Thu - March 18, 2004

Weakening The judiciary


There are a number of bills currently in the House which reflect the Christian Reconstructionist agenda. These include bills to weaken the judicial branch and protect "religious freedoms":

H.R.3920 - Congressional Accountability for Judicial Activism Act of 2004 - To allow Congress to reverse the judgments of the United States Supreme Court.

H.R.3190 - Safeguarding Our Religious Liberties Act - Declares that among those powers reserved to the States and their political subdivisions are the powers to display the Ten Commandments, to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and to recite the national motto on or within property owned or administered by them.

Declares that: (1) the Pledge of Allegiance shall be, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and justice for all."; and (2) the national motto shall be, "In God we trust."

Excepts from the jurisdiction of Federal courts inferior to the Supreme Court the display of the Ten Commandments and the use of the word "God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

H.R.3799 - Constitution Restoration Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal judicial code to prohibit the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal district courts from exercising jurisdiction over any matter in which relief is sought against an element of Federal, State, or local government or officer of such government by reason of that element's or officer's acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.

Prohibits a court of the United States from relying upon any law, policy, or other action of a foreign state or international organization in interpreting and applying the Constitution, other than the constitutional law and English common law.

Provides that any Federal court decision relating to an issue removed from Federal jurisdiction by this Act is not binding precedent on State courts.

Provides that any Supreme Court justice or Federal court judge who exceeds the jurisdictional limitations of this Act shall be deemed to have committed an offense for which the justice or judge may be removed, and to have violated the standard of good behavior required of Article III judges by the Constitution.

H.RES.446 - Constitutional Preservation Resolution - Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Supreme Court should base its decisions on the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and not on the law of any foreign country or international law or agreement not made under the authority of the United States.

H.RES.468 - Expresses disapproval of the Supreme Court's consideration of foreign laws and opinions in its decisions. Advises the Justices not to incorporate foreign laws or opinions in future decisions and not to incorporate public opinion when performing their duty to uphold the Constitution. Urges all Justices to base their opinions solely on the merits under the Constitution.

H.RES.568 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Judicial determinations regarding the meaning of the laws of the United States should not be based on judgments, laws, or pronouncements of foreign institutions unless such foreign judgments, laws, or pronouncements inform an understanding of the original meaning of the laws of the United States.

H.R.2028 - Pledge Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal judicial code to deny jurisdiction to any court established by Act of Congress to hear or determine any claim that the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance violates the first amendment of the Constitution.

H.R.3313 - Marriage Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal judicial code to deny Federal courts jurisdiction to hear or determine any question pertaining to the interpretation of the Defense of Marriage Act or the Federal statute defining marriage.

H.R. 3893 - We the People Act - To limit the jurisdiction of the Federal courts, and for other purposes.

Posted at 09:42 PM     Read More    

Thu - March 11, 2004

Godless PAC


Atheists have their own PAC:

"GAMPAC endorses candidates for public office who support the First Amendment separation of church and state; defend equal rights and protections for our nation's godless Americans; inform our community of the voting records of their elected representatives on issues of concern; and support our goal of having "a place at the table" in formulating public policy.

In addition, GAMPAC will facilitate the training and development of those godless Americans seeking to bring their organizations talents to the field of electoral politics."

Posted at 09:04 PM     Read More    

Sun - February 29, 2004

Reconstructionists among us


This article describes the advances the radical Christian Reconstructionists have made into the U.S. Government, including the influence of Marvin Olasky , the man who popularized the phrase "compassionate conservative":

"Reconstructionists -- also called 'theonomists' or advocates of 'dominion theology' -- want to impose 'biblical law' (or, more accurately, their interpretation of biblical law) on the United States. Under their view, democracy should be scrapped and replaced with a theocratic state based on a literal reading of the Old Testament’s legal code."

"In a 'reconstructed' society, government would be dramatically scaled back. Most government institutions, including public schools and various welfare/social service programs, would be abolished and replaced with church-run efforts. Political leaders would look to the Bible, not the Constitution, as the nation’s governing document."

"Not content to be assigned to the lunatic fringe of American politics, Reconstructionists are now making a serious play for the big time. Through their "Operation Potomac " project, group leaders have made three forays into Washington, D.C., since July 2000, meeting with members of Congress and their staffs. With the help of powerful House Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas), they hope next year to host a "biblical worldview" conference for congressional staff on Capitol Hill."

Posted at 09:35 PM     Read More    

Fri - February 27, 2004

The Constitution Restoration Act of 2004


This bill currently in committee in the house is the first step in a right-wing religious take over of the government according to this article :

"...the law is drawn broadly and expressly includes the acknowledgement of God as the sovereign source of the law.... (The Constitution Restoration Act) may allow any judge to institute biblical punishments without being subject to review by the Supreme Court or the federal court system"

More about the religious movement behind this legislation:

"Dominionism is a natural if unintended extension of Social Darwinism and is frequently called 'Christian Reconstructionism.' It is a political scheme to take over the government of the United States and then turn that government into an aggressor nation that will forcibly establish the United States as the ruling empire of the twenty-first century. It is subversive, seditious, secretive, and dangerous."

Another author's description of Christian Reconstructionism :

"Reconstructionists believe that there are three main areas of governance: family government, church government, and civil government. Under God's covenant, the nuclear family is the basic unit. The husband is the head of the family, and wife and children are "in submission" to him. The church has its own ecclesiastical structure and governance. Civil government exists to implement God's laws. All three institutions are under Biblical Law, the implementation of which is called 'theonomy.' "

"Doctrinal leaders call for the death penalty for a wide range of crimes...(including) apostasy (abandonment of the faith), heresy, blasphemy, witchcraft, astrology, adultery, "sodomy or homosexuality", incest, striking a parent, incorrigible juvenile delinquency, and, in the case of women, 'unchastity before marriage'."


It looks like the crazies have taken over the asylum.

Posted at 08:55 PM     Read More    

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