----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Rev Lou Sheldon Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 12:59:00 AM Subject: [tvc-national] Special Report - Election 2006 Recommend This Newsletter to a Friend | Donate | Unsubscribe | Our Website SPECIAL REPORT - ELECTION 2006 A failure to maintain conservative control of the House and Senate will be disastrous to our religious freedom, free speech and to national security. VOTE your values on November 7th! This November 7th could be a turning point in American history! At stake is control of the House and Senate by conservatives. If conservatives lose control of either chamber of Congress, it will prove disastrous for our future. A loss of the Senate would end our efforts to reform the federal judiciary. A loss of the House could mean that radicals like Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) will begin impeachment hearings against President Bush—and our war on terrorism will be undermined. Our reports, “What If Liberals Gain Control Of Congress?” “Imagine Patrick Leahy Heading The Senate Judiciary Committee!”; “Imagine Nancy Pelosi As Speaker Of The House Of Representatives!” provide shocking details on what we can expect if liberals take over the House or Senate. One of the most significant threats our nation will face if liberals control the House or Senate is how we will deal with Islamic terrorism. It is very revealing that Iraqi terrorists, North Korea, and Iran would like to see President Bush’s war on terrorism gutted. These evil forces want to see a liberal political victory on election day in November. They know that liberals are weak on national security and these enemies of freedom will be emboldened to spread their terrorism elsewhere—perhaps even here on U.S. soil. Our nation cannot afford to have wimps and morally confused individuals in charge of our national security policies. We’re fighting a ruthless enemy. Our response must be firm and relentless if we are to survive. Media Outlets Want A Liberal Victory Liberal media outlets like CNN are working overtime to undermine President Bush’s war on terrorism and are clearly attempting to help liberals win in November. CNN, for example, is running a series of specials before the election on corruption in government. The series is overwhelmingly slanted against Republicans. CNN is also routinely featuring homosexual activist Andrew Sullivan as the “conservative” spokesman in its features. Sullivan is no conservative. He is an amoral libertarian who believes that once homosexual marriage is legalized nationwide, Americans must get used to the idea that homosexual males need multiple sex partners outside of marriage. (See TVC’s report, “Do Homosexuals Really Want The Right To Marry?” and read Christianity Today’s review of Sullivan’s new book, The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It; How We Get It Back.) MSNBC’s Keith Olberman Media Research Center has is also working overtime to ensure a liberal victory in November. The documented his extreme liberal bias in his reporting. Liberal media outlets are also giving a free publicity to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) whose shady land deal was recently exposed. While liberal reporters are pushing the presidential aspirations of black Senator Barak Obama (D-IL), they are ignoring the senatorial candidacy of black Republican Michael Steele in Maryland. Why? Because one is a liberal; the other is a conservative. Clearly, the mainstream media has no intention of providing fair and balanced coverage of the mid-term elections. It has an agenda to destroy the conservative majority in Congress. Homosexuals Relishing A Conservative Defeat Homosexual activists are already planning how they will persecute Christians and businessmen and violate our freedom of religion if liberals gain control in Congress. The Washington Blade, a homosexual paper in Washington, DC recently published “Democratic House a gay boon?” It describes how homosexuals will push for passage of a cross-dressing/transsexual Employment Non-Discriminaton Act (ENDA) that will prohibit employers from setting dress standards for its employees. A “trans-inclusive” ENDA is a top priority for homosexuals and drag queens. If ENDA passes, it will inevitably be used in lawsuits to force employers to permit men to wear dresses to work and to provide special restrooms for them. Homosexuals and sex change advocates will push for a “hate crimes” bill and repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on homosexuals. Read TVC’s report, “A Gender Identity Disorder Goes Mainstream” to understand the ideology behind normalizing transsexualism. Our “Back To School” report also describes how sex change operations are being promoted for children and teens. If Democrats win the House, homosexual activist Barney Frank will become head of the Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over our nation’s financial institutions. What’s Your Member Of Congress’s Voting Record? TVC’s CapWiz feature is a way for you to keep updated on current legislation that impacts traditional values and to communicate easily with your elected Representative and two U.S. Senators. You can track current legislation with this feature and find out how your representatives vote on the issues. CapWiz also gives you the ability to write letters to the editor and to TV and radio outlets to express your opinion about pending legislation or any other topic that concerns you. CapWiz