Quote of the Day

"Things in our Country are really getting crazy. Our Commander and chief spent his FIRST live TV interview, on an Islamic network, telling the Muslim world he is sorry.

They kill Americans and Christians right and left around the world, but he is Sorry!

Also our great body of elected federal officials, the Senate and House of Representatives, which are now FIRMLY in liberal democratic control... they are going on the biggest and most insane spending spree in global history.

Taking our hard earned dollars, that you and I work for every week, and spending it willy nilly on every liberal pet project and special interest there is. ALL AT ONCE!"

Alain

The Right Plan for the Economy

Alains Newsletter has the best stimulus plan - Rush's plan...

My Bipartisan Stimulus

There´s a serious debate in this country as to how best to end the recession. The average recession will last five to 11 months; the average recovery will last six years. Recessions will end on their own if they´re left alone. What can make the recession worse is the wrong kind of government intervention.

Read More

Four Chaplains Memorial Service

The Orange, Virginia American Legion Post 156, the Madison, Virginia American Legion Post 157, and Auxiliary Unit 157 held a Clergy Appreciation Dinner and Four Chaplains Memorial Service at the Madison American Legion Post Home this evening.

Gerry Stephenson, Commander of the Madison Post brought the meeting to order and Madison Boy Scout Troop 45 posted the colors. Madison Post Vice Commander Lisa Davis led the crowd of about 100 in the Pledge of Allegiance.

A delicious ham and turkey dinner was provided by Madison Wood Preservers and prepared by the Auxiliary. Next guests heard "The Saga of the Four Chaplains" and enjoyed some patriotic vocal stylings by Jeanne Bruton and Maribeth Lowe. Then a Lighting Ceremony was held in tribute to the Four Chaplains while the biography of each of these noble men was read.

The Four Chaplains honored were: Chaplain Alexander D. Goode, Chaplain George L. Fox, Chaplain Clark V. Poling, and Chaplain John P. Washington.

"Those four chaplains obeyed the Divine Commandment that men should love one another.. This is an old faith in our country. It is shared by all our churches and all our denominations... The unit of our country comes from this fact."

President Harry Truman, February 3, 1951

Below is the story of the Four Chaplains.

"THE LAST DAY OF THE DORCHESTER"

By Walter S. Miller, Survivor

On a cold day in January, 1943
The Dorchester set out for open sea,
With civilians, seamen and soldiers too,
And Four Chaplains there among the crew.

The days turned to nights and back to days,
The Chaplains comforted us in many ways,
A prayer, a smile or a word or two,
Everyday, until that day was through.

A date to remember was coming fast,
That will remain with me, till life is past
February 3, 1943
A date that will always stay with me.

It was early morning and it was dark,
A German sub took aim and hit its mark,
A torpedo ripped a large hole in the ship,
And for hundreds of men, it was the end of the trip.

War is hell and war is glory,
As you will read in this my story,
Four Chaplains on board were proved so brave,
For so many lives they tried to save.

Handing out life jackets,
Including theirs too,
And then they went down,
With the rest of the crew.

As the ship was sinking, they joined hands and prayed,
For the men still on board, and the price that they paid,
A few survivors are left to tell the story,
Of Four Chaplains who sank in a blaze of glory.

April 7, 1985

These brave men posthumously received the Four Chaplains' Medal of Valor, established by Congress on July 14, 1960.

Obama's Tantrum was Subterfuge

Gary Bauer details the facts you will never hear from the liberal Drive-by Media.

Don’t Fall For It

"President Obama threw a temper tantrum yesterday over corporate bonuses. His populist rhetoric may have even gotten a few conservatives to nod approvingly, but don’t fall for it, my friends. It was nothing more than the typical liberal appeal to class warfare, and an invitation to Big Government control over the economy that all of us will regret.

Railing against corporate bonuses in an economic downturn makes for great sound bites, but it ignores reality. Here are a few facts the liberal media won’t tell you.

• A lot of people on Wall Street receive relatively modest salaries, but get most of their annual income through year-end bonuses. That is true for employees from the boardroom to the mailroom. In fact, the $18 billion covered over 165,000 people! Did President Obama mention that or were you left with the impression that a handful of “Wall Street fat cats” laughed all the way to the bank? And not all companies paying out bonuses are getting government bailouts either.
  
  
• It is the height of hypocrisy for this president to rail against $18 billion in corporate bonuses while he is pitching an $800 billion bailout of Big Government and billions in “bonuses” to leftwing special interest groups.
  
  
• President Obama complains about excess and extravagance on Wall Street. This is coming from the man whose inaugural celebrations were the most expensive in our nation’s history, costing taxpayers well over $100 million in the middle of an economic downturn.
  
  
• President Obama says there will be a time for profits and bonuses, but this is not it. Really? Now would be a great time for profits. How does he think the economy is going to turn around without corporate profits? I guess companies will now have to wait for his permission before they can earn a profit.
  
  
• The salary structures of private companies are none of the government’s business. That’s up to the shareholders. Do we really want the government policing and dictating salaries in the private sector? It already impacts your standard of living enough when it comes to the amount of withholding in your paycheck. Wait until some bureaucrat knocks on your door and says, “Sorry, but we think you’re paid too much.”
  
