Charmaine sends this out to the AUL good-guy list,

It's nearly Independence Day, and, here in the Yoest household, that means a road trip!

Friday afternoon, Jack and I are filling up our black Suburban and taking our 'Penta-posse' -- our five kids -- to Charlottesville, VA, for our 14-year-old son John's all-star baseball tournament. How wonderful to spend July 4th in a city steeped in American history near the University of Virginia (my alma mater!), which was founded by Thomas Jefferson just a few miles from his Monticello home.

John Yoest, age 14
[Pitched a no hitter on his JV team -- as an 8th grader]
Photo Credit: Hannah Yoest

But although the calendar -- and the heat index -- says it's July 4, in my heart it feels like late November.

Independence Day has always been a kind of early Thanksgiving for me. I think about the sacrifices made by the Founding Fathers and their families, and of the blood shed by patriots so that America could be free, and I am so very thankful to be able to raise my children in the greatest country in the world.

The Founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

In naming three inalienable rights as endowed by humanity's Creator, the Declaration's authors were recognizing something unique and beautiful about being human. Taken together, those rights enable all the goods necessary for human flourishing.

More than that, the order in which the Founders listed the rights carries special meaning; it reveals the way one right flows from another. The right to liberty -- the freedom to thrive -- flows from the right to life, and from that liberty flows the ability to seek the happiness that will give one's life meaning and purpose.

I'm so honored to be working with the AUL team to further the understanding that the right to life enshrined in our Declaration extends to all humanity and includes the unborn.

The right to life is the foundation of all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. This is what we must teach our children on this family holiday, so that they and their children and their children's children may continue to live in a free country long after you and I have left this world.

My friend and AUL colleague Bob told me today about a wonderful Fourth of July tradition in his family. Every year, he and his wife host a barbecue that is highlighted by having one of the children present, usually his own daughter, read out loud the entire Declaration of Independence.

Jack and I like that idea so much that we are adopting this as a Yoest family tradition. I think we'll have Helena, our 12-year-old who has a dramatic flair, read the Declaration of Independence before we watch the fireworks after John's baseball game. If you'd like join us in that tradition, click here for a printable copy of the Declaration.

Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy Fourth,

Charmaine, and the Yoest family

P.S. On Monday, the AUL team will be back at the job of defending the right to life, all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. For the latest news on President Obama's high-court nominee, visit Sotomayor411.com. It's a one-stop resource we've created to share in-depth background and analysis from our legal team on Judge Sotomayor, including detailed information on why she is worse on life issues than retiring Justice David Souter.

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

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Pro-Abortion Hispanic Group: Sotomayor Set Policy, Not Involved in Legal Briefs, by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com Editor, July 1, 2009,

"Although the Senate will have a significant amount of materials to wade through, Charmaine Yoest, the president of Americans United for Life, has seen enough to say Sotomayor is pro-abortion and worse than Justice David Souter, whom she would replace.

Yoest points out that, during Sotomayor's time on the PRLDEF's board, its efforts "included no less than six briefs in five abortion-related cases before the Supreme Court -- pushing aggressively for an interpretation of abortion rights that would eliminate most or all state and federal abortion regulations while requiring state and federal funding of abortion."

In two of the legal briefs, "the PRLDEF's briefs took positions more extreme than those of Justice Souter, who joined with the court's majority to uphold restrictions the fund wanted struck down," Yoest added.

Ultimately, "Justice Sotomayor has never disavowed any of the PRLDEF's briefs, which are packed with the kind of extreme rhetoric more typical of left-wing blogs than of serious legal documents." "

U.S. appeals court upholds Virginia's ban on partial-birth abortion, By Catholic News Service

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia's ban on partial-birth abortion is constitutional, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 6-5 decision June 24.

"The head of Americans United for Life, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case and assisted the state with the litigation, said the "ban protects not only the unborn, but also the health and welfare of women."

"We are thrilled that the 4th Circuit followed clear U.S. Supreme Court precedent and upheld Virginia's ban on partial-birth abortion - which is more accurately called partial-birth infanticide," said Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO.

"It is a law that the vast majority of Americans are justified in supporting," she said. Opponents of the ban are expected to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the appellate court's decision.

The 2003 Virginia law makes it a felony to perform a partial-birth abortion, but it never went into effect because its constitutionality was challenged by a Richmond doctor who said the procedure can be necessary to protect the life of the mother. He also said the ban could prevent doctors from performing legal procedures for fear they would be prosecuted. "

From PA Pundits - International
"the relentless pursuit of common sense" - A Variety of Opinions From Various Writers -
"Only the pro-life group Americans United for Life has made a significant campaign against Sotomayor's ascension to the high court, calling her record on abortion rights "worse than [current Justice David] Souter's." Still, the fight should pick up once Sotomayor's confirmation hearings begin July 13."

Posted at 4:05 PM | Permalink
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Most people know very little about Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor. Americans United for Life will be alerting the public about the Pro-Abortion-Choice affinities of Sotomayor and the abortion agenda of president Obama.

AUL has published a new website www.Sotomayor411.com.

Click on the banner for outstanding research and analysis to learn about Sotomayor's judicial activism and the personnel policies of president Obama.

Alert Readers know that Charmaine served in presidential personnel in the (real) West Wing of the White House in the Ronald Reagan Administration. The direction from The Gipper was to hire carefully. Personnel is Policy.

President Obama shares more that oratorical elegance with Reagan. Obama also knows that Personnel is Policy.

Sotomayor is the personification of Obama's abortion policy.

Follow us on Twitter: jackyoest and charmaineyoest

Posted at 7:55 PM | Permalink
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The Editorial page writer at The Washington Times has done some valuable research that will advance the debate on Sotomayor. The nominee is not Pro-Life.

EDITORIAL: Sotomayor's abortion ties, Don't believe disinformation that she's pro-life

The most basic evidence of the judge's support for Roe comes in the triple combination of White House assurances to that effect, of pro-choice senators declaring after meeting with her that they are sure she agrees with them, and of her entire jurisprudential approach of broadly construing anything characterized as "women's rights."



Other evidence is more direct. Consider that from 1980 until October 1992, Judge Sotomayor served on the board -- at times as vice president and at times as chairman of the litigation committee -- of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. The New York Times in 1992 described her as "a top policy maker on the board." During that time period, the fund filed briefs in not one, not two, but at least six prominent court cases in strong support of "abortion rights."

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Read Sotomayor: Who Sleeps Better at Night, AUL or NARAL?

Follow Jack and Charmaine on Twitter: @jackyoest and @charmaineyoest

Posted at 9:26 PM | Permalink
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Be sure to get Charrmaine's media updates on Twitter from Your Business Blogger(R) and @charmaineyoest

Pro-life leaders, groups condemn murder of Kansas abortion doctor, By Chaz Muth at the Catholic News Service reports,

WASHINGTON - Pro-life advocates universally condemned the May 31 murder of a Kansas abortion doctor, with officials from several U.S. right-to-life groups saying such extreme acts only hurt the pro-life cause.

"We condemn this lawless act of violence," said Charmaine Yoest, president of the Americans United for Life. "The foundational right to life that our work is dedicated to extends to everyone. Whoever is responsible for this reprehensible violence must be brought to justice under the law."

Dr. George Tiller, 67, of Wichita, Kan., was fatally shot while serving as an usher at the city's Formation Lutheran Church during morning services, according to The Associated Press

David Brody at CBN reports, Randall Terry Is Not Spokesman for Pro-Life Movement,

Let's start with a reality check. Randall Terry does not speak for the broader pro-life movement. It's important to note that just because Randall Terry from Operation Rescue speaks out forcefully againt abortion doctor George Tiller that does not mean his sentiment is shared among mainstream pro-life groups.

You don't need to believe me. Just compare Operation Rescue's website with Concerned Women for America or Americans United for Life and on and on. The sanctity of life message is the underlying theme but the tactics and language are different. Much different.

Colleen Raezler at NewsBusters reports
Media: Tiller a Martyr, Abortion Not Killing and Pro-Lifers are Crazy

Tiller as Abortion Rights Martyr

Broadcast networks painted Tiller as a man willing to die in defense of women's rights.

All of the broadcast coverage noted past attempts people have made to disrupt Tiller's work - a bombing of his clinic in the 1980s and a 1993 attack in which he was shot in both arms - which, while pertinent to the story, also increased the aura of martyrdom that now surrounds him.
...
Statements from major pro-life organizations revealed a different story: that the pro-life community truly views all loss of human life as a tragedy.

Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, said "The foundational right to life that our work is dedicated to extends to everyone."

Opposing Views has Murder Not Justified, Pro-Life Leaders Say, By Baptist Press , News With a Christian Perspective

Among those issuing statements condemning the killing were representatives of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, Care Net, Susan B. Anthony List, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, American Life League, Operation Rescue, Christian Defense Coalition, 40 Days for Life, Stand True, Priests for Life and Pro-life Action League.

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Follow Jack and Charmaine on Twitter, @jackyoest and @charmaineyoest

Posted at 9:28 PM | Permalink
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AUL will be conducting a press conference tomorrow, Thursday. It's going to be good.

Americans United for Life has released a review of the potential Supreme Court Nominees.

The concern of AUL, the country's oldest Pro-Life public interest law firm, is that nominees might be "empathetic" to petitioners to the Supreme Court -- rather than honoring the Justices' oath to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution."

Your Business Blogger(R) served as an Armored Cavalry Officer and at commissioning -- becoming an officer and gentleman -- also took an oath to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution." The oath of commissioned military officers is to the document not to the president -- to a piece of paper, not to a person.

(It quite literally took an act of Congress to make Your Business Blogger (R) a gentleman...)

None of Obama's short list of nominees seem to understand this distinction on the job of a Supreme Court Justice: To be faithful to the Constitution and NOT to show "empathy" to any person or case before the Court.

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Get on Twitter and follow Jack and Charmaine, @JackYoest @CharmaineYoest

Read America's Unsettled Conscience on Abortion.

Visit Ultrasound Technology, Laws Credited for Pro-life Shift.

Lots of Links and good writing at Roundup: Obama Starts Conversations with Potential Supreme Court Picks.

Ultrasound technology and laws credited for pro-life shift, quotes Charmaine; always a good idea...

DEACON FOR LIFE

Read how numbers can be presented, Slight Majority Of U.S. Residents Call Themselves 'Pro-life;' 76% Say Abortion Should Be Legal, Poll Shows.

Conservatives, Interest Groups Gear Up for SCotUS Battle

New Gallup Poll Says Majority of Americans are Pro-Life, By Focus on the Family

Saint Luke, "Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative...", Life and the Supreme Court

The Oath of office

Posted at 10:08 PM | Permalink
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The household of Your Business Blogger(R) has been involved in a number of studies -- commissioning statistical polling.

A number of years ago, Charmaine's dissertation centered on data gathered with a $230,000 budget. To pass academic peer-reviewed scrutiny, she was most careful in 'framing questions' to get unbiased responses. And she had an expert team study the study so that all the actors involved in the questioning understood the questions.

The Little Woman knows statistical sampling and polling pit-falls.

It was of great interest to learn about the new Gallup poll showing a move of America from Pro-Choice to Pro-Life. Reporters began calling.

Charmaine did an outstanding interview with the LA Times reporter, Robin Abcarian, who was engaging and fair. (I know this 'cause I was driving while they talked on the phone...) The interview follows later.

I wanted to know more on the cause of the dramatic shift to America's current Pro-Life self-identification. So I asked Charmaine, Why such a big change?

This passes for pillow talk in our house...

She says that America has always been Pro-Life and there are four reasons for the poll shift:

Reframing Pro-Choice,
Obama Backlash,
Advances in Technology,
Financial Independence

Reframing Pro-Choice

How polling questions are framed can prompt a particular answer. But this was not the challenge of Gallup: They have asked the same question for years. The issue may well be the question itself. It seems that the public is beginning to understand when an abortion occurs -- in which trimester -- is important to being Are you Pro-Life or Pro-Choice in this black and white question. No shade of gray.

So. If a Pro-Choicer recoils at partial birth abortion, as do all normal humans, can she still be Pro-Choice? The question (and Cecile Richards at Planned Parenthood) does not allow this.

Or, more likely, if the Pro-Choicer is confused about any abortion after viability, is she no longer Pro-Choice? Maybe. If I am not Pro-Choice, then I am Pro-Life.

Charmaine's work reminds us that most Americans have always been Pro-life. But only now have the extremists of the Pro-Choicer agenda -- of abortion on demand -- pushed the public out of the comfortable gray area -- the mushy middle -- into a stark admission: I am not a part of any group who holds for partial birth abortion.

The public perception -- the shifting of the frame of the question -- changed.

It was: Yes, I am Pro-Choice because a woman can abort her baby in the first trimester.


It is: No, I am not Pro-Choice because there is no reason to abort in the third trimester.

The shift was not in the framing of the question but in the understanding of when the abortion was taking place during the pregnancy.

This demonstrates that the incremental strategy of changing law state-by-state in universal, common-sense regulation is what all Americans want. The incremental strategy of Americans United for Life is working.

Obama Backlash

This is why Planned Parenthood was so insistent that Candidate Obama push and pass The Freedom of Choice Act or FOCA. This law would kill all incremental controls passed by local lawmakers on abortion. The public is not happy with the extremism of the current Executive Order allowing Federal funding for abortions overseas. Americans don't want to pay for abortions in any country.

Americans do not want to pay for any abortion bailout.

President Obama has installed radical pro-abortion political appointees to implement Planned Parenthood's abortion on demand agenda -- abortion at any place; at any time; for any reason; at taxpayer expense. People don't like this. This makes self-identification as Pro-Choice unpalatable.

The Obama Backlash began when Jill Stanek documented his position against Infants Born Alive. What politician dare be against legislation protecting infants born alive?

Advances in Technology

Four Dimension Sonogram -- where the mother can watch her baby move about in real time. 85% of women who see the sonogram do not go through with a planned abortion -- which is why Planned Parenthood doesn't care for the science of the sonogram: It kills profits.

Babies can now survive at very young stages. Years ago Your Business Blogger(R) worked with aggressive technologies to help neonates with underdeveloped lungs to 'breathe' and to live. The public understands the new survival rates and is beginning to understand the illogical of aborting a child who could, today, survive outside the womb, where, a few years ago, could not.

Financial Independence

Most legal scholars -- even Obama short-listers -- agree that Roe v Wade was poorly reasoned and poorly decided. Even back then, the Justices cited a compelling state interest against third trimester abortions.

But recent Supreme Court cases have shifted from the healthy viability of the baby to the financial viability of the mother, a "reliance interest." The Court has now ruled that abortion is necessary so that women can break the glass ceiling.

And this is why liberals are so unhappy with Sarah Palin: She could have lotsa babies and still be a governor. Palin proves that financial success is compatible with motherhood (X 5).

(No, it is not easy. Do not just drop by our house unless you want to help do laundry...)

51% identify as 'pro-life' in U.S. It's the first time the Gallup Poll finds 'pro-choice' outweighed -- at 42% -- and a near-reversal of last year's figures, By Robin Abcarian,May 16, 2009

At a time when President Obama is trying to convince opponents in the abortion battle that they can find middle ground -- in rhetoric, if not reality -- a new Gallup Poll shows that more Americans describe themselves as "pro-life" than "pro-choice."

For the first time since it began asking the question in 1995, Gallup reported Friday, a majority of adults questioned for its annual survey on values and beliefs -- 51% -- said that when it comes to abortion, they consider themselves "pro-life"; 42% consider themselves "pro-choice." (The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.)

...antiabortion activists think they have more than the new poll on their side. "This isn't new," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life. "It tracks pretty much with what we've always known: People generally are pro-life depending on how you ask the question."

But Yoest said abortion foes were not placated. "There has been such an avalanche of pro-abortion activity that it's jaw-dropping. It's not just that his rhetoric doesn't square with reality; the gap is Grand Canyon-size. I think this administration has fundamentally miscalculated how out of step they are with the American people."

robin.abcarian@latimes.com

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:
From the Gallup organization,

May 15, 2009, More Americans "Pro-Life" Than "Pro-Choice" for First Time
Also, fewer think abortion should be legal "under any circumstances," by Lydia Saad

PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Gallup Poll, conducted May 7-10, finds 51% of Americans calling themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in 1995.

Follow us on Twitter: @JackYoest @CharmaineYoest

Posted at 8:39 PM | Permalink
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Each year in May Your Business Blogger(R) remembers the Cold War loss of submarine Scorpion. We are so lucky to have such brave men. And their families.

Our prayer is that our current Commander-in-Chief would know the culture of our warriors.


In Remembrance of
those in the
Submarine Service Some 40 Years ago the USS Scorpion was due in my hometown, Norfolk, VA. She never returned.

She is, as the veterans say, on Eternal Patrol.

Your Business Blogger(R) wrote an article for National Review Online about those left behind from the loss of the USS Scorpion.

Five Days in May: The loss of the USS Scorpion.

By Jack Yoest

Yolanda Mazzuchi was about the prettiest girl in our school class. Our dads were in the Navy, often gone for months at a time. And they would be welcomed home at dockside with cheers and homemade signs. These gatherings at the D&S Piers at the Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia, were a regular part of our lives growing up. Families often took children out of school to celebrate a ship's homecoming.

At 1 in the afternoon on Monday, May 27, 1968, at the height of the Cold War the USS Scorpion was due in port.

Yolanda didn't know it then, but her dad was already dead....

Continue reading here.

John Howland at USNA-AT-LARGE has set up a group for the boat,

Dedicated to and in honor of the 99 U.S. Navy submariners who perished in the loss of SCORPION in May 1968. The 40th Anniversary of that tragedy ...[is] (May 2008), yet the cause(s) of the loss remain a complete mystery.

USS Scorpion
40 Years on Eternal Patrol

This lack of clarity and closure has created a void into which charlatans now have full play in creating bogus theories for profit.

This unsatisfactory situation may result in the SCORPION 99 going into history forever at the mercy of the unscrupulous.

The solution that this group will work toward will be to encourage the U.S. Navy to, at the very least, put to rest the loss scenarios which have MINIMAL TO NO PROBABILITY of having actually occurred.

###

Thank you (foot)notes:

Follow Jack and Charmaine on Twitter: @JackYoest and @CharmaineYoest

More from BubbleHead.

And read about the Loss of the Bonefish.

Your Business Blogger(R) of Management Training of DC, LLC, is a licensed agent for the William Oncken Corporation, presenters of Managing Management Time(TM) fondly known as Monkey Management.

Remember Me at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 9:43 AM | Permalink
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Amy Harder, writing at the National Journal, interviewed Charmaine on the on-line battle on the up-coming Supreme Court Nomination. Also see nice quote from David All.

Online SCOTUS Rumble Sets Stage For Nomination Fight
Interest Groups And Media Observers Weigh In On What Influence The Internet Will Have On Upcoming High Court Battle, by Amy Harder, Thursday, May 14, 2009,

Americans United For Life says it has already seen an overwhelming response from its online supporters in discussions anticipating a nominee. "We had to upgrade the back end of our computer operation because we've seen such an outpouring of interest being more active on these issues," said Charmaine Yoest, the anti-abortion group's president. Her organization echoes a common concern on the right that Obama will nominate a judicial activist who will trigger a "dramatic shift in public understanding of the role of the courts," Yoest said. "When you go down the path of accepting judicial activism as the norm, that dramatically increases the amount of power judges have."

Yoest said her group will be ready to go right out of the gate once a nominee is announced. She said its "robust" online advocacy program, Facebook community and new IT system will mean "better, faster and cheaper" communication with supporters. "We're ready whenever they bring it out," she said. "There won't be a huge delay."

Charmaine predicts that the next Supreme Court Justice nominee will be a woman. a pro-choice, abortion advocate. See the AUL analysis here.

See Charmaine's writing on "The Woman's Chair."

Tiny URL: http://tiny.cc/YIeWC

Follow us on Twitter: @JackYoest @CharmaineYoest

Posted at 10:57 AM | Permalink
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Washington Wire, Political Insight and Analysis From The Wall Street Journal's Capital Bureau, Judicial Advocacy Groups Prepare for Supreme Court Battle, Susan Davis reports on politics,

Judicial advocacy groups are already drawing battle lines for a Supreme Court fight following news that Justice David Souter will retire at the end of the term.

Americans United for Life, a group that opposes abortion rights, said they will oppose any nominee who supports the Freedom of Choice Act to "elevate abortion to a fundamental right on the same place as the freedom of speech," said president Dr. Charmaine Yoest. Adding: "Justice Souter's retirement also represents a test for the Senate: will they uphold their duty to raise serious questions over a nominee's judicial philosophy?"

Republicans warned Tuesday against rushing a Supreme Court nominee through the Senate, even as Democrats said no announcement of a successor to Justice David H. Souter would come this week.

In timing his first nomination to the nation's highest court, President Obama is balancing competing political imperatives: He needs to wait long enough that key senators in both parties feel that he seriously entertained their suggestions and weighed their advice. But waiting too long would give his conservative critics the opportunity to mobilize and to attack potential candidates pre-emptively -- making it more difficult for the Senate to confirm a new justice prior to the August recess....

Conservative activists urged Republicans not to allow Democrats to rush the process. Charmaine Yoest, [Ph.D.] president of Americans United for Life, urged Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the Judiciary Committee's new ranking Republican, "to begin your role as ranking minority member by putting the brakes on rushing through a Supreme Court nominee."

Battle lines over President Barack Obama's first Supreme Court nominee were quickly solidifying Friday morning, even as the White House and Capitol Hill continued to wait for the official word that Justice David Souter would retire this summer...

While politicians at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue may be waiting to comment until Obama receives a formal communication on Souter's intentions, interest groups were wasting no time drawing lines in the sand over a looming Senate confirmation fight.

Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, warned in a statement Friday morning that anti-abortion-rights organizations would vigorously oppose any nominee that interprets the Constitution to include protections for abortion.

"We will work to oppose any nominee for the Supreme Court who will read the Freedom of Choice Act into the Constitution in order to elevate abortion to a fundamental right on the same plane as the freedom of speech. In his search for a replacement for Justice Souter, President Obama should avoid a pro-abortion litmus test," Yoest said.

Marge Baker, executive vice president at People for the American Way, urged Obama to stick by his campaign pledge to tap nominees who bring a level of empathy for minorities, the poor and women.

UPI, Abortion key issue in replacing Souter,

WASHINGTON, May 3 (UPI) -- Abortion rights will occupy a prominent place in the political battle to replace U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter, say those on each side of the issue.

"Without a doubt, opponents of women's freedom and privacy will use a vacancy on the court as an opportunity to further their attacks on nominees who have taken pro-choice positions, " said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, the abortion rights group.

Difficulties encountered by several of President Barack Obama's choices for federal posts prove anti-abortion groups retain the power to derail the president's agenda, despite the Democratic majority in Congress, said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life.

"This new administration and the congressional majority may support radical abortion rights, but the American people as a whole do not," Yoest said.

WASHINGTON -- A full-scale battle on Capitol Hill over the next Supreme Court nominee could still be months away, but small skirmishes have been taking place all year...

Groups that oppose abortion rights have been testing their political viability since Obama took office, and they say the difficulties encountered by Johnsen and others show they retain the power to derail the Obama agenda, despite large Democratic majorities.

"This new administration and the congressional majority may support radical abortion rights, but the American people as a whole do not," said Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life. "Canny political observers and politicians know this."

HotAir,

One of the organizers of the Justice Sunday rallies in 2005 has sent a letter to the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee demanding that Patrick Leahy ensure against confirming a judicial activist to replace David Souter. Dr. Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life reminds Leahy that Americans around the country have put reasonable restrictions on abortion, and that any judge that would undo those through legislative fiat should not get sent to the highest court...

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Jack and Charmaine also blog at Reasoned Audacity. Your Business Blogger(R) of Management Training of DC, LLC, is an adjunct professor of business at the Northern Community College and is a licensed agent for the William Oncken Corporation, presenters of Managing Management Time(TM) fondly known as Monkey Management.

Tiny URL: http://tiny.cc/Z7ahw

Learn how our household learned to manage teamwork at http://tiny.cc/8SVkS

Posted at 8:14 AM | Permalink
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"People don't care about how much you know until they know how much you care," Jack Kemp often said.

Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine crossed paths with the QB/Compassionate-Politico a number of times.

We talked with him when he was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He told us that he spent $60,000 dollars on pictures for the HUD building. A tremendous sum even back then.

60K for pictures? we asked.

The old dull gray HUD walls were festooned(?) with old dull gray photos of housing developments -- government run tenement slums.

The first thing he did was to take down pictures of those monstrosities and replace them with pictures of hope.

Instead of apartment buildings, visitors now saw majestic pictures of Lincoln.

He said words to the effect, "I wanted to give people a vision of the future, of home ownership..."

If you wanted real change you'd pick a QB who could move the ball down the field and win games.

Charmaine's parents worked on his first run for congress in Buffalo in the early 70's. Kemp was a gentleman with a kind word for everyone.

No one didn't like Jack Kemp.

Jack Kemp, RIP.

Posted at 8:19 AM | Permalink
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"Our mailing list has exploded. ... We are also in the process of adding staff and hiring," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United For Life, a conservative organization that opposes abortion rights.

Ed Stoddard interviewed Charmaine and offered his Analysis in Reuters,

DALLAS (Reuters) - The Texas governor ponders secession from the United States, anti-tax "tea parties" are held and some states snub federal economic "stimulus" funds.

The U.S. Republican Party's conservative base is fired up and taking aim at the old target of "big government" as its opposition hardens to the agenda of President Barack Obama and a U.S. Congress controlled by his fellow Democrats.

AUL's direct competitor in the market-place of abortion law is Planned Parenthood;

Life vs. Death
AUL vs. PP
Charmaine vs. Cecile Richards.

Planned Parenthood takes in a billion dollars and some 400 million in your tax dollars for the Richards Abortion bailout.

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Cecile Richards is pushing for FOCA, the Freedom of Choice Act. But even our liberal friends are fighting FOCA.

Also see Pro-Choice Democrats FightFOCA

So liberals love science? Not the science of the sonogram; read Charmaine Quoted in The Wall Street Journal;
Planned Parenthood Forbids the Science of the Sonogram

Posted at 8:54 AM | Permalink
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Your Business Blogger(R) teaches business at the local college and loves the 'continuous learning' life style. So when Jack Welch, Ph.D., former CEO of GE has something to say about management, this student takes notes.

Welch appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box this morning and graded president Obama on leadership.

Welch said Obama on leadership earned an "A."

(On leadership, said Welch; Not so on policy...)

Personnel is Policy, Ronald Reagan & Charmaine

Welch mentioned his criteria: Vision, Mission, Communication and Team Building.

Welch explained the value of having the right people on the president's team -- and how well the team works together because they each share the vision and mission of Obama's America.

This is what president Reagan talked about in "Personnel is Policy" when Charmaine worked in the West Wing. You hire people who think as you would think -- the boss should hire like minded deputies.

