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2013 IFFC Spring Kickoff

Rick Santorum to Keynote 2013 Spring Kick Off

I am thrilled and pleased to announce that the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition will be sponsoring its 13th Annual Spring Kick Off on Monday evening, April 15, 2013.  On behalf of our board, we are excited to inform you that Sen. Rick Santorum will be our keynote speaker.  As you know, Sen. Santorum won the 2012 Iowa Precinct Caucuses and remains a popular figure here in Iowa and nationally!  He is recognized as one of the nation’s strongest and most unabashed leaders on behalf of the pro-life, pro-marriage agenda.

This Spring Kick Off is recognized as the single largest and most exciting pro-family event held in Iowa every year.  We promise not to disappoint you this year!  The event will be held at the Des Moines Christian School (13007 Douglas Parkway Urbandale, IA 50323).  There will be plenty of parking and seating for everybody.  The Des Moines Chrisitian School is about 1 1/2 miles West of I 80/35 on Douglas Parkway on the North side of the road.  Enter through the South doors, right by the American flag in front of the school.

As in years past, there will be good fellowship, opportunities to network with old and new friends and some delicious refreshments.  In addition, this will give you an opportunity to engage with several of our state legislators.  We promise you a program that will leave you motivated to go back home to actively engage politically with others on behalf of the pro-family agenda and candidates.  Two of our board members (Bernie Hayes & Brad Sherman) are also working on an unveiling that will add a great new component to our 2013 Fall Event.

We have a great deal of work to do this year.  God has asked us to be “salt and light,” and then we leave the results up to Him.  As a movement and organization, we must be engaged politically and with the culture like never before!  Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition is dedicated to that very cause.

Mark my word—the Faith & Freedom Coalition understands that we must ramp our efforts even more to make Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition as strong and viable as any and all Far Left groups working in Iowa!

Stay tuned for future announcements–like the location, time and other notable speakers!

Partnering with you on behalf of Iowa’s families,

Steve Scheffler

Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition

President

For more information about the event and Senator Santorum visit our events page: http://ffciowa.com/events

2012 SPRING KICKOFF A HUGE SUCCESS!

The12th Annual Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition Spring Kickoff was attended by around 500 activists from all over the state.  In addition, Sen. Grassley, Cong. Tom Latham, Cong. Steve King, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Sec. of State Matt Schultz and Ralph Reed were also in attendance.  Several state legislators, city and county officials and candidates were also a part of this great event.

Our keynote speaker, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), made it clear that our country has a spiritual crisis on its hands and that a spiritual revival is needed to turn the direction of our country around.  The senator also spoke of his strong support of human life–from conception to natural death.  He also took note of his support for the role of traditional marriage and his criticism of President Obama on his so-called evolution on same sex marriage.

It was quite evident that the activists in attendance were motivated to do their part leading to the November 6th elections.  The Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition laid out its exciting plans for getting activists involved in specific projects in this election year.

Voter guide distribution and door to door campaigning in competitive state legislative races were emphasized as ways to make a positive difference. The exciting VoterTrak program was laid out by Ralph Reed, which is a very sophisticated program that targets conservatives in competitive congressional and state legislative races.

These are all projects that the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition will need to fund, as well as keeping our phenomenal lobbyists, Norm Pawlewski, working for us on the Hill.  With that in mind, I strongly urge you to be part of our volunteer and financial support network.  I ask you to sign up now to volunteer by  emailing webmaster@ffciowa.com with your interest.

I would also urge you to make the most generous contribution that you can to these critical programs.  You can write a check to the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition and send it to 939 Office Park Road Suite 115 West Des Moines, IA 50265.

Sincerely,

Steve Scheffler

President, Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition

See our Facebook page for additional images from the event! http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.424524217565810.101565.172788926072675&type=1

A CHRISTIAN NATION

Indecency, sin and today’s Whig Party

Exclusive: David Lane points to ‘suicidal’ same-sex marriage as tipping point for GOP

Moderate Republicans are bound and determined to deposit homosexuality – and homosexual marriage – into the Grand Old Party. If successful, the GOP will go the way of its predecessor, the Whig Party, which collapsed in the mid-1800s, ultimately over its attempt to bring expansion of a social evil, slavery – like present-day homosexual marriage and abortion – to the territories.

The Bible and prayer were removed from the public schools in 1963 by the U.S. Supreme Court – an 8-1 decision. The lone dissenting Justice Potter Stewart blasted, “It led not to true neutrality with respect to religion, but to the establishment of a religion of secularism.”

Since that ill-boding decision, two to three generations of America’s children have been denied – in God’s economy – a quality education. Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” In God’s economy, the “principal thing” in knowledge – the epistemological foundation – is “The fear of the Lord.”

To what was the foundation of America fastened? While still on the Mayflower the Pilgrim fathers wrote, “Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith …” Maybe you prefer the mission and purpose – the legal proclamation – for the founding of Jamestown and Plymouth Colony in 1606: “We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People.” It’s easily defended that America was founded by Christians, as a Christian nation.

Ken Mehlman, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Cindy McCain – nor anyone else – have the right to impose homosexual marriage – and indecency – on Christian America. How in the world do they presume that they have the right to say where the line of departure from morality shall be drawn? Are they omniscient and omnipotent?

Even secular Thomas Jefferson – quite religious by today’s low standard – author of the Declaration of Independence, wrote, “The Christian religion, when divested of the rags in which they [the clergy] have enveloped it, and brought to the original purity and simplicity of its benevolent Institutor, is a religion of all others most friendly to liberty, science, and the freest expansion of the human mind.”

