California conservatives say they're relieved that a "homosexual marriage license" bill was defeated after a third and final vote in the California State Assembly.

AB 19, the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act, fell four votes short of passage. But conservatives say the fight to protect marriage from politicians and judges isn't over yet.
The bill would have amended the state's Family Code to define marriage as a civil contract between two persons instead of a civil contract between a man and a woman. That would have required every county in the state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Defenders of traditional marriage say their next step is passage of a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

"We've avoided this particular bullet, but more attacks on marriage are coming from judges in San Francisco," said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, a group that lobbied against AB 19.

"The people of California are learning that to keep everything about marriage for a man and a woman, they absolutely must pass a true-blue state constitutional amendment to override the politicians and judges who have such blatant disregard for marriage and the voters."

Supporters hope to get the marriage amendment on the June 2006 ballot.

In one pronouncement, President Bush totally scuttled all the hard-fought, blood-bought gains Israel has made in the three wars forced upon her.

All peace negotiations and concessions by Israel in the pursuit of peace with the Muslim Nations and Palestinians since 1949 have been rendered null and void.

President Bush's astonishing and unexpected statement reversed long standing American policy. In his joint statement with Abbas, he declared that: any final status changes in the peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians must be mutually agreed to on the basis of the 1949 armistice lines.

To my horror, this statement is the greatest betrayal of Israel committed by any American president in history.

It nearly knocked me out of my chair when I considered the implications of Bush's statement. After considering them, I waited for a clarification. I thought, "Surely this president could not have meant what he said. It has to be a mistake."

I am still waiting, slack-jawed, for a retraction that evidently isn't forthcoming.

Imposing the condition of mutual agreement and setting the benchmark at the 1949 armistice lines starts the whole process at the beginning. This in effect gives all of the advantages to the Muslims without even sitting down at the bargaining table. Palestinians hold every casual word made by an American president that is to their advantage as the "Law of the Medes and Persians which changeth not."

It is a dead certainty that the Palestinian side isn't going to agree to a united Jerusalem with Israel. East Jerusalem was in Arab hands in 1949. A return to the 1949 armistice lines puts it in Arab hands again.

The Western Wall was in Arab hands in 1949. So was the Temple Mount. Making the 1949 armistice lines the basis for mutual agreement means Israel must negotiate with the Palestinians until they agree to give up their claim to the Dome of the Rock or until Israel agrees to give up its claim to the Temple Mount and all of Biblical Jerusalem. Neither will happen. What is Bush thinking?

America’s Schools Overburdened By Immigration (FAIR Legislative Update June 6, 2005)

All children--native-born and immigrants alike--are receiving a poorer education as a result of the federal government passing its immigration law enforcement failures on to the states. The implications for the coming generations of workers, our future economy, and our long-term competitiveness in the world cannot be ignored.

An updated version of FAIR's groundbreaking report, Breaking the piggybank analyzes the economic costs of illegal aliens on the American educational system. The estimated costs of educating illegal aliens and their children exceed 28.6 billion dollars in 2004 alone, 3 billion in Texas in 2004.

If the federal government remains unwilling to undertake serious enforcement of the United States' immigration laws, it will eventually be forced to provide massive federal education funds to the states. A far more logical and cost-effective alternative--and one with considerable pay-offs in other areas as well--would be to substantially reduce illegal immigration.

On a related note, this past week the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics released The Condition of Education 2005. The report cited the rising rate of immigration as one of the primary causes for the explosion in the number of students enrolled in public school, expected to reach an all-time high of 50 million in 2014. The report found that from 1972 to 2003, there was a nearly 100% increase in minority students attending public schools. The report attributed this increased diversity to the growth of Hispanic enrollment, up over 300% for the same period of time. It noted that Hispanic enrollment nationwide surpassed that of African American students for the first time in 2002, while in the West region, minority public enrollment exceeded White enrollment in 2003.

A Texas pastor and a Tennessee minister of education are warning their fellow Southern Baptists about what they consider the "toxic spiritual nature" of public schools in America. The two men hope their proposed resolution to the denomination's Resolutions Committee will cause Christian parents to seriously consider if government-run schools are the best place for their children.

