013/09/20/the-pro-lifing-of-america/ [NOTE: This is an encouraging article about how films from Hollywood have a still subtle but more of a pro-life slant than we would expect. May this be encouragement to pray for films and other developments to uplift the sacredness of  life in the face of the destructiveness of abortion.]

A Gallup poll from last year reported that Americans are becoming more pro-life. In 2009, Gallup found that more Americans identified themselves as pro-life than as pro-choice for the first time since Gallup began the survey in 1995. News came out last week that abortion clinics are closing at an “unprecedented rate.” Today, the U.K.’s DailyMail published a photo essay of women describing their “harrowing decision to have abortion.” A heavily pregnant woman in LA is catching flack for over-exercising and risking the well-being of the life growing inside her.

“Is it a life or not?” has long since been dismissed as the pro-choice argument. Thanks to science and technology, abortion advocates can no longer play the “blob of tissue” card. The thing is, as this revolting piece from Salon.com revealed a few months ago, the pro-choicers are finally showing their true colors: “So what if it’s a life?” wrote Mary Elizabeth Williams.

This being said, I have noticed a surprising and encouraging trend in American culture that points to a broader, more mainstream acceptance of the pro-life position. It’s coming from our friends in Hollywood.

"Juno," the Canadian-American comedy-drama, made a splash in 2007 as it was both wildly successful and pro-life in its message. When teenager Juno MacGuff discovers she is pregnant, she considers aborting her child, but ultimately decides to give him up for adoption. The film shows Juno talking to her baby in the womb and experiencing the joy of his first kicks.

Also in 2007 premiered a lesser-known film, "Bella," which chronicled the decision of a low-income waitress’ decision to keep her baby, and how family can be a saving grace.

Two more recent movies, "What to Expect When You’re Expecting" and "Friends with Kids," also explore the impact of conception, birth, and new life. They aren’t films I would watch again (they were instant watch on Netflix…), but their message was clearly: “being pregnant means you have a living baby inside of you, and all the responsibility and joy that comes with parenthood.”

"What to Expect" chronicles four couples in different stages and situations of life, and how having a child impacts them. One of the more memorable story lines is that of a pair in their early twenties who discover they have conceived a child after an alcohol-infused one night stand. “What to do” is the frantic next question, and after ruling out abortion, the friends form a bond that is hopeful and happy. The girl ends up miscarrying her child, and is distraught beyond words at losing her “blob of tissue.”

Another blatant portrayal of the brilliance of life in "What to Expect" comes when a woman who has been trying to conceive for years finds out she is finally pregnant. She runs to the pool where her husband is swimming and jumps in to share the happy news and hug and kiss him with profound elation.

"Friends with Kids" recounts the influence having a child has on friendship, maturity, and relationships. Two friends decide that they want to create and raise a child together, foregoing all the “strings attached” that come about with marriage and commitment. The moral of the story is that a child is a unifying force whose life brings and creates love.

I’m not sure if abortion has ever been portrayed in the movies as particularly glamorous or inconsequential. It seems always to have carried with it the stigma of desperation, reticent shame, or, in the very least, a dirty secret. Pro-lifers are used to interpreting the message of life in literature and film, and gleaning what positive scraps they can from the culture of death. Now, though, it would appear that Hollywood is not ashamed to celebrate the beauty of life. Whether or not Hollywood influences culture more than society drives Hollywood to determine the message of its projects is hard to tell, but with the pro-life message, the American people are jumping on board.  Encore!

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

#660 (10/4) “Bang, Bang,” You’re Suspended: Second-Grader Sent Home for Carrying Invisible Gun

9/30 UPDATE: President Obama Calls for Pastor Saeed's Release," - CBNNews.com; September 30, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/President-Obama-Calls-for-Pastor-Saeeds-Release/ - "President Obama asked Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to have American Pastor Saeed Abedini released from prison, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Obama talked by phone with the new Iranian president Friday afternoon, marking the first conversation between leaders of the two nations in more than three decades. ... This is the first time President Obama has addressed Abedini's plight despite publicity campaigns for him to do so." [For more info on Pastor Saeed, see below]

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

Go to SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Bang, Bang,” You’re Suspended: Second-Grader Sent Home for Carrying Invisible Gun, - By Evan Bernick, on October 3, 2013 [NOTE: I, too, have been the object of people reacting not with common sense caution but with unreasonable paranoia. I refer to it as the "TSA-ing of American culture." A friend call's it "the new reality." I say it's "the new insanity."]


