Pro-Life Teen Barred from Receiving Honor by Ohio House Speaker

ACLU urges speaker to reconsider

Fascist Democrat Armond Budish

From LifeSiteNews

In what critics are calling an unprecedented act of bias, pro-abortion Ohio House Speaker Armond Budish (D-Beechwood) has denied Shelby County teen Elisabeth Trisler a routine legislative honor, evidently because he objects to Trisler's pro-life values. Budish is refusing to allow Trisler on the House floor to accept a legislative resolution, authored by Rep. John Adams (R-Sidney), which honors Trisler's accomplishment as the National Right to Life Oratory Contest winner.

Alongside local pro-life leaders, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio has criticized the move, indicating the refusal amounted to "teaching young people that the answer is to silence those who disagree with us."

Honorary resolutions such as the one given to Trisler are routinely presented at the start of Ohio House legislative sessions to constituents, including those who win athletic championships or academic contests. In this case, however, Trisler will receive the resolution in the mail, according to Ohio Right to Life.

"Surely Speaker Budish can put aside his partisanship for 10 minutes to honor the accomplishments of a talented and optimistic teenage girl," said Ohio Right to Life Executive Director Mike Gonidakis. "Perhaps his real message to Ohio's teens is that excelling in public speaking isn't worth being honored if their views are different than his."

State Rep. John Adams called the Speaker's denial "an outrage."

Trisler won the National Right to Life Oratory Contest held at the NRLC Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in June, 2009. During the second half of 2009, Rep. Adams's office worked to schedule the presentation of Trisler's proclamation on the House floor, as is typical of such awards. The presentation was scheduled for Wednesday, February 3, 2010.

However, on January 29th, the House Clerk informed Rep. Adams's office the presentation would not take place because the Speaker "had a problem with the subject matter." The clerk advised the representative's staff to take the matter up with the Speaker. Speaker Budish supports abortion.

"The Ohio House chamber is a monument to the importance of oratory and persuasion on the great issues facing our state," said Gonidakis. "Silencing someone because you disagree is a terrible lesson to teach teens. The Speaker should reconsider his unfortunately petty decision."

ACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link also criticized the move, which she says created a "troubling precedent."

"Instead of teaching young people that the answer is to silence those who disagree with us, legislators should be modeling how to address difficult issues thoughtfully and listen respectfully to others," said Link.

"Ohio has a diverse political and social landscape that includes a broad spectrum of views that may be controversial to some," she continued. "If we limit whose achievements may be honored, we are only contributing to the notion that these issues are divisive and cannot reasonably be discussed."

Keary McCarthy, the communications director at Speaker Budish's office, said that the Speaker's decision was consistent with precedent that such a presentation should not be used as a platform for a specific political agenda.

"The Speaker believes it's important to avoid having political interests on either side of the aisle abuse this brief opportunity for celebration and recognition," McCarthy told LifeSiteNews.com.

However, he said, "the Speaker will gladly reconsider the request of Representative Adams if appropriate discretion is used in a way that does not contradict the history of the House" for not using the reception as a forum for advocacy.

Contact information:

Armond Budish
Speaker of the House, Ohio House of Representatives
77 S. High St
14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Phone: (614) 466-5441
Fax: (614) 719-0008
Email: district08@ohr.state.oh.us

Obama Hits Lowest Approval Mark

From National Journal Hotline on Call

Independent voters see Pres. Obama in a negative light by a nearly 2-1 margin, according to a new Marist College survey, while almost half of voters say he has failed to meet their expectations.

The poll, conducted Feb. 1-3, showed just 44% of registered voters approving of Obama's job as president. 47% disapprove. But among indie voters, Obama's approval rating sits at a terrible 29%, while his disapproval rating is at 57%.

Obama's 44% job approval rating is the lowest he has scored in any non-internet poll since moving into the WH, according to a review of data compiled by Pollster.com.

And while GOPers strive to avoid attacking Obama personally, for fear of offending voters who see him in a favorable light personally, even that aura of invincibility is wearing off. Independent voters view Obama negatively, too, by a 39% favorable to 52% unfavorable margin. All registered voters still see Obama favorably by a 50%-44% margin, but that's down 5 points in just 2 months.

Voters are disappointed in what they got with Obama's first year. The poll shows 47% believe Obama has failed to meet their expectations -- including a quarter of Dems, 65% of GOPers and 53% of indie voters -- while just 42% say he has met their expectations. 38% say Obama's policies are moving the country in the wrong direction, while 37% say they're making the country better.

Meanwhile, members of Congress should brace for a difficult election year. 42% of registered voters said they would back their current member of Congress, while 44% said they would support someone else -- a drop of 9 points in support of the incumbent in just 2 months.

The Marist College poll surveyed 910 registered voters for a margin of error of +/- 3.2%.

New York Times: Rampant Sodomite Polygamy Benefits Marriage

From LifeSiteNews
By Kathleen Gilbert

In discussing a new study confirming that polygamy is a staple within gay "marriages," a New York Times article has suggested that doing away with the concept of spousal fidelity in marriage represents an "evolution" that "might point the way for the survival of the institution."

NYT columnist Scott James reported January 28 on a project by San Francisco State University's Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality examining various aspects of homosexual relationships. James says the study, which is scheduled for release this month, "reveals that monogamy is not a central feature for many."

"Some gay men and lesbians argue that, as a result, they have stronger, longer-lasting and more honest relationships," the article continues. "And while that may sound counterintuitive, some experts say boundary-challenging gay relationships represent an evolution in marriage — one that might point the way for the survival of the institution."