And this is exactly what Obama has done. Jack Welch is right. Obama's managers want us all to love and worship Obama's world (view).

So when an Obama Deputy - Napolitano -- publishes a directive to law enforcement officials -- those with the power to arrest -- that Pro-Lifers and Veterans are a danger to America; all Americans know that this is exactly how Obama thinks.

What happens next? Obama is dividing our nation. People are not buying Obama's vision for America. Texas talks about seceding (again). But this time the abolitionists Pro-Lifers will be in the south -- not Massachusetts. Salena Zito writes,

Texas Gov. Rick Perry last week declared the federal government had become "oppressive in its size, intrusion into the lives of our citizens and its interference with the affairs of our state."

Obama will push for the so called 'Freedom of Choice Act' or FOCA. Which will remove all local regulation of abortion and the offices where abortions are preformed. A social worker in a dirty back alley could do the baby-cutting.

Obama will allow open homosexuals to serve in the military which will destroy unit cohesion and effect our ability to complete any mission and will certainly cost American lives.

But red-blooded Americans are fighting back.

Charmaine was interviewed by Politico on the Obama backlash. CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN writes in Obama boosts anti-abortion efforts,

The first hint of a stir came just after Election Day, when the computer servers at Americans United for Life crashed. People were swamping the Web site to sign a petition urging President-elect Barack Obama to stand firm against abortion.

"I got a call from one of our guys, 'We have a problem,' " said Charmaine Yoest, the group's president and chief executive officer. "And I was like, 'The problem would be what?'"

Tech-savvy Charmaine knows that servers being overwhelmed with internet traffic is a high-quality problem.

Obama does not care for veterans such as Your Business Blogger(R) nor the Pro-Lifers such as Americans United for Life.
.


Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

An Alert Reader, fred5676 writes on Michele Malkin's Confirmed: The Obama DHS hit job on conservatives is real,

So NumbersUSA and Americans United for Life are terrorist groups??? COUNT ME IN!!

Visit the Baptist Bulletin world news.

See the Pregnancy Resource Center at UAB; A student organization serving pregnant and parenting students on our campus,

More than 261,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Notre Dame to withdraw its invitation for Obama to speak at the Catholic university's May 17 commencement. The petition says Obama has carried out "some of the most anti-life actions of any American president," including expanding taxpayer-funded research on embryonic stem cells.

And Americans United for Life plans to expand its plans to expand its staff in Washington and, after the post-election crash, recently upgraded its computer system to handle the bump in online activism.

The King's Good Servant and God's First

Jill Stanek has excellent analysis at Anti-life (on steroids) Obama energizes pro-life movement

See Peter Shinn from Pro-Life Unity interview Dr. Charmaine Yoest.

Fight for Life here.

AUL Defends Doctors and Nurses

Oklahoma legislature would allow pregnant mother to use deadly force to protect unborn

Love Life no matter how small.

Catholic Pro-Life Committee

CNA -- Oklahoma legislature would allow pregnant mother to use deadly force to protect unborn

Posted at 1:33 PM | Permalink
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George Weigel says that the real winner in the last election was...

the 1960's.

The Woodstock-er Flower Power, Free Love-Hippy-Hypocrites are having children and presidents of their own.

Love Hypocrites? Yep.

If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with!

Sex sells as nothing else. But only sex. Nothing else.

Your Business Blogger(R) was at a local high school sporting event in the stands next to another doting dad who truly cares about his daughter. (Note: this story is essentially true; some details have been changed for obvious reasons.)

I know about the daughter. A lot. Too much.

Charmaine and I regularly monitor The (teenaged) Dreamer's and the Dude's Facebook friends. And saw pictures of someone else's daughter that would not get her hired in any company I advise.

I gently suggest to the Dad that Facebook is a good source to learn if teenage daughters are well, "active."

He says. "I don't want to know." I am perplexed.

He smiles, "They are just going to do it anyway."

He didn't want to know about his daughter's (potential) amorous adventurous.

But he might get concerned...

If he learned that she might be smoking.

And without a doubt, if her football friends were drinking and driving.

Sex: OK anytime.

Smoking: BAD anytime.

Drinking: BAD while driving.

Facebook: WHAT?

Woodstock-ers don't mind if their daughter's are sexually active, as long as they really care about their health: no smoking and don't drive while drunk.

(I'm still waiting for the public school system Safe Smoking Class; the Safe Drinking Class.)

The contraceptive pill known as Plan B soon will be made available without prescription to minors without parental consent . . .

This is Woodstock-ing your children.

NATASHA SINGER writes in The New York Times, Contraception Pill Strictures Are Eased by a Judge

A federal judge ordered the Food and Drug Administration on Monday to make the Plan B morning-after birth control pill available without prescription to women as young as 17....

The agency has 30 days to comply with the order, in which the judge also urged the agency to consider removing all restrictions on over-the-counter sales of Plan B. The drug consists of two pills that prevent conception if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse...

Not until 2006 did the F.D.A. rule, saying that the drug could be sold without a prescription only to women over 18. In order to enforce the age restriction, the agency also ordered that Plan B be stocked behind pharmacy counters, in contrast to other over-the-counter contraceptives like condoms.

Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York unilaterally determined in Tummino v. Torti that 17 year old girls should have unrestricted, over-the-counter access to Plan B or so-called "emergency contraception." In doing so, the court overruled a previous decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requiring that minors first obtain a valid prescription for the potentially dangerous drug.

The Obama Administration is widely expected to welcome the ruling and not pursue a meaningful appeal in the case.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President & CEO of Americans United for Life said, "Given legitimate concerns about the safety of self-medicating with Plan B, it is incomprehensible that we would allow a minor to walk into any pharmacy and obtain this drug without medical oversight or parental involvement."

So where did this new nonsense originate?

Sam & Dave sum it up,

I was educated at Woodstock
When I start lovin', oh, I just can't stop

Join Fight FOCA Maybe the Obama administration is right:

Kids are going to do it anyway:

They just can't stop.

But they better not have a cigarette after...

The Woodstock-administration is working to promote prescription pills to underage girls.

Abortions are coming next.

Stop the Woodstock-ers.

Fight FOCA.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Some versions From the Blues Brothers have,
I was educated from good stock
When I start lovin' I just cant stop

The Woodstock-ers have created the party of death.

Alert Readers know that Your Business Blogger(R) spent a number of decades in pharmaceutical and medical device companies and had to work with FDA requirements.

The FDA has its reasoning upside down, backwards, wrong.

That is to say: They are making political -- not a medical -- decision.

The normal contraceptive Pill requires a prescription from a licensed physician.

Plan B IS the Pill, except much, much stronger.

Now Plan B will require no prescription, but its stronger dose twin does?

This is lunacy. This is anti-science. This is anti-health.

This is the new administration.

See Truthspeaker's Weblog

Visit Court Gives 17-Year-Old Girls Unrestricted Access to Morning-After Pill
Tuesday, By Susan Jones, Senior Editor

Posted at 6:41 AM | Permalink
Comments (1)

When does life begin? Obama wasn't sure, but the science is settled.

Life begins at conception.

Charmaine on an earlier appearance on C-SPAN

From an article by William L. Saunders, Jr., graduate of Harvard Law School, in the Fordham Urban Law Journal,

Lethal Experimentation on Human Beings: Roe's Effect on Bioethics,

There is no mystery about when human life begins. It is only within the political and ideological context that this matter is contested...

When the matter is not being debated in a courtroom or on the floor of the Congress, when it is left for scientific analysis, the resolution is clear.

Human life begins, in the normal, ordinary case, at "conception," that is to say, at fertilization...

See, e.g., C.R. Austin, Fertilization, in Germ Cells and Fertilization 103, 103 (C.R. Austin & Short eds., 1972).

Charmaine is scheduled to debate against Embryonic Stem Cell Research and for Adult Stem Cell Research on Fox and Friends on Sunday morning the 8th.

Note this is not the Sunday morning Fox with Chris Wallace.

Hit time estimate is 8am eastern.

Thank you (foot)notes,

See Adult Stem Cell Research: Benefits and Successes

The Politico Quotes Yoest on Embryonic Stem Cell Legislation
Charmaine Quoted in Congressional Quarterly on Stem Cell Research

West Wing propaganda on stem cell research

What's a Blastocyst, Anyway?

Posted at 7:18 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine at AUL was interviewed by the Associated Press by phone while we were in Laguna Niguel over the weekend.

Sebelius, credit: Tony's Kansas City

JOHN HANN writes, Abortion foes vow to fight a Sebelius nomination,

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- National anti-abortion groups promise a vigorous fight if President Barack Obama nominates Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as U.S. health and human services secretary....

"It's not just that she has a pro-abortion rights viewpoint," said Charmaine Yoest, president and chief executive officer of Americans United for Life Action. "It's her very close association with one of the most infamous abortionists in this country."...

Abortion foes said Friday an important issue is a reception Sebelius once had with a late-term abortion provider who's now facing criminal charges.

Administration officials disputed the idea that abortion is an issue as to whether Obama nominates Sebelius. She is considered a leading candidate for the HHS job, although the White House has said others are being considered.

Abortion opponents acknowledged Friday that they'll probably be uncomfortable with nearly anyone Obama nominates, but they're particularly upset by the prospect of Sebelius.

A major reason is an event in April 2007 at the governor's residence with Dr. George Tiller and his Wichita clinic's staff. Abortion foes eventually obtained photos from the reception and posted them last year on the Internet.

Charmaine's reports that Sebelius opposes and has voted against Parental Notification and safe, clinical standards for abortion offices. See the Americans United for Life Action blog,

The need for this critical legislation was predicated, in large part, on evidence of shocking conditions in Kansas abortion clinics.

For example, two inspections of the same Topeka abortion clinic discovered fetal remains stored in the same refrigerator as food;

a dead rodent in the clinic hallway;

overflowing, uncovered disposal bins containing medical waste;

unlabeled, pre-drawn syringes with controlled substances in an unlocked refrigerator;

improperly labeled and expired medicines; carpeted floor in the surgical procedure room; and visible dirt and general disarray throughout the clinic.

Dr. Krishna Rajanna, who operated the unsanitary clinic, also consistently violated the practice guidelines for conscious sedation.

These unsanitary medical practices would close a restaurant, let alone an abortion office. Other issues that disqualify Sebelius,

On balance, Gov. Sebelius' record demonstrates that she is unfit to serve as HHS Secretary and should not be in a position to make such important policy determinations including:

* Whether to rescind, modify, or retain HHS rules requiring that recipients of certain federal funding certify their compliance with existing federal law supporting healthcare fights of conscience;

* Whether to expand the over-the-counter availability of abortifacients such as "Plan B" (so-called "emergency contraception") to allow minors to obtain these controversial and dangerous drugs without a prescription or doctor's involvement; and

* Whether to rescind approval for or, at a minimum, review the safety and efficacy of RU-486 ("the abortion pill") which has killed at least 7 women in the U.S. since it was approved by the FDA in September 2000.

Alert Readers know that Your Business Blogger(R) worked in a restaurant as a teenager. My boss was always worried that the Health Department Inspector might find some random rat dropping. My restaurant manager would have nothing to fear if Sebelius was the governor. Sebelius is not qualified to oversee a food service business. And she is not qualified to run Health and Human Resources.

See KansasCity.com

Posted at 10:03 AM | Permalink
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Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine are spending a few days at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel for a series of meetings.

This Ritz sold us in the first two minutes.

The car valet attendant took our car and offered assistance with our bags. Walking thru the front entrance, the staff welcomed us.

By name.

We are escorted to the check-in counter (of magnificent stone) and Charmaine addresses the lovely clerk (young, but mature and a happily married mother we soon learn),

Charmaine asks, "How did the door man know our names?"

She looks up. "He's got special powers," she replied matter of factly.

Funny. Smart. Ladies and Gentlemen Serving Ladies and Gentlemen.

The Ritz knows how to sell. The lifetime value of each regular guest of the hotel is over $300,000.

Commitment, Attention to Detail, Immediate Follow-up: Selling.

Save the Date:

Question: What lost Vietnam?

Answer: A failed sales presentation.

Well-run organizations have decision makers and influencers who are sales professionals at every level. People who persuade.

They sell to customers, superiors and peers. They are 'salesmen' who work to control events - both inside and outside the organization. Salesmen in business development who are account managers.

Who: Professionals and life-long students in management or in business development - sales, fund-raising, leadership.

What: The seminar will equip the attendee with background on how to manage and how to sell both tangibles and intangibles -- To sell ideas, and products, and services.

When: Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 11:00pm to 12:15pm

Where: Northern Virginia Community College,
Alexandria Campus, campus map
The new Bisdorf Auditorium, room 196
3001 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311 street map

Why: Increase sales, Increase funding,
Sell an idea, Save the world.

Cost: No Charge. Register here at JYoest@NVCC.edu. Space is limited.

Suggested class reading:

Selling your skills, Do You Have An Incompetent Manager? From The Washington Post.

Management_Time__Who_s_Got_the_Monkey___HBR_OnPoint_Enhanced_Edition_.pdf Harvard Business Review. How not to sell in the office.

One Minute YouTube Introduction: Office Politics: Someone is always selling, Someone is always buying.

Come to this class. You might be the one to prevent another Vietnam.

Jack Yoest
202.215.2434
Adjunct Professor

Posted at 11:05 AM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Alert Readers have noted that Charmaine did not make a number of points about the Octo-mom on Huckabee.

The segment was edited down for time. But Charmaine at AUL and some media outlets are reporting about the need for regulation of fertility clinics and Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART).

Cheryl Wetzstein writes
WETZSTEIN: Fertility industry in need of rules in the Washington Times,

Lawmakers in a hurry might want to consider model ART legislation from the pro-life Americans United for Life (AUL).

The bill recommends limiting the transfer of embryos to two at a time and encourages using frozen embryos before creating new ones, AUL official Mailee Smith said. It also would require comprehensive informed consent, so women can understand the range of health risks associated with multiple births, she said.

Charmaine was scheduled to appear on Larry King Live to continue the fertility debate, but was canceled.

Thank you (foot)notes,

See more of AUL's incremental abortion strategy in, MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH New trend: Ultrasounds before abortion 12 states may require doctors to offer image of baby prior to terminating life, By Chelsea Schilling, © 2009 WorldNetDaily. For example, in,

Missouri: Physicians and other "professionals" performing abortions must provide information about free ultrasound services, allow the woman access to an ultrasound and provide her with a chance to listen to the heartbeat of her unborn baby.

Currently, a patient must be informed of risks of abortions 24 hours before terminating her pregnancy. Doctors must have written parental consent or a court order to perform abortions on minors.

According to Americans United for Life, the state's General Assembly "has found that the life of each human being begins at conception." The state prohibits partial-birth abortion throughout pregnancy.

Most fertility clinics break the rules.

Posted at 9:12 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine was busy with media interviews while she marched in the March for Life.

(This was quite an act: no child was left behind...) Obama is beginning to fulfill his campaign promises to bail out the abortion business.

Baby Boo working the crowd at the March for Life

If you support abortion or not, you are now going to pay for abortion...the world over.

Your Business Blogger(R) does not care for the government bail out of any business. Especially not the abortion business.

Obama lifts restrictions on abortion funding, 24 Jan 2009, Source: Reuters

By Jeff Mason and Deborah Charles (Additional reporting by Ed Stoddard)

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday lifted restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, reversing a policy of his Republican predecessor George W. Bush...

"When we wake up every morning to a deepening financial crisis, it is an insult to the American people to bail out the abortion industry," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life.

"Planned Parenthood is a billion-dollar company and they do not need additional resources to burden the American taxpayer."...

The United States spends more than $400 million on overseas family planning assistance each year.

Jon Ward writes in The Washington Times, Obama changes policy on abortion, Saturday, January 24, 2009

"What a terrible way to begin a new administration: with an abortion business bailout that will exploit women in developing countries for political ends," said Charmaine Yoest, President of Americans United for Life Action.
...
Mr. Obama's promise to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which would repeal all state and local restrictions on abortion, such as parental notification laws and measures allowing physicians to deny abortions based on their own faith convictions, came under fire Thursday from congressional Republicans.

Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, thinks the change in policy amounts to U.S. tax dollars funding abortion and sees no positive outcome.

LifeNews.com Editor, Steven Ertelt, reports
Pro-Life Advocates: Obama Has Already Betrayed Promise to Reduce Abortions January 23, 2009,

Charmaine Yoest, [Ph.D.] the president of Americans United for Life, also responded to the news.

"What a terrible way to begin a new administration: with an abortion business bailout that will exploit women in developing countries for political ends," she told LifeNews.com.


"We should not export the tragedy of abortion to other nations, and we certainly shouldn't do so via the hard-earned dollars of American taxpayers," she said.

Denise Burke, [Americans United for Life] Vice President of Legal Affairs said the move also creates foreign policy headaches because it has the U.S. funding pro-abortion groups that are actively lobbying other nations to reverse their long-standing pro-life laws.

"Pro-abortion organizations like the International Planned Parenthood Federation are actively working to impose radically pro-abortion laws on developing nations, showing no regard for the will of the people in these countries," she said. "This move is a significant step backwards in respecting the sovereignty of nations, in empowering women, and in protecting unborn."

Thank you (foot)notes,

Notae Zuinglii, Bible and Theology writes, Legitimizing Murder
Yes we can, use your money to fund abortions
"The time has come to set aside childish things." Barak H. Obama 1/20/09

See Mike's Noise, We Surrender! "Bailout" plan is now law

Visit Tradition Catholic Reflections

President Bush writes,

In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt.

Republican Leader John Boehner is blogging. Read his post at Americans United for Life Action, Mr. President: Reconsider FOCA

January 22, 2009

A Guest Post by Republican Leader John Boehner

Yesterday, on the eve of the 36th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v Wade decision, 105 Members of Congress sent a letter to President Obama requesting that he reconsider his support for overturning pro-life laws--even laws enacted by the States. Specifically we asked the President to withdraw his pledge to sign the so-named Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which would in one tragic act overturn virtually all pro-life laws nationwide, and to refuse to support policies that incrementally enact the FOCA agenda by rescinding or weakening existing pro-life laws....

Posted at 11:51 AM | Permalink
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While we were marching in yesterday's March for Life, Charmaine was interviewed by the WSJ on the Obama Abortion Bail Out executive order.

Cecile Richards, from Planned Parenthood and Obama

The reporter, LAURA MECKLER, asked about the current Mexico City Accord which prohibits USA taxpayers funding education on "reproductive freedom" to other countries. (The Alert Reader knows well that reproductive freedom/education is code for abortion.) The reporter also asked about Obama's "sensitivity" on not signing the abortion bailout on the anniversary of Roe v Wade; 22 January -- a day Pro-Lifers yearly recognize as the day the Supreme Court legalized abortion in all 57 50 states. Abortion is now legal through all nine months of pregnancy.

Meckler wrote,

...[A]bortion opponents were not mollified. Charmaine Yoest, [Ph.D.] president of Americans United for Life, thinks the change in policy amounts to U.S. tax dollars funding abortion and sees no positive outcome. But she called the delayed timing "a politically savvy move" by the White House.

Meckler also interviewed Cecile Richards,

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which offers abortion and family planning, says she doesn't care when President Obama changes the policy, as long as it is changed. "He has clearly stated his opposition to the global gag rule and his intention to overturn it," she said.

Cecile Richards makes money selling and preforming abortions. If women and other countries cannot afford an abortion. The American tax payer will now pay for them in a Planned Parenthood office.

There is one gag rule that Cecile Richards demands that Obama not change: No pregnant woman should see a sonogram of her baby.

85 percent of women who see the first picture of the child, do not have an abortion.

Planned Parenthood cannot have the science of the sonogram help women to choose.

Over 530,000 have signed the Americans United for Life petition to Fight FOCA. Be sure to sign up!

Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine spend time yesterday talking with Lila Rose who regularly captures on video Planned Parenthood covering up rapes. See
Planned Parenthood Rape Cover-up: Is a Sting Operation Ethical?

Posted at 11:11 AM | Permalink
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Your Business Blogger(R), Charmaine and the Penta-Posse joined some 300,000 of our closest friends and marched for life "celebrated" each January 22nd. Charmaine worked the event with her team from Americans United for Life.

It took over three hours for the March to pass.

Obama was invited.

He didn't show.

The Yoests and Dan McConchie supporting AUL's FightFOCA
at the March for Life 2009

But Obama did offer to make nice: He won't sign an abortion bailout executive order...until tomorrow, Friday.

Tomorrow, the 23rd, he is expected to issue by presidential fiat an order which will permit your tax dollars to pay for abortions around the world.

We all may differ on when life begins. Or if a baby is being aborted. Or if there is a link between breast cancer and abortion.

But most of the country does not want our tax dollars to pay for abortions. Especially overseas.

No one wants a bail out for the off shore affiliates of Planned Parenthood.

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:
See the post from PoliPundit, LIVE From Blogs 4 Life

Visit Blogs 4 Life.

Professor Robert George of Princeton writes,

Obama is being served and abetted by a small number of Catholic and Evangelical intellectuals and activists who have been peddling the claim that Obama, despite his pro-abortion extremism, is effectively pro-life because of his allegedly enlightened economic and social policies will reduce the number of abortions. This is delusional.

The truth is that Barack Obama is the most extreme pro-abortion candidate ever to serve in the United States Senate or seek the Office of President of the United States.

The revocation of the Hyde Amendment, the Mexico City Policy, funding limitations on embryo-destructive research, informed consent laws, parental notification statutes--all of which Obama has promised to his pro-abortion base--will dramatically increase the number of abortions, and will do so for reasons that have been articulated by the abortion lobby itself.

It is the pro-abortion side that tells us that the Hyde Amendment alone has resulted in 300,000 fewer abortions each year than would otherwise be performed--and that is why they so desperately want it to be repealed. Yet the putatively pro-life Obama apologists claim that the man who pledges to repeal it is going to reduce the number of abortions. Let me say it again: this is delusional.

Why Obama Really Voted For Infanticide from National Review

Posted at 8:01 PM | Permalink
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People are divided. The country is divided.

However one feels, Obama has promised to make this division worse. He has promised to sign the Freedom of Choice Act or FOCA.

The Coweta-FayetteRTL blog reminds us that FOCA would,

* Provide for taxpayer-funded abortion on demand at all 9 months of pregnancy

* Grant abortionists protections from legal action

* Allow abortionists to perform abortion on minors without parental notification

* Deny health care workers the right to refuse to make abortion referrals as a matter of conscience

* Take away legal protection from religiously-affiliated hospitals who refuse to allow abortions within their facilities

* Overturn laws requiring abortions to be performed by a licensed physician

In April 2007 the Senate considered FOCA. Read the bill foca_2007_senate.pdf.

The Supreme Court has allowed abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. Obama goes further (and later) and supports post-birth abortion. A civilized people will not stand for the destruction of its most defenseless citizens. Obama is in for a fight.

Join Fight FOCA

December before last Your Business Blogger(R) followed Charmaine as she worked on the Huckabee presidential campaign. I drove the Penta-Posse in the monster Huck-a-truck and we lived out (lots!) of suitcases across Arkansas, Iowa, New Hampshire.

All of the campaigners, liberal and conservative, stayed in the same hotels. We often crossed paths and chatted in the elevators.

Sometimes we'd compliment the Obama team. "He's a very attractive candidate," I remember saying to an Obama worker at one time...

Anybody was better than Hillary.

Now we have both of them.

So what do we do now with the coming socialists? Waiting for the party of death?

Sign FightFOCA, to start.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Be sure to see Charmaine speak at Blogs 4 Life this Thursday, the 22nd in Your Nation's Capital.

Random Thoughts has graphics of partial birth abortion, which would be permitted under Obama's Freedom of Choice Act.

Thank you to NRL for the FOCA legislative link.

Please sign the petition. Almost 470,000 have signed to date.

Pro-Life and Pro-Obama?

See the Americans United for Life blog.

See Major Scoop on FOCA.

Read Father Jim,

As Catholics, we must oppose passage of the evil "Freedom of Choice Act." To read more about our U.S. Bishops' opposition to FOCA, visit www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/FOCA. Americans United For Life is also encouraging pro-lifers to sign a petition against FOCA at www.fightfoca.com. Also certain to arise soon is the issue of federal judgeship nominations. President Obama's picks for these key positions are all expected to be pro-choice, as are his choices for the Supreme Court. Committed pro-life Catholics have ample opportunity to pray for our nation, the very anti-life direction we are going towards now and our new President. God help America!

Abortion and FOCA is uniting all different religious traditions. See Making My Own Colors.

Be sure to bookmark Jill Stanek. We will need her insight over the next 4 years.

Obama: Abortion & The Death of a Live Birth, "Let all the babies be born. Then let us drown those we do not like."

Watch the videos on Lisa's blog. And thank her for installing the FightFOCA code on her template.

ComMITTed to Romney has Sign FightFOCA.com's Petition to Protect Human Life!

A former submariner is Fighting FOCA.

A and A have got the code.

Barbara takes on "Choice."

Abortions are decreasing.

And no, Abortion is not a right.

Tom McMahon asks about The Change.

2nd Cup of Coffee has Just One Wish.

Posted at 8:13 AM | Permalink
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Question: Who Declared Jan 22nd as National Sanctity of Human Life Day?

Answer: Ronald Reagan.

January 22nd is commemorated each year as National Sanctity of Human Life Day; the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision of Roe vs Wade.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 22, 1984, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day.

I call upon the citizens of this blessed land to gather on that day in homes and places of worship to give thanks for the gift of life, and to reaffirm our commitment to the dignity of every human being and the sanctity of each human life.

No wonder liberals hate Ronald Reagan.

Join Fight FOCA Charmaine was interviewed for Moody Bible Radio on the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), Sanctity of Life Sunday and The March for Life.

Visit Paul Butler's blog for the audio link. Good stuff.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Paul Butler at Paul Butler's Production Blog points us to Ronald Reagan's proclamation of January 22nd.

Reagan issued the Proclamation on January 13, 1984,

"The values and freedoms we cherish as Americans rest on our fundamental commitment to the sanctity of human life.

The first of the "unalienable rights'' affirmed by our Declaration of Independence is the right to life itself, a right the Declaration states has been endowed by our Creator on all human beings -- whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped."

Conservatives are now the protectors of the "little guy."

The text of Reagan's proclamation at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 12:55 PM | Permalink
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Sanctity of Life Sunday is being celebrated on the 18th -- before the March for Life on Thursday, January 22nd.

In between these two dates, the most pro-abortion president in history, Barack Obama, will be sworn in on Tuesday the 20th.

What a week.

Americans United for Life has a church bulletin insert available to alert voters on the Obama abortion agenda. See the full page insert here. Read Charmaine's letter at the jump.