Design Pics / LJM Photo/LJM Photo/Newscom [1]

Just when you thought gun-fearing “educators” couldn’t get any sillier.

Last week, it was a couple of teenagers [2] suspended for a year for playing with airsoft guns on the front lawn. This week, it’s a second-grader [3] suspended for a day for using his finger as a pretend gun.

Yes, eight-year-old Jordan Bennett was sent home after administrators at Harmony Community School in Harmony, Florida, concluded that the gesture was an act of violence. School district officials have told the press that their code of conduct prohibits students from playing with invisible guns.

An act of violence? Are they really that dumb? Jordan’s mother, Bonnie, is justifiably bewildered by the stupidity of this punishment: “He had nothing in his hand. It was a finger gun, a pretend gun. He didn’t threaten violence. He didn’t utter words that were inappropriate. He made a sound and used his fingers and that was it.”

This is not the first time that school officials have overreacted to second-grade gun play. In March, Josh Welch, a seven-year-old (yes, seven) student at Park Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland, was accused of nibbling a rectangular, strawberry-filled pastry into a gun-like shape, then stating “bang, bang.” [4] School officials were sufficiently disturbed by this event to remove Josh from class and banish him from the premises for two days.

It didn’t stop with the suspension. Assistant principal Myrna Phillips wrote a stern letter to parents explaining that Josh had “used food to make inappropriate gestures that disrupted the class,” encouraging parents to remind their kids about the “importance of making good choices,” and offering counseling to any student who might need it. All this even as Phillips acknowledged that “no physical threats were made and no one was harmed.”

These overreactions would be laughable if they weren’t such serious business. In the wake of the Newtown massacre, a suspension involving an “act of violence” might just doom a child’s future academic and career prospects before they really begin.

Expecting kids not to get creative with food or play “cops and robbers” is tantamount to asking them, well, not to be kids. Certainly, teachers need to be able to prevent kids from disrupting class, but does anyone really believe that these decisions are about disruption rather than politically correct concerns about promoting a “gun-free culture”?

There’s nothing wrong with these kids; it’s the school officials who really need the counseling—and perhaps a stern lecture about the importance of making good choices. In their zeal to cleanse the schoolhouse of anything that might cause (even imaginary) harm, they’re the ones who may end up doing lasting harm to these children.

The Heritage Foundation’s project USA vs. YOU [5] spotlights the flood of criminal laws threatening our liberties. Explore more stories of overcriminalization and find out what you can do to reverse this trend [5].

[bold and italics emphasis 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/2013/10/03/bang-bang-youre-suspended-second-grader-sent-home-for-carrying-invisible-gun/

URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://blog.heritage.org/wp-content/uploads/Boy_playing_guns131003.jpg
[2] teenagers: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/25/zero-tolerance-zombies-seventh-graders-suspended-for-playing-with-toy-gun/
[3] second-grader: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/02/florida-boy-8-suspended-from-school-after-using-finger-as-pretend-gun/
[4] “bang, bang.”: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/04/4100284/maryland-second-grader-suspended.html
[5] USA vs. YOU: http://www.heritage.org/usavsyou/

Copyright © 2013 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.