While the United States has faced a number of catastrophic periods in her history, perhaps nothing has threatened our utter destruction more than the current moral crisis. God calls homosexuality sin – as He does adultery, stealing, lying, etc.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you.” (1 Corinthians. 6:10)

All sins are equal and bring judgment in His kingdom. All men sin and fall short of His glory. This the the reason for the Savior. Thank God for the remedy – my sinfulness in itself would be reason for God to give up on me, yet His mercy and faithfulness is everlasting.

Declaration signer Dr. Benjamin Rush, America’s leading medical doctor and surgeon general of the Continental Army, recalled: “Upon my return from the army to Baltimore in the winter of 1777, I sat next to John Adams in Congress, and upon my whispering to him and asking him if he thought we should succeed in our struggle with Great Britain, he answered me, ‘Yes – if we fear God and repent of our sins.’”

The Founding Fathers understood that sin hinders victory, whether in personal or national life. Consequently, repeatedly throughout the Revolution, whether in personal or national life, the Continental Congress called for days of humiliation, fasting and prayer, urging the people to repent of any sins.

Virtue is a key component of freedom. In God’s economy, what does transgressing His law bring? Proverbs 28:2, “For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.”

Dr. Bruce K. Waltke noted that “the transgression of a land – widespread, systemic violations of the law – brings on anarchy, both as its natural consequence and as its fitting punishment, and with anarchy comes an oppressive multiplicity of rulers and factions.”

Dr. Michael V. Fox: “… the transgression of a land (a metonymy for the inhabitants of a politically governed area); the people, and with the totality of their break with Yahweh. As a result of the land’s total break with the Lord, the people need a large bureaucracy to keep an eye on each other and/or none survives.”

Christians – pastors and pews – responsible for the spiritual climate of our nation, must re-engage. Someone’s values are going to reign supreme. The estimated 65-80 million evangelicals – and pro-life Catholics – must be registered and vote, and bring biblical values to the front. This will – in the end – determine if America remains free.

Dr. Bruce K. Waltke (winner of the 2002 Gold Medallion Book Award and the 2008 Christian Book of the Year) wrote, “Immanuel Kant said you can tell whether or not something is right or wrong by whether it can be practiced universally. Same-sex marriage practiced universally is suicide. To survive gays and lesbians are parasites, depending for their cultural survival on couples that birth the next generation.”

Those doing this to our country must be removed from office and from leadership.

 

LeRoy Carhart: A Legislative Response

      

By Dan Boddicker

The timing of “Dr.” LeRoy Carhart’s announcement of his intentions to put a late term abortion clinic in Council Bluffs after the November 2 elections was wise. The abortion issue has pretty much been off the radar screen since the election of Chet Culver in 2006. This election cycle primarily focused on fiscal policy and social policy was dominated only by the judicial retention vote.

Carhart’s plans to move his abortion business from an Omaha suburb to Council Bluffs present some interesting challenges for the pro-life community eager to stop him, and Senator Mike Gronstal may find yet another prominent social issue sitting firmly in his lap, one that could alienate him and his declining caucus even more from the voters of Iowa.

The reason for Carhart’s move to Iowa is due to recent laws passed by Nebraska’s legislature, which ban elective abortions after 20 weeks, citing the scientific fact that a baby’s nervous system is sufficiently developed to feel the pain of being dismembered, chemically burned or getting scissors shoved into the back of its skull. A law like this is bad for business, or so says Carhart.  Carhart claims late term abortions make up the majority of his business.

So how does Iowa respond? We already tolerate a city with the highest per capita abortion rate in America. Do we want a late term abortionist like LeRoy Carhart here? The sad fact of the matter is that, if there was no market for his grisly services, he wouldn’t be coming to Iowa. So while we work to stop him, we must also work to stop the demand for his “services.”
There are several options that the legislature, the Branstad administration, and the pro-life groups can pursue to thwart Carhart’s plans. They must work together if they hope for success.

Legislatively, the House can pass a bill making Iowa’s abortion laws like Nebraska’s.  The bill should be brought up and passed as quickly as possible and sent over to the Senate.  Senate Republicans should make this issue, along with the marriage amendment issue, their top two social-issue priorities. While they are working to bolster the House Republicans, efforts to cut and control spending, they need to get these social issues up for a vote. The closer Carhart gets to his ribbon cutting, the more pressure needs to be put on Gronstal to keep this menace out of his back yard. And like the Marriage Amendment, this issue is the one where senate tradition needs to be thrown out the window.

Rules exist for a reason, and it is high time that the written and adopted rules of the Senate prevail over the “good ol’ boy” agreement that has existed for decades not to use them.

Perhaps along with the post 20-week ban legislation, it’s time to revive “A-Woman’s-Right-To-Know” legislation. Those who are for “choice” should have no problem with “informed choice”, right?

Regulatory solutions may include the Certificate Of Need (CON) process.  Whether or not Carhart’s type of facility falls under the CON process will depend on what equipment Carhart will require in his facility and whether his activities are considered outpatient surgery.  If it does, then pressure needs to be put on the Department Of Public Health (DPH),and state health facilities panel to make sure that all the requirements are met and that the community actually has a need to have its unborn babies over 20 weeks killed. Governor Branstad must step up and make sure that his DPH Director makes sure that the law is followed.

The Appropriations process may also provide some opportunities to slow down or stop Carhart’s efforts. Perhaps this issue can be used to finally de-fund Planned Parenthood and any other facility that provides abortions or referrals. Most Iowans don’t want their tax dollars funding abortions and never have.   Funds could be directed to crisis pregnancy clinics to provide for ultrasound equipment so that these girls and women can see the life that is in them. Then they can make an educated choice, something that the abortion industry and abortion rights advocates fear the most.

Whatever the legislature does, it is time for the sleeping giant to reawaken and get the attention of the legislature. The lobbying muscles of the pro-life community that existed back in the 90’s have gotten flabby, and the knowledge of how to do grassroots lobbying has become foggy. It’s time for Iowa Right to Life, the Iowa Catholic Conference, the Iowa Christian Alliance, and the other pro-life and conservative groups to step up and fight for our unborn children.

