Week Ending December 7, 2007

Iraqi Refugees and the State Department / The Race for 2008 / What are iPS cells? / Conservatives move on iPS cells / In God We Trust on our dollar coins? / Ted Kennedy's "Hate Crimes", Atheist Newdow back in court / RFC meeting at State Department / No more Christians in Bethlehem?

The President IRAQI REFUGEES AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT- Inside the Beltway, the State Department is referred to as "Foggy Bottom," partly because of the building location, but mostly because of the logic by which it operates. On Monday, December 2nd, members of our fact finding team who had traveled to the Middle East met with Assistant Secretary Sauerbrey and seven fairly high ranking members of her department concerning a draft of our report on the condition of Iraqi refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. Secretary Sauerbrey is a George W. Bush political appointee to the State Department; the rest of those present were "career" officers. While the Secretary was present, the tone of the meeting was conciliatory, and it appeared that progress was being made. Upon her departure from the room, the tone quickly changed to one of an aggressive defense of status quo policy. Ninety-nine percent of State Department employees, including most ambassadors, are "career" people who have their own agendas while working under various presidents. Often their own agendas and desire to protect their careers overshadows the will of the political leaders of the nation. Unlike career professionals in the Armed Forces, those at State rarely are obedient to the desires of the elected political leaders of this nation. A report on the meeting and the "progress" made there to better the situation for Iraqi refugees is in the International section.

THE RACE FOR 2008 - The establishment media anointed two candidates for the presidential election next fall: Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Democrat Hillary Clinton, both New York liberals. Despite pounding away at Americans night and day, the elite media bosses just can't seem to get their candidates to stay on top. Despite nearly constant attacks by the conservative Wall Street Journal and the far left including the New York Times and CNN, the candidacy of Mike Huckabee continues to soar. One national poll had him tied for first place. Virtually the entire Republican establishment here in Washington fears and hates this man, probably because he speaks honesty about his beliefs.

THE HOUSE

WHAT ARE iPS CELLS?- Social conservative, pro-life Members of Congress are on the attack against embryonic stem cell funding since scientists announced the recent breakthrough with iPS cells. Induced pluripotent stem cells are created from human skin cells and there is no need to kill a human embryo to obtain them. Most scientists admit the use of iPS cells means that cures will be developed faster, and in fact there is already one major breakthrough.

CONSERVATIVES MOVE ON iPS CELLS - The "Patients First Act" offered by Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) would prioritize funding for iPS cell research at such time as the research demonstrates potential for patient benefit. Pro-life Members and groups support the "Patients First Act" because it encourages stem cell research that is most likely to provide near term treatments for patients while also respecting the dignity of all human life beginning at the earliest stages. Contact your congressman about HR-2807

THE SENATE

IN GOD WE TRUST - Senator Sam Brownback introduced legislation this week to move the inscription, "In God We Trust" from the edge of the new one dollar coins to the front of them. Brownback said, "Since the colonial beginnings of the United States, citizens of this nation have officially acknowledged their dependence on God. It is important that our national motto, 'In God We Trust,' is prominently displayed on all of our currency." Brownback earlier this week met with officials from the United States Treasury to discuss moving the national motto from the side of one dollar coins to the face. Presidential one dollar coins are the only U.S. coins currently being issued by the National Mint that have inscriptions along the edge. Contact you Senator about S-2417

"HATE CRIMES DROPPED - FOR NOW - I was on a national Christian radio program Friday when it was announced that Ted Kennedy's pro-gay Hate Crimes legislation had been "barred by Congress." If that is what you heard forget about it. Ted Kennedy's pro-gay legislation was simply dropped from the Defense Authorization bill because at the conference committee level it was determined that there were not enough votes in the House for his Senate version to pass. Next week Kennedy could add this vile legislation onto the Health and Human Services (HHS Authorization), or for that matter any bill dealing with employment or law enforcement. The battle is far from over and now is not the time to declare victory. We must remain vigilant to stop Ted Kennedy's anti-family agenda.

RELIGION AND CULTURE

ATHEIST NEWDOW IN COURT- On Tuesday, December 4, 2007 the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from atheist Michael Newdow's latest lawsuit to have "under God" removed from the Pledge to our flag. Only one of the three judge panel appeared to side with the government in the case. I expect the panel to side with Newdow in outlawing "under God" in the Pledge. Click here for Law.com review of the hearing. Have you read my book, The Pledge, One Nation Under God! ?

NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The November 21, 2007 issue of the Chairman's Report is now available online. This is the latest Chairman's Report and has new information on lawsuits filed by atheist Michael Newdow. The atheist Newdow has filed a new lawsuit against "under God" in the Pledge, this time in New Hampshire. Click here to read the new Chairman's Report.

INTERNATIONAL

OUR MEETING AT STATE - At the December 2, 2007 meeting with Secretary Sauerbrey, our fact finding team learned for the first time that there is a Jordanian-American staffer at the embassy in Amman tasked with the duty of "refugee liaison." However, when we were in Jordan, Ambassador Hale told us flatly that no one was actually meeting with refugees outside the Embassy walls. One of his staff, the USAID officer, told us "It isn't our job to go to church." Not a single church leader or member of the refugee community we met with had ever met this individual and did not know of the person's existence. Perhaps this individual was meeting with UNHCR, CARITAS, and other NGO's. But, to the knowledge of church leaders in the refugee community there was no contact with this individual. Several weeks after our departure from Jordan our team received reports from church leaders saying the Embassy had begun to have contacts with the refugee community.

When we departed from the meeting on Monday we were all very concerned about the "on paper" presence of the officer tasked with refugee liaison verses the personal witness of virtually every church leader in Jordan including Catholic, Orthodox and evangelical. Click here for more complete report on our meeting with Assistant Secretary Suaerbrey.

EXPERT: CHRISTIANS VANISHING IN BETHLEHEM - Speaking at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, International human rights lawyer Justus Weiner this week said, "The systematic persecution of Christian Arabs living in Palestinian areas is being met with nearly total silence by the international community, human rights activists, the media and NGOs," He cited Muslim harassment and persecution and said there was an "acute human rights crisis" facing Christian Arabs. He predicted that there will be no more Christian communities in Palestinian controlled territories within 15 years and that only a few token Western Christian clergymen would be in the area. Click here for full story.

VISIT OUR CHRISTMAS STORE

THE PLEDGE - My most recent book, The Pledge: One Nation Under God, has been released and is now available online and at bookstores. The book has a forward by Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) who is the primary sponsor of the Pledge Protection Act to keep "under God" in the Pledge. Please order The Pledge from the RFC bookstore, as the funds will be used to help fight to keep "under God" in the Pledge. Click here or on Image to learn more.

OUR CHRISTIAN INTERNET STORE - We have lots of great stuff for Christmas at our Internet store. Not only are there books and CD's, but everything from candy to jewelry and all of it has a Christian theme. Unlike Amazon and other major Internet stores we do not sell porn and satanic materials right beside Christian books. Ours is a real Christian store with tens of thousands of items. Please take a look. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com. Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.