LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 25, 2005
HOUSE AND SENATE IN RECESS
PRESIDENCY
EUROPE
The President was in Europe for most of the week and front page stories about his activities abound. What was amazing about his trip was what the newspapers did not report but was obvious to everyone. The same left leaning European leaders who did their best to stop this President from being reelected, actually argued 
with each other over who would have more "face time" with him. European leaders lined up to have as much camera time with President George W. Bush as possible. In Brussels newspapers reported that "hundreds" of people showed up to protest his policies. What happened to the tens of thousands who were demonstrating last year? Two things have happened in Europe. First, the Iraqi elections in which 8 million people participated vindicated the President's invasion and push for democracy in the Arab world. Second, the "red state map" shocked Europeans. Suddenly the realization has hit Europe that Hollywood is not America and it has subdued their view of our very popular president.
ASSASSINATION PLOT
An assassination plot to kill President George W. Bush has been exposed, and arrests of Islamists have been made in the United States and overseas. A leading figure in the plot to kill the President was reported in the press to be ".. a high school valedictorian from northern Virginia." Most press reports failed to say he was a valedictorian from the Islamic Saudi Academy in Alexandria, Virginia which teaches a brand of hatred incomprehensible to most Americans. The school, which receives virtually all its funding from the Saudi government, teaches that democracy is an apostate religion that must be destroyed. No one gets to be the valedictorian at this school without learning how to hate America! Believe it or not the family of the fanatic is now planning to sue the United States!
CONGRESS
JUDICIAL ACTIVISM
Congressman John Hostettler (R-IN) has long been an outspoken critic of judicial activism. He has been the leader in the fight to pass a "super DOMA" (Defense of Marriage Act) which would restrict Federal Courts from finding state DOMA laws unconstitutional. Now judicial activism has come home to his back yard. A court has ordered that the Ten Commandments display in the Gibson County Courthouse in Princeton, NJ be removed. Congressman Hostettler has rightly written a letter to President George W. Bush pointing out that he has the authority not to enforce any court decision that he believes is errant. In the letter Congressman Hostettler asked President Bush to refuse to allow Federal Marshals to remove the Ten Commandments. His letter to the President is compelling and I urge you to read it. (Click here to view Congressman Hostettler's letter.)
A SPECTER IN THE SENATE
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) agreed to follow the Republican Majority in the Senate in order to obtain the chairmanship of the powerful Judiciary Committee. It appears now that he has decided to spend more time blaming his party than working with it. He is now accusing "both parties" of slowing down judicial nominees and says the Democrats are only doing the same thing to Bush appointees that Republicans did to Bill Clinton's. Apparently Specter does not realize the difference between a majority and a minority. The majority party in the Senate should have the right to block any judge the President sends to them on an up or down vote. For six years of the Clinton Presidency the Republican Party held the majority in the Senate and did vote down Clinton nominees. The Democrats are now the minority in the Senate but they still want the right to block a vote on Bush nominees they don't like such as Priscilla Owen. Now it appears they have an ally in liberal Republican Arlen Specter.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS BRIEFING
I will be speaking at the National & Local Affairs Briefing in New York City on March 2nd concerning issues important to social conservatives. Tony Perkins, the President of the Family Research Council and Rev. Duane Motley of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms will also speak. Rev. Motley does in New York's state capital of Albany what I do in Washington, DC. The briefing begins at 11:00 AM in the Empire State Building, lower level "City Room." For more information or to attend click here.
INTERNATIONAL
UNITED NATIONS
Next week the UN Commission on the Status of Women meets at the United Nations in New York. Traditionally the UN has been a hot bed for liberal social engineers to work to destroy family institutions. As more conservative NGOs such as the Religious Freedom Coalition participate, the liberals are defeated with the truth. Liberals want the UN to declare marriage dead and proclaim that prostitution is a "right." We believe the real data shows that marriage benefits women, children and entire nations. On Thursday, March 3rd, members of the Commission are invited to a private luncheon sponsored by the Religious Freedom Coalition and five other conservative organizations including Concerned Women for America. During the luncheon, social conservative views on the importance of the family will be presented. RFC Executive Director Peggy Birchfield, who is in New York monitoring the Commission's activities, will participate in the luncheon.
WEST BANK
Over the past two weeks I have mentioned our April missions trip to the Holy Land and the need for funds for our various projects in the West Bank (Samaria). The total budget for our West Bank operation is $100,000 this year. So far we have raised about $10,000 in Internet contributions. Our first direct mail solicitation for funds was mailed from Washington, DC on Wednesday and we are praying for a good response. We have about seven weeks to raise the funds needed to meet our budget to help Christian families, schools and our evangelistic workers in Palestinian Authority areas. Please become a part of the effort by contributing just a small amount today. Just $5.00 or $10.00 will help us get to our goal! You can even arrange an automatic gift each month at our Internet site for continuing support.
Contributions to our West Bank (Samaria) projects can be made either by mail or online using a secure server. To contribute to this project by mail please send a check to:
Religious Freedom Coalition, PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013
Be sure to note on your check that the funds are for our April Holy Land Mission. Please give credit card donations online at: http://www.rfcnet.org/donate.html.
As part of our ongoing support of Christian Palestinians we are still making available the handmade olive oil soap from Samaria. There is nothing made anywhere in the world like it and we receive many testimonies from people telling us how it has helped their complexions. There are entire Internet sites devoted to selling olive oil soap commercially with prices ranging up to three times our price of $4.99 a bar. One site sells olive oil soap from the Islamic nation of Jordan for $12.00 a bar! To learn more about this handmade olive oil soap click here. Our Internet store also has a wonderful selection of other Holy Land items including Jerusalem stone plaques.
DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME (Luke 22:19)
Instead of plastic rabbits and colored eggs for Easter, why not adorn your home with an image of the Last Supper etched on a real Jerusalem stone plaque? This large 9" x 4.75" Jerusalem Stone plaque depicting the Last Supper is placed in a handsome gold frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity/gift card.
Jerusalem Stone is a limestone material found in the areas between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, and between Galilee and Haifa. This stone was excavated by the Israelites as early as 1000 to 2000 B.C, and used to construct such historical, religious sites as the "City of Jerusalem" and "King Solomon's Temple". Today this treasured stone is still used in all modern construction within the city of Jerusalem. For more information please click here or on the image.
CHRISTIAN DVD RENTAL SERVICE
Yes, there is a movie rental service that does not also offer X rated films. For a set monthly fee the Christian rental service offers unlimited rentals with free shipping in both directions. We at the Religious Freedom Coalition were so impressed by the service that we have become an affiliate of theirs. Currently the company has a one month free membership. Click here for information.
PLEASE TELL SOMEONE ABOUT THESE UPDATES
You are invited to forward copies of this Legislative Update to your friends. Please tell them it is issued weekly free of charge and that we do not share our e-mail lists with any other organizations. In 2005 we are praying to top the 100,000 subscribers mark and you can help. If this e-mail was forwarded to you, please subscribe at http://www.rfcnet.org/subscribe.asp .
William J. Murray, Chairman
Religious Freedom Coalition, P.O. Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013. Phone: (202) 543-0300
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Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2005