Family Research Council

The Social Conservative Review: July 28, 2011

by Krystle Gabele

July 28, 2011

Click here to subscribe to The Social Conservative Review.

Dear Friends,

As the White House and Congress continue to debate how to restrain spending and curtail the size and reach of the federal government, American families are concerned with the economy we will be leaving our children.

Family policy is tied directly to economic policy. A society in which the unborn are expendable means we will not have the quantity of workers we need to help our economy grow or the tax base necessary to sustain programs on which many have come to depend, let alone vital needs like national defense. FRC President Tony Perkins recently made this point at a conference here in Washington, DC — social, security, and economic policy are intertwined, and cannot be divorced from one another.

There’s a reason why the Psalmist reminds us that “children are a heritage from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). It’s for the sake of that heritage that FRC continues to work in partnership with you for faith, family, and freedom.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

• “Different children, different educations,” Krissy Proctor, Knoxville News-Sentinel
• “Many options for parents who want to homeschool kids,” Monica James, The Lighthouse

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “The Dot Connector,” Jana Riess, Qideas
• “Private sector schools could boost employment,” Arther Keiser, The Daily Caller
• “Will the College Bubble Burst from Public Subsidies?,” Michael Barone, American Enterprise Institute
• “Many Americans are Undereducated, But College Credentials Won’t Fix That,” George Leef, National Review Online
• “Going to College Isn’t a Morality Tale,” J. Peter Freire, The American Spectator
• “Scandals in the Classroom,” Phyllis Schlafly, Townhall
• “Farewell and keep fighting for D.C. school choice,” Virginia Walden Ford, The Washington Examiner

Government Reform

Regulation

• “Minimum wage law backfires in American Samoa,” Samuel Herne, The Acton Institute
• “Will Washington Find the Cure for Cancer?,” Kenneth C. Frazier, The Wall Street Journal

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “Achieving Real Budget Reform,” John Meszaros, The Acton Institute
• “Class Warfare Not the American Solution to Budget Deficit,” Kenneth Spence, The Acton Institute
• “The Gang of Six’s $3 Trillion Tax Hike,” Marc A. Thiessen, American Enterprise Institute
• “Yes, You Really Can Cut Your Way to Prosperity,” Andrew Biggs and Matthew Jensen, The American
• “Duncan’s Dilemma,” Whitney Downs, The Enterprise Blog
• “TARP’s Shadow,” Nicole Gelinas, City Journal

Health Care

Abstinence

• “Obama Administration Just Says ‘No’ to Abstinence,” Rachel Sheffield, The Heritage Foundation
• “Florida abstinence education programs short on health specifics,” Ashley Lopez, The Florida Independent
• “Chastity Pledges and Risky Sex,” Matthew Lee Anderson, Mere Orthodoxy

Conscience Protection

• “Conscience Rights At Stake as HHS Considers Mandates for Abortifacients in Obamacare,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “Contracepting Conscience,” Helen Alvare, The Public Discourse
• “Contraceptive Recommendation Creates New Controversy for Health Care Law,” Fox News
• “Medical Students May Support Overbroad View of Conscience Rights,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Health Insurance Exchanges: A Race to the Bottom,” Scott Gottlieb, American Enterprise Institute
• “The CDC vs. Life-Saving Vaccines,” Josh Bloom, National Review Online
• “Health Is the Health of the State,” Christopher J. Conover, The American
• “Surprise! Small businesses dropping plans because of Obamacare,” Poor Richard’s News
• “‘The Flight to the Exchanges’,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal

Homosexuality

• “Dr. Bachmann Attacked for Offering ‘Hope’ and ‘Change’ — to Homosexuals,” Tony Perkins, American River Messenger
• “Does therapy to remove unwanted same-sex attractions work?,” Press Office, Family Research Council
• “FRC Criticizes Certification to Repeal Military Law on Homosexuality,” Press Release, Family Research Council
• “Lawsuit Seeks to Set Aside New York Same-Sex Marriage Law Over Open Meetings Violations,” Liberty Counsel
• “The President’s duplicity on DADT and DOMA,” Daniel Blomberg, Alliance Defense Fund

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

• “State of Public Opinion on Pro-Life Laws,” Brianna Walden, Family Research Council
• “Update on RU-486 Adverse Events Report,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “Chen Guangcheng needs your help,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Obama’s Culture of Death: Promoting Abortion Is Key to Smashing the Family and Traditional Morality,” Jeffrey T. Kuhner, The Washington Times
• “Over 4 million sign massive pro-life petition in Colombia,” Matthew Hoffman, Life Site News
• “Ohio Bishops: No Catholic fundraising for Komen for the Cure,” Patrick Craine, Life Site News
• “Young People Will Promote Values and Life at UN Meeting on Youth,” Lauren Funk, C-FAM
• “Russia Restricts Abortion,” Susan Yoshihara, C-FAM
• “Negro Project 2.0: Margaret Sanger’s Abortion Legacy Lives On,” Ryan Bomberger, LifeNews.com
• “Gallup Poll: Americans Support Pro-Life Laws Limiting Abortions,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “New Tests for Newborns, And Dilemmas for Parents,” Amy Dockser Marcus, The Wall Street Journal
• “New invisibility cloak hides objects from human view,” Physorg.com
• “Scientists’ Call To Regulate Human DNA-Animal Experiments a Hollow Gesture,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “At what price, immortality?” Margaret Somerville, The Vancouver Sun

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “Pressured to Die: Euthanasia Push Continues,” Fr. John Flynn, Catholic.org

Stem Cell Research

• “Court Rules in Favor of Taxpayer Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “More Evidence for Adult Stem Cell Success,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Adult Stem Cell Trial to Treat Stroke,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Adult Stem Cells Helping Patients With Scleroderma Skin Disease,” David Prentice, LifeNews.com
• “U-M refines technique for embryonic stem cell alternatives, develops lines,” Robin Erb, Detroit Free Press
• “Ohio Bishops Steer Parishes Away From Komen Over Abortion, Stem Cell Concerns,” Judson Berger, Fox News
• “MCCL continues pressure to force stem cell research ban in budget talks,” Andy Birkey, The Minnesota Independent

Women’s Health

• “New Advice on Mammogram Timing,” Katherine Hobson, The Wall Street Journal
• “The John Next Door,” Leslie Bennetts, Newsweek
• “My Fertility Crisis - The Baby Chase,” Holly Finn, The Wall Street Journal
• “Contraceptives and Politicized Medicine,” Michael New, National Review Online

Marriage and Family

Adoption

• “An Open Letter to an Unborn Baby,” Russell D. Moore, Moore to the Point
• “Church entities apologize for forcing adoptions on single mothers,” Catholic News Service
• “The Important Messages Of Adoption,” Amber Woods, Havre de Grace Patch

Family Economics

• “Dodd-Frank’s Fannie Trap,” John Berlau and Matthew Melchiorre, National Review Online
• “The Two-Biological-Parent Family and Economic Prosperity: What’s Gone Wrong,” William Jeynes, The Public Discourse

Family Structure

• “FRC Urges Senate to Uphold Defense of Marriage Act, Oppose Any Repeal Efforts,” Press Release, Family Research Council
• “My Senate Testimony Against Bill to Repeal DOMA,” Ed Whelan, National Review Online
• “The Sleepover Question,” Amy Schalet, New York Times
• “Philosophy, Marriage, and Moral Grandstanding,” Sherif Girgis, The Public Discourse
• “One Man, One Woman, and the Common Good: Marriage’s Public Purpose,” Austin Nimocks, The Public Discourse

Media

Pornography

• “Pornography Promotes Sex Trafficking, Says Morality in Media,” PR Newswire
• “Many see pornography causing societal decline, but say solution elusive,” Mark Pattison, The Catholic Review

Internet

• “Old media must make way for new media landscape,” Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch, The Washington Examiner
• “The Cybersecurity-Industrial Complex,” Jerry Brito and Tate Watkins, Reason

Religion and Public Policy

Religious Liberty

• “Sign of the Cross,” Tom McClusky, The Cloakroom
• “Teachers sue to block ‘Religious Freedom’ ballot measure,” Bill Kaczor, Associated Press
• “Texas Lawmaker Calls for Congressional Probe Into Ban of Christian Prayers at Military Funerals,” Todd Starnes, Fox News
• “Dixie County to Defend Open Forum Policy Which Allows Private Ten Commandments Display,” Liberty Counsel
• “Beyond the Dictatorship of Relativism,” Robert Royal, The Catholic Thing
• “Faith-based groups appeal to Obama over hiring practices,” McKinley Cobb, WORLD Magazine

Religion in America

• “Commodifying Compassion,” Jordan J. Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Good News! Americans United for Separation of Church and State admits the phrase “separation of church and state” not in Constitution,” Kevin Theriot, Alliance Defense Fund
• “Sex, Money … Pride? Why Pastors Are Stepping Down,” Bobby Ross, Jr., Christianity Today
• “Summary Judgment Requested to Stop Anti-Christian Bias at New Mexico School,” Liberty Counsel
• “Mardi Gras For All,” Russell D. Moore, Touchstone Magazine

Secularism

• “Respect secularism,” Brent Pollard, The Star Phoenix
• “Are Christians Contributing to Unbelief?,” S. Michael Craven, Dakota Voice

International

Israel

• “ICEJ Summarizes Stanley Greenberg Poll of Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Caution Storm Approaching,” Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post
• “Israel Has Only Two Options,” Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post

International Economy and Family

• “Why the Italian Crisis Matters,” Robinson O’Brien-Bours, The Ashbrook Center
• “A lesson from Greece,” Anthony Hall, UPI
• “Saudi Cleric Issues Fatwa Defending Pedophilia as ‘Marriage’,” Tiffany Gabbay, The Blaze

Religious Persecution

• “Shouwang Showdown, 15 Weeks In,” Chris Norton, Christianity Today
• “Faith groups call for greater efforts to promote tolerance,” Tim Devaney, The Washington Times

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “America’s deepening immorality,” Armstrong Williams, The Hill
• “Muslims, Mosques, and Herman Cain,” Dr. Richard D. Land, The Christian Post
• “Accept Jihad, Or Children Will Die,” Robert Spencer, Human Events

The Courts

Constitutional Issues

• “Attention, constitutional conservatives,” Michael Barone, The Washington Examiner
• “Death to the Living Constitution,” Damon W. Root, Reason
• “The Increasing Sweep of Federal Criminal Laws,” Publius, The Federalist Society

Other News of Note

• “Inviting social chaos: law, license and human nature,” Rob Schwarzwalder, City View
• “Bobos, but Not Paradise,” Ken Myers, Touchstone Magazine
• “The Doorknob Chronicles of Dan Savage,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “The Cosmopolitan Conservative,” R.R. Reno, First Things
• “Show Us the Bodies, EPA: Green Agency Uses Phony Death Statistics to Justify Job-Killing Rules,” Steve Milloy, The Washington Times
• “Contrary to the President, Social Security Checks Are Not At Risk,” Michael McConnell, Advancing a Free Society Blog

Book reviews

• “Let’s Exorcize Ayn Rand,” Robert Morrison, Wilson County News
• “At the Zoo,” Algis Valiunas, Claremont Review of Books
• “Still Fit to Print?,” Conrad Black, Claremont Review of Books

The Social Conservative Review: The Insider’s Guide to Pro-Family News—July 14, 2011

by Krystle Gabele

July 14, 2011

Click here to subscribe to The Social Conservative Review.

Dear Friends,

Our country is grounded on the proposition that God has made each of us and given every person the “right to life,” as stated in the Declaration of Independence. Yet human dignity is being diminished increasingly in our culture. Whether discussing the unborn, the disabled, or the elderly, utility and power too often trump respect and compassion.

Our bodies are precious to God. “You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” writes David in the 139^th Psalm. If the God of the universe took such tender care with each of us, should we not also care for the most vulnerable among us, and put that care into practical action?

In his new book, Earthen Vessels: Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith, Matthew Lee Anderson reminds us, “We cannot speak of the body without speaking of its mortality, for the God who became flesh did so in order that he might die. For Jesus, death was the precursor to the resurrection. For us, it is the power of Christ’s resurrection that allows us to stare death in the face” (p.165).

Staring death in the face, unflinching: That’s the power of the Gospel. Defending personhood, at all its stages: That’s fidelity to our Creator.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

P.S. Next Thursday, join FRC and Liberty University at our DC headquarters or via Webcast as we host the Washington, DC book launch of Resurgent: How Constitutional Conservatism Can Save America, by FRC Senior Fellows Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski.

