Fight to Replace Pro-Abortion Texas Speaker Continues‏

A very interesting post from http://www.petermorrisonreport.com/ about Texas Speaker Joe Straus. This follows this previous post about him and this article about the recent news about ending the ban on offshore drilling which would encourage American energy independence This is a key issue to prevent money from going to hostile countries such as Iran  and Venezuela.. For more that you can do to get involved click HERE!




Fight to Replace Pro-Abortion Texas Speaker Continues‏


Summary of this week's report:

New information provides hard evidence of Joe Straus' pro-abortion
and anti-family-values agenda.

The fight to replace liberal, pro-abortion Joe Straus as Texas
Speaker of the House continues. If you have not contacted your
state representative, please do so and encourage them to vote for a
true conservative for Speaker. You can find who represents you
here:

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

If you have a newly elected Republican state representative, please
see the list of contact information below. Voting on Speaker will
be among the first official acts that your new state representative
will get to do in the upcoming Legislative Session and they need to
hear from you now, before they make up their mind on this important
issue!

Remember, this is your state representative, not your Congressman.
Finally, even if you have taken action on this, please make
personal appeals in your circle of influence for others to contact
their representative. Absent an outcry from the grassroots,
Republican politicians will once again betray their base.

Don't let the gains of November 2nd slip away due to complacency.
Holding Republicans accountable after the election is just as
important as defeating liberals during elections.

The full report:

Last week, I told you about Joe Straus' radical left-wing
associations in regards to abortion. This week, I can provide you
with even more hard proof of Joe Straus' positions.

The pro-Straus camp is trumpeting the endorsement of Straus by a
group purporting to represent the pro-life point of view. In
response to this, Cathie Adams of Eagle Forum released a report
exposing once and for all Straus' pro-abortion agenda:

"When the leading abortion provider in the country, Planned
Parenthood, honors Texas House Speaker Joe Straus in their fall
2009 newsletter, Horizon, for 'his tireless efforts on behalf of
Texas women and children during the last legislative session,' it
explains why every pro-life bill was killed during the session. (It
is further explained by the fact that Speaker Straus received a
100% rating by the radical pro-abortion group NARAL, and that he
even voted in support of third-trimester abortions (SB 419, vote
672, 2005).)"

I should note that Straus' challengers, Rep. Chisum and Rep.
Paxton, both are rated a zero by this pro-abortion group. You can
verify these facts here:

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=4017

In addition, I feel I should share with you an item from a
homosexual newspaper, the Dallas Voice. They're clearly upset with
the results of the recent election. It's headlined "If one of
these nutjobs defeats Joe Straus for House speaker, we could be in
deep doo-doo." The following is the unedited text of their story
lamenting the possible loss of Straus as Speaker:

"If Rep. Joe Straus is ousted as speaker of the Texas House, it's
safe to say it will not be a good thing for the LGBT community.
Dennis Coleman, executive director of Equality Texas, confirmed the
obvious yesterday when he told us the statewide gay-rights group is
sincerely hoping Straus can hang on to his post.

"One of Straus' challengers, Rep. Warren Chisum of Pampa, is among
the biggest homophobes in the Texas Legislature. Chisum was the
primary author of Texas' 2005 constitutional amendment banning
same-sex marriage, and he's also been behind efforts to outlaw gay
foster and adoptive parents.

"Another candidate for speaker, Rep. Ken Paxton of McKinney, who
entered the race this week, doesn't appear to be much better than
Chisum on LGBT issues. Paxton was a co-author of the marriage
amendment and voted in favor of a ban on gay foster parents in 2005.

"Straus, meanwhile, voted in favor of the marriage amendment -- not
to do so might have been political suicide -- but he did not sign
on as an author. He also voted against the gay foster parent ban,
which was actually killed by socially moderate Republicans like
himself. Straus attends a gay-affirming synagogue that performs
same-sex marriages in San Antonio."

Hypersensitive liberals will likely flip out because I quoted this
article. I've been subjected to a number of vile attacks over the
last week from the liberal media because I mentioned, in passing,
the religious affiliation of Rep. Chisum and Paxton in my last
newsletter.

Yet here we have a liberal media outlet, The Dallas Voice, making
religious slurs against Rep. Chisum and Paxton ("homophobes" and
"nutjobs" are the liberals' favorite epithets for Bible-believing
Christians) and then a comparative reference to Joe Straus'
religious affiliation, of which they obviously approve.

As we all know, there's one set of rules for the liberals, and
another set of rules for the rest of us.

Because of this double standard, don't look for the liberals to
condemn the Dallas Voice for "injecting religion" into the
Speaker's race. Let me be clear about this quote: the issue is not
religion; the issue is Straus' endorsement by radical homosexuals.
If Joe Straus is as conservative as he claims to be, why do they
think they will be in "deep doo-doo" if he isn't re-elected Speaker?

In another article from 2009, the Dallas Voice describes Straus as
an "ally."

Rarely do we see the Left on full display as in this article. You
see, if you believe homosexuals shouldn't be married, like the vast
majority of Texans and Rep. Chisum and Paxton, you're a nutjob and
a "homophobe." This same group that endorsed Straus, Equality
Texas, is currently conducting a fundraising tour with foul-mouthed
lesbian comedian Sandra Bernhard. You may recognize her name from
2008, when she publicly called for the gang rape of Sarah Palin.

We're really starting to see the Left circle the wagons to protect
Straus. Conservatives across the state are being called bigots for
daring to oppose the Establishment's preferred candidate. That
means we're being effective, as the Left only drags out these nasty
charges of "bigotry," "racism" and the like when they can't win
politically and hope to simply intimidate their opponents with
name-calling; we saw this tactic on display this summer when the
media falsely accused the Tea Parties of racism. Rush Limbaugh got
it right when he defined a "bigot" as "someone winning an argument
with a liberal."

Straus and his opponents also continue to use unethical bullying
tactics to intimidate the opposition. Rep. Chuck Hopson, the chair
of the House Ethics Committee, is telling the press that my efforts
to help voters communicate with their representative about the
Speaker's race is a crime! Yes, you read that correctly, he thinks
you and I are criminals guilty of "coercing a public servant" just
because we dare to demand our representatives take a certain
action.

This is the same Rep. Hopson that amazingly discovered he was a
Republican just before the 2010 primary, when he switched parties
in an obvious attempt to save his political hide. He is hardly an
impartial chair of the House Ethics Committee, considering the
$42,000 that Speaker Straus gave him earlier this year.

The arrogance of these politicians never ceases to amaze me. They
really do think they're better than you, and according to liberal
"journalists" like Paul Burka of Texas Monthly, now that the
election is over, you need to shut up and let the "grownups" make
the decisions.

That's okay though, because thanks to the Internet and the efforts
of citizens like you, never again will liberal politicians and
their media allies be able to monopolize public opinion. We won
and they lost in the last election, and to the winner goes the
spoils. The fact that Joe Straus, the choice of the 51 Democrats,
is even a viable candidate for the Speakership when Republicans
hold 99 seats shows how much work we still have to do. We must
continue to use all means at our disposal to make Republican
politicians represent the interests of conservative voters.

