Monday, June 23, 2014
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Cheney v. Paul
The ISIS blitzkrieg continued over the weekend. Four more Iraqi towns and two border checkpoints were seized by radical jihadists. The capture of the border checkpoints is a symbolic victory for ISIS, which is trying to recreate a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. And as more Iraqi towns fall to the terrorists, Secretary of State John Kerry is in Baghdad trying to negotiate a diplomatic solution.
Back in Washington, the right’s foreign policy fissures were on full display. Former Vice President Dick Cheney was on ABC’s “This Week” arguing for a more forceful response to the growing threat from radical Islamic terrorism, while Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was on NBC’s “Meet The Press” taking the opposite position.
Host David Gregory asked Sen. Paul about Cheney’s op-ed last week blaming Barack Obama’s failed foreign policy for the crisis in Iraq. Paul, who has expressed interest in seeking the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2016, used the opportunity to attack Bush/Cheney and to defend Barack Obama. Here’s what he said:
“I think the same questions could be asked of those who supported the Iraq War. You know, were they right in their predictions? Were there weapons of mass destruction there? That’s what the war was sold on. Was the war won in 2005, when many of these people said it was won? They didn’t really, I think, understand the civil war that would break out. And what’s going on now, I don’t blame on President Obama. Has he really got the solution? Maybe there is no solution. But I do blame the Iraq War on the chaos that is in the Middle East.”
Senator Paul is performing well in some polls, and I suspect it is because he occasionally shows real passion on some issues. But when it comes to America’s role in the world, Rand Paul is closer to Obama, Biden and Clinton than he is to Reagan and Bush.
A lot of ink has been spilled analyzing the battle between the GOP establishment and Tea Party. But what you saw on “Meet The Press” is a much more fundamental division within the GOP. When it comes to foreign policy, Rand Paul wants to fundamentally transform what the party believes in.
The Presbyterian Church Is Very PC
The 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) wrapped up this weekend. Delegates to the bi-annual assembly voted 310-to-303 to approve a resolution calling for the church to divest its financial holdings in three companies — Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions. The PCUSA contends that these companies facilitate acts of violence against the Palestinians.
Divestment campaigns against Israel are popular among politically correct leftists. Delegates narrowly rejected a divestment resolution two years ago. It is sad to see a major American church get dragged into this left-wing nonsense.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the vote as “disgraceful.” Netanyahu added:
“You know, I would suggest to those Presbyterian organizations to fly to the Middle East, come see Israel for the embattled democracy that it is, and then take a bus tour. Go to Libya, go to Syria, go to Iraq, and see the difference. And I would give them two pieces of advice: One is make sure it’s an armor-plated bus. And, second, don’t say that you’re Christians.”
To our Jewish friends and Israelis who receive this report, I know it must be shocking to see this so-called mainline church attempting to punish Israel given all the atrocities that are being committed by radical Islamists. But keep in mind that the PCUSA also just rejected God’s teachings on marriage.
If they are confused about something as simple as marriage, it’s not surprising that they would be confused about who the good guys are in the Middle East. It also explains why the church is hemorrhaging members.
Hillary’s Health
Hillary’s presidential ambitions have taken a beating recently. Her claims that she and Bill are not wealthy have liberal operatives worried and reporters laughing. Her book has fallen off of Amazon’s top ten best sellers list, suggesting the country may have “Clinton fatigue.” By the way, Sarah Palin crushes Clinton when it comes to selling books.
But sales could be the least of Hillary’s troubles. In his newest book, “Blood Feud,” author Edward Klein alleges that Hillary suffers from a serious heart condition. This is not the first time that Hillary’s health has become an issue.
Several weeks ago, Karl Rove made headlines for implying that Hillary may have suffered brain damage from a fall in 2012. While mocking “Dr. Rove” for his diagnosis, Bill Clinton slipped up when admitted that it was in fact “a terrible concussion” that “required six months of very serious work to get over.”
Priorities: Abortions Or Jobs?
In Friday’s report I mentioned that I addressed the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority conference. During my remarks, I made a number of comments about the sanctity of life — comments which more conservative leaders should be making as they try to reconnect with the values of Main Street Americans and overcome idiotic smears like the so-called “war on women.”
For example, I mentioned that in the last five years more babies have been aborted than jobs created. It is a simple statement of fact that speaks volumes about Washington’s misplaced priorities. It has been amazing to see how many media outlets picked up that line.
Today we hit the jackpot when Matt Drudge included it among his headlines. Hats off to our friends at CNSNews.com for their excellent reporting.
As a result, countless liberals are furiously setting their hair on fire as the left’s pro-abortion extremism is exposed.
But, as always, I couldn’t do this without you. It’s your support that makes this work possible! Thank you, my friends, for enabling me to be a voice for voiceless, innocent unborn babies and for conservative values.
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