August 14, 2009 - Washington, DC

Obamama-care and abortion ./ Obama says government health care will be like post office / Fewer jets for globetrotting Congress? / The August recess / Rightwing extremist report from Homeland Security was produced by surfing the web / Christian women tortured in Iranian jail / Christian orphanage workers beheaded / Ariel, Samaria is threatened / Justice for Ami

THE PRESIDENCY

OBAMA CARE AND ABORTION -TV and the print media have zeroed in on the town hall meetings held by Senators and congressmen on the health care issue pushed by President Obama. Usually angry demonstrators talking about "socialized medicine" are featured, but those who come to the town hall meetings to talk about our taxes paying for abortion are ignored. For social conservatives the core issue with Obama care should be the abortion mandates that have been written in for the abortion industry. Under the current House provisions the "public option" would pay for abortions. In addition, the government could force private insurance to make abortion coverage a requirement. For social conservatives there is also the issue of paying for sex-change operations with taxpayer dollars. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) admits publicly that abortion is covered under Obama-care.

OBAMA COMPARES HIS PLAN TO POST OFFICE - What a gaff, but don't expect to hear about it from NBC News. Trying to convince the public that government run health insurance would not unfairly compete with private insurance, he compared his plan to the Post Office. He told a live audience that "Fed-X and UPS are doing just fine" and that it is "... the Post Office that's always having problems." This was about the most honest statement he has made to date about his health care agenda. Unlike lean insurance companies competing against each other, the government run option would be operated like any other bureaucracy. Just last year Medicare made over $10 billion in improper payouts that it learned about only later. How many billions of dollars were actually wasted by Medicare will never be known. I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture. Actual video of Obama's comment.

THE CONGRESS

FEWER GLOBE-TROTTING JETS FOR CONGRESSMEN - Last week I mentioned that the House had authorized the purchase of six new luxury jets for themselves before leaving for the August recess. The outcry of voters has caused them to scale the order back to just two jets, one as big as a 737. Average cost of use will be about $6,000 a hour.

THE AUGUST RECESS - Both the House and Senate have now gone into August recess and will not return until after Labor Day, which falls on September 7th this year.

HATE CRIMES "AMENDMENT - There was no way to stop the Thought Crimes legislation pushed by radical Democrats in Congress .... BUT ... Senator Sam Brownback was able to add an amendment in the Senate to protect religious speech. Without his amendment it could literally be against the law to quote the Bible on issues of homosexuality. The Brownback amendment was agreed to by an overwhelming majority of the Senate, with a vote of 78-13. Although passed in the Senate, his amendment is not in the House version of the bill. That means it is up to a House-Senate conference committee to decide if it will be in the final bill. Because "Hate Crimes" legislation was attached to a defense authorization bill it is important to contact members of the House Armed Services Committee, both Democrat and Republican, on this issue. Contact List Let them know how you feel about the Brownback Amendment to "Hate Crimes."

CULTURE AND RELIGION

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION SURFING THE WEB FOR RIGHT-WING THREATS? - One of the first acts of Homeland Security under Obama was to issue a report on the "dangers of rightwing extremist groups". The report targeted "single issue" groups such as those opposing abortion. Americans for Limited Government filed a Freedom of Information Act request with Homeland Security, asking for the supporting evidence they had used to compile the report. What they got back was a list of website URL's to various media reports. There was absolutely no substantiating evidence to back up the report. See full story.

ALL NEW AUGUST CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new August 5, 2009 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. This issue contains more information about our work on Capitol Hill with the new 111th Congress, and also about our work on international issues. Help your Sunday School class understand these issues better. Print out and distribute the Chairman's Report to your class or fellowship this Sunday! Click here to review.

CHRISTIAN WOMEN TORTURED IN IRAN

Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh, have been imprisoned and tortured in one of Iran's most brutal prisons because they converted to Christianity. In a hearing on August 10th, they were offered the opportunity to recant their faith in Jesus. Their response: "We will not deny our faith." There has been virtually no reporting by the mainstream media on the arrest of these two young women or their condition in jail. Assyrian News Agency, Also see WND.com

INTERNATIONAL

CHRISTIAN ORPHANAGE WORKERS BEHEADED - Four Christian aid workers kidnapped by Muslims in Somalia have been beheaded. The "apostates" were told they could save their lives by returning to Islam. After they refused the offer, they were beheaded for "apostasy." A spokesman for the murderous Islamic group called Al-Shabaab, said the bodies would be returned because "Somalia does not have cemeteries for infidels." Read more. More than 250 other innocent civilians and aid workers have been murdered by Muslims in the last seven days in nations such as Russia, India, Jordan, Thailand, Iraq and Afghanistan. See list.

OUR ARIEL MISSION THREATENED - Just before he had a fatal stroke, I talked with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. At the time he made a promise about the town of Ariel in Samaria (some call Samaria the West Bank.) He promised me that Ariel, where we support missions work, would continue to be a part of Israel. Under the Bush presidency that appeared to be true, but President Obama is pushing hard for Israel to not only give up Ariel, but to shrink itself to an area smaller than the city of Houston, Texas. Currently Obama wants construction halted inside of Ariel. See Jerusalem Post article.

JUSTICE FOR AMI - Soon the Religious Freedom Coalition will participate in a petition drive asking the Ambassador of Israel to seek justice for Ami Ortiz. Ami is the son of David and Leah Ortiz who operate a mission to both Israeli and Palestinian Christians in Ariel. Ami was severely injured by a bomb planted by some radical ultra conservative Jews, because the Ortiz family are Messianic Christians. Ami spent many months in the hospital. The police are not cooperating with the investigation and the family is seeking pressure to be put on the Israeli government by evangelicals. Read Ami's story.

PETITION TO HILLARY CLINTON ON IRAQI CHRISTIANS - Read and sign the Internet petition to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The petition urges Clinton to direct our embassies to assist Christians who have fled Islamic terror in Iraq. The petition is located at www.iraqichristianrefugees.org.

CHRISTIAN INTERNET SUPER STORE

GIFTS FROM A CHRISTIAN STORE How about birthday or anniversary gifts with a Christian theme? Our Internet Christian Super Store has tens of thousands of books, CD's DVD's, jewelry, food and more. AND ... Our store does not sell the atheist and satanist books that you will find on Amazon.com. When you buy from our store, you help our work. Please take a look at our store today at www.rfcstore.com

Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.