In the latest Mapping America, federal surveys show that those who are currently very happily married were more likely to live with both biological parents during adolescence.

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A new study from the Mapping America project, co-released by more than 30 state family policy councils today, finds that children have fewer problems at school and home when they live with both biological parents and frequently attend religious services. Dr. Nicholas Zill, the founding president of Child Trends, and Dr. Philip Fletcher, a research psychologist at Westat, co-authored the new study, which analyzes data from the National Survey of Children’s Health.

Among their remarkable findings: children in this group are five times less likely to repeat a grade, less likely to have behavior problems at home and school, and are more likely to be cooperative and understanding of others’ feelings. Parents of these children report less stress, healthier parent-child relationships, and fewer concerns about their children’s achievement. These differences hold up even after controlling for family income and poverty, low parent education levels, and race and ethnicity.

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If you haven’t already, mark your calendars for the fourth-annual Blogs For Life conference on January 22nd, 2009. It will again be hosted here at Family Research Council Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and will run from 8:30 – 11:30a.m.

This year’s event will, as usual, precede the March for Life, which marks the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. We’ll be webcasting the event again, and we’re in the process of lining up another great group of speakers, so stay tuned to this spot for more information.

In the meantime, check out last year’s lineup.

More information here.

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Position: White House Counsel

NOMINEE: Gregory Bestor Craig

Born: Norfolk, Va., March 4, 1945

Family: Wife, Derry Noyes, and five children.

Occupation: Partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm Williams & Connelly

Education: A.B. Harvard College, J.D. Yale Law School

Senate Work: Senior Advisor on Defense, Foreign Policy and National Security to Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) for 1984-1988

Clinton White House: Director of Policy Planning, State Department, 1997-1998; special coordinator to monitor China’s suppression of Tibetan culture and religion, 1998; Assistant to the President and Special Counsel 1998-1999 (impeachment team “quarterback”)

Famous Clients: John J. Kearney (FBI agent accused of illegal wiretapping during the investigation of the Weathermen terrorists), 1977; Richard Helms (CIA Director accused of perjury before the Senate concerning General Pinochet’s 1973 coup in Chile), 1977 (with Edward Bennett Williams); John Hinckley, Jr. (attempted murder of President Reagan), 1981; Sen. Edward Kennedy (testimony relating to the rape trial of his nephew, William Kennedy Smith), 1991; Juan Miguel Gonzalez (custody battle over his asylum-seeking son, Elian), 1998; Kofi Annan (Volcker Committee investigations over Oil-for-Food), 2004; Gonzálo Sánchez de Lozada (former leftist President of Bolivia, accused of involvement in the killing of 67 further left-wing protestors in 2003), 2008.

Testimony: “He has the ability to look at issues from a different perspective and he’s very pragmatic and very smart.” – Madeleine Albright

“There’s no one I’d rather be with in a crisis. He’s just wonderful and very comforting, no matter how tough the problems you’re dealing with. He never kind of loses it. He’s so rational, says what he has to say very clearly, and he’s always on your side.” – Ethel Kennedy

Nicaraguan Communism

While serving as Senator Ted Kennedy’s Senior Advisor, Craig orchestrated hearings about alleged human rights abuses by the American-backed Nicaraguan rebels, the Contras. During these hearings he brought a number of communist Sandinista sympathizers to testify before Congress. Their politically motivated accounts of the situation in Nicaragua brought significant bad press to the freedom fighters, thus complicating stated administration policy on Nicaragua. Following the hearing, however, after having been criticized in The New Republic for aiding communists, Craig expressed regret, insisting that he did not realize how biased his witnesses were. He subsequently traveled to Nicaragua himself and criticized the manifest human rights abuses of the Sandinista government. [source]

Elian Gonzalez

While technically not a government employee at the time-having returned to his partnership at Williams & Connelly-Craig played a decidedly active role in the entire Elian Gonzalez affair, ostensibly representing his father, Juan, who was under the control of Fidel Castro and his aides. From an article in National Review:

Accounts of pre-raid negotiations between Elian’s Miami relatives and the Justice Department suggest that Reno wasn’t trying to bring peace to the warring Gonzalez family so much as taking orders straight from Craig. It appears that the Miami Gonzalezes had agreed to transfer custody of Elian to his father, as long as they could live with the boy and his father in an environment free of U.S. and Cuban officials. These negotiations dragged on through Good Friday and into the next morning, with Craig reviewing documents in his office past 2:00 A.M. – and ultimately vetoing the proposed settlement.

