Abortion Rights

Texas Governor Rick Perry And The Christian Right: Reason To Oppose Him For the Presidency!

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Texas Governor Rick Perry has been flirting with running for the Presidency, and while the author has previously stated his belief that he will NOT run, there is certainly a very good reason to oppose him IF he indeed decides to run!

That reason, among others, is that the Christian Right is rallying to his support, and that is bad news for those who believe in separation of church and state, and an open minded attitude on the issue of abortion rights, gay rights, immigrant rights, and keeping religion out of government!

Among those supporting Perry if he runs are: Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; David Barton, the Texas self trained historian who has distorted American history, including inaccuracies on Thomas Jefferson’s views on religion, and opposition to deficit spending, a graduated income tax, minimum wage, and global warming; and San Antonio pastor John Hagee, whose hateful views caused John McCain to reject his endorsement in 2008.

The goal of an election for President is NOT to elect a Christian government, but rather a government that promotes the long held tradition of the separation of church and state!

Perry, who succeeded George W. Bush as President, has much the same swagger as Bush, but he is making Bush look more moderate by comparison, and although he would never have been Governor of Texas if Bush had not gone to the White House, he is actively separating himself from Bush and his family, who have never been thrilled by Perry as Governor of the Lone Star state.

Hard to believe, but in so many ways, Perry would actually be WORSE than George W. Bush, which shows just how far downhill the Republican Party has descended, if it is even slightly considering Perry for the Presidency!

Since this entry is about religion and Perry, let us finish this entry saying about his potential candidacy: God forbid!

Kansas: Historic Center Of Massive Battles And Turmoil Does It Again!

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The state of Kansas, center of the Great Plains, is one often overlooked or ridiculed, but it has been a center of massive battles, turmoil, and struggles throughout its history.

Blessed and cursed by its location in the Wheat Belt, Kansas has seen tornadoes, blizzards, drought, hail, floods, and grasshoppers, and was the center of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, forcing many farmers to leave the state and go west to California for salvation!

It is the territory and state where the Civil War began over slavery in the 1850s, before that war erupted nationally, and it was the center of struggles between Indians and whites from 1860-1890.

It was also the original home of the prohibition movement against liquor, and a center of the Populist movement of the 1890s and the Progressive movement of the early 20th century.

Kansas also became the rare example of a non Southern state which adopted racial segregation legally, and it was a case brought by a young black girl, Linda Brown, in Topeka, Kansas, which led to the famous Brown V. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in May, 1954.

And abortion has become a major controversy in Kansas, with Dr. George Tiller, an abortion doctor, murdered in Wichita a few years ago by an anti abortion fanatic.

Now the state government, under right wing conservative Republican Sam Brownback, former Senator, has passed restrictions on abortion, which has led to only ONE abortion center being available in the entire state, a major victory by the so called Pro Life movement, and a major blow to the Roe V. Wade decision of the Supreme Court in 1973.

So the abortion debate rages on in many states, with Kansas again being the center of controversy, as it often has been in its history over the past 160 years!

The Recklessness And Irresponsibility Of Many State Governments In The Midst Of Economic Hard Times!

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At a time when the nation is facing the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, many state governments, particularly those governed by Republicans, are wasting their time, instead of creating job opportunities!

In reality, many states, by their policies, or lack of them, are creating MORE unemployment, and promoting division among their citizens!

Instead of dealing with real issues, many states are appealing to the emotions and prejudices of their citizens, promoting hysteria and disarray in the process!

States are busy doing the following:

1. Passing legislation to make abortion more difficult to obtain.
2. Working against gay marriage rights or civil unions.
3. Enacting legislation against “Sharia” or Muslim law, a total “red herring” exploiting fear, where there is no chance of such law becoming part of the American legal system.
4. Making English an “official” language, a strike against immigrants, both legal and illegal.
5. Cracking down on illegal immigration in ways that will have to come to the Supreme Court, as to whether they are constitutional.
6. Setting out to destroy labor union rights of public employees, who have served their states and communities loyally, but now are being made “scapegoats” for economic hard times.

So, these are hard times in the states, being made worse by the narrow mindedness and prejudices of the population, being stoked by irresponsible politicians!