Dan Boddicker is a former Iowa State Representative from Tipton, Iowa.  Boddicker served as the chairman of the House Human Resources committee.

WE THE PEOPLE TO IOWA SUPREME COURT JUDGES

COMMENTARY -Norm Pawlewski

November 3, 2010

TURN IN YOUR ROBES – YOU’RE FIRED              

               According to Rekha Basu in her column this morning, “Justice not served by vengeful ousters,” Rekha, as usual, still doesn’t get it.  Almost a half million Iowans voted to deny retention to three Supreme Court justices, not out of any need for vengeance, but a need to restore the balance of power as provided in their constitution.  The constitution ultimately belongs to all the people.  Like Rekha, the justices either never appreciated that principle or forgot. 

            The losers— the elitists, the lawyers, the progressive left are, as expected, spinning their rejection by the voters as a hissy fit, a tantrum.   Frankly, this is stupidity on their part.  Rekha says, “Now, in a subversion of the judicial retention vote, a band of misguided activists look to have punished the justices……”  She says also, “But because of a vengeful vote, that seemed all but certain at press time, judges now have to worry about the payback with every controversial ruling they make.”  No Rekha, they only have to worry about controversial rulings that exceed their mandate, defy civility, create rights where they are unwarranted and/or non-existent and act like they are a law unto themselves. 

            One more quote from Rekha’s article:  “The issue is, are the judges qualified to be on the bench?  The vote –no people’s actions are at best arbitrary and at worst retaliatory.”  This from a Sioux City attorney who served in three of Bob Vander Plaats’ gubernatorial campaigns before breaking with him on the judge retention issue. 

            When the sore losers start to whine about vengeful voters, out-of-state money, out-of state-activists, etc., remind them that almost one-half million Iowa voters voted to deny retention to these three judges, but allowed dozens more to keep their jobs.  Your decision, whether you voted yes or no, was made after a considerable amount of discussion and debate.  If anything, the main street media, like the Des Moines Register, went overboard to support retention.  Every editorial and most guest columns were skewed toward retention.  They did everything they could to frame the issue as one of guaranteeing judicial impartiality and keeping politics out of the courts.  Every one of these judges was a political appointee.  One article in the Register, “A question of BALANCE,” Thursday, October 28^th, made it clear that the current system is controlled by Democrats, for Democrats. 

            Now that we the people have their attention, we need to work through the Legislature and our new governor to straighten out the imbalance in the judicial nominating and appointment process.  That’s why I said in my last commentary on this issue, “This is not the end of the issue of dealing with Iowa’s activist judges.  It is the beginning.” 

SOME OTHER BIG WINS FOR THE PEOPLE

            There were a few disappointments yesterday.  I wanted Brenna Findley to be Attorney General and Brad Zaun to represent the 3^rd Congressional District in Washington.  I also thought David Jamison would be a great State Treasurer.  And I wanted David Funk to shake up the Polk County Board of Supervisors. 

            But there were some real big wins.  Kent Sorenson, who endured the most negative, unfair and downright disgusting campaign ads, won.  Kent, who came to Christ about ten years ago, was savaged by Sen. Staci Appel (wife of Supreme Court Justice Brent Appel) for his life before Christ.  Kent takes seriously Galatians 2:20~~”I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”  And Romans 12:2~~”Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  That’s how Kent has tried to live his life since coming to Christ.  Fortunately, his neighbors and the residents of Senate District 37 saw this in him and gave Mrs. Appel a whipping.  Kent won by almost 5,000 votes, 59% to her 41%.  Bye Bye Staci.

            Another big win (if it holds, because it’s close) Kim Pearson, attorney, home-schooler Mom and tea party activist, beat seven-term incumbent, Geri Huser, for House District 42.  The last report I saw had Kim up by less than 200 votes.  Geri Huser tried to tout her blue dog Democrat credentials during the last few days before the vote.  It seems not to have worked. 

            I will say more soon in another commentary after we have had a chance to look at complete results.  But congratulations are in order for Joel Fry for beating Mike Reasoner, to Bill Anderson taking an open Republican Senate seat and Rick Bertrand for filling an open Democrat Senate seat.

This Week @ IFFC

Leroy and Janice Cobia cordially invite you to a pro-family reception and fundraiser in support of the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition featuring Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
Friday, October 8, 2010 from 5:00-7:00 PM at the Home of Leroy and Janice Cobia: 17680 Newberry Circle, Council Bluffs. While the reception begins at 5:00 PM our speakers will not begin until 5:30.
Come at your convenience. Light refreshments will be served. General attendance:$25 per person or $30 per couple. Please RSVP to 515-225-1515.

Chris and Cathleen McGowan cordially invite you to a pro-family reception and fundraiser in support of the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition featuring Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
Friday, October 8, 2010 from 7:30-9:00 PM at the Sioux City Country Club. Light refreshments will be served. General attendance:$25 per person or $30 per couple. Please RSVP to 515-225-1515.

Also this Friday in Burlington: Restoring the Power. Friday, October 8th * 7:00 pm * Great River Christian School * 426 Harrison St * Burlington, Iowa Visit http://www.iowachristian.com/amen.htm for more information.

Restoring Power

We were quite happy with the turn out at the “Restoring The Power” event last Friday in Wellman, Iowa with about 70 in attendance. The 2 hour presentation consists of 6 parts:

1) Understanding Terms
2) A Brief History of Nation Building
3) Understanding Church and State
4) The American Republic and the Source of Republicanism
5) The War Against Freedom
6) Restoring Our Republic

The attendees went away understanding the difference between a Republic and a Democracy, key terms that are part of our political language, increased knowledge of our history and foundational concepts that gave birth to our Constitution, important Christian values that support freedom, the battle we face, and hope for the future.

