Mke Cty Board stalls domestic partner benefits resolution

We have an update on the status of the Milwaukee County resolution to give health care benefits to the same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners of county employees at the estimated cost of $4 million/yr to county taxpayers.  In our last e-update, we mentioned that Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker vetoed the resolution, as promised, and that the County Board was going to consider a veto override.

The County Supervisors met Wednesday night and they did vote to override 21 of Walker’s 34 vetoes in the 2010 budget.  However, we are pleased to report that they did not vote to override Walker’s veto of the domestic partner health benefits resolution. Instead, they used a stalling tactic to send the resolution back to the committee where it originated.  The resolution is not dead but it is at least delayed until the next time the County Supervisors meet, which will likely be in December. We do not yet know the date of that meeting but we will let you know as soon as we find out.

If you live in Milwaukee County, there’s still time for you to call your supervisor at 414-278-4222 and urge him/her to sustain Executive Walker’s veto of the domestic partner benefits resolution.  If you don’t know who your supervisor is, click here to find that information.

Thank you for contacting County Executive Walker’s office in support of his veto and for contacting your Milwaukee County Supervisor! Wisconsin Family Action placed at least 11,000 calls into households in Milwaukee County and four surrounding counties, urging people to call/email County Executive Walker in support of his veto and encourage the County Supervisors to uphold Walker’s veto.  Your actions paid off! For now, at least, the resolution is stalled in committee with the possibility that it may never come out of committee, in which case County Executive Walker’s veto will stand!

Butler’s federal nomination, downright insulting

In the current political climate, I guess it comes as no surprise that Wisconsin voters have once again been ignored and insulted.  But it’s still incredibly frustrating!

In 2000, Judge Louis Butler ran for a seat on the State Supreme Court and was rejected by Wisconsin voters in favor of conservative Justice Diane Sykes.  No worries for Butler, however; four years later when Sykes vacated her seat for an appointment to the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Gov. Jim Doyle appointed Butler to the coveted position on the state’s High Court.

Four years later, after Butler had firmly established his reputation as a liberal justice, during a hotly contested election, Wisconsin voters rejected him again in favor of another conservative, Justice Michael Gableman.  It was the first time in four decades a sitting Wisconsin Supreme Court justice lost a retention election.

So what does a slightly-used State Supreme Court Justice do when he’s been rejected by voters both times he ran in an election?  Get himself nominated to a lifetime federal judgeship in the Western District of Wisconsin, by none other than President Barack Obama.

And of course, Wisconsin’s U.S. Senators (both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee that held Butler’s nomination hearing), could not be happier with the nomination, since they recommended it.  This blatant disregard for Wisconsin voters might lead some to question Kohl and Feingold’s loyalty to the people they’re supposed to be representing.

In the meantime, Gov. Doyle is getting ready to sign into law a bill that would increase (to a scarily unlimited amount–at the taxpayers’ expense no less!) public financing of State Supreme Court elections.  This despite Wisconsin’s bad history of public financing of elections…

Giving Thanks for a Few Kernels of Corn

A suggestion for your family as you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving Day next week…

In 1623, after a particularly harsh winter, Plymouth Governor William Bradford wrote that the people had existed daily on only a few kernels of corn.  But by harvest time that year, God had providentially ended a severe drought and sent ships with both people and provisions.

That second Thanksgiving feast was truly a time when our forefathers corporately gave heartfelt thanks to God for His goodness and protection.

By the mid-1820s, those seeking to honor the Pilgrims had established a wonderful tradition of putting a few kernels of corn (many say it is 5 kernels) at each person’s place at the Thanksgiving dinner.  Perhaps some of you do that.  I hope many more will after reading this.

The kernels can be powerful reminders. Let’s “mark” them.

• The first kernel reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who founded and established this country.
• The second kernel reminds us of God’s faithful provision to those early settlers and also to us today.
• The third kernel reminds us of the privilege that it is to live in America, the Shining City on a Hill, where we still enjoy incredible freedom and prosperity.
• The fourth kernel reminds us of family and friends and the laughter, love and support they give us.
• And, last, but far from least, the fifth kernel reminds us of the salvation that we have in Jesus Christ, Who is the Author of Liberty and Who makes life worth living.

Of all people, American Christians should be most grateful.  We have a great and faithful God Who has privileged us to live in a country uniquely founded and marvelously blessed.