The fight to replace liberal, pro-abortion Joe Straus as Texas
Speaker of the House continues. If you have not contacted your
state representative, please do so and encourage them to vote for a
true conservative for Speaker. You can find who represents you
here:

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

If you have a newly elected Republican state representative, please
see the list of contact information below. Voting on Speaker will
be among the first official acts that your new state representative
will get to do in the upcoming Legislative Session and they need to
hear from you now, before they make up their mind on this important
issue!

Remember, this is your state representative, not your Congressman.
Finally, even if you have taken action on this, please make
personal appeals in your circle of influence for others to contact
their representative. Send this alert to any conservative email
lists you can, and personally encourage friends and family to make
a phone call. Believe me, representatives are VERY attentive to
calls from constituents; they assume, correctly, that each call
represents hundreds of others who feel the same way.

Absent an outcry from the grassroots, Republican politicians will
once again betray their base.

Don't let the gains of November 2nd slip away due to complacency.
Holding Republicans accountable after the election is just as
important as defeating liberals during elections.

Newly Elected Republican State Representatives:

HD #35 Jose Aliseda
Phone # (361) 358-9400
Email: info@josealiseda.com

HD #106 Rodney Anderson
Phone # (214) 679-4106
Email: rodneya68@sbcglobal.net

HD #57 Marva Beck
Phone # (254) 292-9379
Email: info@marvabeckfortexas.com

HD #101 Cindy Burkett
Phone # (972) 968-7774
Email: cindy.burkett@hotmail.com

HD #3 Erwin Cain
Phone # (903) 488-3337
Email: info@erwincain.com

HD #102 Stefani Carter
Phone # (972) 385-3313
Email: stefanicarter@gmail.com

HD #41 Rebecca Cervera
Phone # (956) 451-7660
Email: Rebecca@rebeccacervera.com

HD #134 Sarah Davis
Phone # (713) 320-2077
Email: info@sarahdavis134.com

HD #84 John Frullo
Phone # (806) 853-8275
Email: contact@johnfrullo.com

HD #117 John Garza
Phone # (210) 248-7766
Email: johnvgarza313@aol.com

HD #52 Larry Gonzales
Phone # (512) 244-1280
Email: larrydgonzales@excite.com

HD #127 Dan Huberty
Phone # (281) 961-3485
Email: DanHuberty@hotmail.com

HD #45 Jason Isaac
Phone # (512) 850-5524
Email: Campaign@JasonIsaac.com

HD #85 Jim Landtroop
Phone # (806) 288-0387
Email: jim@jimlandtroop.com

HD #122 Lyle Larson
Phone # (210) 414-3536
Email: lyle@lylelarson.org

HD #1 George Lavender
Phone # (903) 838-7348
Email: george@georgelavender.com

HD #69 Lanham Lyne
Phone # (940) 691-5200
Email: lanham.lyne@gmail.com

HD #78 Dee Margo
Phone # (915) 313-7060
Email: dmargo@deemargo.org

HD #133 Jim Murphy
Phone # (713) 278-7796
Email: info@votejimmurphy.com

HD #93 Barbara Nash
Phone # (817) 277-1900
Email: barbara@barbaranashfortexas.com

HD #48 Dan Neil
Phone # (512) 619-1664
Email: dneil@austin.rr.com

HD #149 Jack O'Connor
Phone # (281) 496-7007
Email: info@takeback149.com

HD #87 Four Price
Phone # (806) 318-3997
Email: fourpricefortexas@gmail.com

HD #20 Charles Schwertner
Phone # (512) 863-4563
Email: campaign@drschwertner.com

HD #34 Connie Scott
Phone # (361) 884-8734
Email: info@voteconniescott.com

HD #107 Kenneth Sheets
Phone # (214) 887-1978
Email: kenneth.sheets107@gmail.com

HD #7 David Simpson
Phone # (903) 746-9474
Email: contact@davidsimpsonfortexas.com

HD #33 Raul Torres
Phone # (361) 792-0294
Email: elect.raultorres@yahoo.com

HD #12 James White
Phone # (936) 637-2400
Email: info@jamesWhiteforEastTexas.com

HD #47 Paul Workman
Phone # (512) 402-1336
Email: paul@workmanfortexas.com

HD #96 Bill Zedler
Phone # (817) 375-0104
Email: bill@billzedler.org

The Peter Morrison Report
http://www.PeterMorrisonReport.com
http://www.facebook.com/morrisonreport

Sources:

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=4017

http://www.dallasvoice.com/straus-1052145.html

http://www.dallasvoice.com/new-speaker-an-lgbt-ally-1018590.html

http://hq-equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35034/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=2663

http://www.rightwingnews.com/mt331/2008/09/sandra_bernhard_publicly_fanta.php

http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/burkablog/?p=8468

http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2010/11/rep-chuck-hopson-who-chairs-ethics-panel-investigation-Texas-House-Speaker-Joe-Straus/1290437714.story

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2010-primary-elections/hopson-switches-to-the-republicans/

Covetousness Is Idolatry

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/  about coveting. This follows this post about Adultery. For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Covetousness Is Idolatry


Many don't realize how greed is impeding their spiritual growth and how necessary it is to overcome the deadly and deceitful sin of covetousness.

by Greg Sargent

The founder of Christianity once remarked that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35), to extend a helping hand to the needy rather than amass wealth for oneself. When giving is practiced, the giver and the receiver ultimately benefit.



Of course, the prevailing practice of the modern world is the opposite: the way of getting, the practice of acquiring possessions. Many people behave like the man in the parable who said to himself, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry" (Luke 12:19). But the man in this story did not please God, who plainly disliked his callous, selfish attitude and love of the material world.



Humanity has long been afflicted by the curse of covetousness. Jesus Christ warned the people of His day: "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15).



A form of idolatry

Is coveting a problem we should take seriously? In Colossians 3:5 the apostle Paul directs us to "put to death" our fleshly desires, including "covetousness, which is idolatry," or, as one translation puts it, coveting is equivalent to "the worship of strange gods" (Bible in Basic English).



Why is covetousness equated with idolatry? What is the connection? What is the Bible definition of covetousness, and why is it a sin? And, most important, how can we overcome the sin of coveting?



Our English word covet means to intensely or obsessively desire. It frequently refers to lusting after something (or someone) that belongs to someone else.



The biblical meaning is much the same, though expressed through a variety of Hebrew and Greek words. For example, the Hebrew chamad, which is used in the Tenth Commandment, means "to greatly delight in" and can refer to a legitimate desire as well as immoral greed.



Also translated as "covetousness" (Exodus 18:21), the Hebrew word betsa means to plunder, to acquire or possess an insatiable desire for dishonest gain. Greek words translated "covetousness" in the New Testament convey "greed," "setting the heart upon," "longing" or "lusting for."



Taking great delight in something certainly is not always wrong. God tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:31 that we should "covet" (King James Version), or "earnestly desire" (New King James Version), spiritual gifts. We should greatly desire the good things God has to offer.



One of those gifts, which Paul described, was the ability to speak in an edifying, exhorting and comforting manner. This is a prime example of longing for-desiring-something good. Desire is not inherently evil, but the channeling of our longings toward what cannot be rightfully ours or into harmful and destructive obsessions is the sin of covetousness.



Simply put, God allows us to rightly desire some things but not others. There is nothing wrong with wanting things that will make our lives more comfortable or enjoyable, so long as it doesn't interfere with our relationship with God. We should seek after spiritual gifts. Yet improper desire, the sin of coveting, is everywhere condemned in Scripture.



