Caffeinated Thoughts

Inching Closer to a Personhood Law in Iowa
Ron Paul’s College-Aged Fans, Kids These Days
Planned Parenthood Attacks the Parental Rights Amendment

Inching Closer to a Personhood Law in Iowa

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 05:00 PM PST

Rep. Kim Pearson

Seeing the realization of preborn children being protected in Iowa took one baby step yesterday as House File 153 was passed out of it's subcommittee on a party line vote. This bill reads:

The sovereign state of Iowa recognizes that life is valued and protected from the moment of conception, and each life, from that moment, is accorded the same rights and protections guaranteed to all persons by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Iowa, and the laws of this state. The Iowa supreme court shall not have appellate jurisdiction over the provisions of this section.

I especially like the part where they take away the Iowa Supreme Court's jurisdiction in the matter. If passed it would go immediately into effect, and in effect Iowa would then nullify the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

State Representative Kim Pearson (R-Pleasant Hill), the bill's sponsor, and State Representative David Heaton (R-Mount Pleasant) voted in favor of the measure. State Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D-Ames) voted against. The next step is the Iowa House Human Resources Committee where Republicans hold a 12-9 majority so the bill stands a good chance of passing out of the committee, and passing in the House.

The Iowa Senate is where I think it'll get stalled. I am wholeheartedly behind this bill and would encourage you to contact your State Representative and State Senator (might as well apply pressure even though it isn't in the Senate yet).

While I'm behind this bill I also believe we need to push for HF 5, the late term abortion ban as well. This personhood bill is obviously the holy grail of prolife legislation, but it is not the only bill out there. Contrary what some believe.

I'd like to see all of the prolife bills get passed.

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Ron Paul’s College-Aged Fans, Kids These Days

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 04:00 PM PST

By Emily Borkholder

Last week was my first CPAC. I have been involved in a lot of political gatherings since college, but never one as large at CPAC. Now I wouldn't consider myself old. But at 26, I have been out of college for a few years and feel like I can comment on behavior of those who are still in college.

I sat in the bloggers balcony during Ron Paul's address. I was lucky enough to see Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty kids in their full glory. Freedom Works confiscated all their signs before he even began his speech and they were warned if they had anything hidden they would immediately be removed if it made an appearance. Those are not words you tell a group of kids unless you have dealt with them before. Their behavior during Ron Paul's speech was alright, loud and active, but not anything that was out of place. I have a feeling taking away their signs left them a little deflated. But it wasn't their behavior during Ron Paul's speech that made me so mad.

While I am all in favor of active political discourse, I am not in favor of being loud, obnoxious and annoying as a way to bring attention to my political beliefs. I don't know if this is what Ron Paul is trying to do, but severely annoying and immature was the only impression I was left with after witnessing they way they behaved both during his speech and their reaction to others speaking. Particularly disturbing was their response to an impromptu appearance by Dick Cheney. I don't know how to tell you this kids, so I will just say it: yelling, "Where's Bin Laden…war criminal…draft dodger!!!" are never appropriate responses to a former Vice President.

In addition to being annoying and disrespectful, I don't really appreciate the Campaign for Liberty stuffing the straw poll boxes. It is common knowledge that the Campaign for Liberty helps pay for pro Ron Paul students to attend CPAC (Mitt Romney and I am sure others have done the same thing) and in return they are expected to cast a straw poll vote for Ron Paul. That is great that you are getting your name out there. But these are kids who are away at school and probably have little to no bearing on the primary process. Everyone knows your game; way to make whomever comes in second place the one that matters. That kind of behavior is the same as stuffing a ballot box in my book.

Full disclosure here, I voted for Ron Paul in Indiana's 2008 primary. I did it out of spite at the selection of candidates that were left and I am not sorry. I like a lot of what Ron Paul says. His foreign policy, however, is a hot mess. If we were in peacetime with no active foreign engagements I would be sold on him. Alas, this is not the case and focusing on what might be rather than what is…is just well, stupid.

Now, if you would like to see some kids with some class, head on over to Student Initiative to Draft Daniels. Yes this is a shameless plug for My Man Mitch. No, I'm not sorry. RUN MITCH RUN!