Craig had been pushing the government to take Elian from his relatives “immediately” for some time prior to the raid. For his efforts Craig was paid $100,000 through a “voluntary fund” set up by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society and administered by the National Council of Churches.

Clinton Impeachment

Part of why Craig’s time at State was unremarkable was his short tenure, since he had to leave that position to head Bill Clinton’s impeachment defense team. It is worth noting that Craig was originally cool to the idea. The Washington Post reported at the time:

“I hope you won’t think it amiss if I tell you I’m not enthusiastic,” [Craig] recalls telling John Podesta, then deputy White House chief of staff, when Podesta asked him in early September to consider leading Clinton’s defense team in the impeachment inquiry. “John said, ‘Well, just think about it.’ So I kept thinking about it — and my enthusiasm didn’t grow.”

Even after meeting with Clinton, Craig was not sold on the idea:

“[Clinton] was in great pain,” Craig recalls. “He was, I think, profoundly troubled at his own failures, at his own shortcomings, and really at a loss about what to do, how to handle it. And I told him he really needed to talk about it. And he asked for my help. And I said I’ve got to talk to my wife.”

Nevertheless, Craig did take the job, and by all accounts performed competently.

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Here is what we are looking at today:

“Is Planned Parenthood Pro-Life?”  Ross Douthat, The Atlantic (December 14, 2008)

“Pro-Life Groups Respond to Secret Memo With Obama’s Abortion Marching Orders” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com (December 15, 2008)

“Change in governor could mean new chance for abortion legislation” Maria Konopken, Arizona Capitol Times (December 15, 2008)

“Education Secretary Nominee Will Reach Out to Unions, School Reform Groups” Maria Glod, The Washington Post (December 16, 2008)

“Gay-marriage resolution in Sioux City is on hold” Molly Hottle and Larry Ballard, The Des Moines Register (December 16, 2008)

“Readers speak out on gay marriage fight” Charles C. Haynes, Statesman Journal (December 16, 2008)

“Poll Shows Britons Favor Euthanasia, Showing of Assisted Suicide on Television” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com (December 15, 2008)

“Chuck Colson on ‘reaching rock bottom’” Gina Dalfonzo, The Point (December 16, 2008)

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Check out this new book by former FRC director of tax policy and blogger extraordinaire, Leslie Carbone.  You can find the book here.  Slaying Leviathan:  The Moral Case for Tax Reform, “explores the moral dimension of tax policy and calls for a fundamental tax reform.”

Book Description from Potomac Books, Inc.

“In the natural order, virtue and vice each carries its own consequences. On the one hand, virtue yields largely positive results. Hard work, patience, and carefulness, for example, tend to generate prosperity. Vice, on the other hand, brings negative consequences. Sloth, impatience, and recklessness, for example, tend toward suffering.

In Slaying Leviathan, Leslie Carbone argues that since the early twentieth century, U.S. tax policy has been designed to mitigate the natural economic results of both virtue and vice. When the government disrupts the natural order through taxation by creating incentives and disincentives that overturn these natural consequences, the government perverts its own function and becomes part of the problem-a contributor to social breakdown-rather than part of the solution or an instrument of justice.

Slaying Leviathan envisions an approach to tax policy rooted in natural justice. To achieve this goal, Carbone first traces the historical evolution of U.S. tax policy, from the 1765 Stamp Act to the 1997 tax cut. She then assesses the current American tax burden and George W. Bush’s tax cuts and explores the fundamental problems with U.S. tax policy. After providing a historical analysis of federal spending and of expanding governmental expectations, she offers a set of over-arching principles and instructions on how to apply them to tax policy proposals.”

About the Author:
“Leslie Carbone served as the director of Family Tax Policy at the Family Research Council, chief of staff to the late assemblyman Gil Ferguson of California, and a speechwriter for U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. Her writing has been published in the Weekly Standard, the American Enterprise, the San Francisco Chronicle, and numerous other magazines and journals. She has lectured on more than 100 college campuses and has been interviewed on more than 250 radio shows. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia.”

