Republished from OneNewsNow.com

A surprising revelation from a homosexual activist over the purpose of the "hate crimes" bill is drawing kudos from at least one pro-family spokesman.

The activist is Andrew Sullivan, one of the movers and shakers in the international homosexual movement. "The real reason for hate crime laws is not the defense of human beings from crime. There are already laws against that," Sullivan writes on his blog, "and Matthew Shepard's murderers were successfully prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in a state with no hate crimes law at the time."
 
Sullivan continues: "The real reason for the invention of hate crimes was a hard-left critique of conventional liberal justice and the emergence of special interest groups which need boutique legislation to raise funds for their large staffs and luxurious buildings. Just imagine how many direct mail pieces have gone out explaining that without more money for [Human Rights Campaign], more gay human beings will be crucified on fences. It's very, very powerful as a money-making tool -- which may explain why the largely symbolic federal bill still hasn't passed."

Results from a related poll

What's the primary motivation behind 'hate crimes' law?

Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel read the blog entry and offers this take on Sullivan's comments on Senate Bill 909.
 
"He is to be commended for his candor," says Barber. "He has admitted publicly now that the hate crimes bill...is, among other things, simply a money-making scheme drummed up by the organized homosexualist lobby."
 
S. 909 is called the Matthew Shepard Act to honor a young homosexual man who was tortured and killed in 1998 not because of his sexual orientation, but during the course of a robbery. As Barber notes, the murder has been used as a money-raiser, too.
 
"Andrew Sullivan points this irony out and points out how ridiculous it is that they are using [Shepard's] name, exploiting this poor young man's horrible death to try to push a money-making scheme...a social ponzi scheme," says Barber.
 
"The cat's out of the bag," he continues. "Sullivan's admission...is both refreshing and stunning at the same time."
 
The hate crimes bill, which has already passed the House, would add sexual orientation to other protected classes.

On Thursday, Governor Tim Pawlenty held a press conference at the State Capitol saying that "“Politics as usual around this place is over. The people of Minnesota expect and deserve timely and decisive action. I will not let the legislature’s work spill over into a special session. We are not going to waste taxpayer money with a costly overtime or have a state government shutdown, especially in this economy. My preference would be for DFL legislators to work with me on a reasonable budget solution, but if they can’t get that done I will take executive action to balance the budget.” (click here to read the full press release from the governor's office).

Democrats in the state legislature ignored reform ideas such as that offered by the Minnesota Budget Solution Coalition that balanced the state budget without increasing taxes.  Insteady, DFL leaders worked to pass budget bills that raises taxes and leaves a $3 billion shortfall between anticipated revenue and spending. “If the DFL cannot balance this budget without reaching into Minnesotans’ pockets and increasing our already uncompetitive taxes in ways that will kill job growth, I’m prepared to make the tough decisions they’ve avoided and take action to balance the budget.”

The response from Democrats was swift and harsh. House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher says that Pawlenty's move is "bullying" and called him "Governor Go It Alone." Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller said the governor could take that approach “if he thinks he’s king."  Eliot Seide, the head of AFSCME Council 5, the largest union representing state workers, said "we just saw the suspension of democracy today."

The session is scheduled to end on Monday, May 18 at midnight.  Liberal special interest groups will now be mounting a frontal attack on the governor's office to try to convince him to change his mind and support a tax increase.

TAKE ACTION:  Call Governor Pawlenty NOW and tell him to stand strong against liberal pressure to increase our taxes. 

Hi there,

Jason Lewis here with a quick reminder to be sure to attend Saturday's Tax Cut Rally.  The rally is being held at the State Capitol from 11:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. The weather forecast is outstanding -- sunny with temperatures in the mid-60s.

As I'm sure you are aware, Minnesota is facing a record $6.4 billion state budget deficit in the next biennium.  We are also in the middle of an economic recession.  But that hasn't stopped the "tax and spenders" in our state legislature from proposing over $2 billion in new tax increases.  This is on top of the $6 billion increase they passed last year!

Minnesota really needs you and your neighbors to show-up in force on Saturday so that the "tax and spenders" get the message loud and clear -- CUT SPENDING and NO NEW TAXES!

These are tough economic times and many Minnesota families are hurting.  That is why we are encouraging you to bring a non-perishable food donation to the rally.  Food donations will be collected by Hope for the City for distribution to metro-area food shelves.