  
• Citi’s $50 million corporate jet – The jet was ordered in 2005, not last week. The company was scheduled to take possession of the jet in a matter of days, but under pressure from the government Citi cancelled the contract. What about the service and maintenance jobs Citi would have supported with the purchase of that jet? Don’t they matter? This is how Big Government intervention crushes free enterprise and stifles the economy.

Since we’re railing on “shameful bonuses,” try this: The Democrat Congress is going to give itself a $4,700 pay raise this year AND that’s in addition to a whopping $90,000 increase in the budgets for each congressional office! According to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, “In recent years, the [office budgets] have increased each year by about $25,000-$30,000 per office, several sources said, making this year’s increase remarkable.”

There are no layoffs, cutbacks or belt-tightening for Big Government, but there are plenty of harsh words for Corporate America, which actually creates jobs. A wise man once said, “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Liberal Democrats have it backwards."

Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working Families

Be sure to listen to Gary on Sirius:

New Radio Show

"Along with my colleague Tom Rose, I am co-hosting a new 2-hour Sunday show on Sirius XM radio. You can listen from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM ET on Sirius Patriot 144 or America Right XM 166. It is lively and timely, combative and entertaining, in my humble opinion. We encourage phone calls, and we are getting a lot! This week, we will be talking to “Joe the Plumber.” Give us a listen and give us a call at 1-866-95-PATRIOT."

NBC: No Traditonal Values Allowed

Family Research Council Action provides a phone number that you can call to complain about the hypocrisy of NBC's anti-family censorship.

Super Bowl Cries Foul at Pro-Life Ad

The Washington Times is reporting today that NBC, in a disturbing show of censorship, has nixed a powerful pro-life ad slated to air on Super Bowl Sunday.

The commercial, called "Imagine Spot 1," was created by a Catholic group called Fidelis to drive home the potential of human life. After its run on Black Entertainment Television (BET), the spot is approaching a million YouTube hits.

NBC justified the slight by saying that the ad was too political in nature. In reality, these 41 seconds do more to inspire than the hundreds of other Super Bowl ads that use sex and alcohol to wow viewers.

It's ironic that producers pull out the rule book when they want to police traditional values, but when their stars do something really out-of-bounds the networks swallow their whistle.

If you'd like to complain about the double standard, contact NBC's comment line directly at 212-664-2333. In the meantime, please watch the video for yourself and pass it on to your family and friends. You can find it on YouTube.

Additional Resources
YouTube: Fidelis Super Bowl Ad

Quote of the Day

"Obama's tirade against Wall Street could just as easily been directed at himself. The President and Democratic leadership have a pattern of rewarding America's biggest ethical offenders with federal money. Since 1987, his party has helped Planned Parenthood rake in more than $3.2 billion taxpayer dollars. Now, the President's reversal of the Mexico City policy and his promotion of "family planning" programs will ensure that they get millions more.

Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood, much like Wall Street, has been implicated in its share of taxpayer abuses, which include in 2008 alone: at least $180 million of alleged fraud in California and Florida; statutory rape cover-ups in Indiana, North Carolina, and Illinois; documented racism in at least seven state branches; and medical deficiencies that led to the closing of California and New Jersey clinics. The federal government not only ignores these exploits but is complicit in funding them. Obama called for Wall Street to "start acting in a more responsible fashion if we are to get this economy rolling again." Mr. President, why not start by showing them how?"

Tony Perkins
Family Research Council Action

ABC: Americans Brainwashed by Clintonite

The Media Research Center needs your help to put the pressure on ABC for the outrageous conduct of Democrat mouthpiece George Stephanopoulos. He is a poster boy for the biased left-wing media - using his position at ABC to spoon feed Americans Democrat propaganda.

Grassroots Response Against ABC News Overwhelming

Yesterday, we sounded the grassroots alarm about ABC News' George Stephanopoulos. Politico broke the news that Stephanopoulos is currently conducting private, daily phone briefings with Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

This is the height of irresponsible journalism and a clear conflict of interest. How can Stephanopoulos participate in daily briefings about the administration's strategy and message and then be charged with reporting on them?

After urging every member of the MRC Action Team to call ABC News and demand that he immediately recuse himself from reporting on any issues involving the Obama Administration, thousands of members took immediate action!

In fact, we've learned that ABC News switchboard personnel were completely swamped, and couldn't keep up with the heavy volume of angry calls.

This is a tremendous beginning, but until the matter is resolved, and George Stephanopoulos recuses himself from further reporting on the Obama administration, we want to increase the grassoots heat even more!

+ + Don't Stop Calling!

Even if you've already called, please do so again, right now--and follow it up with emails using our convenient email form.

We are expanding this effort, and have added Stephanopoulos's boss, David Westin, President of ABC News and Westin's boss, Anne Sweeney, Co-Chairman of Disney. They all need to hear from you.

Here are the numbers to call:

George Stephanopoulos, Washington Chief Correspondent
ABC News, 202-222-7700

David Westin, President ABC News 212-456-6200

Anne Sweeney, Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks 818-569-7700

We simply cannot tolerate this obvious conflict of interest and we're depending on you to help keep the pressure on high until the situation is resolved!