 

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According to a recent survey published by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and CosmoGirl.com, approximately 20% of teens (ages 13-19) and 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) have sent or posted pictures of themselves either nude or semi nude.  If this statistic is not shocking enough, of the 1,280 survey participants, 39% of the teens surveyed said they have sent or posted suggestive messages, while 59% of all young adults have done the same thing. 

The questions in the study were asked and categorized by the sex.  When asked, “What do you think are the reasons that girls send/post sexy messages or pictures/video of themselves?,” approximately 85% of teens and 80% of young adults agree that the main reason behind sending these sexy messages is to get or keep a guy’s attention.  Another popular response from both the teens and young adults was that it is a great way to get noticed.

However, when the question was asked of males, both teens and young adults surveyed said the main reason guys sent or posted sexy messages was to get or keep a girl’s attention, only to be followed by guys wanting to be fun or flirtatious.  

When asked how the teens and young adults described such activities, a majority of young adults said they viewed this as flirty, while others viewed this behavior as being stupid and dangerous.  When asked about a characteristic that describes the people who resort to these messages, a majority said this behavior was flirty, while many felt this behavior was stupid, desperate, immature, and insecure.

Then, why do teens and young adults still feel compelled to post provocative messages online?  Is it because they feel a need to be desired or wanted by the opposite sex?

In a society that seems to be driven by the line that says, “sex sells,” this type of behavior can lead to many dangers.  According to PC Magazine, online sex predators are gradually threatening the security of many teenagers through sites like Facebook and MySpace.  If these sites are used properly, they can be safe places for networking.  When posting semi-nude or nude pictures on these sites, a teenager is setting themselves up for potential risk of abduction, stalking, rapes, etc. 

Additionally, employers and potential employers do look at this material, and the study indicates that many view this is as disgusting and disrespectful.

Let’s get back to basics.  Teenagers and young adults do not need to resort to such behavior when they have respect for themselves and hold high standards.  When you are a teenager, you might have a concept about what true love is, but the concept is flawed due to the overwhelming emotions that you experience.  Enjoy your time being a teenager!  Adulthood comes fast enough.  Be patient, love comes in due time with trust in God’s plan for your lives. 

Parents often recognize that their child participates in things online that they would not approve.  According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project survey, “65% of all parents and 64% of all teens say that teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about.” 

This is why parental involvement is so crucial and needed.  Family Research Council has a wonderful publication available online that provides ways to keep your child from engaging in risky behaviors online. 

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Here’s what we are looking at today.

“Single adult stem cell can self renew, repair tissue damage in live mammal,” Physorg.com, December 14, 2008.

“Should Assisted Suicide Be Broadcast Live on TV?,” Pajamas Media, December 14, 2008

“Vatican hits out at controversial abortion pill,” AFP, December 14, 2008

“Fight over gay marriage looms in Maine Legislature,” Boston Herald, December 14, 2008

“Change Is Coming To The Nation’s Abortion Laws,” Deal W. Hudson, GOPUSA, December 15, 2008

“Teens in western Kansas pledge abstinence,” Associated Press, December 12, 2008

“Taking it to the next level – the need for pro-life community organizers,” Ruben Obregon, ProLifeBlogs.com, December 15, 2008

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It seems like America has been plagued by the notions of being politically correct lately. Too often, you walk into a retail store and they are offering holiday sales, not “Christmas” sales.In today’s society, you are persecuted if you say, “Merry Christmas,” because the powers that be deem it too controversial.

If your child is in school, they do not throw Christmas parties complete with Santa Claus and the goodies. Instead, they throw Holiday parties with no such entertainment (except for a controversial movie or two). If you buy a Christmas tree, the man who puts the tree on top of your car wishes you, “Happy Holidays.” I believe you bought a Christmas tree, so where is the customary “Merry Christmas?”

Now, it seems like there is an assault by the leftists and religious separatists to remove Christianity from Christmas. According to the Stop the ACLU blog, there is a community threatening to stop Christmas carols from being sung in public places. Why? Because the organizers do not want to risk alienating the Muslims or Atheists due to Christ, and this is especially odd considering that the community is 75% Christian and 1% Muslim.

Enough is enough, right? Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and giving to others in his name. There is nothing politically wrong about doing this, and it is time we return to our faith, especially in the times we are facing ahead. It will be our faith in God that will sustain us.

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Here’s what we’ve been looking at today.

