Fairness Doctrine Is Unfair
- Rick Scarborough
- Jul 1, 2008
Dear Vision America Supporter,
Our team continues to work across New Mexico encouraging and educating pastors how to lead their congregations to vote this fall, not Republicans or Democrats or Independents, but as followers of Jesus Christ, voting their Biblical values. We are looking for partners in this effort, to learn more about our work in New Mexico, visit Vision New Mexico.
________________________________________
The Next President Could Appoint A Third of the Supreme Court
The next president could appoint three Supreme Court justices – or one-third of the Court. That’s one big reason why Values Voters have a moral responsibility to vote this year.
The Court is now evenly balanced. There are four judicial activists – Associate Justices David Souter, John Paul Stevens, Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And there are four strict constructionists -- who adhere to the intent of the Constitution’s drafters – Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia.
Anthony Kennedy is the swing vote – though he swings with the left more often than not. Most of the Court’s decisions are 5-4 – including its masterful defense of the individual right to keep and bear arms and its horrendous ruling striking down laws that allow capital punishment for those who rape children.
Stevens is 88, while Bader-Ginsburg is 75 and in ill health. At 68, Souter is said to be eager to return to home to New Hampshire – which would suit me just fine.
If just one of these three was replaced by an advocate of judicial-restraint, that would give us a solid majority on the Court. Think of what that would mean for the unborn, parental rights, the war on terrorism and effective crime control.
Conservatives worked hard to have Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito confirmed. They replaced William Rehnquist (a conservative) and Sandra Day O’Connor, another swing vote – who increasingly swung in the wrong direction.
Since the 1950s, liberal Supreme Court justices have grown increasingly bold in their attacks on the Constitution, reasoned liberty and Judeo-Christian morality.
The next president could nominate judges who share the Founding Fathers belief in faith and freedom or he could choose leftists who will continue the ignoble tradition of legislating from the bench.
This is why I am traveling back and forth across this country holding One Day Crusades and Pastor Briefings. That’s why I’m calling on Christians to vote in this crucial election
We cannot afford to sit back and wait for the perfect candidate. In every election, we must support the candidate whose principles most closely reflect our own. We must think of the unborn, of innocent children and of the morality on which America was founded and grew to greatness. And we must fulfill our civic duty and obligation to vote.
Will you help Vision America in this great undertaking? Make a donation here to help us continue this fight to educate the Christian community about just how important it is that we stand for good judges and participate in the electoral process. We’re not telling Christians how to vote. We’re telling them it is their Christian duty to vote.
________________________________________
Fairness Doctrine Is Unfair
Two weeks ago we alerted you to a clear and present danger to our freedom of speech—the Fairness Doctrine.
Thank you to everyone who contacted their elected officials to oppose the resurrection of the Fairness Doctrine and in support of the Broadcaster Freedom Act. If you haven’t yet contacted your Congressmen, please do so by using this link.
The Fairness Doctrine, in effect from 1949 to 1987, mandated that broadcasters airing opinion programming had to also grant air time to those expressing opposing viewpoints. Will Christian stations with pro-life programming be forced to provide “equal time” to Planned Parenthood?
Most Christian stations would close their doors first – which is exactly what proponents of the new Fairness Doctrine want.
"Bringing back the Fairness Doctrine would amount to government control over political views expressed on the public airwaves. It is dangerous to suggest that the government should be in the business of rationing free speech," U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), said. Responding to this potential threat to First Amendment freedoms, Pence introduced the Broadcaster Freedom Act a year ago.
Currently, the bill is bottled up in committee. Pence has gathered 194 signatures (out of a necessary 218) on a discharge petition which would force the bill out of committee and onto the House floor for a vote. On Wednesday, Pence challenged House Democrats to "declare their independence, stand for freedom and sign the Discharge Petition for Broadcaster Freedom Act before the 4th of July."
"The idea of the government being the censor of what happens on the radio is one of the more bizarre things I have heard," U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) said. "Let's make a permanent law so we don't have government censorship of our airwaves."
Contact your representative and senators, urging support for the Broadcast Freedom Act and opposition to the Fairness Doctrine.
________________________________________
States Thumb Nose at Traditional Values
New Mexico is one of many states that have decided that abstinence-only education is impracticable and have chosen to reject federal funds that support the only proven way to prevent sexually transmitted disease and out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
Iowa Governor Chet Culver claims the curriculum -- which requires teaching the social, psychological and health gains of abstaining from sexual activity until marriage -- is “too strict.”
Twenty-eight states participate in the program, according to Chicago’s Daily Herald. At the same time, 14 states require teaching both abstinence and contraception in sex ed – which borders on schizophrenia. Nineteen states only require abstinence, but contraception may also be taught. Seventeen states don't tell their local school boards what to do.
Georgia is one of the states that accept federal funds for abstinence education. As a result, the number of teen pregnancies has almost been cut in half. Jen Bennecke, executive director of the governor's office for children and families, understands the advantages of the program. "We really see abstinence education as a clear, concise and positive message," Bennecke said. "We've presented it as a healthy lifestyle choice."
Information on which states are rejecting abstinence education funds is sketchy. We do know New Mexico, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Montana and New Jersey have all rejected the money to help protect our children. I strongly encourage you to contact Governor Bill Richardson and find out why he opposes abstinence education and has rejected to use the federal money allocated to New Mexico for it.
We must take a stand, wherever we can, to protect our children from the liberal sexual agenda. Abstinence education works; condom distribution in the schools is playing Russian roulette with the lives of our children.
Vision New Mexico is working to educate and mobilize an army of Values Voters this election year. We have many Pastor Briefings already scheduled for July, please urge your pastor to attend one of these free events. Select here for a complete listing of rallies, pastor briefings and other events. To donate to our efforts in New Mexico please select here.
I remain...Your servant and friend,
Pastor Rick Scarborough