Here are some links to additional details about the rally:

Directions and Parking

Rally Schedule

Contests

I look forward to seeing you all at the Tax Cut Rally this Saturday.

Regards,

Jason Lewis

According to a recent article in the Washington Examiner, President Barack Obama has rolled out the most aggressive domestic spending proposals in American history. 

Courtesy of MCCL press release: Nearly five thousand Minnesotans marched at the State Capitol today to urge lawmakers not to cut the crucial Positive Alternatives program providing practical, essential help for pregnant women in need. They also called for an end to coerced abortions in which women experience pressure or physical violence. The annual Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) March for Life commemorates the millions of lives lost to abortion.
The 2009 MCCL March for Life marked the 36th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions that have resulted in the deaths of more than 530,000 unborn Minnesota children, and more than 50 million unborn babies nationwide. In addition, recent research from the Elliot Institute shows that nearly two-thirds of post-abortive women report that coercion was a factor in their abortions.

“No woman should ever be forced into abortion—not by relatives, the child’s father or abortionists,” MCCL Legislative Associate Jordan Bauer told the huge crowd of citizens from across the state. “We have legislation this year to stop coerced abortions. Abortion is not a choice, because no baby would ever choose to die.”

MCCL called upon lawmakers to preserve full funding for Positive Alternatives as they deliberate over the budget deficit. Passed in 2005, this legislation provides grants to organizations that help pregnant women successfully face the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth. More than 12,000 women received critical help in the program’s first two years. “Positive Alternatives saves lives,” Bauer explained. “We must save the Positive Alternatives program!”
MCCL’s 2008 legislative agenda also calls for a ban on sex-selection and saline abortions, as well as a ban on taxpayer funding of abortion. In 2006 (most recent figures), Minnesotans were forced to pay $1.6 million for elective abortions, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Taxpayers now fund 28 percent of all abortions in the state.

MCCL will oppose the Reproductive Privacy Act, S.F. 115, which would nullify virtually all protective laws, including informed consent under Woman’s Right to Know and the state’s parental notification provision. Several of Minnesota’s pro-life elected officials offered words of support to the state’s pro-life majority. Prolife Gov. Tim Pawlenty told the crowd that he was proud to stand with them in “the noble cause of affirming the culture of life.” Pawlenty also urged the Legislature to maintain full funding for Positive Alternatives. “We should all be able to come together to promote positive alternatives to abortion in Minnesota and America.”

The Hon. Norm Coleman spoke to the thousands of pro-life citizens, saying that Roe v. Wade “compromised” the right to life guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence. “Every nation is defined by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens,” Coleman declared. “Who is more vulnerable that the unborn?”

TAKE ACTION: Sign the petition calling for an end to taxpayer-funded abortions in Minnesota

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The ill-conceived auto industry bailout bill passed in the US House last week, but was rightly rejected by the US Senate. Special interests aren’t giving up, however. Now they are looking for huge handouts from the Treasury Secretary and the White House. While this situation is being portrayed as a bailout of the auto industry, it is, in fact, a ploy designed to delay the inevitable implosion of the unsustainable United Auto Workers (UAW) union contract demands.

This bailout will only temporarily prop up UAW’s dysfunctional relationship with the auto companies. Union contracts with the manufacturers that require paying 700,000 people nearly full wages for not working plus the extraordinary legacy costs of health care and pensions have crippled US automakers’ finances. Reports indicate that GM currently looses $326 for each car that rolls-off the end of its assembly line while Toyota makes a profit of $1266 per vehicle it sells.

UAW contracts have effectively killed the “golden goose”, so now they are demanding “golden eggs” from American taxpayers. The proposed bailout would only delay the inevitable and at significant cost. Today’s US automaker business model is simply not sustainable. The only chance to rescue the US auto industry is to allow companies to enter bankruptcy, restructure and emerge leaner, stronger and more competitive.

The money demanded for the bailout doesn’t even exist. What’s being proposed is massive deficit spending. When the government creates money from thin air, everyone’s dollars are devalued. Government bailouts are stealing wealth from American families.

TAKE ACTION: Click here to send a message to President Bush and Treasury Secretary Paulson demanding that they not use money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to be used to bailout the auto industry.