Rev. Grady Arnold pastors an SBC church in Texas and heads up an organization called GetTheKidsOut.org. Along with fellow Baptist David Scarbrough, Arnold has submitted a resolution that calls on the denomination's churches "to lovingly warn all of their members concerning the toxic spiritual nature of the government school system."

Arnold says the vast majority of Christian children (88 percent) who attend public schools leave the church once they graduate. "Southern Baptists have been playing the 'ostrich with its head in the sand' routine long enough," the Texas pastor laments. "The time is way overdue that we acknowledge the devastating effects public school is having on the faith of our children."

He notes that while some in the SBC leadership maintain that sending their children to public schools is equivalent to being "salt and light" in a secular environment, data gathered by the denomination indicates just the opposite is happening.

"The public school system is officially godless," Arnold tells Associated Press. "Jesus Christ is divorced from history, from science, from every subject. We want an integrated faith where you can quote the Bible, talk about the Bible freely in any class and any subject."

A similar resolution last year called for the immediate pullout of children from public schools. That proposal failed to pass. The Arnold-Scarbrough measure stops short of that and, instead, calls on churches to become aggressive and pro-active in starting Christian schools and in supporting home schooling.

(June 1, 2005 LifeSiteNews.com) - The Massachusetts legislature has moved to override Governor Mitt Romney’s veto of a bill that allows the creation of cloned human embryos to be used for destructive medical experimentation.

In a vote in which both chambers exceeded the two-thirds vote needed to override a veto - 112-42 in the House and 35-2 in the Senate – the state of Massachusetts is ready to enter into the business of human experimentation on a large scale.

New Jersey, Connecticut and California have approved bills that allow living human beings to be used for experimental research and approve massive state funding.

Until recently many in the research community had predicted that experiments to create cloned humans were decades away from success but on May 20th, maverick Korean scientist, Dr. Woo Suk Hwang announced that he had not only created cloned human embryos, but that he had tailored them for use by specific patients.

Governor Romney, not exactly pro-life, but opposed to creating cloned human beings for experimentation, said that the bill will allow a practice that “amounts to creating life in order to destroy it.”

Not at all reassuring for those who understand the deadly implications of cloning, are the bill’s conditions that human cloning, the use of living human beings for organ farming, and experimentation on unwilling live human test subjects, require “guidelines, advisory panels and a peer review board,” before such work can be approved. There is little doubt that most, if not all requests, will be approved.

Indiana Cases Scrutinize Prayer, Planned Parenthood (June 2, 2005 Pete Winn-Citizen Link)
Cases involving prayer and an apparent Planned Parenthood cover-up go to court.

The Hoosier State got caught in the cross-hairs of the Culture Wars this week.

First, an Indianapolis judge ruled Tuesday that Planned Parenthood of Indiana must let state officials review the medical records of 84 girls younger than 14 who visited Planned Parenthood clinics.

Then, across town in a separate action, the Indiana affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit asking a federal judge to bar references to Jesus Christ in the daily prayers delivered before the state House of Representatives.

Curt Smith, executive director of the Indiana Family Institute (IFI) in Indianapolis, explained what happened in the Planned Parenthood decision.

"Planned Parenthood filed suit here in Indiana," he said, "trying to restrict the attorney general in his role as our chief Medicaid fraud investigator from finding out what's going on with Medicaid funds for 12 and 13-year-old girls, who have come in for either sexually transmitted disease, or to get birth control.

"A good judge, Judge Ken Johnson, in family court here in Indianapolis, agreed with the attorney general and agreed with a common-sense principle that says, 'We need to protect kids, and particularly when tax dollars are being used, we're not going to allow these kids to be abused.' So the effort did not pay off for Planned Parenthood."

Meanwhile, on the other side of Indianapolis, the Indiana Civil Liberties Union (ICLU) filed a federal lawsuit against Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma. The legal group is going after the speaker for allowing prayers in the opening minutes of the session of the House of Representatives—specifically, prayers which include references to Jesus Christ, to the Blood of Jesus, or which are, to quote the attorneys of the ICLU, "evangelical in nature."