Click here to send emails

What you can expect from Mark Warner

Of course, Warner gave Virginians the biggest tax increase in the history of the Commonwealth, even though he repeatedly lied to the voters that he would not increase taxes. So perhaps it is no surprise that he now favors the biggest boondoggle in the history of the United States.

Below is the response Warner is sending out to fiscally conservative constituents who are contacting him to urge him to oppose the Obama Porkulus package which is plump full of patronage, payolla and PORK.

(The emphasis was added by one of his constituents.)

Dear ,

Thank you for contacting me with your views on the economic stimulus package. In order to best represent you as your United States Senator, it is vital that I hear your view on this and other important matters.

We have received numerous responses from across the Commonwealth from those both in favor (?!) of the stimulus and those opposed. I understand concerns about the expense of the bill and about certain provisions included in the package. Although no effort on this scale will be perfect, President Obama and the relevant Congressional committees have been in close consultation with our state and local officials and a wide range of economic experts who have indicated that this agreement represents a prudent and effective path to economic recovery. To do nothing could lead to catastrophic consequences for small businesses and working families across the country.

The committees drafting the legislation have provided for unprecedented oversight, (all appointed by Obama) accountability and transparency (just like his birth certificate) to ensure that taxpayers' money is handled carefully and used in the most efficient and effective manner possible. You should know that a Recovery Act and Transparency Board (appointed by Obama) will oversee the disbursement of the funds and a website provided by the White House, www.recovery.gov, will post detailed information about recovery spending.

Again, thank you for your input. As we move forward in the 111th Congress, please continue to be in touch with your opinions and concerns.

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator

Statement from Governor George Allen

Mount Vernon, Va. – Former Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen issued the following statement today, congratulating Michael Steele for being elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee.

“Congratulations to my good friend Michael Steele for his historic, hard-fought victory and becoming the next Chairman of the Republican National Committee. These contests amongst friends are always very contentious and I have a great deal of admiration for all those who entered the battleground today. I am confident in Chairman Steele’s vision, tenacity and character to lead our RNC team and grow our Party.

“The truth is that voters don’t care about Republican versus Democrat, or conservative versus liberal. They care about the ideas and solutions that will have a positive impact on their lives. Republican need to restart our creative engines to motivate and inspire people behind our ideas and solutions for job growth and economic competitiveness, a strong national defense, better schools with more choice and strategic energy independence. And I believe Michael Steele will articulate these ideas to get more Americans to join our efforts to improve America as a land of opportunity for all.”

A Moment in History

Not allowed to be shown in America

The liberal media only broadcast negative ideas about Bush, not all the good he did.

We are being censured by our own news media! This is video is history... some may have forgotten about these facts.

This video shows that George Bush tried to warn Congress in 2002 that this economic crisis was coming, if something was not done. But congress refused to listen, along with Barney Frank. This video says it all.

The liberal AMERICAN media did not want this video seen... this link is routed through Canada but everyone in America needs to see this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&N%20%20R=1

Importing Terrorists: Not a Bright Idea

Traditional Values Coalition asks, Do You Know Where Your Terrorists Are?

GITMO Terrorists in Your Backyard?

Read More

Costly Schemes will Cause Economic Pain

Statement from former Governor George Allen

Mount Vernon, Va. – Former Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen issued the following statement today, warning Americans to be wary of Al Gore’s call to put “a price on carbon” and be mindful of what happens at the upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in December.

“Former Vice President Al Gore’s plaintive call to place ‘a price on carbon’ is just another tax increase, as is the ‘Cap and Trade’ scheme. Imposing Al Gore’s carbon ‘Cap and Trade’ tax on Americans would be unilateral economic disarmament and will profoundly harm American jobs and competitiveness. There’s never a good time to further burden Americans. But now is an especially terrible time to impose greater tax burdens and higher costs for electricity, fuel and food on American families and businesses that are already suffering. This would be like throwing an anchor to a man who is struggling to tread water.

“Please watch this upcoming Copenhagen conference. Even the Europeans are seeing the fallacy and harm of their carbon Cap and Trade system. America cannot have our sovereignty, opportunity and jobs sacrificed on the altar of blissful, arrogant and manipulative schemes from political elites and social engineers. We do not need any more financial rackets and convoluted, costly regimes, infecting our free enterprise system. American ingenuity to develop new technologies that are commercially viable and deployable to improve air quality is always expedited with lower taxes that enhance financial investments. Beware of any international agreement established at Copenhagen to cap or tax greenhouse gas emissions; it will result in more economic pain and very little environmental gain.”

Quote of the Day

"Unlike some of those now running our country, including our new Treasury Secretary and the Democrat Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, I faithfully paid my taxes each of those more than 40 years."

J. D. Pendry

Support Free Speech & Rush Limbaugh!

Washington Liberals Declare War – On Rush

First our new president tells congressional conservatives to stop listening to Rush Limbaugh if they want to work with him. Now the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched an online petition to enable all “patriotic” Americans to express their outrage at Rush because he said he wanted Obama to fail.

Well, there are a lot of us who hope President Obama fails – fails to raise taxes, fails to saddle us with trillions in new debt, fails to sell out Israel, fails at appeasing Islamofascism, fails to subsidize abortion and fails in redefining marriage.