can help you make your views known to your elected U.S. Representative and Senators and to the media. You can lobby from your desktop through CapWiz and take a role in protecting traditional values from your home. Take time this week—before the election—to study all of the features available to you through CapWiz. And, begin using it on a weekly basis to support candidates who share your values and to support legislation that promotes traditional values! CapWiz is available 24 hours a day. Click here to access it today: CapWiz. Party Platforms We have reprinted the Republican Party and Democrat Party Platforms below. Read them and decide which Party better represents your moral values. (This information is taken from the Platforms published in 2000 before the presidential election.) Download National Party Platforms Here What Can Pastors and Churches Do? Liberal groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State and People for the American Way use each election cycle to scare pastors and church leaders into backing away from any political involvement. These scare tactics won’t work if you know your legal rights. ELECTIONS THE CHURCH MAY Conduct non-partisan voter registration Give out non-partisan voter guides, such as the California Voter’s Guide Encourage the congregation to vote in a non-partisan manner. Invite political candidate to speak in a non-candidate capacity, not mentioning the individual’s candidacy. Invite candidates to participate in church service or meetings but give opposing candidates the same opportunity should they request it and do not support or oppose. Invite all candidates to speak at a forum and the forum does not show bias. Rent church mailing list to a candidate at market value. THE CHURCH MAY NOT Give money to a political candidate. Endorse a political candidate. THE PASTOR The IRS says the Pastor has a right, as an individual, to free expression on political matters, but then removes that right when the Pastor is in the pulpit or writing in a church publication. Religious leaders who speak or write in their individual capacity should indicate that their comments are personal and not representing their church. When writing a letter on their personal stationery or introduced at a meeting, they may indicate they are pastor of a particular church. ISSUES -- ELECTION AND LOBBYING THE CHURCH MAY Send letters, make phone calls and email legislators to support or oppose legislation. Lobby on legislative issues as long as it is “not substantial.” There is no definition in the law of “not substantial.” But courts have declared from 5% to 20% of their total income on can be spent on lobbying activities. Contribute financially to groups to assist in lobbying, like Traditional Values Coalition. Do fundraising at church services to lobby on legislation. Educate members on issues and distribute Action Alerts. When dealing with issues “a church or pastor is free to state the position of a candidate on any issue and may comment on that issue position (including praising or criticizing the candidate for it.)”1 but not tell the people how to vote. 1. James Bopp, Guidelines for Political Activities by Churches and Pastors, JamesMadisonCenter.org, page 9. This article constitutes legal information, and is NOT legal advice. The information in this article is current as of the date of publication. Because the relevant laws may have changed since that time, you should not rely upon this information, but rather should always consult legal counsel. For additional information on the rights of churches and pastors to be involved in election-year political action, please access the James Madison Center site: JamesMadisonCenter.org and then click on Guidelines for Political Activity by Churches and Pastors. The Internal Revenue Service web site also has a discussion of non-profit political action: www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=154622,00.html. Church History And Political Action A Letter From TVC Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon Dear Pastor: The Internal Revenue Service is warning churches concerning allowed and disallowed activities during the upcoming election. Various liberal groups have also begun their big scare tactic. As we round the sharp turns leading to another election this fall, churches are seeking to fulfill their Biblical prophetic calling to engage our culture morally and socially and to be salt and light. However, the real story is that many churches are reticent to be involved in political and lobby activities because the IRS has already frightened them into paralysis. Following the 2004 election cycle only three groups lost their nonprofit status, and NONE of them were churches. TVC is concerned that the IRS enforcement program is producing a further chilling effect on free speech when there are many allowed activities in which churches CAN be involved. Churches MAY participate in the TVC non-partisan REV Program which is: R = Registration of Voters E = Education of Voters with Voter Guides V = Voter Turnout – Every member voting. Churches CAN be involved to LOBBY on ISSUES, both in legislatures and in elections, from 5-20% of their total resources: Lobby on legislation, such as encourage people to call and write their legislator, and give money for lobbying Lobby or talk about Propositions on the election ballot. Elections -- Discuss various issues and candidates’ stands on the issues, (including praising or criticizing the candidate for their