LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING JANUARY 7, 2005
HOUSE AND SENATE IN SESSION
THE SENATE
OUR NEW SENATORS
The photo at left was taken by someone less than one hour after the swearing-in ceremony of nine new Senators to the 109th Congress by Vice President Dick Cheney. In the photo I am shaking the hand of Senator John Thune (R-SD), the man who defeated Minority Leader Tom Daschle. The photo is not very remarkable, but the timing of the photo is. The Religious Freedom Coalition has developed a powerful enough reputation on Capitol Hill that our staff was invited to receptions held for key new Senators on January 4th.. Our staff watched the actual swearing in of John Thune and others on a giant screen set up in the Hart Senate Office building conference room and minutes later he appeared in person to greet and talk with us. When I shook the new Senator's hand the first words out of my mouth were, "Senator, we at Religious Freedom Coalition look forward to working with your office on behalf of social conservatives for the next six years." I wanted the Senator to know that my presence wasn't just to congratulate him, but to make him aware of the ongoing presence of social conservatives on Capitol Hill.
Immediately after the reception in the Hart Senate Office Building, RFC executive director Peggy Birchfield and I went to a private reception for our old friend Dr. Tom Coburn. Dr. Coburn, a staunch pro-lifer, was elected to the Senate in Oklahoma. Dr. Coburn's new Chief of Staff is Mike Schwartz, who has served with me for many years as the co-chairman of the Family Forum meetings held twice a month by Coalitions For America. (At the Coburn reception, pulled pork barbecue was served. It is my understanding that French canapés were served at the Democrat Senate receptions.)
Both Senators Coburn and Thune have been appointed to the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee which oversees the hearings for Cabinet and judicial appointees. Theirs will be a strong voice to challenge the more liberal views of committee chairman Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) who made very controversial remarks about the President's judicial appointments late last year.
SENATE HEARINGS
Far left Democrats think they own blacks and Hispanics and they become livid and hateful anytime a black or Hispanic conservative appears in public. The far left has published horrific racist cartoons of Secretary of State Colin Powell and soon to be Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In the past few years, Senate leftists, led by former Senator Tom Daschle, have blocked as many of the appointments of black and Hispanic judges as possible. Is it any wonder then that the venom of the left would be unleashed upon White House counsel Alberto Gonzales in his confirmation hearings to become Attorney General of the United States? The Democrats are now accusing him of promoting torture by US troops in Iraq and being in favor of limiting Constitutional rights. The real truth: if Alberto Gonzales' name were Albert Smith and he had the same beliefs, the uproar from the Democrats would be far more subdued. The Democrats just don't want any Republican blacks or Hispanics in high profile Cabinet positions for fear many blacks and Hispanics will start to listen to their conservative ideas. From looking at Senator Ted Kennedy's red hot face as he insulted Alberto Gonzales during the hearings I actually think he hates any Hispanic Republican more than he hates George W. Bush. Although calmly stated, some of the harshest questions came from the Republican Chairman Arlen Specter. We will be dealing with Specter in this important position for many years and he must be kept under a microscope and attention called to him at any time he sides with the Democrats. Alberto Gonzales' nomination will be passed out of the Judiciary Committee and I expect that out of embarrassment several Democrats will be forced to vote for him when his nomination reaches the floor.
REAL SENATE EMBARRASSMENT
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) filed an official complaint against the results of the Presidential election causing a delay in the certification of the Electoral College vote. She stated that she wanted to call attention to the "irregularities" in the vote in Ohio. Even Senator John Kerry in a letter to his followers said he lost in Ohio, but Michael Moore, inspired by far left-wingers such as Boxer in the Senate, must continue to embarrass our nation around the world by criticizing our elections. Not a word has come out of the mouth of a single Democrat about the election fraud in Washington state in which a Democratic county "found" over 700 ballots to count weeks after the official vote. The ballots, almost all stating a home address as a government building, moved the election victory from the Republican to the Democrat.
SENATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Republican Study Committee has released a report on the "accomplishments" of the 108th Congress. Considering news reports that the Congress does virtually nothing, I thought you may find the document of interest and I have loaded it as a PDF at our Internet site. To read or print the PDF please click here.
THE COURTS
NEWDOW IS BACK
Atheist Michael Newdow has filed a new lawsuit in California to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. In 2002 the nutty 9th Circuit Court found in favor of a similar lawsuit by Newdow and the decision raised such a storm that the Senate voted 99-0 to condemn the ruling. Eventually the Supreme Court dismissed the case; however, Newdow has filed a new lawsuit, this time with eight other "unnamed" parents who do not want their children to utter the words "under God." After costing various government agencies hundreds of thousands of tax dollars, his lawsuit will once again fail even if the 9th Circuit Court agrees with him again. For Newdow, however, this is not about winning, it is about self-centered egotism that is inherent in atheism.
THE MILITARY
THE AX IS COMING AGAIN
For decades the United States maintained a huge conventional army to confront Soviet expansionism in Europe. Our government had a "two front" military policy, meaning, that if war did break out in Europe we could maintain a second front in Asia should North Korea or even China enter the war. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the Clinton Administration abandoned the two front policy and reduced the size of the armed forces by nearly half. Our military is under such pressure that even the occupation of the rather small nation of Iraq is creating problems, with many of the service personnel in Iraq being National Guardsmen who are not truly trained for urban combat.
The bureaucrats have a solution to the armed services shortages: reduce the size of the armed forces even further. (Yes, you read that right.) A "no-front" policy is being proposed, that is, we will no longer have a military capable of fighting a conventional war anywhere in the world. The Armed Forces will be reorganized to fight short battles and occupy after small conflicts if required. The number of Air Craft Carrier groups will be reduced and deliveries of newer aircraft to the Air Force will be scrapped as part of the "reorganization" plan. Sounds like a great way to fight terror in the world ... there is just one minor problem .... China. China is using the money it makes from selling cheap clothing and electronics in the United States to build a huge conventional armed force for the sole purpose of confronting the United States in the Pacific rim. The Generals of China see an armed conflict with the United States for supremacy in the Pacific as inevitable. As I mentioned in an earlier update the Chinese navy has just launched a ballistic submarine which carries 16 JL-2 nuclear missiles each with a range of 8,000 KM. Cruising off the coast of California the missiles can hit any US city including Washington, DC and Miami, Florida. Fortunately the Senate has good men on the Armed Forces Committee who will do their best to reject the plan of the bureaucrats.
THE TIE
REALLY PATRIOTIC
In November, 2004 new patriotic silk ties made specifically for the Religious Freedom Coalition finally arrived from the factory in South Korea. We could get the ties a lot cheaper if they were made by slave labor in China, but for reasons mentioned above this organization does not buy any products from non-democratic nations. Unlike North Korea, South Korea is a democracy with a multi-party system and a thriving Christian community. In fact, some Christian churches in South Korea actually send evangelists to the United States. Products from democratic nations simply cost more than those where workers have no say and much of the labor is done in prison camps. (Christmas lights are still made in the Nanjing jail where American Dr. Charles Lee is held captive. To help get Lee out of jail his fiancee, Yeong-Chin Foo, is conducting a letter writing campaign. To help, go to http://www.rescuecharles.org )
In the past we have had Ten Commandments ties specially made for us and I just wanted to do something patriotic as well that was special and unique to the Religious Freedom Coalition. The ties were designed by the same RFC artist who did the covers for the various video documentaries. All of us at RFC are very proud of these ties and I plan to wear one to the Inauguration of President George W. Bush on the 20th of this month. As a special way of introducing the ties and celebrating the inauguration they are offered at just $20.00 each with free shipping by First Class mail. For more information click here or on image.
William J. Murray, Chairman
Religious Freedom Coalition, P.O. Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013. Phone: (202) 543-0300
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This publication is a service of the Religious Freedom Coalition (RFC) and does not necessarily reflect its views. It is neither an attempt to aid nor hinder the passage of any specific legislation nor an attempt to assist or defeat any candidate running for public office.
Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2005