For eight years, every leftist in Washington wanted President Bush to fail. They spent eight years telling us that their vocal, and often vitriolic, opposition was “patriotic.” They were so consumed with hatred that they regularly announced we had lost the war in Iraq – while our men and women in uniform were still fighting! When it became clear we had won the war, Pelosi and Reid looked so depressed that some of us worried whether they might need medicinal help to snap out of it.

So their fake outrage at Rush Limbaugh isn’t fooling anyone. From the White House to the Democratic National Committee, they want to silence Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham and anyone else who is fighting the leftwing agenda. The White House website is already hinting at how they plan to shut down conservative talk radio. Get ready for a fight!

Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working Families

Defend DOMA

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council Action, urges you to voice your values.

Working at State May Have Its Perks

With some of their greatest allies now in place in key Cabinet posts, homosexual interest groups are lining up to reap the benefits. Literally. This week, the organization Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs submitted a formal complaint to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arguing that same-sex partners deserve the same perks as the spouses of married government workers.

More than 2,000 federal employees signed onto the letter, asking for access to paid travel, government medical care, anti-terrorism training, foreign language training, and diplomatic passports or visas for their significant others. Clinton flirted with the idea at her confirmation hearing, saying, "...[O]ther nations have moved to extend that partnership benefit."

I would remind Madame Secretary that we are not "other nations." Acquiescing would undermine the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and force taxpayers to foot the bill for a lifestyle many find morally objectionable. Voice your values by calling the State Department at 202-647-4000.

Additional Resources
The Washington Post: Foreign Policy Workers Ask U.S. To Back Benefits for Gay Partners

"Read the Stimulus" website/blog

It's crucial to let our Senators and House Members of how strongly we oppose the disastrous "Stimulus" bill the President wants Congress to pass.

It would create huge debt for our children and grandchildren, waste billions on public works projects which would not create productive jobs, and would actually postpone and slow our recovery from this recession.

Please go to the National Taxpayer Union's website below, read the information, and call Capitol Hill!

Our Senators' numbers are:

Senator Jim Webb (202) 224-4024
Senator Mark Warner (202) 224-2023

If you don't have your Congressman's number, call the

Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121

Here is a great website/blog about the Democrat "Stimulus" bill created, in part, by National Taxpayer's Union and a few other tax groups:

http://www.readthestimulus.org/

The entire "stimulus" bill is posted in sections and the site encourages and invites people to comment on what they are reading.

The more people know exactly what is in this bill, the better.

Support SB 1221, Educational Improvement Tax Credit

Victoria Cobb, President of The Virginia Family Foundation needs your voice to support education freedom.

Urgent Action Alert: Support Education Choice in Senate

Last month, in a Mason Dixon poll commissioned by The Family Foundation and the Virginia Catholic Conference, Virginians once again voiced their strong support for education freedom. The poll found support for tax credits for donations to scholarship programs similar to those proposed in legislation patroned by Delegate Chris Saxman (R-20, Staunton) and Senator Mark Obenshain (R-26, Harrisonburg) is an overwhelming 69 percent!

Yesterday morning, the House Finance committee voted to send Delegate Saxman’s school choice bill to another committee. Tomorrow, Senator Obenshain’s education freedom bill will be debated in a very hostile Senate Finance Committee.

Senator Obenshain’s SB 1221 (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) is similar to Delegate Saxman’s bill but with several additional provisions. SB 1221 would provide better education opportunities for many Virginia students by allowing for tax credits for corporate donations to student scholarship programs. Many private scholarship programs annually turn kids away simply because there are always far more applicants than can be accommodated and because there is no tax credit in the Commonwealth few scholarship programs exist. This bill will encourage more donations to these important programs and motivate the creation of additional scholarship programs.

The bill is modeled after legislation passed in Pennsylvania and used as a model in several other sates.

According to Senator Obenshain, “Eight years ago, then-Gov. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania championed a program of ‘Educational Improvement Tax Credits.’ Since that time, the program has been embraced and expanded by Democrats and Republicans alike, and the model has been replicated, with considerable success, in Florida, Arizona, Rhode Island, and elsewhere. Each program has its own unique features, but they share a common idea: corporations should be able to claim a substantial tax credit for contributing to K-12 scholarship organizations that provide families with educational choices not previously available to them.”

Besides higher caps on the tax credits and different provisions in which students can receive the scholarships, Senator Obenshain’s bill also includes a provision that public schools that lose students to private schools because of the scholarship programs would continue to receive at least 25 percent of the per-pupil funding that they would have received should the student have stayed.

In states where the program has been implemented it has seen extraordinary success, to the point of bipartisan support for expansion of the programs.

Unfortunately, the Senate Finance committee has regularly killed any and all attempts at expanding education opportunities for families in Virginia. It has routinely voted down similar bills.

But with new polling that shows an overwhelming number of Virginians support exactly the type of scholarship program that Senator Obenshain has introduced, the pressure on the committee is greater than ever. Still, we need you to voice your opinion today!

ACTION: Please contact members of the Senate Finance Committee IMMEDIATELY and urge them to support SB 1221, Educational Improvement Tax Credit!

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/vaff28153621.aspx

Virginia Democrats Disrespect Tax Payers

Democrats Strike Down Open Government

(Richmond, VA) - State Senate Democrats struck down a bill today that would have allowed local governments to put their checkbooks online. State Senator Ken Cuccinelli introduced Senate Bill 812 at the request of Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity.

