Frist Set to Use Religious Stage on Judicial Issue

[Jon8503]

Isn't this Church's getting involved in politics and shouldn't the IRS
look at this???
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

Published: April 15, 2005


WASHINGTON, April 14 - As the Senate heads toward a showdown over the rules governing judicial confirmations, Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, has agreed to join a handful of prominent Christian conservatives in a telecast portraying Democrats as "against people of faith" for blocking President Bush's nominees.

Fliers for the telecast, organized by the Family Research Council and scheduled to originate at a Kentucky mega church the evening of April 24, call the day "Justice Sunday" and depict a young man holding a Bible in one hand and a gavel in the other. The flier does not name participants, but under the heading "the filibuster against people of faith," it reads: "The filibuster was once abused to protect racial bias, and it is now being used against people of faith."

Organizers say they hope to reach more than a million people by distributing the telecast to churches around the country, over the Internet and over Christian television and radio networks and stations.

Dr. Frist's spokesman said the senator's speech in the telecast would reflect his previous remarks on judicial appointments. In the past he has consistently balanced a determination "not to yield" on the president's nominees with appeals to the Democrats for compromise. He has distanced himself from the statements of others like the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, who have attacked the courts, saying they are too liberal, "run amok" or are hostile to Christianity.

The telecast, however, will put Dr. Frist in a very different context. Asked about Dr. Frist's participation in an event describing the filibuster "as against people of faith," his spokesman, Bob Stevenson, did not answer the question directly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/15/politics/15judges.html?hp&ex=1113624000&en=0b42a55582cd9ab5&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[NVMojo]

1. Frist is a Christian?? didn't the Bible once say something about it

being easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle then it would be for a rich man to get into heaven? Now why would the good book say that? Probably has something to do with how people get rich. It's usually done at the expense of others and pure greed. Let's look at the real Frist family Robinson clan. How did they get rich? How do they continue to be rich? Making dough off of providing "for-profit healthcare" would make them rich men as they gauge America for an essential service.

What's the ratio of RICH Christians to POOR & MIDDLE CLASS Christians? It's time for Jesus to wake these poor fools up! They are unequally yoked to their filthy ass rich bretheran like the Frists. The time will come when they wake up and realize how they helped America get SCREWED. Thank you, Jesus????

[CoolOnion]

3. Check this out--from DriveDemocracy

"Those on the left who are waiting for progressive religious leaders to add their voices to the national political debate need wait no longer. A powerful assembly of religious leaders from a variety of traditions gathered at Riverside Church in New York on April 4. Their message was loud and clear: the militarism of Bush, the widening divide between rich and poor, the failure to provide families with health care, education, safe neighborhoods, even food, demands a revolution...

"...Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., senior pastor at Riverside, is quickly emerging as a powerful new voice in American religion and politics. He led the event at Riverside. Also speaking were Sister Joan Chittister, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr., Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Imam Feisal Rauf, Rev. Dr. William Sinkford, and others...

"...The April 4 event marked the 38th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “Beyond Vietnam” speech at Riverside. I think he would have been proud of the gathering at Riverside on April 4, 2005."

Read all about it and watch video of the event at Drive Democracy:
http://www.drivedemocracy.org/blog/index.php?p=253

[OETKB]

2. Consistency

No wavering in this crowd. Even when the evidence mounts against them they push on. And what company--Dobson, Colson etc. We must figure out how to put these people back in the political closet. Their influence must be removed before we all go to hell in a hand basket.

[CoolOnion]

5. We should ask what branch of Christianity...

...they would like to establish as the U.S. state religion. We should keep asking until they have to answer this question.

[Vickers]

6. That is an excellent idea!

The fringe ones would scare the mainstream, and the regular ones wouldn't be enough for the fringe.

Brilliant!

[CoolOnion]

8. All ther rabid anti-Catholicism would come out for sure

[NickofTime]

11. The Only True Answer to The Christian Kooks

Only True Word

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Interesting that Frist is framing the debate this way

saying the filibuster used to be used in regards to racism. Because if memory serves, one of the handful of judicial nominees not rubber stamped by Congress was denied his post because of his racist leanings.

Democrats in leadership positions need to educate the public as to the reasons these nominees were rejected, and show that the basis for rejection had nothing to do with faith.

I'm sick of this "poor persecuted Christian" excuse for everything.

[Kindigger]

7. Last Sunday Morning

I don't know if anyone saw this after Face the Nation. * himself did a commercial congratulating the Crystal Cathedral on its 25th anniversary.

Wonder who payed for that?

[liberal N proud]

9. No wait a munite:

"Senator Frist is doing everything he can to ensure judicial nominees are treated fairly and that every senator has the opportunity to give the president their advice and consent through an up or down vote,"

As long as they are voting with Frist on the nominees!

[Q]

10. But isn't this 'hostile' to a secular government and society?

These people seem to think that only THEY should have a say in these matters. The Constitution clearly sets conditions where the minority has a voice in rejecting or accepting these appointments. This is to prevent either side from stacking the courts...which is obviously what the GOPers are trying to do. This is also something the Republicans took full advantage of when THEY were in the minority.

And now we know why the Framers erected a 'wall that separates' church and state. They knew of the dangers a theocracy presented to a Democratic Republic. They wrote the Constitution based on their real life experiences with the Church/State of England and the divine right of kings.

[salin]

12. This needs immediate push-back

far too many folks in this country do not pay attention to this rhetoric - but get a sort of overall "impression" that sticks with them. When it is obviously over the line (eg the attack on spongebob) the impression is dismissive. When it isn't - something just lingers in the not paying attention public psyche. WE need to make sure that the impression is that these folks are abusing power, are insinuating that blocking an attempt to upset constitutional balances of powers are somehow against Christians. We need to point out that many conservatives and liberal (and moderate) legislators for the history of our county's consitutional system - mostly Christian - have upheld the system - are they all suddenly "anti-Christian"...

They are trying to get the "lingering" impression out there that suggests that all democrats are against all Christians. Sure, they have been saying that among themselves for years... now they want to make it mainstream. They aren't really going for convincing the general public of this... all they have to do is convince their believers AND leave a lingering (non informed - based on not paying attention)... impression.

Now is the time to craft letters that are aimed towards moderates who woke up briefly during the hoopla surrounding one family's tragic situation and their conflicts on an end of life issue - the media coverage was so big that even the nonpaying attention folks paid attention - and didn't like it - ... they are still uncomfortable. Reasonably stated concerns and dignified indignation - written about repeatedly in local papers may help a) prevent the lingering impression that dobson frist are trying to create and better yet may b) leave a lingering public perception that is very different than the one they are trying to convey.

[zulchzulu]

13. Frist...meet The Trap. Trap...eat Bill Frist

It's great that Frist will take this tact. It will only show him as an extremist and will make wonderful ad content in 2006.