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

• “Homeschooling a growing trend across nation,” Sally Sexton, The Weatherford Democrat
• “The Year of School Choice,” Editorial, The Wall Street Journal
• “The Year of School Choice—But Not for African-American Kids in NYC,” John A. Sparks, The Center for Vision and Values

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “Dep’t of Education Creates a College Cost-Comparison Web Tool,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Time to Ax Public Programs That Don’t Yield Results,” Joe Klein, Time
• “Preferred Colleagues,” Peter Wood, The Chronicle for Higher Education
• “Inner-city education fails without the church,” Anthony B. Bradley, The Acton Institute
• “Linking Costs and Postsecondary Degrees,” Nate Johnson, American Enterprise Institute
• “Are Productivity Gains in Higher Education Possible?,” Andrew Kelly, The American
• “Public School Indoctrination,” Kevin Ryan, Crisis Magazine
• “Why Catholic Schools Matter,” Sol Stern, City Journal
• “Is Sex Just Like Race?,” Matthew J. Franck, The Public Discourse
• “Educators: Leading and Leaving,” Amanda Ruud, The Examined Life

Government Reform

Regulation

• “Economic Cost of Excessive Regulations Discussed,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Can Tax Hikes Really Be Part of a Deficit-Crushing Deal?,” Bridget Johnson, The Enterprise Blog
• “Companies Are Leaving California in Record Numbers, and It Might Get Worse,” Mark J. Kelly, The Enterprise Blog
• “Minimum wage law backfires in American Samoa,” Samuel Hearne, The Acton Institute

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “How To Solve Our Growth and Jobs Deficit,” Ken Blackwell, The American Spectator
• “Not Taking Other People’s Money,” Arthur C. Brooks, American Enterprise Institute
• “Deficits and Cultural Politics,” David Marion, The Ashbrook Center
• “Government Motors, Preforming as Expected,” Richard Adams, The Ashbrook Center

Health Care

Abstinence

• “Misleading Research on Teen Sex,” Carolyn Moynihan, Crisis Magazine
• “Zimbabwe’s “Surprising” AIDS Success,” Matthew Hanley, The Catholic Thing
• “ABSTINENCE EDUCATION: Restore federal funding, Congress urged,” David Roach, Baptist Press

Conscience Protection

• “At last, equality police decide Christians DO have right to follow beliefs,” The Daily Mail
• “Petition Campaign Asks Obama to Protect Pro-Life Doctors,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “Seeking freedom of conscience for chaplains,” Tiffany Owens, WORLD Magazine

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Low Reimbursements Main Factor in Doctors Limiting Treatment of Medicaid Kids,” Gabriel Sudduth, The Enterprise Blog
• “Real Healthcare Reform,” John Meszaros, The Acton Institute
• “Eighth Democrat signs on to Obamacare Medicare board repeal legislation,” Matthew Boyle, The Daily Caller
• “Obamacare Decision May Invite Supremes to Limit Federal Power,” Grace-Marie Turner, The Galen Institute
• “States Get Leeway on Shape of New Insurance Exchanges,” Anna Wilde Mathews, The Wall Street Journal
• “Hindsight No Longer 20/20,” Lucia Rafanelli, The American Spectator

Homosexuality

• “New York’s gay marriage law will hurt New Yorkers,” Tom McClusky, Family Research Council
• “Blacks don’t need same-sex marriage,” Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski, Family Research Council
• “Sex and the Empire State,” Robert P. George, National Review Online
• “The Harm of Same-Sex Marriage,” Michael Cook, Crisis Magazine
• “A New Movement for Marriage,” Matthew Schmitz, First Things
• “Gay “Marriage,” Civil Rights, Power, and Principle,” Tom Gilson, Evangel
• “Gay rights and religious rites: The state of the debate,” Religion Link

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

• “A Must Read Report on Planned Parenthood,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “The Truth About Chemical Abortion and Women’s Health: Updated FDA AERs on RU486,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “UN Agencies Increase Funding to Embattled Planned Parenthood,” Samantha Singson, C-FAM
• “Planned Parenthood’s Lawless Policies,” William Saunders, The Public Discourse
• “Major study links premature births to previous abortions,” Mark Henderson, The Times
• “Guttmacher’s Research on Unintended Pregnancies,” Michael J. New, National Review Online
• “More reasons to defund,” Marvin Olasky, WORLD Magazine
• “Catholic Bishops: Restore Mexico City Policy, De-Fund UNFPA,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “Poland Vote to Ban All Abortions Should Inspire Pro-Lifers,” Mary Novick, LifeNews.com
• “160 Million and Counting,” Ross Douthat, New York Times
• “Tracking the Times on Fetal Pain,” Michael New, National Review Online

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “That Which Undercuts Human Exceptionalism Should be Considered Immoral,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “The Story of Dick Cheney’s Heart,” Joseph Rago, The Wall Street Journal
• “Fishing for Trouble,” Stan Guthrie, Breakpoint

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “Reason Is the Enemy of the Euthanasia Movement,” Michael Cook, Crisis Magazine
• “Indian Girl Commits Suicide to Donate Organs to Family Members,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke

Stem Cell Research

• “Angina Pain Eased with Adult Stem Cells,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Adult Stem Cells Help Create Synthetic Windpipe, Save Cancer Patient,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “California Stem Cell Agency Helps Executives, Not Patients,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Demand Continues for More Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Stem cell bill ignores patients and real science,” Dr. David Prentice, The Hill

Women’s Health

• “UN Women Advances Radical Agenda at U.S. Universities,” Janie Abel, Human Events
• “A Culture War Against Conservative Women,” Ericka Andersen, The Heritage Foundation
• “Missing Women: How Abortion Fuels the Sex Trade,” Chuck Colson, Crosswalk
• “Human trafficking and the sex trade: Faith groups mobilize,” Religion Link

Marriage and Family

Adoption

• “Gay marriage law could result in adoption boom,” Associated Press
• “Court: Catholic Charities can continue its services, for now,” Bob Okon, The Beacon-News
• “Ill. Drops Adoption Contracts With Catholic Charities,” Stephanie Samuel, The Christian Post
• “Crushing Venerable Adoption Agencies—and Religious Liberty,” Chuck Donovan, The Heritage Foundation
• “US, Russia Agree on Adoption Safeguards,” Voice of America

Family Economics

• “The Ethics of Capital and Interest: An Interview with Shawn Ritenour,” Joe Gorra, Evangelical Philosophical Society
• “Missing Children: How Falling Birthrates Turn Everything Upside Down,” Phillip J. Longman, The Family in America
• “Our Fiscal Crisis: We Cannot Tax, Spend and Borrow enough to Substitute for Marriage,” Henry Potyrkus, Patrick Fagan, and Robert Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council

Family Structure

• “The Divorce Generation,” Susan Gregory Thomas, The Wall Street Journal
• “The Sham Vow,” Richard Adams, The Ashbrook Center
• “Parents: Wisdom & Relationships,” Rebecca Fort, The Examined Life
• “The Married Lifestyle,” Gabriel Torretta, First Things
• “Male and Female,” Bevil Bramwell, OMI, The Catholic Thing
• “Is Sex Just Like Race?,” Matthew J. Franck, The Public Discourse
• “Closing the book on open marriage,” W. Bradford Wilcox, The Washington Post

Media

Pornography

• “Ashton Kutcher’s Tweet Tirade Against the Village Voice on Child Prostitution,” Cathy Ruse, Family Research Council
• “Sexual Revolution: Built Upon Sand,” Anthony Esolen, The Public Discourse
• “OK for suspect to view child porn in Tacoma jail,” Associated Press

Internet

• “Scalia wrong, Thomas right on violent video games,” Ken Klukowski, Family Research Council
• “Violent Video Games and the Rights of Parents,” Charles J. Chaput, First Things
• “That’s Entertainment: Free Speech and the Moral Regulation of the Arts,” Hadley Arkes, The Public Discourse
• “Illness indicators,” Alissa Wilkinson, WORLD Magazine

Religion and Public Policy

Religious Liberty

• “Imperiled Religious Liberty, Abroad and At Home,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “The Bumpy Road of Religious Freedom,” Jim Tonkowich, Crosswalk
• “On the Relationship between Religion and Liberty,”Jordan J. Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “In Search of Christian Humanism,” Robert Royal, The Catholic Thing
• “9th Circuit decision: Zoning rules can’t single out churches,” Howard Fischer, Arizona Daily Star
• “Government Enforcement Upon Places of Worship?,” Albert Mohler, Christianity.com

Religion in America

• “The man who inspired the Declaration of Independence,” Kenyn Cureton, Family Research Council
• “Speaker’s Stand: Attacking America’s heritage,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• “Government and God’s People,” Wayne Grudem, The Acton Institute
• “Refocusing on the Family,” Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Christianity Today
• “Moral Revolutions in America,” George Weigel, First Things

Secularism

• “Secularism run amok,” William E. Simon, Jr. and Matthew J. Franck, CBS News
• “Secularism is neutrality towards all religion — including atheism,” David Pollock, The Guardian
• “Evangelical Leaders See Secularism as Greater Threat Than Islam,” Jerome Socolovsky, Voice of America

International

Israel

• “The invisible Palestinians,” Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post
• “The Obama Administration Opens Formal Contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood,” Andrew McCarthy, National Review

International Economy and Family

• “State Department report ranks countries on human trafficking,” Jill Dougherty, CNN
• “America’s Future in New Europe,” Justin Paulette, The Ashbrook Center
• “Europe’s Not-So-Revolutionary Youth,” Samuel Gregg, The Acton Institute
• “Why Reagan Still Matters to Europe,” Alberto Mingardi, The American

Religious Persecution

• “Iran Steps-Up Anti-Christian Persecution — and What You Can Do To Help,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Attacks and Threats Shutter Nigeria’s Churches,” Obed Minchakpu, Crosswalk
• “Iranian Pastor Required to “Repent” of His Faith,” Ann Buwalda, The Jubilee Campaign

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “Islam Will Find Its Own Way to Freedom,” Mustafa Akyol, The Public Discourse
• “Let Freedom Ring: The Muslim Call for Religious Freedom,” Abdullah Saeed, The Public Discourse

The Courts

Constitutional Issues

• “Inviting chaos: law, license, human nature,” Robert Schwarzwalder, The Times and Democrat
• “American sovereignty and Republican politics in Texas execution,” Ken Klukowski, The Washington Examiner
• “Constitutional Conservatism Ready for Prime Time,” Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski, Family Research Council
• “Why Time magazine’s Orwellian story on the Constitution is wrong,” Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski, Family Research Council
• “The Burkean Justice,” Ed Whelan, National Review Online
• “When Equal Treatment is Unconstitutional,” Justin Paulette, The Ashbrook Center

Other News of Note

• “The real bridge to the 21st century,” Ken Blackwell, WORLD Magazine
• “Shunting Aside the Declaration,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• “Dangerous Disaffection,” Henry Olsen, American Enterprise Institute
• “Feds Crack Down on Campus Flirting and Sex Jokes,” Michael Barone, The Washington Examiner
• “The Obama Doctrine Defined,” Douglas J. Feith & Seth Cropsey, Commentary Magazine

Book reviews

• “Age, Education, and Parentage in As You Like It,” Autumn Swindoll, The Examined Life
• “A Plea for Positivism,” Bradley C.S. Smith, Claremont Review of Books
• “Natural Law Man,” Michael M. Uhlmann, Claremont Review of Books
• “Exceptionally American,” Wilfred M. McClay, Claremont Review of Books

The Social Conservative Review: The Insider’s Guide to Pro-Family News—Special July 4 Edition

by Krystle Gabele

June 29, 2011

Click here to subscribe to The Social Conservative Review.

Dear Friends,

Welcome to a special Fourth of July edition of the Social Conservative Review.

As our nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, our gratitude for our country and the brave men and women who defend it is great. There is no nation like American, one founded upon the belief that our rights are gifts of God, not bestowals of the state.

Yet the direction of our country remains troubling. In New York , legislators succumbed to extraordinary political pressure to pass, on the last day of an extended legislative session, a measure allowing homosexual “marriage” in the Empire State. Wrong for a host of reasons in itself (see FRC’s new video, “The Problem with Same-Sex Marriage“), this law now opens the door to all manner of living arrangements, each of which further corrodes the family as we have known it (see George Weigel’s compelling article on this theme).

Upcoming votes on same-sex marriage in Minnesota and elsewhere also promise to be hard-fought battles. Of course, it is worth bearing in mind that whenever same-sex marriage has been put to a vote of the people, the people have said no.

Still, with all the bad news, much good is also taking place. For example, earlier this week the Ohio legislature “voted to ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detectable, which can be as early as six weeks.” As Reuters reports, “The Ohio House also passed two other abortion restrictions Tuesday, one that would ban late-term abortions after 20 weeks if a doctor determines that the fetus is viable outside the womb. Another bill excludes abortion coverage from the state insurance exchange created by the federal health care law.”

FRCAction has produced a comprehensive, 28-page State Legislative Report on all the family-and life-related measures and initiatives in the states so far in 2011. Read it and be encouraged: Many governors, state representatives, and attorneys general are working actively to strengthen families and protect unborn life.

