Today's Cultural Warfare Update
Oct. 10th, 2005 02:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdArlen Specter wants to know exactly what Karl Rove told James Dobson;
Concerned Women for America remains undecided on Miers nomination;
CWA outlines what they want to hear about nominee Miers;
Two WorldNetDaily articles both claiming Miers contributed to Democrats in the 1999-2000 election cycle, including The Hillary, via her law firm's Political Action Committee - 14 of 24 PAC contributions reportedly went to Democrats;
Pat Robertson: disasters point to being in the End Times (tm);
Today's Family News in Focus - Tennessee has been taking on "Love in Action"'s Refuge programme - remember Zach? That's this place - as an unlicensed mental health facility. The anti-queer Alliance Defense Fund considers it an attack on religious freedom.
----- 1 -----
Specter to Ask Whether Rove Gave Private Assurances on Miers
by Demian McLean
October 9, 2005
Bloomberg.com
Long URL elided.
Oct. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter said he wants to know whether presidential adviser Karl Rove privately assured a conservative activist of how Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers would rule on the court.
Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said he will would look into a statement by James Dobson, president of the Colorado Springs, Colorado-based advocacy group Focus on the Family, that Dobson has had ``conversations'' with Rove about the woman nominated to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and knows things about Miers ``that I probably shouldn't know.''
``The Senate Judiciary Committee is entitled to know whatever the White House knew,'' Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said on ABC's ``This Week'' program. ``If Dr. Dobson knows something that he shouldn't know or something that I ought to know, I'm going to find out.''
The senator stopped short of saying he would subpoena Dobson or Rove to appear. Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat and member of the Judiciary panel, said today that Dobson should be called as a witness during hearings on Miers's nomination that are set to begin next month.
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
CWA Responds to Harriet Miers' Qualifications for the Supreme Court
Concerned Women for America
10/10/2005
Chief Counsel Jan LaRue writes memo for constituents. [sic]
CONCERNED WOMEN FOR AMERICA
MEMORANDUM
THE NOMINATION OF HARRIET MIERS TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
OCTOBER 10, 2005
TO: CWA CONSTITUENTS
FROM: JAN LARUE, CHIEF COUNSEL
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/9148/LEGAL/scourt/index.htm
BACKGROUND:
Concerned Women for America (CWA) initially responded to President Bush’s nomination of Harriet Miers on October 3 by expressing our cautious optimism and hope that we would be able to support the nomination. This memorandum expresses our assessment of what has transpired since the President made his announcement and of any new information about Miss Miers.
The media are brimming with coverage about Miss Miers’ background and qualifications and the ensuing debate over her nomination. CWA staff members have been heavily involved in evaluating information about Miss Miers and in expressing CWA’s response.
At this time, CWA cannot endorse the nomination but we remain open to persuasion. We do not believe that we have learned anything more about Miss Miers that justifies endorsement. We have not and will not express any criticism of Miss Miers personally or of the President. A principled position stands or falls on its own merits. Personal attacks serve only to undermine and discredit.
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
CWA: What We Need to Know About Harriet Miers
Concerned Women for America
10/10/2005
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/9149/MEDIA/misc/index.htm
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) has released a memorandum explaining its evaluation of information about Harriet Miers, President Bush’s nominee to succeed Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The memo explains why CWA is unable to endorse the nomination at this time based on current information about Miss Miers. It is available on CWA’s Web site, www.cwfa.org.
“CWA staff have been heavily involved in evaluating Miss Miers’ background and qualifications,” said Jan LaRue, CWA’s chief counsel. “We have learned nothing new that allows us to endorse her at this time. Whether we can eventually support her will depend on answers to questions raised in our memorandum and what is learned during the hearing process. We believe the American people deserve convincing evidence that Miss Miers can be trusted with a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court,” LaRue added.
“Nothing we have seen or heard establishes Miss Miers' knowledge of and experience in constitutional law. Much is made of her leadership within the American Bar Association, an organization that is hardly known for opposing the ‘living theory’ of constitutional interpretation and judicial activism,” LaRue concluded.
“While we share Miss Miers’ evangelical faith, we find the continual emphasis on it by her supporters to be inappropriate and patronizing,” LaRue said. “It offends the Constitution.”
Every judicial nominee deserves a dignified hearing and nothing less than a swift, up or down vote at the conclusion of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. The American people are entitled to fairness from judges and from senators who sit in judgment of them.
For Information Contact:
Stacey Holliday
(202) 488-7000
media.cwfa.org
----- 4 -----
Harriet gave to Hillary in 2000
Law firm PAC contributed $1,000 to senator
Posted: October 9, 2005
10:25 p.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46743
Harriet Miers' political contributions to Democrats didn't end in 1988 with her support of Al Gore.
