Roe vs Wade - Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association

Weekly Update by Mark Armstrong – 8 July 2022

Mark Armstrong — Sat, 09 Jul 2022 00:16:48 +0000

Greetings from Tyler,

News of the shooting in a Copenhagen mall has circled the globe. Maybe if they only had stricter gun laws this wouldn’t have happened. Do you think somebody intent on killing people is going to care about the gun laws? Lawful citizens already have to abide all kinds of regulations and federal “checks” to see that they’re in compliance. Presumably the Copenhagen shooter fell through the cracks. They’ll definitely need to pass more laws to see that this doesn’t happen again.

Here at home, the Supreme Court is driving the usual suspects crazy. They struck down New York’s restrictive gun laws and the governor responded by making nearly everywhere someone might go a “gun-free zone.” Would be shooters can reasonably expect that they’ll get no resistance if they go to one of those.

This morning we woke up to the news of the assassination of Shinzo Abe, former Prime Minster of Japan and by all accounts a great and humble man. He was murdered by a homemade gun. Mr. Abe appeared and gave an eloquent speech at Pearl Harbor on the occasion of the 75^th anniversary, expressing grief and sorrow for the attack against the men in the service and their loved ones. He vowed, on behalf of Japan to never again resort to war, and promised to pursue a policy of peace. But that doesn’t cover it. He praised the freedom of America and the American people, something apparently abhorrent to our embarrassment of an administration and the mainstream ideology.

Gun laws are extremely strict in Japan, so much so that the average person would never dedicate so much time and trouble to following the stringent regulations. So this assassin just made them at home. He claimed he was trying to kill someone else. Either way, he was a fine man who rose above the visceral hatreds of the past and pledged peaceful cooperation on behalf of the Japanese people. Donald Trump loved Abe and thought very highly of him. That alone is enough to send liberals over the top with hatred, but they surely dare not express it right now. It seems like every world leader you can think of has come out and expressed their profound respect and sorrow.

Also this week we have the resignation of Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister of the U K. What a disappointment he turned out to be. We thought he’d be the Donald Trump of England, and then suddenly he was all about climate change and coronavirus restrictions. Then came the scandals, staples of British entertainment. When all the ministers who had supported him through those trials resigned, he knew it was over and said so in a very good-natured resignation speech. Apparently he will remain in office while succession is sorted out. You don’t suppose EU membership will be revisited?

When you look around the world, the nations that we have counted on to be sane are in a kind of political limbo. It’s hard to know what comes next in Israel. Boris is now just a place-holder, Canada has the heavy handed governance of Trudeau, and he’s buddies with Mark Rutte of Holland. They are both graduates of Klaus Schwab’s WEF. As we all know, that outfit knows everything about everything, way more than you or me. Especially when it comes to planetary survival.

We’ve reached the point where quoting the Declaration of Independence is an act of defiance against a government that has declared war on its citizens. You know the maneuver that temporarily stopped the rising price of gas? Strategic reserves were reportedly released on the world market and sold to China. If there were brokers in between, we’ll find out sooner or later. Probably later.

You’d think there was a five alarm emergency over the Supreme Court’s recent decision on Roe. There’s gnashing of teeth and all manner of nonsense. There should be a law! Make it an executive order! Several woke institutions want you to know that they’ll pay the travel and whatever other expenses for a woman who has to go out of state to procure “treatment.” Meanwhile, the true believers are still chasing Supreme Court Justices around.

You’d not know if limited to the mainstream news, the Dutch farmers have mounted a rebellion against EU plans to save the planet. It seems that they’ve got to cut nitrogen emissions, and that has all kinds of ramifications. It’s not exactly leading the news, but word is getting out. Police actually shot at a 16 year old driving a tractor around a roadblock. The crowds in protest are vast. It looks like the Dutch farmers have figured it out, and been pushed far enough. What’s everybody going to eat when the farms are interfering with planet saving measures? This climate-change farce looks like the bandwagon everyone has to get on, or else. That, and gay and tranny nonsense, reparations for racism and vaccine mandates.

They think they can repeal the Laws of God if they can just get enough of us to go along. If the mainstream media can just get most people to accept the logic put forth, then they’ll be happy knowing that rebellion against the Laws of nature is “universal.” The blurred “pride” logo on network TV and the internet tells us it’s universal, and we’re responding out loud. Not quite.

Mark

Source: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/fridayupdates.php

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Weekly Update by Mark Armstrong – 24 June 2022

Mark Armstrong — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 02:24:03 +0000

Greetings from Tyler,

Today is the day the mainstream has been dreading. In actual fact, the abortion issue has been handed back to the states. The 1973 ruling was invalidated as a matter of law. The idea that the U. S. Constitution handed some sacred “right” to women was a fantastic reach in the first place. Finally, nearly 50 years later, it’s been overturned. Some “crowds” (to be charitable) have been parading, banging drums and chanting in front of the homes of Supreme Court Justices. Who are these people? Are they wearing masks outdoors for fear of COVID, or to hide their identities?

