In This Issue:The Daily Brief
The Middle East in Focus
Return Of The Black Panthers
Economy Moving Towards Socialism
$900 Million For Palestinians
The Good News Corner
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
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The Daily Brief - Tuesday, August 4, 2009
"For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." (Isaiah 60:2)
The Daily Brief
1. Geithner Floats Obama's Next Big Move: A Tax Hike on the Middle Class - CNS News
Appearing on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" yesterday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner floated President Obama's next big move: a tax increase on middle-class Americans.
· Lord, we thank you for revealing the hidden agendas in our government's decisions. We pray that only laws will be enacted that are helpful to the people. We pray for protection from laws that would put more burdens on the people.
· But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (James 3: 17)
2. Sources: Obama Eyes U.S. Military-Civilian Terror Prison - Fox News
The Obama administration is looking at creating a courtroom-within-a-prison complex in the U.S. to house suspected terrorists, combining military and civilian detention facilities at a single maximum-security prison.
· Lord, we pray that these decisions about closing Guantanamo will not be completed. We pray that many people will rise up against the idea and stop it.
· He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. (Proverbs 28: 26 NIV)
3. Pentagon Eyes More Powerful 'Bunker-Buster' Bomb - NewsMax
The Pentagon is seeking to speed deployment of an ultra-large "bunker-buster" bomb on the most advanced U.S. bomber as soon as July 2010, the Air Force said on Sunday, amid concerns over perceived nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran.
· Father, as diabolical regimes in foreign nations seek destruction of other nations, we pray that we will be very prepared in our defenses.
· It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. (Proverbs 21:15)
4. U.S. Shifts Target of Drones From Al Qaeda to Taliban LA Times
U.S. military leaders have concluded that their war effort in Afghanistan has been too focused on hunting Al Qaeda, and have begun to shift Predator drone aircraft to the fight against the Taliban and other militants in order to prevent the country from slipping deeper into anarchy. The move, described by government and Defense Department officials, represents a major change in the military's use of one of its most precious intelligence assets.
· Lord, as our military shifts the focus from Iraq toward Afghanistan, we pray for your continued guidance and wisdom to be upon those making decisions for this country.
· There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord. (Proverbs 21:30, 31)
5. 'Iran waiting for Khamenei go-ahead to build atom bomb' - Ha'aretz
Iran possesses the capability to build a nuclear weapon within one year as it has mastered the necessary technology, the Times of London reported on Monday. All that separates Tehran from arming itself with an atomic bomb is final approval from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
· Father God, we pray that these plans of Iran will not be accomplished. Let there be much confusion, and delays to those plans.
· The violence of the wicked will destroy them, because they refuse to do justice. (Proverbs 21:7)
6. Entire town in quarantine after two die from the plague in China - London Times
An outbreak of pneumonic plague has killed two people in China and forced authorities to seal off a remote town of 10,000 to halt any further spread of one of the world's deadliest diseases.
· Lord, Your compassionate heart goes out to all your creation. We pray for the people of China during this time to draw closer to you - especially the leadership. We pray You will end the plague quickly.
· Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. (Psalms 86:17)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp." But he said: "It is not the noise of the shout of victory, nor the noise of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing I hear." (Exodus 32: 17-18)
1. US Mideast plan 'in matter of weeks' - Jerusalem Post
Despite recent Arab statements opposing US demands for confidence-building steps towards Israel, the US anticipates it will have the pieces in place to formally re-launch the Arab-Israel peace process in the coming weeks.
2. Fatah leader warns of party split - Jerusalem Post
As more than 2,000 delegates gathered in Bethlehem for the long-delayed Sixth Fatah Congress, the leader of Fatah in Bethlehem warned of a split in the party if the leadership denies a role to the younger generation who launched a wave of violence against Israel in the second intifada.
3. Netanyahu: We uprooted Israelis from Gaza, and now it is a terror base - Ha'aretz
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked on the four-year anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. At the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that "Israel uprooted 10,000 of its citizens from their homes and Gaza has turned into a terror base under the control of Hamas, and sponsored by Iran."
4. Saudi Arabia rebuffs US on ties to Israel - Ynet News
Saudi Arabia on Friday bluntly rejected US appeals for improved relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks as its foreign minister accused the Jewish state of not being interested in a deal.
Return Of The Black Panthers
As President Obama was hosting the Beer Summit at the White House, attempting to diffuse a racial controversy sparked by his own comments, another controversy was returning to the front pages. Two months ago, the Washington Times broke the story that political appointees in the Obama Justice Department had overruled career lawyers and stopped the prosecution of members of the New Black Panther Party charged with voter intimidation during the 2008 election.
The Times has stayed on this story, and yesterday reported the name of the official who ordered the case dismissed, "Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli, the department's No. 3 political appointee." Today, the Times reports that one of the Black Panthers named in the voter intimidation complaint "obtained new credentials as a poll watcher 'at any ward/division in Philadelphia' just days after the charges against him were dismissed."
Congressional Republicans have been demanding answers from Attorney General Eric Holder, and they are now demanding that he refile the case. Virginia Representative Frank Wolf said, "In all fairness, he [Holder] has a duty to protect those seeking to vote and I remain deeply troubled by this questionable dismissal of an important voter-intimidation case in Philadelphia." In addition, Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, has asked repeatedly that the career Justice prosecutors be allowed to tell their side of the story. A meeting among top Justice officials involved in the case, Rep. Smith and John Conyers, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, was canceled yesterday and has been rescheduled for next month.