Modern application of Tenth Commandment

The Tenth Commandment forbids us to covet a variety of things that belong to others-our neighbor's house, wife, servant, ox, donkey and, in fact, "anything that is your neighbor's" (Exodus 20:17). This covers the whole range of possessions.



Some of the examples in Exodus 20 concerning the commandment on coveting may seem antiquated to our modern way of thinking. After all, most of us do not own donkeys or employ servants. However, if we look closely at the forbidden list, it includes, in principle, a virtual wish list of everything we could desire in modern society.



Take a closer look at the listing of prohibited items in Exodus 20:17. Notice that it includes someone else's house, wife, manservant, ox, donkey and anything else that belongs to him. This enumeration includes many of the basics of life: property, the marriage relationship, household appliances and tools, machinery used at work and one's means of transportation. In other words, God forbids us to desire another person's mate, microwave oven, tool set or car.



God's instructions are timeless. Coveting eminently applies to this day and age, when so many people are drowning in debt because they have bought so many items they lusted after but couldn't afford.



What's wrong with wanting physical things?

But back to the question: What is the connection between covetousness and idolatry? Why, in God's eyes, is unlawful desire considered the equivalent of committing idolatry?



First let's ask and answer another question: Why do we take such pleasure in physical things we shouldn't have? We love them because they give us a feeling of fulfillment. They make us happy, at least temporarily.



Ultimately the forbidden but coveted fruit attracts us through our senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, but the initial act of desire takes place in the mind. Coveting, when actually carried out, can easily become the sins of adultery, stealing and lying.



Our tendency to covet can lead us to idolize, to actually worship, the physical as our source of contentment. Just as adherents to pagan religions bowed down to inanimate objects they thought could make them happy, we convince ourselves that physical things will make us happy and provide us peace and joy.



Illustrating mankind's obsession with idols, God describes a man who pays deference to an inanimate object and cries, "Deliver me, for you are my god!" (Isaiah 44:17). Our human tendency is to look to the idol of our choice to deliver us from difficulties and disappointments. We expect the physical things on which we set our hearts and minds to bring us happiness.



The problem God finds with such a shortsighted view is that we enlist the physical to compete with the spiritual. Our idols-the things on which we set our hearts and minds-directly compete with the Spirit of God and interfere with our relationship with God. We think the objects of our affection will satisfy our innermost cravings, even though God says His Spirit alone can truly satisfy: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness" (Galatians 5:22).



Love, joy, peace and the other fruits of God's Spirit should be visible in our lives whether we have all that we desire or not. If we feel good only when we gain what we desire, we revere our physical possessions and are guilty of coveting and idolatry.



Content in any circumstances

A perceptive person recently suggested to me that happiness is a mode of travel, not a destination. As we travel through life toward our goal, the Kingdom of God, we are supposed to be happy. But what about circumstances that don't lend themselves to peace and a serene sense of well-being?



Let Paul comment on that: "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13).



When Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi, he existed as a manacled prisoner, yet he lived contentedly. He had learned that contentment did not depend on material possessions. Paul, who spent most of his adult life as a sojourner establishing, strengthening and building the Church, and his last few years as a prisoner, could not be said to have led a covetous life.



Paul realized he had much to be happy about-the glory and majesty that will be his in God's Kingdom. When we keep our eyes on the reality and significance of our calling, we find it easier to ignore the glitter of material gain.



Jesus Christ reminds us of our priorities: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things" (Matthew 6:33-34).



Jesus showed us that, when we keep the Kingdom as our goal by obeying His spiritual law, everything else is taken care of, so don't worry about-to the point of coveting-things you don't have.



Keys to overcoming

This brings us to the question of how we can overcome covetous thoughts. The Bible gives us three keys to conquering this sin.



•Key No. 1: Love and obey God.



The first key is found in the commandment against idolatry. After God speaks out against idolatry, He states that He shows "mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments" (Exodus 20:6).



Compare this to what we are told regarding the last days, that many in the end time will be "lovers of themselves, lovers of money" (2 Timothy 3:2). God tells us that, if we love Him first and foremost, we will not be guilty of idolatry through covetousness. However, if we love only ourselves, we will covet. Above all, we will probably desire money, which we look at as simply the power to buy anything our heart desires.



When we stop to think about it, we realize that loving ourselves before God makes no sense. God is spirit and eternal; we are of the dust, physical and temporal. God can let us live forever (Romans 6:23); most of us will live physically only 70 or 80 years.



Everything good and true comes from God (James 1:17). All the flawed presents we could buy are like the water in a barrel with a hole in the bottom. Every physical thing is temporary, like a mist that exists for a short time and then disappears.



What about us is worthy of love? Without a spiritual relationship with God, we go to our grave and are forgotten (Ecclesiastes 9:5). God offers us a wonderful future, and that brings us to the second key to overcoming covetousness.



Faith focuses

•Key No. 2: Ask God for faith.



Ephesians 5 warns that no "covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (verse 5). Covetousness is the lust of the senses. Faith in God's inheritance focuses our desire on something far more important and permanent, on things we cannot see. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, emphasis added throughout).



An idolater longs for what he sees (or hears or feels) and pays no attention to the unseen spiritual aspects of life. The godly, those who are heirs with Christ (Galatians 3:29), hope for an inheritance in the Kingdom of God, which for the time being they can't see. That takes faith.



Moses chose to forsake the pleasures of sin and suffer affliction because he counted "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:26). He believed God, diligently sought Him and looked for his reward from God (Hebrews 11:6).



King David, too, focused on the "fullness of joy" and "pleasures forevermore" from God (Psalm 16:11), rather than material things of the world.



When life grows empty and you desire to embark on some kind of binge-to satiate yourself, to seek fulfillment by substituting the material for God's Spirit-simply ask God for the faith to wait for the better blessings He has in store for you. Ask for faith to trust in Him and be content with His Spirit and the promise of happiness in His Kingdom. Then work hard and rely on God, who pledges to supply your spiritual needs (Philippians 4:19).



Another perspective

•Key No. 3: Help others.



A key to conquering covetousness is to help others. Spending time with widows, the ill, the elderly and the incapacitated does wonders to focus our minds on serving rather than seeking to fulfill our own desires. We receive a fulfillment and contentment by helping others that physical things cannot give us.



Something happens when we practice true and undefiled religion (James 1:27). We realize that people with few possessions can learn important spiritual lessons; they can learn to "beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist of the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). We find that we grow happier by giving than by receiving (Acts 20:35). We learn to love people and use things, rather than love things and use people.



God frees us from the distractions that could tempt us to covet and thereby prevent us from gaining eternal life in His Kingdom.



God knows that a covetous spirit cannot be satisfied (Ecclesiastes 1:8). He knows that, if He allows the covetous to obtain eternal life, they will lust after the one additional thing they do not have: God's throne! The covetous person will not be satisfied until he can have everything. He who knows only discontent in one place will not find happiness in another; he will always want more than is rightfully his. That's why coveting is idolatry.



However, when we reign with God in His Kingdom, His Spirit will have convicted us and enabled us to overcome all sin, including covetousness, for eternity.



"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you" (Romans 8:11, New Revised Standard Version).