“The establishment of Civil and Religious liberty is the Motive which induced me to the field,” wrote George Washington at the close of the American Revolution. Does the preservation of these precious liberties still motivate us to contend — graciously, wisely, and courageously - in the field of political engagement today?

May God guide and strengthen each of us to this end, this Fourth of July and always.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

P.S. Here are some other recent free FRC resources on issues important to our country’s future:

• New Marriage and Religion Research Institute paper: “Our Fiscal Crisis: We Cannot Tax, Spend and Borrow enough to Substitute for Marriage”
• FRC Webcast: “Protected Innocence Legislative Framework Briefing: A state-level approach to combating domestic minor sex trafficking.”
• Op-ed on “Imperiled Religious Liberty, At Home and Abroad”
• News Release, “National Science Foundation’s Appalling Stem Cell Ignorance”

Watch for the next edition of the Social Conservative Review on July 14, 2011.

The Social Conservative Review: The Insider’s Guide to Pro-Family News—June 9, 2011

by Krystle Gabele

June 9, 2011

Click here to subscribe to The Social Conservative Review.

Dear Friends,

“As fiscal pressures mean the public sector must contract, organized religious groups are stepping into the void.” So argues Lewis M. Andrews in “Religious Alternatives to the Public Sector” in The American: The Journal of the American Enterprise Institute.

Andrews notes that “congregations of all faiths” are helping in many ways, ranging from initiatives to help young women who have been sexually trafficked to providing food to needy families. Churches provide homeless shelters, job training programs, free clothing and household goods, marital counseling, palliative care for the sick and dying, and a host of other expressions of Christ’s compassion.

This goes on throughout the country, in communities large and small. But it is not new: from its earliest days, Christians have sought to help those in need, whether those needing assistance are themselves Christian or not. The early church leader Tertullian, writing in 197 AD, wrote that he and his fellow Christians gave “to support and bury poor people, to supply the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old persons confined now to the house.”

In addition to serving in your own local church, visit FRC’s www.RealCompassion.org for links to ministries that are addressing the great needs of our time, at home and abroad. The early Christians reshaped their culture through persistent, effective ministries to those society had rejected. Let’s all follow their example.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

P.S. Today, Dr. Carol M. Swain came to FRC to speak about her book, “Be the People: A Call to Reclaim America’s Faith and Promise.” Click here to watch her remarks.

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

• “GOING DEEP: The athletic, homeschooling Gelbaughs hope to reinvent the image of homeschoolers,” Stefanie Loh, The Patriot-News
• “Home schooling hit by Austin diocese and in article by renowned priest,” Patrick B. Craine, LifeSiteNews
• “13 virtual programs can teach across Va. Divisions,” Hattie Brown Garrow, The Virginian-Pilot

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “Restoring American educational exceptionalism,” Justin Paulette, The Daily Caller
• “Thiel’s Dropout Deal Misses the Point,” Andrew P. Kelly, American Enterprise Institute
• “Sociology and Other ‘Meathead’ Majors,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Protestant, Catholic graduates differ,” United Press International
• “Advocate sees opportunity in Pa. for education reform via school vouchers,” Editorial Board, The Philadelphia Inquirer
• “Notre Dame and Emily’s List,” William McGurn, National Catholic Register
• “Saying ‘Howdy’ to the Faith,” Anthony Flott, National Catholic Register
• ““Christian” Colleges, the Gospel, and Identity,” Gene Fant, Evangel
• “Labor Board Rejects Religious Exemption for Saint Xavier U. and Says Adjuncts Can Unionize,” Peter Schmidt, The Chronicle for Higher Education
• “Intelligence,” James Schall, The Catholic Thing

Government Reform

Regulation

• “The Problems with Precaution: A Principle without Principle,” Jonathan H. Adler, The American
• “In Praise of Debt Limit ‘Chicken’,” John B. Taylor, The Wall Street Journal
• “From Heels to Wheels: American Zoning Laws and the End of Western Public Space,” Hans S. Roegele, The Public Discourse

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “Cut Spending + Raise Taxes = Budget Problem Solved? It’s Not That Easy,” Peter J. Wallison, American Enterprise Institute
• “What Your Taxes Do (and Don’t) Buy for You,” Bruce Bartlett, New York Times

Health Care

Abstinence

• “Illinois Sex Ed Law Requiring Teachers To Talk Contraception Passes Senate,” The Huffington Post
• “Is teaching abstinence really the best form of sex education?,” Julie McCaffrey, The Mirror

Conscience Protection

• “Senate panel approves ‘conscience protection’ changes as part of abortion bill,” Bill Barrow, The Times-Picayune
• “Veteran Chaplains Speak Out for Conscience,” Chuck Donovan, The Heritage Foundation
• “States’ License to Pill Increases Conflicts,” Bobby Ross Jr., Christianity Today

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Last stop for Obamacare before Supreme Court,” Ken Klukowski, The Washington Examiner
• “Are Drugs Made in Emerging Markets Good Quality?,” Roger Bate, Economic Affairs
• “Medicaid, Planned Parenthood and the law,” Aaron Carroll, The Washington Post
• ““Where’s Your Medicare Plan?” Anti Obama Attack as Futile as Picket’s Charge,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Are 3 Liberal Appeals Court Judges Preparing to Give Cuccinelli a Victory Over ObamaCare?,” Tom White, Virginia Right
• “HHS rejects Indiana Medicaid changes,” Henry C. Jackson, Associated Press
• “ObamaCare’s Next Constitutional Challenge,” Richard A. Epstein and Mario Loyola, The Wall Street Journal
• “1 in 3 Employers Will Drop Health Benefits After ObamaCare Kicks In, Survey Finds,” Fox News

Homosexuality

• “Americans Believe There Are More Homosexuals in the U.S. Than There Are Catholics,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “They know where you work,” Megan Basham, WORLD Magazine
• “Same-Sex Marriage and Human Fulfillment,” Carson Holloway, The Public Discourse
• “Frank Asks Obama to Threaten Defense Bill Veto,” Adam Martin, The Atlantic
• “Marriage equality floodgates,” D.C. Innes, WORLD Magazine
• “U.S. Tax Dollars Will Sponsor a Gay Film Festival in…Bulgaria,” Billy Hallowell, The Blaze
• “Why a Gay Rights Group Is Endorsing AT&T’s Mega Merger,” John Hudson, The Atlantic
• “Obama Administration Youth Summit: Gov’t ‘Has Finally Come Out of the Closet‘,” Penny Starr, CNSNews.com
• “UN Bureaucrats Push Homosexual Rights Against General Assembly Wishes,” Lauren Funk, The Friday Fax
• “Christian Churches File Court Papers Today in Fight over Sodomy in Belize,” The C-fam Staff, The Friday Fax

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

• “Don’t Worship at the Altar of Guttmacher,” Jeanne Monahan, National Review Online
• “Abortion impacts men, too,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “Debunking Elite Opinion on Abortion Policy,” Michael J. New, National Review Online
• “Girl Scouts, Sullied,” Austin Ruse, The Catholic Thing
• “Africa Needs Population Growth, Not Birth Control,” Chinwuba Iyizoba, Crisis Magazine
• “Denver bishop: Girl scouts could make girls more open to pro-abortion agenda,” Patrick B. Craine, LifeSiteNews.com
• “Legislatures Protecting Women, Teens From Unsafe Abortions,” Bill Saunders, LifeNews.com
• “New Zealand Court: unborn have no right to life,” Rebecca Millette, LifeSiteNews.com
• “The Story of Baby Joseph,” Judy Roberts, National Catholic Register
• “NPR Poll: 59% of Americans Say Having an Abortion is Wrong,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “Coupon Offers Women Free Exam With the Purchase of…an Abortion,” Billy Hallowell, The Blaze
• “Baltimore pregnancy counseling law being appealed,” David Hill, The Washington Times
• “Death Row Inmate Execution Pain an Issue, Abortion Pain Ignored,” Father Frank Pavone, LifeNews.com
• “WHO-Approved Drug Promises Life, and Death,” Susan Yoshihara, The Friday Fax

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “Good Ethics Makes for Good Science,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “‘No patient will wait longer than 18 weeks’,” Lyndsay Buckland, The Scotsman

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “Jack Kevorkian R.I.P.?,” Cathy Ruse, Family Research Council
• “Australia’s Dr. Death Lobbies for Euthanasia Down Under,” Marina Kamenev, Time
• “Doctor-Assisted Suicide Is Moral Issue Dividing Americans Most,” Lydia Saad, Gallup
• “UK doctors prescribe drinking water to prevent death of elderly in hospitals,” Kathleen Gilbert, LifeSiteNews.com
• “Bishops Will Vote on Statement Opposing Assisted Suicide,” Catholic News Agency

Stem Cell Research

• “Human Neurons from Skin Cells,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “NIH Approves More Human Embryonic Stem Cells for Funding Rewards,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Scientists turn human skin cells directly into neurons, skipping IPS stage,” Physorg.com

Women’s Health

• “Contraception Crisis,” Joan Frawley Desmond, National Catholic Register
• “SlutWalks and the future of feminism,” Jessica Valenti, The Washington Post

Marriage and Family

Adoption

• “Public Adoption Ceases in Rockford Diocese,” Benjamin Mann, National Catholic Register
• “State makes church choose between conscience and service,” Charles A. Donovan, The Kansas City Star
• “Santa Fe nonprofit that uses snapshots to place foster kids still has heart after 10 years,” Kathaleen Roberts, The Daily Journal
• “Protecting the most vulnerable,” Judy Roberts, Legatus Magazine
• “Catholic Leaders Take Legal Action Over Risk of Losing Foster Care Services,” The Thomas More Society

Family Economics

• “Families Hurting in Current Housing Market,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Has the Financial Crisis Jeopardized the Fed’s Independence?,” John H. Makin, The International Economy
• “Left Still Clueless about Financial Crisis,” Peter J. Wallison, The Enterprise Blog
• “Jobless Claims Fall Less Than Expected, Productivity Gains,” Reuters
• “As the Family Goes, So Goes the Economy,” Carolyn Moynihan, Crisis Magazine

Family Structure

• “Want to Help the U.S. Economy? Stay Married,” Simon Saavedra, The Christian Post
• “Children of divorce score worse in math, social skills,” Reuters
• “The Cohabitation Conundrum,” Eddie O’Neill, National Catholic Register
• ““Buy More” Children?,” Gayle Trotter, Evangel
• “In Croatia, Pope Benedict Fights For Marriage, Condemns Cohabitation,” Thomas Peters, Catholic Vote
• “Divorce ‘permanently harms learning and affects their ability to make friends’,” Jenny Hope, The Daily Mail

Parental Rights

• “Christian Parents and the HPV Vaccine,” Christopher Kaczor, First Things
• “Making Marriage Law Quaint,” Hadley Arkes, The Catholic Thing
• “Biological Father Can’t Get Paternity Rights in Michigan,” FedSoc Blog

Media

Pornography

• “One Child Policy Leads to Human Trafficking,” Colin Mason, Crisis Magazine
• “Pornography: We’re In the Denial Stage,” Tom Hoopes, Catholic Vote

Internet

• “The End of the Book?,” John Steele Gordon, The American
• “The U.N. Declares Internet Access a Human Right,” Adam Clark Estes, The Atlantic

Religion and Public Policy

Religious Liberty

• “First Amendment protects prayer, not obscene violence,” Ken Klukowski, The Washington Examiner
• “New Jersey School and ACLU Compromise on Graduation at Christian-Owned Site,” Lauren Green, Fox News
• “Understanding Anti-Catholic Bullies,” Matthew Hanley, The Catholic Thing

Religion in America

• “A Strong Tower in Challenging Times,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Not Whether to Help the Poor, But How,” Rev. Robert A. Sirico, The Acton Institute
• “No Adam, No Eve, No Gospel,” Editorial, Christianity Today

Secularism

• “Pope Arrives in Croatia, Challenges Secularism,” Edward Pentin, National Catholic Register
• “Quebec’s Christian March draws around 1,000 in defence of Christian heritage,” Rebecca Millette, Life Site News

International

Israel

• “Lessons of Netanyahu’s Triumph,” Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post
• “Where Obama Is Leading Israel,” Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post
• “A Worldview That Doesn’t Have a Place for Enemies,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Drawing lines,” Jill Nelson, WORLD Magazine

International Economy and Family

• “Muslim Women and Entrepreneurship,” Elise Hilton, The Acton Institute

Religious Persecution

• “Public Enemy: Iran’s Persecution Backfires,” Trevor Persaud, Christianity Today
• “The Foot-Washers of Ethiopia,” Tim Stafford, Christianity Today

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “From Strong Horse to Hobbled Horse,” Ken Blackwell, WORLD Magazine
• “War and Moral Sanity,” William Doino, Jr., The Public Discourse
• “War and Moral Sanity: Nuclear Attacks,” William Doino, Jr., The Public Discourse
• “American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee bans Pro-Freedom Singer,” Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic

The Courts

Constitutional Issues

• “Don’t panic,” Holly Vradenburgh, WORLD Virginia
• “Institute defends Second Amendment right to “bear” arms,” The Claremont Institute
• “The Mirage of Enumerated Powers,” Hadley Arkes, Claremont Review of Books

Judicial Activism

• “Court ruling ‘jeopardizes public safety’,” Russ Jones, OneNewsNow
• “Engaged Judges Needed to Protect Vital Freedoms,” Jeff Rowes, TheHuffington Post

Other News of Note

• “Hubert Horatio Hundred,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• “Tony Perkins’ Remarks at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference,” FRC Press Office
• “The Preferential Option for the Poor,” R.R. Reno, First Things
• “On College Campuses, Obama’s Not Cool Anymore,” Elspeth Reeve, The Atlantic
• “Radical Graffiti Chic,” Heather Mac Donald, City Journal California
• “UN: World Faces “Overpopulation” Despite Population Declines,” Steve Mosher, LifeNews.com

Book reviews

• “When a Nation Forgets God,” Erwin W. Lutzer, Blogging Theologically
• “War of the Worldviews,” Jordan Ballor, Comment Magazine
• “Henry Hazlitt, Literary Critic,” Allen Mendenhall, Mises Daily
• “Orsini on “Principled Conservatism”,” Kevin Schmiesing, The Acton Institute
• “Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Marble Faun,” Lindsay Marshall, The Examined Life
• “A Second Look at First Things,” Francis Beckwith, The Catholic Thing

Check out our recent edition of the Social Conservative Review

by Krystle Gabele

May 26, 2011

Click here to subscribe to the Social Conservative Review.

