Week Ending December 19, 2008 - Washington, DC

Bush gives GM life support / Obama's first scandal / Obama and the pro-life preacher / Republican congressman rips Rice / Conservative icon Paul Weyrich dies / More war on Christmas / Iraq a "Country of Particular Concern" on religious freedom

In November, 2008, just days after receiving billions of our tax dollars for a bail-out, American Express canceled credit lines of all their small business customers, making it impossible to buy inventory for Christmas and causing layoffs. At the same time American Express canceled the credit lines of non-profit organizations including the Religious Freedom Coalition. As a result of the actions of American Express, we will no longer accept American Express cards at our Internet site.

THE PRESIDENCY

BUSH GIVES GM LIFE SUPPORT - President George W. Bush is leaving office during an unpopular war, and with the nation in the worst economic condition since the Great Depression. He did not want to add to that the collapse of the domestic automotive industry which could lead to the loss of over two million more jobs. As a result, he has authorized a "bridge loan" that allows GM and Chrysler to survive until March 31st. This gives the new Obama Administration about ten weeks to work up a longer lasting solution. Read more

OBAMA SCANDAL ALREADY? - It appears the future Chief of Staff in the new Obama Administration had direct conversations with the disgraced governor of Illinois, and pushed for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to Barack Obama's empty Senate seat. Rahm Emanuel had direct discussions with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. This contradicts statements by President-elect Obama and opens the door to questions of ethics in the "pay to play" Illinois scandal. Read more

AND - President-elect Obama is in a lot of hot water with the homosexuals who gave him millions of dollars during his campaign. His pick of Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration has homosexuals hot, angry and calling names. To them freedom of speach is anything they agree with and nothing more. Read more.

REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN RIPS INTO SECRETARY RICE - At a press conference in which the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom designated Iraq a "Country of Particular Concern" Congressmen Frank Wolf, a Republican, ripped into the Bush Administration and Secretary of State Rice. The congressman blamed the policies of Condoleezza Rice for enabling the persecution of Christians in Iraq. He said, ""We are spending billions of dollars and have shed the blood of some of this country's finest, and the U.S. government has not done a darn thing to protect the freedom and safety - forget freedom - the safety of Christians in Iraq. Secretary Rice has failed when it comes to this point." Read more about the USCIRF designation.

CONSERVATIVE ICON DIES - Read more about Paul Weyrich in the Culture and Religion section

THE CONGRESS

HOUSE AND SENATE IN RECESS - The House will reconvene at 11 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2009. The Senate may or may not reconvene on the same date.

CULTURE AND RELIGION

PAUL WEYRICH DIES - My good friend and a conservative icon died on Thursday, December 18, 2009. I have been a part of the famed invitation only "Weyrich lunch" for more than a decade, and I came to know and love Paul not only for his views, but for his personal courage. He continued to fight for social conservative views and common sense economic policies even after the loss of both his legs some years ago. He was on a first name basis with congressmen, senators and presidents. All conservatives, particularly this one, mourn his loss. Read more about Paul Weyrich. Video and slide show gallery.

WAR ON CHRISTMAS - An 11-year-old student in Hattiesburg, Mississippi wrote a poem about Christmas that included a mention of the Lord, but his teacher insisted that mentioning Jesus was not allowed and asked him to write a new poem. Read more.

NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new December 4, 2008 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. Read more about Rev. George Docherty and "under God" in the Pledge. It also has information on Barack Obama's pro-abortion cabinet and Hillary Clinton. There is new information on Muslim attacks in India and persecuted Christians. Click here to view PDF

INTERNATIONAL

IRAQ DECLARED "COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN" - On Tuesday, December 16th the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom designated Iraq as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). This CPC designation from the USCIRF is a declaration that the Iraqi government is not protecting the religious freedom of Iraq's religious minorities. After six years of persecution in Iraq, an official body of the US government finally tells the truth about the effect of our invasion on the Christian minority. See USCRIF Internet site. Also, read RFC news release.

PERSECUTED IRAQI CHRISTIANS - The situation in Iraq has not improved for Christians and your assistance is still needed. if you need a reminder of the situation please watch the testimony video of those who have lived through the persecution. Please help today.

CHRISTIAN INTERNET SUPER STORE

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM A CHRISTIAN STORE - Order Christmas ornaments with Christian themes and tens of thousands of other Christian themed items at our affiliate store. We stock jewelry from the Holy Land, Bibles and lots of Christian books. It is a great place to shop for birthday gifts as well. NOTE: Amazon sells atheist and satanist books right along with Christian books. We don't. 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.