#659 (10/3) "THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS FREE HEALTHCARE"

9/30 UPDATE: President Obama Calls for Pastor Saeed's Release," - CBNNews.com; September 30, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/President-Obama-Calls-for-Pastor-Saeeds-Release/ - "President Obama asked Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to have American Pastor Saeed Abedini released from prison, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Obama talked by phone with the new Iranian president Friday afternoon, marking the first conversation between leaders of the two nations in more than three decades. ... This is the first time President Obama has addressed Abedini's plight despite publicity campaigns for him to do so." [For more info on Pastor Saeed, see below]

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

Go to SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS FREE HEALTHCARE," - by: Teresa Mull, 9/30/2013, http://www.humanevents.com/2013/09/30/theres-no-such-thing-as-free-healthcare/ 


A brief list of some of the horrors of Obamacare, courtesy of the internet intelligentsia:

No matter what the cost: Health insurance for all! Hooray! At what cost? New taxes, of course, and of which, as Forbes reports, there are at least 20. This means BILLIONS of dollars. Just ask Rep. Jeff Duncan from South Carolina.

You pay either way: Don’t want insurance? Don’t need insurance? Can’t afford insurance? That’s fine, you’ll be fined. $750 annually for the “privilege.”

More Medicaid! Medicaid is expanded under Obamacare. Medicaid is paid by state and federal money. State and federal funding come out of your pocket. Forbes: “One-third of American households received Medicaid, food stamps, or some other means-tested program in 2010,” and Obamacare will only make that number go up. Dramatically.

Is there a doctor in the house?! The Daily Caller reported two fun facts last year: 1) “Eighty-three percent of American physicians have considered leaving their practices over President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, according to a survey released by the Doctor Patient Medical Association.”; (2) “America will face a shortage of at least 90,000 doctors by 2020.”

Why are the doctors hanging up their stethoscopes? The government is stingy with your money. 
From the Washington Times: “32 million people are expected to be added to the health care system as a result of Obamacare, half of those as a result of the expansion of Medicaid. Many doctors already refuse to accept Medicaid patients because the government reimbursements for services rendered are well below the market rates.”

In sickness and in health: Under Obamacare, you can’t be dropped or denied coverage. As stated perfectly by Investor’s Business Daily: “This means insurance companies have to charge more for everyone. You’ll have to pay for premiums that cover not only you, but also the guy who smokes three packs a day, drink a gallon of whiskey and eats chicken fat off the floor.”

Goodbye, job. In 2015, businesses with 50 full-time employees must provide healthcare coverage. If they don’t, they’ll pay a fine, so small businesses have begun cutting hours and employees.

Silver lining: If you are way past due for a job and still live at home in the basement, don’t sweat it. “Kids” can stay on their parents’ plans until they’re 26. See SNL skit: “Wow! I am so relieved that my dumb, lazy, good-for-nothing son has full health coverage,” the dad said. “We kept telling him, ‘Hey, idiot, you have to get a job to earn health care,’ but Mr. Obama here, he made sure that my son will never have to lift a finger to get insurance.”

Just in case: You never know when you will turn into a pregnant woman with a serious addiction. With Obamacare, “You must buy a policy that covers ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services; chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care.” (IBD)

If Sebelius says, “yes.” Health insurers can’t raise premiums to meet costs unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services deems it “reasonable.” So insurers have to accept people with pre-existing conditions but can’t raise their prices to pay for them. Makes sense.

Chaos at the doctor’s office. Another thing about Obamacare: nobody really understands how it works (probably because it won’t), and millions of people have been lied to. I pity the secretaries and customer service reps who will have to deal with, as Peter Ferrara puts it, “the public (as they) come to realize how badly they were lied to during the first Obama term to win passage of Obamacare.”

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

#658 (10/2) "The Story Behind the Government Shutdown"; "SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LET GOVERNMENT GO,"

9/30 UPDATE: President Obama Calls for Pastor Saeed's Release," - CBNNews.com; September 30, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/President-Obama-Calls-for-Pastor-Saeeds-Release/ - "President Obama asked Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to have American Pastor Saeed Abedini released from prison, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Obama talked by phone with the new Iranian president Friday afternoon, marking the first conversation between leaders of the two nations in more than three decades. ... This is the first time President Obama has addressed Abedini's plight despite publicity campaigns for him to do so." [For more info on Pastor Saeed, see below]

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

Go to SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Story Behind the Government Shutdown," - by Amy Payne, October 1, 2013 

Much like the day after sequestration budget cuts [1] kicked in, most people will wake up today to find that the country and their lives aren’t much different. All the fearful fretting over shutting down the government—which is reaching Y2K proportions in the media—is really a distraction.