Christ's followers, people with the Holy Spirit, bear the fruit of satisfaction and contentment-love, joy and peace of mind (Galatians 5:22). With God's Spirit comes the assurance of our gaining entry into God's Kingdom (Ephesians 1:14), having shed the sin of covetousness.



We have seen that coveting is an insidious sin and that God equates covetousness with idolatry. Its fruit may seem to bring us happiness, but only temporarily. Covetousness is contrary to God's own nature and can keep us from the real joy of God's salvation-eternal life in His Kingdom. GN

Joe Straus Is Worried. Keep Up the Pressure.

A very interesting post from http://www.redstate.com/ about Texas Speaker Joe Straus. This follows this post  about Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama's agenda and this article about the recent news about ending the ban on offshore drilling which would encourage American energy independence This is a key issue to prevent money from going to hostile countries such as Iran  and Venezuela. For more that you can do to get involved click HERE!



 Joe Straus Is Worried. Keep Up the Pressure.




Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)



Friday, November 19th at 5:00AM EST



10 Comments

100% NARAL rated Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, the Republican who relied on Democrats to get into his job and then obstructed major conservative reforms in the Texas House of Representatives, is worried he might be voted off the island.



How do I know?



Well, one of his advisors, Vincent Harris, left me a message on my cell phone tonight that Straus would be calling me tomorrow from a San Antonio, TX phone number.



For the Speaker of the Texas House to be calling a blogger from Georgia to, I assume, convince me he is not the 100% NARAL rated and Planned Parenthood praised Democrat in Republican clothing that I know him to be, must mean we are having an impact and he is worried.



That just means we must keep the phone calls going. Below the fold — more phone numbers to call!!!



Oh, and my phone is pre-programmed to transfer all calls from people rated 100% by NARAL to phone hell, which I think is located at this phone pole in India.



I appreciate the sentiment, but save your breath Mr. Speaker.



And party foul on Vincent for giving out my phone number. That’s a big no-no.



Now, with renewed zeal and the knowledge that you are having an impact, you Texans go below the fold and burn up some phone lines. Ask them where they stand and report back. Push them to stand with Ken Paxton.Kenneth Sheets — member elect of Dallas

Ken Sheets has pledged his support for Ken Paxton!!!



Stefani Carter — member elect of Dallas

(972) 385-3313



Charles Schwertner — member elect of Georgetown

(512) 863-4563



John Frullo — member elect of Lubbock

806-853-8275



Larry Gonzales — member elect of Round Rock

512-244-1280



Sarah Davis — member elect of Houston

713-320-2077



Van Taylor — incumbent (special election this year) of Plano

972-398-9416



Linda Harper-Brown — incumbent of Irving

(972) 717-2871



Kelly Hancock (HD-91):

(512) 463-0599, (817) 590-9280



Larry Taylor (HD-24):

(512) 463-0729, (281) 338-0924



Jerry Madden (HD-67):

(512) 463-0544, (972) 424-2235

God's Guide to Sex

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/  about Adultery. This follows this post about America. For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

God's Guide to Sex


Everyone knows about the similarities between animal and human sexuality, but what about the differences? And what are the implications of those differences?

by David Treybig

God cares deeply about your sex life.



What? You've got to be kidding, right? After all, doesn't God say don't do it while most people do? Does He know what we've been doing?



Surprising to many, God is quite concerned about our sexuality and wants us to have the best sex possible. And yes, He does know what each of us has been doing. And He's disappointed that so many are cheating themselves out of one of the greatest joys of being human—a rich, rewarding sex life.



God created sex



The ironic part of today's flawed understanding of sex is that by rejecting God's instruction, many have ended up with greatly diminished happiness. What instruction does God give that allows us to understand and best enjoy His gift of sexuality? What's missing in the sexual education most people are receiving?



The mistaken ideas that God doesn't like sex and that He doesn't want us to enjoy this most intimate of human relationships is contradicted by the fact that God Himself was the designer and creator of the male and female bodies.



The Bible tells us that in the beginning, "God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27, emphasis added throughout). In noting all of His creative efforts, including making us male and female, God said that it was all "very good" (verse 31). So there wasn't a design problem, and God clearly isn't against sex.



If God hadn't intended for us to have sexual relationships, He could have created us as androgynous beings, neither feminine nor masculine, who reproduce by an asexual process. But He didn't do that. God instead created us male and female with a strong desire to use and enjoy our sexuality.



And as we will see, following the biblical instructions God gave for this wonderful gift is critically important for the happiness all of us seek.



A closer look at the physical side



From a strictly physical perspective, it seems that human sexuality has been studied in every way possible. From the organs themselves to fertility to the intricacies of gestation and birth, we are awash with the technical details of sex. Indeed, it seems that more knowledge is available regarding these physical aspects than any single human being could ever think to ask.



Among those who have sought to add to our understanding was Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the British naturalist famous for his theory of evolution through natural selection.



Darwin spent thousands of hours studying animals and flora while postulating the implications of his studies to human beings. His ideas regarding sexual selection (the theory that competition for mates between individuals of the same gender drives the evolution of certain traits) were introduced in his first book, Origin of the Species, and even more exhaustively presented in his second book, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex.



Yet in all this sea of knowledge, it seems that humanity in general has overlooked some simple observations that should lead any rational person to the conclusion that human sexuality was designed far differently than animal sexuality.



As Romans 1:20 notes, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by [ means of ] the things that are made , even his eternal power and [Godhood]; so that they are without excuse" (King James Version, emphasis added throughout).



Put another way, things we observe about human beings (including their sexuality) should lead us to a better understanding of God. So what have we missed? In all of Darwin 's studies, what did he miss? And why didn't he see the spiritual connections?



Through his studies as a naturalist, Charles Darwin quickly realized that there were undeniable similarities between animal and human sexuality. Reasoning that he should only consider physical data, Darwin theorized that all life came into existence through natural, observable means. This premise provided a basis for excluding God because God is supernatural—above and beyond physical dimensions.



Taking the scriptural account of creation out of the equation, Darwin assumed that human beings were simply part of the animal kingdom. This flawed premise has led to untold confusion not only about the origins of life, but also about what kind of human conduct would lead to the greatest human sexual satisfaction.



Noting that many animals typically mate with any opposite-sex member of their species that happens to be present at the appropriate time, some have mistakenly assumed that it is normal and natural for people to do the same. In fact, some proponents of Darwin's theory have openly admitted that their acceptance of his idea was sexually liberating. It gave them freedom to do whatever they wished. After all, if human beings are simply animals, why shouldn't we act similarly?



Sadly, this kind of reasoning has contributed to enormous ignorance about God's purpose for human sexuality. Sadder still, it has diminished our happiness. Commenting on those who rejected God, Paul explains that "their foolish minds became dark and confused. Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they became utter fools instead" (Romans 1:21-22, The Living Bible).



In other words, when we refuse to accept God's instructions, our thinking becomes limited and unsound. This is especially true when it comes to sex.



Differences between animals and human beings



In observing the animal world, several important differences become quickly apparent. First, animal sexuality is, in general, much simpler than that of human beings. We might say that it is essentially "programmed."



In animals, mating occurs only when a female is "in heat"—that is, when the female's body has undergone changes, such as the release of a scent, to indicate to males that she is ready to be impregnated. Human beings, by contrast, are prepared for and willing to have sex much more frequently.



