Successful Tea Party Movement Must Include Pro-Life Issues, Not Just Economy

Life News ^ | 8/31/10 | Tom Glessner

[wagglebee]

LifeNews.com Note: Tom Glessner is a pro-life attorney who is the president of NIFLA, the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates. NIFLA is an organization with more than 1,200 affiliated pregnancy centers that provides legal, medical and practical help for pregnancy centers across the country.

Political change is blowing in the wind but it is not the change promised by Barack Obama when he ran for the presidency. For sure, Obama has brought political change to the nation, but his transformational policies have meant bigger government, higher taxes, federal subsidies of abortion on demand, and greater governmental control over the lives of American citizens.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens across the nation have raised their voices to protest Obama’s policies of change. They are crying out for a different change that will honor the integrity of each individual and create an atmosphere where true liberty in all spheres of life – economic, cultural, and spiritual- reigns. Political pollsters are now predicting a huge seismic shift in the political landscape this November. The recent Glenn Beck sponsored rally in Washington D.C., attended by thousands upon thousands of grass roots activists, indicates that this public outcry of protest is real and powerful.

The Tea Party movement is comprised of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents from all walks of life. The political ruling elite, the corporate world, and the media have completely failed to comprehend this populist movement dismissing it as marginal, extreme and even racist. However, this movement is not composed of ignorant and bigoted individuals, as suggested by the political class. Rather, it is an authentic grassroots movement of thoughtful and patriotic people demanding real change from an out-of-touch political establishment.

The Tea Party movement, for the most part, centers its protest on economic issues and concern about the loss of freedom that an ever-growing federal government brings. These concerns are valid and appropriate. Most leaders of this movement also believe in the sanctity of life and the need to halt the wholesale destruction of innocent human life through abortion and other life related issues such as embryonic stem cell research. However, many in the Tea Party movement have made it clear that while they are sympathetic with the pro-life cause, the abortion issue is not formally part of the Tea Party agenda.

Economic issues are a vital concern; as is the growing size of the federal government and its overreaching into the lives of ordinary citizens. The overwhelming burden of excess regulation and taxation upon businesses and individuals is alarming. In the same manner, however, the killing of 1.25 million unborn children annually from abortion must be a grave concern. Accordingly, a failure by the Tea Party to incorporate the serious pro-life concerns of millions of Americans into its agenda will be fatal to achieving success.

Perhaps, the Tea Party should take a lesson from the old fashioned three-legged milking stool. When I was a child I visited my aunt and uncle on their dairy farm and was intrigued watching my uncle milk the cows while sitting on a three-legged stool. I asked him why he used such a funny chair to milk the cows. He explained that a four-legged chair can be unbalanced if one of its legs is a different length than the others and it could even tip over if you leaned backwards. A three-legged stool, on the other hand, balances evenly and won't tip over even if one of its legs is longer

We should learn something from the old-fashioned milking stool. There are three legs to a successful agenda that will change America for the better. Each leg is critical and the current grassroots movement for change in America will collapse if any of these legs is ignored. These legs are:

1) Revival of the Economy: This leg requires the establishment a strong robust economy that creates full employment and does not burden small businesses with taxes and oppressive regulations that hinder job development. Limited government and reduced taxation are at the core and are necessary to bring the nation out of the serious economic recession/depression in which we find ourselves.

2) Maintaining a Strong National Defense and Protecting Homeland Security: This leg requires a serious commitment by the government to win the war on terror and protect our country’s border from those who would illegally enter and do us harm.

3) Protecting the Family Unit and Restoring the Right to Life for All: The social issues – protecting the sanctity of marriage and restoring the right to life – are issues of equal importance. Millions of Americans, including myself, have placed these issues at the top of the priority list for the next generation of political leaders to seriously address.

To date, while it appears that most Tea Party leaders verbally support all three legs of this “milk stool” some, such as Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, assert that the social issues (and specifically abortion and the right to life) must take a back seat to the other two legs, which are seen as more important.

A further example of this viewpoint was shown in a recent interview of Sarah Palin with Sean Hannity of Fox News. Gov. Sarah Palin, a committed pro-life leader, was asked to name the top five issues facing the country today and the deaths of 1.25 million unborn annually from abortion was not on her list. If, indeed, this is the approach a new Congress takes after the November mid-term elections, then the agenda of the Tea Party movement will fail.

America must be forewarned. A nation that fails to protect the lives of its most vulnerable members has set a course for itself that will lead to its eventual destruction from within. The killing of future generations through the act of abortion has already taken a toll on the demographical future of the nation and the Western world. Unless this trend is stopped then, notwithstanding the impact of the Tea Party movement, our culture and nation will have effectively committed suicide.

The invention of the three-legged milking stool was truly ingenious. Will the current populist movement for change understand this and formally incorporate the life issues into its agenda? Time will tell and the future of America hangs in the balance.

[wagglebee]

To date, while it appears that most Tea Party leaders verbally support all three legs of this “milk stool” some, such as Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, assert that the social issues (and specifically abortion and the right to life) must take a back seat to the other two legs, which are seen as more important.

A further example of this viewpoint was shown in a recent interview of Sarah Palin with Sean Hannity of Fox News. Gov. Sarah Palin, a committed pro-life leader, was asked to name the top five issues facing the country today and the deaths of 1.25 million unborn annually from abortion was not on her list. If, indeed, this is the approach a new Congress takes after the November mid-term elections, then the agenda of the Tea Party movement will fail.