The lawsuit specifically objects to certain Christian phrases—including "In the strong name of Jesus our Savior," "We pray this in Christ's name," and "I appeal to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ"—and says they exclude people who are not Christians.

"The suit does not seek to prevent opening the House session with prayers," said ICLU Legal Director Ken Falk in a statement.

Micah Clark, president of the American Family Association of Indiana, said the suit is really a slap in the face to people of faith—especially in light of what it asks the government to do.

"I am very concerned," said Clark, "when the government tells people, 'You can pray in front of the statehouse, or before a session, but here's how you have to pray. I think that goes against a minister's free speech rights, and I'm hopeful that the suit will be dismissed.

IFI's Curt Smith sees a link between the two cases—not a direct one, necessarily, but certainly an overarching connection.

"What I see happening is the liberal worldview is on its last legs and the only place they can get any kind of hearing is in the courts," Smith said. "In one part of the courts system, a judge who has common sense, who is a parent, said, 'No. We're not going to protect the privacy of 12- and 13-year-olds who are being sexually abused. "On the other side of the capital city, the ICLU files in federal court a challenge to the Indiana House prayers. I think in both cases, the left has been reduced to legal action because they don't have popular political support and they can't sway the executive and legislative branches the way they once could."

Dick Armey Helped Defeat Texas Tax Hike (Freedom Works)
New state taxes derailed by timely action by Armey and activists

Austin, Texas - State by state, FreedomWorks members are defeating tax hike schemes across the nation. The most recent victory was here in Dick Armey’s home state of Texas, where FreedomWorks and Co-Chairman Armey derailed a tax hike proposal many thought would pass. On Sunday May 29, legislators announced that they could not close a tax increase deal.

With both houses of the Texas legislature having passed new taxes to fund a massive budget increase, the only steps left were reconciling the differing hikes, and getting the governor’s signature. Disguised as school finance bills, the HB 3 and HB 3540 tax hikes made their way to conference committee. The proposed increases included a number of economically dangerous measures like the job-killing ‘wage tax’, which would have effectively been an income tax.

Tragedy Sparks Revival And Transformation In Fiji (Jay Esteban CWNews June 3, 2005)

A prayer movement is changing communities worldwide—they call it 'Transformation.'

It's happening around the globe: Christians praying fervently for God to bless their nations—and it's making dramatic changes.

Transformation expert, George Otis, Jr., says the Polynesian Islands are one of the hot spots of 'Transformation,' and our report begins with Fiji.

In the year 2000, the nation of Fiji began to experience an astonishing spiritual revival. It happened at the height of a crucial social upheaval when the churches united and interceded for God's intervention.

Since then, this mighty revival has transformed not only individuals but whole villages in Fiji. The Fiji people have been witnessing signs and wonders—even to this day God is literally healing their land.

MTV's Homosexual Station Launching On June 30 (Free Market Foundation)

LOGO, MTV's homosexual television station, will launch the new channel on June 30. The station, which prides itself on being the first station for "Gay America," will feature more than 200 lesbian and gay films, newscasts tailored for a gay and lesbian audience, original specials and ongoing documentaries, including "My Fabulous Gay Wedding" and "Noah's Arc." LOGO will launch on satellite and cable providers across America, including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta.

What Happens When Oil Prices Go To $80 A Barrel? (Louis Navellier's Investments Bulletin)

China changes everything. Last year, China's oil consumption soared 35% -- similar jumps are in the cards for at least the next several years, something sure to keep oil prices high. Sure, energy prices could drop temporarily. That's the way the pendulum tends to swing on Wall Street.

Financial services juggernaut UBS recently issued a report showing how oil prices were moving in tandem with growing demand from China. Their analysts forecast prices to hit $60 a barrel next year; and then $70 in early 2007 and $75 by May 2007. For certain sectors of our economy - and the companies that toil within them; there's simply no way the outcome is in doubt: Oil prices - as well as those for other commodities - are destined to climb much higher.