Second, animals mate for the purpose of producing offspring. Animals don't have sex simply for pleasure or because they love or have emotional feelings for each other, as do human beings. Instead, as already mentioned, animals essentially mate with whichever member of their species meets the selection criteria at the appropriate time.



If multiple females are around, males will often fight for the right to impregnate the females while the females await the dominant male, whichever one that happens to be. And as illogical as it may seem, some theorize that it is perfectly okay for human beings to conduct themselves the same way, mating with whomever happens to be around.



Third, animals have no shame when it is time to mate. They do so in the open, among the other animals, no matter who or what is watching. Exhibitionists notwithstanding, this is not the way most people conduct themselves.



So how did Darwin deal with these all-too-obvious differences between animals and people? While holding that human beings were still part of the animal kingdom, he theorized that we are simply at a higher level of evolutionary development.



Of course, when one rejects the biblical account of creation, such reasoning may seem perfectly logical. After all, if there are no guidelines or instructions, similarities between animals and people can give the appearance that there is little difference between the two.



When people act like animals



Setting aside God's instructions regarding human conduct, people have experimented with just about every kind of sexual relationship imaginable—including woman with woman, man with man, group sex, one man with multiple women, one woman with multiple men. Some are so perverted they approve of acts between adults and minors and even sexual activity with animals.



In spite of all the experimentation, research conclusively shows that traditional families—wherein sexual relationships are only between the father and mother—produce the most successful children.



As psychologist Robert Evans explains in his book Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope With the Crisis in Childrearing: "Children need what both fathers and mothers naturally provide. No wonder an extensive review of studies of parenting found children raised by traditionally sex-typed parents to be more competent than others" (2004, p. 49).



But instead of accepting these results, those who reject God attack the research, arguing that it was flawed by preconceived social values and that when society becomes more open to alternative sexual relationships, they also will produce emotionally and psychologically sound, stable children. Such is the blind faith in faulty premises.



Pursuing the theory



When Darwin theorized that human beings were on a higher level than animals, he was onto a principle that he should have pursued more fully. Regrettably, he omitted the data that could have reshaped his thinking and provided the keys to the understanding he was seeking. He chose not to accept what the Bible reveals about the unique status of humankind.



When we look into God's Word—His instruction book for mankind that includes additional knowledge beyond what we can physically discover—we find the crucial information that helps us understand human sexuality. God's Word reveals that we are indeed on a higher level than animals. In fact, we are so much higher than animals that we are in a separate category altogether.



In the earliest chapters of the first book of the Bible we find that God made each animal to reproduce "according to its kind" (Genesis 1:24-25). But when He made man, God made him in His own "image," in His own "likeness" (verse 26). Human beings were modeled after God—not after other animals!



Being created in God's image means that we have godlike abilities and potential unlike any animal. We can think in the abstract. We can make plans for tomorrow or for a lifetime. We have a highly sophisticated ability to communicate with each other through written and spoken words. We have mobile phones, computers and the Internet. We can appreciate art, music and beauty in ways that no animal enjoys.



And these magnificent qualities, so far beyond what animals can do, are only the beginning.



God, through His Word the Bible, tells us that we were designed for God's "pleasure" (Revelation 4:11, King James Version), which includes becoming part of His eternal family (Ephesians 1:5; Luke 12:32). Unlike animals, we have the opportunity to live forever as beings transformed into divine spirit rather than earthly matter (1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 41-53).



When we consider emotions and the spiritual principles on which human life is patterned, we see additional evidence that God made mankind, not animals, in His image.



Emotional differences between man and animals



While animals display a variety of individual temperaments, these emotional expressions are quite lowly in comparison to those of human beings. This huge difference between animals and people is so well understood that cartoonists have had extremely successful careers portraying animals with humanlike feelings and conversations. Their work is funny because everyone knows animals aren't just like human beings—especially when it comes to reasoning, conversations, perspectives and human emotions.



When we are feeling discouraged or upset, we have the capacity to self-analyze and change our outlook if we so desire. Our ability to do this is called "emotional intelligence," and although this varies with each person, we can all learn how to manage and even reshape our feelings. For example, it is common knowledge that we can often talk to others and choose behaviors—such as exercising or listening to calming music—that will reshape our thinking and put us in a different mood.



Although emotional intelligence has, until recently, been one of the most overlooked measures of intelligence, researchers such as Daniel Goleman have come to the conclusion that it is one of the most critically important measures of a person's ability to succeed.



This more highly developed emotional intelligence that is unique to human beings is also a means through which we can have understanding of and contact with our Creator. God, through His Holy Spirit, can work with our thinking and reasoning. When we acknowledge that we do indeed have a Creator, we can read His Word and go to Him in prayer to help change our moods.



This emotional difference between animals and people is also an important aspect of human sexuality. For us, sexual intimacy forms an emotional bond. Under normal circumstances, we human beings each like to have our personal space. For example, in a typical, nonsexual conversation, we simply don't like people getting too close to us.



But as we all know, in the marital relationship there is not only closeness but a literal joining of two bodies together. This physical intimacy along with the pleasure of sexual intercourse tends to produce an emotional bond between the partners.



This is one of the reasons why people who have an intimate relationship and regularly have sexual intercourse miss each other so much when they are away and why they often get "the blues" or have "heartaches" when they break up. Sex for human beings is far more than simply a biological itch than can be scratched without further impact. God made human sexuality to be an intensely personal activity that produces far-reaching emotional consequences.



Spiritual insight from God's Word



While human beings quickly come to understand much of the physical side of sex, many acquire little knowledge of the emotional and spiritual dimensions that make it complete. Without this knowledge, men and women miss out on one of the greatest joys of life and the happiness that God makes available to those who understand His plan for humanity and follow His instructions.



So what was God thinking when He created us as sexual beings? This question is the one so very few ever ask; its answer is the foundation for sexual fulfillment.



When God made us, there were two major spiritual principles on which we were created. The first, already noted, is that we were made in God's image for the purpose of ultimately becoming part of His family.



In Genesis 1:26 God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Of all God's creation, only human beings have this unique heritage and basis of existence. And just as we reproduce and expand our families, so God is likewise reproducing Himself and expanding His family, giving us the opportunity to become part of that family (see John 1:12; Ephesians 1:5; 2:19; 3:14-15).



In the bigger picture, we need to remember that this physical life is not all there is. This life is not the most important thing. A cause and purpose is being worked out here on earth that is far bigger than any one of us, yet each of us can be part of this grand design. (For more information about God's purpose for you, be sure to read our free booklet What Is Your Destiny? ).



The second major spiritual principle on which we were created is related to our emotional intelligence and sexual conduct. In writing about marriage, the apostle Paul explained that the husband-wife relationship represents the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31-32).



God's plan for Jesus to die for the forgiveness of our sins has been in existence since the foundation of the world (compare Revelation 13:8). The way Christ gave Himself for the Church is the model of conduct for husbands, and the way the Church is supposed to respond to Christ is the model of conduct for wives.



God wants us to learn to control our thoughts and actions and to learn what true love really is, and marriage is the best environment given to mankind for learning these crucial spiritual principles and traits.