"In the age of Obama, where Democrats preach 'hope,' 'change,' and 'open government,' its disappointing to see that those are meaningless words," said Cuccinelli. "The reality is that the status quo is willing to block anything that allows the people to see into how their government is really run."

The bill would have allowed, but not required, counties and cities to put their expenditures online for the public to view. The Senate Committee on Finance struck down the bill 8 to 7 in a largely partisan vote.

Obama: Not Looking After America's Interests

Liberals denigrates President Bush as a "cowboy" for eight years but Barack Obama seems determined to be a doormat.

Obama Reassures Muslim World – Scares This American

"Last night, President Barack Obama gave his first TV interview since his inauguration, and he chose an Arab language satellite network, the Al-Arabiya news channel. In his remarks, Obama makes two assertions that give us an insight into his worldview. It is not reassuring.

First, President Obama said he felt his “job” was to communicate “to the Muslim world … that the Americans are not your enemy.” Why does the president feel he must reassure Muslims that “Americans” are not their enemy? It was the United States that was attacked on 9/11 by jihadists acting in the name of Islam.

Our response to that cowardly attack was to send our military not to subjugate Muslims but to liberate millions of them in Iraq and Afghanistan from the rule of tyrants and thugs. People of both countries were able to vote for the first time in their lives. In Afghanistan today, in those areas where the U.S. is in control, Muslim girls are permitted to go to school. Where radical Islamists are in control, acid is thrown in the faces of girls who try to go to school, and their classrooms are blown up.

After the attack of 9/11, we went out of our way to ensure that mosques in the United States were safe from any kind of backlash. Throughout the Muslim world, Christians and Jews continue to be persecuted. But in spite of all the evidence of the good we have done, the president feels a need to tell Muslims that we are not their enemy.

President Obama told his Muslim audience that he had another task. Here’s how he put it: “And my job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives.” Even if the president is right, my first reaction is, “So what?” Those Muslims who simply want to enjoy peace and quiet are not the problem. It is the Muslims who nurture groups like Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and countless other murderous fanatics who matter most.

From London to Madrid, Manhattan to Mumbai, Beslan to Buenos Aires, it is those Islamists who have intentionally inflicted death and destruction on helpless civilians in the name of Allah. If only ten percent of the “Muslim world” supports these murderers, then our enemy numbers 150 million. Unfortunately, there is ample evidence that the number is larger. Add on top of that a virulent Jew-hatred that appears to infect even the populations of “moderate” Muslim countries, like Indonesia and Jordan, and the size of our problem becomes obvious.

The man in the Oval Office is unprepared for the job of keeping our country safe. His instincts are wrong. We have no need to apologize to the “Muslim world.” And we certainly should not deceive ourselves into thinking that Islamofascism is a small or isolated problem. Reality is likely eventually to educate the president. God forbid that it might take another 9/11 to do it. "

Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working Families

HB 2372: A Bad Idea Bites the Dust

Victoria Cobb, President of The Family Foundation of Virginia has great Pro-Life news.

Victory Alert: Bill to Restrict Pharmacies Refusing to Sell Contraceptives Defeated

We at The Family Foundation are pleased to report another victory this session. This past summer, Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy (DMC) a Catholic pharmacy operating according to Catholic, pro-life principles opened in Chantilly, Virginia. Since opening, the pharmacy has received much press for their refusal to sell contraceptives or fill birth control prescriptions as it conflicts with their pro-life stance. This General Assembly session, Delegate Englin (D-45, Alexandria) introduced House Bill 2373, a bill that appears to directly target DMC Pharmacy because of its moral stance.

In the House Health Welfare and Institutions committee, Delegate Englin introduced the bill, explaining its three components. First, it mandated that any pharmacist refusing to fulfill a contraception prescription treat the patient “in a nonjudgmental manner” and not subject him to “indignity, humiliation, or breeches in confidentiality.” Second, the bill prohibited a pharmacist for confiscating a prescription he will not fill. The final provision required a pharmacy to post a sign 30-point boldface print near their counter in saying: “This pharmacy will not fill or refill birth control prescriptions.”

After the bill’s introduction, delegates began voicing their concerns and questions. Delegate Orrock (R-54, Thornburg) asked how one would determine “judgmental behavior.” To this, Delegate Englin replied that one would “know it when one sees it.” Next Delegate Bell (R- 58, Charlottesville) informed the committee that the section pertaining to pharmacists confiscating a prescription was redundant in that such action should fall under the larceny statute, making this provision unnecessary.

The committee chair Delegate Hamilton (R-93, Newport News) then opened the debate to comments from the audience. Several folks joined me in speaking against the bill including, a longtime friend of TFF Bob Laird who spoke representing the pharmacy, Jeff Caruso from the Virginia Catholic Conference and a Catholic priest from Chantilly who frequents the pharmacy.

A representative from NARAL spoke in favor of the bill. Interestingly enough, she claimed that if the bill forced pharmacists to distribute any particular drugs NARAL would not support the bill. Her statement is in stark contrast with the organization’s position on their website, “We must guarantee women’s access to their legally prescribed medications because telling women to simply ‘go elsewhere’ is not just an inconvenience, it is impossible. . . Pharmacies have an ethical obligation to honor valid, legal prescriptions and avoid jeopardizing their patients' health.”

