Young Evangelicals doing “it” too

MoonHowler

One thing that I have found amazing, as a vintage lady, is that some of the same conversations are going on now  that were going on when I was growing up.  Grown ups and politicians are still trying to think up ways to keep young people from having sex.  I don’t mean teeny boppers necessarily, but young people in their late teens and twenties.  It didn’t work back  when I was growing up and after watching Prohibition, I see it didn’t work real well during the roaring 20’s either.

According to the religious section in Washingtonpost.com:

Relevant Magazine, an evangelical Christian publication, made ripples in religious circles with their recent article titled“(Almost) Everyone’s Doing It”about some “surprising” findings on evangelicals and sex.

The October issue article citedresearch showing that unmarried evangelicals are having sex almost as frequently as everyone else. While 88 percent of all young people (ages 18-29) said they have had sex, 80 percent those who self-identify as “evangelical” had.

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Peter Candland: Proud to be an Ideologue?

Elena

I actually feel sorry for Peter Candland and I will tell you why.  Apparently, his M.O. now is to attack Ann Wheeler for  her statement “I am not an ideologue”.  From the blog he is promoting on his official facebook page:

This is a candidate that does not want to be associated with any political ideology, particularly the Democratic platform.

Let me share why I feel sorry for Mr. Candland.  I have had the privilege of working with people from many different perspectives in Prince William County on various issues, from land use, to power lines, to parks, to Silver Lake, to public school issues, et al.  I have built friendships with people that do not share the exact same political belief system as I do.  You know what, I am proud to call them friends.

Ann Wheeler is telling Gainesville citizens that she is interested in solving problems based on best solutions not based on whether you have an R or a D by your name.  Isn’t that what we all want, people interested in coming together to solve problems!

Does Peter Candland believe that Prince William County residents want our local government to emulate the  dysfunction we see happening the National level?  I for one do not.   Is Peter Candland’s message to the Gainesville District one of divisiveness?

Does Mr. Candland understand that in order for a Democracy to be healthy, we must have differing opinions, and vigorous debate?  Mr. Candland being a Republican is no more unacceptable than Ann Wheeler being a Democrat.

Peter Candland clearly prefers to have a very small and myopic circle of friends and associates, ones that only share his point of view on all issues.

As an elected leader, it is critical that one have the ability and interest to reach out to those  with whom you may have differing opinions in order to find the best solutions.

Iowa “Family Leader Pledge” draws some serious fire

MoonHowler

The much discussed Iowa Marriage Vow Pledge also known as the “Family Leader Pledge”  has the signatures of two presidential hopefuls– Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum.   Both candidates are now back-pedaling like crazy because of some controversial language contained in the pledge that appears to sanction slavery. 

According to the Des Moines Register:

The leader of an Iowa conservative organization Monday defended a statement about black children and slavery that it distributed in asking presidential candidates to vow their allegiance to one man/one woman marriage.

At least one presidential candidate, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, condemned the suggestion in the vow’s preamble that black children were better off during slave times. Also Monday, the think tank cited as the basis for the slavery statement denied saying anything like that.

The fact that two candidates, Bachmann and Rick Santorum, quickly signed the 14-point “candidate vow,” then later said they hadn’t read the entire four-page pledge document, highlights the pressure on candidates to prove their social conservative credentials to Iowa voters, politics watchers said.

The Iowa Marriage Vow Pledge can be downloaded here.

Both candidates  claim to have not read the verbiage.  Bachmann  further denounced slavery and argued that the statement was not part of the pledge, only background material. 

“I did not see that language. That was not a part of the vow,” Bachmann told reporters during a campaign stop Monday in Indianola.

Traditional marriage is the bedrock of society, Bachmann said. “Children need a mom and a dad in their life, and that’s why I signed it,” she said.

Slavery was a dark time in American history, and “certainly it would be absurd for anyone to think that a child would be better off raised in slavery than not,” Bachmann said. “That’s a terrible thing to say. I’m pleased that this has been taken care of.”