The Family Research Council writes,

"Blogs for Life is scheduled to take place the day of the 36th annual March for Life, during which hundreds of thousands of pro-life advocates gather in the nation's capitol to celebrate life and demand the reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

The conference will feature several prominent conservative voices including Senator Sam Brownback, Amanda Carpenter, Jill Stanek, Michael New, Ph.D., Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., Michael Illions, Chris Gacek, J.D. and Martha Shuping, M.D. all speaking with bloggers live from Family Research Council headquarters."

Join Fight FOCA To date almost 425,000 people have signed the FightFOCA petition.

It just might get Obama's attention.

Because it is the right thing to do.

How can Your Business Blogger(R) be so sure?

Because Chuck Norris approves of FightFOCA.

Chuck Norris writes at Human Events,

"Please, before FOCA flies onto the congressional floor in the upcoming days, sign the online petition to fight FOCA (www.fightfoca.com), and then contact your representatives and senators to tell them how you expect them to vote on the bill."

Chuck Norris is always right. He's smart. As The Dude says, 'Chuck Norris can divide by zero.'

Thank you (foot)notes:

The Dude worked backstage with Chuck Norris on the Huckabee presidential campaign trail in December 2007.

Pro-Choice abortion-approver Christina doesn't care much for the Fight against FOCA. She used to work for Planned Parenthood and says there is no such procedure as a partial birth abortion. I don't think she's seen the pictures...warning: graphic dead baby unwanted human tissue.

The Secular Heretic telling the news as it really is, has the FightFOCA code in his template. A good-guy.

UPDATE: Blogs 4 Life is on the Right Wing Watch list from People for the American Way. The anti-American PfAW has more time for abortion, now that Obama will soon be surrendering in Iraq and to Iran.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 9:36 PM | Permalink
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The church was full to overflowing. Even visiting priests had to stand in the aisle.

I'm sure this exceeded the Fire Marshal's Max Occupancy. But no NYFDer was going to stop this Mass demonstration.

Father Richard John Neuhaus was buried today. We were reminded of his final writings on abortion. That we would never tire nor grow weary in defending Life.

Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine talked about the funeral on the train back to DC. Pleased and humbled and encouraged by what Father Richard accomplished.

We were resolved to do two things to help carry on his work:

1) Continue to fight the good fight for the sanctity of Life. And,

2) Have more dinner parties.

We will pass on the cigars.

The abortion debate will have some challenges during the Obama administration.

Sarah Pulliam writes in Christianity Today, Battle Fatigue
Abortion opponents head into Obama presidency after big losses

"The first thing I'd do as President," Barack Obama told Planned Parenthood in 2007, "is sign the Freedom of Choice Act." The bill would remove almost all state and federal restrictions on abortion. But observers wonder if the anti-abortion movement has enough life in it to successfully fight the legislation or similar measures...

Signs of fatigue aside, observers agree that abortion will remain a major political issue.

"People are still energized and ready to fight a radical agenda on abortion as it comes down the pipe," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life.

[She should have said 'pike' not 'pipe.' She has a delightful way of mixing the metaphor: Belly up to the plate; Step up to the bar, Easy as cake, It's a piece of pie. She is a fun woman to live with...]

Polls and other research suggest that younger evangelicals are more supportive of abortion restrictions than older evangelicals are. A 2007 study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life showed that 70 percent of younger white evangelicals favor "making it more difficult for a woman to get an abortion," compared with 55 percent of older white evangelicals.

The Pro-Life Movement as the Politics of the 1960s by Richard John Neuhaus

Copyright (c) 2009 First Things (January 2009).

Whatever else it is, the pro-life movement of the last thirty-plus years is one of the most massive and sustained expressions of citizen participation in the history of the United States. Since the 1960s, citizen participation and the remoralizing of politics have been central goals of the left. Is it not odd, then, that the pro-life movement is viewed as a right-wing cause?...

These are the issues addressed in a remarkable new book out this month from Princeton University Press, The Democratic Virtues of the Christian Right, by Jon Shields, a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College...

The pro-life movement is a movement for change, indeed for what some view as the radical change of eliminating the unlimited abortion license. "Meanwhile," writes Shields, "the pro-choice movement is a conservative movement defending the status quo. Pro-choicers have little to gain from engaging their opponents and from the deliberative norms that facilitate persuasion."

...the abortion battle is over abortion and whether the unborn child counts as a human person, but where one comes out on that question is, I believe, powerfully influenced by a host of other beliefs and attitudes aptly summarized in the pro-life language of a culture of death versus a culture of life. There are two cultures, one focused on rights and laws and the other on rights and wrongs; one focused on maximizing individual self-expression and the other on reinforcing community and responsibility....

"One of the great political ironies of the past few decades," writes Shields, "is that the Christian Right has been much more successful than its political rivals at fulfilling New Left hopes for American democracy. Far more than any movement since the early campaign for civil rights, the Christian Right has helped revive participatory democracy in America by overcoming citizens' alienation from politics." As one has all too many occasions to observe, history has many ironies in the fire. To the 1960s proponents of participatory democracy, the maxim applies: Be careful what you hope for. To those flirting with despair in the face of an Obama presidency, the advice is offered: You might want to get a copy of The Democratic Virtues of the Christian Right by Jon Shields. And all of us would do well to ponder the wisdom in the observation that there are no permanently lost causes because there are no permanently won causes.

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

We had dinner last night at the Algonquin Hotel, birthplace of the New Yorker. Where writers and what-not would gather at the The Roundtable in the 1920's and 30's. We sat at The Roundtable and learned about the literary giants who walked those floors and sat at these places. We stared at the large wooden table and marveled and mumbled something about history to the waiter.

"The Table? Nevermind. It's a replica. Dunno where the real one is," he said. "New owners did something with it..."

The table was a fake. Made us think about all those authentic pro-choicers at the New Yorker.

Read more from First Things at the jump.

Vital Signs also recommends First Things.

Also see Wake for Father Richard John Neuhaus.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 7:40 PM | Permalink
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Just before the election, Charmaine and Your Business Blogger(R) attended an intimate off-the-record lunch with Karl Rove.

Karl Rove, Charmaine and Your Business Blogger(R)

Rove talked about election strategy and the Obama wish list.

Obama promised Planned Parenthood that the 'Freedom of Choice Act' or FOCA would be the first item of legislation he would sign.

Karl Rove has some experience against the Planned Parenthood machine -- the billion dollar enterprise that will push for FOCA; for the removal of any regulation of abortion on demand: Partial birth, parental notification, clinical standards, physician standards. It is possible to win against Planned Parenthood.

Rove has beaten a Richards before.

Rove was the, well, architect of the Bush victory over Ann Richards for Texas governor. The late Ann Richards is the mother of Cecile Richards, the present president of Planned Parenthood. Richards the younger has been trained in the workings political machinery.

To beat the current wily Richards (let's not call her "Tricky Dick"), Rove might suggest tactics he's done before to win. This time to FightFOCA; simple as 1-2-3,

1. Unify
2. Target
3. Turnout

1. Knowledge is good; and a winner. Conservative Pro-Lifers will be able to unify and bring together even Pro-Choicers who are concerned about knowing if their daughters are going to have an abortion. Pro-Abortionists would approve of the abortion. But all parents want to know if their children are playing with edged weapons and more so if they go under the knife. FightFOCA brings together Pro-Choice and Pro-Life voters. Obama would indeed be a 'uniter.'

2. Rove would suggest targeting this constituency who would have a passionate position on knowing if their children are going to have surgery by strangers. And who would be paying for the abortion. No parent would allow a stranger to give candy to their children; parents would not allow a stranger to operate on their child. Rove would identify this group, persuade them and then prompt them to action. The best sales process involves acknowledging pain -- avoiding the pain and providing a solution to solve the problem. The fear that mom and dad will lose control over the health decisions of their child is worrisome enough without Uncle Sam stepping in.

3. During an election the Rove strategy was to get a segment to the polls -- he knew he didn't need all the voters, only 50 percent + one to win a state. The action to FightFOCA is to bring the voters to movement -- so that Obama would have to delay the FOCA coming from Reid and Pelosi. This will be a challenge: Cecile Richards served as Pelosi's deputy chief-of-staff a few years ago. The tactic would be to make FOCA a costly, bloody fight of Obama against parents. Win or lose, Obama would be severely weakened in approval polls. And 'Pro-Life' Senator Reid, a Mormon, is not doing so well in his re-election polling from his home state of Nevada. His approval is 38 percent; negatives at 54.

Alert Readers know that it is nearly impossible for a candidate to win an election with negatives above 40 percent. Reid is in trouble.

Reducing abortion now polls very well for Lifers. Parental involvement polls at 70 percent approval. No liberal, finger-in-the-wind president fights this trend in the polling numbers.

At least not in his first term. Obama will delay if there is any chance that key voting groups of groups would vote against him in 2012 -- from Pro-Choice parents to Pro-Life activists; from liberal Catholics to conservative Evangelicals.

Not all agree. Alert Reader SoMG sends this counter-analysis on FOCA

Obama has everything to gain by passing FOCA. It will establish him as someone who means what he says. His friends will rejoice in his smile and his enemies will tremble at his frown.

The payoff will swamp the investment in political capital. Any honest right-winger from Machiavelli to Pat Buchanan to Carl Rove would say the same. What does he have to lose? Right-to-Lifers in general and the Catholic Church Hierarchy in particular declared war against him more than a year ago and their prosecution of their war has been limited only by fear of losing tax-exempt status and after the election by not knowing how vengeful he might turn out to be. He has nothing to lose.

As much as Obama wants chaos so that he can attempt to consolidate power in a single payer national health care system, he cannot lose the health care capacity in the near term of the closing of the Catholic hospitals. One hospital in 8 is controlled by the Catholic Church. And close they will if FOCA passes.

SoMG continues,

I count a filibuster-proof pro-FOCA majority in the Senate. Fifty-seven Dems, plus two Independents, minus RTL Dem Casey, plus three pro-choice Republicans makes sixty-one and that's assuming the scheisskopf beats the clown in Minnesota which doesn't look so likely given that if the recount's too close the US Senate decides...

My prediction about FOCA: with great pomp and circumstance (to coin a phrase) the Congress will amend FOCA to specify that it doesn't mean Catholic hospitals have to refer for abortions in order to get paid by the government.

That's the most likely interpretation anyway--the Act forbids governments, not the providers paid by the governments, from discriminating against (or for) abortion.

If your client gets an equal choice between a Catholic hospital that doesn't do abortions, and an abortion clinic that doesn't do live births, you're not discriminating, right? But they'll write it in explicitly.

Then the GOP will take credit for saving the Catholics from abortion, the Dems will take credit for being reasonable in victory (much more so than the Republicans were), women in the armed forces will be able to get abortions without going off site which it's very stupid for them to have to do.

Everybody will win. Right-to-lifers will rejoice in new Federal protection for the right to refuse abortion and grow your pregnancy, which will be increasingly important as we continue our ongoing transfer to government health care and government acquires a greater interest in aborting problem pregnancies.

Conservatives and the Catholic Church have picked FOCA as the hill to live or die on -- if FOCA passes with religious exceptions, conservatives know that this would be a liberal incremental step to first minimize, then marginalize and finally eliminate the church in the public square.

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Read the commentary at Eternity Matters with post, Fight the Freedom of Choice Act by Neil.

Visit DeaconJohn about FOCA.

Obama and how he will FOCA women and children. Obama's Abortion Bombshell:
Unrestricted Abortion Over Wishes of Individual States a Priority for Presidency.

See Online Prayer Requests by our friend Horace Cooper.

Social conservatives have long road ahead, by Ed Stoddard at Reuters.

Fight FOCA at Spreading Joy.

Visit rosettasister.

Visit Fight FOCA at Streams From The Rock. This writer is worth knowing.

See Austin's Everyone Should Know.

Get Informed at The Old House Spill.

Can Obama keep up with all his promises? asks dmweblife.

Visit AbortionAbout.com, and thank them for posting the FighFOCA code, Against the Holocaust of Our Unborn Children

Posted at 8:19 AM | Permalink
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The other day Bill O'Reilly, on the FOX No Spin Zone, asked a guest,

Who's the Chairman of the Republican National Committee?

He was wondering about the leadership of the GOP.

It was not a rhetorical question.

His guest didn't know.

O'Reilly didn't know.

O'Reilly answered his own question with his not-knowing.

The GOP has some leadership challenges.

And changes might be a-coming.

Join Fight FOCA

Charmaine and Your Business Blogger(R) and Baby Boo wanted to know about the future of the conservative movement and the future of the GOP.

So we headed over to the Press Club in Your Nation's Capital to hear each of the candidates interview for the RNC Chairman job. Hosted by Grover Norquist at Americans for Tax Reform.

90 minutes and only one word from each of the candidates on the Life issue.

One question.

One word.

Grover Norquist asked, "Are you Pro-Life?"

They each replied, "Yes."

That was it. One word on Life. The biggest issue of our generation. The GOP has a Pro-Life plank. The Democrats and Obama represent the party of death.

Some 26 percent of the Jesus Followers followed Obama. And none of the RNC candidates talked about it. And how to persuade Life-Lovers to vote again with the Life Party.

We needed to hear more about what the new guy would do to Fight FOCA. And defend Life.

Dan Gilgoff at USNews & World Report though this was odd also and quoted Charmaine all a-Twitter, Would-Be Republican Party Chairmen Quiet on Faith at Candidate's Forum. Charmaine observed,

"It's nice that all the GOP candidates said 'yes' they are 'pro-life.' But there is slightly more to it than that."

The Republican party is the party of limited government, low taxes, strong defense, pro-life and pro-marriage. But we heard precious little of how conservative values differ from Obama and the Party of Abortion.

###

Thank you (foot)notes:

Visit Value Voters News, FightFoca campaign's first call to action is a success....

We appreciate Visionary Womanhood with As We Prepare for an Obama Administration . . .

Posted at 8:48 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

King Kong in New York CityFrom time to time, Your Business Blogger(R) works out of a client's offices at the edifice at 350 Fifth Avenue in NYC.

Also known as The Empire State Building.

It is still standing.

So what didn't happen on New Year's Eve?

What did not happen in 2008?

Nothing.

Enemy Jihadists didn't blow anything up on USA soil. And they didn't touch Times Square packed with people at midnite 31 December.

President George Bush has been keeping all Americans safe since 9.11.

Even Michael Moore.

Even Jeremiah Wright.

We have been safe for some 2,800 days. Will this continue?

Vice President Elect Joe Biden has promised us that we will be attacked when Barack Obama is president. Americans will be killed by jihadist terrorists.

This is a campaign promise of the Obama administration. One that Obama is sure to keep.

Alert Readers know that our household lives down wind in the blast zone of Your Nation's Capital. A dirty bomb in DC is a bit of a concern for us.

If you voted for Obama, you voted for changing the landscape in Washington, DC.

Literally.

Be sure to thank Bush for keeping us safe.

9.11 How Would Liberals Have Protected Us?

We have not been attacked since 9.11.01. It is nearly impossible, in war, in politics, to make nothing happen.

So the liberals are right when they say to George Bush,

"Thanks for nothing..."

See Nine Possibilities Heading Into 2009

Visit Bush Kept Us Safe Since 9.11.

Posted at 8:57 AM | Permalink
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Charmaine sends this along,

As we prepare for an Obama Administration...

As we look toward celebrating the New Year on Wednesday night, my email box is filling up with end-of-year appeals, and I know yours is too.

Let me then be plain in telling you how much we appreciate your partnership with AUL this past year and as we head into the new one.

Many people have been asking me how things stand, and what our strategy will be, with an incoming presidential administration that has taken such a radical stance supporting abortion. The short answer: I am, frankly, heartened by the tremendous response of our AUL supporters each time we've asked you to stand for life.

First, we saw the remarkable response to AUL Action's FightFOCA petition. Pro-lifers are not giving in!

The signatures have continued rising, even over the Christmas
holiday, and now stand at over 350,000!

If you haven't signed yet, take a minute and add your voice at: www.FightFOCA.com.

I am also heartened by the response of AUL supporters to the 55-page Wish List pro-abortion forces sent to President-elect Obama. We asked you to enter comments on the document and now there are nearly 3,000 comments, mostly pro-life, on the site.

You can read them here: http://change.gov/open_government/entry/advancing_reproductive_rights_and_health_in_a_new_administration.

US News and World Report noted the surge in comments and observed that:

(http://www.usnews.com/blogs/god-and-country/2008/12/23/pro-lifers-inundate-obama-website-with-comments.html)

That's encouraging!

Of course, a realist must acknowledge that no one really knows what the ground game will look like once we begin confronting an administration so radical that its leader, President-elect Obama, could not bring himself to vote in favor of protecting babies born alive after an abortion. And he is unwaveringly supported by the current leader of the world's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood and its President Cecile Richards, who was the deputy chief of staff to the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi only three years ago.

Even so -- even so! -- I remain hopeful. I have on my fireplace mantle a copy of the classic work, Streams in the Desert, which belonged to my grandparents. The entry to be read each January 6th, addresses the perennial question of uncertainty and recounts the example of the self-opening gate:

There is a self-opening gate which is sometimes used in country roads. It stands fast and firm across the road as a traveler approaches it. If he stops before he gets to it, it will not open. But if he will drive right at it, his wagon wheels press the springs below the roadway, and the gate swings back to let him through. He must push right on at the closed gate, or it will continue to be closed.

Then the author, Lettie Cowman, sums up by saying, "This illustrates the way to pass every barrier on the road of duty."

Duty is an old-fashioned word, rarely heard today. But the AUL team believes that it is indeed our duty, and a high calling, to stand against those who would promote the Culture of Death with every last resource that God grants us, regardless of the barriers that block the road ahead.

We will pray for wisdom, direction, and discernment. And then, we intend to run straight at the gate.

These are difficult times. I've talked with so many of you recently who have told me that you are standing with us, despite financial challenges. We are humbled -- and emboldened -- by your commitment.

Thank you for your faithful support which enables us to "press on and step out boldly."

Yours for life,

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Americans United for Life

PS: If you haven't yet made an end-of-year contribution, please do so today!

"As thou goest, step by step, I will open up the way. . ."

Proverbs 4:12 (Hebrew translation)

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Don't Drink the King's Wine, has AUL President's Encouragement Heading Into The New Year

Visit The Reagan Conservatives Blog.

See Beltway Blips.

Prayer Request for Our Nation!!! FOCA Act to be signed by President Obama :(

Why not Serve the Lord

Make a comment on Obama's web-site concerning FOCA and the 55 page pro-abortion mandate posted there....

See TruthSeekers

Thank you to Pro-Life Blogs, AUL President's Encouraging Anecdote Heading Into The New Year

Posted at 11:30 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Charmaine sent this out to a few hundred thousand of her closest friends. Please sign the FightFOCA petition today.

Tell Obama To Stop Supporting FOCA

Pro-abortion forces have given President-elect Obama 55 pages of instructions on what to do when he becomes President. A top priority? The "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).

Some insist FOCA isn't a real threat, that we can stop it easily. But that's not what pro-life leaders on Capitol Hill are saying.

Last week, I was in a meeting with Representative Mike Pence of Indiana -- one of the key incoming House leaders -- and he listed FOCA as one of the top four threats he sees in the next few months.

The Obama transition website has posted the 55-page pro-abortion marching order and opened it up for comment.

Let's tell him to ignore it.

Click here to ask President-elect Obama to stop supporting FOCA. FOCA would eliminate every abortion-related law nationwide -- even common-sense laws that protect women and minors -- and force us to pay for the radical pro-abortion agenda with our tax dollars.

We can do it!

May you and your family have a Blessed Christmas.

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Americans United for Life Action
FightFOCA.com
FightFOCA@FightFOCA.com

P.S. -- The fight against FOCA is just beginning. Please forward this email to friends and family members who can help us Fight FOCA. And please consider making an end-of-year contribution to help us tell even more people about the dangers of FOCA.

________________________________

Join Fight FOCAQuick Links
FightFOCA Petition
FightFOCA FAQ
About FightFOCA
About AUL Action

FightFOCA.com is a project of AUL Action

Chicago Office:
310 S Peoria St | Ste 500 | Chicago, IL 60607

DC Office:
1413 K Street, NW | Ste 1000 | Washington, DC 20005

A Project of AUL Action

Thank you (foot)notes:

As of tonight, Monday nite, there are almost 700 comments on Obama's website -- most comments look to be pro-life against FOCA. Tell Obama To Stop FOCA and protect our little girls.

See Involving the Parents by Ramesh Ponnuru at NRO.

See "Right of Conscience" Rule Passed. What's Next? By Anna Boyd

Brad Feld writes,

As I work my way through Vonnegut, my inner cynic is rewarded with gems from 40 years ago. For example:

Kilgore Trout (near the end of the book): "The problem is this: How to love people who have no use? In time, almost all men and women will become worthless as producers of goods, food, services, and more machines, as sources of practical ideas in the areas of economics, engineering, and probably medicine, too. So - if we can't find reasons and methods for treasuring human beings because they are human beings, then we might as well, as has so often been suggested, rub them out."

Don't try to understand it - it won't really make any sense without the context of the rest of the book. But - if you want a good jolt, read the book. One thing is for certain: Vonnegut knows how to string words together in a magical way.

Brad is a hi-tech, very bright, successful entrepreneur from Colorado. He supports abortion on demand: Abortion anytime for any reason; we might as well, as has so often been suggested, rub them out... Liberals are not logical.

Posted at 9:05 PM | Permalink
Comments (8)

If you fight against IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich, you might be a good-guy.

If you win against IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich, you might be on the side of the angels.

Charmaine was interviewed for CitizenLink, a division of Focus on the Family, Good News: Illinois Pharmacists Can Challenge Discriminatory Rule,

"This is a huge victory for the freedom of conscience of all health care providers," said Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life. "Pharmacists now have proper recourse against a discriminatory law that would force them to check their constitutional rights at the workplace door."

Here's how it started against Illinois governor Blago,

CitizenLink also quotes AUL's legal eagle Denise Burke,

in Good News: Regulations Protect Doctors' Freedom of Conscience

Life advocates are praising the timing of new government rules that protect health care providers' freedom of conscience.

The Department of Health and Human Services put the regulations in place last week to reinforce rules that protect doctors from being forced to participate in abortion and other anti-life practices.

"By releasing them now, they will be in the federal register for 30 days before the Obama administration takes office," said Denise Burke, vice president and legal director for Americans United for Life. "For that reason, the Obama administration cannot simply erase these rules."

Join Fight FOCA

"We are shocked that the Bush administration chose to finalize its midnight regulation and to take this parting shot at women's health and ignore patients' rights to receive critical healthcare services and information they deserve," said Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in a statement. "We look forward to working with President-elect Obama and leaders in Congress to repeal this disastrous rule and expand patients' access to full healthcare information and services, not limit it."

Many of the abortions at Planned Parenthood are performed to rid the world of African-American babies. This is one lucky baby girl.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Other related news,

LifeSiteNews reports, Illinois Supreme Court Decision Supports Conscience Rights of Pharmacists

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, Americans United for Life (AUL) President and CEO, responded to the Supreme Court decision, stating, "This is a huge victory for the freedom of conscience of all healthcare providers. Pharmacists now have proper recourse against a discriminatory law that would force them to check their constitutional rights at the workplace door."

See the Americans United for Life Amicus Curiae Brief

CathNewsUSA writes, "Conscience" rule to cover health providers

Not everyone believes in conscientious objection. Not liberals, anyway. See, Are There Limits to the So-Called "Conscience Rule?"

Visit (and bookmark) Jill Stanek, Breaking news: IL Supreme Court rules for pharmacists/against Blagojevich

See AUL's press release, Americans United for Life Applauds Illinois Supreme Court Decision Supporting Constitutional Rights of Pharmacists

Deep Thoughts doesn't like the conscience clause either -- But note: Mojoey does refer to the Pro-Life position as, well, Pro-Life. An honest liberal! Who knew?

Alert the (Mainstream) Media!

...

Never mind.

See The Center blog.

Visit Social Developments Americans United for Life Applauds Adoption of HHS Rules Protecting Freedom of Conscience, Urges Vigilance in Protecting Both Providers and Healthcare Access

More from AUL on HHS conscience protection.

Posted at 10:29 AM | Permalink
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Paul Weyrich died last night too young at 66. He was the first president of the Heritage Foundation and was founder and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation.

At a tribute for Weyrich on Sept 10, 2008, George Will recounted a special encouragement from Paul decades ago.

George Will has a son with Down Syndrome. When he was born, Paul called him. "George," said Paul, "You are so lucky. Your son is like the angels." George hesitated. Every parent would think this of his newborn son. But a child with Down Syndrome?

"He is like the angels because he will never know sin..."

Those same angels carried Weyrich home.

Weyrich was a pioneer in the conservative movement. He assembled and managed a talented team -- he had content and was a pioneer in focusing on communicating the message.

One of his ventures in the early nineties was National Empowerment Television, NET. C-Span with an attitude. Charmaine appeared a number of times on his show. She says, "He was always so gracious; a gentleman." We were excited to get his signed Christmas cards over the years.

See Rob Bluey at the Heritage blog.

Full Disclosure: Your Business Blogger(R) conducted management training at Weyrich's Free Congress Foundation facility. He made the space available for the good of the conservative community. At no charge. We will miss his leadership and generous spirit.

Posted at 8:56 AM | Permalink
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The Commonwealth of Virginia is a terrific state to do business.

Alert Readers and my students well know the bias of Your Business Blogger(R) has toward Virginia -- a talented labor pool, low taxes, and a right to work state (re: employees don't have to join a union).

Virginia has had a business friendly culture since the county's founding. A few decades ago the beliefs were memorialized.

A Code for Virginians
Developed by a special committee of the Virginian State Chamber of Commerce and adopted by the membership in annual session at Roanoke on April 9, 1942

Preamble

Virginia was the scene of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. In its colonial legislative halls the fundamental principles of a new democracy were developed. Here the pattern of a government for a free people was evolved.

Patrick Henry sounded the keynote of the Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Deceleration of Independence. George Washington led the army that made the formation of the United States a possibility. James Madison fathered the Constitution. George Mason's Virginia Bill of Rights. Here in Virginia was launched the struggle for freedom that gave birth to a new government conceived and fostered by the sons of its soil.

It is fitting, then, that we who enjoy and seek to preserve the benefits that our forefathers provided for us, should reaffirm our faith in the principles upon which this nation was founded. We should pledge our support and dedicate ourselves, our institutions, our organizations, and our individual businesses to the principles whose adoption has brought our nation and our people to be the exemplars and leaders of the civilized world.

Since a system of free enterprise is not based upon any fundamental human right, the obligation rests upon our conduct of business that under this system the public welfare is best served.
To Virginians and Virginia institutions has come the opportunity to raise anew the battle cry of freedom, to crystallize into fulfilling action the tenets that have made of this a promised land. They who gave to us this priceless heritage will not sleep if we who now enjoy it let it slip from our grasp.

[Free enterprise may not be based on an enumerated right, but capitalism is Biblically based. The Commandment Thou shall not steal is a protection for private property and that property can only change hands -- legally -- with a willing buyer and seller.]

