Mount Virtus

It’s hard to live up to the promise of live-blogging when there isn’t much good news to report. This is the Democrats’ night. I’ll let them enjoy it. May God give them the grace to govern wisely. Somehow I doubt they will, certainly not from the perspective of life, liberty, and limited government.

At least the vittles are good here at the John Bodnar party in Westminster. I couldn’t bring myself to visit the somber affair down at the Marriott South.

Meanwhile, I’ll go look for the few bright spots of the night. Some big tax increases on the ballot maybe going down. (This tells me the state isn’t lurching Left as much as it’s turning Blue.) Other than that, not much.

Don’t expect to see a lot of politics on this site in the days ahead — the time for introspection will come, though, and this blog will play a role. Meanwhile, I plan to write a series of essays on giving thanks, because living in this nation we truly have much to be thankful for.

For my fellow Christians:

1 Timothy 2:1-4

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Perhaps the most closely contested state legislative race of 2008 is the battle for Senate District 19 in Arvada and Westminster. But how close would it be if people really knew what Democratic candidate Evie Hudak stood for? Yes, the same Evie Hudak who has a bizarrely condescending view of homeschoolers and parental responsibility in education.

A revealing document goes even further, telling us just how much Evie Hudak is attuned to a rigid, Left-leaning ideology - far more than to the interests of everyday people in Senate District 19. On an online questionnaire for the Progressive Democrats of America, Hudak wrote:

I support the entire Democratic Party platform. I have supported the issues in previous elections as an active Democrat and as a candidate. I have been on the Platform Committee in the past, and I work with the members every year to ensure that it is good. In terms of which planks are most important to me, I have a hard time picking, because every topic is meaningful….

Based on this answer, it’s pretty apparent that Evie Hudak doesn’t place a high premium on independent thought. So what are some of the things in the Colorado Democratic Party platform that the lockstep liberal Hudak supports? And exactly which ones did she help to write? Here’s just a sampling:

• Against traditional marriage: “We urge our elected representatives at all levels to vigorously oppose legislation or ballot initiatives that would narrow the definition of marriage to a partnership between two persons of opposite genders thus excluding other committed, but non-traditional relationships.”
• Against free religious expression: “We are committed to…the elimination of the use of public property for the display of religious symbols such as the ten commandments [sic]“
• Against all reasonable domestic energy exploration: “We urge the Department of Interior, the State of Colorado and Garfield County to prohibit any natural gas leases or any drilling on the Roan Plateau.”
• Against free political speech: “We support reinstating equal time requirements (the fairness doctrine) and the principle of fair and balanced reporting. We further support laws requiring broadcast license holders to give free substantial airtime, equal in both quality and quantity, to all ballot qualified candidates, sufficient for substantial presentation of the issues.
• Against taxpayer protections: “We request … [the] revocation of the TABOR amendment.”
• Anti-business: “Regulating premium increases on health insurance; prohibiting pre-existing condition exclusions by insurance companies; and reinstituting ‘no fault’ automobile insurance coverage for medical expenses.”

Some reporter who is actually interested in balanced coverage of this election might want to ask Evie Hudak if she really supports the entire Democratic Party platform, and if so, explain what that will mean for the families and businesses of the people in north Jefferson County she seeks to represent.

If this disturbs you at all, please support the common-sense candidate in the race: Libby Szabo.

So much for all the DNC-related action happening in downtown Denver. On my drive to work this morning I spotted this unmistakable display on Table Mountain between Arvada and Golden, displayed here in a photograph taken by a friend:

9News apparently was on the scene, as well:

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and Open Space Rangers struck a deal with the protestors allowing them to take a break before hiking back up the mountain and removing the sign.

The group behind the sign was not immediately known but roughly 50 anti-abortion protestors are in the area.

My friend who took the picture said she was told the sign was constructed from 2,500 bed sheets, and that students from Maranatha Christian Center did the hard work to make the message known. Whoever was responsible, it’s good to see them complying with law enforcement to take it down in a timely manner.

Their message was heard - or at least read - loud and clear, much like those who had their words scrubbed away by DNC officials at the Pepsi Center last Friday.

Not only is Barack Obama’s record on human life atrocious and frightening, but he seems utterly unable to give a clear, honest, or reasonable answer on the topic:

“Above my pay grade”? So the buck stops where? More Americans need to wake up to the hollowness of the Barack Obama candidacy, and to think seriously about what kind of leader they want.

Perhaps Barack Obama is genuinely confused about when human life begins and should be protected. After all, in some cases his confusion seems to extend beyond the point of birth (Scott Johnson at Powerline has more). No matter how he tries to dress it up, it’s hard to deny that Obama is in the pocket of the abortion absolutist lobby.

Meanwhile, one Red State diarist is just thankful that megachurch pastor Rick Warren actually raised the abortion / life issue at Saturday night’s unique event - a forum about which agnostic writer William Lobdell noted:

A few closing thoughts. Rick Warren did a remarkable job. Very well done. Second, Sen. Barack Obama was good. He was personable, answered the questions thoughtfully, and showed humor, intellect and depth. Sen. John McCain was even better. His rich life experience took the forum from mono to stereo, from black-and-white to color. I’m a fence-setter voter, but this forum put me on the McCain side. While Obama may be the guy I’d like to have a drink with, McCain is the guy I’d want to lead me into battle. I’m still keeping an open mind, but for now, McCain’s my man.

Since I didn’t see the exchange myself, I’ll go with the assessments of thoughtful uncommitted viewers like William Lobdell and others. I’d be interested to read observations written by others, too.

Congratulations and welcome home, Jared! Sounds like a lot of waiting on God and just plain waiting has been rewarded. It brought a smile to my face to see the picture with your new son. All the best and richest blessings to you and your family!

Sad news today about a man with integrity, decency, and affability uncommon to contemporary public life, who finally succumbed in his long bout with colon cancer.

Via American Thinker, here is quotable wisdom Tony Snow shared in a May 2007 commencement speech, advice to “live boldly, to live a whole life”:

1. Think; use your brains.

2. Take risks; don’t be content with what you know.

3. Commit to God. Faith is as natural as the air we breathe. Religion is the introduction to the ultimate extreme sport.

4. Get out and experience life. Get your fingernails dirty… and laugh, a lot, at yourselves. ..the pain, the poignancy, the aches are essential; they bring us together.

5. Love. It is everything…to love is to acknowledge that life is not about you…to submit willingly, heart & soul, to things that matter. Think not only of what it means to love but what it means to be loved. I have a lot of experience with that. Since the news that I have cancer again, I have heard from thousands and thousands of people and I have been the subject of untold prayers. I’m telling you right now: You’re young [and you feel] bullet-proof and invincible. [But] never underestimate the power of other people’s love and prayer. They have incredible power. It’s as if I’ve been carried on the shoulders of an entire army. And they had made me weightless.

Rest in peace, Tony Snow (1955-2008). Condolences to his family and loved ones.

The warped, whiny, politically correct victim culture has reached a new milestone of insanity:

A homosexual man who has a blog on Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign website is suing two major Christian publishers for violating his constitutional rights and causing emotional pain, because the Bible versions they publish refer to homosexuality as a sin.

Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, of Canton, Mich., is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and another $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Press reported.

I’m sure if he goes judge-shopping long enough, Mr. Fowler the Barack Obama blogger may even find one who agrees with him that scholarly translations of sacred texts should be obliterated if they cause offense. News flash: The Holy Scriptures and the Christ they tell us about are an offense and a stumbling block to people everywhere determined to live their own way - including Mr. Fowler’s hubris to think that he has unveiled a biblical interpretation that has eluded scholars for centuries.

In this showdown of Leftist lunatic zealotry vs. religious freedom and common sense, there’s every reason to believe the latter will prevail. But as a Right Wing News blogger observed:

Christians are advised to find secure places to store Bibles, where they will be safe from authorities after the book has been banned for failing to comply with the one true commandment: There is no god but moonbattery, and Obama is its prophet.

Wow. Simply wow.

Today marks 120 days until the November 4 general election - 120 days of obnoxious pandering by Presidential candidates, 120 days of campaign television and radio ads, 120 days for lovers of the Republic to hold their collective breath. Sigh.

Speaking of candidate pandering, Barack Obama’s recent whiplash-inducing rush away from his Leftist voting record and positions should give cause for concern. As one noted for his aptitude at quoting Scripture out of context, though, Barack Obama does have a ready-made passage he can abuse to justify his major switcheroos:

I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

Of course, it goes without saying that I Corinthians 9:22 doesn’t say anything of the sort that would justify Barack Obama’s waffling. But the thought that he “might save some” of us from ourselves fits right in with his messianic complex. And the way this campaign has unfolded so far, I wouldn’t be shocked if Obama did quote this passage some day soon on the trail.

Now back to summertime and the non-political life.

From the Times of India (via Drudge Report):

NEW DELHI: With Democrat senator Barack Obama busy in the run-up to the US presidential polls, a group of well-wishers in the capital have decided to send him a symbol of his lucky charm, Lord Hanuman, to help him emerge victorious….

An hour-long prayer meeting to sanctify the idol was earlier organised at Sankat Mochan Dham and by Congress leader Brijmohan Bhama, Balmiki Samaj and the temple’s priests.

“Obama has deep faith in Lord Hanuman and that is why we are presenting an idol of Hanuman to him,” said Bhama.

This story gives a whole new meaning to the name “American Idol.” But seriously, this could add another layer of religious confusion to the ever-unfolding bizarre “Obamessiah” phenomenon.

Okay, we all know Barack Obama is not a Muslim. After all, Islam disdains idolatry, as at their core do Christianity and Judaism. So should Obama accept the Hindu idol? Apart from worrying about the fuel it might add to all the recent talk surrounding religion and his campaign, he also may wish to consider this first:

The monkey symbolism of Lord Hanuman is related to the notion that a human being’s mind is ever active and never restful, hence the depiction of a human being with the face of a monkey. Furthermore, Lord Hanuman symbolically stands for pure devotion, complete surrender and absence of ego or the lower self.

The “pure devotion” and “complete surrender” may refer to the blind legions following Barack Obama, but what about the “absence of ego”? It’s very hard to see how that would describe Obama himself. All told, one of the more curious political stories of the season.

Jason Janz - a personal acquaintance I met through his launching and running the successful Christian website Sharper Iron - wrote a Speakout published in today’s Rocky Mountain News about Denver’s upcoming Juneteenth celebration:

I am not African-American and I am going to Juneteenth. In fact, I believe that people of all ethnicities should attend if they are able. Why? Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and equality, values that every American should embrace. Just because the peak of the civil rights movement has passed does not mean that racial tension in our community is gone. There is still much work to do. By standing next to the African-American community, you are showing solidarity with them as a partner for peace and harmony in our city.

I also believe that celebrating another culture will enrich your life. Learning about another culture will teach you much about your own. You cannot fully understand your own culture unless you understand others. Saturday will be a study for you in similarities and differences. You will see commonalities that show that all people are more alike than different. At the same time, you will see the differences between your culture and African-American culture as unique gifts from God to make this city a beautiful place to live and work.

Jason and his family left their more comfortable place in a suburban church ministry to start the multi-ethnic Providence Bible Church. If you are a Christian believer, please consider supporting the Janz family and their labor of love with your prayers. Or maybe you can join them at this Saturday’s Juneteenth celebration.

It sounds like Republican Party ideals are not exactly in their heyday in Montana (H/T Volokh Conspiracy):

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bob Kelleher wants a “nonviolent revolution” to overthrow the foundation of American government. He favors enormous, FDR-style government work programs to reduce poverty; he wants to nationalize the American oil and gas industries and supports government-run, socialized medicine. He has little nice to say about President Bush or former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot.

Political scientists and the head of the Montana Republican Party say Kelleher, 85, isn’t really a Republican, at all.

And yet, two days ago, Kelleher beat five other, mostly conservative to mainstream GOP candidates to become the Republican who will take on Sen. Max Baucus in the fall.

Since John McCain is a strong favorite to win Montana’s three electoral votes, it looks like there will be a lot of vote-splitting this November in Big Sky Country.

But a socialist as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate? Maybe one of my Montana conservative friends can fill me in. Craig? Charles?

The hearts of Coloradans are struck by the extensive destruction wrought by yesterday’s Weld County tornado.

The Rocky Mountain News has a rolling feed of live coverage on events in Windsor and the surrounding areas - truly a 21st century newspaper feature. Fellow blogger Bob Agard has posted video from the opening of last night’s MSNBC News coverage - reminding us how truly amazing it is that the storm resulted in only one fatality.

Meanwhile, of most importance, if you are able to do anything to help our neighbors in need - the Centennial Chapter of the American Red Cross is collecting donations for local relief. And please remember to utter a prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down.

We should also be reminded of much larger international tragedies of late - and find good ways to help the victims in Myanmar and in China, such as World Vision or Caring for China.

Update, Part Deux: Sources have contacted me to correct my update. The Act hasn’t officially passed the Senate yet. The final vote will be later this week. The first vote was a procedural motion that appears to be a strong indicator of a final vote. Anyway, there is hope for this bad legislation to die yet.

Update: Just as I was publishing this post, it looks like the Act has passed the Senate, with a lot of so-called Republicans also enabling the legislation. So goes the world…

Unsurprisingly, the Democrats in Congress haven’t accomplished much since they took over. Most notably, Nancy Pelosi’s 2006 “plan” to bring down gas prices is still in the works.

One special interest group to which Democrats have been busy pandering is Big Labor. They keep trying to take away workers’ rights to a secret ballot (aka the “Employee Free Choice Act”) as a means of growing private-sector union membership.

Meanwhile, Democrats in Washington have been trying to coerce the growth of union clout in the public sector, too. The issue at hand is the Public Safety Employee-Employer Cooperation Act of 2007 (S. 2123), which has made its reappearance in the Senate, having initially stalled there after passing the House:

Under current law, every state has the ability to set policies that govern its public workforce. In some states, police, firefighters and paramedics belong to unions that collectively bargain for their contracts. In others, unions representing public-security workers can bargain over pay, but not over benefits or work rules. And in some others, these workers can choose not to belong to a union.

Democrats want to change this for the entire country. A bill that passed the House last year would make the top officials at local unions the exclusive bargaining agents for public safety officers in every town or city with more than 5,000 people. They would also have the authority to bargain for everything — pay, benefits and work rules. The goal is to give labor the whip hand with local governments, and further coerce nonunion members to join the dues-paying ranks.

A top-down dictum to small local governments to mandate union recognition for police, fire, and other public safety workers? It’s a lot more efficient for Big Labor leaders to push the change at the federal level than to wade through the various laws of different states that have different prevailing views about public-sector labor relations. And Congressional Democrats are enabling them, without any compelling reason in the public interest and, in fact, many potential harms to the public interest.

If you want more information, the Alliance for Worker Freedom has a ton of resources on the issue. There’s also a great brief written by James Sherk of the Heritage Foundation.

Last year, when this issue was first hot, I interviewed Weld County Sheriff John Cooke for an iVoices podcast to discuss the potential local impact of the federal legislation.

A major earthquake in China today strikes home with a couple of my Colorado blogging friends.

Jared and his wife are waiting to pick up their new son from China. Meanwhile, El Presidente waits to hear from “friends and former students” who live in the affected region.

As usual, if you are so inclined, prayers are in order.