Now that energy exploration is really taking off again, [if] new supplies help keep costs somewhat in-line remains to be seen. I no longer scoff at predictions of $100 oil, and neither should you.

10-year-old Student prohibited From Reading Bible During Recess (Alliance Defense Fund)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—A 10-year-old student at Karns Elementary School and his parents, represented by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Wednesday June 1st, against representatives with the Knox County school system. School and district officials prohibit students from reading and discussing the Bible during recess.

ADF attorneys filed the suit after receiving from the district only an evasive response through the media to their concerns.

In press reports, the principal and other officials have contended that recess is not “free time” and that, therefore, the school can prohibit Bible reading during that period.

Attorneys with ADF represent 10-year-old student Luke Whitson and his parents. Unable to resolve the matter with the principal, Whitson’s parents contacted district officials via legal counsel to express their concern over the principal’s actions and to explain the unconstitutional nature of the school’s practices. The district failed to respond, leaving the Whitsons with no choice but to file suit. A news release from the district did not address the Whitson’s central question regarding the matter. “Simply, that question is: May a couple of students get together and talk about the Bible on the playground at recess? The district sidesteps this core issue,” Kellum an ADF Attorney said.

The principal and other school and district officials have stated in media interviews that students may only read and discuss the Bible before or after school.

“This is not a constitutionally sound policy,” Kellum explained. “Recess has long been regarded as non-instructional time, and students may read or discuss a wide range of literature—including the Bible—during such periods.”

Quoteworthy:------"The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration . . . The time is come - it now is - when we ought to hear about the duties and responsibilities of our citizenship. America's future depends upon her accepting and demonstrating God's government." This prayer, offered by the Reverend Peter Marshall in January of 1947 following his election as Chaplain of the U.S. Senate.

Judge To Hear Arguments On Military's Homosexual Ban (Susan Jones CNSNews.com June 06, 2005)

Oral arguments are expected to take place July 6 in a case challenging the constitutionality of the federal government's ban on homosexuals serving openly in the U.S. military.

A homosexual advocacy group, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, filed a legal challenge last December, in an attempt to overturn the Clinton-era law.

Next month, a federal judge in Boston will hear arguments on the government's motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed on behalf of 12 former service members discharged from the military under the homosexual ban.

SLDN, which is representing the plaintiffs, argues that a "gay ban" punishes service members for their "private, constitutionally protected conduct."

According to the lawsuit, the ban denies homosexuals "the right of privacy, equal protection of the law and freedom of speech."

The July 6 hearing is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. in federal district court in Boston.
During his presidential campaign in 1992, President Bill Clinton advocated repealing the ban on homosexuals in the military. But in November 1993, Clinton signed a law reaffirming the long-standing principle that homosexuality is incompatible with military service.

The 1993 law says there is no constitutional right to serve in the armed forces; it says "success in combat" requires strong "unit cohesion" and "bonds of trust" among individual service members; and it says the presence of "persons who demonstrate a propensity of intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability."

The law notes that "the prohibition against homosexual conduct is a longstanding element of military law that continues to be necessary in the unique circumstances of military service."

Contrary to popular assumption, Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is not part of the law he signed in 1993. According to the Center for Military Readiness, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is an enforcement.

Playboy + Federal Government = Strange Bedfellows (Family Research council)

The Public Broadcasting System (PBS), periodically under fire for airing heavily one-sided liberal broadcasting, is at it again with a new movie that was funded by U.S. taxpayers and by pornographic media giant Playboy, and is being promoted by abortion advocates NARAL. The movie, "The Education of Shelby Knox," apparently attacks both President George W. Bush and abstinence programs. Texas public schools have had abstinence- only sex education since 1995, when then-governor George W. Bush signed a law making Texas the third state to follow the curriculum. When it comes to cigarettes, alcohol or other more destructive drugs we ask our children to abstain in an effort to save their lives - why is it so hard to ask children to do the same abstaining when it comes to sex?

Apparently the producers at PBS would rather promote what they see as the "stupidity and futility" of such abstinence-only programs, while ignoring the studies that have shown true success through these abstinence programs.