That we may express our faith in and pledge our support of our system of private enterprise the following code has been adopted by the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce to be displayed by all its members and proclaimed to the people pf this state and nation.

1. Business in all its forms, in all its activities, must command the respect, confidence, and support of the public and its own personnel. to this end it must keep its own house in order. only through the adoption and self-enforcement of ethical standards of conduct can business justify the right to freedom of action. By this means business can minimize the need of governmental regulation.

[Any human behavior needs to be protected from evil. Many cultures use government. We are blessed with self-government with self-regulation...enforced not with brute government, but with 'intermediating institutions' -- associations between citizens and government.]

2. The privilege of doing business in Virginia is freely acquired. It is a license to serve which imposes obligations upon business to deal fairly, openly, and honestly with the public, the employee, the investor, and the government.

[Virginia has low taxes and low barriers to entry to open a business.]

3. Laws regarding business should be based on the principle of guaranteeing freedom of action to all. They should prevent the abuse of power. Fulfillment of the statutes in spirit as well as in letter in an obligation of business.

[President Jefferson said that the purpose of government is to restrain evil -- not to do good.]

4. The freedom enjoyed by individuals in a democracy imposes commensurate obligations, applying equally to those engaged in business, professional, and governmental activity. All business enterprises, enjoying rights guaranteed to persons, must recognize the same obligation as are required of the individual.

5. The foundations of our established form of government rest upon the preservation of the fundamental, inalienable rights of the individual expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Virginia Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of the United States of America. These rights can best be preserved under a system of free enterprise.

Posted at 3:25 PM | Permalink
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Join Fight FOCA Yes, unless we stop it.

Unfortunately the proposed law has got friends.

FOCA is the proposed legislation that would eliminate all regulation and oversight of abortion. No parental notification for minors. No licensed doctors doing the cutting.

So how can we be so sure FOCA might be a-coming?

Because of the relationships of Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood.

I've had both a dot gov email address and ran a dot com software company; now I teach.

At the start of every semester, Your Business Blogger(R) instructs my class on how Business Gets Done.

It is not technique. It is not brilliance. It is not killer apps. It is not resources. It is not capital.

Business Gets Done thru relationships.

The Business of Politics is no different.

Barack Obama promised Cecile Richards that FOCA would be the first item of law that Obama would sign.

Obama will sign FOCA because it will be forced thru congress.

It will be forced thru congress because Nancy Pelosi wants FOCA.

Nancy Pelosi wants FOCA because Cecile Richards wants FOCA.

Here is where Cecile Richards earns her million dollar salary:

Cecile and Nancy are very close. And not because Planned Parenthood gives campaign donations to Democrats.

Cecile Richards used to work for Nancy Pelosi.

Cecile Richards served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Pelosi when Nancy was House Minority Leader.

Cecile served her boss well. Pelosi will reward Cecile Richard's loyal service; good friends. Kindred spirits. Pro-Abortion.

Relationships. Get Business Done.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Stop them both: Please visit fightFOCA and sign the petition.

The petition has almost reached 299,000. If you are number 300,000, please let us know for a special treat.
If FOCA gets anywhere get ready for a cultural battle!!!

See Ladies for Life

Why I decided not to be an abortionist.

Something Matters

What Planet are you living on?

See Americans United for Life blog.

Posted at 9:41 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Join Fight FOCA Liberals whine,
Don't Like abortion?
Don't have one.

Conservatives remind,
Don't like abortion?
Don't pay for one.

Obama's so called "Freedom of [abortion] Choice Act" (FOCA) would force taxpayers to buy abortions here and abroad.

And it would appear that there will be tax increases to fund abortions on demand.

FOCA would eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:

* Bans on Partial Birth Abortion * Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion * Only licensed physicians can perform abortions * Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion

FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Please visit FightFOCA

Currents signers number over 293,000. When you sign, you will be able to see your number. Let us know if you've signed and what you number was -- we are looking for number 300,000. You will be recognized!

Following and at the jump are websites that have mentioned the petition by Americans United for Life.

Thank you (foot)notes:

If Your Business Blogger(R) has missed your citation for the FightFOCA petition.

Wikipedia

Don't Drink the King's Wine

JIMMY AKIN.ORG: Fight FOCA

Reflections of a Paralytic » Fight FOCA, Sign the petition to help AUL fight FOCA. ...

Fight FOCA Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
Nov 15, 2008 ... Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at: http://www.FightFOCA.com. Thank you! ...

Les Femmes - the truth: FIGHT FOCA!

ADF Alliance Alert Campaign To Fight FOCA Under Way

Care2 - Sign the Fight FOCA Petition
Americans United for Life (AUL) , a pro-life law and policy organization; Please add your name to the Fight FOCA petition and let your friends know ...

FIGHT FOCA - Please read even if you are Pro-Choice - *Taking Back ...
Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at: http://www.FightFOCA.com ...

Continue Reading »

Posted at 7:42 PM | Permalink
Comments (3)

So Obama keeps Bush man Gates as SecDef. Some hints at not raising taxes. Wants to reduce abortion.

Is Obama governing like a, gasp, Republican?

Will Obama not push for the so called "Freedom of Choice Act" FOCA?

No.

Obama might surrender in Iraq and to Iran even with Gates, but Obama will never surrender on FOCA.

Cecile Richards and Barack Obama

Three reasons why Obama will fight for FOCA,

Obama will sign whatever Reid-Pelosi pass thru congress.

Obama will not veto FOCA. He does not have the political capital nor the political will to resist. Planned Parenthood paid too much money to be ignored. Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood will earn her million dollar W-2. And Hillary will not let him forget FOCA.

FOCA will be the first legislation Obama will sign. When Your Business Blogger(R) did a tour of duty in government the fixed point, guiding star were Campaign Promises. They were a matter a public record and private integrity. If the candidate promised, The Honorable delivered.

But, then again, I worked for a Republican...

The religion of the abortionists appears in the book, The Sacrament of Abortion by pro-abortion Ginette Paris and Joanna Mott

The Alert Reader would well know that abortion is a religious tenet of the Democrat party. To proselytize for the abortionists is, well, Biblical:
they not only continue to do [evil] but also approve of those who practice them Romans 1:32.

Detractors Downplay Pro-Abortion FOCA Bill's Reach, Say Pro-Lifers Exaggerate
Kathryn Jean Lopez, the editor of National Review Online, responded Tuesday to the attempts to downplay the concerns about FOCA.

"Though it's often referred to as a mere codification of Roe, FOCA, as currently drafted, actually goes well beyond that," she explains.

She quotes information from pro-abortion Sen. Barbara Boxer who, in a statement on her web site, explains that FOCA would nullify all existing laws and regulations that limit abortion in any way, up to the time of fetal viability.

"While there is strenuous debate among legal experts on the matter, many believe the act would invalidate the freedom-of-conscience laws on the books in 46 states," Lopez said.

Please sign the petition.

Pro-Abortion Melinda Henneberger from Slate writes,

Lose-Lose on Abortion; Obama's threat to Catholic hospitals and their very serious counterthreat,

There are also serious questions about whether FOCA as currently drafted exceeds congressional authority. But when Obama was campaigning on FOCA, he didn't say anything about wanting to change it.

The FOCA fight will continue.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Please note The Warner Family. And see what four fun kids would look like.

The Sacrament
of Abortion Post details: Fight FOCA!

Visit Twenty Items of Interest (v.40)

Read what An Huynh said, in Fighting FOCA.

Real Choice has a better video on Only Women Bleed than seen on Reasoned Audacity.

Ou phoneuseis teknon en phthora ("Thou shalt not murder by abortion")
Didache, late first or early second century, AD. (Yes, Anno Domini, Latin for The Year Of Our Lord, NOT CE Common Era)

Read an Amazon reviewer's comment on the confusion of abortion and The Sacrament of Abortion at the jump,

Continue Reading »

Posted at 12:04 PM | Permalink
Comments (5)

So begins Chapter 1 of Joseph W. Dellapenna's benchmark book on abortion, Dispelling Myths of Abortion History.

It belongs on every thinking thought leader's desk.

Dispelling the Myths
of Abortion HistoryGo Ask Alice.

During the early 1970's Your Business Blogger(R) worked in show business and watched a number of acts.

As a security guard...

One of the most bizarre performances was a gentleman/group named Alice Cooper. Mascara and Monsters. Decapitations were the crowd pleasers -- then as today.

I think there was blood: real -- imagined. As with Ozzie Osborne in Black Sabbath.

We have less of that today, I think. Less Blood on stage.

There is hope for civilization. Maybe.

Alice was the pre-curser to Marilyn Mason with the male-to-female make-up.

Alice Cooper was an act. Not so sure about Marilyn.

Alice and Marilyn are no mere metrosexual girlie-boys without manhood like Obama.

They are the real thing.

They are what Hollywood calls this gender-free entertainment: Authentic.

The sex-less who deal in pain. In angst. In the blood.

Wait a minute...maybe Alice and Marilyn and Obama are the same.

Except these girls can't have abortions.

Hollywood becomes Washington.

Well, maybe not Alice Cooper: He is Pro-Life.

Only Women Bleed Lyrics at the jump,

Join Fight FOCA

Thank you (foot)notes:

Alice Cooper, Only Women Bleed

An Alert Reader writes into Stop the ACLU,

"If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."

Vincent Fournier aka Alice Cooper

Continue Reading »

Posted at 11:17 AM | Permalink
Comments (1)

ANALYSIS-Activists hope Obama acts on abortion rights By Ed Stoddard,

DALLAS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Abortion rights activists, an important component of the Democratic Party's base, expect to advance their agenda under U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, signaling fresh battles over the highly charged issue.

Changes could take place in areas from judicial appointments to overseas aid. Obama strongly supports abortion rights, in stark contrast to President George W. Bush, a social conservative who often talked of a "culture of life" -- code for opposition to abortion.

Obama supports his Party of Death. Bush supports the "Culture of Life." In policy as well as "code word."

Reuters continues,

On the policy front, activists and analysts say an early skirmish could come over federal funding for nongovernmental organizations that offer abortion operations or counseling in family planning services abroad.

"Family planning services" are "code words" for abortion on demand through all nine months and beyond -- if the infant is born alive.

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards told Reuters in interviews that rolling back the rule was among their top political priorities.

Abortion rights opponents, many of whom on religious grounds regard the procedure as murder, see any move on that front as the next shot in the abortion wars.

"To reintroduce funding for it internationally is very offensive because there are even people who describe themselves as pro-choice, but don't want to be involved in public funding for it," said Charmaine Yoest, [Ph.D.] president of Americans United for Life Action, which opposes abortion rights.

Ed Stoddard notes in FightFOCA.com that,


Join Fight FOCA

"FOCA has been like a red flag to social conservatives who say it will sweep aside most restrictions on abortion rights, such as parental notification laws and the Partial-Birth Abortion Act that bans a certain late-term procedure.

Americans United for Life Action said that as of Friday, it had more than 230,000 signatures on an anti-FOCA petition on its website fightfoca.com --- virtually all since the election."

Thank you (foot)notes:

When Charmaine worked in the West Wing of the Ronald Reagan White House, one of the first things she was taught was that Personnel is Policy.

Obama, a good politico, knows this. MIKE ALLEN from Politico reports in Labor ally to head Obama communications,

Ellen Moran, executive director of EMILY's List, was named White House communications director by President-elect Obama on Saturday.

Moran, a well-known grassroots organizer, has also managed statewide Democratic campaigns and managed the Wal-Mart corporate accountability campaign for the AFL-CIO.

Morgan is a pro-abortionist and hates Wal-Mart. She will be the face and voice of Obama's administration. Expect little compromise from ObamAbortionists.

Jon at Ubi Petrus, Ibi Ecclesia has Fight FOCA.

A Culture 11 pro, Jillian Bandes, has Freedom of Choice Act Roundup at LadyBlog.

Be sure to check out This Post in this post from David Brooks,

FOCA is the Freedom of Choice Act; an Act that would sweep away all restrictions on abortions, all parental notification laws, all rights of hospitals and doctors to not perform abortions.

It is the duty of every Christian to resist the enactment of this brutal, vile piece of legislation.

Michelle (not Obama) writes, Urgent... please read,

Hello! I am sending this out to everyone...about the FOCA bill ...President Elect Obama has as one of his first bills to pass. Below are some of the stats taken off of the web site. I encourage everyone to sign. Thanks for reading!

The nation's premier pro-life legal organization has launched a new project aimed at stopping passage of the most radical pro-abortion legislation in the nation's history. With the full support of President- elect Barack Obama, congressional Democrats are poised to pass the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a law that will make abortion a "fundamental right" much the same as the right to vote and the right to free speech. By doing so, this new federal law would automatically invalidate every federal, state and local law placing even the most common sense restrictions on abortion.

And more.

PERSEVERANCE REQUIRED ! ! !

Clarke Forsythe, senior counsel for Americans United for Life believes the election was about the economy and, in no way, a repudiation of pro-life principles.

"It is very difficult to keep pro-life and other issues of justice at the center of public life in the midst of war and economic crisis," he told Zenit News Service.

"William Wilberforce's campaign against the slave trade in Great Britain during the 1790s -- which was derailed by the French Revolution, war with France, economic crises and terrible harvests -- is a good example. But Wilberforce (and his allies) persevered and things turned around over considerable time"

Read The Reads in Rockwall.

Posted at 2:52 PM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Join Fight FOCA Log on.
Take a number.
Hit the lottery.

Sign on at www.FightFOCA.com and let us know if your number is 250,000.

A quarter million is a nice number. Will it be yours?

Dollars?

Nope.

Maybe something better -- if you are for Life.

FightFOCA is an on-line petition to persuade our national leadership: President-Elect Obama, Senator Majority Leader Reid and House Majority Leader Pelosi that limiting states rights is not what the voters want.

[Correction: Alert Readers will note that Pelosi is the Speaker of the House, Democrat Steny Hoyer from Maryland is the House Majority Leader.]

The public wants the financial market regulated.

The public wants the abortion market regulated.

The public wants common sense oversight of abortion.

Parents want to know if their child is having an abortion.

Women want all surgical procedures to be to the highest medical standards.

The public wants licensed doctors doing surgery; not social workers.

Women want information about their babies through the science of sonograms.

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, is against all these regulations. Why?

Quo Bono?

Follow the money. Planned Parenthood grosses -- so to say -- a billion (that's B as in Billion) (a 1,000 million) dollars each year.

L: A Baby
R: A BabyPlanned Parenthood profits from abortion.

Planned Parenthood gets a $300 million bailout each each year from the taxpayer.

Planned Parenthood wants a blind eye on their abortion money-machine.

Your Business Blogger(R) is a capitalistic-for profit kind of guy -- but who would want to earn earnings from the slave trade?

Or abortion?

If you want your state's rights to guard your child's health, sign the petition.

Their will be a special recognition for the 250,000 milestone.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Robert was Number 45,704. An early adopter, as we say in marketing...

FOCA Would Wipe Away Every Restriction on Abortion Nationwide.

This would eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:

* Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
* Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
* Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
* Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortion

FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Be sure to visit the Americans United for Life blog.

Even our liberal friends are noticing the work of Americans United for Life. Right Wing Watch writes,

"Any time you have a loss like that, you have an opportunity to reassess and come back stronger," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life. "If they want to see this as a big loss that will set us back, that's OK. Our people are very energized, and ready for Round Two."

Visit The Webbs, Fight for Life.

LifeNews.com, Election Results Don't Mean Pro-Life Movement to Stop, Limit Abortions is Dead.

ZENIT, Life and the Elections,

In 2008, 45 states considered nearly 450 measures related to abortion alone. Among 2008 pro-life victories are:

-- An omnibus measure in Oklahoma, requiring that a woman undergo an ultrasound prior to an abortion, regulating the provision of RU-486, and prohibiting coerced abortions;

-- New laws in Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakota requiring that abortion providers offer a woman the opportunity to view an ultrasound prior to an abortion;

-- Legislatures in Colorado, Maryland, and Michigan limiting the use of taxpayer funding for abortions and abortion counseling;

-- Idaho lawmakers strengthening the state's informed consent law and prohibiting coerced abortions;

-- Meaningful funding of abortion alternatives in Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

DFW Catholic posts, Fighting the Freedom of Choice Act. And visit ProLife Dallas.

The international All News Web reports, Abortion: Obama's nightmare,

Obama has promised to restore federal funding to international family planning services, that is, his administration will financially support institutions around the globe that perform abortions. Obama has also promised to sign FOCA or the Freedom of Choice Act. Anti-abortion activists are mobilising for a battle as they now realise they no longer have an ally in the White House.

Americans United for Life is gathering up signatures at a frantic pace to oppose FOCA.

CNSNews.com has Catholics Who Vote for Freedom of Choice Act Could Face Automatic Excommunication, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago says,

"Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated," said George.

"The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life," he said.

"FOCA would have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children," George continued.

"It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities. It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil. On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will."

The liberal, etiquette-ly challenged Low and Left Part Deux will not link to Americans United for Life, behaving more like the liberal main stream media than a hard-working blogger. Spiteful when he should be cite-ful...The Pushback and 2012 Has Started. Note the link.

TIM DRAKE, Senior Writer at the National Catholic Register writes, The Abortion President? Pro-Lifers Sound Warning on Freedom of Choice Act.

Kenrick Social Justice blogs, Americans United for Life has Petition Against FOCA.

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth, Study to show thyself approved unto God... (2 Tim. 2:15), writes, Fight FOCA.

Good links at Random Junk from an Intellectual Wannabe.

Vivificat! posted the code.

Women of Faith and Culture has FOCA on the Family. Bringing Faith and Reason to Life.

If you have posted the FightFOCA.com code on your template, please email us! We will be in your debt.

Posted at 11:43 AM | Permalink
Comments (4)

Warning: Adult material. Safe for work, maybe. Charmaine's had a dozen gigs on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. The following episode features Hustler Magazine publisher, Larry Flynt, Musician Edwin McCain (no relation to John McCain) and Actor Steve Hytner.

Charmaine was on to flog her book Mother in the Middle: Searching for Peace in the Mommy Wars.

Jesus-loving normal mom on the same set as a porn-peddler.

Only in America.

The work an author has to do these days...

Bill Maher, Politically Incorrect
Charmaine Yoest on the right,
of course... The topic was kiddie pornography. Re: Chester the Molester .

So it was four Hollywood liberals against one normal conservative.

About even.

Thank you (foot)notes:

This show originally aired on February 2, 2000 on the ABC network.

Your Business Blogger(R) recommends Kiddie P*rn: Dirty Old Men Are Slow Learners

Also see Charmaine on CNN Debating Condoms;
Obama Will Export Abortion-Condom Funding Overseas

Posted at 9:41 PM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Warning: The Condom Commercial is for mature audiences.

In the 1990's CNN had a terrific talking-heads-shouting-show called Crossfire. Regular Hosts included Michael Kinsley, liberal, then moved to Slate. Pat Buchanan, conservative, former GOP, now gone from the Republican Club but still Pro-Life.

The show ran five nights a week for 30 minutes. Hosts earned about $200K and were worth every dime.

Charmaine appeared in a number of segments. In this episode she debated Kristine Gebbie from the Clinton administration on the marketing and efficacy of condoms. Charmaine's points are valid today -- truth is, well, timeless. John Sununu is in the conservative chair, on the right, of course.

Oddly, liberals demand that conservatives use science in any debate -- but whenever a conservative uses real science with real data, we are then accused of "imposing our values." A liberal pivot.

The actual condom failure rate is some 20 percent. The cost of failure could be pregnancy. Could be death.

This is described by anti-science liberals as "fear based sex ed."

So what will Obama do about abortion and condoms?

Even before Obama gets legislation from congress on abortion, Obama will, by Executive Order, repeal the The Mexico City Policy (1984) which,

Prohibits the use of federal funding for organizations and programs "which perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations."

Media Alert: Obama may very well use the Clinton's Dancing Condom Marketing Campaign. For the Domestic and International markets.

Watch the video and let us know what you think.

Join Fight FOCA

Sign up on FightFOCA. Your Business Blogger(R) did.

Thank you (foot)notes:
CatholicCitizens writes,

For starters, we may expect removal of the present administration's ban on destructive embryonic research, and rejection of the Mexico City accords which restrained abortion and eugenics.

Crossfire: The Condom Campaign first aired on January 4, 1994.

Posted at 8:58 PM | Permalink
Comments (8)

Americans United for Life recently started a campaign to encourage the public to Fight FOCA through the FightFOCA website.

US News & World Report reports, Abortion Foes Mobilize Against Obama
Activists seek to prevent new administration from reversing Bush administration policies, by Paul Bedard, Posted November 14, 2008

The antiabortion movement is mobilizing its forces to challenge President-elect Barack Obama should he move quickly to restore federal funding of international family planning services and make good his promise to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, or FOCA.

Americans United for Life has been in the lead on this battle,

Led by Americans United for Life and other antiabortion groups, the movement is gathering signatures to fight FOCA and meeting this weekend to map out a strategy. [Yep, we are here now...]

There are some pundits who feel that Obama will not push for FOCA in his first term. But what is certain is that Obama will not veto any legislation coming out of the Reid-Pelosi legislative machine.

While it is unclear if Obama will move swiftly on the abortion issue, activists on both sides expect him to reverse a Bush executive order implementing the so-called Mexico City language that bars nongovernmental family planning organizations from using federal money to perform abortion services in other countries or to inform patients there about such procedures.

The activists expect that move to propel action in Congress on FOCA, which sets in law a woman's right to choose and challenges recent Supreme Court rulings on the issue.

According to foes, the new strategy to fight both will seek to capitalize on taxpayer anger at the recent Wall Street bailout.

"Our strategy will be, 'Do we want to use federal tax dollars to bail out the abortion industry?' " says one of the activists working to build a coalition to fight Obama. "Why are we using taxpayer money to fund abortion services overseas?" he said. (However, federal funding has not been used in the past to directly fund abortions overseas.)

Cecile Richards and Barack Obama

Cecile Richards is the president of the one billion dollar Planned Parenthood. Tax dollars indirectly fund Cecil Richards' $1,000,000 annual salary. The tax payer provides the abortion provider over $300,000,000 each year. Your money. Funds Abortion. Three Hundred Million Dollars.

USN&WR closes,

While it's an issue that was largely avoided in the presidential campaign, conservatives see it as a key test of which way Obama will move on social issues in his first year.

We Pro-Life conservatives know exactly how Obama will move -- he will payback his backers, his buddies. To those he's beholden. Cecile Richards is first in line.

So who exactly is Cecile Richards, who would deserve this liberal Democrat payback?

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, contributor to all issues liberal is a very special liberal Democrat.

She is the daughter of liberal Democrat Ann Richards.

Fight FOCAThe fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. And like Eve, Planned Parenthood is coming for a bigger bite of the apple.

Payback is coming to Planned Parenthood.

But the taxpayer, the voter is fighting back.

Fight FOCA.

Thank you (foot)notes,

Your Business Blogger(R) recommends, Obama Transition Team in Lockstep with Planned Parenthood

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., is president and CEO of Americans United for Life.

See Our Journey.

Visit Jimmy Akin at FightFOCA.

Ten Reasons

Jay Anderson, a smart guy from University of Virginia Law School (redundant, I know), Fight FOCA.

25 year-old Chelsea Zimmerman from Holts Summit, Missouri has a perspective on life and on Life well beyond her years. The world is a better place for her blogging.

Ronald L. Caravan has a compelling article in The Valley News Online, Between the Lines: How ironic that Obama action might threaten 'separation of church and state' Liberals make little sense...,

In simple terms, under the Freedom of Choice Act, Catholic hospitals would eventually be forced to perform abortions or go out of business, and Catholic bishops this week were signaling that they would go out of business before they would start aborting babies.

"This is not a matter of political compromise," Bishop Daniel Conlon of Steubenville, Ohio was quoted in news reports. "It's a matter of absolutes."

Commenting on Catholic elected officials, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City stated, "They cannot call themselves Catholic when they violate such a core belief as the dignity of the unborn."

And Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Chicago frankly stated that if Catholic hospitals were given no choice but to perform abortions, they would close rather than comply.

The Freedom of Choice Act is not a brand new proposal. So why the heightened concern now? Because of what President-elect Obama announced at a Planned Parenthood banquet in July of 2007: "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.... On this fundamental issue, I will not yield and Planned Parenthood will not yield."

...

"Freedom of Choice sounds so benign, but people have simply no comprehension of what a radical piece of legislation this is," stated Daniel McConchie of Americans United for Life. "The bottom line is that if FOCA passes, you'll have abortion on demand throughout all nine months of pregnancy for any reason in all 50 states and pay for it with our taxes."...

Unlike the continuous left-leaning efforts to obliterate God from all aspects of public life in the name of "separation of church and state"--which it is not--the Freedom of Choice Act actually does threaten to impose government interference on a church--exactly what Thomas Jefferson promised would not be done when he coined the "separation" phrase in a letter to a church in Danbury, Connecticut so many years ago.

Leave it to the relativistic left to wrongly accuse everyone else of violating a principle, then commit that very sin themselves.

more at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 10:53 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Artwork by
Bagram Ibatoulline

The White House invitation arrived in a hand addressed envelope on heavy parchment. With a First Class stamp.

A first class act.

Posted at 10:11 PM | Permalink
Comments (4)

Conservatives are giving voice to moving ideas to govern. Heidi Brennan developed this article which deserves a wide audience.

Obama: Did we elect a president?
or a logo?
A man?
or a Brand?

Proposal for Action by Conservative Organizations
By Heidi L. Brennan

The results of last week's national election are being endlessly dissected and discussed in news rooms, board rooms, and living rooms, but the following should be clear:

The loss of the White House and substantial losses in both houses of Congress are NOT due to a failure of conservative policy. They are the failure of those in the Republican Party who neutralized, ignored, and/or fought every conservative principle over the past eight years.

The Democratic Party outspent and outmaneuvered Republicans, especially at the grassroots level and in sophisticated internet communications strategy.

The two most interesting people to emerge in this campaign are: Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber.

The current collapse of our economy is shrinking everyone's budget, and the consequences will include reduction of donations to non-profit advocacy institutions, including those promoting conservative values. Though funding will lessen (initially), a strong conservative values base continues to exist and will make every effort to contribute to dynamic advocacy. Conservative voters are poised to become new community activists. They may rightfully expect new ideas and strategies for promoting enduring principles. Education and policy organizations must find ways to engage these grassroots conservative values advocates with new resources, developing simplified ways to deliver timely political information along with easily usable policy research information.

Palin and the Plumber captured the enthusiastic support of voters because they transcended debate by doing more than espousing basic conservative principles. They told their personal stories in an authentic, simple manner effectively linked to election debate. There were no gimmicks, and no controlled published biographies in advance. Today's most successful public relations and marketing plans tell a story, engaging the targeted consumer, voter, or client so that they are motivated to act.

Conservative organizations should consider the following:

· Prepare stories and recruit/prepare effective storytellers to reflect their mission/values.