Several of those attending expressed a desire to bring Restoring The Power to other communities and an interest in leading or attending Constitutional Study Groups.  People are realizing that we can no longer allow ourselves to be uninformed when it comes to the truth of our history, our form of government, and the tyranny that is being imposed upon us.

For information about hosting “Restoring The Power” in your community contact:
Brad Sherman
(319) 338-2277
sherm@getpurpose.org

FIRST SESSION 85TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADJOURNS

Finally, 20 days after the scheduled May 3^rd adjournment, the Legislature completed their “deals” and went home.

Based on everything we heard and read, both sides, liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican, gave up something they wanted, and the result was nobody wins the session and the only losers are the people of Iowa.  Why do I say that?  Because the people of Iowa did not get an appreciable property tax cut or any other kind of tax cut.  Education reform really isn’t; the state will go on the hook for more federal Medicaid spending; Planned Parenthood will continue to dip into the state treasury to the tune of $5 million plus; voters will not have to show a valid ID in order to vote; local governments will continue to reap exorbitant fines for minor traffic infractions via traffic cameras and, sadly, Iowa will continue to be one of the most abortion friendly states in the U.S.

There are, of course, a number of wish list items the liberals (Democrats) wanted that they won’t get.  But they can cry in their own beer; I’m not going to do it for them.

There were other issues which fall into the category of losses for Iowa’s citizens, at least from our perspective, and I will mention them in subsequent reports this summer.  I’ve decided not to write just one wrap-up report.  Since there are so many things of which I believe you should be aware, putting it all in one report would make it too long and boring and discourage you from reading it.  Egotistically speaking, I think what I report has some relevance and, therefore, you can benefit by reading it.

PRO-LIFE LEGISLATION

As I mentioned earlier, Iowa will continue to be one of the most abortion friendly states in the union.  Bills were introduced in both the House and Senate to confer “personhood” from the moment of conception, prohibit abortions of in-womb babies after 20 weeks of gestation, limit the use of pharmaceuticals to induce abortion by miscarriage, prohibit state funds from being granted to entities that perform or refer for abortion, prohibit gender selection abortions, prohibit funding of abortions in Health Care reform implementation, and prohibit abortions by a constitutional amendment.  All these efforts failed to make it to the floor in either chamber.  Restrictions on
“web cam” (chemical) abortions got as far as approval by a House subcommittee, but advanced no further.  (See my March 18, 2013 report for a more detailed discussion of HF 173.)

One minor change regarding state funding for abortions was made in the HHS Appropriations Bill, SF 446.

In the past, Medicaid staff routinely approved payment for, usually late-term abortion, when a fetal abnormality was discovered.  About twenty-five abortions a year, most, if not all, performed at the University Hospitals in Iowa City.  There is little information available regarding the severity of the fetal abnormalities qualifying for state payment.  However, in our opinion, no fetal abnormality that doesn’t place the mother’s life at risk justifies the taking of precious unborn life.  Even a life that may have little chance of survival outside the womb is God’s creation and, therefore, deserves protection. Discussion of the merits of our position would require more pages than I can commit to at this time.  So I ask that if you disagree with this position, research the topic, think about it, and consider the ramifications of a lower standard for deciding which life we should defend.

The change made in the final hours of the Legislature’s discussions of these state funded abortions gives the Governor’s office the responsibility of deciding the merits of each one of these procedures.  They are no longer automatically approved by Medicaid staff.  Just how the Governor’s office will carry out this new responsibility is unclear.  The Governor’s staff, including his attorneys, will, I’m sure, be addressing this issue in the near future.  When we find out just how this is going to work, we will let you know.

We were disappointed but not surprised that a Legislature that requires some support from Democrats (mostly in the Senate) to pass abortion restrictions did not do so.  But the next session precedes an election and some Democrats and even squishy Republicans will be under pressure to remove Iowa’s stigma as an abortion friendly state.  I don’t really care what their motivation is.  I just want to save some babies, as many as I can.  I wish we could save them all.

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

My wife was born in Philly.  She has relatives who still live there.  They are fine, decent, God-fearing people.  They are as sickened about what went on in Kermit Gosnell’s abortuary as are we.  If you don’t know about him and the horrors he and his staff committed in the name of a “woman’s right to choose,” Google him and learn what the so-called “free press” tried to hide for months.  Only a few media outlets (led by Fox News) covered the real story.  ABC, CBS, and NBC, among others, should hang their heads in shame for their neglect to inform.

However, when they were finally embarrassed enough to give the Gosnell case some coverage, it seemed to me at least, they focused their attention on the filthy condition of the facility, the lack of modern sterile medical equipment and the impoverished clientele, not the savagery of the procedure.

Would it make any difference if these late-term abortions were done in a pristine facility by well paid, highly trained staff using the latest, sterile equipment?  Would it be more acceptable if the butcher were a board certified OB-GYN employed by a major University Medical School?  Actually, yes.  Dr. Gosnell was accused and convicted of murdering babies who were born alive because he botched the abortion.  If he had made sure they were dead in the womb “with intrauterine or intrafetal injections of digoxin or KCI” as Dr. LeRoy Carhart does, or did what was described as a procedure used by Dr. Jill Meadows (formerly Jill Vibhakar) who simply “grasps fetal parts that start coming through the cervix and then regrasps or twists those parts at a higher level in the cervix or uterus, rather than continuing to pull on the part such that it disarticulates,” he could not be charged with murder. The court record states further that, “Whether the fetus delivers intact up to the fetal head, or whether Dr.Vibhakar has disarticulated the fetus in some fashion in the course of removing the fetus, she must compress the head in some fashion in order to fit through the cervix.”