Colleen Hoff, one of the study's researchers, remarked: "With straight people, it’s called affairs or cheating, but with gay people it does not have such negative connotations.”

Steve Weinstein, the editor-in-chief of the gay news service EDGE Boston, said that the research could be placed into "the category of 'studies that confirm the painfully obvious.'"

James also admits that "none of this is news in the gay community, but few will speak publicly about it," with many expressing fear that "discussing the subject could undermine the legal fight for same-sex marriage."

Joe Quirk, author of the sex-themed bestseller "It's Not You, It's Biology," argued that "the combination of freedom and mutual understanding can foster a unique level of trust."

“If innovation in marriage is going to occur, it will be spearheaded by homosexual marriages," said Quirk.

Congressional Democrats Say Rahm Emanuel is the "F!*%king Retard"

The Hill reports that Democrats in Congress are holding White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel accountable for the collapse of their efforts to impose socialized medicine on the United States.

Major General James Livingston Endorses Bill Connor

Medal of Honor recipient from Mt. Pleasant supporting veteran Lt. Gov. candidate

In another sign of building momentum, the Bill Connor campaign today announced that Marine Major General and Medal of Honor recipient James Livingston has endorsed the campaign.

“As a Marine who led men into battle in Vietnam, I understand the challenge of combat leadership,” said General Livingston. “Combat leadership is forged in the toughest crucible known to man. As an Infantry Lt. Colonel, Bill was the senior US advisor to Afghan forces in Helmand fighting the Taliban insurgency. Now, Bill is the first post-9/11 combat veteran to announce for statewide office. I am so proud to endorse Bill’s candidacy for Lieutenant Governor.”

“I am proud to have the support of a Medal of Honor recipient like Jim Livingston,” Bill Connor said. “It means so much to our campaign to have leading veteran voices like General Livingston supporting us. General Livingston has been a great voice for the economic benefits of attracting retirees to our state. He points out that the average retiree household moving to South Carolina with pension and retirement income brings an average of three to four jobs. I look forward to working with General Livingston as head of the Office on Aging to make our state a retiree haven, allowing South Carolina businesses to create new jobs.”

Bill Connor is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserves who received the Bronze Star for his service in combat as the senior American advisor in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. In addition to his Reserve duties, Bill serves as the Chairman of the Board of Orangeburg Christian Academy. Bill is a graduate of the Citadel and USC Law School. Bill lives in Orangeburg with Susan, his wife of 18 years, and their three children Peyton, Brenna, and Will. They attend Christ Church of the Carolinas in Columbia.

The Continuing Scandal at the USCCB

Bishop William Murphy Dodges The Issue

From New York Catholics

In this latest installment on the scandal unfolding at the USCCB in Bishop Murphy's Committee on Justice Peace and Human Development, Michael Voris succinctly explains how Bishop Murphy is trying to sidestep the real issues at hand by painting this controversy as an attempt to attack John Carr.

As Michael says, John Carr, the Executive Director of Bishop Murphy's Committee which has been reported as funding numerous pro-abortion and pro-homosexual Saul Alinsky-style community organizing groups to the tune of millions of dollars, is not the issue here.

The issue is two-fold:

1) Did Bishop Murphy's Committee in fact give millions of dollars to community action groups that are sympathetic to Marxism, abortion and sodomy?

2) If Bishop Murphy's Committee is responsible for doing the above, what did Bishop Murphy know and when did he know it?

Bishop Murphy is accusing the Catholic organizations who are reporting the USSCB scandal, of calumniating John Carr, instead of addressing the allegations of mis-allocation of funds to the enemies of the Faith.

Here is Bishop Murphy's statement in a CNS interview:

"I'm concerned about these attacks on John Carr and I know they are false and I think they are even calumnious. I am taking this to be a very sad, sad commentary on the honesty of some people in these pressure groups."

As you can see, Bishop Murphy is trying to turn the substantive question of whether his Committee has given millions of dollars to groups which support the Culture of Death into an attack on his subordinate, John Carr.

Then, the Bishop launches into his own adhominem attack on the leaders of these Catholic organizations, Reform CCHD Now, Human Life International, American Life League, and Bellarmine Veritas Ministry, by suggesting that they are dishonest, vilifying calumniators.

Bishop Murphy, being a member of the episcopacy doesn't give you the right to try and destroy the reputations of these good Catholic people who are trying to get to the truth of what has been going on in your Committee.

There is only one relevant question here, which I'll repeat again: "Bishop Murphy, what did you know and when did you know it?"

Argentina Seizes the Central Bank

President Cristina Kirchner wants to pay foreign creditors but doesn't want to use treasury revenues.

From The Wall Street Journal
By Mary Anastasia O'Grady

After a month of wrangling, Argentine President Cristina Kirchner succeeded in sacking central bank President Martin Redrado last week. In his place she named Mercedes Marcó del Pont, a Yale-trained economist who has expressed the view that central bank autonomy ought to be limited.

The opposition howled at the news. Felipe Sola, former governor of Provincia de Buenos Aires, warned that the new bank president "is going to do what the executive decides and they are going to modify the bank charter to justify her doing what the executive tells her."

Of course that would seem to be the point. Mr. Redrado was fired because he refused to turn over $6.6 billion in bank reserves to Mrs. Kirchner, who wants to pay foreign creditors but doesn't want to use treasury revenues. Ms. Marcó del Pont, if she wants to keep her job, will follow the orders of the president.

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