Mitt Romneys Speech

Mitt Romney's "Faith in America" speech was simply magnificent, and anyone who denies it is not to be trusted as an analyst.  On every level it was a masterpiece.  The content of the address was a brilliant explication of the American political theory of faith and freedom.  Romney used the moment to defend not just himself but the American tradition of faith in the public square, of vigorous and valued religious plurality, and, crucially, why that tradition has allowed America's role in the world to be so unqualifiedly good.  ...It will be long discussed as a masterpiece of political maneuver. read more Hugh Hewitt

"The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God' and in God, we do indeed trust." Mitt Romney

Catholic Reaction to Romney's 'Interesting' Speech

Two prominent Catholic commentators, Father Richard Neuhaus, the editor of First Things, and Rev. Thomas J. Reese, said that Mitt Romney's Dec. 6 speech addressing his Mormon faith was strong on the subject of independence from church influence, but problematic in the assertion that all faiths share the same moral principles. NY Observer

Was a speech on his faith necessary?

Public Opinion About Mormons

Recent Pew polling finds that Romney, more than any other presidential candidate (Republican or Democrat), is viewed as very religious by the public. This perception is, for the most part, an asset for Romney's campaign, since the poll also finds that voters who see presidential candidates as religious express more favorable views toward those candidates. But the advantage Romney stands to gain from these perceptions is partially offset by the concerns of some Americans about the Mormon religion, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is popularly known.

Though Mormonism is viewed as far less of a liability for a presidential candidate than not believing in God or being a Muslim, more people do express reservations about voting for a Mormon (25%) than about supporting a candidate who is an evangelical Christian (16%), a Jew (11%) or a Catholic (7%). read more (pew research)

Other Presidential Race Articles

14 Questions I'd Ask Hillary After I Hooked Her Up to a Lie Detector John Hawkins, Townhall

Huckabee Second in National GOP RaceAP Poll: Huckabee Leaps Into Second Place in National GOP Race, Hurting Giuliani and Thompson. ABCNews

Death, Taxes and Mrs. Clinton Peggy Noonan

Rudy Strictly Speaking Cal Thomas

Editorial: Fred Thompson WashTimes

The Mayor & the Governor Rudy vs. Mitt on immigration. Deroy Murdock, NRO

Senator Casey Introduces Pro-life bill in midst of ad campaign questioning his anti-life votes in the Senate

Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) who has been criticized for his recent anti-life votes since being elected in 2006, has introduced a Senate companion version of a House bill that provides practical help and support to lower-income and college-aged women who may become pregnant and feel financially pressured into having an abortion.

The bill, S. 2407 "The Pregnant Women Support Act" is similar to the measure Rep. Lincoln Davis of Tennessee introduced in the House earlier this year. LifeNews

This week two groups placed ads challenging the Senator who ran as a pro-life candidate. “Senator, be who you claim to be. Live up to your pro-life commitment," the ads read. "And if you are who you claim to be, then work to defend the most innocent, defenseless member of the human family, the unborn child.”

Congress Drops Hate Crimes Bill

The Senate has dropped its insistence that Congress pass legislation expanding hate crime laws to include attacks on gays, after it became clear the measure wouldn't pass the House, according to congressional aides.

The hate-crimes legislation, sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., had been attached to the defense bill as a way of pushing the controversial bill forward which failed to pass in previous attempts on its own.

In a private meeting on Wednesday, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, and House Democratic Whip James E. Clyburn, South Carolina Democrat, told Mr. Levin that if the Senate continued to insist on the hate crimes provision the defense legislation would fail.Mr. Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, oversees the defense bill. WashTimes read more

SCHIP Expansion: More Birth Control for Minors, Less Involvement by Parents

Members of Congress have added to the "compromise" legislation (H.R. 3963) two little noticed provisions that would undermine parents' right to consent to--or even know about--medical care given to their children through school-based health clinics. Such "medical care" could involve as intimate and delicate a matter as giving contraceptives to children. If the proposed legislation goes into effect, federal laws and regulations would make contraception available to millions of children, for free, while prohibiting doctors and schools from informing the children's parents. Daniiel P Maloney, PHD., Heritage Foundation

Hollywood Versus Parents - "The Fair Use Act"

Why can’t parents take out the 60-90 seconds of raunch that makes the PG-13 movie an R-rated movie?
Representatives Rick Boucher (D-VA) and John Doolittle (R-CA) have introduced legislation, the Fair Use Act, which would empower parents to edit movies without risking a huge fine. Currrently this is punishable by a $150,000 fine. If editing films is now as easy as a few mouse clicks, they ask, why can't parents take out the 60-90 seconds of raunch that makes the PG-13 movie an R-rated movie? CNSNews Paul W Weyrich

Two Catholic Senators with opposing views on abortion find common ground

Introduced: Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act

Pro-life Sen. Sam Brownback and pro-abortion Sen. Edward Kennedy are sponsoring a bill to help families who receive a diagnosis of Down syndrome for an unborn child. They both oppose a practice that Brownback calls “one of the dirty little secrets going on in society right now.”