Government funding isn’t the issue. It’s Obamacare.

The House has passed multiple bills that would fully fund government but would defund or delay Obamacare. The Senate has rejected these plans, and Obamacare’s health insurance exchanges are supposed to open today. Never mind the fact that Congress and the Administration have already delayed major provisions of Obamacare [2] and given special considerations to labor unions and Congress [3].

We believe the American people deserve an exemption from Obamacare.

The President and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) continue to go against the will of the public to protect an unworkable law that has raised individuals’ health care premiums [4], cut workers’ hours [5], made it more difficult to find a job [6], and has forced many Americans off their existing health coverage [7]. The real story isn’t the government shutdown, but rather the insistence by President Obama and Reid to foist Obamacare on the American people.

Congress is now haggling over delays to more parts of Obamacare, but the only way to protect Americans from this law’s sickening effects is to defund it [8].

While this debate plays out on Capitol Hill, essential government services will continue. Airports are still functioning, Social Security checks are still going out, and the military is still protecting us.

[Click here to learn what happens in a government shutdown [9]   http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/30/qa-what-happens-during-a-government-shutdown/]

To President Obama and his allies, the government takeover of health care is an “essential” function that should move forward, despite deep disagreements about its effect on the nation. This debate isn’t over, nor should it be until the American people are protected from having their health care in the hands of government.

A government shutdown isn’t the end of the world, but an Obamacare shutdown would be a great beginning for real health care reform [10].

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

Quick Hit: Government “shutdown” is an “entirely inaccurate description,” [17] says the Justice Department.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/10/01/the-story-behind-the-government-shutdown/

URLs in this post:
[1] sequestration budget cuts: http://www.heritage.org/multimedia/video/2013/07/frasersequestrationfox
[2] delayed major provisions of Obamacare: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/09/morning-bell-10-ways-obamacare-isnt-working/
[3] Congress: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/08/16/morning-bell-obama-gives-congress-obamacare-relief-illegally/
[4] raised individuals’ health care premiums: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/08/28/higher-premiums-both-now-and-later/
[5] cut workers’ hours: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/25/obamacare-continues-to-cut-workers-hours/
[6] made it more difficult to find a job: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/03/08/obamacare-continues-to-restrict-hiring/
[7] forced many Americans off their existing health coverage: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/08/22/when-you-cant-actually-keep-your-health-care-plan/
[8] defund it: http://obamacare.heritage.org/
[9]Click here to learn what happens in a government shutdown: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/30/qa-what-happens-during-a-government-shutdown/
[10] real health care reform: http://savingthedream.org/about-the-plan/
[17] an “entirely inaccurate description,”: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/359908/not-actually-shutdown-hans-von-spakovsky

Copyright © 2011 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LET GOVERNMENT GO," - by: Seton Motley, 9/30/2013; http://www.humanevents.com/2013/09/30/sometimes-you-have-to-let-government-go/

"There is an awful lot of government going on in Washington. Which is what happens when you spend $3.8 trillion – as DC is doing this year.  Up from $2.9 trillion just five years ago. We’ve increased the size of the Leviathan by just short of 25% under President Barack Obama...."

#657 (10/1) A Government Shutdown?: The NOT Scary FACTS

9/30 UPDATE: President Obama Calls for Pastor Saeed's Release," - CBNNews.com; September 30, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/President-Obama-Calls-for-Pastor-Saeeds-Release/ - "President Obama asked Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to have American Pastor Saeed Abedini released from prison, according to the American Center for Law and Justice. Mr. Obama talked by phone with the new Iranian president Friday afternoon, marking the first conversation between leaders of the two nations in more than three decades. ... This is the first time President Obama has addressed Abedini's plight despite publicity campaigns for him to do so." [For more info on Pastor Saeed, see below]

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

Go to SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Q&A: What Happens During a Government Shutdown?"- by Hans von Spakovsky On September 30, 2013 

Some of the claims being made about what happens to the federal government when there is a funding lapse are almost hysterical – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) even claimed that a shutdown would be [1]“as dangerous as the break-up of the Union before the Civil War.” Here are answers to some basic questions about a shutdown.