When voted on, HB 2373 failed with 14 against and 8.

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Thank You President Bush & First Lady Laura Bush

A Loving Tribute to President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush

You Will Be Missed President Bush and Mrs. Bush

View a tribute to President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush by clicking here.

Lynnette Peffley of Georgia designed and wrote this tribute. Thank you, Lynnette!

Stop Foreign Contributions in Virginia Elections

Apparently Democrats want to keep the Chi-Com connection open.

Democrats Stall the Ban on Foreign Campaign Contributions

(Richmond, VA) - State Senate Democrats used parliamentary procedure to delay Sen. Ken Cuccinelli's (R-Fairfax) legislation that would outlaw contributions from foreign nationals to Virginia political campaigns.

"It's disappointing that we cannot even reach bipartisan agreement on keeping Virginia political donations free of foreign influence," said Cuccinelli. "Even though the Democrats have a Clinton fundraiser running for Governor, we should keep Clinton-style campaign fundraising out of Virginia."

On Friday, January 23rd, Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax) had Cuccinelli's Senate Bill 842 "passed by for the day" rather than allowing the bill to move forward.

Cuccinelli's bill will prohibit contributions from foreign citizens overseas to Virginia state and local campaigns. There is already an existing ban on foreign contributions in federal elections.

The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections reported the bill by a vote of 12 to 2 on Tuesday, January 20th.

Disingenuous Dems Attempt to Destroy the Marriage Amendment

Good news from Virginia Cobb, President of The Family Foundation of Virginia.

Victory Alert: Bill to Repeal Marriage Amendment Killed

In 2006, Virginians overwhelmingly voted in favor of a Constitutional amendment protecting the definition of marriage as between a man and woman. Already bills have been presented to overturn this important amendment. We at The Family Foundation are pleased to report the defeat of one such bill here in Richmond. Early this morning, Delegate David Englin (D-45, Alexandria) presented his resolution (HJ 657) to repeal the marriage amendment before a House Privileges and Elections Subcommittee.

Englin argued before the subcommittee that Virginia voters have progressed in their views since the passage of the amendment just over two years ago. He desired to “release the General Assembly from the amendment” and allow them at a future date to recognize domestic partnerships or civil unions. Further, he argued the marriage amendment to be unconstitutional and a deterrent to a younger generation seeking to move to Virginia (despite the fact population in Virginia continues to grow).

Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, the campaign manager from the anti-marriage amendment campaign two years ago, spoke in favor of Englin’s proposal, comparing the marriage amendment to prohibition. She argued first that the amendment intrudes on the free exercise clause (by not allowing churches to hold certain “marriage” ceremonies) and second that it constrains the legislators in light of changing public attitudes on marriage and equality. When asked for evidence of these changing attitudes, she could offer nothing more than that Virginians voted for Barack Obama, who supports civil unions. Upon further investigation by subcommittee members, especially Delegate Bill Janis (R-56, Glen Allen) and Delegate John Cosgrove (R-78, Chesapeake), no other evidence for the need to repeal the amendment was offered.

Delegate Cosgrove (co-patron of the Marriage Amendment) pointed to prior extensive debates on the amendment and tremendous support from Virginians for the Amendment as reasons to oppose Englin. On a 6-1 vote, the committee killed Englin’s bill. Joining Cosgrove and Janis in defeating the measure were Delegates Lacey Putney (I-19, Bedford), Jeff Frederick (R-52, Woodbridge), Kenny Alexander (D-89, Norfolk) and Bud Phillips (D-2, Castlewood). Delegate Joe Morrissey (D-74, Richmond) was the only subcommittee member that voted in support.

Thirty states, including Virginia, have passed marriage amendments.

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Bring the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009 to a VOTE

Chris Carmouche, The GrasstopsUSA Action Alert Newsletter, is sounding the alarm about the danger to our First Amendment.

Suppression Of Speech Is Quickly Becoming The American Way

"If this push for government control of political dialogue were an isolated phenomenon, that would be one thing - no more than an odd perversion of American values in a single industry.

But suppression of free speech is rapidly becoming the American way.

With few exceptions, major newspapers, magazines and the major television networks are monolithically leftist. They steadily lose money, lay-off employees and go out of business, but they stay the course.

In a shocking majority of our colleges and universities, left-wing slogans and Marxist clichés have replaced genuine scholarship in the classroom and on the podium.

Outside speakers with a conservative message are either banned by the administration or else drowned out by shouts. shrieks, and catcalls. Some are physically attacked. Conservative students are savaged by their professors and insulted and bullied by administrators.

Back in the old days, it was the Left that took to the streets, demanding the right to teach radical politics in the classroom and demonstrate in support of revolution.

They had their revolution and, like Stalin and Castro, they turned around and immediately repressed all dissent - EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THEY IMPOSE THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE.

Are you ready to let the federal government tell you what you can and can't hear on the radio or read on the Internet?"

Demand that they [President Obama and each and every Member of the Republican and Democrat Leadership of the House and Senate!] either explain to the American people why they fear and loath the First Amendment, or stop their obstruction and bring the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009 to the floor for a fair up-or-down vote. Let the American people know which of our elected officials support the First Amendment and which do not support the First Amendment!