Dear Friends:

In an era when divorce rates are high and 55 percent of America’s children live in homes missing at least one biological parent, the imperative of strong marriages — of one man and one woman becoming “one flesh” — has never been higher. Family Research Council is committed to strong marriages, which is why the work of our Marriage and Religion Research Institute, led by internationally recognized scholar Dr. Pat Fagan, is so important.

As Dr. Fagan has written, “the overwhelming majority of social science data supports the premise that the intact married family that worships weekly is the greatest generator of human and social goods and the core strength of the United States.”

Take a few moments to visit the MARRI Web site to find a trove of materials demonstrating why worship, marriage, and family are so vital to one another and to society. A strong, vibrant America needs strong, vibrant marriages. There are no substitutes.

Sincerely,
Rob Schwarzwalder
Senior Vice President
Family Research Council

P.S. Read FRC scholar Peter Sprigg’s executive summary of his thoughtful and compelling publication, “The Top Ten Harms of Same Sex Marriage,” here. You can download the entire booklet, at no cost, at this same site.

Educational Freedom and Reform
Homeschooling

• “School District Targets Homeschooled Students for Money,” Home School Legal Defense Association
• “Clamp Down in the Mountaineer State?,” Christian NewsWire
• “Home-schooling on the rise for a good reason, say advocates,” Craig Crosby, The Morning Sentinel

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “Course Corrections,” Allen C. Guelzo, Touchstone Magazine
• “The State of Christian Higher Education: A Response to Allen Guelzo,” Hunter Baker, First Things
• “The ‘Education’ Mantra,” Thomas Sowell, Crisis Magazine
• “Closing the Door on Education Innovation,” Greg Forster, The Public Discourse
• “Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have ‘Nothing to Hide’,” Daniel J. Solove, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “Study tells students what their major is worth,” Kathy Matheson, MSNBC
• “New Jersey Supreme Court Usurps State Education Budget,” Carrie Severino, National Review Online

Government Reform
Regulation

• “Debt limit reached, U.S. halts two pension investments,” Editorial, WORLD Magazine
• “What’s the Deal with the Debt Ceiling?,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Scheduling a Crisis,” Philip I. Levy, Foreign Policy
• “The Federal Reserve’s Real Mandates,” Alex J. Pollock, The American

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “How Might the Arts Be Funded?,” Micah Mattix, Capital Commentary
• “Congressional Retirement Benefits Much More Generous Than Private Sector,” Andrew Biggs, The Enterprise Blog
• “More Concern about Raising Debt Limit than Government Default,” Pew Research Center

Health Care
Abstinence

• “Like, a Virgin?,” Russell D. Moore, Touchstone Magazine
• “The Need for a Real Prevention Revolution,” Lauren Funk, Turtle Bay and Beyond

Conscience Protection

• “Chaplain Agencies Seek Conscience Protections in Military Amid Pro-Gay Moves,” Stephanie Samuel, The Christian Post
• “Chaplain’s Letter to the Military Chief of Chaplains,” Alliance Defense Fund

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Obamacare bombshell: Final ruling may wait until after 2012 election,” Ken Klukowski, The Washington Examiner
• “Who Opposses Medicare Means Testing? Democrats!,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Mr. Speaker, Medicare IS Social Engineering,” Joseph Antos, The Enterprise Blog
• “Gross Obamacare Corruption,” Robinson O’Brien-Bours, The Ashbrook Center
• “Kansas likely to enact health care ‘freedom’ law,” John Hanna, The Topeka Capital-Journal

Homosexuality

• “Two genders, one image,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Same-Sex “Marriage” Is Not Legal Under Federal Law. Ever. At Any Time.,” Peter Sprigg, Family Research Council
• “Some Good News on DoMA: Judicial Watch Suing DoJ over Its FOIA Request,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Wis. Gov. Walker tells judge he wants to stop defending domestic partner registry law in court,” Associated Press
• “Victims of discrimination? No, homosexuals are today’s leisure class…,” J.C. von Krempach, J.D., Turtle Bay and Beyond
• “A Look at the T in LGBT,” Austin Ruse, The Catholic Thing
• “Study Finds Children Raised in Lesbian Familes More Likely to Identify as ‘Partly Homosexual’,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Tenn. gov. signs ‘gender identity’ repeal,” Staff, Baptist Press
• “Prop 8 Opponents’ Anti-Black Bigotry Against Judge Deciding Motion to Vacate Walker’s Ruling?” Ed Whelan, National Review Online
• “Support for Legal Gay Relations Hits New High,” Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup

Human Life and Bioethics
Abortion

• “Young Female Leaders Speaking Out About Girl Scouts of America and Planned Parenthood,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “Sins of the Father: Abortion, Birth Control, and the ACLU,” Dr. Paul Kengor, The Center for Vision and Values
• “Kansas: Brownback Signs Abortion Inspection, Ultrasound Bill,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “Governor signs sonogram bill; ‘It’s God’s issue,’ author says,” Andy Hogue, The Lone Star Report
• “Gallup Poll: Americans Want All or Most Abortions Illegal,” Steve Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “Gov. Daniels Has Done Right With Abortion Law,” Raymond Dix, St. Louis Post-Tribune
• “Are Abortion Laws Unenforceable,” Howard Kainz, Crisis Magazine
• “The Nearly Aborted President,” Peter Heck, The American Thinker
• “Five Signs the Pro-Life Cause Is Winning,” Trevin Wax, Patheos
• “‘New normal’ on questions of life,” Charles Donovan, Bellingham Herald

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “Biopunks Tinker With The Building Blocks Of Life,” National Public Radio
• “Do Presidential Bioethics Committees Shape Science Policy?,” Alex Philippidis, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News
• “Paving the Way for Title X: How Protestants Swallowed the Pill and Evangelicals ‘Out-Libertined’ the Mainline,” Allan C. Carlson, Ph.D., The Family in America
• “Business booms for Danish sperm,” Paul Henley, BBC News

Cloning

• “Human cloning: Scientists worry Minnesota ban could squelch other research,” Mass Device
• “Missouri Pro-Lifers Worried About Tax-Funded Human Cloning,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “Zurich Voters HEART Suicide Tourism,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Are There Sizable Benefits From Extending the Lives of the Old and Frail?” Gary Becker, The Becker-Posner Blog
• “Annual Symposium Focuses on Using Euthanasia Opposition,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com

Stem Cell Research

• “Adult Stem Cells as Possible Cure for HIV-AIDS, Redux,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Information Update in Embryonic Stem Cell Lawsuit,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Motion for Supplemental Briefs Allowed in Embryonic Stem Cell Lawsuit,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Adult Stem Cells are Treating Thousands of Patients Now,” Dr David Prentice, Lifenews.com
• “Genomic Medicine Combined with Adult Stem Cells Cure AIDS?,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Embryonic Stem Cell Research versus the Rule of Law,” Wesley J. Smith, CBC Network

Women’s Health

• “NJ Democrats Push for Funding Women’s Health Clinics,” CBS New York

Marriage and Family
Adoption

• “Evangelicals push for adoptions in children’s home countries,” Peter Smith, Louisville Courier-Journal
• “The last Catholic adoption agency in Britain,” Michael De Groote, Deseret News
• “Adoption agency fights Iowa effort to revoke license,” Lee Rood, Des Moines Register
• “Groups ask Va to delay adoption regs that don’t ban discrimination based on sexual orientation,” Associated Press

Family Economics

• “Obama’s $250,000 Question,” William McGurn, The Wall Street Journal
• “Debt, Finance, and Catholics,” Samuel Gregg, Crisis Magazine
• “Who Owns Our Jobs?,” John Medaille, The Distributist Review

Family Structure

• “Parents again,” Susan Olasky, WORLD Magazine
• “Why Divorce Devastates Children,” Marlena Graves, Christianity Today
• “Number of long-lasting marriages in U.S. has risen, Census Bureau reports,” Carol Morello, The Washington Post
• “Parents keep child’s gender secret,” Jayme Poisson, ParentCentral.ca
• “Why mothers matter,” Jenet Erickson, MercatorNet
• “How to Live as a Christian Family,” Cindy Wooden, National Catholic Register
• “Slacking as Self-Discovery: The Rebranding of Indolence as ‘Emerging Adulthood,’” Rita Koganzon, The New Atlantis

Parental Rights

• “Murky Waters in 3-Way Parental Rights Fight,” Jeff D. Gorman, Courthouse News Service
• “Texas debate on school paddling,” UPI

Media
Pornography

• “Facebook Will Use Microsoft Tech to Find Child Pornography,” Mikael Ricknas, PC World
• “New U.S. Bill Requires ISPs to Keep 18-months Records,” PC World

Internet

• “Netflix’s Internet traffic overtakes Web surfing,” Peter Svensson, MSNBC
• “Should Kids Surf the Net in Helmets?,” Max Lindenman, The Anchoress
• “The Silence of Technology: Presence Precedes Tools,” Matthew Lee Anderson, Mere Orthodoxy

Religion and Public Policy
Religious Liberty

• “Bill Would Strengthen Role of Religious Freedom Envoy,” Daniel Burke, Christianity Today
• “The Difference Between an Evangelical and a Fundamentalist in a Nutshell,” C. Michael Patton, Parchment and Pen
• “What’s Good? Wherefore Ought?,” Thaddeus J. Kozinski, The Public Discourse
• “Putting Public Prayer to a Vote,” Joe Ortwerth, The Monitor
• “Circumcision ban infringes on rights,” Gil Leeds, San Francisco Chronicle
• “Seniors Hold Prayer Despite Atheist’s Threats,” CBNNews.com

Religion in America

• “Apocalypse now?,” Cal Thomas, WORLD Magazine
• “A Catholic’s Gratitude to Evangelicals,” Colleen Reiss, First Things
• “There Ain’t No Pure Church,” Mark P. Shea, Crisis Magazine
• “Getting Millennials to Mass,” Barb Fraze, National Catholic Register
• “The Evangelical Conservative Stool,” Matthew Lee Anderson, Mere Orthodoxy
• “Should Doctors and Nurses Never Discuss Religion with Patients?” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “The Rapture That Wasn’t: Religious doomsdays that don’t pan out harm only the doomsayer. Leftist ones also harm scientists, and science,” Dennis Prager, National Review Online

Secularism

• “A Bachelor’s Degree in Atheism,” Alan Jacobs, The Wall Street Journal

International
Israel

• “Jews in Israel Are Not Declining Relative to Arabs Demographically,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “A Word on CUNY, Kushner & Weisenfeld,” Caroline Glick, carolineglick.com
• “Obama’s Newest Ambush ,” Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post
• “Ehud Barak’s latest Nakba,” Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post
• “Israel’s bottom line,” Bruce McQuain, Questions and Observations
• “An Anti-Israel President,” Bret Stephens, The Wall Street Journal

International Economy and Family

• “Scholar: China Notices Link Between Christianity, U.S. Economic Success,” Michelle A. Vu, The Christian Post
• “‘Remember Nhu’ fights child sex abuse in Asia,” David Yonke, The Toledo Blade
• “Amb. CdeBaca Combats Sex Trafficking In The U.S.,” National Public Radio

Religious Persecution

• “A New Birth of Religious Freedom in China,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Zoned out,” Elbert Chu, WORLD Magazine
• “The Ever-Shrinking Role of Religious Freedom in U.S. Foreign Policy,” Thomas F. Farr, National Review Online

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “After bin Laden: The religious freedom imperative,” Leonard A. Leo and Dr. Don Argue, The Hill

The Courts
Constitutional Issues

• “Do Naval Academy Mealtime Prayers Violate the Constitution?,” Joe Wolverton, II, The New American
• “Dismantling the Constitution: The 4th Amendment is under attack,” James H. “Smokey” Shott, Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Judicial Activism

• “Republican filibuster blocks Liu for appeals court,” Sean Lengell, The Washington Times

Other News of Note

• “Arnold’s Grover Cleveland Solution,” Robert Morrison, The Beacon
• “Understanding Liberals,” Walter E. Williams, Crisis Magazine
• “Curiosity in Philosophy,” Shaun Kenney, ShaunKenney.com
• “Spring Contrasts: Madison, Wisconsin vs. Tuscaloosa, Joplin, and the Mighty Mississippi,” Marvin J. Folkerstma, The Center for Vision and Values

Book reviews

• “EVANGELICAL AUTHOR: “HETEROSEXUALITY IS AN ABOMINATION.“,” Dr. Peter Jones, TruthXChange
• “Christianizing the Social Network,” Matthew Lee Anderson, Christianity Today
• “Reforming the Reformed,” Roger E. Olson, Christianity Today
• “Has science buried God?,” William West, MercatorNet

The Social Conservative Review: The Insider’s Guide to Pro-Family News—May 12, 2011

by Krystle Gabele

May 12, 2011

To subscribe to the Social Conservative Review, click here.

