Commentary

Pence Comes to Idaho

Posted on by David Ripley

Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence came to Boise yesterday for a fundraising event.

While the rigors of a national campaign did not allow him to stay in the Gem State for long, it was clear that he is well familiar with Idaho’s leading political actors. After his introduction by Gov. Butch Otter, Pence talked about his service in Congress with Butch.  He also spoke with admiration about the record of Sen. Jim Risch – who has once again been singled out as the most conservative member of the United States Senate.

Gov. Pence is exactly the same person as he appears in television interviews: humble, passionate about the Constitution and devoted to his Christian faith.  Rather than speaking about his personal ambitions, Pence spent most of his time talking about his interactions with the presidential candidate, Donald Trump.  It is clear that he has gained a sincere admiration for the man and appreciates the fact that perhaps his greatest contribution to America may come in helping Trump win in November.

Pence emphasized the dire consequences of a Clinton presidency, particularly in the area of Supreme Court precedent and the ensuing legal turmoil.

And Mr. Pence made several references to the need to restore protections for America’s preborn children.

It speaks volumes about Mr. Trump’s judgment that he chose Mike Pence as his co-pilot in the battle to restore the Republic.

Right to Life Endorses Trump

Posted on by David Ripley

The National Right to Life Committee announced yesterday that it was formally endorsing Donald Trump for President. In a public statement, NRLC focused on Hillary Clinton’s radical agenda to expand abortion in America – while acknowledging Trump’s oft-repeated commitment to appointing pro-Life judges to the federal bench.

After securing the nomination, Mr. Trump issued a public list of eleven potential nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court in the event that he gets the opportunity to make such appointments. The list of possible candidates was met with universal acclaim by pro-Life activists familiar with the records of those individuals.

Mr. Trump has also repeatedly stated his intention to end the federal government’s partnership with Planned Parenthood – America’s largest merchant of prenatal death.

By contrast, Hillary Clinton has led her party into a deeper partnership with the world’s most nefarious organized crime ring. She has endorsed Planned Parenthood’s demand for public financing of abortions and pledged to appoint abortion adherents to all levels of the federal judiciary.

Mrs. Clinton has even gone so far as to call for a reform of Christian theology in order to end formal opposition to legalized abortion.

The urgency of this presidential contest was highlighted by revelations that abortion cheerleader Barack Obama has – in addition to his Supreme Court appointments – made some 326 appointments to federal district courts around the country. He has been immensely successful in packing the courts with liberals.  As of now, he has managed to gain a majority of Democrat appointees in 9 of the 13 federal court circuits.  With a lifetime license to kill and destroy, these liberal federal judges will be wreaking havoc on American justice for decades.

The Most Dangerous Man in America

Posted on by David Ripley

George Soros’ wide and deep role in funding and directing the American Left have come under some media scrutiny in the past couple of weeks, as a treasure trove of email traffic and documents from his “Open Society Foundation” have been made public.

Documents show that he is a primary financier of the Black Lives Matter group fomenting violence as well as lethal attacks on police officers across America. Other documents show his fingerprints on the movements to free violent felons from federal prisons, erase the nation’s border, revolutionize voting procedures and undermine America’s economic strength through a radical environmental agenda.

Despite a criminal record for insider trading, Soros continues to amass greater wealth and controlling influence within the Democratic Party. Reports indicate that he is now worth some $25 billion – the very personification of the “One Percent”.  Yet he exercises a magnetic force on the politics of Hillary Clinton and many members of Congress – from both parties.

But among the many revolutionary/anarchist movements that Soros continues to spawn in a mad strategy of destroying western civilization, none is more troubling than his funding of the legalized abortion movement.

A recent report in LifeNews shows that Soros is spending millions of dollars to overturn pro-Life protections for preborn children in a number of nations – including Ireland, Tanzania, Mexico and Nigeria. His strategy in Ireland is to funnel millions into Amnesty International to promote the notion that abortion is a fundamental “human right”.

In America, Soros has donated more than $18 million to Planned Parenthood in the past five years. He then made an emergency allocation to Planned Parenthood in the wake of their baby-body-parts scandal to help them finance a public relations effort aimed at calming the consciences of most Americans.  That kind of money and powerful influence is part of the reason that the Congressional inquiry into Planned Parenthood’s sordid practices has faded from the media’s attention, despite the panel’s irrefutable evidence of the darkest evil within America’s largest abortion chain.

This is but a brief overview of the dark influence of George Soros on modern American politics. But it is sufficient to confirm the worst fears that Soros is a one-man conspiracy to cripple America.  The extent of his influence and effectiveness is truly horrifying.

Tim Kaine: Perfect for Hillary

Posted on by David Ripley

Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat pick for Vice-President, is a near-perfect running mate for Hillary Clinton. He is a decent looking person, with a moderate amount of charm.  Kaine seems reasonably intelligent and able to answer most questions.  Not quite bland – but close enough so as to pose no challenge to Hillary, probably the least charismatic candidate ever nominated for the presidency.