Abortion Pledge Causes Split Among Republican Presidential Candidates

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The issue of abortion rights is dividing the Republican Presidential candidates, with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman deciding not to address the National Right To Life convention in Jacksonville, Florida, and refusing also to sign a pledge against federal funding for abortion services created by an anti abortion, pro life group, the Susan B. Anthony List.

It makes it more clear than ever that there are two groups within the GOP: the mainstream, represented by Romney and Huntsman; and the right wing extremists, led by Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty.

Newt Gingrich did not participate at the gathering in Jacksonville, as his campaign has imploded, and his mind is on other things such as his loss of staff and financial supporters, and trying to defend outrageous statements, and his reckless spending for his wife at Tiffany’s. No one, except Newt himself, takes him seriously anymore!

But it all comes down to the reality that the Republicans will have a choice to pick a mainstream, somewhat centrist candidate, or face a massive repudiation by the voters in November, 2012.

The Assault On Mitt Romney In His Own Party

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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may be ahead in all of the polls for the Republican Presidential nomination, but that is not necessarily good news.

By being the front runner so early, Romney becomes the target for all the discontented groups in the party, who would prefer someone else.

All elements of the party are assaulting him, which may have the effect of weakening a person who could be the strongest nominee for the party.

Social conservatives are suspicious of him because he was once pro choice and for gay rights.

The Tea Party conservatives don’t like the “RomneyCare” health care plan put into law in Massachusetts under his Governorship.

The religious conservatives don’t like that he is a Mormon, which evangelical Christians feel is not truly Christian.

The foreign policy conservatives, led by John McCain and Lindsey Graham, are angry that Romney has suggested a path out of Afghanistan, which they regard as reckless and dangerous to the national security. And McCain has NEVER like Romney on a personal level, and this weekend, accused him of being an “isolationist” in his views on foreign policy and troop commitment.

And the “Establishment” Republicans, led by the Bush family and its followers, and particularly President George H. W. Bush, are favoring former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who is about to enter the Presidential battle, and is a major threat to Romney’s support.

So Romney must, right now, be feeling battle scarred, as it becomes evident that IF he is to win the nomination of the party and have a chance at the Presidency itself, it will only be through much “blood, sweat, and tears”!

Any chance that the GOP could win the Presidency and make major gains in Congress could go down the tubes because of the internal struggle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party!

Rick Santorum, Social Security Privatization, And Denial Of Climate Change

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, in announcing his Presidential candidacy this past week, demonstrated how far right he really is, and how he is basically a lunatic fringe candidate!

In the midst of the outrage over Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan to privatize Medicare over ten years, Santorum reminded all of us that he had supported and promoted George W. Bush’s privatization plan for Social Security in 2005, and still believed in it now, despite the total collapse of the stock market in 2008, and at a time when the stock market again is presently in a slide.

He also declared that there is no climate change or global warming, and that it is just a plot of liberals and progressives to make national government bigger, and allow the government to intrude more in our lives.

But at the same time, Rick Santorum has shown great willingness to work against abortion rights of women, and to become the Republican candidate most opposed by gay Americans because of his total condemnation of everything gay, as he promotes “family values” which would deny any human rights to those of homosexual orientation.

Santorum was soundly defeated for re-election in 2006, and is seen as a fringe candidate, but he will add entertainment and comedy to the race, much like Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, and Newt Gingrich. Comic relief is needed in a tough economic time such as this!

The Next Doomsday: May 16! Debt Ceiling Extension Crisis!

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Now that the government shutdown was averted at the last minute this past Friday, April 8, a much more dangerous deadline is looming: May 16.

Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner has declared that by that date it is essential that the Congress extend the borrowing limit, the federal debt ceiling, beyond the present $14.25 trillion limit, or face the inability of the government to pay its bonds and debts on time, an action which could trigger world wide economic repercussions, and make it impossible for the US government to borrow money, because of a technical state of bankruptcy!

Geithner has informed Congress that if federal accounts were moved around, the doomsday scenario could be delayed to July 8 at the latest!

For the government to fall into default would be extremely damaging, both short term and long term, and yet there are the Tea Party radicals in the House of Representatives, and lunatics in the Senate such as Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida who are, seemingly, willing to risk the nation’s future in their ideological struggle against the federal government!

With the ability of the Republicans to filibuster in the Senate, and the Tea Party members of the House unwilling to bend, the battle over extension of the debt limit will center around the Obama Health Care plan, the environment, abortion rights, and other GOP demands that the Democrats have been able to avert in the most recent battle over shutting down the government.

