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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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GOVERNMENT POLICY
HCR 50 - State of Texas claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment
Source: www.house.state.tx.us
WHEREAS, The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people"
Texas House Bill Would Make Ballot Access Easier – HB-820
Texas Bill for Closed Primaries Texas
Source: www.ballot-access.org/2009/03/03/texas-bill-for-closed-primaries
Representative John Davis (R-Clear Lake) has introduced HB 1821, to provide for registration by party on the voter registration form.
Texas Bill to Provide that All Parties Nominate by Primary
Source: www.ballot-access.org/2009/03/05/texas-bill-to-provide-that-all-parties-nominate-by- Mar 5, 2009
Texas Representative Leo Berman (R-Tyler) has introduced HB 1892, to provide that all qualified parties nominate by primary …
Ballot Access History in Texas
Source: www.txgreens.org
Why aren't the Greens on the ballot so we can vote for them in Texas? Well, due to Texas laws we have to obtain almost 45k valid signatures just to show up on the ballots and we have only 75 days to collect them. But the real hurdle is much higher because many signatures will be deemed invalid due to information not matching the voting rolls or due to the "primary screen-out provision".
Texas House Bill would make ballot access easier for independent candidates
Source: www.pegasusnews.com, Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex, Fri., Jan. 30, 2009
That's great -- still doesn't mean independents stand a chance in hell of winning.
A bill filed by State Rep. Solomon Ortiz, Jr. (D-Corpus Christi) would make ballot access easier for candidates without a party affiliation. Under current law, independent candidates for public office in Texas are required to gather signatures to accompany their petitions to gain ballot access. The number of signatures varies. It is one percent of the total vote received by all candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election for a statewide office…
Texas Legislator Defends Texas Ballot Access Laws
Source: www.ballot-access.org, June 4th, 2008
This newspaper story, published June 3, quotes Texas Representative Leo Berman defending Texas ballot access laws for minor parties and independents. Berman says preventing voters who vote in a primary from signing for a new or previously unqualified party, or for an independent candidate, is the same thing as preventing a voter from voting in the primary of two different parties.
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Attempt To Overturn Nader Ballot Access Case
Source: www.prnewswire.com, Bernhoft Law, March 9, 2009
LOS ANGELES, March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- In a significant move for open-election laws, the U.S. Supreme Court today rejected an attempt to overturn a federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision that the state of Arizona could not require independent presidential candidates to register earlier than candidates affiliated with major political parties. Arizona's petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court had been closely watched after 13 other states supported Arizona's bid to have the High Court hear the case. The federal civil rights case, originally filed in Arizona federal district court, stems from Nader's 2004 presidency bid.
Texas Senate Democrats Delay Testimony on Voter ID Bill
Source: www.texasgop.org, youTube video, 3/12/09
EDUCATION POLICY
See ACTION ALERT on Texas SBOE >>
One-Party Classroom
Source: www.FrontPageMagazine.com | David Horowitz & Jacob Laksin | Mar 10, 2009
Are American college students being indoctrinated in their classrooms? Some recent studies say no. “Closed Minds” is a survey of 1270 professors conducted by authors associated with the Brookings Institution. The survey asked these academics what their political persuasion was and whether they let politics influence their classroom presentations. The overwhelming majority of respondents said they were on the political left, but ninety-five percent denied that they used their classrooms to influence their students politically.
Judge orders homeschoolers into public district classrooms
Source: www.wnd.com, Bob Unruh, March 11, 2009
A North Carolina judge has ordered three children to attend public schools this fall because the homeschooling their mother has provided over the last four years needs to be "challenged." The children, however, have tested above their grade levels – by as much as two years. The decision is raising eyebrows among homeschooling families, and one friend of the mother has launched a website to publicize the issue.
Texas RPT,SREC Passes Science Resolution: Rejects Censorship, Supports Rigorous Science Strengths and Weaknesses Language
Source: www.freemarket.org
The State Republican Executive Committee, which has 62 elected members and acts as the governing board for the Republican Party of Texas has passed the following resolution which supports the 20 year standard of teaching the “strengths and weaknesses” of scientific theories.
Elementary blots out 'In God We Trust'
Student-made posters censored for using words of faith
Posted: March 03, 2009, By Drew Zahn, © 2009 WorldNetDaily
Student poster, before and after "In God We Trust" censored
An elementary school in Tennessee, after successfully rebuffing an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit over religious expression on campus, has nonetheless ordered the words "God Bless the USA" and "In God We Trust" covered up on student-made posters in the hallway.
Senate Confirms Porn Lawyer as Deputy Attorney General
Source: www.citizenlink.org, Devon Williams, 3-12-09
Ogden 'has a poor record of protecting children from the exploitations of child pornography and obscenity.' The Senate confirmed David Ogden as deputy attorney general today by a 65-28 vote.
Ogden opposes restrictions on abortion and pornography, and has represented Playboy and Penthouse in court. He previously filed a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of child pornographer Stephen Knox, who possessed sexually explicit videos of children. Ogden
Good News: North Carolina Upholds Abstinence Message
Source: www.citizenlink.org, 3-6-09
At least 24 states and the District of Columbia are moving from abstinence instruction to a more condom-based approach, a massive shift away from the wait-until-marriage method promoted heavily by the Bush administration.