I'm glad to see congressional conservatives fighting hard to defend our cherished freedoms like the right to vote and holding government officials accountable in the administration of justice. But the handling of this case is just another reminder of the myriad ways in which elections have consequences. We'll keep you posted on any new developments as we learn them. (Gary Bauer; End-of-Day; Thursday, July 30, 2009)
Economy Moving Towards Socialism
Destroying the Economy to Institute Socialism
There are a lot of stories making their rounds in the internet email loops about a possible bank holiday and subsequent devaluation of the dollar. It is just common sense that one cannot spend 1,000 times more than he has in his checkbook and not have severe consequences. And that is the case with our federal government. I have heard over and over again liberal spenders in Congress saying that "you have to spend money to make money." While this adage is true when investing in a "for profit" venture with an expected return on investment, there is no such plan in place for any of the government socialization programs offered by this current Administration.
The man who occupies the Oval Office sent his best economists and financial representatives behind closed door meetings with Chinese officials to convince the country who holds about a trillion dollars of US debt that the US will not let deficits or inflation jeopardize the value of Chinese investments. Problem is, there is not a successful economic model that would support running deficits at the rate of trillions of dollars that would not cause inflation or would cause the value of investments to increase. The US and China released a joint statement that the US would lower its deficit to what they called "sustainable" levels in four years.
The question is, however, how in the world can one expect to lower the deficit in four years to a mere fraction of what it will be when all the government spending is institutionalized? Keep in mind that huge government bureaucracies are being set in place, requiring more money. The ability of corporations and private citizens to sustain the type of tax increases it will take under this Administration's economic philosophy doesn't exist. It would be impossible. Except that America be "remade" into a total socialist economy dependent upon government control, there is no ability by the American people to pay for what has taken place in the last nine months, let alone to sustain it.
Hence there are the fear emails circulating the internet. Some people foresee that economic disaster is waiting in ambush. And they are more right than wrong. This Administration could very well be destroying the free market system, knowing that people will have no place to turn except to the government--a government that will institute socialism. The question of what to do looms. We must be vocal. We must exercise our ballot options. . . And we must pray and act out of righteousness rather than fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind." Time to pray. Time to act.
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
$900 Million For Palestinians
Our unemployment rate is heading toward 10%. Each page of the 1,000 page healthcare bill will cost another $1 billion of your tax money. Our deficit is increasing so fast that experts are starting to ask, "What comes after trillion?" In view of this financial mess, I thought you might want to know what Obama and Hillary think is a really great use of another $900 million of your money.
They are sending it to those lovely folks in the Palestinian Authority. You know, the Jew-haters and America-bashers we regularly see on TV. Two hundred million dollars was sent on July 24th, and the Obama Administration held a special teleconference to announce the "good news" to our Palestinian "allies." The money is supposed to stay out of the hands of terrorists and be used for job creation. If you believe that, I have a great bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.
Here's the point: Sending your tax dollars to the Palestinians is a bad idea even in good times. Every poll shows the Palestinians hate us, no matter how much money we send them. But it is even more wrong-headed to send so much money when our country is on the ropes economically. President Obama should cancel the remaining $700 million and use it for job growth in communities like Palestine, Pennsylvania, where American families are hurting. (Gary Bauer; End-of-Day; Thursday, July 30, 2009)
The Good News Corner
Over 100,000 Letters Sent Urging Congress to Keep Abortion Out of Health Care
This week, the Susan B. Anthony List announced that pro-life activists nationwide have sent over 100,000 letters to Congress urging the exclusion of abortion from any national health care reform effort.
"As we approach the August recess, already tens of thousands of pro-life Americans have contacted Congress urging them to keep abortion out of health care," said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. "Americans are urging Members of Congress to preserve the real common ground, our long-standing tradition of limiting taxpayer funds for abortion. This is exactly the type of policy the President has sought to achieve, one that stands the test of time, has popular support and appeals to members on both sides of the aisle. Yet both the Ho! use and Senate versions of health care reform legislation seek to undo this commonsense policy. Without language to explicitly exclude an abortion mandate, the legislation will result in Americans footing the bill for abortion on-demand in the largest expansion of government-backed abortion since Roe v. Wade."
In an interview with CBS' Katie Couric last week, President Obama said, "What I think is important, at this stage, is not trying to micromanage what benefits are covered. [. . .] As you know, I'm pro choice. But I think we also have a tradition of, in this town, historically, of not financing abortions as part of government funded health care." (Aimee Heard, Breaking Christian News) "Families are at the very heart of the health care issue," said Dannenfelser. "And with pregnancy there are always two patients, mother and baby. We must establish a health care system that respects, protects and cherishes both. Congress should explicitly exclude an abortion mandate and preserve the common ground policies supported by the growing majority of pro-life Americans."
Note:
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners wishes to encourage all of our friends to contact your own member of Congress and Senators and let your voices be heard on this issue.
Please refer to our "Health Care Alert" for useful suggestions, talking points, and other information you will need when taking action about the health care plan.
The Health Care Alert is now posted on our blog at:
http://chpponline.blogspot.com.
The publication date is Saturday, August 1, 2009.