Assess current databases and develop others, especially directed at grassroots conservative activism.

Increase the use of internet-based media/information-sharing tools.

Expand leadership training opportunities beyond the college age population, to include high school and middle school students.

Recognizing that all parents are their children's primary teachers, especially of moral and civic values, develop easily-accessible internet-based materials for parents to utilize within their families.

Conservatives cannot afford to wait until January's inauguration of our next President and Congress to implement new thinking and approaches. Organization development should begin now.

more at the jump

Continue Reading »

Posted at 10:21 PM | Permalink
Comments (4)

"The hospital can get me the operation now?" Charmaine asked.

"Sure," I said. "Where do you think you are, England?"

Charmaine's gall bladder removal was uneventful and, more important, immediate. There was no rationing of health care -- which we will get under an ObamaNation Health Plan.

That was exactly one week ago -- the latest surgical techniques have made recovery times shorter, less painful and less expensive. Good ol' American know-how.

Alert Readers will recall that Your Business Blogger(R) ran a number of medical device start up companies where we risked investors' investments to lower a patient's hospital 'length of stay' or LOS.

And the products and services made the world a better place as we improved patient care in a cost effective manner.

We assumed a risk in hope of a big payday, a big reward. Obama will kill this golden goose of innovative entrepreneurship.

Charmaine will be discussing the future on The Live Desk panel this afternoon. The other panelists will be Doug Schoen and Alex Burns.

The topics will be:

1) Obama's Administration - a recreation of the Clinton Administration? What's in store for Obama and his new team? and

2) A discussion on how Sarah Palin handled the campaign.

Obama Congratulates McCain YouTube.

Hit time will be at 2:30pm eastern. Please tune or tivo and let us know what you think.

Background at the jump, Obama, Candidate of Change, Looks to Old Hands from Clinton Era By Catherine Dodge and Kristin Jensen,

Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Barack Obama, elected president as an agent of change, is building his new team with old hands from the Clinton administration.

His first appointment, chief of staff, went to Rahm Emanuel, an Illinois representative and veteran of the last Democratic White House. Leading Obama's transition team is John Podesta, who was President Bill Clinton's chief of staff.

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Charmaine was interviewed by CitizenLink, a publication of Focus on the Family.

Friday Five: Pro-Life Hero Charmaine Yoest

by Devon Williams, associate editor



'With Barack Obama in the White House and Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi controlling Congress, we confront a very difficult pro-abortion political situation.'




As the nation prepares for the most pro-abortion president in history, Charmaine Yoest vows to continue the fight to protect women and preborn children.

The new president and CEO of Americans United for Life (AUL) said she's hopeful that, despite the challenges, life advocates will recharge and re-energize their efforts at the state and federal levels.

"The life movement will reassess and regroup for the next election cycle with new ways to communicate that even the weakest amongst us should be welcomed in life and defended in law," Yoest said Wednesday.

Yoest spoke with CitizenLink about her pro-life work and her hopes for the future.

Read the entire interview here.

Charmaine also participated on a conference call with 60-some pro-life leaders across the country. Click here to listen. Forgive the extra click to the Americans United for Life web site.

Please Join
Fight FOCACandidate Obama promised Planned Parenthood that the first legislation that he would sign is the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" aka FOCA.

Over 12,000 people have signed the Fight FOCA petition. Sign up today.

Bloggers: please lift the code and paste on your site -- and let us know!

Thank you (foot)notes:

How does the party of death do it? How do they sell abortion? And how will Life win? See The Obama Abortion Marketing Machine, by Your Business Blogger(R).

"The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it," Margaret Sanger, Founder Planned Parenthood

See VERITATEM IN CARITATE

WOW

Jer 1:5, Pro-life

Little Saints in the Making

Meditations by Night

Posted at 8:38 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine is quoted in the aftermath of the election; after her surgery...

Steven Ertelt at LifeNews reports Pro-Life Advocates Urged to Renew Efforts Against Abortion After Election Loss,

Several pro-life leaders are hoping the majority of Americans who take a pro-life position on abortion will re-charge and re-energize following Tuesday night's election defeats. They say the pro-life movement must prepare themselves to take on a pro-abortion president and renew educational efforts.

"We have long known that the work of advancing a culture of life is not a short-term project," Americans United for Life president Charmaine Yoest told LifeNews.com.

"Recall that William Wilberforce fought against the slave trade for 45 years before he ultimately prevailed in his defense of life," she said.

"In 2008, it is clear that, despite the challenges still remaining, the pro-life message is steadily gaining ground," Yoest contends. "Momentum in the states has enabled us to make significant gains in protecting women and unborn children. Young people today self-report as pro life at a higher rate than their parents' generation."

Bob McCarty Writes, Post-Election Statements Offer Glimpse of Future,

"Over the course of this historic campaign, President-elect Obama and his surrogates argued for a 'common ground' on abortion rights. At the same time, he promised Planned Parenthood that his first act as President will be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA)." -- Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO, Americans United for Life. (The culture of life faces a perilous near-term future.)

Jennifer Riley, Christian Post Reporter writes, Christians Respond to Obama as President

Former FRC staff Dr. Charmaine Yoest, who is now president and CEO of Americans United for Life, congratulated Sen. Obama on his win, but pointed out his contradictory actions on abortion rights.

While Obama has called for "common ground" on abortion rights during his campaign, Yoest said, he promised Planned Parenthood that his first act as president will be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which would eliminate every state and federal law regulating abortion.

"We will continue working in the days ahead to educate Americans about the threat to common sense that FOCA poses," the AUL president vowed. "And we will make common cause with defenders of life in both the Democrat and Republican parties, fully committed to the ultimate goal of seeing both parties dedicated to the defense of life."

Disappointing Night for Pro-Life Americans By Susan Jones, Senior Editor at CNSNews.com,

Advancing a culture of life never was a short-term project, and it will continue despite Barack Obama's "extreme" position on abortion, a pro-life group said on Wednesday.




Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, congratulated Obama on his election victory. She also reminded him that during the course of his campaign, he and his surrogates "argued for 'common ground' on abortion rights."




Yoest noted that Obama promised Planned Parenthood that his first act as president would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a proposed law that would nullify virtually all federal and state limitations on abortion, including partial-birth abortion.




"In contrast to his moderate rhetoric, his support for FOCA -- which would eradicate every state and federal law regulating abortion -- is extreme," Yoest said. "His support for FOCA stands in contradiction to the common-ground, common-sense abortion regulations that the majority of Americans support and that this radical legislation would
eliminate."




Yoest said it's clear that the pro-life message is "steadily gaining ground," even though challenges remain.




"We will continue working in the days ahead to educate Americans about the threat to common sense that FOCA poses. And we will make common cause with defenders of life in both the Democrat and Republican parties, fully committed to the ultimate goal of seeing both parties dedicated to the defense of life," Yoest said.




"We continue to hold as self-evident the truth that all were endowed with the unalienable right to life, and that governments are instituted to secure this first right. We look forward to fully realizing this truth in our day."

SunHerald, Americans United for Life Responds to the Presidential Election: We Will Continue to Work to Advance a Culture of Life

See Values Voter News

See Suricou Raven from the United Kingdom Moronality

A Constitutional analysis of FOCA is available at www.aul.org/foca.

Americans United for Life issued the following statement on the recent election at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 9:02 PM | Permalink
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We spent time on the presidential primary campaign trail.

We can tell you: Sarah Palin has never eaten a donut.

Sarah Palin, mother of 5
Impossibly thin
credit: The Dude

We saw Sarah Palin up close and learned what is most important to Hollywood and others -- that the TV screen adds 10 pounds...and that even more that being smart is being thin.

Palin is impossibly thin for a woman with five wee ones. Marathoner or not.

Alert Readers know that Charmaine also has five children and has run three marathons. Charmaine knows about the work needed for women of a certain age to maintain an ideal weight.

Sarah Palin thinness does not come easy.

The thinness we witnessed is the result of solid discipline and hard work. A real prerequisite for high office.

Old:
Men don't make passes
To a girl who wears glasses.

New:
Liberal men don't make passes
To a girl who surpasses.

Smart women are now Republicans. Has to be true: A Democrat said so.

See Sarah Palin's a Brainiac by Elaine Lafferty,

Elaine Lafferty is a former staff correspondent at Time magazine and the Irish Times of Dublin, features editor at MORE magazine, editor in chief of Ms magazine. The former editor in chief of Ms. magazine (and a Democrat) on what she learned on a campaign plane with the would-be VP.,

Now by "smart," I don't refer to a person who is wily or calculating or nimble in the way of certain talented athletes who we admire but suspect don't really have serious brains in their skulls. I mean, instead, a mind that is thoughtful, curious, with a discernable pattern of associative thinking and insight. Palin asks questions, and probes linkages and logic that bring to mind a quirky law professor I once had. Palin is more than a "quick study"; I'd heard rumors around the campaign of her photographic memory and, frankly, I watched it in action. She sees. She processes. She questions, and only then, she acts. What is often called her "confidence" is actually a rarity in national politics: I saw a woman who knows exactly who she is.

As Charmaine has said, "Palin is authentic."

Your Business Blogger(R) took the Penta-Posse on the past two Republican rallies here in Northern Virgina: Fairfax and Leesburg.

23,000 showed up for McCain and Palin in Fairfax. Some 9,000 showed in rural Leesburg -- a third more than expected, traffic jams at 6am. (In contrast, 400 show up for Democrat VP nominee Joe Biden.)

The Penta-Posse were volunteering until shunted off to the bleachers as the cute kid backdrop behind the podium. They loved it. They love politics.

Republicans are now
the party of the working man

The offspring know where to sit and why: young political animals, Roe Effect on the way.

The Dude is taking pictures of the line-up of politicians, learning who's who on the GOP bench. Then Pro-Life Frank Wolf gets up to speak.

"Get his picture," I say to The Dude. "It's Frank Wolf!"

The (pre-teen) Diva turns to me and asks, "It he married to Naomi?"

"Not likely..."

These are five fun kids.

The Yoests outside the McCain national headquarters in Northern Virginia.

Bob Livingston working the phones at the McCain HQ in Virginia.
photo credit: The Dreamer

Posted at 2:45 PM | Permalink
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We had a film crew from South Africa at the house today interviewing Charmaine on the campaign.

The rest of the world is confused at our continuing frictional discourse on abortion. Most of the world has real restrictions on abortion on national levels. The world does not understand that we do not.

The USA is one of the few countries in the world that has abortion on demand for any reason through all nine months (and longer under the Obama Born Alive Abortion Plan). Including China where the government makes the demand -- not the mother.

Unless the baby is a girl -- then everyone wants the child dead...

Or in India where abortion also is used for sex selection to allow only male babies born. Because boys are superior to girls as all advanced nations know.

USA abortion proponents tell us that the "health of the mother" is the only exception. Scare quotes are used in print and air quotes are used in conversation as John McCain does.

The quoting is used because the "health" issue is the exception that swallows the rule as Clarke Forsythe at Americans United for Life reminds us. Because anything, anything can be interpreted as "health." As in mental health. As in a bad hair day. Any reason is sufficient reason to abort.

There are no exceptions.

The Supreme Court has so ruled. Not we the people.

This was the background for the reporting by Joan Biskupic at USA TODAY in
Election comes at key point for high court's stance on abortion,

"This is a historic election," says Charmaine Yoest, [Ph.D.] president of Americans United for Life. "With the next president having the opportunity to appoint one, two or even more justices," she adds, the election could change the law "on the life issue."

Ed Stoddard at Reuters writes, Win Or Lose, Sarah Palin To Be A Political Force,

If McCain loses the exit polls will be scoured but many pundits seem likely to blame it on centrist concerns about Palin during a financial crisis.

"It's really clear that there are some people out there who would like to make her a scapegoat if things don't go their way Tuesday," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life Action, which opposes abortion rights.

"But she's has very clearly connected with the base of the party and the life and family voters and I think that is going to give her a really strong base going forward whatever happens," she said.

Jessica Arons writing at the Huffington Post has the best summation of the state-by-state, incremental Pro-Life strategy in Not All Politics Is Local: Connecting the Dots on Abortion Initiatives,

California Proposition 4 is endorsed by Americans United for Life, among others.

This is an organization that has worked to slowly erode women's access to abortion care with bills that limit available abortion methods after 12 to 13 weeks of pregnancy; require waiting periods, biased counseling, and ultrasound viewings prior to an abortion; create burdensome and medically unnecessary regulations for abortion clinics; assert that fetuses feel pain during an abortion; and allow health care employees to refuse to counsel, refer, or treat patients for any service to which they object.

She intends it to be dire and evil, but it comes out good and accurate. Something Biblical in there...

Deacon Keith Fournier at Catholic On Line has SPECIAL: Interview with AUL Action's Charmaine Yoest on 'Open Letter to Barack Obama'

Your Business Blogger(R) also recommends Values Voters

CatholicWifeAndMom

Obama the Abortionist

Makeup of U.S. Supreme Court Hangs in the Balance

J. Margaret Datiles, staff counsel for Americans United for Life representing the interests of the weakest citizens of the United States and abroad has an article in The Washington Times, A price on your head. Good read. Would get us ready for money saving suicide plans under an Obama administration.

Posted at 3:31 PM | Permalink
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The easiest tactic to sell anything is to find Pain. Maximize it, magnify it, monetize it.

We Are The Change, election night 1988

There is some economic Pain in the American people. Obama promises to heal this nation and heal this pain with Change.

Change from Capitalism to Marxism. To "spread the wealth around."

As Wes Pruden writes in A game-changer by Obama, we are at the close of the biggest sales and marketing pitch in history. Pruden reports,

To redistribute wealth, you first have to confiscate it from those who earned it with hard work, and the way to do that is with confiscatory taxes. Then you give it to those who didn't earn it.

But do the American people really want to change to a new economic system? A centrally controlled economy? A Change to Marxism?

Even with a half-billion dollar marketing campaign and its extension in the compliant main stream media and a single quarter of negative growth, the voters have still not bought the Barack bill of goods. Pain as bad as it's been in decades.

Barack Obama has trouble selling this Change to more than 50 percent of the public.

This means that there is still hope for capitalism in our country. Hope for our 200 year-old tradition.

Every new presidential candidate runs on some version of change. Your Business Blogger(R) joyfully attended the Election Night victory party on November 8, 1988.

The theme of the celebration? "We Are The Change." And this was from Reagan to Bush. (A Republican rockin' party...no alcohol was served 'til after 8pm.)

The word "Change" has come to mean a bit more in this campaign season in the Obama sales pitch.

We enjoy an orderly transition of power every few years. Let us pray that change is only in political individuals.

Not in an economic tradition.

This week, I asked my college business class when the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith was written.

"1930...?" guessed one of my better students. This was as far back as she would dare recede into ancient history. Not the 200 years to 1776.

Two hundred years of tradition that unleashed the individual's spirit to create and to provide and to enrich. Centuries of building an economic powerhouse that dominates the world. Created by American Exceptionalism.

Quin Hillyer writes at The American Spectator,

There is something special about this country. The United States is exceptional. We are blessed by the good Lord, and in turn we have done more, far more, than any other people to spread freedom across the globe, and prosperity across the globe, and human rights across this great good Earth. We are a particularly good people...

Benjamin Franklin wondered if we, a good and virtuous people, could keep a republic, a system of government that would enable the system of capitalism.

Obama promises a change to Marxism. Other changes are sure to follow, if he is elected.

Thank you (foot)notes,

Hillyer continues comparing McCain to Obama,

We are a particularly good people -- and John McCain understands all this and believes it with every fiber of his being, down to his very marrow, in a way that is deeply spiritual in nature.

There is nothing fake about McCain's belief in American Exceptionalism. His belief in this is as genuine, and as deeply felt, as is a son's love for his father. He will defend this country, fight for this country, with every last breath in his body...

So there you have it: John McCain as a patriot firmly rooted in the American traditions of free enterprise, limited government, strong defense, personal accountability, and a decent respect for the cultural standards of the broad middle of the American public.

Those are the constituent elements of American exceptionalism -- and to his great credit, John McCain is an American exceptionalist, and an exceptional American.

Posted at 9:55 AM | Permalink
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Yesterday, Charmaine says, "We got hate mail."

"Success!" I replied.

Your Business(R) Blogger teaches marketing at the local college and advises clients on the effectiveness of advertising.

AUL's Open Letter to Obama

The return on investment (ROI) in the for-profit businesses should be sales generated.

But not-for-profits have a different type of "product" peddled. The purpose of a non-profit is to improve the human condition.

So when a non-profit places a media buy, how does Your Business Blogger(R) suggest measuring success?

Hate Mail.

In for-profit, we measure love.
In non-profits, we measure hate.

Our country is evenly and bitterly divided into two competing world views. The animosity is so great and the two camps have opinions so different that we all might as well be on different planets.

We non-profit marketers are now interplanetary ambassadors. Captain Kirk never had it so hard.

So measure the "good" ad with "bad" feedback.

The Alert Reader might suggest that media hits could be an immediate proxy for any ad campaign effectiveness. But here in the non-profit world, the marketing manager should measure opposing, hateful articles, not the friendlies. Getting your friends to agree is helpful, to be sure. Getting the opposition reacting is better.

On Reasoned Audacity we limit, moderate and edit hate-comments, because most are not helpful and make for atrocious reading. Motto: Delectare et Docere.

To Please and To Instruct.

Hate-mail is not pleasing to read. A wise marketer measures this mail, crunches this data, but uses only for internals, not public consumption -- which would look like whining. Complaining about all the stoopid people on that other planet.

As Jack Welch advises: Never be a victim.

And as politicians are wont to say, "Throw a rock into a pack of dogs: the one that yelps is the one that got hit."

Measure the hits by the number of yelps.

Americans United for Life Action published an open letter in a full page in the Dayton Daily News, an Ohio newspaper . Back page, section A. Good size and location. Marketers would prefer more frequency than a one-time media buy. But a good ad "sells" in more than the buy in a particular geographic location.

Today, effective prints ads are picked up by alternative media and broadcast-cable outlets.

(Goodness, during the Huckabee campaign, Ed Rollins got media attention for an ad he didn't even run.)

See Charmaine's Open Letter to Senator Obama here and at the jump.

Read the ad and let us know if you think it "sells" -- if it persuades.

###

Thank you (foot)notes:

Letter to Obama Asks for Answer on Parental Involvement Laws

Group Reminds Voters Barack Obama Wants All Pro-Life Laws Overturned.

The patron saint of marketing John Wanamaker once quipped that "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half." Sometime a manager just gets lucky.

See LifeNew.com.

Americans United for Life Action Press Release.

From The Family Foundation.

Anglicans Ablaze.

Value Voters

Alliance Alert from ADF

Save the Little Humans.

Catholic Fire.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 5:58 AM | Permalink
Comments (1)

FOX reporter Molly Henneberg is doing a story on Sarah Palin's speech on Special Needs Children for Special Report tonight Friday, 24 October. Hit time is 6pm.

A baby within its mother

Charmaine will be discussing Sarah Palin's passion on this Pro-Life issue. From RealClearPolitics,

One of the most wonderful experiences in this campaign has been to see all the families of children with special needs who come out to rallies and events just like this. We have a bond there. We know that children with special needs inspire a special love. You bring your sons and daughters with you, because you are proud of them, as I am of my son.

My little fella sleeps during most of these rallies, even when they get pretty rowdy. He would be amazed to know how many folks come out to see him instead of me.

When I learned that Trig would have special needs, honestly, I had to prepare my heart. At first I was scared, and Todd and I had to ask for strength and understanding. I did a lot of praying for that understanding, and strength, and to see purpose.

And what's been confirmed in me is every child has something to contribute to the world, if we give them that chance. You know that there are the world's standards of perfection, and then there are God's, and these are the final measure. Every child is beautiful before God, and dear to Him for their own sake. And the truest measure of any society is how it treats those who are most vulnerable.

As for our baby boy, Trig, for Todd and me he is only more precious because he is vulnerable. In some ways, I think we stand to learn more from him than he does from us. When we hold Trig and care for him, we don't feel scared anymore. We feel blessed...

John McCain and I have a vision in which every child is loved and cherished, and that is the spirit I want to bring to Washington.

Every Child. Born and Unborn. Please watch and let us know what you think.

Posted at 5:38 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine was interviewed by Family News in Focus (called "FiNIF") a short radio program produced by James Dobson's Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. It will run on Monday, 27 October, 2008.

The Yoests and

The Dobsons

A print version of the conversation is available on Citizen Link

Life Advocates Challenge Obama over Pro-Abortion Priorities

Americans United for Life Action is calling on Sen. Barack Obama to explain why he opposes parental-involvement laws, which are designed to protect girls from sexual predators.

The letter to Obama recounts the true story of a 14-year-old Cincinnati girl who was impregnated by her 21-year-old soccer coach. The coach, who signed in place of her parents for her to have an abortion, is in jail. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of AUL Action, said the story underscores the need for parental-involvement laws.

Yet, according to a promise made to Planned Parenthood, the first thing Obama would do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act -- a sweeping piece of legislation that could wipe away every federal, state and local law limiting or regulating abortion.

"I'd like to know why it he supports such radical legislation that would make it impossible for us to put any limitations whatsoever on abortion," Yoest said.

-- Family News in Focus

Pro-Life Michelle Bachmann is running for re-election to Congress in a close race. We spoke to Michelle during the GOP convention in Minnesota. She believes in limited government, low taxes, winning the war and the sanctity of life.

Charmaine on Roger Hedgecock's radio program with Michelle Bachmann

She is authentic. And not liked by the liberals in media and in congress. See her short clip on condemning Planned Parenthood on the floor of Congress.

Michelle, like Sarah Palin is real. They each have five children. Adding up the Bachmanns, the Palins and our Penta-Posse, we could fix Social Security all by our selves...

Not counting Michelle and her husband Marcus's 23 foster children.

That is public service. That is love.

Charmaine spars with David Gregory at the GOP convention.

Also check out this clip at Concerned Women for America:

Your Business Blogger(R) teaches sales and marketing at the Northern Virginia Community College. The CWA clip is a world class example that appeals to this sight and sound generation.

Posted at 7:26 AM | Permalink
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Charmaine and Jonah at National Review both had speaking gigs at major schools.

Q: Who Knew?
A: No one.

Charmaine lecturing on campus

I drove the wife and The Dreamer, The Dude, The Diva, The Dancer, and Baby Boo* down to Mr. Jefferson's University so Charmaine could speak on women in leadership at Darden, UVa's business school. The first thing we see are well-armed police.

Uniformed dark blue. Unsmiling.

I ask the sergeant about his job and the small gaggle of 150 women, "Crowd control?"

He looks me over. I'm holding a four-year old's hand: I am not a threat.

I am the conservative.

The cop's face moves a millimeter into what passes for a smile. His head shakes a millimeter into what passes for no.

His eyes return to the assembly. He's looking for trouble.

I speak to one of the organizers about the number of attendees, the marketing of the event...the security. (Your Business Blogger(R) cares about such things; teaching Business at the Northern Virginia Community College. Where James Carville also taught.)

The event planner whispers, "We didn't publicize the event...we weren't sure who would come..."

Even though Charmaine spent ten years at UVA, earned her Ph.D. and taught (Politics and the Family) the organizers were fearful. Charmaine, a woman and a conservative who worked for Huckabee, Pro-Life, now a president and CEO of a law firm, might cause two horrors on the Campus Grounds:

1) A violent campus protest, or, worse,

2) A good conservative turn out.

The police were out in force to keep pie throwing liberals away from the conservative speaker.

Or keep a woman from making a citizen's arrest.

Or having a Democrat scratch KKK on our monster SUV, the Huck-a-Truck.

Jonah Goldberg
and wife Jessica Gavora

The police were there to protect us from the Brown Shirts with the party of death.

The police are on the side of law and order...so far.

We have been lucky with Charmaine's public speaking in academia.

It's particularly odd because the majority of the time I speak on a college campus -- even when debating a liberal -- I'm told that I'm the first conservative they've had there for a while and that I was brought in for "balance."
You'd think if that were the case, the various administrations would at least want some credit for providing equal time.
Even though, even a brief perusal of almost any college or university's events calendar will quickly show that they could have the entire masthead of National Review speak month after month and it still wouldn't equal balance...but the idea that simply inviting one or two objectively conservative speakers every couple years provides ideological balance is just absurd.

The joke is even bigger when you discover as I have at numerous schools that many professors tell their students they shouldn't go hear conservative speakers.

Jonah Goldberg gets this right: students should get both sides of any debate.

That would be, well, Fair and Balanced...

* Alert Readers know our five children are also known as the Penta-Posse.

Posted at 7:48 AM | Permalink
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Charmaine recently debated Eleanor Smeal from the Feminist Majority Foundation on Abortion restrictions in the United Kingdom.

Alert Readers will note that the CNN International host identified Charmaine as Pro-Life. Something that never happens on this side of the pond.

The host did get a bit confused about fetus and baby. Impossible for the abortion supporter to say "baby" or "mother."

This debate becomes important here in US of A because of Obama's promise to eliminate parental notification state laws and any waiting periods. Obama does not want to regular the clinical cleanliness of abortion facilities.

The GOP is the party of life. Obama is the party of death.

Charmaine is now president and CEO of Americans United for Life.

This is a media war: abortion vs pro-life; liberal vs conservative; Obama vs McCain.

So. Your Business Blogger(R) homestead watched Family Guy last night.

We wanted to follow-up on the Fast Company article by Josh Dean on the Seth MacFarlane success and his $100 million deal with FOX.

The episode: Stewie, the British-accented baby and Brian the talking dog time travel back to September 1, 1939 when N@zi Germany invaded Poland. Stewie and Brian end up in Storm Trooper uniforms...with a McCain-Palin campaign button.

Funny.

But this speaks to the projection the liberals make of their world view.

Conservative politicians want to protect life. Liberals want abortion, euthanasia, denial of care.
Conservative politicians want people to keep their own money. Liberals want high taxes and your money.
Conservatives want abortion clinics regulated. Liberals want home schoolers regulated
Conservatives want to be left alone. Liberals demand power and intrusion.

Is it possible that the H!tler Youth of the 1930's might be more comfortable in today's Party of Death than with the Rascally Republicans?

Liberals have abortion clinics to get rid of unwanted life. The National Socialists had gas ovens to get rid of unwanted life.

Not that there is any connection...

Posted at 9:54 AM | Permalink
Comments (1)

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Posted at 10:54 AM | Permalink
Comments (2)

Obama will not salute our flag Your Business Blogger(R) did a tour of duty in combat arms.

One of the first tasks to learn on assuming a military position was

(as Bill Clinton was slow to learn) the military salute.

Another Democrat, Obama

and the war hero,
the war injured McCain

have one thing in common with the military.

If either is elected, neither will salute.

Obama: Because he won't.

McCain: Because he can't.

It was a delight to be in a very large room with with people with big ideas. Each who loves his country.

