Monday, March 17, 2014
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Fighting For Our Values
My remarks at last week’s Susan B. Anthony List gala are getting attention from the Washington Post and National Review. Here’s the context of my remarks.
As I have frequently mentioned, I am tired of libertarians and some corporate elites who insist that values issues are losers. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is now selling the snake oil of a so-called “values issue truce.” Sadly, even some social conservatives have bought into this misguided thinking. Truce? Tell that to the left, which is attacking marriage, the sanctity of life and religious liberty 24 hours a day.
That is why I have been making an effort in every speech to push back against those who want to hide values voters in the closet. My position is backed up by polling data showing that the country is at worst divided 50/50 on values. But major items on the libertarian agenda and on big business’s agenda are deeply unpopular.
More Americans are pro-life than believe Social Security checks should be smaller.
More Americans believe marriage should remain the union of one man and one woman than believe billionaires pay too much in taxes.
More Americans believe in religious liberty than oppose raising the minimum wage.
Just so there is no confusion, I believe everyone is taxed too much. I believe there are reasonable adjustments that could be made to entitlement spending. But I vehemently disagree that values issues should be dropped from our public policy discourse.
In fact, I can make a case that the popular values issues are being dragged down by a deeply unpopular economic libertarianism that most Americans on Main Street can’t relate to.
Crimean Crisis Continues
Yesterday, residents of the Crimean peninsula went to the polls. It appears that former Soviet Politburo officials are counting the ballots with early results indicating that 95% approve of Russian annexation.
This was hardly a legitimate vote. It violates a treaty signed by Russia and the United States. It took place with thousands of Russian soldiers occupying the region. Opponents of Russian annexation were beaten and harassed. Those opposed to the referendum boycotted the vote.
Last week Secretary of State John Kerry warned of a “very serious series of steps” the U.S. would take if weekend talks failed. This morning the administration announced new sanctions — on a handful of Russian and Ukrainian officials. It’s difficult to imagine a weaker response.
The continuing crisis in Crimea was a major topic on yesterday’s “Bauer and Rose Show,” which you can listen to on the SiriusXM Patriot Channel 125. A lot of “Paulites” called in saying America doesn’t want another war. Much to their fury, I told them they were reading off liberal talking points.
Nobody is advocating a ground war with Russia. But this will be the first sip from a bitter cup that will continue to be served to us by tyrants if this White House continues with a flaccid foreign policy that guarantees more aggression.
For example, if America would go all out to produce energy and promote natural gas exports to Europe, we could bankrupt Russia. But the Obama Administration and its left-wing allies in the radical environmental movement have wasted the past five years. Moreover, Obama removed our missile defense systems from Poland and the Czech Republic and promised to be “more flexible” after his reelection.
Now Putin is trying to see just how far Obama will bend.
Corporate America Sells Out Again
Guinness, Heineken and Sam Adams have cast their lots with the militant homosexual rights movement and withdrawn their sponsorships of New York City’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. The beer companies are attempting to claim the moral high ground, shaming the Catholic organizers of the St. Patrick’s Day parade because they will not allow open homosexuals to march in the parade.
Where does this nonsense end? New York City already has a major “gay pride” parade. Guinness, Heineken and Sam Adams could simply sponsor that event if they cared so much about the issue. Would Guinness, Heineken and Sam Adams force the St. Patrick’s Day parade to include groups of polygamists and serial adulterers too?
Sadly, this is more evidence of corporate America’s complete meltdown on values issues. Far too many corporations are becoming active combatants in the culture war, fighting against the Judeo-Christian values cherished by so many of their consumers.
If you are interested in receiving Mr. Bauer’s daily report by e-mail, please call 703-671-9700, visit SIGN UP FOR GARY BAUER’S “END OF DAY REPORT” or simply send a reply e-mail titled “Subscribe” and include your name and address.
Visit End of Day archives to share reports on Facebook. Follow Gary On Facebook And Twitter.
To be removed from Gary Bauer’s End of Day distribution list, please reply to this message with “Remove” in the subject line.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations to American Values are tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. You may donate online by visiting our website or by using the following address in your web browser: https://www.ouramericanvalues.org/american-values-contribution or you may mail contributions to the following address:
American Values
2800 Shirlington Road
Suite 950
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone: 703-671-9700
Fax: 703-671-1680