QUOTEWORTHY: "What the country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds." -- Will Rogers

Kentucky Judge Offers Choice Of Church Or Jail (Citizen Link)

A judge in the Bluegrass State has taken to giving some drug and alcohol offenders a choice -- either attend worship services or go to jail, FoxNews.com reported. District Judge Michael Caperton said he has offered the option about 50 times to repeat offenders -- something that has some critics crying foul, with claims the practice violates separation of church and state. American Civil Liberties Union lawyer David Friedman said offering a choice of church as an alternative sentence raises "serious constitutional problems." Judge Caperton disagrees. "I don't think there's a church-state issue," he said, "because it's not mandatory and I say 'worship services' instead of 'church.' " The judge, a devout Christian, said his only goal is to "help people and their families."

Quoteworthy: "In the supposed state of nature, all men are equally bound by the laws of nature, or to speak more properly, the laws of the Creator." --Samuel Adams

AFA Suspends Ford boycott For Six Months (American Family Association)

Following a meeting with a group of Ford dealers on June 5, AFA has suspended its boycott of Ford Motor Company until December 1, 2005. In the meeting, the dealers asked for time to see if the concerns raised by AFA in their boycott announcement could be addressed by them in cooperation with officials from Ford Motor Company.

European Gay Activists Becoming Increasingly Violent, Intolerant Of Other Views (Life Site News)
Calling Pope Benedict “homophobe, AIDS accomplice”

Paris and Madrid, June 6, 2005, Two events in Europe indicate that the culture war between those defending traditional marriage and those promoting same-sex marriage is continuing to escalate. As Canada’s Liberal government moves closer to pushing through its same-sex marriage law, Bill C-38, predictions of resulting social unrest may echo events already occurring in Paris and Madrid.

In Paris, France the Agence France-Presse (AFP) is reporting that an altercation broke out at the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral on Sunday when 20 members of the group “Act Up” gained entry and proceeded to perform a mock marriage of two lesbians. One of the activists was dressed as a priest and pronounced the two women married, while other members of Act Up chanted "Pope Benedict XVI, homophobe, AIDS accomplice."

Church security personnel pursued the gay rights activists as they fled the Cathedral. As a result clashes broke out outside the Paris landmark, during which Monsignor Patrick Jacquin suffered a minor neck injury. Monsignor Jacquin is quoted in the AFP as saying: "They are savages. I was pushed to the ground and trampled, kicked in the neck. "It's a scandal for these people to lash out at me and the Pope."

Consumers Hot About Un-COOL Beef (Consumers Union)

Did you know that the U.S. is among only 5 of 37 countries surveyed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that does not require country of origin labeling on processed meat? Inspectors discovered four "mad" cows in Canada in the last few years, but the U.S. will soon reopen beef trade with that nation. If you have health or safety concerns or just want to know where your meat comes from, clear labeling lets you make an informed consumer choice.

In 2002, Congress passed a meat labeling law (Country Of Origin Labeling or "COOL"), scheduled to take effect in 2004, but powerful meat processing interests succeeded in delaying the new consumer labeling requirement until 2006. Now, the House Appropriations Committee has approved a further delay until 2007.

Congressman Denny Rehberg of Montana is taking the lead to restore the 2006 effective date for implementation of country-of-origin labeling.

http://cu.convio.net/site/R?i=FU0z4SbkcSNMPnpMfRv51g

Ministry Watch Issues Donor Alert For Benny Hinn And Joyce Meyer (MATTHEWS, N.C. June 1, 2005)

Wall Watchers, through its donor empowerment Website www.MinistryWatch.com, has issued a Donor Alert for Benny Hinn Ministries/World Outreach Church (BHM). Wall Watchers CEO Rusty Leonard explained, Recent facts and allegations aired on NBC DATELINE coupled with MinistryWatch.com previous concerns about the self-serving prosperity theology taught by Benny Hinn has caused MinistryWatch.com to recommend that donors prayerfully consider redirecting their gifts to one of the many biblically-based ministries that are not only more transparent in their dealings with the public but also treat donor funds as a sacred trust dedicated exclusively for the Lord work. Included in the accusations launched by critics of Benny Hinn for the DATELINE broadcast are claims that Hinn and his family enjoy a lavish lifestyle with funds intended for charitable purposes, that he preaches a self-serving version of the Bible, that he manipulates individuals at healing crusades for personal gain, that he makes unsubstantiated claims of healings, and that the ministry is nontransparent and lacks independent board oversight.