One of the Hosts, Colin Hanna, from Let Freedom Ring, was about to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and reminded us of legislation allowing veterans to render a hand salute, even if out of uniform, even if separated from active service.

The law was made possible by Senator Jim Inhoufe of Oklahoma -- a Republican, of course.

A conservative, of course. Who loves Jesus. Clinging to his religion and his guns...

So the next time you are at a ball game look for veterans during the National Anthem.

They'll be the ones saluting.

Inhofe Legislation Allows Veterans to Salute the Flag

By Ryan Cassin,
Thursday July 26, 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) today praised the
passage by unanimous consent of his bill (S.1877) clarifying U.S. law to allow veterans
and servicemen not in uniform to salute the flag.

Current law (US Code Title 4, Chapter 1) states that veterans and servicemen not in
uniform should place their hand over their heart without clarifying whether they can or
should salute the flag.

"The salute is a form of honor and respect, representing pride in one's military service," Senator Inhofe said.

"Veterans and service members continue representing the military services even when not in uniform.

"Unfortunately, current U.S. law leaves confusion as to whether veterans and service members out of uniform can or should salute the flag. My legislation will clarify this regulation, allowing veterans and servicemen alike to salute the flag, whether they are in uniform or not.

"I look forward to seeing those who have served saluting proudly at baseball games, parades, and formal events. I believe this is an appropriate way to honor and recognize the 25 million veterans in the United States who have served in the military and remain as role models to others citizens.

Those who are currently serving or have served in the military have earned this right, and their recognition will be an inspiration to others."

See
Gold Star Moms
Visit a cranky vet
Respect for the Flag

Alert Readers have also noticed that Barack Obama has no American Flag on his campaign aircraft. It is not known if he will remove the flag from Air Force One, if he is elected...

Barack Obama also demonstrates that it is impossible for him to support the troops. He took millions from Bill Ayers, the domestic terrorist who attempted to blow up the Pentagon.

How can Obama support the troops and support a terrorist who tried to kill the troops? Obama is not qualified to be commander in chief.

From NRO,

"There's reason to doubt that oft-repeated pledge of 'supporting the troops' when you've worked for a man who tried to kill the troops."

UPDATE on new regs at the jump.

UPDATE: 23 Dec 2008, New York Times, Obama Tries Out His Salute, By Jeff Zeleny,

KAILUA, Hawaii - He's not the commander in chief yet, but was President-elect Barack Obama briefly practicing his salute on Sunday?

On the first morning of his vacation here, Mr. Obama arrived at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii for his daily workout. As he walked out of the Semper Fit Center, his gray T-shirt soaked in sweat, he lifted his right hand and gave a quick salute to two Marines in fatigues who were standing in the distance.

[Reagan knew how to salute; it was within his experience.
The Cubscout is saluting.
Expect homosexuals in both the military and the Boyscouts
under Obama.]

The brief moment was not captured by cameras. Photographs and video were not permitted to be taken on the military base, according to campaign aides.

Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, opened their day with a 45-minute workout inside a large gymnasium at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, which is located on the Mokapu Penninsula on the windward side of Oahu, about 30 minutes outside Honolulu. It is sunny and warm here, a world away, at least in terms of the weather, from Chicago.

Alert Readers well know that Reagan served in uniform, like most patriots, in WWII.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 7:44 AM | Permalink
Comments (5)

Politically Incorrect, Part 1 Over Christmas in 2000 Charmaine appeared on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect.

With John Salley (LA Lakers), Joshua Morrow (Young and Restless) and ...Andrew Dice Clay (Face Down @ss Up).

Andrew Dice Clay made a living performing stand-up as misogynist and and more (or less). This first segment may be the only time the Alert Reader will see someone smoke a cigarette live on a network broadcast. Politically Incorrect...

Watch all three segments and learn why most of Charmaine's female talking-head friends do not do Bill Maher's shows.

Politically Incorrect, Part 2 I don't know why I let her go on a dozen times either.

Anyway. Andrew Dice Clay. Your Business Blogger(R) was the Charmaine Sherpa on this gig handling the baggage and baby. It was The Dancer, I believe. Names and birthdays kinda run together with 5 wee ones.

And we met Andrew Dice Clay and his wife and 2 kids. In the Green Room, they almost looked like a normal family, a happily married couple. If, say, a gorgeous (not that I noticed) buxom Vegas show girl were to marry your plumber.

Politically Incorrect, Part 3 Watch the third the segment for the Pro-Life debate.

Please comment and let us know what you think.

I would wager that you might be more polite and certainly more helpful than the normal liberal YouTube commentary...

Posted at 10:16 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

Last Thursday AUL held their annual fund raising event at the Palmer House in Chicago.

The Henry J. Hyde Defender of Life Award was presented to Jessica Shanahan, president for New Yorkers for Parental Rights. (Obama has promised that Parental Rights would be the first right to be outlawed under his administration.)

Ramesh Ponnuru from National Review gave the keynote. Key Takeaway: "What mother wants to introduce her son, The Abortionist...?"

Abortion is on the decline because of the work of AUL and the public's awareness that that abortion kills a baby.

Charmaine gave a spell-binding presentation. (Biased Opinion, Your Business Blogger(R).) PowerPoint and her notes here: AUL gala 10-9-08.ppt.

James M. Kushiner, the Executive Editor at Touchstone Magazine attended and blogged. Read his outstanding commentary at Obama Lied Fewer Died. Good Read.

Not everyone wants babies to live. See Leslie Bradshaw's list. AUL made it. This is proof of a pro-live organization's effectiveness.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 1:26 AM | Permalink
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Bill Maher doesn't care much for babies. And less for marriage.

Charmaine on PI
with (the liberal) Bishop Spong.
Part One, circa 2002 Charmaine made over a dozen appearances on his old Politically Incorrect show.

So all our paths have crossed a time or two in the Green Room in his LA studio.

Usually after Your Business Blogger® just changed a stinky diaper on one of the infant Penta-Posse .

I probably did not make a compelling case for fatherhood...

Anyway.

Charmaine did work on Bill Maher's eternal perspective.

At one point Maher asked us, not rhetorically, "So what is death; a dirt nap?"

Maher sums up neatly the atheist's worldview: there is no God, no Heaven.

No Hell.

At death, it all ends on this celestial sphere. A dirt nap in a grave.

Dinesh D'Souza addresses atheism in his New York Times best seller, What's So Great About Christianity?,

From page 274,

What's So Great
About Christianity?"If sex is unhooked from the old moral restraints [marriage], there are going to be unwanted pregnancies [babies]. Here we get to atheism's second sacrament, which is abortion. [The first sacrament is orgasm.] The real horror of abortion is not that a woman kills an unborn child

but

that a woman kills her own unborn child. [Emphasis mine.]

The guilt in doing this, for all morally healthy persons, can only be tremendous.

So it is necessary for atheism to pave the way for abortion with a clear conscience.

The first step is to get rid of God, because then there is no spirit of the dead child to disturb the conscience, no hell to pay for violating the commandment against the deliberate taking of life."

Politically Incorrect,
Part 2One pregnancy in five ends in a miscarriage.

Charmaine and I had one. We still dream of that baby. Now safe on the other side.

The death still hurts and time does heal. But how much more would the hurt be if the mother was responsible for the loss of the baby?

How much more the pain if the mother murdered her baby?

The guilt these women feel must be horrendous.

Can Obama feel no pain?

I will take their heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.

Posted at 11:13 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

The liberal Mark Warner is running against conservative Jim Gilmore for Senate in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Mark Warner says that the "Right to Lifers" and the National Rifle Association and Homeschoolers and the Christian Coalition is,

Why do these liberals hate normal people?

Warner and Obama believe in abortion on demand through nine or ten months.
Warner and Obama do not believe in the right to bear arms.
Warner and Obama do not believe parents should educate their children.
Warner and Obama believe in homosexual marriage.
Warner and Obama believe in our surrender in the wars.
Warner and Obama believe in raising our taxes.

This is normal?

Listen to the short audio clip of Mark Warner, his voice dripping with disdain, on our conservative values,

Full Disclosure: Your Business Blogger(R) served as Assistant Secretary in Health and Human Resources in governor James Gilmore's administration.

L to R: Roxane and Jim Gilmore; Charmaine and Jack Yoest

"I was told that if I voted for Barry Goldwater that there would be war in Southeast Asia.

And sure enough, I voted for Barry Goldwater and there was war in Southeast Asia," went the popular joke after Democrat Lyndon Johnson was elected president.

We are now told that if we vote for John McCain we will have endless war in Iraq. I will vote for John McCain...and if Obama steals the election -- we will, indeed, have endless war in Iraq...

Posted at 5:27 PM | Permalink
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The following video clip is based on the actual Obama-cult song recorded by (non-aborted) children who were manipulated into supporting a presidential candidate...and, of course, a clip from the famous movie "Cabaret."

This might be a more accurate representation than the letter sent to the Americans United for Life office in Chicago this week. From the Party of Death.

Eyeblast at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 2:03 PM | Permalink
Comments (3)

The best indication of future performance is past performance.

We don't know exactly who Obama will nominate for the courts, but we do know who -- and what -- he likes.

Watch Wendy Long in this compelling 60 second spot by the good-guys at the Judicial Confirmation Network:

Posted at 12:01 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

Charmaine participated in a panel discussion on the Palin phenomenon. The Harbour League sends us the audio clip.

Listen Here.

The Harbour League has received numerous requests for the audio from our most recent conference call entitled "What Sarah Palin Means for Conservatives".

Charmaine, Your Business Blogger(R), The Diva, circa 1997

We are therefore pleased to let you know that the audio can be found at www.TheHarbourLeague.org/past.htm.

Presenters include:

Herb London, Hudson Institute President & THL Trustee, will take a look at Sarah Palin and her exposure to Foreign Policy.

Grover Norquist, American's for Tax Reform President & THL Trustee, will give an overview what Gov. Palin offers to conservatives and why all the concern from the left.

Mark Hyman, Syndicated TV Commentator & THL Trustee, will discuss the media's attention to Sarah Palin.

Allison Kasic, Director of The R. Gaull Silberman Center for Collegiate Studies at Independent Women's Forum, will address what the nomination of Gov. Palin means to conservative women.

Charmaine Yoest, Americans United for Life President, will discuss what Sarah Palin means and would as Vice President mean to the pro-life movement.

Rarely do Vice-Presidential candidates get the attention that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is currently receiving. No other vice presidential candidate in modern history has excited their base and caused such concern and scrutiny into leadership experience, foreign policy and national security qualifications, and family values by the other party as has Sarah Palin.

Please take the time to listen to and forward on this important Harbour League conference call to discussing what Governor Sarah Palin means to the Conservative movement.

Please Note: The Harbour League is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. This call is not intended to be an endorsement or in support of any candidate.

Sincerely,

The Harbour League

Listen to the audio clip here.

Media Alert: Your Business Blogger(R) was interviewed for The Washington Post on management, bad bosses and sub-par employees. Should run this Sunday, Sept 28th.

Posted at 8:56 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine recently debated Sarah Flowers a consultant from Planned Parenthood. They compared the abortion positions of Obama and McCain.

Obama favors abortion through all three -- or four trimesters, as Laura Ingraham quips -- and McCain votes for Life.

Watch the clip and let us know what you think.

Thank you footnotes,

BornAliveTruth.org all over the news and Kansas Abortion Timeline as the first ever Attorney General to take on Planned Parenthood and Dr Tiller

Planned Parenthood, AUL debate Obama on Born Alive

BornAliveTruth.org all over the news Jill Stanek writes,

I cannot even keep up with all the articles and news shows reporting on BornAliveTruth.org, Barack Obama's opposition to the IL Born Alive Infants Protection Act, our Gianna ad, and Obama's anti-Gianna ad.

Barack Obama Faith Tour Flops With Pro-Life Voters in Jerry Falwell's Backyard
Lynchburg, VA (LifeNews.com)

For the new Barack Obama "faith tour" to have any success, it needs to be able to draw young and evangelical voters.

Yet, at its first stop in the Virginia back yard of well-known pastor Jerry Falwell, just 15 people showed up for the event.

The Obama campaign has signed up evangelical author Donald Miller, Pepperdine University professor Doug Kmiec and former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer, for the "Barack Obama: Faith, Family and Values Tour."




The trio made a stop at Liberty University, which is home to over 10,000 evangelical students from across the county and a conservative bastion in a state Obama is targeting heavily in this election. Yet, his "faith tour" failed to resonate with people there.

Billy Valentine, director of Catholics for McCain, a grassroots organization of young Catholics not affiliated with the McCain campaign, told LifeNews.com he's not surprised the event flopped.

"Young Evangelicals and Catholics alike can't be deceived by Obama's empty rhetoric, and instead realize that an Obama administration would laugh in the face of the human rights issues they passionately fight for, such as the right to life," he said.

See more on Obama and Planned Parenthood, let the man speak for himself.

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D. is president and CEO of Americans United for Life with offices in Washington, DC, Chicago and Austin.

Posted at 12:41 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

Presidential Candidate wives: How influential are women in decision making?

What is Michelle and Cindy's involvement in the presidential race?

Janet Huckabee, in red plaid
with 2 of the 3 First Hucka-Dogs
Iowa, credit: The Dreamer

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., President and CEO, Americans United for Life; Former Huckabee Spokesperson; Former Ronald Reagan West Wing White House Staffer will be interviewed on the importance of women's issues and influence in this presidential election.

How does the wife's opinion on abortion affect the candidate?

Hit time: 2:30pm eastern

Show: Fox News Live Desk

Please tune in or TiVo and let us know what you think.

We do apologize for the short lead time. The presidential campaign coverage and analysis is moving at a record pace -- important topics are now produced faster than ever.

Baby Boo, Working hard for the Mommy
Huckabee Iowa campaign HQ, Dec 2007

Also keep in mind that the topic is developing -- the segment producer may very well change the topic and guest line up at the last second.

Posted at 12:39 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Gianna Jessen,
abortion survivor Charmaine and Your Business Blogger(R) have run a number of marathons. Charmaine always cries the last 4 miles. It always hurts -- both the physical and mental. Real Pain.

But at least Charmaine's mom didn't try to murder her...

Gianna Jessen is an abortion survivor and also runs marathons. It takes her 8 hours. (If we were on the same course, she would be the only one behind me and Charmaine.)

Watch Gianna's 30 second video
on protecting Infants Born Alive. Gianna needs a third of a day to complete the 26.2 miles because she has, as she says, "the gift of cerebral palsy."

It is a "gift" because the alternative, the intention of the mother and her "doctor" was death for Gianna.

It is not known if the "doctor" is a Democrat. But abortion is a sacrament of The Party of Death.

Gianna lived to tell her story, was adopted, and is an advocate for Infant Born Alive protections.

Our Aunt Carol spoke with Gianna and has an update.

Bookmark Americans United for Life.

"If Barack Obama had his way I would not be here," says Gianna. Visit BornAliveTruth.com.

Read more at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 9:36 AM | Permalink
Comments (6)

The Dude broke his hand in a football game for the Yorktown Patriots. Charmaine and Your Business Blogger(R) and Baby Boo sat with him yesterday as a cast was applied and immobilized his hand.

The Dude was not in especially good spirits. And friends rallied around him to encourage and commiserate. To lightly cheer him on.

Teenagers who showed compassion?

Lots of adults, too showed real interest -- and not just the coaches....

Lyndon LaPlante It seems that The Dude was indeed lifted up. But Charmaine and I noticed something more. The giving, the compassion, the caring did more for the giver than the getter.

The Dude was injured and would play again in a few weeks. However, we were able to get the briefest glimpse of the good, the Divine that is seen in small acts of charity.

Life's real challenges are designed, it seems, not for the afflicted but for those who surround the sufferer. Life's pitfalls, large and small, reveal the character of the bystander.

Does the onlooker render care or complain? What does the Good Samaritan do?

Another football story, a few years ago, came out of Texas. It's the story of Lyndon LaPlante who scored a touchdown. Lyndon has Down syndrome . The Dallas Morning News reports:

Keller Senior with Down Syndrome Fulfills Dream

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News

The home crowd at Keller ISD Stadium rose to its feet as soon as Lyndon LaPlante jogged onto the field during the fourth quarter Friday night.

The fans went wild during LaPlante's 99-yard touchdown run, which ended with him being mobbed in the end zone by his Keller teammates.

Never mind that the pre-arranged play didn't count. It fulfilled a dream for LaPlante, a senior who has . . .

Watch the video clip here.

Continue reading at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 11:42 AM | Permalink
Comments (3)

Charmaine and Your Business Blogger(R) will be getting the Penta-Posse a real education by pulling them out of the public schools...for a day.

Alert Readers will recall that we went homeschooling last winter during the primary campaign to Arkansas, up to Iowa and across to New Hampshire.

We will not have to drive as many miles to see the next president of the USA.

It has just been announced that John McCain and Sarah Palin will campaign in Northern Virginia on Wednesday, September 10, at Fairfax High School, at 10:00 am.

You can obtain tickets by going to the McCain Virginia website at Virginia.JohnMcCain.com, or by visiting the Virginia Victory offices in Arlington (1235 S. Clark Street, First Floor, 703-955-4255), Fairfax (4246 Chain Bridge Road, 703-766-4467), Prince William (4431 Prince William Parkway, 703-680-7388), or Loudoun (46950 Community Plaza, Unit # 201A, 703-340-0702).

You can pick tickets up in person today from noon until 9:00 pm, or tomorrow, from 9:00 am until 9:00 pm.

The Rally begins at 10 am on September 10; Doors open at 8:00 am. Fairfax High School is located at 3501 Rebel Run in Fairfax City.

The easiest method to get tickets is to go on-line and print out the number of tickets you want.

Please let us know if you will be coming by. Look for the happily married couple with five children...with the McCain - Palin signs.

Alert Readers will recall that Charmaine served as Senior Advisor to the Huckabee campaign,
Bringing In The New Year With Mike Huckabee

The C-4 side of Charmaine will be attending the rally.

Posted at 5:51 PM | Permalink
Comments (3)

In the Yoest household kitchen Answer: She's not married to Todd Palin.

On CNN yesterday Charmaine reinforced the point that women can succeed in any position at any level, if she has a deep support system. Beyond the government safety net.

The best support system is to marry a guy who will embrace the family mission, the family business. A husband who is not distracted by interns at 2am.

And will lift up his wife when her time comes...

And I'm not just talking pregnancy.

About half of all women who enter into a Ph.D. program do not finish. When Charmaine was working on her disertation at the University of Virginia, Your Business Blogger(R), MBA, and Charmaine's parents, Mom, Ph.D; Dad, Ph.D; Brother, Ph.D. and Penta-Posse gathered together and strategized on the path to make sure that Charmaine was in the half that got 'hooded.'

The extended family decided to invest in Charmaine.

Money was key but not the entire issue. Wisdom and logistical support were the real needs of house hold and five little ones.

Extended family and a hubby who will sacrifice for the family mission is the solution to whatever success the family, the mother, the mission will achieve.

Todd Palin is my kind of guy. Like me, he married way over his head and is not afraid to let the world know.

We are both married to CEO's who advance the family mission. Our extended families have made sacrifices and investments to advance very talented women, very talented wives.

If more feminists had devoted husbands, maybe they'd enjoy more success. As well as the other benefits of marital bliss (re Five Children...).

And this is the real reason the liberals hate Sarah Palin. She is normal.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Fish on a bicycle by Ray Troll Feminist icon Gloria Steinem can be blamed for a lot problems these days in verbiage and communication in the battle of men vs women.

But not this phrase.

Gloria Steinem writes to Time Magazine,

"In your note on my new and happy marital partnership with David Bale, you credit me with the witticism A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. In fact, Irina Dunn, a distinguished Australian educator, journalist and politician, coined the phrase back in 1970 when she was a student at the University of Sydney."

Credit should go to Irina Dunn, graffiti artist and Australian Senator from the Nuclear Disarmament Party.

And made popular more by U2.

Posted at 10:31 AM | Permalink
Comments (10)

Our liberal leftist friends do not know what to make of Sarah Palin.

They do not understand her faith in Jesus Christ.
They do not understand her leadership.
They do not understand her family.
They do not understand her husband.
They do not understand her ability to persuade.
They do not understand her politics.
They do not understand her ability to win.
They do not understand her love of the military.
They do not understand her motherhood of 5.
They do not understand her balancing work and home.
They do not understand her love of small-town America.
They do not understand her pro-life (com)passion.

Watch her short talk in a church in Alaska,

GOP strategist Ed Rollins called her performance last nite at the convention "magical."

Weekly Standard editor Fred Barnes observes that her manner of communication is natural and cannot be taught. Sarah Palin has both content and style.

Charmaines is quoted:

ChristianityToday.com has a substantial interview, From discouragement to excitement, by Sarah Pulliam

Americans United for Life Action president Charmaine Yoest is both relieved and excited about Sen. John McCain's vice presidential pick. Yoest spoke with me about the difference between last week and this week.

Last week, you saw the conservative base of the Republican Party really demoralized and discouraged when they were hearing all the talk about putting in a pro-abortion vice presidential pick. Now with such a solid platform coming out of the deliberations last week and a solid pro-life ticket, everybody's really excited.

People have been talking about the broadening of the evangelical agenda. Do you think that's happening?

As the leader of a pro-life organization, I find it really troubling when people try to juxtapose a pro-life agenda with other issues, like poverty, and saying there's some sort of zero-sum gain, that if you concentrate on life issues that doesn't mean you don't care about other issues as much.

13 WMAZ, For McCain, 6 Keys to Victory,

"There is an authentic McCain voice on these issues," says Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life. "He has to find it and use it."

On CNN HeadLine News, yesterday afternoon, Charmaine said that Sarah's husband, "Is being airbushed out of the picture," by the unhappy feminists.

LifeNews.com writes, Republican Party Cmte OK Strong Pro-Life Platform Condemning Abortion

"We call for a ban on human cloning and a ban on the creation of or experimentation on human embryos for research purposes" and a "ban on all embryonic stem-cell research, public or private."

Charmaine Yoest, the president of Americans United for Life, updated LifeNews.com on the changes.

"Very late in the day, a pro-life ally advanced an argument which opened the door to embryonic-destructive stem cell research. The amendment offered would have undermined the section's clear language banning embryonic stem cell research," she said.

"As you can imagine, the discussion became pretty intense," she added.

"After significant back-and-forth among the delegates -- which was punctuated by an adjournment to a side conference in a hallway where the delegates standing up for a strong ban were 'encouraged' to give way -- the final language remained firm on an unequivocal ban on embryonic-destructive research and experimentation," Yoest said.

"We can take deep satisfaction tonight in knowing that the platform recommended to the party by the committee will be a strong pro-life document," she told LifeNews.com.

Values Voter News writes,

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, said although this is not what Sarah Palin wished for her daughter, "the way we react to life's challenges is the true testament to our character." But all this attention has brought to light an important issue!!! "Until Monday, teen pregnancy and sex education were not issues in the national political campaign. According to the Associated Press, Sarah Palin -- in a 2006 questionnaire distributed to gubernatorial candidates -- said that "explicit sex-ed program will not find my support."

Not everyone is happy. McCain's Capitulation to the Religious Right Now Complete,

Charmaine Yoest, Americans United for Life: "And then when [Palin] was announced -- it was like you couldn't breathe. [We] were grabbing each other and jumping up and down."

The Canberrra Times from Austrialia reports Palin's teen daughter pregnant,

Charmaine Yoest, Head of Americans United for Life, said, "We join them in welcoming this new life."

She closes at 2pm this morning summing up the Sarah speech, emailing, It was amazing! She was so great! Just came out of the CNN after-party, now stuck in the shuttle cause of protestors!!

A high-tech liberal abortion advocate who lives in both Alaska and Colorado (no, I'm sure that he doesn't vote in both states...) says, I'm speechless. I don't think I even know how to process this anymore.

OK, so Your Business Blogger(R) would not approve of tatoos. If this is her first born's biggest "fault" then the country will be just fine under a McCain administration. See Looking For A Job...With Tattoos? and Scars Are Tattoos...With Better Stories.

Alert Readers will recall that we are the biggest fans of Ed Rollins when Charmaine worked with him on the Huckabee campaign.

Posted at 7:19 AM | Permalink
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Tom McMahon is the best on the planet on presenting complicated ideas simply.

Here he compares Obama and Palin's position on THE issue of our times: Abortion.

The only improvement one could make would be that Obama calls a baby a "punishment" not just a "burden." But you get the idea.

Review Tom's matrix and decide this day who you would trust.

Visit Tom McMahon's 4-Block World

Posted at 10:15 PM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Charmaine has been interviewed by a number of media outlets on John McCain's VP Palin pick and the announcement today that Palin's daughter is getting married and is pregnant.

Statement from Dr. Charmaine Yoest, Americans United for Life, on Palin Daughter's Pregnancy

Last update: 3:04 p.m. EDT Sept. 1, 2008 CHICAGO, Sept 01, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life, issued the following statement in response to news that the daughter of McCain running mate Sarah Palin is pregnant:

"As the mother of five children, I know this situation is not the ideal Sarah Palin wished for her daughter.

But the way we react to life's challenges is the true testament to our character. The Palin family is displaying courage and constancy.

We join them in welcoming this new life. Our prayers are with the entire Palin family as they deal with this in the intense glare of the media spotlight."

In Politico, Palin electrifies conservative base
By JONATHAN MARTIN, 8/31/08 7:16 AM EST

By tapping the anti-abortion and pro-gun Alaska governor just ahead of his convention, which is set to start here Monday, McCain hasn't just won approval from a skeptical Republican base - he's ignited a wave of elation and emotion that has led some grass-roots activists to weep with joy.

Serious questions remain about McCain's pick - exactly how much he knows about her and her positions, past and present, on key issues. But for the worker bee core of the party that is essential to any Republican victory, there are no doubts.

"I woke up and my e-mail was just going crazy," said Charmaine Yoest, head of the legislative arm of Americans United for Life and a former top official in Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign. "And then when it was announced - it was like you couldn't breathe."

The Independent from the UK, McCain's choice of running mate heads off potential rebellion, by David Usborne in St Paul, Sunday, 31 August 2008

Republican officials think that Mr McCain has solved that problem with the Palin pick. And they are cheered even more by the belief that it is the evangelical Christians who are most electrified - the same people who did so well by Mr Bush in 2000 and 2004.

Charmaine Yoest, a former top aide to presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee and a leading voice among conservative Republican women said the reaction to Mrs Palin has been beyond ecstatic. "I woke up and my e-mail was just going crazy," she said here in St Paul. "And then when it was announced - it was like you couldn't breathe."

LifeNews writes, Pro-Life Groups Say Sarah Palin's Abortion Rejection Reminds of McCain's' Adoption

Yoest told LifeNews.com that McCain's and Palin's actions and words point to the key differences between them and their pro-abortion rivals Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

"The Republican ticket stands in stark contrast to the stridently pro-abortion ticket put forth by the Democratic party," she said. "You can be sure the vice presidential selections will have far-reaching ramifications in this race."