In other words, Dr. Vibhakar (That’s Dr. Jill Meadows, Medical Director of Planned Parenthood.) takes the baby apart in the womb and crushes the skull to remove the baby.  Not horrific enough for you?  How about the fact that she does not anesthetize or kill the baby with a lethal injection, as does Dr. Carhart, before she starts pulling him or her apart?  Legally, that is brutal, but not murder.

Doubt what I’ve said here?  Everything in quotes can be found online at http://www.justice.gov/osg/briefs/2005/2pet/7pet/2005-0380.pet.app.vol.1.pdf.  They are quotes from a Supreme Court case, Carhart vs. Gonzalez (2007) in which Meadows, along with Carhart, was a plaintiff.  Carhart and Meadows argued unsuccessfully against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act (2003).

If you want an abbreviated version, contact Iowa Right to Life by phone 877-595-9406 or email www.iowaRTL.org and they will send you a two page summary, “Get the Facts – Meet Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s Medical Director Dr. Jill Meadows.”  You really should have a copy of this to share with friends and family.

The horrors of abortion are performed in hell holes, like Gosnell’s, and in pristine facilities like University Hospitals, to everything in between.

I was relating some of this to a sister-in-Christ once and she stopped me and said, “Too much information!”  Is it?  Too much?  Do we not want to think about the horrors, the savagery, the sacrifices to the heathen false god, Molech?

We need to be disgusted by what we, the church, have allowed to happen in the name of someone’s “rights.” Where is the outrage?  Please pray that more people, especially those who have the power to change things, will join us in ending the slaughter.  We owe it to our Lord and Savior. We owe it to His church.  We owe it to the babies.

~~For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. ~~Hebrews 5:12-14

For more information about these Bills from the Iowa Legislatures homepage, click here.

IOWA HOUSE ATTEMPTS TO RE-ESTABLISH SEPARATION OF POWERS

Norm Pawlewski – Lobbyist

April 14, 2013

House File 605 – “An Act related to the liability of a land holder for the public use of private lands and waters.”

In itself, a good bill that would provide protection to land owners (primarily farmers) from certain lawsuits arising from their making their lands and waters “available to the public for recreational purposes and for urban deer control, by limiting the landholders’ liability to persons who enter onto their land to pursue such activities.”  This bill is important not only to the farm community that generously allows children and adults to experience the realities of rural life and nature’s wonders, but the educational opportunities they provide to city folks.  That alone would warrant your support.

But as important as is this issue, the bill also restores and confirms a constitutional provision, the separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches.

The Supreme Court in a ruling this year, Sallee v. Stuart (No. 11-392) (Iowa 2013) established landowner liability beyond legislative intent in Section 461C, Code 2013.  In the second paragraph of the bill, “The general assembly declares that the holding of Sallee……is abrogate in its entirety as contrary to the general assembly’s intent for the construction of this chapter.”

Enacting HF 605 will put the Iowa judiciary on notice that they no longer will play unelected, unrepresentative “Legislature” without being challenged by the “real Legislature,” elected and authorized to write laws by the people of Iowa and its constitution.

It is not surprising that the Farm Bureau and almost every other farm-related organization are registered in support of the bill.  Of course, the Iowa State Bar Association and the Iowa Association for Justice, another lawyer group, are registered against HF 605.  They are, in fact, the only organizations registered against this very important piece of legislation.

We urge you to contact your legislators and the leadership of the House of Representatives to bring up and pass HF 605.  Let’s end judicial tyranny in Iowa.  It could spread to other states and, hopefully, to Washington, D.C.  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION WE WILL ASK YOU TO PROMOTE DURING THIS SESSION OF THE IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

You have our permission and will be grateful if you will forward this ALERT to any e-mail lists of people concerned with the separation of powers and honoring our Constitution.

The courts and the left are already mobilizing to protect the usurpation of powers the judiciary has practiced for decades.  You sent a message in 2010 by denying three “Supremes” the opportunity to continue to ignore the Constitution.  Now let’s send them another message via HF 605.

If you go to the Legislature’s web site to view HF 605, click on Lobbyists’ Declarations on the left side of the screen to see exactly who does and does not support HF 605.

If you are a registered lobbyist, we call your attention to HF 605 and to consider how you might respond to this information.

For more information about this Bill from the Iowa Legislatures homepage, click here.

Funnel Takes All Pro-Life Bills

Norm Pawlewski – Lobbyist

March 18, 2013

The first funnel date came and went and all pro-life bills went with it.  We didn’t expect that any of the “life at conception” bills or any of the limits on abortion would make it to the calendar in either chamber.  We had hoped to at least get the web-cam abortion bill through the committee process and on the House calendar.

HF 173 would require a physician who performs a “medical abortion” to do so only in person and in a location “with the capacity to provide surgical intervention in cases resulting in an incomplete abortion or severe bleeding.”  The bill was mischaracterized by both abortion foes and abortion supporters alike.  We expected abortion supporters, including Planned Parenthood, to oppose the bill.  Planned Parenthood does about one half of its abortions, around 2,000 per year, by web-camera, without a physician being physically present.  The intent of the bill was to stop Planned Parenthood from performing these abortions.  Physicians already have the right to perform “medical or chemical” abortions as well as surgical abortions.  The bill was not legalizing anything that is not now permitted by the FDA’s approval of RU486.

A pro-life organization, claiming a more perfect “Bible worldview” on the life issue, aligned itself with the opponents of the bill to help kill it.  The following organizations registered AGAINST HF 173:  Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Iowa Pro-Life Action, The Iowa Clinic, P.C., Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Family Planning Council of Iowa, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA).

The following organizations registered FOR HF 173:  Iowa Property Rights Council, Concerned Christian Americans, Concerned Women for America of Iowa, The Family Leader, The Family Leader Foundation, Americans United for Life, Iowa Right to Life Committee, Iowa Catholic Conference and Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition.