Q: Is such a funding lapse unusual? - A: No, such a lapse in funding would be neither unusual nor catastrophic. There have been 17 funding gaps just since 1977 ranging in duration from one to 21 days. Under applicable federal law, operations and services would continue for those essential for “the safety of human life or the protection of property,” as well as those programs funded through multiyear or permanent appropriations.

Q: What actually happens during a government “shutdown?” - A: The truth from the experience of prior shutdowns, applicable federal laws, Justice Department legal opinions, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directives, is that crucial government services and benefits would continue without interruption. In fact, as the Justice Department said in a legal opinion in 1995, “the federal government will not be truly ‘shut down’…because Congress has itself provided that some activities of Government should continue.” Any claims that not passing a continuing resolution (CR) will result in a “shutting down” of the government “is an entirely inaccurate description,” according to the Justice Department.

Q: Would retirees and veterans get their benefit checks? - A: Yes, mandatory government payments such as Social Security and veterans’ benefits would continue to be paid. During a prior government shutdown in 1995, 80 percent of Social Security Administration employees kept working because they were considered “essential” to making benefit payments.

Q: Would national security be hurt by a shutdown? - A: No, national security, including the conduct of foreign relations by the President, is considered an essential function that would continue.

Q: Would food and drug safety be imperiled by a shutdown? - A: No, the federal government would continue to conduct testing and inspection of food, drugs, and hazardous materials, because these are considered essential for the safety of Americans.

Q: Would we still be able to travel? A: Yes, the government has said during prior shutdowns that the air traffic control system and other transportation safety operations are essential to the safety of the country and would continue to operate. So air traffic controllers would keep directing air traffic at airports around the country, and you would continue to be searched by agents of the TSA when you board a flight.

Q. What would a shutdown mean for implementation of Obamacare? - A. Some parts of Obamacare are funded with multiyear appropriations and would not be affected by a lapse in current funding. Other parts are not. While the Administration may have some funding available to continue to implement those parts of Obamacare, it would not be able to legally implement all of the many different parts of the law. There is no doubt, however, that the President is likely to assert that all of the different parts of the law are “essential” and should continue to operate even without funding.

Q: What happens to federal law enforcement activities? - A: During a shutdown, all federal law enforcement and border control functions continue to operate. So the FBI would continue to make arrests and conduct criminal investigations. The U.S. Border Patrol would continue to patrol the American borders. The federal Bureau of Prisons stays open, and convicted criminals are not released.

Q: Would there be any problems with the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department’s supervision of our financial system during a shutdown? - A: No, all activities essential to preserving the money and banking system of the U.S., including borrowing and tax collection, would continue. So the IRS would keep on collecting the tax revenues that help pay for the operation of the federal government.

Q: What if there is a natural disaster like a hurricane during a government shutdown? - A: Emergency and disaster assistance are considered essential to protecting life and property, so federal disaster assistance continues during a government shutdown.

Q: Would many federal employees be furloughed? - A: Federal employees who are not considered essential would be furloughed; based on prior funding lapses, this is a relatively small number of employees in comparison to the entire federal workforce. When President Bill Clinton vetoed a continuing resolution in November 1995 in a dispute with the House of Representatives over a balanced budget and welfare reform, only about 800,000 out of a total of almost 4.5 million federal employees were furloughed. In a second funding gap from December 1995 to January 1996, only about 300,000 employees were furloughed. So the vast majority of federal workers will keep right on working.

Find more detailed information about a government shutdown here [2].

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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/2013/09/30/qa-what-happens-during-a-government-shutdown/

URLs in this post:
[1] would be : http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/27/dem-senator-shutdown-fight-as-dangerous-as-break-up-union/
[2] here: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/09/what-happens-during-a-government-shutdown
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