position.) Pastors cannot tell their congregation who to vote for or describe candidates as pro-life or pro-family. The main rule is that tax exempt organizations may not endorse candidates or take up an offering for candidates. But again, you may discuss issues and the candidate’s position. This is a wonderful opportunity to explain God’s creative order for marriage between a man and a woman. For a summary of this issue see the following materials and then please go on the internet to the legal firm JamesMadisonCenter.org. for an excellent much more detailed explanation, Guidelines for Political Activity by Churches and Pastors. May God give you wisdom as you encourage your congregation on the responsibility and importance of voting. Sincerely Yours, Rev. Louis P. Sheldon Role Of Religion In American Politics The role of religion in the shaping of the American republic included the freedom of churches to be fully expressive. There never would have been an America without the Patriot Pastors!! During the Revolution of 1776, the pastors were known as “the Black Brigade” because of their black clerical garb. The following is de Tocqueville’s analysis of what he saw in America: “I do not know whether all Americans have a sincere faith in their religion; for who can search the human heart? But I am certain that they hold it to be indispensable to the maintenance of republican institutions. This opinion is not peculiar to a class of citizens or to a party, but it belongs to the whole nation, and to every rank of society.” Alexis de Tocqueville “Democracy in America” 1835 As long as there has been tax on property in Western Civilization churches have been tax-exempt. Pastors preached during the Revolutionary period that if Christ has set you free, then your King is only Jesus and not King George of England. Prior to and during the Civil War, pastors regularly preached against institution of slavery. Thus in 1913, when the Congress authorized income tax they fully exempted churches without any prohibition concerning politics or lobbying. Prior to 1954, churches and non-profits had no such restrictions on their freedom of speech or their right to speak out in favor or against political issues or candidates. That year Majority Leader Lyndon Baines Johnson was facing re-election to the Senate and was being aggressively opposed by a non-profit anti-Communist group, run by the Hunt Brothers of Texas, accusing Johnson of “being soft on communism.” In retaliation, Johnson inserted amendment language into a non-controversial piece of IRS legislation. The amendment was never put into print form, never went through a committee hearing, and was never discussed on the floor of the Senate. Johnson, as the majority leader, deceptively asked for unanimous consent on this previously minor bill. His devious effort to punish the Hunt Brother’s also impacted churches, which came under the same IRS code for non-profits. For churches to be declared exempt from taxes they had to comply with the new Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) exempt status prohibits the church from engaging in “any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” Johnson’s vindictive addition to IRS code has taken on a life of its own and currently churches are muzzled from their exercising their First Amendment Rights. Because of this Johnson-inspired IRS gag order, pastors have been fearful of losing their tax-exempt status if they speak for or against political candidates. During the past 50 years the IRS has tightened the noose around the neck of the church and stifled their freedom of speech by inserting a negative statement defining how churches can influence legislation. The IRS says that “no substantial part of the activities of a church may be devoted to activities intended to influence legislation.” This mean-spirited and vindictive move by Johnson continues to limit the freedom of religious leaders to speak their conscience. The amendment to IRS code prohibited non-profits, including churches, from endorsing or opposing candidates for political office has remained in effect for more than 50 years! In effect, this vindictive man used the force of law to silence his opposition. Unfortunately, it is still working. Lyndon Johnson’s hateful action against non-profits has resulted in the violation of freedom of religion for the past 50 years. The good news is that the advice above can keep a pastor and church safe from IRS scrutiny. They can still participate in the political process without losing their tax-exempt status! VOTE OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES The bottom line is this: If you fail to exercise your right to vote, liberals and their homosexual allies will gain control of the House or Senate and you will inevitably suffer the consequences of your inaction. Our nation will suffer at the hands of immoral individuals who are determined to protect abortion on demand, homosexualize our children and undermine our national security. The choice is yours: Vote your values or suffer what comes when Barney Frank, John Conyers, Patrick Leahy and Nancy Pelosi take power in Congress in January 2007. Traditional Values Coalition is an inter-denominational public policy organization speaking on behalf of over 43,000 churches. For more information or to arrange an interview, please call (202) 547-8570. Traditional Values Coalition 139 "C" Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 Web site address: http://www.traditionalvalues.org