But those are all the superficial reasons Clinton settled on the senator from Virginia.

A much more important qualification is Kaine’s Catholicism. His most important job is to lure moderate Catholics into supporting the Democrat ticket.  He will preach the Democrat gospel of “social justice” from the campaign trail, rather than the doctrine of Catholic orthodoxy. 

Ronald Reagan won the Catholic vote in 1980 and 1984; George Bush won Catholics in 2000 and 2004. Clinton and Obama won the Catholic vote in other recent elections.  The only Republican to win the presidency and (narrowly) lose the Catholic vote was George Bush Sr.

That data suggests the critical nature of Kaine’s mission this November.

Kaine is well-suited to the task: He has a history of third-world missionary work, which serves as an entrée into the Hispanic Catholic communities. But it is his practicality and self-serving character which will make him most useful to Clinton.

Long ago, Kaine jettisoned the teachings of the Church on core moral questions: He is now “personally” pro-Life – but has vigorously defended the government’s imposition of legalized abortion on America. (And, by “personally” – we presume that he would never, personally, seek an abortion.  Which is a good thing).  He joins a long list of Catholic public officials – Pelosi, Kennedy, Cuomo – who have seemingly prospered in this world by jettisoning the inconvenient truths of their faith; officials who continue to succeed without a peep of censure from the hierarchy of the Church.

For years, Kaine has defended the notion that taxpayers – many of whom are Christians with a deeper grasp of the abortion horror – should not be coerced into paying for abortions; but that “principle” has come into conflict with the Democrat Party’s new platform. Consistent with a lifetime of adjusting his principles to accommodate his ambition, Kaine has recently come to believe that taxpayers should help poor women and girls kill their babies. 

Which brings us to the central reason that Tim Kaine is such a perfect match for Hillary Clinton. The Clinton Family won’t have to worry about VP Tim raising Cain over the Mafioso-like operations of their White House.  He is perfectly flexible.

Historic Struggle for Life Continues

Posted on by David Ripley

In the wake of the most recent Supreme Court ruling, some in media have suggested that the political, social and legal fight for preborn is all but over. Of course, wishful thinking is not a measure of reality.

In recent days, it has become clear that the pro-Life community is more resolute than ever to end the tyranny of legalized abortion.

For example, just yesterday the House Appropriations Committee voted on a key funding bill for the State Department and foreign aid programs. In it, Republicans fought to defend pro-Life values by denying funds for the UN’s Population Control programs – so long as they continue to aid China in forcing women there to submit to abortions.  In addition, Republicans included language which would codify the “Mexico City Policy” – long a battle ground with Planned Parenthood and their Democrat advocates.  Started under President Reagan, the policy prohibits U.S. tax dollars from going to international organizations who perform abortions in foreign countries.  (In other words, Planned Parenthood International).

Since Obama destroyed the Mexico City Policy upon taking office back in 2009, the House measure obviously sets up a confrontation with Senate Democrats and Obama later this year.

We also saw a meeting of the Platform Committee yesterday preparing for the Republican National Convention. Reports indicate that they are recommending to the convention the strongest pro-Life platform in history.  The Platform will call for an end to taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, as well as a ban on the use of aborted baby parts for medical research.  Another section condemns the recent Supreme Court edict (Whole Woman’s Health) which prioritizes Planned Parenthood profits over the health and safety of women and girls.

The Republican platform stands in complete contrast to the upcoming Democrat statement on abortion, which apparently is becoming ever more radical. News reports indicate that Hillary will demand that taxpayers pay for all abortions if a woman or girl can’t pay the gangland slayers at Planned Parenthood.

Thus sets up an historic election. No genuine pro-Lifer can afford to be caught on the sidelines this fall.

Celebrating Fatherhood

Posted on by David Ripley

As we celebrate fatherhood this weekend, we should note the marvel of God’s ordered universe. His gift of Life to mankind, the power to participate with Him in the actual creation of Life, is a wonder and power to be revered.  Too often in our culture, fatherhood is portrayed as a great burden to be escaped; more often fatherhood is belittled.  Yet the actual experience of humanity is that fatherhood is among God’s greatest gifts.

Children are the secret agents which help us to grow into real adulthood. From the outside, it appears that fatherhood is a matter of giving and sacrifice.  Certainly there is truth there.  But the more profound reality is that God uses children to lead us into a deeper life experience in which we are given opportunities to escape the bondage and limitations of self.

So, this weekend, let us celebrate what children give us – acknowledging that we owe them more than we can ever repay.

And let us pray for those fathers who have been denied the fruits of God’s gift because of abortion and all the false promises made by a deceived culture. May our heavenly Father bring those men healing.