Dear Friends,

In May 1607, the first Anglican service ever held in North America took place in the nascent colony of Jamestown, Virginia.

This reminds us that from our earliest days, religious liberty has been the cornerstone of all our freedoms. Why? Because if our rights come from God, then it is safe to assume our first duty is to Him — and, thus, that religious liberty is the foundation of all other liberties.

Yet just this week, the Department of the Navy sought to require its chaplains either to perform same-sex unions or refer those desiring them to someone who would. As FRC president Tony Perkins commented, “Opening the military to same-sex weddings would not only violate federal law but also seriously threaten the religious liberty of military chaplains. If the Navy enforces its referral policy, any chaplain declining to perform a same-sex wedding would be required to find someone who would perform the wedding.”

Thankfully, the Navy has backed away from its plan, and the House Armed Services Committee has passed a measure that states, in the words of the bill’s author, U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), ” U.S. military bases may not be used to solemnize same-sex unions, nor may military chaplains perform these unions in the course of their official duties.”

In 1776, Princeton theologian and Declaration of Independence signer John Witherspoon wrote, “There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire.” He was right, and the implication of his observation is profound: The defense of religious liberty is essential.

That’s our challenge and our calling. Thank you for joining Family Research Council in working to fulfill it.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

• “School District Says Parent Needs License To Homeschool,” Home School Legal Defense Association
• “Bill to ease homeschool restrictions gets support,” Tom Humphrey, Knoxville News-Sentinel

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “The ‘Education’ Mantra,” Thomas Sowell, RealClearPolitics
• “Education level inversely related to childbearing,” Cheryl Wetzstein, The Washington Times
• “For-Profit Colleges Defend Their Stature,” Ben Wolfgang, The Washington Times
• “The Coming Brave New World of Higher Education,” Dick Bishirjian, The Washington Times
• “DC Children Can Thank Boehner—and Randomized Trials,” Paul E. Peterson, EducationNext.org
• “Tiger Mom: Here’s how to reshape U.S. education,” Amy Chua, USA Today
• “Closing the Door on Education Innovation,” Greg Forster, The Public Discourse
• “Conservative ‘Manifesto’ Blasts Shared Curriculum,Tests,” Catherine Gewertz, Education Week

Government Reform

Regulation

• “Hardships of Ethanol,” Louie Glinzak, The Acton Institute
• “Senators blame speculation for high oil prices, urge stronger regulation,” Kevin G. Hall, The Miami Herald
• “Government Creates Poverty,” John Stossel, Reason

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “Debt and the Birth Dearth,” Jordan J. Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Hey, Big Spender,” Nick Schulz, The Enterprise Blog
• “Of course it’s perilous,” Opinion, Chicago Tribune

Health Care

Abstinence

• “UN Wants Billions for STD Vaccination Scheme,” Susan Yoshihara, The Friday Fax
• “Care Net still teaches sex education in Manatee County despite policy change; Planned Parenthood still excluded,” Ashley Lopez, The Florida Independent
• “Age-appropriate sex ed sparks hot debate in Illinois Senate,” Hannah Hess, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Conscience Protection

• “On “the Unborn,” the Media, and the Conscience,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• ACLU Ploy Would Force Hospitals to Perform Abortions, Matt Bowman, Human Events
• “New Conscience Regulations from the Department of Health & Human Services: Do They Strike the Right Balance Between Conscience and the Medical Profession? - Event Audio/Video,” M. Gregg Bloche, Farr A. Curlin, Robert A. Destro, Jessie Hill, and Mark L. Rienzi, The Federalist Society

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Please Actually Read My Research,” Alex Brill, The American
• “Doctors, Not Politicians, Should Decide,” Grace-Marie Turner, The Enterprise Blog
• “National Health Preview,” The Wall Street Journal
• “On Spending Cuts, Democrats Give Voters the Brush Off,” Fred Barnes, Wall Street Journal
• “Sebelius: ‘Die sooner’ with GOP plan,” J. Lester Feder, Politico
• “Will Ken Cuccinelli’s Health-Care Challenge be Sidelined?,” Garrett Epps, The Atlantic
• “An Industry Slipping Away,” Grace-Marie Turner, The Galen Institute

Homosexuality

• “Opposing view: Set aside the decision,” Tony Perkins, USA Today
• “Jim Wallis, Homosexuality, and Genuine Love,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Presbyterians, homosexuality, & another tragedy in mainline Protestantism,” R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Baptist Press
• “In MN, A Legislator Insults and Threatens a Parish Priest over Marriage Vote (+How We Can Respond),” Thomas Peters, CatholicVote.org
• “Same-Sex Marriage and the Assault on Institutional Integrity,” Matthew J. Franck, The Public Discourse
• “Pro-marriage U.S. Olympic official forced to resign after criticism from gay activists,” Rebecca Millette, LifeSiteNews.com
• “Navy Suspends Guidelines for Same-Sex Marriages on Bases,” Sara Sorcher, National Journal
• “Deportation of partner in same-sex couple halted,” Samantha Henry, Forbes

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

• “More Likely to Be Aborted Than to Be Born,” Ryan Bomberger and Jeanne Monahan, National Catholic Register
• “Good enough for bin Laden, good enough for the unborn?,” Robert Morrison, The Henrietta Post
• “Young Female Leaders Speaking Out About Girl Scouts of America and Planned Parenthood,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “Abortion pill ‘less safe than surgery’,” Jamie Walker, The Australian
• “Post-Abortion Trauma,” Kevin Burke, National Review Online
• “Brave New World of Webcam Abortions,” Gary Bauer, Human Events
• “I am Woman, Waging War on Women,” Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online
• “Culture War Update,” Joseph Lawler, The American Spectator
• “Controversial New Hungarian Pro-Life Constitution Signed Into Law,” Samantha Singson, The Friday Fax
• “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” Hadley Arkes, The Catholic Thing
• “The Lives Federalists Won’t Save,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Ground Zero for Human Rights,” Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review
• “Abortion lobby powers the Democratic money machine,” Opinion, The Washington Examiner
• “Oklahoma governor signs bill restricting use of abortion pill in the state,” Associated Press
• “Missouri pushes tougher abortion law,” Roseann Moring, The News-Leader

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “Better Living Through Chemistry (If Permitted),” Gilbert Ross, The American
• “People Don’t Trust Science When It Becomes Politics,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Market Competition Collision: Eggs Needed for Research,” Jennifer Lahl, Center for Bioethics and Culture Network
• “Neurochemical evidence that long-lasting love is possible,” Physorg.com

Cloning

• “Missouri Pro-Lifers Worried About Tax-Funded Human Cloning,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “Cloning is cloning is cloning,” National Right to Life

Stem Cell Research

• “Second Patient Injected with Embryonic Stem Cell Derivatives,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Appeals Court Allows Federal Embryonic Stem Cell Funding to Continue,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Rule of Law Should Not be Trashed In Name of Stem Cell ‘Cures’,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Engineers Patch a Heart: Tissue-Engineering Platform Enables Heart Tissue to Repair Itself,” Science Daily

Women’s Health

• “Forty Years of Title X Is Enough: The Folly of the McNamara Approach to Family Planning,” Robert W. Patterson, The Family in America
• “The Incoherence of Federal Sex Policy: Title X, Medicaid, and the Eisenstadt Decision,” Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D., The Family in America

Marriage and Family

Adoption

• “Better Prospects, Lower Cost: The Case for Increasing Foster Care Adoption,” Nicholas A. Zill, Ph.D., National Council for Adoption
• “Showdown Looms in Illinois,” Matthew A. Rarey, National Catholic Register
• “Change Would Let Religions Out of Same Sex Adoptions,” Manya Brachear, Chicago Tribune

Family Economics

• “Jobless Claims in U.S. Unexpectedly Jump Due to Anomalies,” Alex Kowalski and Shobhana Chandra, Bloomberg
• “Economists in the Wild,” Steven F. Hayward, The Acton Institute
• “Prosperity, Depression, and Progress,” Arnold Kling, The American
• “The Keynesian Growth Discount,” Opinion, Wall Street Journal

Family Structure

• “Holder Further Undermines DoMA in Immigration Case,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “US Asylum Ruling Belittles China’s Brutal One-Child Policy,” Terrence McKeegan, C-FAM
• “China’s One-Child Plan Faces New Fire,” Jeremy Page, The Wall Street Journal
• “On Knowing and Loving,” John Mark Reynolds, The Examined Life
• “Divorce and Malta,” Jennifer Roche, National Catholic Register

Parental Rights

• “Do Parents’ Rights End at the Schoolhouse Gate?,” John W. Whitehead, White Mountain Independent
• “Corporal punishment bill falls in House,” Tim Eaton, Austin American-Statesman

Media

Pornography

• “Dirty Tactics of a Growing Dial-a-Porn Empire,” Cathy Ruse, Wilson County Times
• “Out of the Porn Darkness,” Austin Ruse, The Catholic Thing
• “Folding of Anti-Smut Unit Revives Debate on How to Fight Porn,” David Baumann, Main Justice

Internet

• “Can We Handle Social Media? Yes, If We Can Handle Self-Government,” Joy Pullmann, The Enterprise Blog
• “Don’t Reject Social Media, Find a Way to Use It Well,” Miriel Thomas, The Enterprise Blog
• “Banned apps: How Apple decides,” Ariel Schwartz, Technolog

Religion and Public Policy

Religious Liberty

• “Christian Unity and the Russian Orthodox Church,” John Couretas, The Acton Institute
• “Going to Hell,” Ken Thomas, The Ashbrook Center
• “Religious freedom in political sphere being eroded by secularism: Vatican,” Rebecca Millette, LifeSiteNews.com
• “If passed, ‘Religious Freedom’ amendment would help state outsource services to faith groups,” Ashley Lopez, The Florida Independent

Religion in America

• “Understanding Rand,” Hunter Baker, The Acton Institute
• “Economic Bell Tolls for Nation’s Church Steeples,” Cathy Lynn Grossman, Christianity Today
• “Catholics in Politics,” Justin Paulette, The Ashbrook Center
• “Muslims in America,” Jessica Stern, The National Interest
• “The National Day of Reason Doesn’t Have a Prayer,” Francis Beckwith, The Catholic Thing

Secularism

• “Pitzer College in California Adds Major in Secularism,” Laurie Goodstein, The New York Times
• “Tim Keller: ‘Mushy Middle’ in Religion Is Disappearing,” Ethan Cole, The Christian Post

International

International Economy and Family

• “Calling a Rogue a Rogue,” Apoorva Shah, American Enterprise Institute
• “Why Isn’t China Democratizing? Because It’s Not Really Capitalist,” Dan Blumenthal, The American

Religious Persecution

• “The Persecution of Egypt’s Coptic Christians Continues,” Nina Shea, National Review Online
• “Chinese Christians Defend Persecuted Underground Church,” Andrew Jacobs, New York Times
• “Muslim Attackers Kill Seventeen Christians in Nigeria,” Jonathan Racho, Persecution.org

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “How Should Christians Respond to the Death of bin Laden?,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “In Case You Missed It,” Robinson O’Brien-Bours, The Ashbrook Center
• “Politics after Osama,” Jonah Goldberg, American Enterprise Institute
• “Punishing Friends for the Behavior of Enemies,” Alana Goodman, Commentary Magazine
• “The Washington Post‘s Jihadist Op-Ed Contributor,” Thomas Joscelyn, The Weekly Standard

The Courts

Constitutional Issues

• “The Modern Regime of Rights,” James Schall, S.J., The Catholic Thing
• “Reasserting Federalism in Defense of Liberty,” Ken Cuccinelli, Imprimis
• “Constitutional Illusions and Anchoring Truths: The Touchstone of the Natural Law,” Hadley Arkes

Judicial Activism

• “Lenk misses link to common sense,” Howie Carr, The Boston Herald
• “Senate Approves Former Planned Parenthood Director as Judge,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com

Other News of Note

• “Men Seeking Absolute Power,” Jordan J. Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Ron Paul’s land of second-rate values,” Michael Gerson, The Washington Post
• “The totalitarian trends of liberal ideology and other matters…,” John Smeaton, SPUC Director
• “The Self-Destructiveness of the Purity Test,” Peter Wehner, Commentary Magazine
• “Liberals support, conservatives slam rapper’s White House invite,” Neil Munro, The Daily Caller
• “Jimmy Carter’s Moral Compass,” The Wall Street Journal

Book reviews

• “Why they do it,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• “The Music,” Peter W. Schramm, The Ashbrook Center
• “Their Proper End,” Brad Miner, The Catholic Thing
• “In Search of a Healthy Imagination,” Greg Pfundstein, The Catholic Thing
• “In the Pew Instead of Prison,” James Q. Wilson, The Wall Street Journal
• “From Anthony Comstock to Jocelyn Elders,” Charlotte Allen, The Family in America
• “What Scientists Believe,” Peter Lopatin, The New Atlantis
• “How the Confederates Won,” Mackubin Thomas Owens, Claremont Review of Books
• “Not Lost in Translation,” Christina Hoff Sommers, Claremont Review of Books

The Social Conservative Review: April 28, 2011

by Krystle Gabele

April 28, 2011

Click here to subscribe to The Social Conservative Review.