HF 173 which was passed by a Human Resources Committee subcommittee was not considered by the full committee and, therefore, died.  We were told by leadership that there were not enough votes on the full committee to pass the bill onto the calendar.  One reason for that was the strong opposition to the bill by two Republican House members, Rep. Tom Shaw (R) of Laurens and Rep. Greg Heartsill (R) of Columbia.

Representatives Shaw and Heartsill claimed the bill was putting abortion into the Iowa Code for the first time (Abortion is referred to in the code in at least 5 different sections.) They may also have agreed with critics of HF 173 who, in an unwarranted, untrue, and un-Christian attack letter distributed in Rep. Matt Windschitl’s (R) district, stated the following about HF 173:

“This year Matt Windschitl introduced HF 173 which he says will stop a handful of abortions.” (More than 2,000 is a handful?)

“But, while I think Matt still means well, this bill is the worst thing I’ve seen in several years.”  (If the critic had spent any time at the Capitol, I’m sure they would have seen a number of bad bills.)

“That’s because HF 173 would also:

• Specifically authorize doctors how and when to conduct medical abortions, thereby legalizing abortions legislatively for the first time in Iowa history.”

Not true.  There are several references to the provision of abortion in the Iowa Code.  This bill would regulate what is already a legal medical procedure.  That’s why a physician organization registered and spoke against HF 173 at the subcommittee meeting.

• “Allow abortionists to use nasty ‘chemical abortions’ like RU486 to kill unborn babies.”

As I stated before, physicians already can prescribe RU486.  HF 173 would prohibit the use of telemedicine, prescribing a miscarriage-producing drug by computer Skyping as Planned Parenthood is now doing in rural Iowa.

•  “Make it harder to pass Life at Conception/Personhood bills here in Iowa by establishing legal roadblocks like this.”

Totally false.  HF 173 would be no hindrance to a personhood or any other pro-life bill.  At the same time Rep. Windschitl and 15 other Republicans submitted HF 173, he and 11 other Republicans introduced HF 171:  “An Act relating to the definition of person under the criminal code.”  If HF 171 had passed and become law, HF 173 would be unnecessary and moot.

As you can guess from this report, I am very frustrated and disappointed with what is going on in regard to the right to life battle at the Capitol.  Christians are calling other Christians’ faith and obedience to Christ into question simply because they disagree on tactics and process.  Some are purposely misleading the supporters of the pro-life movement, insulting pro-life warriors of long standing, and  exaggerating their own efforts to save the unborn.  To be blunt, I think it’s more about them than the babies.  When I see them, as I  have seen many of the people they are savaging and demeaning, on their knees outside an abortion facility praying for God to stop the murder, I may give them some of my attention.

Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition believes that life begins at conception, that it comes from our Creator and not the state.  That, except  for rare instances where the mother is in jeopardy of losing her life, we expect a treating physician to abort as a last resort after trying his or her best to save both lives.  We do not consider rape and incest a valid exception to the recognition of personhood and do not endorse candidates who hold rape and incest as a valid exception.

We support without reservation the establishing of “personhood” from conception to natural death into both federal and state law.  However, we reject the notion that we should allow the killing of all the unborn until we can save all the unborn.  We will pursue legislation to thwart the killers at every turn.  Passing a “personhood” bill cannot be a prerequisite to the passing of other pro-life legislation.

If you have any questions about what I have written here about any of the organizations involved, I suggest you go to their web sites or contact me.  I will be happy to assist you in getting the facts, not the hype, fiction, or self-aggrandizement.

Currently, in regard to abortion, Iowa is the most liberal state in the union.  Let me repeat that another way.  Iowa has the most liberal abortion laws in this country.  Abortion is legal, with fewer exceptions than even liberal New York.

I will be seventy-nine years old this May.  Time for me is getting short.  I would like to see Iowa live up to its reputation as a state that respects and protects life.  It currently does not.

For more information about these Bills from the Iowa Legislatures homepage, click here.

~~Luke 18:9-14~~ And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:  “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer.  The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people:  swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.  I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” ~~

Funnel Week

Norm Pawlewski – Lobbyist

March 4, 2013

I’m a little behind in communicating with you about what’s happening under the golden dome.  There are several reasons, some personal (out-of-state family with serious health issues) and a lack of any movement on issues of interest to you and to me.

The family health matters are not over but there has been some lessening of their degree of crises.  I solicit your prayers for my wife (who is also my proof reader, editor and typist) Rose Marie and her family in Albany, Phoenix and Las Vegas.  As they say, “Getting old is not for sissies.”

As for the Legislature, not one pro-life, pro-family, second amendment, voter fraud prevention or tax relief bill has made any progress.  For some of these issues, Friday, March 8^th is a critical date.  The first funnel, a joint rule designed to reduce the number of bills in the system, is triggered on that date.  Bills have to have cleared the committee of origin on that date (i.e., House bills out of their House Committee, Senate bills out of their Senate Committee). Failure to do so renders the bill “dead.”  A bill can be resurrected but unless there is some juice or a very stubborn legislator pushing a particular bill, it is unlikely.  Therefore, most of the bills I have reported on in previous reports and that I will reference in this report are on the chopping block.

MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

Sen. Dennis Guth (R) and seventeen Republican senators have introduced SJR 5 (Senate Joint Resolution 5) which defines marriage specifying that it is legal only between one man and one woman.  It is highly unlikely this Constitutional Amendment will be acted on in the Senate.  Majority Leader Sen. Mike Gronstal has decided that the people of Iowa do not have the right to vote on this issue.

A similar amendment will be introduced, probably this week on the House side.  Since not every Republican and certainly no Democrats are supporting Rep. Dwayne Alons’ (R) bill, its chance for consideration and passage in the House is also dubious.

