Plan To Push Religious Right’s Controversial Political Agenda
Americans United Exposes Congressional Leaders” Plan To Push Religious Right”s Controversial Political Agenda
http://www.churchofreality.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=59
The Family Research Council, a Washington-based Religious Right group, held a closed-door “Washington Briefing” March 17-19, 2005. During the event, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) addressed attendees and pledged that Republican leaders in Congress would work to implement the Religious Right”s controversial political agenda.
Americans United obtained a recording of DeLay”s and Frist”s comments. Americans United believes this recording underscores the growing power and influence of ultra-conservative fundamentalist organizations on our political system. AU released it to the media and public because the organization does not believe that powerful groups with controversial and narrow fundamentalist agendas that they seek to impose on all Americans should be permitted to plot and scheme in secret.
The people speaking on this recording, in order of appearance, are:
Thursday, March 17
* Connie Mackey, vice president for government affairs, Family Research Council
* U.S. Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) [speaking via telephone]
Friday, March 18
* U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) [speaking in person]
* Tony Perkins, president, Family Research Council
Both speeches took place during the Family Research Council”s “Washington Briefing” at the Willard Hotel, Washington, D.C., March 17-19, 2005.
Streaming audio: rtsp://65.201.162.234/qtmedia/MP3/200503-FristandDelay.m3u (requires Real player)
MP3 audio: http://www.au.org/audio/200503-FristandDelay.mp3 (20mb)
Transcript: http://www.au.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_delayfristtranscript
Excerpts:
Quote:
That”s why we are winning these larger battles today. As Ronald Reagan said nearly thirty years ago, he said, “I refuse to believe the good Lord divided this world into Republicans who defend basic values and Democrats who win elections.” I say those words because, together, we are leading our nation forward. We have a president, we have a House of Representatives, we have a Senate that shares our values, and the American people are on our side. In this Congress, we”re going to continue to work on issues that are important to you, to me, above all to America”s future. That includes good judges, the sanctity of marriage, and, I just mentioned, the culture of life, as well as protection for the unborn. One of the first tests we will have is this whole confirmation of judges. This is at the top of the challenges that we must overcome in this Congress. — U.S. Sen. Bill Frist
Quote:
And let me just finish with this. This is exactly the issue that”s going on in America, of attacks against the conservative movement, against me and against many others.
[…]
You need to look at this, at what”s going on, and participate in fighting back. One way they stopped churches from getting into politics was Lyndon Johnson, who passed a law that said you couldn”t get into politics or you were going to lose your tax-exempt status because they were all opposed to him when he was running for President. That law we”re trying to repeal; it”s very difficult to do that. — U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay
References:
Adapted from:
http://www.au.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_audio
U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLay
U.S. Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Frist
Family Research Council
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Research_Council