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Pitchforks and Torches rise up again

MoonHowler

Rewind back to last summer.  The local uproar was over the new kids in town, KK’s Temptations  adult boutique, that was to open in October.  Some of the City folks had a fit because the shop was in Old Town Manassas.  People envisioned hordes of perverts lining up to see the bustiers and nighties.  It didn’t matter that the City also has Fashion Fantasy over on route 28 and at least one adult movie store over near the library, within blocks of Kindercare and Parkside Middle School on Mathis Avenue.  This new store was going to be in Old Town near the Candy Factory.  Each and every person I talked to who was opposed to the opening of KK’s used the location as the main, if not only reason for objection. 

Fast forward back to the present.  In the past couple of weeks, I have heard some mumblings and grumblings over KKs from two friends who I can clearly say are on different ends of this argument.   KK”s had planned to do some events for  Susan G. Komen for the cure to raise money.  Their  first plan had been a wet tee shirt contest.  Elena and I spoke briefly but negatively about this plan and basically backed off.  Because of issues with the City, KK’s plans changed to a bikini contest at Backyard Grill at the corner of Sudley Road and Williamson Blvd.  We didn’t like that idea either because of the objectification of women but kept our mouths shut.  It was Kim’s business.  In other words, do no harm.  We didn’t.Read More

Judge blocks enforcement of new Indiana Planned Parenthood law

MoonHowler

Indiana enacted a law in recent months that barred medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood for general  health services.  The law is being challenged by both Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.  The new law didn’t pass the whiff test.  According to Politico.com:

A federal judge in Indianapolis on Friday blocked part of an Indiana law that cut off public funding for the state’s Planned Parenthood operations because they provide abortions, The Associated Press reported.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, who was appointed in 2010 by President Barack Obama, granted the organization an injunction that nullifies the portion of the Indiana law, recently signed by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Indiana also got slapped on the wrist by a Reagan appointed judge:

U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker ordered Indiana to not enforce portions of an Arizona-style immigration bill due to take effect July 1, the Indianapolis Star reported.

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Republican presidential candidates expected to sign SBA Pledge

MoonHowler

Americanindependent.com:

Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty have signed on to the Susan B. Anthony List’s 2012 Pro-life Presidential Leadership Pledge. The presidential candidates have pledged to roll back abortion rights in four key areas, and the duo join three other presidential contenders: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum. Bachmann went after fellow presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Sunday for not signing the pledge and not committing to “ending the practice of abortion.”

 The candidates pledged to appoint anti-abortion judges, to appoint anti-abortion cabinet members, to defund Planned Parenthood and to sign a bill banning abortion after 20 weeks gestation.

Bachmann went after Mitt Romney for not signing the pledge.

So there is a litmus test now for presidential appointments, cabinet members, and I would assume Supreme Court Justices?  I guess its official now.  What about the 50% (at least) of us who are pro-choice?  

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Sideshow Bob embarrasses us again

MoonHowler

The Richmond Federal Reserve is flying the rainbow flag to acknowledge gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender  pride month.  The request was made by PRISM, an advocacy group for the aforementioned groups.   The Fed is a private establishment.  Its first vice president, Sally Green acknowledged:

“We are flying the pride flag as an example of our commitment to the values of acceptance and inclusion.”

Sounds good to me.  Pretty flag, commitment to inclusion.  Gay people make and have money.  What could anyone find wrong?

Enter side-show Bob Marshall, 13th delegate district who claims  that flying the rainbow flag represents

“…a serious deficiency of judgment by your organization, one not limited to social issues.”

According to the Richmond Times Dispatch:

In a letter to Richmond Fed President Jeffrey M. Lacker, Marshall says the homosexual behavior “celebrated” by the bank “undermines the American economy” and is a class six felony in Virginia.

“The Richmond Fed’s endorsement of costly, anti-social, immoral behavior is rejected by 6,000 years of Western Religious and moral teaching,” writes Marshall, who is among the General Assembly’s most conservative members and has long been outspoken on gay-rights issues. “You want the American people to trust your [judgment] in economic matters when your spokesperson celebrates an attack on public morals?”

 

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Round 1 over–Where do we go from here?