A Federal Elections Commission report obtained by WND columnist Jerome Corsi shows her law firm's political action committee contributed $1,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's senatorial campaign committee, after she personally contributed $415 to the same PAC.
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
Harriet Miers contributed to Hillary's election in 2000
Posted: October 9, 2005
10:25 p.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46744
On May 17, 2000, while Harriet Miers was managing the law firm of Locke Liddell from the firm's Dallas office, she contributed $415 to the law firm's political action committee. Federal Election Commission reports show that two days later, Locke Liddell's PAC contributed $1,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate Campaign Committee. For an unexplained reason, Harriet Miers listed herself as a "self-employed attorney," according to the FEC Report on her 2000 contribution to the Locke Liddell PAC.
FEC records also show a $500 contribution on Feb. 15, 2000, by the Locke Liddell PAC to Democrat Nicholas Lampson, who ran unsuccessfully against Tom DeLay.
[More at URL]
----- 6 -----
Robertson: Disasters point to 2nd Coming
Evangelist observes quakes, hurricanes 'starting to hit with amazing regularity'
Posted: October 9, 2005
4:45 p.m. Eastern
By Joe Kovacs
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46737
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – This weekend's catastrophic earthquake in South Asia in the wake of recent U.S. hurricanes and December's tsunami is catching the eye of televangelist Pat Robertson, who says we "might be" in the End Times described in the Bible.
"These things are starting to hit with amazing regularity," Robertson said on CNN's "Late Edition."
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
Family News in Focus
Focus on the Family
Monday, October 10, 2005
Terry Philips
http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/Family_News_in_Focus/
* Indian gambling industry is out of control with more than 400 tribal casinos in operation due to Federal Law. We look at a new effort by states to fight back
1: States asking Congress to stop casino gambling expansion by tribes; tribes who are allowed to seek land for reservation expansion are doing so to set up casinos in good locations. Focus on the Family Action wants changes.
* Ministry to homosexuals wanting to change is taking state of Tennessee to court. State is trying to put Love in Action out of business
2: "Love in Action, a ministry to homosexuals who want to leave that lifestyle, is taking the state of Tennessee to court. That's after the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities told Love in Action they need a state license to house mental patients and administer medications. Steve Jordall reports.
"Love in Action's Gerard Wellman says their ministry, Refuge, helps hundreds of young men each year who are struggling with homosexuality. The lifestyle often brings other issues into the picture, like depression. 'Up to anywhere from a third to half of our clients at any given time could be on medication.' He says Refuge takes their clients' medications into account, and makes sure there's no misuse. 'We supervise it for the protection and safety of the clients, we put it in a safe place where only that specific client has access to their own medication.'
"Lola Potter is a spokesperson for the state of Tennessee. They're telling Love in Action to get a license to house clients and dispense medication, or close their doors. 'The law says if you're treating two or more people who have a clinical diagnosis of a mental illness, that that amounts to a supportive living facility for people with mental disorders, and you need to be a licensed facility.'
"Nate Kellem with the Alliance Defense Fund says Love in Action doesn't interfere with clients' medications, and the ministry is simply trying to help people. 'Just like a pastor of a church cannot be licensed for councilling individuals for certain behaviours from a sin perspective, neither can Love in Action who does that very thing from their church perspective.' Kellem says if the state is allowed to regulate Love in Action, other ministries and homeless shelters could be next."
* Kids in first years of college can be especially prone to thoughts of suicide
5: Mental Health Awareness Week. Dr. Morton Silverman, Foundation for Suicide Prevention, "students in their first college years are most at risk for depression and suicide." Lighthouse Network says there are steps that can be taken if a child doesn't seem prepared to leave home - talks about living at home for the first year of college if possible for people having problems.
* Avian flu is getting a lot more attention from President. We look at what is it, as well as level of threat to U.S.
6: "H5N1 [Avian flu] is a numeric code you may be hearing a lot of in the future." "It's one thing to shut down airplanes. It's another to prevent people from coming in and getting exposed to the avian flu..." "One option is to use a military that is able to form a plan and move."
* Ugandan Government has come up with unusual way of promoting abstinence - Giving college scholarships to virgins
4: "Free college scholarship to any girl who can remain pure." "Some people can help young girls in Uganda to remain virgins and remain healthy..."
* Non-profit after-school outreach gets government grant to help Mississippi kids learn to say "no" to sex before marriage
3: $60,000 grant from State Department of Health for after=school outreach by Pierson Foundation - abstinence-only education programme. "They say they teach the young people to know what to say no to."