Quote of the Day

"President Obama’s decision last weekend to overturn the Mexico City Policy, which barred taxpayer dollars from going to groups that perform abortions overseas, makes it clear that our new president has little intention to follow through on his campaign pledge to reduce abortion during his presidency. But yet Big Media has portrayed Obama’s decision as proof that the president is willing to reach out to both sides of the abortion debate. Why? Because Obama waited one day before issuing the decision.

In an opinion piece over the weekend on WorldNetDaily, I argue that, despite what the media might say, Obama will continue to have a difficult time winning over conservatives Christians, for whom policy, not symbolic gestures, matters most. You can read my piece here. Thank you."

Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working Families

Dems are using the economy for political gain

McConnell on Fox & Friends Regarding Stimulus Package

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell appeared on Fox News program "Fox and Friends" Monday morning. The following are excerpts from the program:

On A Stimulus Package:

"..I think most of my members believe if you put money straight in the hands of individuals and businesses that will have a quicker stimulative effect than having the government spend it on projects, particularly ones that are likely to spend out in year three and year four."

On Republican Stimulus Proposals:

"We've been offering suggestions. If you want a quick answer to the question what would I do, I'd have a payroll tax holiday for a year or two. That would put taxes in the hands of everybody who has a job whether they pay income taxes or not. And, of course, businesses pay the payroll tax too, so it would be both a business tax cut and individual tax cut immediately. Number two, I would make the money to states a loan rather than a grant. Otherwise you're going to see a lot of mob museums and water slides. Everybody at the state level has been making their list and checking it twice, and we're going to end up with some very embarrassing expenditures."

On The Democrats' Trillion Dollar Spending Bill:

"Well the way it's looking in the House at least, a number of things bother me about it. I think it's probably going to fall well short of the mark of what the Speaker just said a year ago, the principle that ought to apply to stimulus, temporary, timely, targeted. A lot of this is going to spend out over a very lengthy period of time and not have much of an impact in the short term."

"I want to be open minded about it because we haven't actually drafted it in the Senate yet. I think the house package looks pretty bad."

On the President's Stimulus Proposal:

"We're looking at the substance of this, and at least the substance, as defined by the Congressional Democrats at the moment, seems to fall well short of what a stimulus package ought to be."

On The President's Desire for Republican Support on the Stimulus:

"Well I think the President would like to govern from the center. The question is whether the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate will let him. They have majorities in both the House and Senate. They're going to pull him to the left.

On The Democrats Saying The Economy Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better:

"Well I think there's a political goal there which is to make any kind of improvement, no matter how marginal, appreciated. And to make it look like the new administration got it done. It's a little bit like the rooster taking credit for the dawn. At some point this is going to get over with, and the issue in the short term is can we, the government, do something effective to help make that shorter?"

Stop Obama's radical abortion agenda

Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel asks for your help in opposing Obama's radical abortin agenda.

"As you know, President Barack Obama has openly drawn a comparison between himself and Abraham Lincoln.

We discussed this issue on our new Liberty Live radio show this week and one of our guests offered what I thought was a fascinating analysis.

Barack Obama is not Abraham Lincoln, but he could be!

Obama's presidency is certainly the fruit of Lincoln's work. But to be like Lincoln, Obama would have to go against some of his liberal constituents to champion a group that has been denied their inalienable rights.

So, how could Obama be like Lincoln?

By championing the rights of the unborn -- a group that has been stripped of all legal rights and discarded, literally, as human waste by our society.

If Barack Obama wants to be Lincoln, then he must stand for the unborn. And the first step is to stop his radical abortion agenda.

Sadly, President Obama is not off to a good start! Within moments of his swearing in, his staff posted his 100% abortion agenda on the new White House web site.

He has already signed an Executive Order overruling the Mexico City policy. This means that he has forced you and I to fund abortion in foreign countries. Outrageous!

We have a lot more work to do."

Join the 30,000 friends of Liberty Counsel who have signed the petition opposing Obama's radical abortion agenda.

Click here to sign the petition

History Repeats Itself

Read the latest from Alains Newsletter...

Social Justice As Foreign Policy

Both the President and his Secretary of State are on record as believing that the key to world peace and the end of Islamic jihad is to buy-off the enemy with welfare benefits, funded by American taxpayers. Given the current state of the economy and the Federal government’s massive deficits, this may be unrealistic.

READ IT

Quote of the Day

"You may not notice it but there are lions in your den. That one over there is mauling your checkbook, while her cubs have reduced your savings book to shreds. that car over there on the sofa has got a couple of your relationships. You'd never think a lion could be so cruel. Old Clarence near the fireplace has got one paw on what's left of your health.

How can this be? You were walking along with God, often courageously so, and all of a sudden you are being eaten alive by painful and undeserved circumstances. In Scripture these lions go by another name - trials. Never forget that God IS with you regardless of the circumstances that surround you..."

Dr. Tommy Palmer, Minister

Quote of the Day

"If our economy is shedding jobs, why not cut taxes so that businesses can hire people, advertise and expand? If health care is too costly then why don't we get the government out of regulating it, stop giving it to illegal aliens and have legal reform to keep lawyers from draining the medical industry of its money?