ECONOMIC POLICY
See ACTION ALERT on Paxton's Limit Bill for Texas >>
Spending Wisely Video
Source: www.citizenlink.org
Join Rick Santelli’s Tea Party
EPA proposes GHG reporting as first step toward carbon tax
Source: www.examiner.com,. John Guerrerio, March 10, 2009
Moving toward a low-carbon economy is a long and arduous process, but the new EPA under the Obama administration is determined to jump-start the process and get the different sectors of industry to report their yearly emission as the first step in establishing some sort of carbon market. Whether that market is a cap-and-trade or a flat carbon tax is still up in the air, but the EPA is determined to begin the process
Political Elite Losing Touch With America on Global Warming
Source: www.heritage.org, Nick Loris, March 12th, 2009
Senator John Kerry stressed that the economy cannot be a scapegoat for not implementing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas reductions. He went so far as to call doing nothing a “suicide pact”. Forget cost and forget the recession, says Kerry: “Climate change is not governed by a recession, it’s governed by scientific facts about what’s happening to Earth. And you either accept the realities of the science or you don’t. You don’t enter a mutual suicide pact because the economy is having a hard time right now.” Senator Kerry has one thing right; it should be governed by scientific facts. But according to renowned scientists and climatologists from around the world, the debate’s not over.
Video Interview with House Speaker Joe Strauss
Source: www.empowertexans.org
Resetting the Economy
Source: www.tipstrategies.com, Jon Roberts, Mgr. Dir. TIP Strategies, Feb. 13, 2009
The past three months have seen a precipitous drop in production, a staggering loss of jobs, and an unprecedented decline in consumer spending. As the map below illustrates, the nation’s economic problems are widespread. While a few regions are still bucking the trend, especially in Texas, the overall picture is bleak.
RELIGION
Catholics on the Move, Non-religious on the Rise
Source: www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org, March 9, 2009
HARTFORD, Conn. - The Catholic population of the United States has shifted away from the Northeast and towards the Southwest, while secularity continues to grow in strength in all regions of the country, according to a new study conducted by the Program on Public Values at Trinity College. "The decline of Catholicism in the Northeast is nothing short of stunning," said Barry Kosmin, a principal investigator for the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS). "Thanks to immigration and natural increase among Latinos, California now has a higher proportion of Catholics than New England."
Barna Survey Examines Changes in Worldview Among Christians over the Past 13 Years
Source: www.barna.org,
If Jesus were to ask, “Who do you say I am,” the question He famously asked his disciple Peter, He would be disappointed by some of the answers He’d receive from contemporary Americans. A new nationwide survey conducted by The Barna Group among a representative sample of adults explored how many have what might be considered a “biblical worldview.” The report from Barna compared current results to the outcomes from a similar survey the company conducted in 1995, 2000 and 2005.
The Megachurch and the Monastery
One large church is learning how to grow a core of disciples amid the crowd of attenders.
Source: www.christianitytoday.com, | Keith Meyer | posted 2/27/2009
Is "megachurch discipleship" an oxymoron? I'm a pastor at a suburban mega-church where 3,000 attend weekly, and we've been asking that question recently. Does our large program-driven structure actually create more obstacles and distractions to spiritual growth than it removes?
Illinois High School Association: Private schools can’t pray before games
ADF attorneys inform public official that new policy prohibiting prayer over PA systems at private schools is on shaky ground
Source: www.alliancedefencefund.org, Wednesday, March 04, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Alliance Defense Fund attorneys urged the Illinois High School Association in a letter sent Wednesday to terminate its policy banning private schools from praying or delivering religious messages over public address systems before IHSA tournament games hosted at private schools. ADF attorneys also offered the IHSA free legal representation in the event it is sued for rescinding its new rule if it decides to do so.
Is death stalking the evangelical movement?
Source: www.statesman.com | Eileen Flynn | Thu, March 12, 2009
I meant to post this yesterday. (I mean to do a lot of things lately that don’t get done. Sleep deprivation, you know, does awful things to one’s mind.) But I think this is still worth commenting on because it seems to have prompted some strong reactions.
Controversial Catholic bill withdrawn
Source: www.myRecordJournal.com, 03/10/2009
HARTFORD - It created a storm, but now it's off the agenda.
A public hearing on an incendiary proposal to force Roman Catholic parishes to separate religious and administrative functions has been canceled and the bill withdrawn from consideration this legislative session, its sponsors said Tuesday.
SOCIAL POLICY
Steele In Serious Hot Water With Social Conservatives
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com, Sam Stein, Mar 12, 2009
Michael's Steele statement of support for an "individual choice" on abortion has provoked deep concern among social conservatives and spurred further speculation that his tenure at the RNC will be brief.
Coed showers going statewide?
Family group says 'gender identity' bill threatens women, children
Source: www.wnd.com, March 11, 2009
A "gender identity" plan for coed showers, locker rooms and other public facilities already implemented in one suburban Maryland county could be going statewide, according to alarmed members of a pro-family organization.
Lesbian sues to wear tux to prom
17-year-old rejects dresses, says they represent sexual identity — might be allowed to wear pantsuit
Source: www.suntimes.com, March 12, 2009, BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
LEBANON, Ind. — A Lebanon High School senior is suing the school after her principal told her she could not wear a tuxedo to the school’s prom. The 17-year-old girl, whose name is not revealed in the lawsuit, is a lesbian and does not wear dresses because she believes dresses represent a sexual identity she rejects, court filings say.
Colorado Woman Sues Abortionist for Live Birth
Source: www.citizenlink.org, 3-12-09
Dionne Dotson went to Dell L. Bernstein, M.D., for an abortion, but later gave birth to a healthy baby. She's suing the abortionist, alleging negligent medical treatment "causing injuries resulting from the pregnancy, delivery and financial burden of raising an unplanned child."
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