Hillary to Toast Abortion Today

Posted on by David Ripley

Democrat Hillary Clinton will pay an official visit to Planned Parenthood as one of her first political acts following her seizure of the presidential nomination. She will address the organization’s political action committee leadership in Washington, D.C.

She will thank the nation’s largest abortion chain for funding her presidential campaign, and plead for even greater help in beating Donald Trump this November.

Following her formal remarks, it is expected that Ms. Clinton will join Cecile Richards and other Planned Parenthood officials in hoisting a few champagne toasts to congratulate one another on the 30 or 40 million babies destroyed at Planned Parenthood facilities during their long and sordid partnership.

Common Core’s Social Agenda

Posted on by David Ripley

Socialization: A process by which the Left creates new standards of moral order.

Opponents of the common core agenda, which includes a nationalization of public education, have long feared that a major component of the elite’s agenda to “reform” education had nothing to do with developing basic intellectual skills. A good part of that concern is the result of the tremendous secrecy which surrounds the common core testing – to point where parents and even teachers are prohibited from seeing questions.  Such an approach to testing defies the logic of testing.

Yet here we are, in a land where private contractors working for bureaucrats in Washington are redefining “education” and “learning” without public oversight.

The worst fears were confirmed this last week when a student taking a biology exam sent a photo of the question home to his parents over his smartphone. The question was a blatant attempt to normalize abortion:

“John and his sister Brittany are high school students in a small town. Their mother Jill is 40 years old and has learned that she is pregnant with a child.  Genetic testing has indicated that the child has Down’s Syndrome.  Their family doctor has recommended that Jill have an abortion.  John and Brittany’s mother and father have called the family together to discuss their options.  Which of the following statements describes how the family should make this decision?”

The high school biology students were presented with four multiple choice answers – none of which included the option of choosing to give this preborn child life.

The student’s parents were outraged, of course, and contacted school officials. And they, of course, pled ignorance as to the content of the test questions.

It is important to note that this exam was not in Stockton or Newark. It took place in neighboring Utah – a well known bastion of conservative religious values.

Here is the original story from the Salt Lake Tribune:

 

Congressional Panel Continues to Press on Organ Harvesting Scandal

Posted on by David Ripley

The House Select Investigative Committee released more findings of its research into the gruesome partnership between Planned Parenthood and companies trafficking in aborted baby parts.

Led by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, the Congressional committee announced this week that it had uncovered serious violations of patient privacy and collusion to deceive women undergoing abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics. Given the sordid nature of the business, it is impossible for women and girls to avoid being treated like a commodity as organ harvesting companies hunt to buy valuable organs and tissue for resale.

The committee found that companies like Stem Express gain illegal access to patient files as they look for the best candidates to fill orders from their partners in universities and the pharmaceutical industry. Medical history, blood type, economic status and genetic information can all add special value to the tissue harvested from aborted babies.  Such violation of privacy is illegal under HIPPA, and a gross abuse of those vulnerable women ensnared by Planned Parenthood.

But it gets worse as Stem Express goes in for the sale on the woman sitting in the lobby. The committee also found evidence of manipulation and even coercion of those mothers by the trolls looking for quick cash from the resale of their dead babies.  And, as we have long suspected, the consent process used by these companies and Planned Parenthood is wholly inadequate and misleading.

We commend the work of Blackburn and her colleagues. It is imperative that they resist the politics of congressional Democrats – who have been turning up the heat to end the investigation into this national scandal.  They must continue to move through this sewer and bring their findings before the full Congress for appropriate action: We must make harvesting and trafficking in aborted baby parts illegal in America.

South Carolina Becomes 16th State to Enact Late Term Abortion Ban

Posted on by David Ripley

Gov. Nikki Haley signed legislation this week that would ban abortions after 20 weeks in that state unless the pregnancy threatened the mother’s life. In addition, South Carolina allows for an abortion in cases when a doctor determines that the baby has a fatal defect and could not survive outside of the womb.

The legislation is based upon scientific research demonstrating that babies in the womb experience intense pain as a result of abortions.

16 states and the U.S. House have passed similar legislation. Idaho is one of those, but is also one of three in which federal courts have insisted that laws to protect late-term babies are “unconstitutional”.  South Carolina’s action helps to keep the national pressure building for the movement to end the destruction of innocent life after viability.

While the Abortion Industry and some lackeys on the federal bench continue to insist that late term babies do not experience tortuous pain during abortion, the scientific evidence of their suffering continues to mount. Dr. Steven Zielinski, of Oregon, has testified before the U.S. Congress that his research proves that babies can begin to experience pain as early as 8 ½ weeks into a pregnancy.

On a related point – LifeNews is highlighting a new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association that advances in science have now produced an amazing 71% survival rate for premature babies born at 22 weeks. This new data set will almost certainly mean that the U.S. Supreme Court will have to reevaluate its treatment of late term abortion cases, even if they reject the science of the baby’s painful suffering.