Obama came under fire for appearing to back a potential decision by his daughters to seek an abortion saying he wouldn't "punish" them with a baby.

Thank you (foot)notes,

In related international abortion news,
LifeNews, Mexico Supreme Court's Decision to Allow Capital City Abortions Upsets Pro-Life Groups

Mexico City, Mexico (LifeNews.com) -- The decision by the highest court in Mexico to uphold the law allowing abortions up to 12 weeks into pregnancy is drawing sharp criticism from leading pro-life groups. The Mexico Supreme Court voted 8-3 this past week to uphold a federal district law allowing abortions and paying for them at taxpayer expense through the government health care program.

Charmaine Yoest, the president of Americans United for Life tells LifeNews.com that the ruling ignores the negative impact of abortion on women and is a devastating step toward abortion on demand for other Latin American nations.

Yoest's organization was one of the American pro-life groups to file an amicus brief with the Mexico Supreme Court in the case that could have ramifications throughout the region.

"We are dismayed the Mexican Supreme Court would ignore the overwhelming evidence that abortion hurts women. Upholding this law demonstrates a total lack of concern for the health and welfare of Mexican women," she said.

Posted at 3:19 PM | Permalink
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Your Business Blogger(R) just returned from meeting a number of conservative friends in Minneapolis-St. Paul in preparation for the GOP convention. It was exciting to talk with the good-guys from across the country especially during the Palin pick for VP.

I ran into my good friend Morton Blackwell who has run conservative politics in Virginia for decades and heads up the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia.

Recently, I was honored to give a brief presentation on management to LI. The overview requested was on Managing Management Time(TM) created and developed by The William Oncken Corporation.

LI also asked about some time management techiques and I certainly obliged.

But.

But Alert Readers will know that Managing Management Time(tm) is a philosophy created to teach managers to be more effective; to control events. MMT is NOT a time management course.

The briefing is divided into four short segments.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Thankyou foot(notes):

Full Disclosure: Your Business Blogger(R) is a licensed agent for The William Oncken Corporation.

Charmaine and I spent last week in Minneapolis and we just put her back on a plane this afternoon to attend the GOP convention. See her quotes in The Wall Street Journal. She is the president and CEO of Americans United for Life and former senior advisor to the Huckabee for president campaign.

Posted at 9:15 AM | Permalink
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Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine flew back from Minneapolis after meeting with 300 of our closest conservative friends -- she will be flying back for the convention on Monday for the official nomination of the next president of the USA: John McCain.

We had a chance to celebrate with Charlie Black, Frank Donatelli and Bob Heckman who may have been just a bit surprised by the overwhelming emotional reaction, the tears, the standing O's when Palin was picked.

McCain's pick for VP, Sarah Palin, is exciting the conservative pro-life base.

Polling has McCain up over Obama by 2 -- 47 percent to 45. Obama got a bounce after his convention -- what the economists call a 'dead cat bounce.' But Obama's temple talk didn't survive Palin's passion.

Look for McCain to continue his lead.

The McCain campaign has taken in over $7 million in the 24 hours since the announcement of Palin as VP.

Charmaine's observations have been picked up by a number of news outlets.

The Wall Street Journal

PAGE ONE
McCain's Surprise V.P. Choice
Alaska's Gov. Palin Targets Those Stung
By Clinton's Loss
By LAURA MECKLER, ELIZABETH HOLMES and JIM CARLTON
August 30, 2008; Page A1

Sen. John McCain chose first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, little known on the national stage, as his vice-presidential running mate -- a surprise stroke aimed at attracting Hillary Clinton supporters, but which could undercut the campaign's key theme of experience...

"We are thrilled," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life Action, an anti-abortion group. In an email message, she wrote: "It's a BRILLIANT pick. In one move he energizes pro-lifers AND reaches out to Hillary supporters." Overall, the pick went over well with the Republican Party's conservative base -- long wary of Sen. McCain, who has struggled during the campaign to keep party loyalists in line.

Reuters

Palin brings God and guns to Republican ticket

By Ed Stoddard - Analysis Reuters - Saturday, August 30 01:46 pm

DALLAS (Reuters) - Conservative Republican prayers for the November 4 presidential election may have been answered.

John McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate sends a clear message to the party's conservative religious base: God and guns are on the ticket...

Palin's status as a "working mom," whose children range in age from 5 months to 18 years, could be one drawback in the eyes of some conservative U.S. Christians who strongly believe that a mother's place is in the home. But others give her credit for being a devoted mother who they say has been able to balance career and family.

"I have five kids too and I think it is exciting when you see someone who is working actively to make her family a part of her mission," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life Action, an anti-abortion group.

"And her decision to have her child when she knew he had Down's syndrome is a beautiful, beautiful story," Yoest said.

FOX News

Instant Reaction to the Palin Selection as GOP VP Pick

Americans United for Life Action President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest: "With this bold and inspired selection, Sen. McCain has verified his stated commitment to assembling a truly pro-life administration. The Republican ticket stands in stark contrast to the stridently pro-abortion ticket put forth by the Democratic Party. You can be sure the vice presidential selections will have far-reaching ramifications in this race."

Charmaine had no early information but some Twitter tweets were most generous in giving her credit for something she didn't do on McCain's picking Palin,

I actually think that Huckabee's senior adviser Charmaine Yoest had something to do with this pick

here's what Yoest wrote http://tinyurl.com/5ctnmj McCain was hugely problematic for this contingent

Posted at 9:46 PM | Permalink
Comments (3)

Charmaine and Your Business Blogger(R) spent most of the week here in Minneapolis getting ready for the convention next week while the Penta-posse was in the care of the grandparents.

We got an idea, as did Alert Readers that it was Palin when FOX reported that a jet was bringing the Palins et al to Dayton. Yes, the McCain professionals were using misdirection to keep the VP pick a secret. But chartering a Gulf Stream 4 from Alaska is a $50,000 head fake.

Conservatives don't spend money like that.

So Charmaine and her AUL team in Chicago and Minneapolis were researching and drafting talking points and a press release the instant Carl Cameron, from FOX of course, would confirm his early clues and make the call.

We watched the announcement in our hotel room. We cried (501C-4) tears.

Later, we ran into Dan Coats who spoke to a luncheon today. The McCain people asked him to speak and talk about the VP selection.

The challenge was that Coats didn't know who the VP nominee was -- so he wrote two speeches -- and gave the "better speech." It was a very happy, happy room full of conservatives.

Follows is the AUL Action press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 29, 2008

Media Contact
Matthew Eppinette
202-289-1479
matthew.eppinette@aulaction.org

AUL Action Enthusiastically Welcomes McCain's Strong Pro-Life Pick for Vice President

Chicago, Illinois -- Presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee Sen. John McCain today announced that his Vice Presidential running mate will be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

AUL Action President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest stated, "With this bold and inspired selection, Sen. McCain has verified his stated commitment to assembling a truly pro-life administration."

"The Republican ticket stands in stark contrast to the stridently pro-abortion ticket put forth by the Democratic party," added Yoest. "You can be sure the vice presidential selections will have far-reaching ramifications in this race."

As governor, Palin has been a solid pro-life champion. For example, Palin expressed her disagreement with the Alaska Supreme Court when it overturned a 1997 parental consent law in 2007, and supported a constitutional amendment requiring parental consent for abortions.

Denise Burke, AUL Action Vice President & Legal Director, said, "Parental consent laws are essential tools for protecting young girls from the negative consequences of abortion and for defending the constitutional rights of parents to raise their children."

Studies have clearly demonstrated that the risks of abortion -- both long- and short-term -- are more pronounced for teenagers. Parents are best positioned to safeguard their children's health and welfare. Moreover, parental consent laws also protect teenagers by reducing the demand for abortions and increasing teenage sexual responsibility. Polling consistently shows that 70% of American public supports these common sense laws.

In a world where actions speak louder than words, Governor Palin shouted through a megaphone when she gave birth to a son with Down Syndrome in April of this year. In spite of the fact that nearly 9 in 10 babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted, Governor Palin gave birth to Trig Paxson Van Palin on April 18, 2008.

About AUL Action
AUL Action is the legislative arm of Americans United for Life (AUL). The first national pro-life organization in America, AUL has been committed to defending human life through vigorous judicial, legislative, and educational efforts at both the federal and state levels since 1971. In addition, AUL has been involved in every pro-life case before the Supreme Court since Roe v. Wade.

Posted at 11:09 PM | Permalink
Comments (4)

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President of Americans United for Life, is attending the Republican Platform Committee meetings August 26-27, and is available to media for interviews.

Dr. Yoest said, "Survey after survey confirms that Americans are becoming more pro-life each year. It is vital that the political parties understand this and incorporate it into their platforms."

In a Gallup poll from May of this year, 71% of Americans want all abortions to be limited to rare circumstances or to be illegal. An ABC News / Washington Post poll this year indicated the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as "pro-life" has risen to tie a previous peak in the percentage of pro-life Americans. Recent polls by CBS News and by Zogby report substantially the same thing.

Dr. Yoest is available for interviews.

About Americans United for Life

Americans United for Life (AUL) is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy organization whose vision is a nation in which every human being is welcomed in life and protected in law. The first national pro-life organization in America, AUL has been committed to defending human life through vigorous judicial, legislative, and educational efforts at both the federal and state levels since 1971. The Wall Street Journal has profiled AUL, and PBS's Frontline program chronicled AUL's successful efforts in Mississippi.

Website: http://www.AUL.org

Blog: http://Blog.AUL.org

SOURCE Americans United For Life
Copyright 2008 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.

Charmaine gets to the 71 percent by adding the percent legal only under certain circumstances (54 percent) and illegal under all circumstances (17 percent).

Our abortion-friendly friends at Pandagon add the numbers a bit differently. They add the middle ground number of 54 percent to the 28 percent legal under all circumstances to arrive at 82%.

Does this mean that America wants abortion on demand throught all nine months and beyond as Pandagon suggests?

Nope. The 54 percent would include, say, my old boss, governor Gilmore of Virginia, who supported abortion only before the 13th week -- but ran on a pro-life platform and promised a pro-life administration and followed through by hiring pro-lifers like Your Business Blogger(R).

This is what that 54 percent number means. Over half of the country wants real restrictions on abortion. People want parental notification when a teenager wants an abortion. Very few support Partial Birth Abortion. Very few women have abortions when they see a sonogram of their baby. People think a 24 hour waiting period is a good idea. Very few support abortion in the third trimester or would permit abortion for sex selection.

No one except for Obama and interesting characters like Professor Singer from Princeton want infanticide by neglect.

Americans want restrictions on abortions.

Posted at 11:32 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Your Business Blogger(R) has noted that Obama was a law professor for some 12 years and had published no articles, no record of advancing scholarship in peer review journals.

I was wrong.

B.Obama has indeed published an article on, what else?

Abortion.

LifeNews.com Editor Steven Ertelt writes in Barack Obama's Sole Article in Harvard Law Review Promotes Abortion,

Obama considered a parenthetical abortion issue -- whether unborn children have a legal right to sue their mothers for damage sustained during pregnancy, from such things as alcohol or illegal drugs.

Obama says no and writes supportively of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case and another from the Illinois Supreme Court saying no such right exists.

According to Politico, Obama wrote: "[T]he case raises the broader policy and constitutional considerations that argue against using civil liability to control the behavior of pregnant women."

In a discussion of abortion itself, Obama wrote that government has more important business than "ensuring that any particular fetus is born."

He also decried any limits on abortion, saying the government has an interest in "preventing increasing numbers of children from being born in to lives of pain and despair."

Obama here uses the quality of life argument to end the life of a baby. This is the arrogance of the elite to determine what person might have a life of "pain and despair."

Obama's position reminds us that abortion-friendly politicians can make our society "better" by pre-emptively eliminating any person who might have, or maybe cause, "despair."

Any imperfection can be eliminated. This is why we seldom see a child with Down Syndrome. An ObamaNation would not want to be "burdened" by such citizens.

And we are a poorer nation for it.

For every 14 babies born with Down Syndrome, 146 are aborted. See Down Syndrome. . . and the Value of Life

###

Alert Reader David, sends us The ObamaNation Tour,

Update: My DD, no friend of conservative pro-lifers offers, an insightful review of Barack Obama's votes on infants born alive, On "Live Birth Abortion" The Candidates Differ,
by susanhu, Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 04:48:16 PM EST

Like most Americans and the Democratic presidential candidates, I am pro-choice although I believe the first defense against unwanted pregnancy, and STDs, is prevention. (Today's Washington Post reveals that the "best-kept secret" for AIDS prevention in Africa is birth control, not giving antiretroviral drugs to pregnant women. And, notably, Africa is but one of the continents where First Lady Hillary Clinton worked hard for eight years for women's rights and economic empowerment.)

There is a compelling moral exception: A fetus born alive during an abortion becomes an infant, and shouldn't be left for hours or days to die without medical care, a practice in some U.S. hospitals.

Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama differ markedly in their voting records on the live birth of an aborted infant.

As an Illinois state senator, Obama "joined several other Democrats in voting 'present' in 2001 and 'no' the next year," reports A.P./CBS News in "Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics -- Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control."

During the same two years, as a U.S. Senator, Hillary Clinton joined the 98-0 vote in the U.S. Senate on a 2001 amendment to the Patients Bill of Rights that protected "infants who are born alive."

In 2002, a House bill that protected infants born alive was passed by unanimous consent in the U.S. Senate -- with Sen. Clinton joining the "Yeas" -- and was signed into law.

If you think what Karl Rove did to John McCain in South Carolina's 2000 primary was brutal, just imagine what the GOP will do with Obama's "present" and "no" votes on "live birth abortion."

susanhu gets this right. Obama voted to allow infants born alive to die. McCain wants these babies to live. America deserves a president who will protect the rights of all citizens born in the USA: John McCain.

However, susahu should be reminded that a fetus born alive is called a "baby."

Posted at 10:04 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

Your Business Blogger(R) once worked in medical device start-ups teaching new surgical procedures to clinicians.

My physicians were constantly demanding the latest data on patient care and what would work best to improve patient care.

They taught me that they were held to higher standards because the clinical community was the steward of the public's trust.

When a person is hurting, trust is the currency of the care giver.

The patient must believe that the doctor or nurse sincerely believes that the care given is the best -- and that the care giver would not violate the trust of the patient or the care givers' own conscience.
The public well understands that if a doctor will not violate his own conscience, he will not violate the patient.

This conscience clause of the medical community is being attacked by the homosexual activists. Homosexuals are demanding elective procedures -- non-life saving interventions -- medical attention that would violate the conscience of some clinicians.

And this is bad for business. Homosexuals are attempting to equate race with sexual preferences: attempting to make homosexuality a civil right.

The homosexual marketing campaign might be gaining traction in the courts -- but not with voters, not with legislators not with common sense.

An African-American will always be black; he has no choice and cannot stop being black.
A homosexual may return to hertosexuality; he has a choice and can stop being homosexual.

African-Americans are of a particular race from conception. Homosexuals make a decision well after birth. They are not born in that state. There is no homosexual gene in the human DNA. Race is not equal to homosexuality.

Look for more cases like this one in California where the homosexual activists are looking for businesses to take to court. Your business might be next.

Fox Business posted information from Americans United for Life,

California Supreme Court Ruling Threatens Medical Care and Religious FreedomBy Matthew Eppinette | August 18, 2008

Chicago, Illinois -- The California Supreme Court today ruled that patient demand for nonessential, elective care trumps the freedom of conscience of physicians and their ability to practice medicine in accordance with their religious or moral beliefs.

Denise Burke, Vice President & Legal Director of Americans United for Life (AUL), said, "This ruling will deny physicians and other professionals the ability to freely exercise their religious convictions."

Added Burke, "By forcing healthcare professionals to choose between conscience and career, we will lose doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who are already in short supply."

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., President and CEO of AUL added, "Medical experts already project that existing shortages of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists will soon worsen, failing to meet future healthcare needs. Legal action to compel healthcare providers to participate in procedures to which they conscientiously object threatens to make the already dangerous situation disastrous."

Mailee Smith, AUL Staff Counsel, said, "It defies common sense that a patient would want a doctor to violate his or her conscience in practicing medicine. A diminished physician population is not good for medical care."

The case -- North Coast Women's Care Medical Group v. Superior Court of San Diego County (Benitez) - involves a situation where artificial insemination was not provided due to the marital status of the patient (Ms. Benitez).

Ms. Benitez filed suit arguing that she was not provided the procedure because she is a lesbian. However, the physicians testified that the real issue was her marital status, and that they would not have provided artificial insemination to any single woman.

Ultimately, Ms. Benitez received the procedure from another physician after receiving a referral from the objecting physicians (who paid the additional costs she incurred).

AUL filed an amicus brief in the California Supreme Court on behalf of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Physicians for Life, arguing that federal and state law as well as the ethics standards of major medical organizations support the physicians' right to conscientiously object to performing certain nonessential, elective medical procedures that conflict with physicians' religious and moral beliefs.

Media Contact
Matthew Eppinette
202-289-1479Matthew.Eppinette@AUL.org

MEDIA ALERT: Charmaine Soundbite CNN: Homosexual Marriage, The Problem.

Posted at 9:43 AM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Your Business Blogger(R) sat in a meeting with Pastor Rick Warren in Your Nation's Capital a few months ago. The guy knows his politics and the machinery and machinations of the sausage making of grinding out law.

So we all were a bit surprised when Warren was planning to give B. Hussein Obama a forum to talk about his political strengths: solving social problems with taxpayer dollars.

John McCain will also be in attendance. But in any debate about 'caring' and spending programs to prove one's compassion, the Dems will always win.

Rick Warren does bill the event as a chance for the candidates to talk about their leadership styles, track records, character and compassion.

But there must be no mistaking Rick Warren's mission: He wants more government money to spend on AIDS and poverty. Warren is not merely pro-life but much, much more -- he is, he says, "Whole Life."

And Warren will accomplish this even if it takes your "Whole Paycheck."

Rick Warren sat at the feet of the great management consultant, teacher and writer Peter Drucker for 20 years. Drucker was a devout believer in Jesus Christ and ran a regular bible study and advised pastors on church management.

Drucker was convinced that the private sector -- the non-profits -- were the best vehicle to solve social ills. Government does a poor job of caring for the poor.

I think Drucker would be disappointed in his student, Rick Warren, even with his 23,000 member church.

Charmaine will be in Warren's Church for the debate and will work to keep abortion and infanticide in the conversation as one of the clear differences between McCain and Obama.

If you are in LA and might be at the debate, please give Charmaine a call.

The press release,

AUL President Dr. Charmaine Yoest to Attend Saddleback Civil Forum, Will be Available for Interviews

Last update: 5:55 p.m. EDT Aug. 15, 2008
LOS ANGELES, Aug 15, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President of Americans United for Life, will attend the Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency, Saturday, August 16, 2008, in Lake Forest, California. This will be the first public forum between the two candidates.

In the discussions leading up to the event, one topic has been consistently minimized: abortion.

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, has said he will be more interested in "uniting" questions, and has suggested he will stick to topics such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate change, and human rights.

However, recent reports that the Democratic Party has modified its platform language regarding abortion make the issue particularly relevant and timely. The conversation is certain to continue with the addition of a statement supporting both Roe v. Wade and "a woman's decision to have a child."

Dr. Yoest said, "to try to establish a moral equivalency between motherhood and abortion is offensive to millions of voters."

"Abortion remains a key issue for millions of American voters. I hope the candidates will engage this important issue at the forum," added Yoest.

Dr. Yoest will be available for interviews immediately following the event.

See Peter Drucker's Writing Secret

Continue Reading »

Posted at 11:48 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government. Thomas Jefferson

Do voters know that Obama would allow babies born alive to die? Infanticide by neglect?

Not even our friends at the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) would allow a baby born alive to die.

Is this what the abortion-friendly Democratic party has become?

Alert Readers will recall that Charmaine studied and taught on Grounds -- the Academical Village -- at Mr. Jefferson's University at Virginia.

Obama is no Jefferson.

To inform voters, Americans United for Life will help fund voter guides.

See Americans United for Life Increases Funding for Voter Guides

Contact: Matthew Eppinette, 202-289-1479; Daniel McConchie, 312-568-4700, daniel.mcconchie@aul.org; both with Americans United for Life

CHICAGO, August 12 /Standard Newswire/ -- Americans United for Life today announces the availability of $500,000 for 501(c)(3) organizations who wish to create and distribute non-partisan educational voter guides for the upcoming elections.

AUL President Dr. Charmaine Yoest said, "Voter guides are a way to empower voters to make well-informed choices on election day. Pro-life Americans want to get beyond the spin and know the truth, based on the record, about where the candidates stand."

Daniel McConchie, AUL Vice President & Executive Director, added, "Pro-life voters are a key constituency that both Democrats and Republicans ignore at their peril. Americans United for Life is looking forward to helping pro-life Americans across the country vote their values in this election."

AUL spent $215,000 on creation and distribution of more than 2.8 million voter guides in 2006. With the additional investment this year, AUL plans to distribute more than 6 million voter guides nationwide.

Organizations interested in applying for voter-guide funds should contact Daniel McConchie by September 12.

For more information or to apply, contact:

Daniel McConchie

Americans United for Life

310 S. Peoria St.

Ste. 500

Chicago, IL 60607

312-568-4700

daniel.mcconchie@aul.org

About Americans United for Life

Americans United for Life (AUL) is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy organization whose vision is a nation in which every human being is welcomed in life and protected in law. The first national pro-life organization in America, AUL has been committed to defending human life through vigorous judicial, legislative, and educational efforts at both the federal and state levels since 1971. The Wall Street Journal has profiled AUL, and PBS's Frontline program chronicled AUL's successful efforts in Mississippi.

Website: www.AUL.org

Blog: Blog.AUL.org

See Charmaine's new bio and the Democratic Party Platform position on abortion at the jump.

Charmaine will be speaking at the University of Virginia. Come visit: Save the Date: September 27, 2008; Women in Leadership

The 'Making Abortion Rare' Hoax

Continue Reading »

Posted at 9:08 PM | Permalink
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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Matthew Eppinette
Matthew.Eppinette@AUL.org
312.568.4701

Chicago, Illinois -- Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., a well-known pro-family leader, author, and media commentator, takes the helm of Americans United for Life (AUL) as president and chief executive officer on August 11, 2008.

Robert Harvey, Chairman of the AUL Board of Directors said, "Dr. Yoest's experience in pro-life issues, in political strategy, and in organizational communications make her the ideal person to lead the team at AUL in taking on challenges and capitalizing on opportunities in the present legal and political climate."

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2007 Gonzales decision upholding the Federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act marked the beginning of a new era in the battle over life issues. In short, the decision dramatically opened up new doors for protecting life through the law.

In striking contrast, the U.S. Congress and five states this year considered Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) legislation, which would wipe away virtually every law on abortion nationwide, allowing abortion-on-demand in all nine months of pregnancy for any reason, without any restrictions.

"It is a great honor to join AUL, an organization with a remarkable reputation for excellence and achievement," said Yoest. "AUL has been involved in every pro-life case before the U.S. Supreme Court since Roe v. Wade, and AUL-authored legislation is in place all around the country, saving lives every day."

Yoest added, "I look forward to exciting days ahead, building on this rich legacy and working to increase the legal protection of human lives."

Most recently, Yoest served as vice-president of communications at the Family Research Council, one of the largest pro-family public policy organizations in the country.

Her political experience spans working in the Reagan White House to serving as a Senior Advisor to the 2008 Huckabee for President Campaign.

A regular political commentator, Dr. Yoest has appeared on all of the major networks and cable outlets. In print, she is quoted regularly and has been published widely. She is also the author of Mother in the Middle (HarperCollins), an examination of work/family and childcare policy.

Yoest holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. She lives with her husband, Jack, and their five children in the Washington, D.C. area.

Dr. Yoest succeeds Clarke D. Forsythe, Esq., a 22-year AUL veteran who served as interim president and who will continue in senior leadership of the organization.

About Americans United for Life

Americans United for Life (AUL) is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy organization whose vision is a nation in which every human being is welcomed in life and protected in law. The first national pro-life organization in America, AUL has been committed to defending human life through vigorous judicial, legislative, and educational efforts at both the federal and state levels since 1971. The Wall Street Journal has profiled AUL, and PBS's Frontline program chronicled AUL's successful efforts in Mississippi.

Website: http://www.AUL.org

Blog: http://Blog.AUL.org

Media Contact:

Matthew Eppinette

Matthew.Eppinette@AUL.org

312.568.4701

Posted at 12:44 PM | Permalink
Comments (14)

The little guy was going to be born with complications -- Hydrocephalus, "water on the brain." The doctor recommended ending the life of the baby: An Abortion. "We should terminate the pregnancy," said the physician, forgetting the original Hippocratic Oath.

"Quality of life would be poor," the doc continued. "Unending challenges, facing constant failure..."

The father interrupts, "Let's give the baby a chance."

"The baby?" the doctor is surprised. "I'm talking about you."

Cole, now age three.

Abortion providers will speak in code to describe the surgical procedure and its justification. "Quality of Life" is used in speaking about the child who will be born with challenges. The doctor and the parents will nod knowingly about the difficulties the child will have in making his way in the world.

But what they are really thinking about is how the challenged-child will crimp the lifestyle of the parents and grandparents. No room in the Beemer for a wheelchair.

"Uh, yes," the parents mutter, "Yes, terminating the pregnancy is best for the fetus."

A mercy killing.

On September 7th, Michael Illions is helping to host a HydroWALK in Edison, New Jersey to raise money and awareness for Hydrocephalus. In 2007, they raised over $55,000 and hope to exceed that total this year.

The New Jersey State Legislature has designated September 2008 "Hydrocephalus Awareness Month" in the State of NJ and former Governor Christie Todd-Whitman will be the Honorary Chairperson for this year's event.

Alert Readers will recall that Governor Todd-Whitman is abortion-friendly and is in favor of Partial Birth Abortion. Her support is nevertheless welcomed.

Please sponsor Michael and his son Cole in his fund-raising work. Donate here. Your Business Blogger(R) did.

It is not known how Barack Hussein Obama reacts when such little ones are born. He actively rejected and campaigned against the Infant Born Alive legislation. He is in favor of some babies that are born alive, to die.

John McCain is Pro-Life. See the Obama vs McCain Live-Birth Abortion Matrix

The Hydrocephalus Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing support, education and advocacy to individuals, families and medical professionals dealing with the complex issues of hydrocephalus (HC).

100% of the proceeds from this event will supports the HA and their commitment to driving research on the diagnosis and treatment of HC, and to bringing this condition to the forefront of public attention.Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Our federal tax ID number is 94-3000301. For more information visit www.hydroassoc.org

Continue Reading »

Posted at 11:27 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Is nuclear power safe? John Howland and his vast readership offer observations on nuke power on its most intimate terms: a submarine.

And how's that working?