Joyce Meyer

Information about extravagant spending on salaries and other benefits for Joyce Meyer has recently been made public as a result of claims by Jefferson County, Mo. Tax Assessor Randy Holman that JMM is in fact a business and not a church. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Holman said of Joyce Meyer, that the ministry is a business; the business of selling Joyce Meyer.

Holman argues that Meyer’s headquarters has no public services; and, its chapel is used only by the 600 employees who produce and sell tapes and books, broadcast Meyer’s television program, and collect money for the ministries.

Wall Watchers CEO Rusty Leonard said, MinistryWatch.com recommends that donors prayerfully consider withholding contributions to Joyce Meyer Ministries/Life in the Word (JMM). Those that oppose such action should consider that the reported exorbitant spending of the Meyer family reveals that JMM has far more money than they need to carry out their ministry.

Another 9/11 Hijacking (Gary Bauer)

Today's Wall Street Journal carries a blood-boiling article written by Debra Burlingame, the sister of Charles F. "Chic" Burlingame III, pilot of American Airlines flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. She outlined in detail how the Ground Zero site in Manhattan has been hijacked by left-wing ideologues who intend to use it to promote a "tolerance" agenda instead of "a respectful tribute to our individual and collective loss."

Ms. Burlingame charges that the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation is handing over millions of dollars of your tax money to people and groups who consider "the Patriot Act more dangerous than the terrorists…"

The main tenant of the World Trade Center Memorial Cultural Complex will be the International Freedom Center (IFC), a group funded by Bush-hater George Soros. Another key player is Michael Posner, executive director at Human Rights First, "who is leading the world-wide 'Stop Torture Now' campaign" that is focused entirely on the U.S. military.

Ms. Burlingame knows why people still go to the open wound at Ground Zero. It isn't to be lectured by leftist elites about America's failings and mistakes. We go to remind ourselves of what happened to our country on that fateful day, and to be where heroes gave their all in the face of unspeakable evil. Wake-up, New York!

No Profit From Establishment Cases (Aaron Atwood Citizen Link)
Indiana Congressman is sponsoring legislation to take the profit out of suing.

Representative John Hostettler, R-Ind., has teamed with the American Legion to prevent the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and others like them, from strong arming defendants. The Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005 (PERA) would prohibit attorneys' fees from being collected in cases against the establishment of religion clause.

The ACLU boasts more than 400,000 members and supporters and handles more than 6,000 cases each year. Its 2003 revenue topped $44 million while it claims to have been awarded more than $2 million in settlements.

<The Cross> The legislation comes at a time when the ACLU is challenging the mention of "Jesus" in the Indiana legislature, the cross on the California state seal and prayer at graduation ceremonies across America. Regularly such cases never make it to court because of concern over the cost of attorney fees.

A solitary cross stands on the hillside of a national preserve near the Nevada-California border. Frank Buono, a retired park ranger, sued, claiming that his seeing the cross a couple times every year infringed on his rights. The courts agreed. The ACLU pocketed $63,000 in attorneys' fees. Currently, when the ACLU wins a case, as it did in Buono v. Norton, the losing party must pay the fees of the successful attorneys. Initially the law was good. Poor minorities were facing discrimination but were unable to afford a lawyer. Now, liberal advocacy groups are using the law as a burden to municipalities faced with potential religious liberties cases.

<The American Legion> In light of the situation facing many state and federal agencies, Rees Lloyd, a former ACLU attorney and past commander of American Legion Post 428, took action. Lloyd authored Legion's Resolution 326. The resolution calls the group's 2.7 million members to "expressly preclude the courts from awarding attorney fees in lawsuits brought to remove or destroy religious symbols."