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the one-year anniversary edition of The Social Conservative Review! Over the past 12 months, our twice-monthly compilation of the articles most relevant to faith, family, and freedom has grown into a reliable, and relied-upon, source of news and information for social conservatives across the country.

One of our recurrent concerns is one that affects every American: Religious liberty. In a letter to a congregation in New York City shortly after the British surrender at Yorktown in 1783, General Washington wrote, “The establishment of Civil and Religious Liberty was the Motive which induced me to the Field; the object is attained, and it now remains to be my earnest wish and prayer, that the Citizens of the United States would make a wise and virtuous use of the blessings placed before them.”

Family Research Council remains committed to these principles, which is why we are coordinating a nationwide support effort for the State of Utah in the case Davenport v. American Atheists, one of the most important religious liberty cases to be offered to the U.S. Supreme Court in decades.

The State of Utah permits the Utah Highway Patrol Association (UHPA) to commemorate patrolmen who die in the line of duty by erecting a roadside cross at the site of the tragedy with the patrolman’s name and badge number. A militant atheist organization, American Atheists, Inc., sued the State of Utah in federal court for allowing UHPA to erect these crosses.

If successful, this suit could require not only the removal of religious symbols on public buildings and lands but even that crosses and Stars of David be excised from the headstones at Arlington Cemetery. We are supporting legal efforts to overturn a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that held any stand-alone cross on public land is automatically an unconstitutional endorsement of Christianity in violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.

To help us, please join our effort to send a message to the U.S. Supreme Court that they need to hear the Utah case and make clear America’s allegiance to the public expressions of faith which are an essential part of our birthright.

George Washington would be proud to stand with you for our God-given rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” as we are here at FRC.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

• “From School Choice to Educational Choice,” Frederick M. Hess, Olivia Meeks, Bruno V. Manno, American Enterprise Institute
• “Teaching the Trivium,” Mollie Hemingway, Get Religion
• “A Star Is Born,” James Taranto, The Wall Street Journal

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “College Debt Will Soon Exceed Credit Card Debt at 1 Trillion Dollars,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Michelle Rhee Finds an Excellent Defender,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “The Tolerant Left,” Michael Walsh, National Review Online
• “Report: School-choice advocates cheer Supreme Court ruling in Arizona case,” John Couretas, The Acton Institute
• “Federal Education Spending Grows and Grows,” Kevin R. Kosar, The American
• “School Vouchers Can Hurt as Well as Help,” Charles Murray, The American
• “Shanghai Surprise,” Chester E. Finn, Jr., The Hoover Institution
• “Can Catholic Schools Be Saved?,” Andy Smarick, National Affairs
• “Why Catholic Schools Matter,” Sol Stern and Patrick J. McCloskey, City Journal
• “Your Child Left Behind,” Eric Hanushek and Paul E. Peterson, The Hoover Institution
• “Parents ‘Bite the Bullet’ as College Tuition Rises,” Lisa Gartner, The Washington Examiner

Government Reform

Regulation

• “California Dreamin’—of Jobs in Texas,” John Fund, The Wall Street Journal
• “U.S. EPA exempts milk from spill-control rules,” Reuters

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “Federal Borrowing on Pace to Hit Debt Limit in Less Than Week,” Terrence P. Jeffrey, CNSNews.com
• “How Not to Plan for the Future,” Opinion, New York Times
• “Do Less with Less: What the History of Federal Debt and Tax Leverage Teaches,” Jordan J. Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Obama’s Permanent Spending Binge,” John B. Taylor, The Wall Street Journal

Health Care

Abstinence

• “N.D. LEGISLATURE: Legislators reach deal on abstinence bill,” Teri Finneman, The Grand Forks Herald
• “School board OKs new abstinence-based class,” Jeff Gill, The Gainesville Times

Conscience Protection

• “Conscience Rights: The New Frontline in the Culture War,” Sarah Torre, The Heritage Foundation

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Supreme Court hints at Obamacare impact in sovereign immunity cases,” Ken Klukowski, The Washington Examiner
• “A Better Strategery And Better Chosen Ground,” Pete Spiliakos, The Ashbrook Center
• “Magical Health-Care Savings,” Josh Barro, City Journal
• “Robert Reich’s Pie in the Sky Push for Universal Medicare,” Wesley J. Smith, First Things
• “Supreme Court Allows Obamacare to Metastasize,” David Catron, The American Spectator
• “Pay-for-Performance in Medicare Could Do More Harm Than Good,” Kathryn Nix, The Heritage Foundation

Homosexuality

• “Profile in Courage Defending Marriage: Paul Clement,” Ken Klukowski, Townhall
• “Give chikin a chance,” Megan Basham, WORLD Magazine
• “For Catholics, Open Attitudes on Gay Issues,” Austin Considine, New York Times
• “Proposition 8 backers: Gay judge’s ruling should be thrown out,” Ashley Hayes, CNN
• “Religion, Reason, and Same-Sex Marriage,” Matthew J. Franck, First Things
• “State Department Lies About the Holy See,” Austin Ruse, The Catholic Thing

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

• “Fact Checking the Fact Checker,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “Planned Parenthood myths,” Jeanne Monahan, The Washington Post
• “State of Health Insurance Abortion Coverage in the States,” Brianna Walden, Family Research Council
• “Government loses abortion battle,” Dominic Hughes, BBC News
• “Letter to the Editor on Planned Parenthood,” Msgr. Daniel S. Hamilton, New York Times
• “UN Forgets Abortion is Not an International Human Right,” Bill Saunders, LifeNews.com
• “The New Anti-Abortion Math,” Gail Collins, New York Times
• “90% of Down Syndrome Children Aborted, Survivors Bring Joy,” Maura Butler, LifeNews.com
• “Site: No stigma in abortion,” Christine McConville, Chris Cassidy, and Laurel Sweet, The Boston Herald
• “Young Mother with Cancer Sacrifices Life for Unborn Child,” John Jalsevac, LifeSiteNews
• “Oklahoma 4th state to ban abortions after 20 weeks,” Steve Olafson, Reuters
• “Guttmacher Going After Catholics and Protestants,” Amanda Pawloski, Turtle Bay and Beyond
• “Raped girl’s lawsuit against Planned Parenthood comes to a close,” Steven Aden, Alliance Defense Fund
• “Planned Parenthood ‘scared’ of personhood,” Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “Democratic Bioethics and Eugenics,” Sherif Gergis, The Public Discourse
• “New Report: 2.6M Annual Stillbirths Ignored,” Susan Yoshihara, Turtle Bay and Beyond
• “World’s most premature baby born in Germany,” Physorg.com

Cloning

• “Nobel laureates support repeal of creationist bill,” Andy Coghlan, The New Scientist
• “Biotech experts: Fischbach research ban could chill industry,” Mark Sommerhauser, St. Cloud Times

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “The Bearable Lightness of Dignity,” Mary Ann Glendon, First Things
• “Lawsuit to Legalize Assisted Suicide to be Filed in Canada,” Wesley J. Smith, First Things
• “DNR Order Mission Creep?,” Wesley J. Smith, First Things

Stem Cell Research

• “The next big medical leap,” Elissa Black, Sunday Mail
• “America’s ‘Clone War’,” Justin Kinney, The Christian Post
• “Stem cell treatments threatened by European patents ruling,” Ian Sample, The Guardian
• “Catholic couple blazes new trails in adult cardiac stem-cell research,” Maureen Pratt, The Boston Pilot

Women’s Health

• “Delivery from shame,” Emily Belz, WORLD Magazine

Marriage and Family

Adoption

• “Tony Perkins on Same-Sex Adoptions: Fox News appearance,” FRC Press Office
• “New Illinois civil unions law pressuring Catholic adoption agencies,” Marianne Medlin, EWTN News
• “Virginia Protects Religious Liberty in Adoption and Foster Care,” Sarah Torre, The Heritage Foundation

Family Economics

• “The Immorality of Our Federal Income Tax,” Leslie Carbone, Bearing Drift
• “Who Among Us Doesn’t Pay Income Tax?,” Alex Brill, RealClearMarkets
• “Anti-Capitalism Christians,” Joseph Sunde, Common Sense Concept
• “What Would Jesus Cut?,” Debra Saunders, RealClearPolitics

Family Structure

• “Three Important Things Happened on 4/18/11 to Defend DoMA,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Equal Pay for Women Act Brings Battle of the Sexes to Life in Louisiana,” Robert Ross, The Pelican Post
• “Against Divorce: David Hume Defends Traditional Marriage,” Russell Nieli, The Public Discourse
• “Selling Children: Condemned or Celebrated? (Part 1),” Brett Harvey, Alliance Defense Fund
• “1 in 4 children in U.S. raised by a single parent,” Christine Armario, The Washington Times
• “Suffer the Little Children: Cohabitation and the Abuse of America’s Children,” W. Bradford Wilcox, The Public Discourse
• “Sexual Revolution: Defend It, If You Can,” Anthony Esolen, The Public Discourse
• “Facing the Challenges of Single Parenting,” Robert D. Jones, Crosswalk

Parental Rights

• “Court upholds woman’s ‘de facto’ parental rights,” Beth Miller, The News Journal

Media

Pornography

• “Good News: Supreme Court asked to Review Indecency Case (FCC v Fox),” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “City Libraries Say ‘Checking Out’ Porn Protected by First Amendment,” Douglas Montero and Bob Fredericks, NewYork Post

Internet

• “Time to Reboot the Net Neutrality Debate,” Nick Schulz, American Enterprise Institute
• “What effect has the internet had on religion?,” Aleks Krotoski, The Guardian
• “Twitter traits,” Alissa Wilkinson, WORLD Magazine
• “Theotechnos: Some Reflections on the Intersection of Social Media and Theology,” Jeffrey Volkmer, The Good Book Blog

Religion and Public Policy

• “Religious Left Forms “Circle of Protection” Around Big Government,” Jeff Walton, The Institute on Religion and Democracy
• “Blessed is Big Government,” George Neumayr, The American Spectator
• “Evangelicals Join ‘Religious Left’ to Defend Poor Against Budget Cuts,” Stephanie Samuel, The Christian Post

Religious Liberty

• “Mercifully Forsaken,” Mark Galli, Christianity Today
• “What’s So Good about Good Friday?,” Carolyn Arends, Kyria
• “Before Philosophy—and After?,” Ken Thomas, The Ashbrook Center

Religion in America

• “On the President’s Easter Prayer Breakfast Comments,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “The Atheist Message Rests on Easter,” Ginny Mooney, Breakpoint
• “Survey: Plurality of Americans believe capitalism at odds with Christian values,” Public Religion Research Institute
• “No Perfect People Allowed,” Dr. James Emery White, Crosswalk
• “Losing sight of our nation’s source of truth,” Katherine Kersten, Star-Tribune
• “The Gospel According to Hollywood,” John A. Murray, The Wall Street Journal
• “Religion continues to impact voter decision, study finds,” Physorg.com

Secularism

• “Newt Gingrich warns: Creeping secularism replacing Christianity,” Kendra Marr, The Politico
• “Tim Keller: ‘Mushy Middle’ in Religion Is Disappearing,” Ethan Cole, The Christian Post