It appears that Iowa’s voters are not willing to vote to overturn the Iowa Supreme Court’s illegal decision to declare same-sex marriage a constitutional right.  At least that’s what the pundits are telling us.  If that is the case, that same-sex marriage is now acceptable to a majority of Iowa’s citizens, then why don’t the Democrats let them vote on the issue and settle it.  Seven black robed liberals who usurped the power of the legislative and administrative branches should not have the final word on an issue so important to the health and well being of the culture.

I was not intending to devote this report to the issue of the Marriage Amendment, but after hearing a local talk show host, with whose opinions I often agree, I decided I needed to vent and again bring to your attention the reasons that both believers and non-believers should oppose same-sex marriage.

The talk show host, commenting on SJR 5 said in essence, “Get over it; the issue of same-sex marriage is dead.  Iowa voters spoke during the 2012 elections and it is over. They voted to retain Judge David Wiggens by a comfortable margin and re-elected pro-gay marriage legislators like Sen. Mike Gronstal.”

Does that mean that people who have a biblical worldview should abandon their opposition to what God clearly states is an abomination?  Not hardly.  God’s Word and its truth and relevance for our culture is not subservient to the whims of the voters.  It is immutable, unchanging and not subject to the approval of the people.  They can, however, deny His truth or reject His counsel, but they do it to their detriment.  He does know what is best for His creation and that’s why He gave us His Word.  So for believers, public opinion should have no bearing on our beliefs about what is and what is not moral or profitable for us and for our community.  So for me and you who honor and respect the Word of God, our obligation is to continue to advocate for laws that profit our fellow man and are in the best interest of a civilized society, even if that society rejects our counsel.  Sir William Blackstone said, “The law is the embodiment of the moral sentiments of the people.”  Immoral sentiments lead to immoral laws and immoral laws lead to immoral behavior which affects all of us, not only those engaging in the behavior.

That transitions me to my Public Health reasons for objecting to same-sex marriage.  I spent twenty-five years working in public health, twelve as Commissioner of Health for the State of Iowa.  My introduction to public health was with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a public health advisor in venereal disease prevention (now called sexually transmitted diseases STD’s).  We were focused on only two diseases, Syphilis and Gonorrhea.  Now there are dozens of STD’s, with HIV/Aids being one of the most deadly.  Although there are treatments now available to slow the disease’s progress, it is still a killer and overwhelmingly a male, homosexually transmitted disease.  Why is that relevant to the marriage issue?  Because for the most part, activists who are pushing this issue in the U.S. and some European countries are doing so to promote their agenda of normalizing homosexual behavior.

These activists are not interested in gaining hospital visitation privileges, inheritance rights or any of the other equal rights they claim have been denied them because of their inability to marry.  Not all homosexuals are activists and promote the lifestyle.  Many of them know that the homosexual lifestyle is toxic.  Sexually active homosexual men lose between eight and twenty years of life expectancy.
Monogamy, meaning long-term sexual fidelity, is rare in homosexual relationships, particularly among males.  Suicide, alcoholism, drug dependence, STD’s and other serious medical and mental consequences are the result of excessive sexual promiscuity, a trait that dozens of studies attribute to the homosexual lifestyle.  But don’t take my word for it, Google “health risks of homosexuality” and you will be directed to studies, some done by gay friendly groups and relatively neutral sources like the CDC that verify what I’ve written.

Homosexuality is not just an alternative lifestyle that we as a society should promote.  It would be analogous to promoting any other risky behavior like drug use, which some states are promoting by legalizing pot.  Some European countries have legalized hard drugs and are now beginning to realize that encouraging self-destructive behavior is costly to the individual and the collective.

Homosexual activists and lifestyle promoters will deny or downplay the negatives outlined here but there are no Public Health benefits that result from this risky behavior.  Not one study justifies promoting homosexuality.

For more information about these Bills from the Iowa Legislatures homepage, click here.

~~Isaiah 3:4-5~~ And I will make mere lads their princes, And capricious children will rule over them, And the people will be oppressed, each one by another, and each one by his neighbor; The youth will storm against the elder, And the inferior against the honorable.~~

~~Isaiah 5:20-23~~Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And clever in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, And valiant men in mixing strong drink; Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!~~

Iowa’s HIV Law and New Bills of Interest

Norm Pawlewski – Lobbyist

February 8, 2013

IOWA’S HIV SEX LAW

A Des Moines Register editorial (Opinion – Saturday, February 9, 2013) opined about Iowa’s only openly homosexual legislator “pushing legislation that would reduce penalties for HIV-positive Iowans who have sex without disclosing their illness.  Rather than a lengthy prison term, he is pushing for a maximum of five years and fines of up to $7,500.”  Under current law (passed in 1998) it is a felony to “willingly expose someone to HIV, the virus that can cause AIDS.  A person who knows they’re infected and engages in ‘intimate contact’ can face up to 25 years in prison.  They can be found guilty even if they took precautions, even if the other person didn’t contract the virus.”

The editorial writer bemoans the fact that people have been convicted (15 out of 25 charged) and that Iowans were paying for the prison stays of eight of those who were convicted.  Wow, what an injustice.  The fact that these perpetrators put at risk the health and/or lives of their victims seems not to be relevant.

The Register stated that since there is now a treatment for HIV-AIDS it is no longer a death sentence to contract it.  Really?  Sorry folks, no treatment for a disease as horrific as AIDS is 100% effective.  Also, the cocktail of drugs an HIV positive person has to take is expensive, has sometimes serious side effects, and as I said, not guaranteed to stop the progression of the disease.  They also said, “It is not a crime to transmit the flu, which kills more Iowans than AIDS each year.”  Well, DUH, tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Iowans, get the flu each year.  They are exposed to the disease by airborne transmission, not the sharing of needles (drug users) or homosexual sex (approximately 90+% of exposures).  To equate intentionally exposing another person to a still deadly disease like AIDS to passing along the flu because you sneezed at the office is a silly argument and unworthy of a supposed journalist.