This Thanksgiving may we take time as we gather with family and friends to thank God for all that He has given us individually and nationally.  What bounty has come from those few kernels of corn!

AFA’s “Naughty or Nice” list released

I love Christmas shopping for family and friends.  It’s one of my favorite parts about Christmas–the colorful decorations in the stores, the Christmas music, that special “find” that is just perfect for this sister or that friend.

However, the last few years I’ve begun to dread “the checkout” when some well-meaning cashier (wearing a perky red Santa hat no less) will hand me my Christmas present purchases, smile at me and wish me a, “Happy Holidays!”  I always respond with a cheerful “Merry Christmas!” and a friendly, non-threatening, somewhat-forced  smile.  Fifty percent of the time, the cashier will give me a relieved smile and a “Merry Christmas!” right back.  The others just ignore me, and I them.

What’s really downright insulting, however, is when a store advertises for Christmas shopping without even once mentioning the name of the holiday they’re counting on for a healthy year-end boost.  Hello, people, it’s Christmas that 95% of Americans are celebrating in December.

As partakers in a healthy free enterprise system, we have the choice to patronize stores that recognize our Christian holiday and strong American tradition and to not patronize stores that try to marginalize or ignore Christmas.

Every year the American Family Association (AFA) publishes a handy “Naughty or Nice” list of stores/brands that are Christmas friendly, or not.  Click here to see the list.

Next week Focus on the Family Action’s website, StandForChristmas.com will allow you to post feedback to retailers, rate retailers and share the information with friends.

In the meantime, I suggest that you purchase a few “Merry Christmas” buttons to wear on your coat when you go Christmas shopping.  It’s a great way to let cashiers and other shoppers know that you, at least, are Christmas friendly!

more about “CitizenLink: Merry Tossmas 2008“, posted with vodpod

Supporting Families and Right Priorities

This week’s radio commentary:

In September of this year, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker delivered his 2010 budget and indicated that his number one objective for the budget was to make it more affordable for families to live and work in Milwaukee County. It is most certainly a laudable objective, and one that Wisconsin Family Council fully supports.County Executive Scott Walker understands that the family is the key to any society and economy. It’s the number one reason he wants to hold the line on taxes in Milwaukee County—to support family units instead of stressing families with excessive taxation, especially following such a difficult year financially.

Thirteen of the nineteen members of the Milwaukee County Board, however, have a different agenda. On November 5, during a County Board meeting, those thirteen members voted to adopt a budget provision to draft changes to the county health insurance plan that would ultimately give health care benefits to the same-sex and opposite-sex unmarried domestic partners of county employees.

Read/listen to the rest here.

“No Jesus” Judge Up for Sen Confirmation Hearing for US 7th Circuit

In the last 24 hours, we’ve heard from at least 2 reliable sources that the US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying hard to get a confirmation hearing–as early as this coming Tuesday–for one of President Obama’s most liberal judicial nominees.  Obama has nominated David Hamilton for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.   This is the same court on which one of Wisconsin’s finest, Diane Sykes, a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, also serves.

Hamilton is a district judge in Indiana who has quite a history of raw judicial activism, including ruling that the Indiana legislature cannot have anyone open that body in a prayer that includes “in Jesus’ name,” but indicated that a prayer in Allah’s name is just fine.  Fortunately, a higher court overturned this insane ruling.  However, that doesn’t change the heart or intent of the judge who made the initial ruling.

One of Townhall’s bloggers has a letter prepared to send to Senators to encourage them to not confirm David Hamilton.  Click here to read the short article and the letter and then send it.  Remember that to send an email to Kohl and Feingold, you have to use their online form.  Here are those links:

Sen. Russ Feingold:  http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

Sen. Herb Kohl:  http://kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Just copy and paste the text of the letter into the form, choose “Judicial Nominations” as topic and blast your message off to the senators.  We encourage you to take these easy steps to let Kohl and Feingold know not all Wisconsin citizens agree with this ultra-liberal nominee for our branch of the federal appeals court.

Support Cty Exec Scott Walker’s Veto Promise #fb

Last Thursday, November 5, the 19-member Milwaukee County Board voted 13-6 in favor of a proposal to give health care benefits to the same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners of county employees. This proposal, if implemented, is yet another attempt to undermine the institution of one-man, one-woman marriage, in spite of being “disguised” as just a “benefit.”  Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has promised to veto the provision which comes with an estimated $4 million price tag at a time when the County needs to cut costs, not implement entirely new ones.

