policy Archives

Talking Health Care & Abortion

There are two things that will drive a debate to the point of a decision: Pain and partisan politics, though not necessarily in that order.

The legislative wrangling regarding health care reform is raging red hot these days. Admittedly, it’s a complex issue. For some, there is a genuine and sincere appeal to its passage, centered on a desire to help those families least able to help themselves. Few would fail to acknowledge the real pain of those most in need; those who are unable to access necessary health care for themselves and their loved ones.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: policy, pro-life August 5, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

High Cost of Healthcare Reform

Thursday’s broadcast last week featured a conversation between Tony Perkins (president of Family Research Council), our own Senior Vice President Tom Minnery and myself on the topic of managing the nation’s healthcare. As you may know, the nation is engaged in a vigorous debate whether or not the government should step into the health care arena—or leave health coverage to private providers.

It strikes me that regardless of whether you come down on the side of handing the healthcare system to the government or keeping it privatized, we need to acknowledge there aspects of the current system that require our attention.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, news, policy, pro-life August 3, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Definition of Marriage Upheld

Are you ready for some good news?

For the last decade California has been a battleground state in the debate whether to redefine the meaning of “marriage” to include same-sex couples. Last November, 7 million Californians—roughly 53% of those voting—voted in favor of Proposition 8 which amended the state constitution with these fourteen words: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

The people spoke. Case closed. Right?

Not so fast.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, homosexuality, marriage, policy May 27, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Breakfast of Champions

Last week I traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in an Alliance Defense Fund breakfast held in honor of former Attorney General Edwin Meese. He’s one of those rare men with a long record of distinguished service to our country and a man I admire. Ed Meese served as President Ronald Reagan’s chief policy adviser and currently works at The Heritage Foundation.

Of his numerous accomplishments, General Meese has been—and continues to be—a champion of “originalism”; he believes the Constitution should be interpreted in light of the “original intent” of our Founding Fathers rather than what an activist judge might want it to mean.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, policy May 18, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Have We Gone Crazy?

Here’s a headline that stunned me earlier this month: Vermont Considers Legalizing Teen “Sexting.” No, that’s not a typo. Just as “texting”—sending a text message between cell phones—has become a vital part of communication, the practice known as “sexting” is a growing trend among young people. In short, sexting is an exchange of photos, usually sexually explicit, between cell phone users. Sexting sometimes involves sending a pornographic video to the recepient. Upwards of 20% of teens admit sexting.

Topics: Current Events Tags: intimacy, kids, parenting, policy, sex April 29, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Supermodel’s Pro-life Journey

Last weekend, I was in Memphis speaking to a group of 1,200 attendees at the LifeChoices Banquet. LifeChoices has been helping women in the greater Memphis area facing a crisis pregnancy since 1986. In 1987, LifeChoices became a state-licensed child-placing agency that has found loving homes for children who would have otherwise been aborted.

Two years ago, they added a number of medical services, including ultrasound and diagnostic pregnancy testing and, more recently, opened a counseling center and medical clinic minutes from three abortion clinics.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: policy, pro-life April 28, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Should Uncle Sam Raise Your Children?

Truth is stranger than fiction.

Take the case of a West Virginia mother who was ordered by a local circuit judge and a family court judge to share custody of her four-year-old girl—not with her ex-husband or other relative, but with two babysitters! It gets worse. These justices, who viewed the babysitters as “psychological co-parents”, also granted them full custody. The mother, in turn, was told she could only visit her daughter four times a week at McDonalds.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, parenting, policy, relationships April 8, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Webster Redefines Marriage

Last fall, California voters were given an opportunity to decide whether to expand the traditional definition of marriage to include those in a same-sex relationship. The measure known as Proposition 8 proposed to add this language to the California State Constitution: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

Prop 8 sparked a fierce debate as millions of dollars were spent to lobby both sides of the issue. If you lived in the Golden State, you virtually couldn’t turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or read a newspaper without encountering some aspect of the hotly contested topic.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: homosexuality, marriage, policy March 20, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Silencing Free Speech and Religious Liberty

Picture this.

You operate a family-owned photography business which, among other services, creatively captures weddings on film. Further, imagine that you’re a Christian photographer and due to your religious convictions, decide to turn down certain photo shoots including “commitment ceremonies” for same-sex couples. Now, imagine your shock when a judge orders you to pay $6,637.94 to settle a lawsuit brought by an individual who complained about this alleged act of “discrimination.”

That’s what happened last year to Jon and Elaine Huguenin, owners of Elaine Photography LLC when Vanessa Willock filed a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, policy, religious liberty March 13, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Ask God What Your Grade Is

On November 4, 2008, voters in California passed Proposition 8 which amended their state constitution as follows: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” While Prop 8 ended the attempt to redefine marriage in the Golden State, the backlash by those who support so-called same-sex marriage has been, at times, ugly. Case in point. Jonathan Lopez, a Christian student at Los Angeles City College, found himself publicly ridiculed by his college professor who called Lopez a “fascist b–tard” in front of the other students.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, policy, religious liberty February 23, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura