Commentary

Why libertarians should care about the breakdown of the family

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Stephen Baskerville explains how the breakdown of marriage leads to bigger government and less liberty.

Excerpt:

Unmarried women and single mothers (the main abortion constituency) are more affluent and better-educated than two decades ago.  They are also more politicized and comprise Obama’s most committed and vocal supporters, having voted for him by 70%.

As with many measures designed to weaken the family, no general public clamor preceded the move to nationalize medicine, apart from a few vocal constituencies.  One of the biggest was single women.  “American voters in general may shy away from ‘radical’ steps such as importing a Canadian-style (health care) system,” the liberal polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner reported some years ago.  “Unmarried women, however, embrace such a powerful step.”

[…]Sadly, many unmarried women live — willingly or not — to some degree in dependency on the state. And for single, middle-class women whose incomes disqualify them for Medicaid, health care is the most expensive cost.

[…]Statistics now reveal that welfare has been a powerful force behind the break-up of the family in low-income families. Now, in the middle class, we see the breakdown coming largely through divorce and the “liberated” lifestyles to which much of it can be attributed. Yet our growing allegiance to an ever-increasing culture of divorce now demands ever-expanding “services,” such as government medicine.

So, public medicine, like all welfare, facilitates family dissolution. And the breakdown of the family in turn creates a constituency pushing for more welfare, fostering a vicious circle of government growth and social decay.  It just so happens that all of this also builds electoral support for the party that enacts it.

Libertarians need to be practical: you need social conservatives and you ought to be actively promoting traditional marriage.

Videos

Jennifer Roback Morse and Michele Bachmann respond to Prop 8 decision

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Here’s Dr. J of the Ruth Institute, first.

The music is a bit loud, but isn’t it fun to SEE her talking? Indeed!

(Her hair looks fine – I don’t see why she thinks that anyone would say anything bad about it)

And here’s Michele Bachmann.

Press release:

District Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision last week to overturn a California ballot initiative that prohibited same-sex marriage was an example of “judicial activism at its worse,” according to Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

Smith and fellow House Republicans Steve King (Iowa) and Michele Bachmann (Minn.) introduced a resolution this morning disapproving of Vaughn’s ruling. The resolution, according to Smith, has 15 co-sponsors in the House. However, it is uncertain whether it will attract the support of Republican leadership in the lower chamber.

In his decision, Walker ruled that moral objection to gay marriage on the part of California voters was not a rational enough reason to uphold Proposition 8. In addition, Walker wrote that the measure violated Equal Protection laws for homosexuals.

The trio of highly conservative lawmakers insisted today that their opposition to the ruling does not stem from the fact that it benefits the gay community, but rather that it highlights a growing trend of activism from behind the bench. Bachmann said she found the ruling “infuriating.”

“Are we now in the position of giving the judge the decision to decide whether or not the American people are rational when they go to the voting booth and make their wishes known?” she asked. “It certainly seems the answer would be in the negative.”

Too bad the video gets cut off at the very end – I think she was going to say Supreme COURT. I’ll bet you all thought she was just a fiscal conservative, right? But no – she’s really thought things through – and that’s why we like her! Because she’s perfect!

Events

Apologetics events in San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Baltimore

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I snipped this out of an e-mail from Biola University.

REASONABLE FAITH IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
San Diego, CA

with William Lane Craig, Craig Hazen , Greg Koukl, and more!

Economic unrest, war, and fear dominate the air waves. In such a time as this, can we be certain of the truth of Christianity? Is there reason to hope in the midst of doubt and skepticism? Defending the faith is not all about arguments and propositions. Apologetics can give us the assurance to trust in Christ through difficulty and uncertainty. This series will renew our confidence and give us practical tools as we seek to share the hope we have in Jesus in a lost and hurting world. Co-sponsored with Reasonable Faith – San Diego Chapter (www.reasonablefaithsandiego.org)

August 11
Historical Reliability of the Bible with Fred Sanders, Ph.D.

August 18
Responding to Relativism with Greg Koukl

August 25
Arguments for the Existence of God with William Lane Craig, Ph.D., D.Theol

Where and when:

  • Wednesdays, August 4 – 25
  • 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
  • Calvary Chapel San Diego , Main Sanctuary
  • 1771 East Palomar Street
  • San Diego, CA 91913
  • Cost: FREE

Register now: www.apologeticsevents.com

WHY I BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE
Roseville, CA

with William Lane Craig, JP Moreland, Craig Hazen , and Tim Muehlhoff!

Let’s go ahead and answer the question running through most of our minds, “what is apologetics, anyway?” It’s the branch of theology focused on defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines. This seminar is designed to help you understand why we believe what we believe as Christians. Over the course of these two days, you’ll find answers to some of today’s most commonly asked questions about the Christian faith: How do I know God exists? Did Jesus really live? Who can believe in the resurrection? Hasn’t science disproved Christianity? We all have questions, and we all crave answers. Come be reassured that Christianity is a reasonable faith!

Dr. Moreland, Dr. Craig, Dr. Hazen, and Dr. Muehlhoff will be lecturing on topics ranging from the existence of God, the resurrection, the case for the existence of the soul, communication keys for apologetics, and the challenge of world religions.

Where and when:

  • August 27-28
  • Friday Evening 7-10 pm
  • Saturday Morning 9 am – 1 pm
  • Bayside Church
  • 8191 Sierra College Blvd
  • Roseville, Ca 95661

Cost: $15 regular, $25 for a married couple, and $8 for students

Register now: www.apologeticsevents.com

ETHICS AT THE EDGE OF LIFE: CLEAR THINKING ON THE MOST TROUBLING BIOETHICAL ISSUES
La Mirada, CA

with Scott Rae, Ph.D. and Scott Klusendorf, M.A.

Advances in medical procedures, technologies, and drugs have made issues of life and death more and more complicated. As Christians, because we care deeply about life and death issues, we are often tagged as people who are standing against progress and the relief of suffering. Hence, we need help from experts to understand what is really going on in modern medicine and how to make a persuasive case in the public square for the Biblical views. We are bringing in two world-class Christian experts on bioethics, Dr. Scott Rae and Scott Klusendorf, to help us understand and defend the biblical position on the most difficult subjects: abortion, euthanasia, reproductive technology, and more. Graduate credit toward the M.A. degree in Christian Apologetics is available

  • September 16, 17, 18
  • Thursday & Friday, 6 – 10 pm
  • Saturday, 9 am – 4 pm
  • Business Building, Moats Lecture Hall
  • Biola University
  • Cost: only $95

Register now: www.apologeticsevents.com

LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR MIND CONFERENCE
Mount Airy, Maryland

with Sean McDowell, Craig Hazen , Greg Koukl, Frank Turek, and Steve Schrader

FREE KICK-OFF: Successful Tactics in Defending the Faith with Greg Koukl
Thursday, October 7
7:30 – 9:30 pm

CUTTING-EDGE SESSIONS:
Friday, October 8, 7:00 – 10:00 pm
Christianity and the Challenge of World Religions with Craig Hazen

Saturday, October 9, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Apologetics for a New Generation with Sean McDowell

Saturday, October 9, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Historical Reliability of the Bible with Steve Schrader

Saturday, October 9, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist with Frank Turek

  • Mount Airy Bible Church
  • 16700 Old Frederick Rd
  • Mount Airy, MD 21771

For pricing information, discounts, and to register for this can’t-miss conference: www.apologeticsevents.com/maryland