Concerned Women for America remains undecided on Miers nomination;
CWA outlines what they want to hear about nominee Miers;
Two WorldNetDaily articles both claiming Miers contributed to Democrats in the 1999-2000 election cycle, including The Hillary, via her law firm's Political Action Committee - 14 of 24 PAC contributions reportedly went to Democrats;
Pat Robertson: disasters point to being in the End Times (tm);
Today's Family News in Focus - Tennessee has been taking on "Love in Action"'s Refuge programme - remember Zach? That's this place - as an unlicensed mental health facility. The anti-queer Alliance Defense Fund considers it an attack on religious freedom.
----- 1 -----
Specter to Ask Whether Rove Gave Private Assurances on Miers
by Demian McLean
October 9, 2005
Bloomberg.com
Long URL elided.
Oct. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter said he wants to know whether presidential adviser Karl Rove privately assured a conservative activist of how Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers would rule on the court.
Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said he will would look into a statement by James Dobson, president of the Colorado Springs, Colorado-based advocacy group Focus on the Family, that Dobson has had ``conversations'' with Rove about the woman nominated to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and knows things about Miers ``that I probably shouldn't know.''
``The Senate Judiciary Committee is entitled to know whatever the White House knew,'' Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said on ABC's ``This Week'' program. ``If Dr. Dobson knows something that he shouldn't know or something that I ought to know, I'm going to find out.''
The senator stopped short of saying he would subpoena Dobson or Rove to appear. Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat and member of the Judiciary panel, said today that Dobson should be called as a witness during hearings on Miers's nomination that are set to begin next month.
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
CWA Responds to Harriet Miers' Qualifications for the Supreme Court
Concerned Women for America
10/10/2005
Chief Counsel Jan LaRue writes memo for constituents. [sic]
CONCERNED WOMEN FOR AMERICA
MEMORANDUM
THE NOMINATION OF HARRIET MIERS TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
OCTOBER 10, 2005
TO: CWA CONSTITUENTS
FROM: JAN LARUE, CHIEF COUNSEL
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/9148/LEGAL/scourt/index.htm
BACKGROUND:
Concerned Women for America (CWA) initially responded to President Bush’s nomination of Harriet Miers on October 3 by expressing our cautious optimism and hope that we would be able to support the nomination. This memorandum expresses our assessment of what has transpired since the President made his announcement and of any new information about Miss Miers.
The media are brimming with coverage about Miss Miers’ background and qualifications and the ensuing debate over her nomination. CWA staff members have been heavily involved in evaluating information about Miss Miers and in expressing CWA’s response.
At this time, CWA cannot endorse the nomination but we remain open to persuasion. We do not believe that we have learned anything more about Miss Miers that justifies endorsement. We have not and will not express any criticism of Miss Miers personally or of the President. A principled position stands or falls on its own merits. Personal attacks serve only to undermine and discredit.
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
CWA: What We Need to Know About Harriet Miers
Concerned Women for America
10/10/2005
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/9149/MEDIA/misc/index.htm
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) has released a memorandum explaining its evaluation of information about Harriet Miers, President Bush’s nominee to succeed Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The memo explains why CWA is unable to endorse the nomination at this time based on current information about Miss Miers. It is available on CWA’s Web site, www.cwfa.org.
“CWA staff have been heavily involved in evaluating Miss Miers’ background and qualifications,” said Jan LaRue, CWA’s chief counsel. “We have learned nothing new that allows us to endorse her at this time. Whether we can eventually support her will depend on answers to questions raised in our memorandum and what is learned during the hearing process. We believe the American people deserve convincing evidence that Miss Miers can be trusted with a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court,” LaRue added.
“Nothing we have seen or heard establishes Miss Miers' knowledge of and experience in constitutional law. Much is made of her leadership within the American Bar Association, an organization that is hardly known for opposing the ‘living theory’ of constitutional interpretation and judicial activism,” LaRue concluded.
“While we share Miss Miers’ evangelical faith, we find the continual emphasis on it by her supporters to be inappropriate and patronizing,” LaRue said. “It offends the Constitution.”
Every judicial nominee deserves a dignified hearing and nothing less than a swift, up or down vote at the conclusion of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. The American people are entitled to fairness from judges and from senators who sit in judgment of them.
For Information Contact:
Stacey Holliday
(202) 488-7000
media.cwfa.org
----- 4 -----
Harriet gave to Hillary in 2000
Law firm PAC contributed $1,000 to senator
Posted: October 9, 2005
10:25 p.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46743
Harriet Miers' political contributions to Democrats didn't end in 1988 with her support of Al Gore.
