Greer is an evangelical Christian man

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Local Rebel
Member Ascendant

since 1999-12-21

Posts 5767
Southern Abstentia

0 posted 2005-03-29 09:41 PM

U.S. President Ronald Reagan once said the most frightening eight words in the English language were, "I'm from the government, I'm here to help."  Of course no right wing conservative in a burning building was ever frightened by the sound of approaching fire trucks and no 'big government' liberal was ever comforted by the existence of the C.I.A.  But in this wading sound bite from the Gipper we find the principal assertion of the modern American conservative movement that hearkens back to Barry Goldwater (who would ironically be considered at best a centrist in today's Republican party) that government was too big (translation; government has too many social programs).

So for the 15 years from the time Reagan ran against Carter until Newt Gingrich and the Republican revolution finally gained control of the House of Representatives in 1994 the Republican's ran their campaigns against the government.  Like all revolutionaries though they found it an easier battle than actually GOVERNING.  Fortunately for them, they came into power with an opposition president in Clinton which allowed them to merely continue running the revolution instead of actually being the party of government.

Upon the (cough cough) election of George W. Bush to the White House though the days of the revolution seemed numbered with Republican control of the House, Senate, and White House, and the majority of Federal Judges and Supreme Court Justices having been appointees of Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Bush 41.  However would they explain to the electorate that the streets aren't now paved with gold?  Opportunely for them a marginally moderate Republican (Jeffords), could tip the balance in the Senate back to the Democrats by declaring himself independent.. that way, in the next election they simply ran against the Senate.  This was a great boon because all the talk-radio programs could use former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as whipping boy and persona-non-grata number one (right behind Hillary Clinton of course).

But in the last election when everything that should have been up was down, and everything that should have been down was up an even more cynical tactic was employed.  Run against the Judicial branch of the government (and by proxy against the Constitution).  The 'culture war' is a nice-nellyism for the final war against an independent judiciary -- one of the cornerstones of our Constitutional Democracy.  Because, we all know that it's liberal judges that really control the country -- right?  Liberal judges who are throwing the Ten-Commandments off courthouse lawns.  Liberal judges who are paving the path to gay marriage.  Liberal judges who disallow prayer in public school.  And, Liberal judges who wrote the Roe v. Wade decision.

It's this kind of railing on 'moral' issues that has persuaded the culturally conservative working class to vote for the party of Big Business.  And the latest morass of Schiavo v Schindler has been, to the Power Elite Republicans, just one more tug on the heartstrings.  That isn't to say that there aren't millions of sincere adherents to the 'Culture of Life' philosophy.

Let's look at the words of Power Elite Republican Tom Delay on the Schiavo case in a speech to the Family Research Council on March 18;

quote:

"This is exactly the kind of issue that's going on in America, that attacks against the conservative moment, against me and against many others. The point is, the other side has figured out how to win and to defeat the conservative movement, and that is to go after people personally, charge them with frivolous charges, link up with all these do-gooder organizations funded by George Soros, and then get the national media on their side. That whole syndicate that they have going on right now is for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to destroy the conservative movement. It is to destroy conservative leaders, and not just in elected office, but leading. I mean, Ed Feulner, of the Heritage Foundation today was under attack in the National Journal. This is a huge nationwide concerted effort to destroy everything we believe in. And you need to look at this, and what's going on and participate in fighting back.

"You know, one way they stopped churches from getting into politics was Lyndon Johnson, who passed a law that said you couldn't get in politics or you're going to lose your tax-exempt status, because they were all opposed to him when he was running for President. That law we're trying to repeal. It's very difficult to do that, but the point is, when they can knock out a leader, then no other leader will step forward for a while, because they don't want to go through the same thing. If they go after and get a pastor, then other pastors shrink from what they should be doing. It forces Christians back into the church. That's what's going on in America. The world is too bad and I'm going to get inside this building and I'm not going to play in the world. That's not what Christ asked us to do.