If the hard left gets its way, there will be all kinds of mayhem. Nobody seems interested in prosecuting those trying to influence the decision, a crime though it may be. They seem to be doing the dirty work we were promised. Will it set off riots? Maybe looting and burning?

It’s Trump’s fault, of course. Him and his ultra-maga supporters. Biden is mad, Maxine Waters says they’re going to be out protesting in their thousands, or millions. “We are going to make sure we fight for the right to control our own bodies.” (Where was she during the mask mandate?) They’ll defy the Supreme Court. How, other than causing a ruckus, we’ll see.

Obama says the court has curtailed our freedoms. Michelle is heartbroken. It is a “horrifying decision.” They’re both calling on people to join protests and give Planned Parenthood support. The Justice Dept. says it will “use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive freedom.” It’s hard to know what that means, but the weeks ahead should give us some idea. AOC is shown with her mouth wide open, talking about “birthing people” and chanting with protesters. I guess this is supposed to let us know she thinks men can get pregnant. But sure enough, some states are announcing that abortion is illegal, as of today.

World leaders are appalled. Especially Justin Trudeau of Canada. He’s horrified and can’t imagine the fear and anger that it will cause. Even Boris Johnson is bent out of shape. Just when the whole world was seeing the light and liberalizing laws governing abortion.

It’s the second time this week they’ve seen the court rule against their beloved philosophy. First it struck down New York’s gun law. So they were already ticked. The abortion ruling though, just might drive them over the edge. The police caught a guy who said he’d come to “kill Kavanaugh.” No big deal, according to the mainstream media. Hardly worth reporting. But all bets are off as we wait to see how crazy the protesters will get. This may well justify riots and looting. Even if the rioters and looters don’t know what they’re mad about. Riot police are staging outside the Supreme Court, just in case. But not everybody is down in the dumps. Some are celebrating. Trump says to God be the glory.

What ever happened to Ukraine? It’s not in the news much lately. The last thing we heard was that we were going to send billions of dollars and more. Apparently Russia has had to call in troops that were stationed in other hot spots. Some are worried that this thing may drag on and that other countries may get involved causing an escalation that may get out of control. We hope they’re wrong.

Meanwhile UN officials are warning of food shortages. The pope is hinting at resignation. Maybe he’s done enough damage. The American economy is reeling from inflation being driven by the pretend administration’s war on oil. They want you to know there’s nothing more they can do. But at least something’s gone right today. Have a great Sabbath.

Mark

P.S. The new Feast brochures are printed and will be going out with the next letter, probably Monday or Tuesday.

Source: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/fridayupdates.php

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Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending right to abortion upheld for decades

Nina Totenberg — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 20:46:30 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court officially reversed Roe v. Wade on Friday, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion upheld for nearly a half century, no longer exists.

Writing for the court majority, Justice Samuel Alito said that the 1973 Roe ruling and repeated subsequent high court decisions reaffirming Roe “must be overruled” because they were “egregiously wrong,” the arguments “exceptionally weak” and so “damaging” that they amounted to “an abuse of judicial authority.”

The decision, most of which was leaked in early May, means that abortion rights will be rolled back in nearly half of the states immediately, with more restrictions likely to follow. For all practical purposes, abortion will not be available in large swaths of the country. The decision may well mean too that the court itself, as well as the abortion question, will become a focal point in the upcoming fall elections and in the fall and thereafter.

Joining the Alito opinion were Justice Clarence Thomas, appointed by the first President Bush, and the three Trump appointees — Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Chief Justice Roberts, appointed by President George W. Bush, concurred in the judgment only, and would have limited the decision to upholding the Mississippi law at issue in the case, which banned abortions after 15 weeks.

Dissenting were Justices Stephen Breyer, appointed by President Clinton, and Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, appointed by President Obama.

“With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent,” they wrote.

Alito’s opinion is a tour de force of the various criticisms of Roe that have long existed in academia
Indeed, the 78-page opinion, which has a 30-page appendix, seemingly leaves no authority uncited as support for the proposition that there is no inherent right to privacy or personal autonomy in various provisions of the Constitution — and similarly, no evidence that peoples’ reliance on the court’s abortion precedents over the past half century should matter.

Alito pointed for instance, to Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 decision that upheld the central holding of Roe and was written by Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Anthony Kennedy and David Souter, all Republican appointees to the court. Alito pointed to language in the Casey opinion that he said “conceded” reliance interests were not really implicated because contraception could prevent almost all unplanned pregnancies.

In fact, though, that 1992 opinion went on to dismiss that very argument as “unrealistic,” because it “refuse[s] to face the fact” that for decades “people have organized intimate relationships and made choices … in reliance on the availability of abortion in the event that contraception should fail.” Not exactly the concession that Alito described.

It is not unusual for justices to cherry pick quotes but not so out of context and not from former colleagues who are still alive and privately, not amused at all.

In the end, though, Alito’s opinion has a larger objective, perhaps multiple objectives.

Writing for the majority, he said forthrightly that abortion is a matter to be decided by states and the voters in the states. “We hold,” he wrote, that “the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion.” As to what standard the courts should apply in the event that a state regulation is challenged, Alito said any state regulation of abortion is presumptively valid and “must be sustained if there is a rational basis on which the legislature could have thought” it was serving “legitimate state interests,” including “respect for and preservation of prenatal life at all stages of development.” In addition, he noted, states are entitled to regulate abortion to eliminate “gruesome and barbaric” medical procedures; to “preserve the integrity of the medical profession”; and to prevent discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or disability, including barring abortion in cases of fetal abnormality.

Ultimately, the translation of all that is that states appear to be completely free to ban abortions for any reason.

Near the end of the opinion, Alito sought to allay fears about the wide-ranging nature of his opinion. “To ensure that our decision is not misunderstood or mischaracterized, we emphasize that our decision concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right. Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion. ”

But in his concurrent opinion, Justice Thomas said the legal rationale for Friday’s decision could be applied to overturn other major cases, including those that legalized gay marriage.

“For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” he wrote. “Because any substantive due process decision is ‘demonstrably erroneous.'”

The court’s liberals noted that Thomas’s language cast doubts on Alito’s majority opinion that said the court’s decision did not mean that cases like Obergefell would be affected.

“The first problem with the majority’s account comes from Justice Thomas’s concurrence—which makes clear he is not with the program,” they wrote. “In saying that nothing in today’s opinion casts doubt on non-abortion precedents, Justice Thomas explains, he means only that they are not at issue in this very case.”

The next steps on abortion across the country would play out in a variety of ways, almost all of them resulting in abortion bans.

Several states — among them Mississippi, North Carolina, and Wisconsin — still have decades-old abortion bans on their books; with Roe overturned, those states could revert to a pre-Roe environment. Officials in such states could seek to enforce old laws, or ask the courts to reinstate them. For example, a Michigan law dating back to 1931 would make abortion a felony. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has been working to try to block that law.

A cascade of newly active state laws
Another path to banning abortion involves “trigger bans,” newer laws pushed through by anti-abortion rights legislators in many states in anticipation of the Supreme Court’s action. Some 15 states – in the South, West and Midwest – have such laws in place, according to CRR and Guttmacher, but they fall into different categories.

Some states will act quickly to ban abortion. According to a new analysis by the Guttmacher Institute, South Dakota, Kentucky and Louisiana have laws in place that lawmakers designed explicitly to take effect immediately upon the fall of the Roe precedent. Idaho, Tennessee, and Texas – where most abortions are already illegal after about six weeks of pregnancy – have similar laws, which would take effect after 30 days. Guttmacher says seven other “trigger ban” states have laws that would require state officials such as governors or attorneys general to take action to implement them.

“We have been talking to all of those about acting immediately,” Liebel told NPR. “So when that happens, let’s be ready. How do you get that back into play?”

In recent years, many states also have passed gestational bans prohibiting abortion at various stages of pregnancy. Courts have blocked many of those laws in response to legal challenges, including laws in Georgia, Ohio, and Idaho that ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Now those laws may take effect immediately. So too, could a law recently enacted in Oklahoma, that makes performing abortion a felony punishable by time in prison.

“It will be a tremendous change in an incredibly short period of time,” said Julie Rikelman, senior director of litigation at the Center for Reproductive Rights. Rikelman argued the Center’s challenge to Mississippi’s abortion ban at Supreme Court this term.

A host of other restrictions could limit where, by whom, and under what conditions abortion can be provided. Some examples include laws requiring parental notification or consent for abortions involving patients who are minors; and other health regulations for doctors and clinics that many medical groups say are unnecessary, expensive, and difficult to comply with.

Finally, Liebel said some governors may consider calling special sessions to pass new legislation in response to Friday’s ruling.

More legal uncertainty
Legal experts say the court’s decision will pose new questions for other courts to deal with – questions about how to apply the specific language of the final ruling to individual state laws.

If Roe is indeed overturned or substantially rolled back, Rikelman, the Center for Reproductive rights attorney, predicts “legal chaos” in states across the country in the immediate aftermath of the decision.