International

Israel

• “Turkey’s Cautionary Tale,” Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post
• “Obama’s Altruistic Foreign Policy,” Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post

International Economy and Family

• “Tehran, Pyongyang Watch Libya,” Robinson O’Brien-Bours, The Ashbrook Center
• “Conservatism finding its voice on the Spanish stage,” Warren Cole Smith, WORLD Magazine

Religious Persecution

• “The Flame That Will Not Be Extinguished,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Counting China’s Christians,” Rodney Stark, Byron Johnson, and Carson Mencken, First Things
• “The Forgotten: Christians Persecuted in the Middle East,” George Marlin, The Catholic Thing

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “Missouri House votes to ban Sharia law,” Jason Hancock, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• “Religion in the News: Islam Was No. 1 Topic in 2010,” The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
• “How to Behave During an Islamic Massacre,” Andrew Klavan

The Courts

Constitutional Issues

• “Seventh Circuit Affirms Americans’ God-Given Right to Pray for This Nation,” Alan Sears, Alliance Defense Fund
• “Library Censorship Case Catches Media’s Attention,” Thomas More Society

Judicial Activism

• “Knave and Spalding,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal
• “Florida Judge Uses Islamic Law in Suit,” FedSoc Blog

Other News of Note

• “The Tea Party and Nullification,” Michael Sabo, The Ashbrook Center
• “Compassionate Conservatism: A Primer,” Clifford Orwin, The Hoover Institution
• “The Crisis of the New Order,” Richard Adams, The Ashbrook Center
• “Catholics and the Civil War,” George J. Marlin, The Catholic Thing
• “Building Virtue,” Raymond Hain, The Public Discourse
• “The White House Wants a List,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal
• “‘Atlas Shrugged:’ The Blockbuster that Wasn’t,” Ray Gustini, The Atlantic
• “Machiavelli’s Children — Or Ours?,” Hadley Arkes, The Catholic Thing

Book reviews

• “Counterfeit Gospels,” Trevin Wax, Christianity Today
• “Shaping Up the Campus,” Elizabeth Corey, First Things
• “A Review of To Change the World,” John Henry Cosby, First Things
• “Ronald Reagan at 100,” Clark S. Judge, Claremont Review of Books
• “Standing Pat [Moynihan],” Steven F. Hayward, Claremont Review of Books

The Social Conservative Review: April 14, 2011

by Krystle Gabele

April 14, 2011

Dear Friends,

In 2009, Barack Obama appointed then-Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. This was a troubling pick for conservatives, given her support for abortion-on-demand and support from abortion giant Planned Parenthood. Since her appointment, Sec. Sebelius has justified these concerns, as she has advocated for federal funding of abortion, abortifacient drugs and stem cell research using human embryos.

Yet there is a significant bright side to Sec. Sebelius’ departure from Topeka: Former Senator Sam Brownback, a champion for life, is now Governor of Kansas. And what a difference that has made.

Yesterday, Gov. Brownback signed legislation that “strictly limits abortions after 22 weeks based on the fact that fetuses can feel pain beginning after the 21st week of pregnancy” and another measure, “the Abortion Reporting Accuracy and Parental Rights Act,” which “requires minors who seek abortions to obtain consent from both parents and places certain prohibitions on late-term and partial birth abortions.”

Kathleen Sebelius would have fought these bills from their introduction. Sam Brownback not only signed but celebrated them.

To those who say that Christians should withdraw from political engagement and concentrate on private acts of charity or work solely with church or ministry groups, consider Sam Brownback and his allies in the Kansas Legislature.

These bills are part of a larger legislative mosaic that is building, gradually but steadily, a culture where the personhood of the unborn child is being recognized in law and in the American conscience.

Does political engagement bring complete resolution of every problem? No. But political action can make a decisive, if incremental, difference in a host of areas — most importantly those involving the sanctity of life from conception until natural death, the dignity of marriage, and the centrality of religious liberty to American public life.

Elections matter. Just ask Sam Brownback — and, in years to come, the children whose lives are saved through the bills he just signed into law.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice-President

Family Research Council

P.S. Be sure to read FRC President Tony Perkins’ Daily Caller op-ed on the budget crisis, Planned Parenthood, and the effects of abortion. To learn more about Planned Parenthood’s assault on the American family, read, “Planned Parenthood—What Every Parent, Teacher, Woman, Community Leader and Elected Official Needs to Know,” by FRC’s Director of the Center for Human Dignity, Jeanne Monahan.

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

• “HSLDA Arrives; Superintendent Does 180,” Home School Legal Defense Association
• “The Heroism of Motherhood,” Gretel Deem, Crosswalk

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “Pell Grants: Another Fiscal Disaster Unfolding,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Tuition Tax Credits for Arizona Religious Schools,” Liberty Counsel
• “Preserving Their Wonder,” Rachel Motte, The Examined Life
• “Medieval Wisdom for Modern Universities,” Matthew J. Milliner, The Public Discourse
• “Return of the One-Room Schoolhouse, ” RiShawn Biddle, The American Spectator
• “Report: Many Catholic Colleges Have Ties to Planned Parenthood,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “The Campus Chapel as an Interfaith Laboratory,” Mark Edington, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “Embracing a classical education,” Julia Duin, The Washington Post

Government Reform

Regulation

• “No More Dancing around Spending Cuts: Here Comes Debt Limit,” Bridget Johnson, The Enterprise
• “No one left to tax?,” Richard Adams, The Ashbrook Center

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “Pros and Cons of the purported 2011 budget deal,” Tom McClusky, The Cloakroom
• “Boehner: Next fight to be about trillions, not billions,” John Boehner, USA Today
• “Municipal Debt Crises: Some Historical Perspective,” Alex J. Pollock, The American

Bureaucracy

• “Deficit Deception: Don’t Bank on Social Security: A Primer in the Manifest Phoniness of the Social Security System,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Shut it, but only to save it,” Alex Tokarev, WORLD Magazine
• “Concessions and Tension, Then a Deal,” David M. Herszenhorn and Helene Cooper, New York Times

Health Care

Abstinence

• “Abstinence can work,” Editorial, Deseret News
• “Abstinence on the rise among teens, young adults,” Brittany Stevens, Kansas State Collegian
• “Benefits of abstinence blossom,” Bill Bumpas, OneNewsNow

Conscience Protection

• “New Conscience Regulations from the Department of Health & Human Services: Do They Strike the Right Balance Between Conscience and the Medical Profession?,” The Federalist Society

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Fox News Poll: Voters Say High Court Should Invalidate Health Care Law,” Dana Blanton, Fox News
• “Medicare for a New Century,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal
• “A Sugar Coating for the Bitter Pill of ObamaCare,” Donald P. Condit, The Acton Institute
• “Just How Is Medicare Spending Our Money?,” Joseph Antos, The American
• “Truth-in-pricing Medicare will bring down health care costs,” Conn Carroll, The Washington Examiner
• “Mitt’s Mistake: ObamaCare Is Not ‘Waivable’,” Grace-Marie Turner, Investor’s Business Daily

Homosexuality

• “DoMA Case Put on Hold until Further Notice by First Circuit,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Beliefs & Business: Chick-Fil-A’s Current Conundrum,” Megan Basham, Crosswalk
• “Md. Senate derails transgender anti-discrimination bill,” John Wagner, The Washington Post
• “Your assignment from the transgender lobby,” Stella Morabito, The Washington Examiner
• “Pro-homosexuality foundation pours millions into Catholic and mainline Protestant dissident groups,” Methodist Thinker, MethodistThinker.com

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

• “Portrait of an Abortion Zealot: Glimpse of Obama in the NYT ,” Cathy Ruse, Family Research Council
• “Planned Parenthood lies again,” Darin Miller, Family Research Council
• “State of Abortion Clinic Regulations in the States,” Brianna Walden, Family Research Council
• “Punished With Babies?,” Kevin Staley-Joyce, First Things
• “Sanger’s Victory,” Allan Carlson, Touchstone Magazine
• “Democrats will yield on everything but abortion,” Timothy P. Carney, The Washington Examiner
• “The Pro-Abortion Party,” James Taranto, The Wall Street Journal
• “Who’s the Extremist Now?,” William McGurn, The Wall Street Journal
• “Fifteen States Considering Banning Abortion After 20 Weeks of Pregnancy,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Breaking: Never before released audiotapes reveal hundreds of nationwide Planned Parenthoods offering to cover up child rape,” Jill Stanek, JillStanek.com

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “Bobby Schindler Connects Dots on Quasi Judicial Bioethics Committee Threat,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• ““Illinois Court Protects Pharmacists’ Conscience Opposition to Contraception Under First Amendment,” Wesley Smith, Secondhand Smoke

Cloning

• “Opponents of Cloning Ban Need a Course in Stem Cells 101,” Dave Andrusko, National Right to Life

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “Organ Transplant Community Should Publicly Refuse Organs from Suicides,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Man Sentenced For Murdering Man Who Wanted to Die: Where’s the Crime?,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke

Stem Cell Research

• “First Patient Injected with Embryonic Stem Cell Derivatives is Identified,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Growing Human Hearts in the Lab?,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “First patient to get stem cell therapy comes forward,” Rob Stein, The Washington Post
• “Stem cells 101,” Jean Swenson, Minneapolis Star-Tribune
• “Stem Cells: The Scientists Knew They Were Lying?” Sherif Girgis, The Public Discourse
• “The Stem-Cell War,” David Klinghoffer, National Review Online

Women’s Health

• “Let’s Get the Facts Straight: What Planned Parenthood Actually Does,” Jeanne Monahan, The Cloakroom
• “Census spotlights India’s ‘missing girls’,” Rupam Jain Nair, Physorg.com
• “Things Planned Parenthood’s ‘Truth Team’ Forgot to Mention,” Susan Wills, American Thinker
• “Planned Parenthood: So Accustomed to Lies,” Mona Charen, Townhall

Marriage and Family

Adoption

• “Foster Care: Safety Net or Trap Door?,” Thomas Atwood, The Heritage Foundation
• “Adoption increasingly crosses racial, ethnic lines,” Sharon Jayson, USA Today
• “Ark. court strikes down law barring gay adoptions,” Jeannie Nuss, Associated Press
• “Proposed Adoption Rule Change Riles Social Conservatives,” Jonathan Wilson, WAMU

Family Economics

• “Money Can’t Buy You Economic Prosperity,” Shawn Ritenour, The Center for Vision & Values
• “Love, Sex & Mammon,” Russell D. Moore, Touchstone Magazine
• “Is It Immoral To Cut the Budget?,” Roger Pilon, The Wall Street Journal
• “Debt and the Birth Dearth,” Jordan Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Entitlements Are Free!,” Hunter Baker, The Acton Institute
• “Dooming the dollar,” George F. Will, New York Post

Family Structure

• “Defining Conservatism, Defining Marriage,” David Mills, First Things
• “Polygamy: More Common Than You Think,” Rose McDermott, The Wall Street Journal

Parental Rights

• “FRC Praises U.S. Supreme Court for Upholding Parents’ Rights, Religious Liberty in Education,” Press Office, Family Research Council
• “Chicago school bans some lunches brought from home,” Monica Eng and Joel Hood, Chicago Tribune

Media

Pornography

• “GAO: DOJ behind on implementing anti-child-porn act,” Gautham Nagesh, The War on Illegal Pornography
• “Why more and more women are using pornography,” Tanith Carey, The Guardian

Internet

• “Net Neutrality Override,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal
• “Gov. Sandoval seeks federal, not state, approval of online poker,” Chris Sieroty and Steve Tetreault, Las Vegas Review-Journal
• “State Politicians and Social Networking,” Robinson O’Brien-Bours, The Ashbrook Center

Religion and Public Policy

Religious Liberty

• “What the Founders Really Did on Religious Liberty,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Room for worship: Zoning disputes involve more than mosques,” Religion Link
• “An Improbable Alliance,” Chuck Colson and Timothy George, Christianity Today
• “Mummies, Miracles and Dry, Dry Bones,” Max Lindenman, Patheos
• “Will the Obama Administration Re-Interpret Federal Law Re: Religious Discrimination When Awarding Federal Grants?,” Derek L. Gaubatz, The Federalist Society

Religion in America

• “Why Does the Illinois Government Oppose the Religious Liberty of Pharmacists?,” David Addington, The Heritage Foundation
• “Laughing at Impiety,” John Mark Reynolds, Evangel
• “Suzan Johnson Cook’s Second Chance,” Doug Bandow, The American Spectator
• “Why Doesn’t the Media “Get” Religion?,” Trevin Wax, Crosswalk
• “Christ’s Kingdom and the Federal Government,” Jordan Ballor, The Acton Institute

Secularism

• “Movie explores faith in Cristero War against forced secularism,” Kevin J. Jones, Catholic News Agency
• “Secularism and religious fanaticism make dangerous bedfellows,” The Rev. Thomas V. Berg, The Journal News
• “Politics and the Devil,” Charles J. Chaput, The Public Discourse