So the likelihood of the economic revival going on smoothly seems less likely over the rest of this year, and then the 2012 budget plan presents the next crisis, if we ever resolve the debt limit crisis now facing us in the next month to three months!

The Iowa Faith And Freedom Coalition And The Republican Party Presidential Nomination

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The first event of the battle for the Republican Presidential nomination of 2012 occurred on Monday night in Des Moines, Iowa, when the Faith and Freedom Coalition gathering, hosted by Ralph Reed, a former aide to evangelist Pat Robertson, took place.

Only three of the major possible candidates showed up–Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, and Rick Santorum.

Also appearing were former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer, past Godfather Pizza executive Herman Cain, and in a separate event, Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Also, a representative of Donald Trump appeared.

The fact that only three major GOP candidates appeared was a surprise, as it is obvious no one is very anxious to jump full scale into the race.

And the three major candidates who did show up all sounded like evangelical preachers at a religious revival, and the question is whether the GOP is going to focus on abortion and gay marriage at the expense of mainstream economic issues!

And for Gingrich particularly, but also Pawlenty and Santorum, to focus on morals and ethics is quite amazing, and the level of hypocrisy, particularly for Gingrich with his three wives and scandalous behavior as Speaker of the House from 1995-1999, is absolutely amazing!

Republican Party Doctrine: Life Begins At Conception, And Interest In Life Ends At Birth!

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The Republican Party is working full scale against a woman’s right to choose, attempting every strategy possible to prevent abortion, no matter what the situation, and badmouthing Planned Parenthood, an organization which only has abortion rights as a small part of its mission to promote family planning, so as to make better parenting of children, which is something very much lacking in America!

So when one analyzes the Republican stand that life begins at conception and every child must be born, no matter what, and then realize that the Republicans now are trying to eliminate ALL aid to poor women and children, due to the budget crisis, one has to wonder how they can look themselves in the mirror!

Leave it to the GOP to try to eliminate all health, education and housing aid for the poor, and basically blaming poor people for being poor, when a large percentage of the poor ARE children born to teenage or 20s women out of wedlock, with the majority of the women being WHITE! This is the 19th century Social Darwinism at its worst being brought back in the 21st century!

So the Republican Party believes life begins at conception, and their interest in life ends with the birth of the child! Now you are on your own, and we don’t want to support you or even care about you, unless of course you kill your child, but no assistance is offered if a poor woman or couple cannot afford the child that is being forced on them by the strange morality of the Republican Party!

The GOP War On Women and Children: Despicable And Disgraceful! :(

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Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, appointed by President Ronald Reagan 25 years ago, and arguably the most conservative Justice in more than half a century, recently stated that women were not protected in the Constitution.

That shocking statement seems to be working itself out in the attack of the Republican Party, in Congress and in the states, on the rights and freedoms of American women and children.

Witness the following:

Republicans are trying to reduce women’s access to abortion care, and have been also trying to redefine rape, so as to lessen the opportunities or reasons for abortion.

A South Dakota legislator proposed a bill to make the murder of an abortion doctor justifiable homicide.

The party in Congress is trying to eliminate one billion dollars aid, including food, to low income pregnant women, mothers, babies, and children.

The party in Congress has proposed that hospitals be able to reject an abortion for a woman in danger of dying as a result of medical problems from the pregnancy.

Head Start, started under President Lyndon Johnson nearly fifty years ago, has been marked for a billion dollar cut in funding, eliminating spots for 200,000 children.

The Republicans want to cut spending on employment services, meals, and housing for senior citizens, with two thirds of them being women.

The GOP called on Friday for elimination of all federal funding for Planned Parenthood health centers, which promotes responsible family planning.

And this series of actions against women and children are sponsored by people who profess to be “good Christians”, religious people who demonstrate absolutely no concern for life once it is born, and are mean spirited and nasty in their vicious attacks on women’s rights! 🙁

The Republican women in Congress, as a group, make one wonder how women could be so uncaring and lack compassion for those less fortunate, whether poor, young, or elderly. In many ways, they are actually worse than the Republican men! There is no way that Jesus Christ would approve of these “true believers”, who he would consider hypocrites in the extreme! 🙁