When we understand that a definite intelligent design was involved in our creation by a great, loving God, we begin to understand just how different we are from animals. With this foundation, we can also have a greater appreciation for His rules for sex.



God's rules for happiness



When God created us both male and female, He knew that we would need instructions on how to use our sexuality for good—so we could lead full, happy, complete lives. In fact, when we study the Bible, the subject of sex is one of the topics mentioned most often. Yes, the Bible is filled with sex! And in its pages God not only gives us timeless instructions about sex, but He also includes the results of what happens when His rules are broken.



God is no prude. He isn't embarrassed. He clearly explains what works best and what He had in mind for His gift of human sexuality. As a loving Father, He wants us to be happy. So He gives us instructions that will produce the full, satisfying lives we desire. In fact, key principles about sex are found in the first two chapters of the first book of the Bible!



After reading that God was the Creator of sex (Genesis 1:27), we then see how it was to be used: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed" (Genesis 2:24-25).



From this brief overview we learn several important principles. First, we see that the foundational definition for a family is one man with one woman. The biblical model for families is always one man with one woman. It is never a man with another man or a woman with another woman.



Also, this one-man-one-woman relationship was not a continuation of the parents' family, but the beginning of another. The relationship between the man and his wife was the primary and foundational one in the sense that it came into existence prior to children and was designed to continue after children were born and reared. In spite of human attempts to redefine family, God here establishes His intent that one man be the husband of one wife.



From the Genesis 2 account we also note that the man and woman who left family to become a new family unit were to "become one flesh," including intimacy and sexual relations (1 Corinthians 6:16).



This is the only context—with one's spouse within marriage—in which God sanctions sexual activity. He declares sex within marriage to be holy, honorable and good (Hebrews 13:4) while condemning all sexual activity outside of marriage—including homosexuality, group sex, bestiality, premarital sex and adultery.



Narrow-minded thinkers who mistakenly assume that God's instructions about sex are overly restrictive and thwart the individual's happiness ironically reject the very instruction that leads to the greatest human happiness.



While almost any male and female can have sexual intercourse, all sex isn't equally satisfying—and sex outside of marriage can be particularly unrewarding. Commenting on the qualitative analysis of sex, counselor Pam Stenzel, in her book Sex Has a Price Tag, writes:



"Several years ago, researchers did a study on who was having the best sex. Conventional wisdom says that the people who are having the best sex are those who've had a lot of experience with a variety of partners, and who feel free from rules and regulations about sexual activity —in other words, the people who have sex whenever they want with whomever they want.



"Guess what? Conventional wisdom is wrong. According to the studies, married Christian women are having the best sex. That's right. Church women are the most satisfied group of sexually active people. I'm betting their husbands are pretty happy, too" (p. 34).



As much as some people hate to admit it, God really does know what He is talking about when it comes to sex. The laws He gives us regarding our sexual conduct are designed for our good and our happiness!



The sex chapter



Students of the Bible often name specific chapters to reflect their contents. For example, we may refer to 1 Corinthians 13 as the "love chapter" and to Hebrews 11 as the "faith chapter." Yet how many people today, even Christians, have any idea as to which chapter could be called the "sex chapter"?



Leviticus 18 is one of the best candidates for such a title. In this passage, God gives extensive instruction regarding those with whom we should not have sex and why these prohibitions are so important. Before getting into the long list of illicit sexual relationships, God begins by explaining that obedience to Him means living a different lifestyle than those who reject Him (verses 1-5).



Then, after listing people with whom we should not have sex, God said: "Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled . . . You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled) . . .



"Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the Lord your God'" (verses 24-30).



Sadly, the percentage of professing Christians who still engage in extramarital affairs and end their marriages in divorce is just as high, and sometimes even higher, than among non-Christians. God obviously is not pleased with such conduct because it is counter to His instructions and wreaks havoc on the happiness and stability of marriages. Innocent children are often the unintended victims.



God hates such conduct. Remember, He calls these activities "abominations," meaning things horrible and detestable— because they lead to human heartache and suffering.



If you have committed a sexual sin such as fornication or adultery, keep in mind that God is very willing to forgive us of such sins once we repent and change our conduct (Acts 2:38; 1 John 1:9). The blood of Jesus Christ our Saviour was shed to enable us to have a new start (Hebrews 9:14). When we repent, His blood covers our sins and we have a fresh opportunity to live in ways that please God and bring His blessings.



Delayed gratification



Waiting to experience sex until one is married, and then having a sexual relationship only with one's spouse, requires self-discipline and personal integrity. Obedience to this code of conduct is not only honorable and pleasing to God, it is a key to happy, long-lasting marriages. The benefits far outweigh the restrictions.



Waiting for the right time to "awaken love" is critical in terms of healthy sexual development (Song of Solomon 2:7). As Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There is also "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing" (verse 5).



An obvious but underreported fact is that a child's sexuality is greatly shaped and influenced by parental example—as well as by whomever first awakens the child's sexuality. Oh that we would teach our children God's ways by living them ourselves!



Regrettably, society today has turned things upside down. It ignores the proven benefits of following God's instructions and portrays sexual immorality as normal and healthy. Pornography and masturbation warp God's purpose for sex. The media broadcasts the false message that everyone is doing it, which only adds to the breakdown of families and the misery of adults and children alike.



The good news is that society is going to be changed by Jesus Christ at His return. The time is coming when adults will be sexually responsible and children will be taught God's values (Jeremiah 31:33-34). The bad news is that things will get worse before they get better.



Sexual behavior in prophecy



Just before Jesus Christ returns to earth at the end of "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4) to usher in the age of the Kingdom of God , Bible prophecy tells us that sexual immorality will be rampant. While Jesus and those who truly follow His example warn men and women to repent of their sins, including sexual ones (Matthew 4:17; Mark 6:12; Acts 2:38; Revelation 3:19), many people at that time will engage indiscriminately in sexually promiscuous lifestyles.



Even after a series of plagues to punish mankind for its sins, many will refuse to abandon their sexual immorality for the far better lifestyle revealed in God's laws. In spite of severe punishment, Revelation 9:21 explains that people will still refuse to "repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts."



In spite of the perilous times and punishments to come, God is calling people today to live in harmony with His laws. God wants to give us everything that is good and healthy for us. He wants us to take pleasure in sex within marriage and reveals to us the keys for most enjoying this wonderful gift.



God really does want you to have the best marriage, family and sex life possible. Why not follow the instructions of our loving Creator? GN





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Recommended Reading



To understand our Creator's answers to the questions regarding sexuality, marriage and family, be sure to request our free booklet Marriage and Family: The Missing Dimension. If you have teens or young adults living in your home, you can also request a free subscription to Vertical Thought: A Magazine of Understanding for Tomorrow's Leaders. This quarterly publication dares to be different when it comes to sexual values. It presents God's way as the positive, smart choice that it truly is. It encouragesyoung people to resist negative influences toward sexual immorality.

9 Big Gains Make Next Senate Far More Pro-Enforcement & Anti-Amnesty

An interesting post from www.NumbersUSA.com about the new Senate. This follows this post  about replacing Nancy Pelosi due to her amnesty bill and this post  which shows that there are 30,000 openly illegal immigrants in the border town of El Paso. For more that you can do to get involved click HERE!