A Federal Elections Commission report obtained by WND columnist Jerome Corsi shows her law firm's political action committee contributed $1,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's senatorial campaign committee, after she personally contributed $415 to the same PAC.
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
Harriet Miers contributed to Hillary's election in 2000
Posted: October 9, 2005
10:25 p.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46744
On May 17, 2000, while Harriet Miers was managing the law firm of Locke Liddell from the firm's Dallas office, she contributed $415 to the law firm's political action committee. Federal Election Commission reports show that two days later, Locke Liddell's PAC contributed $1,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate Campaign Committee. For an unexplained reason, Harriet Miers listed herself as a "self-employed attorney," according to the FEC Report on her 2000 contribution to the Locke Liddell PAC.
FEC records also show a $500 contribution on Feb. 15, 2000, by the Locke Liddell PAC to Democrat Nicholas Lampson, who ran unsuccessfully against Tom DeLay.
[More at URL]
----- 6 -----
Robertson: Disasters point to 2nd Coming
Evangelist observes quakes, hurricanes 'starting to hit with amazing regularity'
Posted: October 9, 2005
4:45 p.m. Eastern
By Joe Kovacs
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46737
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – This weekend's catastrophic earthquake in South Asia in the wake of recent U.S. hurricanes and December's tsunami is catching the eye of televangelist Pat Robertson, who says we "might be" in the End Times described in the Bible.
"These things are starting to hit with amazing regularity," Robertson said on CNN's "Late Edition."
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
Family News in Focus
Focus on the Family
Monday, October 10, 2005
Terry Philips
http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/Family_News_in_Focus/
* Indian gambling industry is out of control with more than 400 tribal casinos in operation due to Federal Law. We look at a new effort by states to fight back
1: States asking Congress to stop casino gambling expansion by tribes; tribes who are allowed to seek land for reservation expansion are doing so to set up casinos in good locations. Focus on the Family Action wants changes.
* Ministry to homosexuals wanting to change is taking state of Tennessee to court. State is trying to put Love in Action out of business
2: "Love in Action, a ministry to homosexuals who want to leave that lifestyle, is taking the state of Tennessee to court. That's after the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities told Love in Action they need a state license to house mental patients and administer medications. Steve Jordall reports.
"Love in Action's Gerard Wellman says their ministry, Refuge, helps hundreds of young men each year who are struggling with homosexuality. The lifestyle often brings other issues into the picture, like depression. 'Up to anywhere from a third to half of our clients at any given time could be on medication.' He says Refuge takes their clients' medications into account, and makes sure there's no misuse. 'We supervise it for the protection and safety of the clients, we put it in a safe place where only that specific client has access to their own medication.'
"Lola Potter is a spokesperson for the state of Tennessee. They're telling Love in Action to get a license to house clients and dispense medication, or close their doors. 'The law says if you're treating two or more people who have a clinical diagnosis of a mental illness, that that amounts to a supportive living facility for people with mental disorders, and you need to be a licensed facility.'
"Nate Kellem with the Alliance Defense Fund says Love in Action doesn't interfere with clients' medications, and the ministry is simply trying to help people. 'Just like a pastor of a church cannot be licensed for councilling individuals for certain behaviours from a sin perspective, neither can Love in Action who does that very thing from their church perspective.' Kellem says if the state is allowed to regulate Love in Action, other ministries and homeless shelters could be next."
* Kids in first years of college can be especially prone to thoughts of suicide
5: Mental Health Awareness Week. Dr. Morton Silverman, Foundation for Suicide Prevention, "students in their first college years are most at risk for depression and suicide." Lighthouse Network says there are steps that can be taken if a child doesn't seem prepared to leave home - talks about living at home for the first year of college if possible for people having problems.
* Avian flu is getting a lot more attention from President. We look at what is it, as well as level of threat to U.S.
6: "H5N1 [Avian flu] is a numeric code you may be hearing a lot of in the future." "It's one thing to shut down airplanes. It's another to prevent people from coming in and getting exposed to the avian flu..." "One option is to use a military that is able to form a plan and move."
* Ugandan Government has come up with unusual way of promoting abstinence - Giving college scholarships to virgins
4: "Free college scholarship to any girl who can remain pure." "Some people can help young girls in Uganda to remain virgins and remain healthy..."
* Non-profit after-school outreach gets government grant to help Mississippi kids learn to say "no" to sex before marriage
3: $60,000 grant from State Department of Health for after=school outreach by Pierson Foundation - abstinence-only education programme. "They say they teach the young people to know what to say no to."