The Legion had adopted that cross in the middle of the Mojave Desert in 2003. Now the ACLU was treading on sacred ground. "The ACLU has become fanatical," Lloyd said. "The facts are the facts. They are elitist social engineers." Then he raised a critical point. "As a former ACLU attorney, I know that they have no attorney fees," he said. "They are either done by staff attorneys or volunteers." In fact, in Buono v. Norton, the counsel listed for the plaintiff was "Peter J. Eliasberg and Mark D. Rosenbaum, ACLU Foundation of Southern California, Los Angeles, California." Both attorneys are ACLU staffers.

Hostettler has taken his bill to the House before. In 2003 the bill died in subcommittee. But Lloyd is quick to point out this is a different Congress. "Now there are 2.7 million people solidly and unanimously supporting this bill," Lloyd noted. The legislation is currently in its infancy in the 109th Congress but already has 20 co-sponsors. "We're in pretty good shape," a spokesman for Rep. Hostettler said. "One hundred is a magic number because you can kind of force a bill through with that."

Pentagon Wasted Supplies, GAO Finds (Griff Witte Washington Wednesday, June 8, 2005)

The Defense Department spent at least $400 million in recent years buying boots, tents, bandages and other goods at the same time it was getting rid of identical items it had paid for but never used, government investigators told House members yesterday. That finding came as part of a broader inquiry by the Government Accountability Office that uncovered deep flaws in the Pentagon's system for determining when it needs to buy new supplies and how it disposes of supposedly excess inventory.

At a House Government Reform subcommittee hearing, GAO investigators display military gear they bought online. (By Jahi Chikwendiu -- The Washington Post)

Investigators discovered that out of $33 billion of goods the Defense Department marked as excess from 2002 through 2004, $4 billion was in excellent condition. Only about 12 percent of that was reused by the department. The other $3.5 billion "includes significant waste and inefficiency," the GAO said, because new or good-as-new items were "transferred and donated outside of DOD, sold for pennies on the dollar, or destroyed."

The Government is Letting Big Tobacco Off the Hook (TobaccofreeKids.Com)

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is presenting its closing arguments this week. But instead of going all out to stop the industry's harmful practices, the DOJ is backing off some of the most important reforms.

In the most alarming change, the government called for a completely inadequate program to help the nation's 45 million smokers quit. The government's own expert witness, Dr. Michael Fiore of the University of Wisconsin, called for a 25-year, $130 billion smoking cessation program. But the government asked for only $10 billion over five years - less than eight percent of what its own expert said is needed.

Why is the government pulling its punches at the last minute? This morning, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times reported that a top Justice Department official who used to work for a law firm that represented RJ Reynolds pressured the Justice Department lawyers to give Big Tobacco a break. The LA Times reports:

’Support Our Scouts Act Of 2005’ Deserves Support! (June 9, 2005 – Traditional Values Coalition)

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has introduced the “Support Our Scouts Act Of 2005.”
This legislation is being introduced to counter the threats by the ACLU and other anti-Boy Scouts organizations to ensure that the Boy Scouts are given equal access to all public facilities.
The Boy Scouts have been under attack for years now because of their policy of excluding homosexuals and atheists from its organization.

The ACLU headed by a homosexual activist, has been one of the leading enemies of the Boy Scouts and is doing everything it can to punish the Scouts. This includes filing lawsuits to get the Scouts kicked out of public facilities and lands.

The ACLU claims that because the Boy Scouts requires a belief in God for membership, it is a religious group and must be excluded from federal or state properties. Currently, the federal government is defending itself in a lawsuit designed to sever ties between the Boy Scouts and the Departments of Defense and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Support our Scouts Act of 2005 will clearly declare that the Scouts has the right to use federal facilities. It also terminates or reduces federal funds to any state agency that denies the Scouts equal access to public facilities, forum, or programs.

Without passage of this bill, the Boy Scouts will continue to be under constant attack from the ACLU and homosexual activist groups who are determined to destroy this fine organization.

The Boy Scouts of America has issued a statement fully in support of this legislation.

Howard Wilson hwilson@texasmoralaction.org