9 Big Gains Make Next Senate Far More Pro-Enforcement & Anti-Amnesty



By Roy Beck - posted on NumbersUSA



A lot of the news media have fallen for an open-borders advocacy argument that the survival of Senators Reid (Nevada) and Bennet (Colo.) shows that politicians are wise to take a pro-amnesty stance.



Some gullible reporters may believe it, but I can't imagine that the open-borders people see anything different from what we see: Voters last Tuesday elected 8 new Senators who are dramatically different from the ones currently holding those seats -- who will move the Senate away from Harry Reid's immigration ideas and strongly toward Sen. Jeff Sessions' (Ala.) ideas.



4 PRO-ENFORCEMENT REPUBLICANS REPLACE 4 PRO-AMNESTY DEMOCRATS



These are the most obvious victories for the Less Immigration movement.





GONE: Blanche Lincoln •Arkansas -- Have we ever elected anybody to the Senate more fired up with a better record on immigration than John Boozman, who defeated incumbent Blanche Lincoln (a Recent Immigration-Reduction grade of "D" and a Career Amnesty grade of "F").













ELECTED: John Boozman Since he arrived in the U.S. House in 2001, BOOZMAN has racked up an "A" grade, and "A+" during the last four years. He has proactively pushed bills in nearly every category. He was one of our elite "5 for 5" Members who co-sponsored all five of the Great Immigration Bills we pushed the last two years. And he is a TRUE REFORMER candidate, having taken our survey and pledged to support all 12 of our top immigration policy priorities. Can you spell ch-ch-CHANGE?













GONE: Roland Burris •Illinois -- This change is not so much who is arriving as who won't be filling this seat. This is the seat that Barack Obama occupied for four years adhering strictly to an open-borders agenda. His replacement, Sen. Burris, has earned an "F-minus" while voting for enforcement and immigration reduction exactly 0% of the time.



ELECTED: Mark Kirk Instead of electing yet another mass-immigration champion, Illinois voters chose Rep. MARK KIRK who is not our champion but has at least earned Recent grade of "B" the last four years. He will need a lot of constituency pressure to make him truly helpful to us, but we can be sure that he won't be joining surviving Senators Reid and Bennet in a pro-amnesty march.













GONE: Arlen Specter •Pennsylvania -- Occupying the seat now -- as he has since 1981 -- is Arlen Specter who has been our opponent usually as a Republican and recently as a Democrat. We will have to contend with his "D" behavior no more. That was assured when he lost the Democratic primary this year. But the man who defeated him -- Rep. Sestak -- brought a "D+" record to the election.



ELECTED: Pat Toomey Voters last Tuesday chose Pat Toomey who earned a "B" while in the U.S. House in an earlier period. Our candidate analysis shows Toomey to be fantastic on fighting illegal immigration but largely silent on the need to reduce legal immigration, too. He, too, will benefit from a lot of constituency efforts.

















GONE: Russ Feingold •Wisconsin -- Can you imagine Wisconsin having a Senator who would oppose amnesty, support attrition through enforcement and mandatory E-Verify to cause illegal aliens to go back home? I'll admit that I didn't think it was possible any time soon. But voters elected just that kind of Senator last week in political newcomer and businessman RON JOHNSON.



ELECTED: Ron Johnson Johnson will be replacing one of the best friends illegal workers and their employers ever had, Sen. Russ Feingold. What an improvement the Senate will be without his "F-minus" open-borders behavior.



















4 BAD OR WEAK REPUBLICANS ARE REPLACED BY 4 STRONG PRO-ENFORCEMENT REPUBLICANS



While the media have focused on the Republicans who took Democratic seats, the biggest improvement in the Senate may come from 4 current Republican Senators who are being replaced by 4 Republicans who enormously better on immigration issues.





GONE: Mel Martinez •Florida -- Although there has been a caretaker in this seat, it belonged to Sen. Mel Martinez who was one of John McCain's pro-Amnesty brigade. For a short time, he was head of the Republican National Committee and tried to use that position to further his crusade for more foreign workers and rewards for illegal aliens,.



ELECTED: Marco Rubio While Martinez sought to win Hispanic votes by supporting illegal immigration, voters last week chose a very different kind of Hispanic candidate in MARCO RUBIO. Although Rubio provided little help to our allies when he was in the state legislature, he decided from the beginning of the campaign to run as the opposite of Martinez and promised to do just about everything we could want on illegal immigration. His Hispanic concerns were much less for illegal-alien Hispanics and much more for Hispanic Americans who are suffering incredibly high unemployment. It will be much more difficult for Sen. Menendez (New Jersey) to demagogue and accuse pro-enforcement forces of being anti-Hispanic while another Hispanic Sen. Rubio is leading the charge for enforcement. Delicious.





GONE: Sam Brownback •Kansas -- As in nearby Arkansas, the change in this Senate seat could not be much more extreme. The winner -- Rep. MORAN -- is a TRUE REFORMER. He took our survey and promised to work in the Senate for all 12 of our top immigration policy priorities (both legal and illegal immigration reductions). He earned an "A" for his immigration-reduction work in this Congress.



ELECTED: Jerry Moran The Republican he replaces is Sen. Sam Brownback who holds a special place in the NumbersUSA hall of shame for his leadership in 1996 in narrowly defeating Rep. Lamar Smith's legislation to require mandatory verification to keep illegal aliens out of jobs and to eliminate the visa lottery and chain migration. When Brownback moved to the Senate in 1997, he became allies with Republican Sen. Abraham of Michigan who had led the killing of the same legislation in the Senate. Brownback was an out-spoken member of John McCain's amnesty brigade until at the last minute in June of 2007 -- thinking about his plans to eventually run for governor -- he voted to kill the Bush-Kennedy-McCain amnesty. Since then he has operated at a "C" level, working about half of his time to reward illegal aliens.





GONE: Kit Bond •Missouri -- Wedged between Kansas and Arkansas, this is the third state that is sending a TRUE REFORMER to the Senate. REP. ROY BLUNT has pledged to work for all 12 of our top immigration priorities. As House Majority Leader in December 2005, Rep. Blunt helped push through the passage of a powerful enforcement bill (that Senate Republican leaders unfortunately refused to take up in 2006).



ELECTED: Roy Blunt The man in this Missouri seat at that time -- and right now -- provided no leadership in 2006 to move enforcement in the Senate. Sen. Kit Bond isn't all that bad on immigration, but he's never had his heart in fighting illegal immigration or in reducing legal immigration. During his long career, he has earned only a C+ and has never shown any leadership on protecting U.S. workers and communities from indiscriminate immigration. Blunt promises to be a very different kind of Senator, having served in the leadership in the U.S. House for many years. During that time, the House Republican leadership became a great friend of working Americans by fighting for tougher enforcement against illegal foreign workers and the companies that hire them. But the Republican leadership in the Senate represented the Chamber of Commerce and instead pushed for amnesty. The election of Blunt and the others noted in this blog represent an important shift in which the Senate Republicans finally start acting like the House Republicans on immigration.





GONE: Robert Bennett •Utah -- The current Senator Bob Bennett has a "C-minus" Immigration-Reduction grade over his career and has always been an amnesty champion. He led a campaign of retribution against immigration-reduction groups soon after Republican Sen. Abraham (Mich.) lost his seat in 2000, in part due to his open-borders leadership. NumbersUSA and other groups had heavily advertised in Michigan, informing citizens of Abraham's open-borders work. Bennett did a pretty effective job for awhile in keeping all Republican Senators from talking with our reduction groups. He also spread the "hate group" lies of the Southern Poverty Law Center. On the issue of immigration, we were thrilled to see him defeated in the Utah Republican convention earlier this year.