This is not an isolated incident.  What happens in Milwaukee County will likely be in your county soon. When the people of Wisconsin voted to pass the Marriage Protection Amendment in November 2006, same-sex marriage proponents vowed to get their radical agenda in at the local level. Already, Dane County, the City of Madison and the City of Milwaukee have instituted domestic partner benefits and/or registries.

We need to support County Exec Walker’s decision to veto this proposal and uphold fiscal responsibility and the institution of marriage in Milwaukee County.  What happens in Milwaukee County will embolden other counties all around the state.  Please, take a moment to send a message encouraging County Exec. Scott Walker in his decision to veto this expensive and unnecessary provision.  The veto needs to happen by next Wednesday.  Please send your message as soon as possible.

lf you do not live in Milwaukee County, click here to send that message.

If you are a Milwaukee County resident, click here to send a message.

Jumpstarting ObamaCare in Florida

Florida’s Department of Health officials are already out of the gate with their proposed guidelines for rationing medical care in case of a severe flu outbreak. Patients with incurable cancer, end-stage multiple sclerosis and other conditions would not even be admitted to a hospital.  Hospital staff could use their discretion to remove ventilators from seriously ill patients and give them to patients with a better chance of surviving.

Florida’s guidelines state that they seek to do “the greatest good for the greatest number.”   However, behind those high-sounding words lurks the ugly truth:  Hospitals will treat the patients who are most likely to survive and either deny or withdraw medical care from those patients who have a poor prognosis.  No “greatest good” there. A foreshadowing of death panels of faceless bureaucrats who are going to make value judgments about “quality of life” and decide that the old, disabled, and incurably ill do not deserve treatment?

Christianity teaches that all human life is sacred from conception until natural death.  An approach consistent with Christian moral principles would try to save everyone, even knowing that is not possible.

Click here for more information on this story.

~ Judith Brant (WFC Staff)

To Those Who Serve/Served…Thank You!

I am so grateful for this opportunity to thank our veterans of foreign wars, past and present, for their service to our country.  Those of us who have never been in combat can only imagine the sacrifices you’ve made, the horrors you’ve experienced and the grief you’ve suffered.  But we are so thankful for you and for everything you’ve done to protect and defend our country.

Today I’ll be calling my grandpa, a Vietnam War veteran and career Marine, to thank him for his service.  And I’ll call my grandma in memory of my other grandpa, a WWII and Korean War veteran and career Marine.  I’m so grateful for the sacrifices both my grandpa’s made to preserve freedom for their children and grandchildren, and to give us a proud heritage in the U.S. Marine Corp.

This Veterans’ Day is especially somber for the United States in wake of the Fort Hood massacre in Texas last week. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of those killed and with the survivors and wounded as we pray for their comfort and healing.

We must never lose sight of the fact that the freedoms and liberties we often take for granted were bought at the price of precious life. How true it is that freedom is never free. There’s a cost to liberty and sadly, thanks to our fallen nature, it often comes at the cost of life to those who have the courage and the resolve to defend it with their lives.

Today we honor the sacrifice and service of our veterans, and it is our privilege to do so not just on Veterans’ Day but every day of the year as we enjoy the freedoms they’ve defended for us.  Quite honestly, we have a very real duty to our veterans, a duty to do our part, here at home, to preserve the freedoms they fought for, the freedoms they sacrificed for, the cause they lost their comrades and years of their lives to.  It is not enough to honor them with our praises and gratitude; we need to honor them with our time, efforts and action.  We honor our veterans when we fight here on the home front for the freedoms and values they fought for on foreign soil.

Happy Veterans’ Day to all our veterans!

True Honor

This week’s radio commentary:

This week we honor the sacrifice and service of our veterans, and it is our privilege to do so not just on Veterans’ Day but every day of the year as we enjoy the freedoms they’ve defended for us.

Quite honestly, we have a very real duty to our veterans, a duty to do our part, here at home, to preserve the freedoms they fought for, the freedoms they sacrificed for, the cause they lost their comrades and years of their lives to. It is not enough to honor them with our praises and gratitude; we need to honor them with our time, efforts and action.

In the last year, our freedoms have been attacked with a speed and a fervor never before seen in the history of our country, from the local school board, to the state capitol, to Washington D.C. Unfortunately, we’re experiencing the very real truth that elections have consequences.

Read/listen to the rest here.