“I think what we will see is far more litigation in the federal courts – not less litigation,” Rikelman said.

Some states such as Texas and Oklahoma have multiple abortion restrictions on the books, raising potential questions about which ones would be valid. Those laws each include different provisions and carry different penalties, adding to the potential confusion and prompting additional litigation in state and federal courts.

Liebel, with SBA Pro-Life America, acknowledged that more legal battles are likely.

“That’s gonna take us back, frankly, to where we always have been. Each side tries to put their big toe right on that line and push the envelope,” Liebel said.

Battles in state courts are also likely. Some state constitutions may offer protections for abortion rights notwithstanding the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. In Florida, for example, the American Civil Liberties Union and other reproductive rights groups are challenging a 15-week abortion ban modeled on Mississippi’s law, on the grounds that it violates privacy rights protections guaranteed in Florida’s state constitution.

Even without overturning Roe, Rikelman points to the Texas law known as S.B. 8, which took effect in September. The law, which has spawned several copycat proposals in other states, including Oklahoma, relies on individuals filing civil lawsuits to enforce an abortion ban.

Interstate enforcement battles
Abortion bans in restrictive states will likely bleed over to states that protect abortion rights as well, Rikelman said. She notes that some state lawmakers are trying to prohibit people in other states from providing abortions to their residents.

“What we are seeing already are states and state legislators impacting even people’s ability to access abortion in places where it would remain legal,” she said.

For example, an omnibus abortion law passed by a Republican supermajority in Kentucky earlier this year includes a host of new requirements for dispensing medication abortion pills, and a provision for extraditing people from other states who illegally provide abortion pills to Kentuckians. It’s unclear how enforceable those types of laws would be.

Meanwhile, some states are trying to expand access to abortion in preparation for more patients traveling from restrictive states for procedures. Connecticut lawmakers passed legislation this year designed to protect abortion providers from out-of-state lawsuits.

“This just raises a whole host of issues,” Rikelman said. “All of those different disputes will have to be worked out in the courts” including, potentially, in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Even as abortions have now become far more restricted overall, the Guttmacher Institute reports that the long-term decline in abortions has reversed. In 2020, there were 930,160 abortions in the U.S., an increase of 8 percent more abortions than in 2017. The Institute also said that at the same time, fewer people were getting pregnant and among those who did, a larger proportion chose to have an abortion.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-decision-overturn

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Weekly Update by Mark Armstrong – 10 June 2022

Mark Armstrong — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 23:05:15 +0000

Greetings from Tyler,

We didn’t know how the world could be so upside down. Prosecutors seem to be on the side of criminals. How is it that violent felons get off with a slap on the wrist, to go out and wreak mayhem? We have the unbelievable situation where Supreme Court justices are being heckled at their homes with people in the streets banging drums and shouting chants. Not that that’s not a crime, and a serious one. But it seems they’re doing the bidding of those that loved the sacred “right” the Supreme Court gave them back in the Seventies. Somebody with a gun apparently told Police he was there to “kill Kavanaugh.” These political criminals aren’t the smartest in the world. But they do have a support group that shrugs and says, “I told you we were going to have problems.”

“He will pay the price!” That’s what an angry politician said about Brett Kavanaugh, suspecting that he’s swayed the court against Roe vs. Wade. Is this the price? “You won’t know what hit you!” Those sound like intemperate remarks. But what do you know? He was right. Must be a touch clairvoyant.

We’re not about to recount all the problems that have been caused since the suspicious election. What we know for sure is that we’re deep into Jimmy Carter territory. If you were up and running, you’ll remember that as the most humiliating and depressing experience ever. Until now.

Interest rates haven’t yet reached the heights of the early Eighties, but everything else is not good. We see examples of criminals visiting violence on unsuspecting citizens, and they’re right back out committing additional crimes. It’s a trend. We just can’t watch all the idiotic decisions being made, or the excuses made for everything going wrong. Nothing makes sense anymore, and we get hammered about discrimination or bigotry for refusing to celebrate, or “honor” ridiculous movements determined to rope everybody in. If you don’t celebrate “pride month,” you must be a bigoted discriminator. Just one question. What are they so proud about? I don’t think that has ever been answered. But if you don’t celebrate pride month, you might be a bigot. Nobody will tell these goofballs how stupid this all is. Who would dare!

We’re expected to believe, or if not, at least pretend to believe all the nonsense that spews from the mainstream. Last night they treated us to some slickly produced propaganda. It was on at least eight channels LIVE. I heard some of the opening statements, despite not watching the charade in its entirety. The upshot is that President Trump had a plan to overthrow the government, and the “insurrection” was the result. Don’t say it wasn’t an insurrection, or some heads might explode. So, it was an insurrection that Donald Trump devised, and you must repeat that and at least pretend to believe it, or you might be an accomplice.

There’s never been anything as bad as Trump, or any supporters that haven’t denounced him. The committee chairman on the podium on TV news and on the radio said that attempts to justify what actually happened on Jan. 6 reminds him of slavery, the Ku Klux Klan and I don’t know what all. Let’s all line up and feel for the poor guy. Of all the things that were going to turn the public against Donald Trump or make you afraid to stand for any of the values of the United States, this may have been the weakest. You haven’t forgotten COLLUSION with Russia, the lead story for two years. Nor the impeachment over a phone call. This was hopefully the last attempt to falsify the record and present something of substance. It failed to live up to the hype, despite all the grim faces. They edited statements and audio clips as if we didn’t know that the full statements blew their whole theory. They’ve done it before. We’re wise to it.

If against all odds there should be a resurgence of Trump support or the man should have any further success in politics, you can expect more. Not only that, we all better get used to being targeted. Nothing we believe lines up with these new “values” that are all over television or the internet. Nobody will say the obvious. Pride month can’t be over soon enough. It’s just designed to make us go along, or get used to wearing some stupid labels. I’ll take the labels any day. There comes a time when you just have to say, “NO!”

Mark

Source: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/fridayupdates.php

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Weekly Update by Mark Armstrong – 6 May 2022

Mark Armstrong — Fri, 06 May 2022 21:26:44 +0000

Greetings from Tyler,

There has to be an explanation for the attack on the very core of what made America a great country. A possible answer is, they’re just trying to tick us off. The speeches, the decisions, the whimsical creation of a truth governance. The appointment of a truly comical figure, one who has humiliated herself publicly on many an occasion, and been flat wrong in public pronouncements. But then again, she says what her employers want us to hear.

We can only assume the ludicrous move was an attempt to calm the hurt feelings of those who have seen themselves losing control. If twitter won’t brand, ban, and de-platform the purveyors of “misinformation,” at least the state is moving in to fill the void. That ought to fix the ultra-whack jobs who think free speech should be allowed. The Constitution itself has become the enemy, and all attempts to align with it must be stopped!

It’s an obvious response to the purchase of twitter, and the bitter tears. A stranger female couldn’t have been chosen to head up the new bureau . We know it, and they know we know it. That’s why the obvious conclusion is that they’re just trying to irritate us. We’ve been irritable about the obvious corruption too many times. This time we have to recognize it for what it is, an obvious ploy that has no chance of passing Constitutional muster. The great villains of history have all employed such an agency, and this one will be ridiculed, lampooned and ignored.

Everything is settled science, and we’ll either acknowledge that 2+2 equals five, or suffer the wrath of agencies corrupted to protect the establishment. They know global warming doesn’t hold water. That’s why they won’t discuss it further. Especially after the main “scientists” got caught making up the “proof.” If you’re a “denier,” you can’t be a serious individual. Who comes up with these monikers? It wouldn’t matter, except the media repeats terms that are meant to demean. They’ve stopped trying to prove their point.

The life-blood of the economy is oil. It’s in almost everything, to one degree or another. So that’s been made the enemy. It’s destroying the planet! They’ve got to stamp out oil production to save the planet. It defies imagination. Words that can’t be said unfortunately come to mind.

The same thing happened with religion a long time ago. A party line has been established, and any variance with it will result in instant dismissal. It’s such a joke. Empty churches are thriving because they’re getting paid to settle migrants. They make them disappear, and get paid. Watching, as I did years ago, one of the famous TV preachers trying to explain the doctrine of the trinity, he fell all over himself. Finally, in exasperation he said, “It’s a sign of your faith that you believe it even though you can’t understand it.” Oh, that’s great. In the statement was the “doctrine” that you can’t be a Christian if you refuse to sign on to the un-explainable belief. There you have it. Either sign on, or you can’t be in good standing with the rest of the believers. They can’t explain it either, but they’re all about getting rid of you if you won’t “confess” like they’ve all done. It seemed a small price for admission into the “Christian” fraternity.

Garner Ted Armstrong said that God is logical. Everything makes sense. The complexities of nature strain our ability to understand, but everything makes perfect sense. He controls our environment, regardless of the ignorant rantings of those paid to be lunatics. If some outfit claims they stand for diversity, inclusion, and are busily saving the planet, it’s time to cut bait.

