Archive for November 20th, 2007

“We pray this in the name and beloved power of our Lord Jesus Christ and for his sake, Amen.”

Yep, that ought to do it.

The name of the Democrats arch rival, Jesus Christ, was mentioned in the State Senate today. These “dangerous words” were uttered by State Senator Dennis Kruse (R - Auburn) in the opening prayer to begin the legislative day today.

I look forward to reading many of the irate tirades from the liberal nutroots going absolutely loony over this. It appears it’s already begun.

“This doesn’t in any way make the practice any less unconstitutional than it was,” (Ken)Falk (of the ACLU of Indiana) said of the court’s decision, adding that his organization would not hesitate to sue if the prayers resumed and a person subjected to them complained.

You’ve just come off a very heated campaign that you won by the narrowest margin you’ve ever had.  The main issues in the campaign were jobs, crime, and high taxes.  Your city has the second highest amount of violent crime in the state, property tax assessments are poorly done, and a number of major companies have left your city for a neighboring one because your administration wouldn’t help them.  With all of these factors in play, what would you be doing right now?

If you would have immediately begun the process of trying to bring more jobs to your city you would be a smart mayor.  That’s not what Steve Luecke (D-South Bend) is doing though.  After winning a third term as mayor, Luecke and the Democrat controlled Common Council are now preparing to focus their attention on trying to pass an ordinance that would require local employers (or what’s left of them), landlords, and businesspeople to not discriminate on the basis of sexual-orientation.  If a man walked into your restaurant but proceeded to use the women’s bathroom and you tried to stop him, and he informed you that he “felt” like a woman or had a sex-change operation, you could do nothing to prevent him from using the woman’s bathroom.  If one of your male employees showed up for work dressed as a woman you couldn’t fire them.

Word has it that the South Bend Common Council will be holding a first reading on the ordinance (which was defeated in 2006) as early as Monday afternoon.  Apparently supporters of the measure are trying to pass it while they still have a strong friend in Councilperson Charlotte Pfiefer (D).  Ms. Pfiefer was defeated in the ‘07 primary.  Stay tuned to Hoosier Access to learn more about this developing story.

For more information on this issue please visit: www.nospecialrights.net

It’s organization day and for SJR 7 supporters, like myself, that means we’re looking forward to what will undoubtedly be a tough battle to let Hoosiers vote on SJR 7-the marriage amendment.  Last year Speaker B. Patrick property-tax-decrease Bauer (D-South Bend) failed to uphold his promise to allow a floor vote on SJR 7.  Bauer can try to deflect the responsiblity for this failure by pointing out that it was the Rules Committee that ultimately failed to send it to the floor.  However, he assigned it to that committee and he could have instructed Rep. Scott Pelath  (D-Michigan City), to do everything he could do as committee chair to make sure it got to the floor.

Furthermore, it was the critical swing vote of Rep. Terri Austin (D-Anderson) that let Hoosiers down and partially let Bauer off the hook.  In 2005 Rep. Austin had no problem voting for SJR 7.  She even pointed out in the 2006 campaign that she was a strong supporter of SJR 7.  A few months after her re-election though, Austin, probably under a lot of pressure from her caucus (ie: Bauer and Pelath) buckled and voted against bringing SJR 7 to the floor of the House.

With an election looming next November, the American Family Assocation of IN PAC has put up a banner near a major intersection in Anderson reminding constituents of Rep. Austin’s failure to support SJR 7.  While I can’t speak for others, I do know that if Austin does end up having the chance to vote on SJR 7 in committee and ends up being the swing vote that allows us to get a floor vote, marriage amendment supporters will reduce the pressure they have put on her.

Here’s the AFA-IN PAC Banner: