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Dear Friends,

Harry Truman once said that a “statesman is a politician who’s been dead for 15 years.” In other words, our view of the nobility and wisdom of our political leaders grows the further we get from their public service. Remember that the next time you see a bumper sticker with a photo of George W. Bush, bearing the legend, “Miss him yet?”

If we want a virtuous and just society, we cannot afford to concede that statesmanship is a lost art. As King’s College professor David C. Innes notes, politics “politics is more than just good intentions. It requires knowledge, judgment and an ability to move people so that they want to follow you. Essentially it requires statesmanship. Statesmanship is the just, prudent and persuasive exercise of authority.”

As statesmanship declines, public life becomes more tawdry. The personal corruption of political leaders deepens our cynicism, and the unwillingness of many officials to make tough but necessary policy choices seems more animated by their chances for re-election than the best interests of the country.

Speaking of the American Revolution, Queen Elizabeth II said, “We lost the American colonies because we lacked the statesmanship to know the right time and the manner of yielding what is impossible to keep.” Statesmanship, or the lack thereof, can have profound consequences for the moral health of the nation and for the very existence of the political and social order.

Our Founders understood this. Writing in 1789, James Madison observed, “If individuals be not influenced by moral principles, it is in vain to look for public virtue; it is, therefore, the duty of legislators to enforce, both by precept and example, the utility, as well as the necessity of a strict adherence to the rules of distributive justice.”

“Distributive justice,” to Madison and his colleagues, meant a government that ensured fairness and dignity for all its citizens – justice that would be distributed equally, without favoritism.

Christian statesmanship involves the prudent application of justice. It also means that Christians must pray for elected and appointed public servants, that they would make such an application with courage and consistency.

Prayed for our government’s leaders lately?

Sincerely,

Rob Schwarzwalder
Senior Vice-President
Family Research Council

P.S Be sure to watch FRC’s Webcast of our forum on international religious liberty, featuring five experts whose comments drew media coverage in The Washington Post.

Educational Freedom and Reform
Homeschooling

• “Parents in action: More parents homeschooling their children,” Deiah Riley, ABC Action News
• “Homeschool Dad Opens up About ‘Blind Spots’,” Jeff Schapiro, The Christian Post
• “Getting grace,” Susan Olasky, WORLD Magazine

Legislation and Policy Proposals

• “One Thing OWS Gets Right,” Chris Gacek, National Review Online
• “In Philadelphia, A Model School Kindles Hope,” Kevin Schmiesing, The Acton Institute
• “Student Loans for Dummies,” Jackson Toby, The American
• “How Much Student-Loan Debt Is Too Much?,” Jeff Selingo, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “No, More Computers Will Not Fix America’s Schools,” Heather Mac Donald, The Washington Examiner
• “Morning Bell: The Truth About Public School Teacher Pay,” Mike Brownfield, The Heritage Foundation
• ” Study Concludes Public School Teacher Salaries $120 Billion Over Market Value,” Mark Hemingway, The Weekly Standard
• “Student loans and moral hazard,” Rod Dreher, The American Conservative

Government Reform
Regulation

• “Error: USAJobs.gov,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal
• “Campaign Finance, Crony Capitalism, and Big Government,” Joseph Knippenberg, First Things
• “A Global Central Bank? Justice Is Not Served by Government Economic Planning,” Shawn Ritenour, The Center for Vision and Values
• “Obama, Ryan, and the Future of Regulatory Reform,” Ike Brannon and Sam Batkins, Regulation
• “What Business Wants From Washington,” Jim McNerney, The Wall Street Journal

Waste/Fraud/Abuse

• “Government Greed Needs an ‘Occupation’ Too,” Ray Nothstine, The Acton Institute
• “Looking Ahead to 2012, 2013, and 2014,” Mark W. Hendrickson, The Center for Vision and Values
• “Go Ahead, Pull the Trigger,” Peter Suderman, Reason

Health Care
Abstinence

• “NYC sex-ed program eye-opening for adults,” Rebecca Hagelin, The Washington Times
• “Proposed bill allows school districts to favor abstinence education,” Olivia Morrissey, The Marquette Tribune
• “Attack the Parents,” Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online

Conscience Protection

• “E.R. Care and Abortion: A G.O.P. Congressman’s View,” Rep. Joe Pitts, New York Times

Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts

• “Democrat Class: “No Viable Path Forward”,” Justin Paulette, The Ashbrook Center
• “Is Medicare a Ponzi Scheme?,” Christopher J. Conover, The American
• “Healthcare reform penalizes married couples, says report,” Julian Pecquet, The Hill
• “Recommendations for the Super Committee,” Grace-Marie Turner, The Galen Institute
• “Cooking the Books on Grandma’s Health Care,” Betsy McCaughey, The Wall Street Journal

Homosexuality

• “Anti-Gay Hate and Pro-Gay Terrorism,” Peter Sprigg, Family Research Council
• “Male and Female He Created Them,” Cathy Ruse, National Review Online
• “Gay troops to file suit challenging Defense of Marriage Act,” Ed O’Keefe, The Washington Post
• “Girl Scouts Allow 7-Year-Old Boy to Join Because He is ‘Living Life as a Girl’,” Penny Starr, CNSNews.com
• “Gay and lesbian service members sue government,” Jay Lindsay, Associated Press
• “New Hampshire House Begins Fight to Repeal Gay Marriage,” Bethany Hernandez, Christian Law Journal
• “Young Americans, Polls and Same-Sex Marriage,” Glenn T. Stanton, FocusFamilyINSIGHT
• “Groundbreaking Research on Sexual Orientation Change Published in Respected Scientific Journal,” Stanton L. Jones & Mark A. Yarhouse, Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy
• “Not-So-Free Speech in New Jersey,” Jan LaRue, The American Thinker

Human Life and Bioethics
Abortion

• “NAE Meets the President – Abortion “Did Not Come Up”,” Robert Morrison, Townhall.com
• “Marxism, Abortion among CCHD’s Poverty Strategies,” Kenneth Spence, The Acton Institute
• “Pro-Life Aristotle,” Christopher Kaczor, National Review
• “Seven Billion Strong, and Counting,” Christopher White, The Public Discourse
• “And Baby Makes Seven Billion,” William McGurn, The Wall Street Journal
• “Portions of NC Abortion Law Temporarily Blocked,” Bethany Hernandez, Christian Law Journal
• “Taking the abortion pill,” Marcia Segelstein, WORLD Magazine
• “Judge Prevents Abortion Law from Going into Effect,” Sean Murphy, The Washington Times
• “It’s a Girl,” Michael Stokes Paulsen, The Public Discourse
• “Health, abortion issues split Obama administration and Catholic groups,” Jerry Markon, The Washington Post

Bioethics and Biotechnology

• “Freed Science,” Phillip E. Johnson, Touchstone Magazine
• “Human Development and Human Flourishing: Creating Capabilities Isn’t Enough,” Ryan T. Anderson, The Public Discourse
• “I Am the Population Problem,” Lisa Graas, RH Reality Check

Euthanasia and End of Life Issues

• “Canadian Lawsuit Demands Right to Commit Euthanasia by Non Doctors,” Wesley J. Smith, Secondhand Smoke
• “Changes in Controversial Organ Donation Method Stir Fears,” Rob Stein, The Washington Post

Stem Cell Research

To read about the latest advances in ethical adult stem cell research, keep up with leading-edge reports from FRC’s Dr. David Prentice, click here.

• “Human Embryos Protected by European Court Ruling,” Bethany Hernandez, Christian Law Journal
• “Vatican signs deal to collaborate on adult stem cell research,” Mitchell Landsberg, Los Angeles Times

Women’s Health

• “Sold for Sex: The Link Between Street Gangs and Human Trafficking,” Laura J. Lederer, The Public Discourse
• “Trafficking Victims Take a Backseat to Ideology,” Steven Wagner, National Review Online

Marriage and Family
Adoption

• “Seven Thoughts on Together for Adoption,” Matthew Lee Anderson, Mere Orthodoxy
• “Gay adoption: New York leads way, but Gillibrand pushing for national reform,” Alison Gendar, New York Daily News

Family Economics

• “Perry’s Game-Changing Plan for Jobs and Growth,” Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski, The Huffington Post
• “For liberals, income inequality is the new global warming,” James Pethokoukis, The Enterprise Blog
• “Four Reasons Keynesians Keep Getting It Wrong,” Allan H. Meltzer, The Wall Street Journal
• “The dangers of unearned prosperity,” Les Sillars, WORLD Magazine

Family Structure

• “The Racial Gap in Marriage: How the Institution Is Tied to Inequality,” Ralph Richard Banks, The Atlantic
• “Recovering the Lost Meaning of Marriage,” Jim Tonkowich, Crosswalk
• “A Modest Proposal to Reduce Unnecessary Divorce,” Maggie Gallagher, The Public Discourse
• “The New Singleness,” Maggie Gallagher, The Public Discourse
• “Jenna Lyons, You and J. Crew Wanted Your Son to Stop Being Such a Boy,” Dr. Keith Ablow, Fox News
• “Four Legacies of Feminism,” Dennis Prager, National Review Online

Media
Pornography

• “Pornland or Portland? Christians Fighting Back, In Love,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “Pornography in the Pew – A Hidden Sin (Part One),” Gabrielle Devenish, The Christian Post
• “Child pornography’s often forgotten victims,” Lou Michel, Buffalo News
• “German Catholic bishops sell porn – report,” Rod Dreher, The American Conservative

Internet

• “Mentors with mobiles,” Daniel James Devine, WORLD Magazine
• “Students Push Their Facebook Use Further Into Course Work,” Alexandra Rice, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Religion and Public Policy
Religious Liberty

• “FRC Blasts Supreme Court for Allowing Decision to Stand that Removes Roadside Crosses in Six States,” Press Release, Family Research Council
• “Court decides against hearing roadside crosses case,” Ken Klukowski, The Washington Examiner
• “Activists Bemoan Low Priority Given to Religious Freedom,” Lauren Markoe, Crosswalk
• “Belief in god cuts two ways, study finds,” Medical XPress
• ” In Pennsylvania, A Precedent-Setting Win for Religious Freedom,” Alan Sears, Alliance Defense Fund
• “The Islamic Case for Religious Liberty,” Abdullah Saeed, First Things
• “Religious liberty threatened in America, Archbishop Gomez warns,” Marianne Medlin, Catholic News Agency

Religion in America

• “Liberty, Conscience & Autonomy,” Barry Hankins, Touchstone Magazine
• “VA Board of Supervisors Stands Up for Freedom and Fights ACLU Prayer Suit,” Bethany Hernandez, Christian Law Journal
• “Four Ways Christians Can Influence the World,” John R.W. Stott, Christianity Today
• “Can The Government Make Theological Distinctions Amongst Faith Traditions?,” Alliance Defense Fund

Secularism

• “Secularism, a new papal contender and Catholic humor,” John L. Allen, Jr., National Catholic Reporter
• “Time for ‘religious spring’,” Chris F. Cameron, Edmonton Journal

International
Israel

• “Middle East Uprising,” Todd Deatherage, Qideas
• “Israel, Palestinians To Present Proposals on Key Issues,” Voice of America
• “Whither the IDF?,” Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post

International Economy and Family

• “The Complicated Euro Crisis,” Robinson O’Brien-Bours, The Ashbrook Center
• “Let Europeans Handle Their Own Crisis,” John R. Bolton, American Enterprise Institute
• “The Euro-skeptics’ Moment,” Peter Whittle, City Journal

Religious Persecution

• “What’s Wrong with ‘Tolerance’?,” Robert Morrison, Townhall
• “Anti-Christian Backlash After South Sudan’s Secession,” Compass Direct News
• “Updated: Iranian Pastor Refuses to Recant in Face of Pending Execution,” Jeremy Weber, Christianity Today
• “Defamation Of Religion Laws = Persecution,” Kevin Theriot, Alliance Defense Fund
• “Freedom to Create,” Guy Sorman, City Journal

Sharia law — U.S., foreign

• “Arab Spring/Islamist Fall,” Ken Blackwell and Robert Morrison, The American Thinker
• “Libyan Intervention Still Illegal,” Robinson O’Brien-Bours, The Ashbrook Center
• “Unreal. Muslims File Suit – Say Crosses at Catholic University Are Offensive,” Jim Hoft, Gateway Pundit
• “Their future is now,” Mindy Belz, WORLD Magazine

The Courts
Constitutional Issues

• “Executive Power in Wartime,” Michael Mukasey, Imprimis
• “John Yoo Lauds Clarence Thomas as the Tea Party Justice,” Justin Shubow, Fed Soc Blog
• “Lawyer Opposing Health Law Is Familiar Face to the Justices,” Kevin Sack, New York Times

Judicial Activism

• “Ethics at the Supreme Court,” Ron Goldfarb, The Hill
• “Richard Fallon on Law Professors as Signatories to Amicus Briefs,” Ed Whelan, National Review Online

Other News of Note

• “Obama’s Weakness in Historical Context,” Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg, The American
• “A Beautiful Story about Human Equality,” Peter Wehner, Commentary Magazine
• “Who Killed Horatio Alger,” Luigi Zingales, City Journal
• “On Tyranny and Liberty,” Myron Magnet, City Journal

Book reviews

• “Three Cheers for Colonialism,” Justin Paulette, The Ashbrook Center
• “Debating the Debates,” Charles R. Kesler, Claremont Review of Books
• “A New Birth of Economic Freedom,” Richard A. Epstein, Claremont Review of Books
• “The Psychology of Trials,” Jimmy Lin, Qideas
• “My Kind of Theologian: A Review of Earthen Vessels by Matthew Lee Anderson,” Nathan Gilmour, The Christian Humanist
• “Simply Jesus,” N.T. Wright, Christianity Today
• “The Engine of Capitalism,” Guy Sorman, City Journal

Tags: Social Conservative Review

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