They made some other equally silly and moronic arguments for abolishing the law, which I won’t even mention.  I wonder if they have high school seniors or college freshmen on their editorial staff; anyone know?

I don’t think our only openly homosexual legislator, Senator Matt McCoy, has finished his draft of the bill, but once it is introduced I will get you the Senate File number.

P.S.  I was State Health Commissioner when the first five cases of AIDS (at the time referred to as Kaposi’s sarcoma) in young homosexual men were identified by the Center for Disease Control.  All five died.

BILLS OF INTEREST

Traffic Cameras

In the Senate, SF 19, SF 20, SF 21, SF 44, SF 130, SF 139 and in the House HF 106:

Each of these bills either ban the use of traffic cams, establish a maximum fine or direct how the fine proceeds are to be spent by the city or county.

Although the cities and counties that utilize traffic cams claim it’s about safety not revenue enhancement, they oppose bills that direct the revenues to be distributed to local charities or the road use fund or the secondary road fund.  It is about the revenue and it is about their general fund.

Do I think any of these bills will get a fair hearing and make it to the governor’s desk?  No, no, a thousand times, no.  Gronstal likes traffic cams and what Gronstal likes, he gets.  His caucus would follow him to Hades.

Property Rights (United Nations Agenda 21)

HF 11 – introduced by Pettingill (R) and Watts (R)

Current Code Section 18B.1 enumerates the “Iowa Smart Planning Principles.”  These principles are ten principles that state agencies, local governments, and other public entities are required to consider and may apply during deliberation of all appropriate zoning, development and resource management decisions. The ten principles can be traced to the United Nations’ efforts to inject themselves into this country’s local planning and development efforts.  We favor this bill, but some county boards of supervisors, city councils (most, if not all, controlled by liberals), AARP, and other liberal organizations are opposed to HF 11.  I think it will pass the House but passage in the Senate is doubtful.

HF 66 – introduced by Watts (R) and 26 other Republicans

This bill would prohibit the implementation of United Nations’ Agenda 21.  Agenda 21 is an international environmental action plan of the United Nations relating to sustainable development.

Again, the liberals love Agenda 21 and supposed “smart planning.”  They mock conservatives for trying to protect and enforce our Constitution and not the power grabs of the United Nations.

HF 76 – filed by Watts (R) and six Republicans

This “bill specifies that it shall be the public policy of this state to protect its citizens from the application of foreign laws when the application of foreign law will result in the violation of a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States or the State of Iowa including but not limited to due process; freedom of religion, speech, or press; and any right of privacy or marriage embodied in the Constitution of the State of Iowa.”

There’s a lot more in this bill and what’s in it is important to your continued liberty.  Please read it and talk to your friends and relatives about supporting it.  Don’t be a low-information citizen.

Abortions – Right to Life

SF 29 – introduced by Sen. Zaun (R)

“This bill restricts the use of funds appropriated under or appropriated to any trust fund pursuant to federal health care reform legislation for use in this state, by prohibiting expenditure of such funds for an abortion” with few exceptions, life of the mother being one.

This bill would prohibit using your tax dollars or premium dollars for abortions under “Obamacare.”

SF 45 – introduced by Sen. Zaun (R) and eleven Republicans

This bill prohibits abortions, except to save the life of the mother after 20 weeks gestation.  This is the same bill that was referred to as the late-term abortion prohibition bill last year.  It was also referred to as the “keep Carhart out of Iowa” bill.

HF 138 – introduced by Shaw (R) and eight Republicans

This bill defines “person” in the context of the victim of the crime of murder to be an individual human being without regard to age of development, from the moment of conception, when the zygote is formed, until natural death.

This bill is controversial among pro-life, pro-abortion, and I don’t care Iowans, not so much for what it does say, but for what it doesn’t say.  Who would be charged with murder if an abortion is performed is left to local law enforcement and how those decisions would be made is one of, but not the only, question.

HF 171 – introduced by Windschitl (R) and eleven Republicans

Similar to HF 138 in that it defines what is a person under the criminal code and also describes what does and does not constitute a crime against a person.

I urge you to read both bills carefully but please understand that neither of these bills will make it to the governor’s desk.  I’ll let you know when it’s clear, which of these bills may make it out of the House.

HF 173 – introduced by Windschitl (R) and fourteen Republicans

This “bill defines ‘medical abortion’ as the use of a medication…to terminate a pregnancy and provides that only a physician shall prescribe, dispense, or administer any medication for the purpose of inducing a medical abortion.”  It also requires that the physician shall “comply with all federal regulations relating to the prescribing, dispensing, and administering” the medication.  He must also administer the medication “in person” and in a “clinic or hospital with the capacity to provide surgical intervention in cases resulting in an incomplete abortion or severe bleeding.”

This is a pro-life bill only to the extent that it seeks to protect the health and life of the pregnant woman or girl but not the baby.  It seeks to prohibit the callous and careless Planned Parenthood chemical abortion service which violates all the protections offered in this bill.  The women and young girls currently receiving chemical abortions from Planned Parenthood are at great risk, have experienced some of the complications this bill would mitigate or prevent and are being ignored by the Board of Medicine, the Department of Health and the other state professional licensing boards that have a responsibility to protect them.

I would hope that the Iowa Medical Society and the Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association and the other medical professional organizations will support HF 173 in the interest of quality health services.

Can anyone explain why the ACLU-IA. registered in opposition to a bill that ensures quality healthcare and safeguarding the lives of Iowa’s women?  Why are they dedicated to protecting the less than a quality standard of care provided by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland?

For more information about these Bills from the Iowa Legislatures homepage, click here.

~~Hebrews 4:11-16~~Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.~