From the other side of the leaded glass pane.... I spent three years and five specops in fast attacks and enjoy showing nuke-doubters my radiological med-record for that period: I received less high-energy bombardment that if I had been on a small boy or (sorry for forgetting...) fossil-fueled CV deployed anywhere. 0. ZERO.

[The Penta-Posse is pictured in the forward torpedo room of a WWII submarine. There is not much more room in the new subs.]

And that was with about half of my workspaces next to the Tunnel, just forward and a deck or two above the you-know-what. Whatever other scientific wonders we were near is unknown to me, but I once heard a rumor that our detachment's enlisted people slept in the torpedo room.


It being true in any endeavor of consequence that "One Oh-heck" wipes out a billion atta-boys, the nuclear field cannot tolerate any mistakes greater than a burnt out lightbulb, and our erstwhile Comradette Jane used her cinematic best to take it well beyond the Pale in that regard.


Chernobyl's long term effects will not be known for several thousand years, but there are data that suggest BOTH that life of both flora and fauna types were impacted by the 1986 accident AND that renewed organic chemistry has burgeoned there since a couple of years after it. For fascinating details, see website "kidofspeed.com" a photographic reportage made by a recklessly brave (kinda cute, too!) Ukrainian lady motorcyclist who managed to enter the permanently closed region around the defunct power plant and record its emptiness for posterity. Thanks be, Chernobyl did not start Nuclear Winter -- and our photog lives to do other reckless things (politics, for one) without her suntan turning into a full-body keloid scar.

"Wer rastet, rostet," the Germans say: "He who stops, rusts." What, with the clear and present danger of merely being alive faces us TODAY, nuclear power, with its Rickoverian no-mistake rules looks mighty advantageous to this former cryppie.

If we don't have some new benefits from same, who will provide all that electricity to cook the Sierra Club's granola bars, assemble their Birkenstocks, or to blend blue and yellow basic colors to make green ones?

Forgive an old salt for waxing poetic over an X-ray film, but....

Steve
=============================================

If France can manage to produce 80% of their power from nuclear piles, I have to think we have it within us to do likewise.

With vast respect & ear-trumpets for sea-daddies everywhere,

Jason W.

There is no way to eliminate all risk on this side of eternity. Nuclear power is the safest method to generate power.

Posted at 9:51 AM | Permalink
Comments (7)

"Let all the babies be born. Then let us drown those we do not like."
Babies and Distributism, GK's Weekly, 11/12/32

Where do Obama and McCain stand on abortion and 'live birth' abortion?

Position/
Candidate........Sonogram of baby......Picture of baby

Pro-Life ......................Live ...................Live

Pro-Choice .................Die ....................Live


McCain .......................Live ...................Live


Obama .......................Die ....................Die

Obama is the full-service abortion candidate.

Abortion from conception to birth
Abortion at partial birth
Abortion after birth

Obama aggressively demands that some babies born alive be left to die. Obama does not support any Born Alive Infant Legislation. Amanda B. Carpenter writes in Human Events, Obama More Pro-Choice Than NARAL where Obama spoke out against the legislation similar to the Born Alive Infant Protection Act,

Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) portrays himself as a thoughtful Democrat who carefully considers both sides of controversial issues, but his radical stance on abortion puts him further left on that issue than even NARAL Pro-Choice America.


In 2002, as an Illinois legislator, Obama voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act, which would have protected babies that survived late-term abortions. That same year a similar federal law, the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, was signed by President Bush. Only 15 members of the U.S. House opposed it, and it passed the Senate unanimously on a voice vote.


Both the Illinois and the federal bill sought equal treatment for babies who survived premature inducement for the purpose of abortion and wanted babies who were born prematurely and given live-saving medical attention.

Here is what Obama has said about abortion and judges he would appoint,

Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it's never been more important to protect a woman's right to choose. Last year, the Supreme Court decided by a vote of 5-4 to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban, and in doing so undermined an important principle of Roe v. Wade: that we must always protect women's health.

With one more vacancy on the Supreme Court, we could be looking at a majority hostile to a women's fundamental right to choose for the first time since Roe v. Wade. The next president may be asked to nominate that Supreme Court justice. That is what is at stake in this election.

Throughout my career, I've been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.

When South Dakota passed a law banning all abortions in a direct effort to have Roe overruled, I was the only candidate for President to raise money to help the citizens of South Dakota repeal that law.





When anti-choice protesters blocked the opening of an Illinois Planned Parenthood clinic in a community where affordable health care is in short supply, I was the only candidate for President who spoke out against it. And I will continue to defend this right by passing the Freedom of Choice Act as president."

Obama is not the candidate of change.

Charmaine says, "It's all about women's perceived power -- the power a woman has over her fate, her future, her convenience."

The mother-feminist even wants control of life and death: The ultimate power.

The power-hungry feminist does not choose life for her baby. The pro-choice, abortion-option movement is the desire to have the power of life and death."

Obama believes that feminist power over the baby is more important than the life of the baby.

Obama claims to support a women's health, but what he is demanding is the women's power over life and death.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Gary Bauer pointed us to the Obama speech.

Tom McMahon may not the originator of the 2 X 2 matrix, but no one does them better. Enjoy his intellectual property at the 4-Blockworld. Free! It takes hard work to make complicated subjects so simple. Bookmark him.

Tom provides us perhaps the real reason women will vote for John McCain: Who can keep us safe in our current war?

A New Report Indicates Voters Most Interested in Barack Obama's Position on Abortion

The Internet traffic monitoring firm HitWise indicates abortion is now the number one political issue voters are looking for when they conduct a search on Obama's campaign web site.

As a great leader, Mr. Obama should take a principled stand on the issue of Muslims and Islamophobia. While anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. is substantial, it is not an insurmountable challenge.

The vast majority of Americans are sincere and open-minded; anti-Muslim sentiments are a product of fear and lack of understanding. These sentiments can be overcome.

From an article in the The Wall Street Journal by Mr. Junaid M. Afeef, director of public and government Affairs at the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago.

Posted at 10:01 AM | Permalink
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Charmaine is taping an interview for CNN American Morning on the Senator Barack Obama flirtation with Bible believing, Jesus loving, Evangelicals who hold for the Right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D. is pictured at left during a taping of Ethics in America with Barney Frank(D).

Obama has a chance with some church goers. About 30% of self-identified Christians voted for Bill Clinton.

Obama believes reporter Michael Weisskopf who wrote that members of the Christian Right are, "largely poor, uneducated, and easy to command."

So while the poor impoverished are clinging to guns and religion, how would the elitist Obama lead the nation?

1) Bring legislation forcing citizens to embrace homosexual demands: Homosexual Marriage and the Homosexuals in the military.

2) Raise taxes.

3) Raise gas prices by punishing oil companies. He refuses to explore and drill for energy.

4) Demand that some babies born alive be left to die.

5) Force citizens how and what to think. Mark Steyn is being sued under hate-crimes law in Canada for his writing about Islam in America Alone, a must read. Barack X. Obama supports this mind-thought control through legislation.

The ObamaNation will force churches and the Boy Scouts to hire Homosexuals.

The ObamaNation will force government-controlled doctors on the country.

The ObamaNation will place women in land combat and in submarines.

The ObamaNation will take more of the citizen's money in taxes and fees.

The ObamaNation will force these government doctors to perform abortions.

The ObamaNation will force babies born during a botched abortion (re: live birth) to die.

The ObamaNation will continue the African-American genocide thru Planned Parenhood.

The clip will air next week. Hit times will be announced. Please let us know what you think. Comments are now open.

Thank you (foot)notes,

Obama may be a disciple of Jesus Christ, but he doesn't understand the Bible. And after attending Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years, it figures. For example, the Old Testament dietary restrictions no longer apply. This is a "new" teaching in the New Testament that is different from the Old. Obama is going to be confused about these Old and New Testament issues:

Dietary restrictions.
Circumcision.
Animal sacrifice.

Homosexual abominations remain in effect.

Obama is fuzzy on his Biblical interpretations. And a bit confused on secular matters -- but he is consistent with the old-style liberal world view.

Your Business Blogger(R) looks forward to the continuing debate between Obama and Dr. Dobson of Focus on the Family.

Obama might come to Jesus yet...

Voters will not answer the ObamaNation altar call, Lord willing.

Click here for more on Ethics in America.

Larry Cirignano sends us this article by Bishop Harry Jackson on Planned Parenhood.

Posted at 10:09 AM | Permalink
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BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD, PSALM 33:12

Your Business Blogger(R) is rather clever at discerning patterns. But I missed this one:

Each of the 50 states (57 if you're voting for Obama) mentions the Creator in the opening of their governing document.

Alabama 1901, Preamble We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution..

Alaska 1956, Preamble We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.

Arizona 1911, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...

California 1879, Preamble We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...

[California!]

Continue Reading »

Posted at 8:49 AM | Permalink
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A question for Obama: If fatherhood begins at conception, when does the baby become the father's child?

Abortion should be debated. Obama needs to tell us when he thinks Life begins and when does the baby have the right to life as stated in our Declaration of Independence,

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Unalienable means that the Right cannot be given nor taken away: Rights are endowed by our Creator, not government.

There is no right to slavery; there is no right for abortion.

It is the Right to Life.

Posted at 11:37 PM | Permalink
Comments (3)

"Let all the babies be born.

Then let us drown those we do not like."

GK Chesterton, Babies and Distributism, GK's Weekly, 11/12/32

GK Chesterton writes a prophesy: He sees evil and wants it to stop --

Barack Obama writes a policy: He sees no evil and wants it to continue.

Obama is the full-spectrum abortion candidate.

Abortion thru nine months
Abortion at birth
Abortion after birth

Obama demands that some babies born alive be left to die.

Obama makes clear what he will do about the killing of babies -- born and pre-born,

"Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it's never been more important to protect a woman's right to choose. Last year, the Supreme Court decided by a vote of 5-4 to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban, and in doing so undermined an important principle of Roe v. Wade: that we must always protect women's health.

"With one more vacancy on the Supreme Court, we could be looking at a majority hostile to a women's fundamental right to choose for the first time since Roe v. Wade. The next president may be asked to nominate that Supreme Court justice. That is what is at stake in this election.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 12:05 AM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Your Business Blogger(R) has a degree in Education and was pressured by the National Education Association (NEA) to join the union years ago.

"The NEA is great when you get sued," said the (very large) union rep.

I declined to teach and went into a less violent business: The Army.

The NEA is having their convention in Your Nation's Capital next week. On July 2nd Pro-Life Educators and Students (PLEAS) will be conducting a rally at the Washington Convention Center from 10:00am and 2:00pm.

This press conference would have my attention even if I didn't have 5 kids in the public schools or if Charmaine wasn't speaking.

If Charmaine is speaking, you'll want to listen. And this time we own the mic.

Charmaine is pictured above elbowing aside pro-abortion NOW President Kim Gandy at a open press conference in 2005. This is the only Women in Combat of which conservatives would approve.

PLEAS Coordinator Bob Pawson says, "Pro-Life teachers, school employees, parents, and students are invited to come pray and peacefully picket...Hillary Clinton and/or Barack Obama will surely address NEA's 9,000 Delegates, as they did last year."

Pro-Life teachers are concerned that their teacher union dues support and promote abortion and political candidates who tolerate the holocaust of the unborn.

Pawson explains, "Late-term abortionist George Tiller spoke at NEA headquarters for the [pro-abortion] Feminist Majority Foundation's Leadership Conference in March 2008." Watch the YouTube video here. Warning: graphic pictures of dead children.

No pro-life speakers or political candidates are supported by the NEA.

NEA union President, Reg Weaver is backing Obama; "every public school employee needs to get squarely behind the Obama candidacy."

The union tells us,

"The National Education Association supports...the right to reproductive freedom" -- the abortion code-words.

The "NEA supports the ...Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision which now permits abortion on demand through nine months of pregnancy. The NEA is silent on the Dred Scott decision which also codified the ownership of one human being by another. The Dred Scott slave owner is the Roe v Wade feminist.

UPDATE: Press Conference at the Family Research Council building at 9:30 to 10:15am, then on to the presser at the Convention Center at 10:30am.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 8:53 AM | Permalink
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Two items for June 18th:

1) It is a day of remembrance in Your Business Blogger(R)'s household, and
2) Charmaine gave speech.

Charmaine's talk was on the impact that women can have in our culture.
See her From Femme to Fatale.ppt Power point presentation.

MEDIA ALERT: Charmaine to speak at the EPC 28th Assembly

Charmaine's talk reminded us of the eternal values. Life and Death; this side of eternity and beyond.

At a recent funeral -- they seem to come faster and faster as we get older and older -- we talked about burials. Cremation, well, lights our fire and speeds up that dust-to-dust transition.

Charmaine asked what we plan to do with the ashes, where on earth to put them. We talk about the extended family's burial plots.

"Where do you want to get buried?" She asks.

"37º18'N, 137º55'E," I say.

"What?"

"The Sea of Japan," I remind her. Women!

"What's there?" she wonders.

Bonefish.

June 18th is the day we remember the loss of USS Bonefish.

My father, then only a teen-ager from Jersey, left high school, went to war and was assigned to the submarine, USS Bonefish. Just before the final mission of the Bonefish, my father walked off the gangplank - transferred to another assignment. Another man took his place.

On its eighth mission, on June 18, 1945, the Bonefish was lost fighting the enemy in the Sea of Japan, with the loss of all 53 officers and men. It was the last U.S. submarine sunk in World War II...

The article was first published by a number of outlets including the Virginian-Pilot in my hometown.

Posted at 10:38 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine recently appeared on CNN with a sound bite on the recent court actions in California. The video clip is here.

Charmaine, the Vice President for Communications at FRC, appeared on CNN's Situation Room June 16, 2008 to discuss the granting of marriage licenses to same-sex couples in California.

This is not good for civilization.

The liberals with an anti-family world view are over reaching in this political season.

Charmaine above on an earlier cable appearance on homosexual "marriage."

Posted at 7:20 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine on an earlier
CNN appearance Charmaine will be recording a taped interview to appear on CNN's Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.

She will be discussing the recent court actions in California on homosexual marriage.

One of the questions these court rulings have is to remind us that we have allowed ourselves to be governed by judges. Five Guys now rule America: An oligarchy.

When Benjamin Franklin was asked what kind of government our infant nation had created for ourselves, he replied, "A republic, if you can keep it."

So what is the problem with homosexual marriage? Maggie Gallagher tells us that the homosexual activists are equating homosexual preferences with racial civil rights. Conservatives who disagree with homosexuals are called bigots and worse.

There is no free and open and honest debate with the members of the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA). (Motto: Sex by 8 or it's too late.)

Just as racists these days cannot get, say, an FCC license, Gallagher says that the homosexuals will make it impossible for "homo-phobes" to be a part of the mainstream of society. "Gay Pride Parades" will be considered first normal then mandatory. And you better be there with your children, smiling. At all the nekked men.

John McCormack writes in The Weekly Standard, May 26, 2008,

...[T]wo Christian doctors [in California] are being sued for refusing to artificially inseminate a lesbian, and last summer four firefighters sued the city of San Diego on sexual harassment grounds after they were required to participate in a gay pride parade over their objections. How would California deal with doctors who refused to treat an African American? Revoke their licenses. How would San Diego treat firefighters who objected to marching in a Martin Luther King Jr. parade? Fire them.

Is this self-governance as envisioned by our Founding Fathers? Nope.

The homosexuals are on a marketing campaign using marriage and the military through the courts for acceptance.

Robert P. George, Ph.D. believes that we should have open vigorous debates on marriage, abortion, stem cells; the big moral issues of our day. George writes in First Things, January, 2008,

We will be advised to frame arguments in coded language so as not to scare off the soccer moms or whoever is playing their role in the next election cycle.

All of this must be resisted...

The question, then, is not whether there are truths about such things as the morality of abortion and the nature of marriage; the question in each case is, What is true?

The homosexual activists do not want truth or government by the citizens. Liberals and the homosexuals in the Obama-Nation are happy with the dictatorship of the courts.

Most people want the self governance of a constitutionally-limited republic -- protected by good Republicans...

CNN is attempting to open up the conversation on homosexual marriage. We are anxious to see how they edit the tape.

Hit time for Charmaine is between 4 and 6pm today. Tune in and let us know what you think.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Dr. George teaches at Princeton University and sits on a number of boards, including the Family Research Council and Americans United for Life.

Your Business Blogger(R) also blogs at Management Training of DC, LLC.

Posted at 1:52 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D. will speak
at the 28th General Assembly
of the Evangelical Presbyterian ChurchCharmaine will be giving a talk at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Wednesday, June 18 - Pre-Assembly Workshop: Re-Engage: Christ as Culture's Hope

Dr. Charmaine Yoest is Vice-President of Communications for the Family Research Council. In that role, she oversees all aspects of FRC's strategic communications and messaging. Dr. Yoest is an author, a political analyst and an expert on domestic and international social policy. She has served as a Contributing Editor at the Heritage Foundation in Policy for FRC. Dr. Yoest holds the Ph.D. and M.A. in Politics from the University of Virginia. She and her husband, Jack, live with their five children in the D.C. area.

Dr. Yoest will speak to the ways the Gospel message intersects contemporary culture and its influence on the hearts and minds of women.

Charmaine is joining the following speakers,

Sinclair Ferguson is Senior Minister of the First Presbyterian Church (ARP) of Columbia, South Carolina and Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. A graduate of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, he is the author of some two dozen books, has authored numerous articles and has contributed to various symposia. His writing interests have ranged from works of scholarship to books for children. He has served as minister of two congregations in Scotland, one on Unst, the most northerly inhabited island in the United Kingdom, and the other at the center of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. For more than twenty years he has been a member of the faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and Dallas, and has served as a visiting professor in various other seminaries. Sinclair and his wife Dorothy have been married for thirty-five years. They have three sons, a daughter, and three grandsons.

Jeff Jeremiah began serving as the Executive Pastor/Stated Clerk of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in October, 2006. Prior to that he served as pastor of First Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Renton, Washington for twelve years. His ministry in the EPC began in 1987 when, as an associate pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church of Bethesda, Maryland, the church joined the denomination. At Fourth Presbyterian his pastoral responsibilities ranged from diaconal and visitation ministry to executive pastor and senior associate, beginning his ministry under Dr. Richard Halverson in 1980.
He is convinced that the church of Jesus Christ must come to grips with the 21st century reality that the United States is a mission field and that the missional agenda of the EPC is the most effective way forward.
Jeff has been married to Cindy for thirty years. Together they have three sons – Daniel (26), Jeffrey (24) and Michael (20) who all live in Washington State.

Robert Norris, host pastor, has been Senior Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian
Church since 1984. Rob came to Fourth after serving three years as Executive Pastor of Program at First Presbyterian Church, Hollywood,
California. Originally from Wales he also previously served as Assistant Minister at The City Temple, London, Chaplain to the City of London University, and Chaplain to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. He holds degrees from Kings College, London, and St. Andrews, Scotland, has served as adjunct professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, and has taught in seminaries in Ukraine, Malta, Japan, and Sudan. He and his wife Caren have five children.

Bill Vogler, Moderator of the 27th General Assembly, will speak at the Moderator’s Service of Communion and Prayer on Friday morning. Rev. Vogler is the founding pastor of Grace EPC in Lawrence, Kansas, where he has served for the last 19 years. Bill has served on several committees in Mid-America Presbytery and General Assembly.
Bill has been married to Karen for 34 years. Karen has served in women’s ministry in General Assembly, Mid-America Presbytery and at Grace. She leads Bible studies and retreats on various books of the Bible, prayer and reading through the Scripture. Bill and Karen have three children (Joshua, married to Nicole; Sarah, married to Damon; and Grace, a Sr. at Kansas State University), and one grandchild (James to Josh and Nicole).

Denis Haack is the author of The Rest of Success: What the World Didn’t Tell You About Having It All, and has written articles for such journals as: Reformation & Revival Journal; Eternity; Covenant; and World. He is currently working on his Master of Theological Studies at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. His undergraduate studies were done at the University of Minnesota and University of New Mexico. After a few years of living in a Christian commune (yes, that’s right, they were hippies), he staffed a church as a youth pastor and was recruited by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship with whom he eventually became area director of New Mexico, Arizona, and part of Texas. To support himself and his family, he did everything from pumping gas to delivering flowers to starting a janitorial business that didn’t boom until he gave the business to a friend who took the idea and ran with it. Before he and Margie owned a home, he always declared that their lawn would be made of rocks so he wouldn’t have to mow, but he’s now the proud owner of a self-propelled Honda lawnmower which he also uses to mulch every leaf that blows into the yard.
Denis will bring a keynote address and lead one of the breakout sessions. Learn more about Denis and his ministry at www.ransomfellowship.org

Steven Garber has a classroom among many people in many places. Known as “a public teacher,” at the heart of his own calling is the longing that people understand the integral character of faith, vocation, and culture. He directs The Washington Institute, whose core conviction is that the church and society are renewed as a richer, truer vision of calling is taught and practiced. Steven is the author of The Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior. A Senior Fellow for the C.S. Lewis Institute, he has contributed to the volumes, Faith Goes to Work: Reflections From the Marketplace and Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalogue, as well as to the Mars Hill Audio journal, (Tacit Knowing, Truthful Knowing: The Life and Work of Michael Polanyi). A native of the great valleys of Colorado and California, he, his wife Meg and their children live in Virginia where they are members of The Falls Church.
Steven will bring a keynote address and lead one of the breakout sessions.
You can find out more about Steve and his ministry at www.washingtoninst.org

Walt Mueller is the founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, serving churches,
schools, and community organizations around the world: in their efforts to communicate the Gospel cross-culturally by helping those who know and love children and teens to understand today’s rapidly changing youth culture. He has appeared on numerous media outlets internationally – including CNN, Fox News, and the BBC – to discuss teenagers and their world. The work of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding has been embraced by the federal government, offering CPYU numerous opportunities to be salt and light in the culture-at-large. He is the author of five books including Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture:
Bridging Teen Worldviews and Christian Truth, and the Medallion Award winner, Understanding Today’s Youth Culture, which is currently being totally re-written with Zondervan. Walt’s commentary and analysis
on youth culture is heard on CPYU’s daily radio program, Youth Culture
Today. He earned his B.A. in Sociology from Geneva College, his M.Div form Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and his doctorate in ministry to postmodern generations from Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary. Walt and his wife, Lisa, live in Elizabethtown, PA., and have four children: Caitlin, 23, a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh; Joshua, 21 a junior at Messiah College; Bethany, 19, entering
college; and Nathaniel, 14 in the ninth grade.
Walt will be leading one of our breakout sessions.

Richard Cizik, an EPC minister, is Vice President for Governmental Affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals. His primary responsibilities include setting NAE’s policy direction on issues before Congress, the White House, and Supreme Court, as well as serving as a national spokesman on issues of concern to evangelicals. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Whitworth College; an M.A. in Public Affairs from the George Washington University
School of Public & International Affairs; a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary; and an honorary Doctorate of Ministry from the MethodistEpiscopal Church in Christian Leadership. He is the author of over one hundred published articles and editorials, author and editor of The High Cost of Indifference (Regal Books), a contributor to On Christian Freedom (University Press of America), and the Dictionary of Christianity
in America (Inter-Varsity Press). Richard and his wife, Virginia, have two boys, Rich Jr., and John, ages seventeen and fourteen. The family resides in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Richard will be speaking during the lunch gathering at the Hyatt Regency
on the National Association of Evangelicals’ landmark document “For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Engagement,” to which he was a major contributor.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Full Disclosure: Your Business Blogger(R) served as a Deacon in the EPC.

Charmaine and I are indebted to the Fourth Presbyterian Church. We met there. I picked her because she was virtuous and industrious. I don't know why she picked me... The Alert Reader will notice that both the Norris's and the Yoest's have five kids in each family: We will fix Social Security all by our selves.

This is in no way an endorsement of Richard Cizik, who does not believe that abortion is the evil of our time. He would be more comfortable in another mainstream denomination -- like say, the ones that are losing membership for fuzzy thinking and confused Biblical interpretations.

What is the purpose of life? The EPC gives the answer in the first question. At the jump.

Your Business Blogger(R) of Management Training of DC, LLC, is a licensed agent for the William Oncken Corporation presenters of Managing Management Time(TM) fondly known as Monkey Management. No, evolution is not taught. But I do subscribe to Intelligent Design.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 8:18 AM | Permalink
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The Women in Leadership & Philanthropy program, is hosting a conference at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

You are invited.

Charmaine will be speaking from her experience as a senior adviser to the Huckabee for President campaign.

Alert Readers will recall Charmaine also served in the Reagan Administration as a White House (unmolested) intern .

She also served in the Office of Presidential Personnel under Bob Tuttle, current Ambassador to the Court of St. James's.

The Women in Politics panel is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008, from 9:30 to10:45 a.m., at the Darden School's Abbott Auditorium.

From UVA,

...[S]peakers on this panel: UVa. alums

Charmaine Yoest [Ph.D.] (Family Research Council, former adviser to Mike Huckabee) [confirmed]

Cheryl Mills (advisor to Hillary Clinton) [confirmed],

and Janet Napolitano (Governor of Arizona) [awaiting confirmation].

We may also ask [other] alums... The panel will be moderated by Vesla Weaver, assistant professor of politics and a UVA alum as well.

At this point, our conception of the Women in Politics panel is:

More than ever before, women - Republicans, Democrats and Independents - are making a difference in the American political arena and U.Va. alumnae are among those leading the way. Please join us for a panel discussion of the contemporary role of women in American politics.

Potential topics include the 2008 presidential election, the historic role of Senator Hillary Clinton's candidacy and the short list of women who may be considered as vice presidential nominees in both major political parties.

For more information on the conference, please visit the conference Web site.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Tips for visiting Mr. Jefferson's University. While at UVA, never say 'campus.' Say 'grounds.'

Address Ph.D.'s not as 'Dr.' but as 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' in keeping with our third president's sense of fraternite and Voltaire and all things French. Egalite run amuck.

See Christopher Hitchens on Thomas Jefferson.

Work and Family: One Size Does Not Fit All

Your Business Blogger(R) of Management Training of DC, LLC, is an adjunct professor of management at NOVA and a licensed agent for the William Oncken Corporation.

More at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 9:03 PM | Permalink
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Al Gore, Jr played high school basketball. Al Gore, Sr was a Senator, a very important man in Your Nation's Capital. Gore Sr never watched his son play. Never watched a game. Never. Dad was too busy.

But there is a highway named after Gore, Sr. And Junior got a Nobel Peace Prize.

Every dad does it different, I guess. And the kids turn out different...

The Dreamer rowing stroke:
closest rower to the coxswain Alert Readers will remember Your (insufferable) Business Blogger driving 20+ hours to watch a five minute boat race.

The Nationals competition was held in Oakridge, Tennessee, Al Gore's home state.

Yorktown High School from Arlington, Virginia had a very respectable showing. We didn't win, but we did watch.

It was important: We Were There.

Business consultant guru,