Monday, May 1 came the revelation that the Supreme Court is about to reverse the federal abortion law. The one that found a Constitutional “right” for abortion at any stage. It’s been almost fifty years, and finally a case has been considered. It’s been opined that the release of this “draft” decision of the Supreme court was leaked in order to blunt the effect, and throw shade on the release of the movie 2000 Mules. The chief Justice confirmed that the draft is legitimate. Stand by for the rage of the main characters. “Pocahontas” nearly burst a blood vessel, she was so mad. Somewhere along the line the word “doxxing” got invented. It took place long before the internet, but we’re being told to treat it like it’s a new invention. Now they’ve published the physical addresses of the Supreme Court justices. Surely they’ve got protection, but can you imagine the scene?

Apparently this is the hill the idiots have chosen to die on. The trinity of politics is seen as under assault. “How dare they!” Kamala demands. The pretend administration is going to do everything within its power to see that this precious “right,” sloppily asserted amid the feminist wave of the ‘70’s, is upheld if they have to pass a law! That would do it. Pass a law, that will then be challenged all the way to the same court. Now that will have to be carefully written.

It’s a doctrine that justifies the “re-imagining” of the Supreme Court, or at least it’s packing with like-minded nitwits, like the one just appointed to head the truth commission. Howling at the sky is also a perfectly reasonable option, preferably on the front lawn of a Supreme Court justice. You can’t underestimate the dignity of the people on the ground. Incredibly, the red-headed spokes-lady is justifying the “protests” before they happen. You might say she’s calling for them. “As you know, the United States has a long history of protests, and we certainly encourage people to keep it peaceful…” So a mob shows up in front of your house, bullhorns blaring, chanting like a bunch of magpies. I think they just proved the opening point. They’re just trying to tick us off. Not that some can’t be paid to make a nuisance of themselves. When someone calls the police, is that what they’re going to be told, “There’s a proud tradition of protest?”

Somehow the whole concept has been corrupted. What was intended as a conversation with your representative has turned into mob intimidation. The red head is all for it. That means whoever is authoring the teleprompter is all for it. You’d think the sky was falling when the states will call their own shots. Can you believe the list of major corporations lining up to pay for travel expenses? It seems like all the big names are hurrying to let us know they too are on board with whatever drives you to distraction. Make them go broke. They worship money. Maybe they’ll change their tune when they realize the majority is not moved by all their self-righteousness.

Mark

Source: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/fridayupdates.php

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Democrats worry they lack a plan to fight back on Roe v. Wade

Morgan Chalfant and Amie Parnes — Fri, 06 May 2022 11:49:49 +0000

Democrats are worried their party lacks a clear plan to push back at what is certain to be an onslaught of abortion restrictions in the wake of a Supreme Court draft ruling striking down Roe v. Wade.

While Democrat after Democrat has cried out over the possibility a conservative Supreme Court could eviscerate abortion rights, strategists say little is being offered in terms of a clear way to fight back.

Some also say the party wasn’t ready for something that was clearly coming down the pike.

“Why are we so behind the curve on this? Where is the plan? We knew this was coming in theory since Coney Barrett joined the court, and in practice since December,” said Democratic strategist Christy Setzer.

“I don’t want to hear empty rhetoric about how ‘we won’t go back,’ I want to hear that there is a legislative or federal plan to change things,” she added.

President Biden and Vice President Harris have assailed the leaked draft opinion. In an impassioned speech at the EMILY’s List gala on Tuesday night, Harris declared that women’s rights were under attack, previewing her party’ midterm messaging.

Strategists say the rage is real. But they are worried the party has no real strategy.

“We’re all so enraged but now what? What’s the plan? Sadly, I don’t think we have one,” said one strategist. “There’s so much talk of ‘We can’t let this happen.’ But I don’t think anyone knows what to do next.”

There are significant limits to what the White House and Democrats in Congress can do if the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade and GOP states begin to outlaw abortion rights.

Previous efforts to codify abortion rights into law have failed and Democrats do not have the votes in Congress to overcome a filibuster.

“I think their options are very limited, and what I’ve been advising is for the White House to focus on winnable battles,” said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law professor at Georgetown University.

While some progressive Democrats have renewed a push to do away with the legislative filibuster, Biden isn’t joining that effort – at least not yet. Instead, he’s called on voters to elect more pro-abortion Democrats to Congress, a message echoed throughout his administration.

Democrats may not even have 50 votes to codify abortion rights. Sen. Joe Manchin (R-W.Va.), who describes himself as a pro-life Democrat, voted against advancing the Women’s Health Protection Act earlier this year.

Biden has ordered the Gender Policy Council and the White House counsel’s office to develop a response plan in preparation for a Supreme Court ruling, but it’s too early to know what that plan will entail. Any steps could also face legal challenges from Republican attorneys general.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that the administration will not release its plan until after the final opinion is released, conscious of not getting ahead of the official ruling expected to come over the next two months.

“We don’t have a final conclusion. The Supreme Court themselves made clear this is not the final opinion,” Psaki said. “We are already working a great deal behind the scenes and we will have more to say.”

Psaki said that officials across the administration are focused on helping those who will be most affected by the ruling, including women of color and poorer Americans who will face bigger financial challenges accessing abortions if Roe is overturned and states enact restrictions. The White House believes that as many as 26 states will move to restrict abortion if the draft opinion holds.

Gostin offered that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could prepare a report on the physical and mental consequences for women for don’t have access to safe and lawful abortions. He also said the Food and Drug Administration could expand its guidance on the use of abortion pills, such as specifying where people can safely order them.

He also said that Biden is considering allowing the use of Medicaid funding to pay for time off and travel for women who need to travel out-of-state to receive abortions.

The administration’s actions thus far have offered little solace to frustrated Democrats.

Some progressives are calling for more aggressive action, including renewing a controversial push to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court.

“We aren’t powerless,” Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said on an organizing call for the progressive advocacy group Demand Justice Wednesday night. “Two things that we must do to protect and preserve our democracy: one, we must get rid of the filibuster and, two, we need to add some seats to the United States Supreme Court.”

Meanwhile, a coalition of organizations including Planned Parenthood, MoveOn and Women’s March announced plans Thursday to hold marches in four major cities including in Washington, D.C., as part of a coordinated effort to protest the forthcoming ruling.

The White House has pointed to steps the administration has already taken, such as creating $6.6 million in grants for family planning services and emergency contraception for people in states with restrictive laws.

“We are going to double down on the effort to make sure that the legal rights of all Americans, women to access the care that they’re entitled to continues forward,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told lawmakers at a Senate hearing this week.

Gostin said the White House was unprepared for the uproar created by the leaked draft opinion earlier this week.

“The leak has really made this an outsized public and political issue even more so than the actual opinion would have been,” he said. “It’s caused a huge political tsunami.”

Source: https://thehill.com/news/administration/3479097-democrats-worry-they-lack-a-plan-to-fight-back-on-roe-v-wade/

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Supreme Court set to overturn Roe v. Wade, leaked draft opinion shows: report

Bradford Betz | Fox News — Mon, 02 May 2022 03:12:53 +0000

Until an official opinion is signed, Roe v. Wade remains.

The Supreme Court is poised to strike down Roe v. Wade, according to an unprecedented leak of a draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito.

The draft leak obtained by Politico was written in early February. It was not immediately clear if it has been rewritten or revised. Fox News is not being waived off the story.

Until an official opinion is signed and released by the Court, Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land. Drafts circulate and change, as do votes.

Should Roe v. Wade be overturned, abortions would be left for the states to decide.

Fox News has reached out to the White House for comment.

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Disclosing a draft opinion in a Supreme Court case is an extremely rare occurrence. Harvard law professor emeritus appeared on Fox News ‘Hannity’ Monday evening to discuss the report, saying he could not think of a historical precedent.

Kevin Corke@kevincorke
Court watchers are practically incandescent at this alleged leak. Says @JonathanTurley:

*It is hard not to view this as a malicious act.

*A breach of the most fundamental obligations and traditions of the Court.

*The greatest crisis Chief Justice Roberts has faced on the Court.

Jonathan Turley@JonathanTurley
The alleged leak of the opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is nothing short of breathtaking. It would constitute one of the greatest breaches of security in the history of the Court.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Bradford Betz is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to bradford.betz@fox.com and on Twitter: @Bradford_Betz.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/supreme-court-overturn-roe-draft-leaked-draft-opinion-report

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The post Supreme Court set to overturn Roe v. Wade, leaked draft opinion shows: report first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Weekly Update by Mark Armstrong – 26 November 2021

Mark Armstrong — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 22:58:02 +0000

Greetings from Tyler,

What is this, a Biblical pestilence? Did you ever doubt for a moment that there would be “variants,” lots of them? It’s uncanny. Just when the reports were that cases were on the wane we have a brand new global panic. Financial markets are falling apart, travel restrictions are being announced and the WHO is holding a special session. Dr. Fauci will be on all the mainstream outlets with sage pronouncements of sound advice. He’ll tell you what to do, where to and where not to go and what kind of mask you should wear when you get there. Maybe wear the mask while driving alone.

A majority of states are suing the central government over shot requirements and mask mandates. In Texas, the governor issued an executive order banning schools from enacting mask requirements. One court struck it down and has since been overruled. It’s hard to keep up with all the twists and turns over who’s in charge around here. Is it the governor, is it the Judge, is it the President, or is it Dr. Fauci? Be frightened if you must, but these arrogant bureaucrats have grown awfully bold with their authority. Did somebody elect these people and give them unbridled power? In some cases, we’re told, yes.