International

Israel

• “Richard Goldstone and Palestinian Statehood,” Carolyn Glick, Jerusalem Post
• “The Syrian Spring,” Carolyn Glick, Jerusalem Post

International Economy and Family

• “Prominent During Revolution, Egyptian Women Vanish in New Order,” Anna Louie Sussman, The Atlantic

Religious Persecution

• “Christian Worshipers Arrested in China,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Chinese Christian journalist gets 10-year sentence for articles government doesn’t like,” Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow
• “Vietnam — all doubt of persecution removed,” Russ Jones, OneNewsNow

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “Of Gods and Men,” James Bowman, The American Spectator
• “A busy day on multicultural front in Oklahoma,” Editorial, The Oklahoman
• “Introducing the ‘Anti-Sharia Oath’,” Chad Groening, OneNewsNow
• “Hadith and Apostasy,” Abdullah Saeed, The Public Discourse

The Courts

Constitutional Issues

• “What would the Founding Fathers do?,” Richard Brookhiser, The Washington Times
• “It’s Not a Living Constitution; It’s a Living Argument,” Julie Ponzi, The Ashbrook Center
• “North Dakota the First to Pass New Tactic Against Federal Debt,” Fergus Hodgson, The Pelican Post

Judicial Activism

• “Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race heats up as enviro-ideologue candidate accuses conservative of judicial activism,” Matthew Boyle, The Daily Caller

Other News of Note

• “Second Thoughts on the Goldstone Report,” Ken Blackwell and Robert Morrison, The Huffington Post
• “The Miracle at Appomattox: April 9, 1865,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• ““Hold as with a Chain of Steel” Fort Sumter: April 12, 1861,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• “The English Language is ‘Literally’ Falling Apart,” Troy Senik, Ricochet
• “Children Astray in the American Regime,” Hadley Arkes, The Catholic Thing

Book reviews

• “Casualties of China’s One Child Policy,” Lesley Downer, New York Times
• “An Indefensible Faith: Another Review of Love Wins,” Sarah J. Flashing, Evangel
• “Not Lost in Translation,” Christina Hoff Sommers, Claremont Review of Books
• “Hamilton’s Monument,” Ryan L. Cole, City Journal
• “All Sail, No Anchor,” Jeff Shesol, Claremont Review of Books
• “Truth Over Ideology,” Bruce S. Thornton, City Journal

The Social Conservative Review: March 31 Edition

by Krystle Gabele

April 1, 2011

Click here to subscribe to the Social Conservative Review for the latest news.

Dear Friends,

The seasons are changing. Here in Washington, DC, winter is slowly giving way to spring. The cherry blossoms are out and buds are appearing on the trees.

Some things — character and family, life and liberty — never change. Neither does the faithfulness of God, “the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17).

At FRC, we count on that faithfulness day by day, not because it means God will always give us the victories in culture or politics we wish, but because His faithful compassion and guidance mean we will have the strength to keep championing the unchanging values we believe in so deeply.

Enjoy this edition of The Social Conservative Review, and thank you for your readership.

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder

Senior Vice President

Family Research Council

P.S. FRC’s dynamic lecture series continues with events celebrating Spain’s resurgent pro-life movement in the face of strong government opposition and the growing vibrancy of the Homeschooling movement. Join us in our Washington, DC building or view online.

Educational Freedom and Reform

Homeschooling

• “New FRC Pamphlet Available: Jack Klenk’s “Who Should Decide How Children are Educated?”,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Creation Museum Founder Disinvited from Homeschooling Conferences,” Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, Christianity Today
• “Homeschooling Freedom,” David Mills, First Things

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “Dinosaur U.,” Steve Forbes, Forbes
• “Universities on the Brink,” Louis E. Lataif, Forbes
• “The Future of Pell Grants,” Frederick M. Hess, American Enterprise Institute
• “Respecting Teachers in the Sunshine State,” Marcus A. Winters, City Journal
• ““Lesly’s Story”: Speaker Boehner for School Choice & Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital,” Michael Ricci and Bryant Avondoglio, Office of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio)

Government Reform

Regulation

• “Tax break for charitable giving targeted,” Bernie Becker, The Hill
• “Supernanny State,” Ryan Hansen, American Thinker

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “Fiscal Irresponsibility: 28 Facts on Spending and Debt,” Tom McClusky, The Cloakroom
• “Somebody Missed the ‘Nobody Messes With Joe’ Memo,” Ken Blackwell, Townhall
• “In spending bill fight, GOP mulls ratcheting up pressure on cuts,” Erik Wasson, The Hill

Bureaucracy

• “Why Is California Broke? Because it Taxes the Rich!,” Emily Esfahani Smith, The Blaze
• “CBO: Obama policies would require deficits of $9.5 trillion through 2021,” Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post
• “Economist Edward Lazear Says Taxation Won’t Cut It,” Emily Skarbek, MyGovCost.org

Health Care

Abstinence

• “Sexting: One 14-Year-Old Girl’s Nightmarish Story of Sending a Naked Pic to Her Boyfriend,” Emily Esfahani Smith, The Blaze
• “Sexual Responsibility Leads to Big Cut in HIV in Zimbabwe,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke

Conscience Protection

• “Obama Administration Rejects Conscience Protection,” William Saunders and Anna Franzonello, Health Care News

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “New Video: Why a Federal Judge Ruled Obamacare Unconstitutional,” Carrie Russell, Family Research Council
• “Overspending on Multi-Source Drugs in Medicaid,” Alex Brill, American Enterprise Institute
• “Healthcare at Year One: Are You Better Off? Will You Be?,” Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg, The American
• “ObamaCare and Carey’s Heart,” Ron Johnson, The Wall Street Journal
• “Dems: Potential cuts to Medicaid outlined by administration ‘cruel’,” Mike Lillis, The Hill

Homosexuality

• “USCCB urges HUD not to include sexual orientation & gender identity among protected categories,” Tom McClusky, The Cloakroom
• “Jennifer Roback Morse to RI House Judiciary: The thin disguise of marriage equality will not atone for the wrong done to future generations,” Alliance Defense Fund
• “Army readies chaplains before ‘Don’t Ask’ repeal,” Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service
• “AFL-CIO backs same-sex marriage legislation,” Philip Marcelo and Katherine Gregg, The Providence Journal
• “Evangelical shift on gays: Why ‘clobber scriptures’ are losing ground,” Jonathan Merritt, Christian Science Monitor
• “Film: Christians, Gays, and Reconciliation,” Josephine Vivaldo, The Christian Post

Human Life and Bioethics

Abortion

• “Former FRC Adjunct Fellow Publishes Major Study on Abortion in Top State Politics Journal,” Press Release, Family Research Council
• “Kermit Gosnell’s Legacy of Death,” Tom McClusky, National Review Online
• “Cut Planned Parenthood’s funding,” Chuck Donovan, CNN
• “The Pontifical Council for the Family’s Lexicon,” Human Life International
• “New York City sued over crisis pregnancy center gag law,” Peter Smith, LifeSiteNews.com
• “Planned Parenthood CEO Busted Making False Claims,” Amy Kim, Charisma
• “Pro-life laws seen as factor in drop in abortions,” Cheryl Wetzstein, The Washington Times
• “GOP Trying To Use Tax Law To Limit Abortions,” Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press
• “Abortion and African Americans,” Chuck Colson, The Christian Post

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “Aging Is Not a Disease,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke

Cloning

• “Minnesota Moves Ahead with Prohibition on Human Cloning,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Does the Minnesota Medical Association Support Human Cloning?” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Senate GOP passes human service overhaul, including cloning ban, but Dayton veto likely,” Dave Orrick, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “Euthanasia “Choice” Would Often Not Be,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “The Sanctity of Human Life,” David P. Gushee, Qideas
• “Assisted Suicide Mystery: What’s Really Going On?,” Elenor K. Schoen, National Catholic Register

Stem Cell Research

• “Oklahoma House Votes Against Destruction of Embryonic Humans,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Canada Proposes National Cord Blood Bank,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Adult Stem Cells Help Patients with Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “They Treat Horses, Don’t They? ##2,” Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council

Women’s Health

• “State of Sex Trafficking In the States,” Brianna Walden, Family Research Council
• “Why Do We Let Them Dress Like That?,” Jennifer Moses, The Wall Street Journal
• “The Prenatal Testing Sham,” Mark W. Leach, The Public Discourse

Marriage and Family

Adoption

• “Arkansas Supreme Court Hears Arguments On Adoption Ban,” Ron Breeding, KUAR
• “RF, US ready to sign child adoption deal,” ITAR-TASS

Family Economics

• “Reasons Why General Motors Still Struggles,” Ken Blackwell, Investors Business Daily
• “Dodd-Frank’s Threat to Financial Stability,” Peter J. Wallison, American Enterprise Institute
• “Social Security Still Needs Fixing,” Louie Glinzak, The Acton Institute
• “Reagan’s Legacy and the Current Malaise,” Steve Forbes, The Wall Street Journal
• “On a losing streak,” The Economist

Family Structure

• “Seeking the real Obama on marriage,” Chris Gacek, The Washington Examiner
• “For most families, Mom is still heading to work,” Allison Linn, Life Inc.
• “Polygamy ban should be ‘relegated to scrap heap’: civil liberties group,” Keith Fraser, The Montreal Gazette
• “Marriage and Procreation: The Intrinsic Connection,” Patrick Lee, Robert P. George, and Gerard V. Bradley, The Public Discourse
• “What Marriage Has Become,” Christopher Wolfe, The Public Discourse
• “Answer to Family Breakdown is “Social Fatherhood,” UN Says,” Susan Yoshihara, C-FAM

Parental Rights

• “Do Profoundly Disabled People Have Parental Rights?,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Diversity, Dignity, and My Daughter,” Anonymous, The Public Discourse

Media

Pornography

• “No Kisses for ICANN’s Approval of .XXX Internet Domain Name,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “What Porn Does to Relationships Pt. 3,” John and Rachel Buckingham, RELEVANT Magazine
• “Department of Justice Reports Escalation of Child Pornography Cases,” Flynn M. Owens, FindLaw

Internet

• “How a Blogger Blocked Sex Slavery,” Abigail Pesta, The Daily Beast
• “Netflix Politics,” Ned Ryun, American Spectator
• “The Economics of Apple,” Nick Schulz, The American

Religion and Public Policy

Religious Liberty

• “Religion may become extinct in nine nations, study says,” Jason Palmer, BBC News
• “Natural Law in Protestant and Roman Catholic Ethics,” Jordan J. Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Bad Taste,” Brad Miner, The Catholic Thing
• “European Court Affirms Crucifixes May be Displayed in Public Schools,” Terrence McKeegan, C-FAM

Religion in America

• “Hispanic Population Helping U.S. Christianity Thrive,” Andrea Marcela Madambashi, The Christian Post
• “Solidarity, Charity and Government Aid,” Philip Booth, The Acton Institute
• “Carbon dioxide, a pollutant? Better hold your breath,” Benjamin B. Phillips, Baptist Press
• “Assorted Thoughts on Evangelicals and Natural Law,” Matthew Lee Anderson, Mere Orthodoxy
• “More U.S. colleges adding Muslim chaplains,” Matthew Daneman, USA Today

Secularism

• “Secularism Spreads in Spanish Schools,” James Heiser, The New American
• “PETA Wants New Bible Translation to Personalize Animals,” Wesley J. Smith, First Things
• “Bishop Nazir-Ali blasts ‘totalitarian’ secularism,” The Christian Institute

International

Israel

• “Could Hamas teach the Holocaust?,” Julian Kossoff, London Daily Telegraph
• “Israel and the Occupation Myth,” Danny Ayalon, The Wall Street Journal

International Economy and Family

• “Why is Kenya Poor?,” Charissa Romens, The Acton Institute
• “Girl Stories,” Luiza Oleszchuk, The Economist
• “CRR, Congressman Chris Smith and Kenya,” Samantha Singson, Turtle Bay and Beyond

Religious Persecution

• “Are Christians humans, too?,” Ken Blackwell, WORLD Magazine
• “State Department Lies about the Holy See,” Austin Ruse, The Catholic Thing
• “The Forgotten: Christians Persecuted in the Middle East,” George J. Marlin, The Catholic Thing
• “New report reveals 75 percent of religious persecution is against Christians,” Terry Murphy, Aid to the Church in Need
• “World’s Christians in Grave Danger,” Franklin Graham, Newsmax

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “President Obama: ‘Mosques Destroyed’,” Robert Morrison, American Thinker
• “An Unholy Alliance,” Justin Paulette, The Ashbrook Center
• “Growing Sharia Finance in India a Boon or Bane?,” Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post
• “Egypt’s Islamists: A Cautionary Tale,” Hillel Fradkin and Lewis Libby, Commentary Magazine