Emily Borkholder is the assistant communications director at Hoosier Access, an Indiana native who now lives near Washington, DC.

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Planned Parenthood Attacks the Parental Rights Amendment

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 12:00 PM PST

By Michael Farris

No doubt you've heard about Planned Parenthood in the news lately. They've been criticized for covering up the sex trafficking of minors, and they've come under media investigation. Their dishonorable techniques have once again been exposed by Live Action's president Lila Rose. They have counseled an investigator posing as a pimp on how to avoid detection and yet get abortions and other related services for girls as young as 14 and 15. Of course, Planned Parenthood is utterly committed to the proposition that parents have no right to knowledge or consent of the activities of their teenaged daughters when they walk in the door of these deadly clinics. Even if the girls are being held as sex slaves, Planned Parenthood wants to keep both parents and government out of their grisly business.

And, of course, one of the most stalwart and effective defenders of the rights of Planned Parenthood to secretly perform abortions on underaged girls is the American Civil Liberties Union.

Lila Rose, a young woman raised by a fine homeschooling family in California, has taken on the giant of Planned Parenthood and she is winning. She is the example of the kind of young person that is sent forth to help America become a better place when parents are free to train their children in truth and uprightness.

The Opposition’s Deep Pockets

I was at a meeting last week with the Speaker of the House and other top leaders in Congress and the pinnacle of the talk was on Lila Rose's activities, as well as a movement in Congress to defund Planned Parenthood – they received $363 million in government (tax payer) funds last year.

I pointed out that Lila Rose had been homeschooled and that we needed to be sure that the Parental Rights Amendment is passed to ensure that all parents have the ability to be involved in the crucial decisions for their children's future.

There was a good reason that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU were on my mind during this meeting with the Speaker of the House.

Last week, when Montana's Senate Judicial Committee considered a resolution urging Congress to adopt the Parental Rights Amendment (PRA) and send it to the States for ratification, Planned Parenthood of Montana, the ACLU, and the Human Rights Campaign (a "gay rights" organization) spoke against it.

For all their troubles now, Planned Parenthood remains a heavy hitter with an annual budget of $1.117 billion – and they have taken aim at the PRA. Not that they succeeded in this case – the resolution passed out of committee by a vote of 7-5 on Friday, and will now proceed to the Montana Senate floor.

But Planned Parenthood will not stop there. Like a cornered beast, they will lash out wherever they can, and right now that seems to mean our resolutions and Amendment.

Take Action

We cannot hope to counter the misinformation campaign of Planned Parenthood unless we all recommit ourselves to a deeper involvement in this issue. Remember, Planned Parenthood received $363 million from the federal government last year; we didn't receive a dime. We are dependent on concerned partners like you if we are to keep spreading the truth. Please consider helping us in the following ways:

1) Please donate today. Advertising isn't free. Our website isn't free. Our staff is very lean and we need to be able to meet our obligations to them and their family. Our giving this year is down and we simply cannot lead this effort to victory without your support. We need your support in this crucial hour. If you can give on an ongoing, monthly basis, please check the appropriate box on the Donate form. But whatever you can give, please do it now.

2) Track the status of the resolution in your state and be ready to speak in its favor. Please email Michael Ramey if you can speak to a committee to support a resolution in your state. If you live in Montana, call your state senator now and urge him (her) to support SJ 9 in favor of a federal Parental Rights Amendment. You can identify your senator and find contact information here.

3) Get ready to fight in Congress. We have been working behind the scenes in the House to put together a new leadership coalition to lead our efforts to pass the PRA. Our former champion, Pete Hoekstra, retired from the House to run for Governor of Michigan. We have assurances from the GOP leadership in the House that they will help us push the PRA. I fully expect that we will have hearings, committee votes, and then floor action in the House this year.

This is our time to push the PRA through the House of Representatives. We need your help now more than ever. Being attacked by the likes of the ACLU and Planned Parenthood is a good sign that we are on the right track and that we are getting close to victory.

Michael Farris is President of ParentalRights.org, Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association, and is the Chancellor of Patrick Henry College.

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