Week Ending August 15, 2008 - Washington, DC

President visits church in China / Did Bush underestimate Russia? / McCain and Obama rattle swords at Russia / MCCain and Obama open to pro-abortion VP's / Pelosi may want to drill for oil / Republicans to shut down government? / China and Russia compared by Paul Weyrich / Iraqi Christians need our help / Senator Obama says the $4,000 a minute Exxon pays in Tax is not enough

NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new July 31, 2008 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. This issue contains a full report on the July mission to the Middle East to assist Iraqi Christian refugees. There are new facts on the condition of Christians in Jordan. The bombing in Ariel and the recovery of David Ortiz's son is also covered. Click here to view new issue.

THE PRESIDENCY

PRESIDENT AND MRS. BUSH VISIT CHINESE CHURCH - While in China for three days at the Olympics, President Bush made several statements on human rights. He and Mrs. Bush attended services at a church sanctioned by the Chinese government. Read more

MCCAIN AND OBAMA ATTACK RUSSIA - Ask either John McCain or Barack Obama and they will be happy to tell you that oil rich Saudi Arabia, the single most despotic nation in the world, is our true friend and ally of the United States. Both will also be happy to state that oil rich Russia, with a democratically elected parliament and President, is pure evil and an enemy of the world that must be contained. Virtually everything said by both men about the current conflict in Georgia was misinformed, as they tried to out do each other in saber rattling. Fortunately neither man is currently president. French President Nicolas Sarkozy seems to have the only rational mind available in the West right now and was working out a deal with Russia and Georgia to stop the fighting in the Caucuses. Read more

IS OBAMA BEYOND LIBERAL OR JUST IGNORANT? - Being a Washington insider, I hear politicians say a lot of dumb things every day. At an event in Titusville, Florida this week Barack Obama said that Exxon made a profit of $1,500 a second. He then said that the "record profits" should be taxed for the purpose of putting a "$1,000 emergency energy rebate in the pockets of working families." Currently Exxon pays $4,000 a second in taxes or almost three times as much as its profit. Exxon's cost of doing business is $15,000 a second. Exxon employs hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. Those "profits" that Obama wants to take for taxes are mostly paid out as dividends into IRA's and other retirement accounts that own the stock. We have to keep in mind that Senator Obama has never held a job in the private sector.

MCCAIN AND OBAMA MAY BOTH PICK PRO-ABORT VP - It is a sure bet that Barack Obama will pick a VP who will want to personally supervise the construction of abortion clinics in every neighborhood in America. Now it seems that John McCain may do the same. In statements this week he said he saw nothing wrong with a pro-abortion pick for VP such as former governor Tom Ridge (R-PA). Read more

THE CONGRESS

PELOSI MAY BACK OIL DRILLING- Last week radical San Francisco leftist Nancy Pelosi, who rules over the House of Representatives, told a news outlet that she personally would "save the planet" by not allowing any further drilling for oil in the United States, particularly offshore drilling. Oops! Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama now says offshore drilling would be OK to "temporarily" reduce high gas prices. His change of heart came about as polls showed 70% of Americans wanted offshore drilling. Now Nancy Pelosi says she would allow and even vote for offshore drilling if it is with a "package." Perhaps the energy from Pelosi's and Obama's fast flip flops can be somehow harnessed as a solution to the shortage.

REPUBLICANS TO SHUT DOWN GOVERNMENT? - Republican congressmen continue to demonstrate in the House chamber despite the fact that Congress is in recess for the entire month of August. They are demanding that Speaker Nancy Pelosi call back the House to vote on a bill to allow more oil drilling in the United States. Meanwhile 36 GOP Senators say they will block a vote on any government funding bills until there is a vote on offshore drilling. Such a move would shut down the government. Meanwhile Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) has begun an energy freedom day web site.

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CULTURE AND RELIGION

HAMAS LEADER'S SON TURNS TO JESUS - Mosab Hassan Yousef was born the son of one of the leaders of HAMAS, an Islamic terror organization. He was raised in the West Bank where many young men grow up to be Jihadists and even suicide bombers. But the person of Jesus Christ has changed his life and he now attends an evangelical Christian church. Read more See video

NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new July 31, 2008 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. This issue contains a full report on the July mission to the Middle East to assist Iraqi Christian refugees. There are new facts on the condition of Christians in Jordan. The bombing in Ariel and the recovery of David Ortiz's son is also covered. Click here to view new issue.

INTERNATIONAL

CHINA AND RUSSIA COMPARED - My dear friend Paul Weyrich has one of the greatest political minds of the past hundred years. He is one of the founders of the conservative movement as we know it today. After President Bush spent three days in China at the Olympics, Paul Weyrich did a comparison of that nation to modern Russia. Everyone who thinks China will reform because it has turned somewhat toward free enterprise should read his analysis. Read more

IRAQI CHRISTIAN REFUGEES - Please help our program to assist Iraqi Christians who have been forced out of their homes by Islamic militias. Read our latest report and help by giving a gift online.

SUPPORT THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COALITION

CHRISTIAN THEMED GIFTS AND BOOKS - There are literally tens of thousands of Christian theme items available at our affiliate store including jewelry from the Holy Land. It is a great place to shop for birthday gifts. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com. Please help us with our various projects on Capitol Hill and overseas by shopping at our affiliate Christian Superstore . Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.

Presidential Abortion Politics - A Special Update

REALLY STRANGE PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENTS

by William J. Murray (Pictured with Gov. Mike Huckabee)

Rev. Pat Robertson has endorsed pro-abortion, pro-gay presidential candidate Mayor Giuliani. Mayor Giuliani stands at the opposite end of everything Pat Robertson has claimed to work for all of his life. This strange endorsement has caused immediate problems inside the Christian Right. Randal Terry of Operation Rescue said, "I am literally sick to my stomach over Dr. Robertson's decision.” Reverend Wiley Drake, a former Second Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention, called upon his church and all Christians to boycott CBN and the 700 Club as a result of Robertson’s endorsement of Giuliani.

The next strangest development after Robertson’s backing of Giuliani is the National Right to Life Committee’s endorsement of Fred Thompson. As a politician, Fred Thompson never received a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. On the other hand presidential candidates Rep. Duncan Hunter, Rep. Tom Tancredo, Senator Sam Brownback and Governor Mike Huckabee all have had 100% pro-life ratings. I believe the highest Senator Thompson ever achieved was 88% and it was far lower at times. Just prior to the National Right to Life Committee’s endorsement, conservative columnist Robert Novak had this to say about Senator Thompson:

“Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) may have seriously wounded himself with his handling of the abortion issue on Sunday's "Meet the Press." Thompson unequivocally stated he opposed a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution, which is a plank in the Republican platform. Without prompting, he then attacked the idea of "criminalizing" abortion and locking up mothers who procure abortions -- images that are used as scare tactics by the pro-choice lobby. Throughout the long discussion of the topic, Thompson was incoherent at best and thoroughly objectionable to his party's pro-life base at worst. He backed away from his firm opposition to the platform, but he never quite set himself right on the whole issue.” (Nov. 07,2007)

Another pro-life leader, Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation then endorsed former liberal (now conservative) Governor Mitt Romney. When running for Governor of Massachusetts, Romney campaigned as “pro-choice,” pro-gay rights and anti-gun. In office he continued to promote the “pro-choice” and pro-gay agendas. Now running for President, he says he has had a change of heart and that he is anti-abortion and against gay-marriage. Another of Romney’s supporters is Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition which fights against homosexual marriage. In the past Lou Sheldon has been critical of governors such as Romney who seemed to have pro-gay agendas.

THE QUESTION

Why is the social conservative movement in the United States committing suicide? The answer is power politics. Evangelical conservative leaders are backing candidates they think will win rather than those who have been consistent social conservatives with 100% pro-life records. Many other endorsements I will not mention here have surprised me, but all seem to have one theme: “We need someone who can beat Hillary.” The assumption is that the GOP must choose a “centrist” presidential candidate or Hillary will win. The logic goes, “We need a New York liberal to beat their New York liberal.” By that logic Ronald Reagan would not have gotten the GOP presidential nomination. Reagan was too conservative to be electable by the National Right to Life Committee standards and those of many other social conservative leaders today.

Meanwhile the rank and file members of social conservative organizations are being turned off by their leadership. While National Right to Life has endorsed Fred Thompson, his numbers continue to fall in Iowa and New Hampshire while those of Governor Mike Huckabee continue to rise. Huckabee is now in a solid 2nd place in Iowa behind Governor Mitt Romney who has spent $21 million in that state alone. Huckabee has spent just $500,000 there and he has such momentum that he may well take first place on Election Day. Thompson is in fourth place in Iowa and fifth place in New Hampshire where Huckabee recently passed him. The national polls don’t matter at all because most of those folks will actually never vote in a primary.

THE RESULT

Regardless of who wins the GOP nomination the social conservative movement, and particularly evangelical leaders, lose. In an attempt to gain influence by backing pro-abortion and pro-gay candidates, evangelical leaders are losing their credibility. Had these leaders backed 100% pro-life social conservatives such as Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Sam Brownback or Tom Tancredo, their integrity would have remained intact and their word trusted when it counts next year. Unfortunately the desire of some evangelical leaders to walk with the seemingly powerful rather than with the righteous will discourage their base. In my opinion this loss of credibility of “religious right” leaders will actually boost the odds of a Hillary victory.

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William J. Murray also serves as the chairman of Government Is Not G0d- PAC