If our schools are failing, why not break the iron fist of the National Education Association (NEA) and other powerful Democrat-affiliated unions, and provide real choice and opportunity that rewards excellence? If our energy policies strengthen our adversaries then why don't we take our business elsewhere by tapping our own oil and gas reserves?

These are obvious solutions that would offer immediate benefits to the American people. But common sense isn't exactly flowing from the Democrats and until we see otherwise, we can't expect it from Obama himself."

Jeffrey M. Frederick, Chairman
Republican Party of Virginia

The Bolling Report

BOLLING RELEASES 2009 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Lieutenant Governor’s agenda focuses on solutions to Virginia’s most important challenges and state government reform

January 24, 2009

Earlier this week I released my 2009 Legislative Agenda. This is the first time I have been able to begin discussing some of the new ideas that have emerged from the 100 Ideas For The Future Of Virginia program that we kicked of in 2007. These ideas reflect the effort we have made over the past two years to work together on a bipartisan basis to find realistic, workable solutions to the challenges facing Virginia. My 2009 Legislative Agenda offers specific proposals for getting Virginia’s economy moving again, beginning the process of solving our transportation challenges, improving the quality of the educational opportunities we provide to our children and making health care more available and affordable for more Virginians. In addition, my Legislative Agenda embraces a number of important proposals for reforming the way state government works. For a complete copy of my 2009 Legislative Agenda please click here. Highlights include: GETTING VIRGINIA’S ECONOMY MOVING AGAIN Providing an additional $10M to the Governor’s Economic Opportunity Fund Restoring budget cuts of $3.6M to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Virginia Tourism Council Instituting a $2,500 per person ($5,000 per couple) tax credit for the purchase of a new home A comprehensive package of reforms to help promote the development of wind energy in Virginia Tax credits and sales tax exemptions to promote the expansion of broadband access in rural Virginia Giving Constitutional protection to Virginia’s right-to-work law “At a time when the nation’s economy is struggling, it is important for us to take action to position Virginia’s economy for a strong recovery. We can do this by pursuing these commonsense legislative recommendations this year,” Lieutenant Governor Bolling said. RESTORING TRUST, IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND PROVIDING MORE MONEY TO SOLVE VIRGINIA’S TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES Dedicating 10% of future revenue growth to highway construction and maintenance, beginning in the 2010-2012 budget Allowing Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia to retain future revenue growth from the Port of Virginia, Dulles International Airport and Reagan International Airport to help address transportation challenges in those regions of the state Passing a Constitutional Amendment to prevent money in the transportation trust fund from being transferred to other government programs Conducting an external, independent, top to bottom management review of the Virginia Department of Transportation to make certain that transportation dollars are being spent wisely “The most important issue currently facing Virginia is the need to direct more resources to highway construction and maintenance,” Lieutenant Governor Bolling said. “We can increase the amount of money that is available for transportation construction and make certain that our transportation dollars are spent wisely and for the purposes they were intended by passing this important legislation.” IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNTIES FOR OUR CHILDREN Requiring that at least 65% of educational expenditures be spent in the classroom, as opposed to the central office Providing more options for educational choice for parents and students “We must constantly be looking for ways to improve the quality of education we are providing to our children,” Lieutenant Governor Bolling said. “We can accomplish this by spending our educational resources more wisely, providing more educational choice for students and their families, and demanding more accountability from everyone involved in the educational system.” MAKING QUALITY HEALTH CARE MORE AVAILABLE AND MORE AFFORDABLE Allowing small business owners to purchase basic health insurance policies for their employees, policies that are free from the state mandates that apply to other policies and increase premium costs Providing tax credits for small business owners who provide health insurance for low income employees Reforming Virginia’s Certificate of Public Need laws to promote more health care competition “We must work to make quality health care more available and more affordable for more Virginians,” Lieutenant Governor Bolling said. “By making it easier for small business owners to provide health insurance for their employees and promoting more health care competition we can begin the process of addressing this important issue.” REFORMING GOVERNMENT TO MAKE IT WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA Creating an Efficiency Review Commission to systematically review every agency of state government to make certain that they are necessary and are performing their work efficiently and without redundancy Implementing a transparent budget website that enables the people of Virginia to access a clear, detailed and understandable version of the state budget Allow the General Assembly to increase contributions to the Revenue Stabilization Fund (Rainy Day Fund) from 10% to 15% of state GF revenues Establish a bipartisan Redistricting Commission to assist the General Assembly in adopting legislative districts that are compact, contiguous and of a reasonable common interest Conforming Virginia’s absentee ballot laws to similar federal laws to make certain that all absentee ballots from active duty military personnel are counted “Government is intended to work for the people of Virginia – to conduct its business in a cost effective manner, and to pursue programs that provide opportunities for the people of Virginia to enjoy a higher quality of life,” Lieutenant Governor Bolling said. “However, government doesn’t always work in the most efficient manner and we need to constantly be looking for ways to make government more efficient and more effective.” For more details on these proposals and a description of other proposals included in my 2009 Legislative Agenda please click here. I look forward to working with the members of the General Assembly to promote these issues during this year’s legislative session. By embracing these new ideas for Virginia’s future, we can find practical, workable solutions to the most important issues facing our state and build a better Virginia. Lieutenant Governor William T. "Bill" Bolling bill.bolling@billbolling.com