"And so they understand that. It is a political maneuver, and they are going to try to destroy the conservative movement, and we have to fight back, so please, this afternoon, each and every one of you, if you know a senator, give them a call. They'll say our bill can pass in the House. Tell them, okay, your bill is fine, but the House bill is better, and I want the House bill. Particularly if you know Democrats. Don't let them get off the hook by hiding behind one House and the other is adjourned. We can do anything we need to do to pass any bill that we need to pass."
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1040968,00.html

It's always a good thing to point out to the Christians that they're being persecuted in a country where they are the overwhelming majority. But, if you can't make them feel like they're losing the battle it's a little hard to convince them you're running a revolution and whip them into a frenzy. Who the heck are all these liberals that he's talking about?

quote:

"Judge Greer is an evangelical Christian man," McManus said. "He believes in the right to life as much as some of the people who are criticizing him so harshly. But he also believes in the rule of law, which he was sworn to uphold. To the best of his ability, that's what he is trying to do."
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/22/Northpinellas/Local_Republicans_bac.shtml

Of course the Southern Baptists have asked Judge Greer to resign his membership now, but the fact remains that he's a Southern Baptist Republican judge. The majority of the 19 judges who have heard the Schiavo case in Florida were Republicans, and the one Federal Judge who ruled in favor of the Schindlers was a Clinton appointee.

Since 1968 in all but 12 years there has been a Republican in the White House appointing judges. So, Hillary -- I mean.. Tom... where is the vast Left Wing Conspiracy? Now that the deficit continues to balloon out of control and the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer with the party of Big Business now the party of Big Government it may have been better if you'd listened to Ronnie's other axiom 'Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.'

Denise

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-08-22

Posts 22648

1 posted 2005-03-29 10:13 PM

The judges thumbed their noses at Congress by not giving the Schindler family the de novo hearing that the law passed required. The judges are not above the law as they seem to think that they are. It doesn’t matter if ten thousand judges on appeal simply look at decisions based on findings of fact, and agree that according to what has been established as fact by the judge that the judge made the right decision, when what they were asked to do was to look at all the evidence to see if perhaps those findings of fact were in error. That is what the Federal Courts were specifically asked to do, the same thing they do for criminals. Yet they couldn’t find it within their humanity to grant this family the same courtesy with their daughter’s life hanging in the balance.

Politics is so not the issue in this case. Basic right to life is what this issue is about, which is why there was so much bipartisan support for the Congressional action, which I think was appropriate due to all the unique extenuating circumstances in this case. They were well within their rights under the 14th Amendment to investigate whether a State was depriving a citizen of due process in the issue of a death sentence.

We need to wake up in this country. The Judiciary is one branch of the government, not the final word.

As for Greer, well, he can call himself whatever he wishes to call himself.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43522

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

2 posted 2005-03-30 10:26 AM

It bugs the hell out of me that medical and family issues are constantly pushed throught the sieves of politics and religion.
I have read some of the medical reports, though they are harder to find than the volume of political-religious media reports. I don't think Terri would ever return to being 'Terri' but cannot fathom starving a living creature to death. If I were in a vegetative state I would want a quick lethal injection, not starvation. We accord 'dumb' animals more dignity than what this lady is being given. My views have nothing to do with religion or politics, and I will not jump on either bandwagon.
RIP Terri, wherever you are, wherever you already went, or wherever your soul goes.

Juju
Member Elite

since 2003-12-29

Posts 3429
In your dreams

3 posted 2005-03-30 01:10 PM

I would argue with some of your points, but I am ill informed, because I have been busy with school. I liked the way you set your arguement though. very nice.

Well...

We will see in the next three years what will be the result of republican influence. I think it is still to soon. As a republican my self, I am intrested if the trickle down theory will work. Unfortunitly this theory is one that takes time and regulation. If you give more money to the bussinesses the only way it will trickle down is if they watch minumum wage. but alas I have gone in to another argue ment unrelated slightly, for wich I amm sorry.

-JUju

Juju - 1.) a magic charm or fetish 2.)Magic 3.)A taboo connected woth the use of magic

The dictionary never lies.... I am magical (;

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