He is referring to what happens after a woman is told that the child she carries will be born with Down syndrome. “It’s just become almost common practice to abort that child,” said Brownback.

The Pre-natally and Post-natally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act would provide for the expansion and further development of a national clearinghouse on information for parents of children with disabilities, so that the clearinghouse would be better equipped to assist parents whose children have recently been pre- or post-natally diagnosed. The bill also provides for the expansion and further development of national and local peer-support programs. The bill also calls for the creation of a national registry of families willing to adopt children with pre- or post-natally diagnosed conditions.

Senator Mikulski has accepted over $64,000 from Emily's List. She will campaign for Hillary Clinton in Iowa this weekend. Senator Mikulski said "As President, she (Hillary) will protect a woman's right to choose..."

 

 

This Weeks Headlines

Lamar Alexander New Chair of the Senate Republican Conference

FDA: 28 Miscarriages No Reason to Reexamine Gardasil

Senator Pelosi Urged to Condemn Open-Air SF Sex Fair

Bush Wins Agreement To Freeze Mortgages

It's inexcusable for Congress not to fund troops in Iraq. John McCain & Joseph Lieberman

 

 

From Our Shepherds

Vatican

Holy See: Exhorts Security Organization to Protect Religious Freedom
"We must not hide behind the principle of 'consensus' in order to avoid effective action and neither should we be satisfied with blanket condemnations," Archbishop Mamberti added. "Rather this consensus should be a catalyst for action to protect fundamental freedoms, and, above all, the religious freedom of every believer and of each religious community." Zenit

Pope Benedict XVI Sums Up New Encyclical "Spe Salvi" The Pontiff regarded the First Sunday of Advent as "a most appropriate day to offer to the whole Church and all men of good will my second encyclical, which I wanted to dedicate to the theme of Christian hope."

Benedict XVI noted that in the New Testament "the word hope is closely connected with the word faith." Hope, he added, "is a gift that changes the life of those who receive it, as the experience of so many saints demonstrates." Zenit

Bishops

Update: US Bishop Instructs Priests to Warn Faithful against "The Golden Compass" "Caution the faithful against this pernicious attack on the foundations of our Christian Faith"
Bishop Jerome Listecki's letter to priests came one day after the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops official movie reviewer praised 'The Golden Compass" film.  Lifesite

US Bishops asked to Fire Chief Film Critic over Glowing Reviews for "Brokeback" and "Compass"

"Bishops horrified at what has been done in their name"
The Bishops of the United States are being asked to fire the chief movie reviewer for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  Harry Forbes, the Director of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting, has reignited scandal by praising the film "The Golden Compass" which is based on an anti-Catholic novel. LifeSite

LA Cardinal Mahoney assaulted over sex-abuse scandal
Cardinal Roger Mahoney, the leader of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, told fellow priests that he was assaulted last summer by a man who yelled angry statements about the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests. NYTimes
Mahony gives police details about assault

Commentary

A Changed Stem Cell Debate Senator Sam Brownback, FirstThings

God Vs. Atheism Dinesh D'Souza, Townhall

Iran and its Democratic friends If anything is clear from the new National Intelligence Estimate, it's that the U.S. intelligence agencies have no clear idea of what's going on in Iran. WashTimes

State News

Rhode Island: Marriage protected, Rhode Island Supreme Court says no to same-sex couple seeking a "divorce"

Missouri: Planned Parenthood calls for Governor to disband abortion task force

California: Appeals court considers 'God' in Pledge A federal appeals court in San Francisco yesterday heard arguments in a lawsuit filed by a Sacramento, Calif., man who says the words "under God" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance because they are unconstitutional. WashTimes

Washington: State Assisted Suicide Campaign Begins

Iowa: Court rules funding evangelical Christian prison ministry program unconstitutional

Other News

Study: Abortion Fueling Cancer Epidemic
Having an abortion raises a woman’s risk of breast cancer by at least 30 percent, and is fueling an “epidemic” of the often fatal disease, according to British researchers.
According to a new study published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, young women who had an abortion before having a child are at the greatest risk for developing breast cancer. NewsMax