“More than “Mutual Joy”: Lisa Miller of Newsweek against Scripture and Jesus“ by, Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon (RobGagnon.net)

New Poll Warns Daschle, Obama: Mandatory Health Insurance Big Loser With Public; Voters Want Return on Stem Cell Research (PR Newswire)

Beliefs in God, UFOs prevail by Jennifer Miller (The Washington Times

Pro-aborts lose another round to Phill Kline by Jill Stanek (WorldNetDaily)

The U.N. Fails To Protect Human Rights In China, Huffington Post Still A Blind Apologist (Political Vindication)

Evangelical Spokesman Resigns After Telling NPR Gay Marriage, Abortion are Negotiable(Newsbusters)

Iowa Justices Hear Same-Sex Marriage Case by Kirk Johnson (New York Times)

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FRC has not officially weighed in on the various bailouts simply because the topic is not central to our mission.  There is no question that financial irresponsibility, whether by government or business, impacts the family, but we have to pick our battles and the bailouts are not one of them.  However, having said that, I do get a number of calls and emails from folks across the country asking for my thoughts on this parade of bailouts.  I am not an economist, but I have worked with and on budgets in the private and public sector and studied the basics of our free market system.  From that perspective, this latest failed effort to bailout the auto industry raises a number of questions that require answers. 

First, where do the bailouts stop?  Certainly the auto industry is an important part of our economy.  In fact, most of our manufacturing base has left the country, so it is surely important.  But you could also make the case that as our economy is increasingly driven by the service sector actions should be taken for those businesses as well.  Bottom line – where does it stop?

Second, could this not be the result of poor business practices that come to light in a tough economy?  Economist Walter Williams raises these issues in a recent column.  Williams points to the “cozy relationship” between the Big Three and the United Auto Workers union that drives up hourly wages.  Williams points to GM’s $73 hourly wage cost and compares that to Toyota’s five U.S. assembly plants where the hourly cost is $48.  It doesn’t take an economist to figure that one out.  But it apparently does take more than a congressman like Barney Frank. 

Finally, someone needs to explain how a Washington “Car Czar” would to make sure the auto industry keeps it between the lines.  I am not one of those who say government needs to run like a business.  It is just not the nature of government to be efficient.  Those areas that can be run like a business are the areas that governments most often privatize, but they are a small percentage of the overall responsibilities of government.  Conversely, the last thing America needs is business that runs like government. 

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As a follow-up to my earlier post on the growing unaffordability of higher education and its effects on families, I bring your attention to a Wall Street Journal article.  The author, Philip Shiskin, writes, “As the economy shrinks, joblessness expands and small-business owners lose income, many students and their parents are struggling to make payments for the second half of the academic year, which are typically due this month or in January.”  The story describes one parent who is carrying $100,000 in debt for her three children while planning to fund a fourth child.  Finally, it seems standard now that a good private college or university will be cost $50,000 per year.  In my opinion, this “business model” is completely unsustainable and is crushing parents and young adults across America.

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Abortion Foes Open a New Front

Man’s Assisted Suicide to Air on British TV

Ill. governor arrested in corruption scandal

New Jersey Commission Says Gays Should be Allowed to Marry

Newsweek draws fire on gay marriage

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As a sidelight, here is a brief history of arrested Illinois Gov. Blagojevich’s moves to promote human embryonic stem cell research and cloning, starting with his own slush fund for the research in 2005.

July 2005–Executive order to set up $10 million fund

August 2005–Gov. Blagojevich sends a letter to scientists in Missouri, where debates are raging over embryo research and cloning, inviting them to move to Illinois.

March 2006–He removes legislative oversight of his embryonic stem cell research program.

July 2006–Blagojevich again uses his executive power to fund embryonic stem cell research, over the objections of the Illinois legislature.

“Blagojevich says he won’t let a lack of legislative support keep him from spending tax money on what he considers a vital need.”

August 2007–Blagojevich finally gets the Illinois legislature to pass a bill authorizing human embryonic stem cell research and cloning.

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The president of the National Association of Evangelicals, Leith Anderson, has been trying to reassure the association’s board and members that the NAE hasn’t left the reservation on the issues of life and marriage. The reason? Because NAE’s vice president for governmental affairs left the reservation – a long time ago!

