From Gary L. Bauer, Chairman
Campaign for Working Families

History And Irony 1/8/07
"Most Powerful Woman In America" 1/5/07
Promises Made; Promises Broken 1/3/07
Prayers Needed 1/3/07

History And Irony

While Nancy Pelosi was making history as the nation's first female Speaker of the House, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) also made history as the nation's first Muslim ever elected to Congress. As you may know, there has been some controversy over Ellison's decision to take his ceremonial oath of office on a copy of the Koran. Ellison scored a coup in the PR battle when he chose to use "Jefferson's Koran." Yes, that's right, Thomas Jefferson, America's third president, owned a copy of the Koran. Of this revelation, Rep. Ellison remarked, "The very foundation of our nation, the authors of our Constitution impressed, is religious freedom, and the use of Jefferson's Koran shows that the founders not only knew of the Koran, but also used it."   To suggest the Koran was widely used by our Founding Fathers or had any impact at all in the formation of the Constitution is a stretch to say the least. Moreover, Jefferson was not even in the country when the Constitution was drafted - he was serving then as our ambassador to France. But there is some great irony here, which may provide a very different explanation for why Jefferson owned a copy of the Koran. Thomas Jefferson was the first American president to send U.S. military forces to war against Islamic radicals. The Marine Hymn begins, "From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli," the latter being a reference to Jefferson's war against the Barbary Pirates based in Tripoli, in present day Libya.

"Most Powerful Woman In America"

Today, Representative Nancy Pelosi officially became Speaker Pelosi, and the second person in the line of presidential succession, immediately following Vice President Dick Cheney. A report in today's Washington Times suggests she is keenly aware of her unique position. Celebrating her new status yesterday, Mrs. Pelosi said, "We [American women] have waited over 200 years for this time to come. …In more than 200 years of history, there was an established pecking order - and I cut in line." Pelosi went on to declare herself "the most powerful woman in America," and then, according to the Times, screamed, "All right, let's hear it for the power!" (Hillary must be seething with envy!) But what exactly should we expect the Speaker from San Francisco to do with her new power?

As one might expect, Nancy Pelosi has amassed quite an extensive voting record throughout her two decades in Congress. For example, she is solidly pro-abortion, even opposing a ban on the gruesome practice of partial-birth abortions. She voted against the Bush tax cuts; against the PATRIOT Act; against legislation to allow public displays of the Ten Commandments; and against legislation guaranteeing that "under God" would remain in our Pledge of Allegiance. She opposed every major bill to crack down on illegal immigration in the previous Congress. She has voted against every effort to preserve traditional marriage, and was even among the 15% of House members who opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996! By any objective standard there is nothing "moderate" about Pelosi's record, and her rhetoric of "bipartisanship" is just that -- talk. In fact, according to a column in today's Washington Post, Pelosi passed over Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) for the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee because Harman was viewed as too moderate and too bipartisan for this extremely sensitive position. Unfortunately for Pelosi, her handpicked choice for the post, Rep. Silvestres Reyes (D-TX), flunked a reporter's "pop quiz" about the key differences in Islam and the makeup of Al Qaeda.

Promises Made; Promises Broken

After winning the 2006 elections, Democrats did their best to tone down their rhetoric, rein in their most liberal members, and try to not scare the American people. Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeatedly talked about a new era of civility and cooperation, and of a moderate agenda that would enjoy bipartisan support. Unfortunately, even some Republicans got sucked into this siren song. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this weekend strongly encouraged President Bush to negotiate his foreign policy plans with Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the new Democrat chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Biden, a vociferous critic of the administration, is entertaining a 2008 White House bid. He's far more likely to use his perch as a soapbox for his presidential platform than a serious policy making venue. In any event, it is 2007, Democrats are in charge and now we know what they mean by "bipartisan." Today, the Washington Post carried a front page story headlined, "Democrats To Start Without GOP Input." Here's a telling quote from the article, "But instead of allowing Republicans to fully participate in deliberations, as promised after the Democratic victory in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, Democrats now say they will use House rules to prevent the opposition from offering alternative measures, assuring speedy passage of the bills and allowing their party to trumpet early victories." Don't be fooled: When the Left talks about "bipartisanship," what it really means is that conservatives are supposed to give in to leftwing demands.

Prayers Needed

My friends, your prayers are needed today for Dr. D. James Kennedy. Dr. Kennedy was rushed to the hospital last week after suffering a heart attack. Thankfully, he appears to be recovering. As many of you know, Dr. Kennedy is the pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and founder of Coral Ridge Ministries in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is a genuine patriot pastor, whose love for God and Country has led him to speak out forcefully on the critical issues confronting our nation. I have worked with Dr. Kennedy many times over the years, and he has been a tremendous friend and ally in America's culture war. On matters of faith and family, Dr. Kennedy can always be counted on to speak the truth with authority and grace. Please remember Dr. Kennedy, his family, and Coral Ridge Ministries in your prayers.


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