We don’t even want to know the extent of the anti-racist, pro-global warming mandates being pushed by “elected officials” in the lost paradise of California. No doubt, California has everything anybody could want. Over the years it’s lost its sanity. What a blessed region and a wonderful climate. Unfortunately the people there have had to suffer one indignity after another.

The cities were overrun with “homeless” who could do no wrong. Then a flood of illegal aliens, also immune from criticism. But the latest craze surely can’t continue without somebody getting hurt. That’s the worst thing, and the one thing government won’t tolerate. Violence!!

When we saw some years ago the advent of “flash-mobs,” we knew no good could come from it. Apparently the strategy has been honed to perfection. High end department stores are blocked with cars while the occupants in ski-masks cart away all the merchandise they can carry. No doubt the offenders feel justified. You know, discrimination, white supremacy and racism. Don’t think for a minute that we’ve heard the last of it. What’s next? Armed guards? Mainstream media would be inconsolable.

It’s almost axiomatic that whatever transpires on the West coast is due to sweep the nation if not the world within a couple of years. It will be interesting to see whether the rest of the nation will sit still for that kind of authoritarianism. But here comes FEAR and all the authority needed to manage it. They don’t know yet but they suspect… We’ll have to wait weeks for the details, but they suspect that there may be many mutations, and don’t yet know if the vaccines are effective against the B.1.1.529 out of South Africa.

What happened to the letters of the Greek alphabet? Maybe they were starting to lose their ability to frighten the masses. The new variant has shown up in Israel and in Europe, and South Africa is in the process of being quarantined from the rest of the world.

It’s not exactly burning up the front pages, but massive protests have been mounted all over the world. From Australia to Europe and here at home, people are breaking the rules to let the infallible bureaucrats know that they’re all through taking orders, following mandates or being “quarantined” by “health officials” with an authority complex.

Suddenly news reporters are mostly advocates for the most intrusive of requirements. Just do it! They advise that you’ll only be safe if you do what you’re told. They hope we’ll live our lives in fear, always mindful of the latest mandate. It’s a litigation dream come true. We’ll just have to wait for everything to wind its way through the judicial system. Apparently the Supreme Court has agreed to take a case that has ramifications for Roe vs. Wade. Maybe defunding the police wasn’t such a good idea. You know cities will burn, high end stores will be robbed blind, and it will all be acceptable to the mainstream. They’ll call it social justice, or some mis-nomer.

Officials are arguing about what “fully vaccinated” even means. How many booster shots are we supposed to take before we get the green light. The officials are deep in consultation. May it not go well. As it is, we don’t know if it’s our fault. How corrupt is it going to get before big troubles begin? Or have they already?

Mark

Source: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org/fridayupdates.php

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Alabama lawmakers pass another contentious abortion bill

Clyde Hughes - UPI — Thu, 23 May 2019 19:19:38 +0000

May 23 (UPI) — A week after Alabama passed one of the United States’ most restrictive anti-abortion laws, state lawmakers approved a proposal that criminalizes doctors who don’t make every effort to save a baby’s life in the event of a failed abortion.

The Alabama House passed the proposed law by a vote of 66-18 Tuesday, which now heads to the Senate.

If signed into law, the bill requires physicians to perform life-saving procedures to aid fetuses after failed abortions. If they fail to comply, doctors face up to 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.Debate over the new bill was as sharply divided as the “heartbeat” law the chamber passed last week.

Critics of the bill argued that it’s unnecessary and politically-motivated, since late-term abortions in Alabama are already illegal.

“The situation still exists to where it could still happen,” Rep. Ginny Shaver, the bill’s author, replied.

Gov. Kay Ivey signed the “heartbeat” law May 15, which bans nearly all abortions and imposes a penalty of up to 99 years in prison for doctors who perform abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detectable.

Shaver said she was inspired to write the bill after hearing stories about failed abortions, but Democratic Rep. Merika Coleman said that’s hearsay with no supporting testimony or statistics on the rate of late-term abortions in Alabama.

“I think it’s irresponsible for us as a legislature to pass laws when we don’t have the data that actually backs it up,” Coleman said.

The Alabama bills are part of a growing national movement by conservatives to outlaw abortion — which aims to get the issue before the U.S. Supreme Court for a possible dismissal of Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized the procedure nationwide. Thousands of demonstrators on Tuesday staged rallies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., in support of abortion rights.

Source: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/05/23/3471558626797/?sl=2

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The post Alabama lawmakers pass another contentious abortion bill first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

VA governor isn’t backing down from comments defending third-trimester abortion

EWTN News Nightly — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 10:21:07 +0000

The post VA governor isn’t backing down from comments defending third-trimester abortion first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.