In a recent interview with NPR’s “Fresh Air,” Cizik stated he voted for President-elect Obama and said, “I think it’s (faith) very important, but it is not the factor nor should it be [when voting]…” Cizik said the same thing about issues like life: “It’s possible for me to disagree with a candidate on high-profile issues and still believe that on a basis of character or philosophy he is the better of two candidates.” When asked by the host, Terry Gross, if his efforts to identify with younger voters and their priorities had caused him to change his view on gay marriage he said, “I’m shifting, I would have to admit.  In other words I would willingly say I believe in civil unions.  I don’t officially support redefining marriage from its traditional definition, I don’t think.”

This revelation should not come as a surprise. This is the risk of walking through the green door of environmentalism and global warming – you risk being blinded by the green light and losing your sense of direction. How else can you explain enthusiastic support for what will probably be the nation’s most pro-abortion, anti-family president in our nation’s 232 year history?

The question, however, remains. If Cizik does not speak for the NAE, as the Rev. Anderson has said, why is he on Capitol Hill representing NAE and claiming to speak for Evangelicals? Is it possible for a human being to come with a disclaimer?

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Newsweek has declared war on marriage. That is the only way to interpret its publishing a lengthy cover story by Lisa Miller that rehashes a laundry list of unoriginal arguments in favor of same-sex “marriage.” There are so many logical and theological errors in this piece that we felt it deserved a detailed, point-by-point rebuttal. FRC’s President, Tony Perkins, and Vice President for Policy, the Rev. Peter Sprigg, collaborated in preparing this piece

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In the latest Mapping America, federal surveys show that those who are currently very happily married were more likely to attend religious services frequently during adolescence.

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Our Mutual Joy

Abstinence Phobia

Ova Time: Women Line Up To Donate Eggs — for Money

Calling in ‘gay’ to work is latest form of protest

United Nations Gives Human Rights Awards to International Abortion Advocates

National Association of Evangelicals Reaffirms Pro-Life View, VP Backed Obama

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This morning, I read an article in The Washington Examiner about how the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would be a huge threat to Catholic health care systems, not just in Maryland, but around the nation. 

Barack Obama has pledged the very first thing he would sign into law would be legislation aimed towards making abortion legal throughout the pregnancy and place the burden on taxpayers to cover this horrific procedure.

With this type of legislation being possibly enacted, many bishops are considering closing Catholic hospitals.  At a recent general meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Paprocki said, “We may need to consider taking the drastic step of closing our Catholic hospitals entirely.”  In Maryland, there are eight hospitals that would be threatened, including St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, which is nationally renowned for their cardiac care center.

According to our own government affairs department here at FRC, Maryland, along with six other states has legislation similar to FOCA.

“In Maryland , FOCA-type legislation has been on the books since 1991.   According to Planned Parenthood’s Alan Guttmacher Institute, the abortion rate in the United States DECREASED nine percent since 2000 to 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age in 2005.  By contrast, the state of Maryland in 2005 produced a rate of 31.5 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age, an INCREASE of eight percent since 1991.”

Hopefully, Congress will use common sense and not pass such a detrimental piece of legislation that would threaten quality medical care straight across the board.

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    Jay Ambrose has written an important column about a recent study publicizing the skyrocketing costs of higher education.  Ambrose’s article discussed the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education’s recent report, “Mearusing Up 2008″.  “Measuring Up” makes it clear that the higher education business model is broken – like a lot of American institutions, it seems.  These hard realities are underscored by the current economic downturn.

    From 1982-2007, college costs increased 439% while median family income went up only 147%.  Of course, such numbers are always subject to various adjustments and corrections, but that it is a huge disparity that reflects what we have all observed.  College costs are out of control. The New York Times has also discussed the report here and here.

    Ambrose notes that some leaders in the educational establishment want more government money, but he correctly points out that “government assistance and student loan programs have contributed to the inflationary spiral at these institutions already, supporting them in their bad, old ways and keeping them from needed reform.”  There is a great deal of truth in this observation.

    Finally, Ambrose reiterates a point made by Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute, and with which I agree, that a major restructuring of college education may be in the offing.  It may be time for us to consider training professionals – like accountants, financial advisers, software engineers, nurses – with a combination of online education and apprenticeships.  A larger point is this:  the universal four-year liberal arts education may have become economically untenable given the debt levels students are being forced to bear post-graduation.  If the federal government would like to do something, it should construct aid programs that force colleges to compete for federal aid monies and students based on affordable tuition prices and cost containment.

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