MoonHowler

From the New York Times:

 

WASHINGTON — President Obama will call this week for a broad plan to raise revenues and cut deficits, as the battle over fiscal issues moves past this weekend’s budget deal and into a broader and more consequential debate over the nation’s long-term fiscal health.

In a speech to be delivered at a university here on Wednesday, Mr. Obama will call on Congress to join him in writing a multiyear debt-reduction plan that would depart significantly from the one proposed by House Republicans, administration officials said.

The Republican plan includes an overhaul of Medicare and trillions of dollars in tax cuts, while sparing defense spending. Mr. Obama, by contrast, envisions a comprehensive plan that would include tax increases for the richest taxpayers and military spending cuts as well as savings in Medicare and Medicaid, along with changes to Social Security that the administration says will ensure its solvency for decades — much like his fiscal commission recommended in December.

The Radical Republicans will have their targets still, like Planned Parenthood, PBS, NPR and other government subsidized entities and will go after them with a vengeance.  Education will also be targeted.  Mental health and substance abuse programs have already been targeted.  HCR will also have a nuke aimed at it.

Before the 2012 budget is considered, Congress must raise the debt ceiling.  Failure to do so will ruin any chance of recovery and in all probability will limit our ability to borrow at low interest rates.  Congressmen who try to play political reindeer games with the debt ceiling will pay for it at election time.

It is not known if the President will assume the same mediator role as he did for 2011 budget.  Little is known how the Democrats will respond.  What will be that target from either group?

 

 

Is the tail wagging the dog?

MoonHowler

When the tea party first rose its head a couple of summers ago, we were told they were all about ‘getting our fiscal house in order.’  Many proposed draconian, drastic cuts, others trooped around in three cornered hats and did the fife and drums thing.  What was not said was that they were also the social conservatives, the radical Republicans.

We can see now that the social conservatives finally got their nose under the tent and House Speaker John Boehner has been put on notice–do what we say or lose your job.  Boehner is a smart enough politician to know that there are just some issues you don’t  tack on as a rider to a budget.  Obviously he had no choice.

Perhaps we will all survive.  But we look absurd to everyone else in the world.  We have debt problems but we protect the very wealthy.  Some knuckle heads continue to think, even after 25 years of it not paying  off, that protecting the very wealthy will produce jobs. Where are those jobs?

We are involved in three wars, and we almost  shut the government down over abortion?  And not even the right to abortion–it was imaginary abortion.   The radicals wanted to kill off Planned Parenthood.  Now Planned Parenthood is universally known as the place where people who don’t want to get pregnant go.  Patients can get relatively inexpensive birth control and required health services.  Planned Parenthood also takes medicaid patients, unlike so many other medical facilities.  What idiots want to shut down places to get contraception in order to fight abortion?  Now where is the logic?

Most Americans don’t see abortion or Planned Parenthood as big threats to our country.  What they do see as threatening are rising food costs, foreclosures, joblessness, job insecurity, overcrowded classrooms, expensive health care costs and crime.  They don’t give a fig about abortion or the fact that some penny of their tax money might find its way into co-mingling money used for abortion.

The culture warriors need to be driven out.  We need to get on with running the country.  We need to tell these clowns that they are making us the laughing stock.  We need to make sure the tail isn’t wagging the dog.

Raking in the bucks for non-abstinence

MoonHowler

From Politico:

If you‘re wondering where Bristol Palin got the $172,000 in cash to buy her home in Maricopa, Ariz., — Loan from her parents? “Dancing With the Stars” payoff? A gift from her baby daddy, Levi Johnston? — it looks like part of it might have come from her work as an abstinence advocate.

 The blog Palingates, soon followed by the AP, reported that according to tax forms, the teen mom earned $262,000 in 2009 for her work with The Candie’s Foundation.

 Bristol was just 18 and a new mother when she became an ambassador for the foundation in 2009.

Is it just me or does abstinence mean …not having sex?  So if you don’t have sex, how do you end up with a trashy boyfriend and a baby?  I know these young kids and all and the generation gap, but there are just a few things I simply don’t understand. 

Why is Bristol the poster chRead More

And the Bad Taste Award goes to ….