ELECTED: Mike Lee The man who retired Sen. Bennett at the convention and who won the seat Tuesday is MIKE LEE. He wasn't the strongest reduction candidate at the convention, but he definitely made it clear that he would have a different approach from Bennett. He has promised to oppose amnesty and to support attrition through enforcement, mandatory E-Verify and an end to birthright citizenship for illegal aliens.











WHO IS THE 9TH? McCain Replaced McCain



I said at the top that there were 9 big gains in the Senate for our side in this election.



The ninth one may be stretching it a little, but I think you will appreciate my reasoning.





GONE: John McCain No Republican has been more destructive in immigration policy the last five years than John McCain. His run for the Presidency in 2008 moderated him quite a bit, but Pres. Obama and the open-borders groups really expected he would assist Obama in this Congress to move McCain's old "comprehensive immigration reform" policies forward.





ELECTED: John McCain The problem was that former congressman J.D. Hayworth signaled early that he would probably challenge McCain primarily on immigration. Hayworth slammed McCain with all of his bad deeds of the past. In the process, McCain made promises that even he may find difficult to break for some years to come. The "F" McCain of old has been replaced by the McCain who was re-elected Tuesday with promises that make him at least a "B" Senator on our issues. Without McCain's leadership and with Specter, Martinez, Brownback and Bennett now gone, his old Republican Amnesty Brigade just may fall apart.



There are six other Senate seats that will have new occupants in 2011 and who could be different from the present occupants. But the differences do not look likely to be large.



I will write about them at another time. Some new Senators could be better on immigration than the people they replace. And some could be worse. But none seem to be a lot different from the present occupant. And the overall effect of these six appears likely to be a wash. The 6 Senate seats to which I refer are in Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio and West Virginia.



When you look at the cumulative effect of the 9 states and new Senators featured in this blog , you can see why the open-borders groups have been trying to misdirect the media's attention to Nevada and Colorado -- two seats we would have loved to have flipped to pro-enforcement Senators but which will be no worse in 2011 than they are now.



ROY BECK is Founder & CEO of NumbersUSA



NumbersUSA's blogs are copyrighted and may be republished or reposted only if they are copied in their entirety, including this paragraph, and provide proper credit to NumbersUSA. NumbersUSA bears no responsibility for where our blogs may be republished or reposted.

Support Jobs and the Economy: Develop Alaska’s Offshore Resources

An interesting post from http://consumerenergyalliance.org/ about Alaska and Offshore Drilling. This follows this post about Coal Regulation. This follows this previous post about the drilliling moratorium This follows this post  about a creative solution to Gulf drilling and this previous article about the recent news about the ban on offshore drilling to encourage American energy independence This is a key issue to prevent money from going to hostile countries such as Iran and Venezuela. For more posts like this click here.



Support Jobs and the Economy: Develop Alaska’s Offshore Resources


Right now, Alaska stands ready to safely develop its abundant offshore energy resources, particularly in the Chukchi Sea – one of the largest untapped oil and gas sources in the entire world that could offer more resources than any other undeveloped U.S. energy basin.



However, due to continued delays caused by lawsuits filed against the government on various technicalities regarding offshore development, offshore operations have been kept from moving forward – keeping jobs and economic opportunity bottled-up in courts.



Though plans for development in the Chukchi Sea have already undergone a series of environmental analyses and a robust public commenting process, the federal government has issued yet another draft supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) relating to Lease Sale 193. The SEIS answers concerns expressed in the July decision of the U.S. District Court in Alaska, which sent the Chukchi Sale process back to the federal government. While the SEIS concluded that the additional analysis required by the Court was not essential and did not substantively augment the environmental analysis conducted before Lease Sale 193, this does not mean that the federal government will finally approve oil and gas operations in the Chukchi.



Consumer Energy Alliance is calling upon the federal government to listen to the public’s overwhelming support for energy development in Alaska by preventing further delays in offshore operations in the Chukchi and continuing with development as planned. Alaska and the nation need this to happen. Click here for more information.



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To help ensure that the federal government moves forward with the responsible development of Alaska’s rich offshore energy resources, please let them know that you support the production of offshore oil and natural gas, which will help provide Alaska and the nation with jobs and stable energy supplies. Please fill out the form below to submit a comment and feel free to use the sample text included; the comment period closes November 29, 2010.



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Sino-American currency war expected

An interesting article from http://www.wnponline.org/  about America's national financial state. This follows this post about coveting. For a free magazine subscription click HERE!  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Sino-American currency war expected


Most observers of the financial scene are fully expecting a damaging currency war principally between the People's Republic of China and the United States, but extending to the euro and other global currencies.



The Wall Street Journal reports: "The U.S. and China deepened their confrontation over Beijing's foreign-exchange policies, prompting fears that the dispute could undermine economic relations between the world's two largest economies ... The increasingly hostile rhetoric suggests that leaders aren't moving closer to an agreement over how best to address the issue" (Damian Paletta and John Miller, "China, U.S. Step Up Fight Over Currency]," Oct. 7, 2010).



Reuters columnist James Saft put it this way: "China is so adroit in melding diplomacy, jawboning and action to keep the value of its currency low, that you have to feel something approaching compassion for the plodding adversaries from the United States, Europe and Japan" ("China's Skill Is Breeding Frustration," International Herald Tribune, Oct. 6, 2010, emphasis added throughout).



The recent fall of the dollar offers no encouragement in effectively marketing potentially lucrative exports. The Wall Street Journal reported that "the U.S. dollar touched record lows against several currencies [Oct. 7], adding to already high levels of strains between countries competing in the financial markets to keep their export markets competitive ... As [the] dollar weakens, talk of a 'currency war' is building" (Tom Lauricella, "As Dollar Falls, No Clear Path Toward Stability," Oct. 8, 2010).



The Financial Times also expressed its concerns: "If the world is on the brink of an out-and-out currency war, a variety of battalions has been out on manoeuvres in the past few weeks. The Bank of Japan ... has launched a fusillade of intervention to hold down [Japan's currency] the yen in foreign exchange markets ... The main combatants, the US and China, continued to exchange rhetorical salvos" (Alan Beattie, "Global Economy: Going Head to Head," Oct. 8, 2010). The same article noted that, according to the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), "There is clearly the idea beginning to circulate that currencies can be used as a policy weapon."



Recent diplomatic pressure by the European Union (EU) to persuade China to let the yuan rise to ease the situation has been met with strongly stated rebuffs voiced by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Clearly Beijing has the monetary reserves to maintain a relatively weak currency.



Financial Times columnist John Authers sums up the potential risks: "First that a 'loser' in the currency war snaps and resorts to a trade war and second that currency traders get caught as they did in 2008 and lose a bundle. Those losses could cascade elsewhere in the [global] financial system" ("Everyone Will Lose in a Global Currency War," Oct. 10, 2010).



Such developments would compound the fragility of the financial infrastructure around the world, especially at a time when many nations are trying to climb out of the worldwide recession. (Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times [London].)