MoonHowler

The stupidity doesn’t stop in Arizona.  It moves on to Chicago.  Perhaps bad taste is a better word than stupidity.  According to Yahoo News:

CHICAGO (AFP) – An anti-abortion billboard campaign using a likeness of President Barack Obama to target African-American women has angered women’s groups in Chicago.

Some 30 billboards declaring “Every 21 minutes our next possible leader is aborted” are being placed in predominantly African-American neighborhoods in Obama’s adopted hometown.

They are being displayed for free after the group’s controversial billboards declaring “the most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb” were taken down following protests in New York.

The Texas pastor behind the campaign by Life Always said he wants to “encourage reflection” about the high abortion rate among African-Americans.

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What’s Wrong with Arizona?

MoonHowler

From yahoo.com:

PHOENIX (Reuters) – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on Tuesday signed into law a controversial bill that makes the state the first in the nation to outlaw abortions performed on the basis of the race or gender of the fetus.

The move comes as anti-abortion groups across the nation try to seize on gains made by political conservatives during the November elections, seeking enactment of new state laws to further restrict abortions.

Under the new Arizona statute, doctors and other medical professionals would face felony charges if they could be shown to have performed abortions for the purposes of helping parents select their offspring on the basis of gender or race.

The women having such abortions would not be penalized.

State legislators have said no such law exists anywhere else in the nation.

Backers of the measure said the ban is needed to put an end to sex- and race-related discrimination that exists in Arizona and throughout the nation. They insist the issue is about bias rather than any broader stance on abortion.

“Governor Brewer believes society has a responsibility to protect its most vulnerable — the unborn — and this legislation is consistent with her strong pro-life track record,” a spokesman said.

Do they just invent things in this state?   In addition to being the immigration capital of the nation, were they also the abortion capital of the nation?   Is there real evidence that people were having abortions because of the race of the father?  How about the gender of the fetus?  Evidence please.Read More

“How’s that leave me alone personal liberty thing working out for you?”

MoonHowler

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rachel Maddow finds herself in the middle of an over-reach by a conservative group.  She has found that she is the subject of a FOIA request at 3 state universities. 

Maddow is quoted in the  Huffington Post:

The latest incarnation of this breed of conservatism weirdly involves this show,” Maddow said. As she described it, a conservative think tank in Michigan called the Mackinac Center submitted a FOIA request seeking any emails from labor professors at the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Michigan State University. The center demanded any email that includes the words “Scott Walker,” “Wisconsin,” “Madison,” and “Maddow.”

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Congress goes on break after NPR ‘Fiscal Emergency’

MoonHowler

Many currently in Congress ran on promises to tackle jobs and the budget.  Instead, they have taken on NPR and Planned Parenthood.  Many experienced Republicans have been frustrated by the newcomers who don’t seem to understand Washington protocol.  Republicans have ended up blocking Republicans. 

According to Washington Post  columnist Dana Milbank:

The lack of grown-up behavior is driving Americans to despair. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, only 26 percent said that they were optimistic about the future when “thinking about our system of government and how well it works.” That’s less than half the level of optimism felt in 1974, during Watergate.

The Democrats are only showing themselves to be slightly more adult.  The party leaders opposed Dennis Kucinich’s bill to just dump Afghanistan at the end of the year and bring everyone home.   Many Democrats felt his plan was foolish and irresponsible and most voted against it.

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George Harris: Marshall comparisons stretch limits of taste

MoonHowler

George Harris

Guest poster

From News and Messenger:

Del. Bob Marshall is at it once again. In a recent diatribe before the Virginia General Assembly, Marshall chose to compare scientists doing stem cell research with World War II Nazi “doctors” who performed “experiments” on hapless Holocaust victims.

Marshall’s conduct in this case is reprehensible and to make things even worse, it has been learned that Mr.

Marshall has never been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington to see what really took place. He invokes the Holocaust and Nazism when it fulfills his need for publicity.

Shame on him for using a Nazi comparison to impugn the good works of honest scientists seeking cure to horrible diseases and conditions.

 

 

Disclaimer: All guest posts are the opinion of the poster and do not necessarily represent the views of moonhowlings.net administration

M-H