He is absolutely right.

[wagglebee]

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[iowamark]

QUITE CORRECT!

Fiscal conservatism cannot succeed in the Culture of Death.

[Maceman]

I respectfully disagree. Remember when our nation was founded, the issue of slavery was the most important moral issue of the day, with entrenched disagreement on both sides.

The founders would never have come together for independence, or to ratify the Constitution, if the slavery issue had been inserted into the debate. Instead, there was agreement to disagree, and the anti-slavery states did what they could to make a little progress, but did not allow the disagreement to derail the formation of the Union, which it certainly would have done.

I think it will be a tragic mistake if pulling back the reach of the federal government, and stopping/reversing the take over of our economy, is tied to the abortion issue or gay marriage or other social issues.

The Tea Party is right to keep its narrow focus, IMHO.

[counterpunch]

The Tea Party is about putting limits on out of control government and elites who don’t listen to the people anymore.

But Glenn Beck did a brilliant thing at the Lincoln Monument, bringing social conservatives into the tent through honorable government.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Pure horse droppings.

[savagesusie]

It seems to me that the Tea Party HAS to include everything about Natural Law Theory as espoused by John Locke and the Founders. It is included in the documents of our country.

It is easy to understand Natural Law. It is reason, common sense and science.

It means that all children have a right to be raised by their biological parents—so laws HAVE to support their natural rights, NEVER DENY THEM.

It means that everyone has to be responsible for their actions and there is a right to private property.

It means that all life, even (and especially) when that life is dependent on others, a civil society, while abiding by natural law, could never be allowed to destroy that life unless in self defense.

Laws that go against Natural Laws are unjust....as cited by Cicero.

[Eagles6]

I agree.

[Lazlo in PA]

The house is burning and we’re worried about the broken toilet? Lets get as many people together, both Pro and Anti death to beat back Gov’t to a manageable state. If the Pro life message was such a universal winner, why has a grass roots movement of its own not take hold lately? As people are introduced to the new GE 3D ultrasound, minds will naturally be changed.

[eens]

100% on the mark. Murder is not just an “issue.” Set it aside, fix the economy first?? Tempt the good God, I say.

There won’t be a dime from me for a “personally opposed but...” candidate. There won’t be a vote from me unless the Dem is a bona fide Communist like Obama.

Republicans, listen up. Eighteen years ago, Lee Atwater opened up the “big tent” to baby killers. I left, and there’s many more like me. We’re waiting.

[gogogodzilla]

Eh, all this tells me is that social conservatives have no interest in reigning in an out of control government, cutting federal spending, and devolving power to the states.

For if they were, they'd vote for it if they had a chance. But this article indicates that they would not... because this message is not a ‘socially’ conservative one.

That speaks volumes as to how ‘conservative’ they really are.

IE: Anything is good as long as abortion is banned! No, really, ANYTHING! Forced anal goat sex on pain of death, fine... as long as abortion's banned. Turning the citizenry into slaves of the state, that's fine too! Just gimme dat old-time abortion ban!

It's attitudes like this that got Venezuela their Hugo Chavez.

[Pete]

You cannot tell the Tea Party what to include and what not to include. The reason is that the Tea Party is not a party at all. It is simply a collection of like-minded individuals. It is organic and grown from the seeds of fear and anger. Fear for the future of their children and anger at elected officials who have violated the public trust.

To treat it as a political party with a platform will not work. Such a strategy is not even in the same ballpark and those who try it will relegate themselves to a cul-de-sac of history. They will be left behind and chances are, if they are even thinking of the movement in those terms, they are left behind already.

[fightinJAG]

I respectfully disagree with this idea and the article.

I posted on a similar thread and said this:

Fiscal conservatism is the only way to preserve LIBERTY. Without liberty, the government “naturally” will impose all manner of morally nihlistic policies — and have the power to FORCE citizens to comply with them.

If the federal government were not a huge behemoth (fiscally unrestrained), it couldn’t force states and you and me to support with our tax dollars abortion, homosexuality and on and on.

Also:

Let’s say the best you can do is elect 50 social conservatives (what some on this thread call “true” conservatives) who may or may not be fiscally conservative. Once elected, they cannot (not enough numbers) or will not (not committed to fiscal conservatism) do anything to limit government. What have those 50 elected social conservatives accomplished for social conservatism?

Now let’s say you can elect 60 fiscal conservatives who may or may not be socially conservative. Once elected, they can (they have enough numbers) and they will (because they are committed to fiscal conservatism) do everything in their power to limit government spending at every turn.

In fact, they end up having enough political power and will to repeal Obamacare, which in turn greatly reduces the number of federal programs providing and paying for abortions.

Or they strip funding for the Czars, purely on fiscal grounds — but this means no Kevin Jennings forcing his perversion on schools.

What have those 60 fiscal conservatives accomplished for social conservatism?

[fightinJAG]

Very wise words, supported by our own history. Thank you.

[fightinJAG]

Fiscal conservatism is the only way to limit government. Limiting government is the only way to preserve liberty. Without liberty, you can kiss you ability to advance social conservatism good-bye.

[Pete]

Political pollsters are now predicting a huge seismic shift in the political landscape this November. The recent Glenn Beck sponsored rally in Washington D.C., attended by thousands upon thousands of grass roots activists, indicates that this public outcry of protest is real and powerful.

There may have been a seismic shift but 8/28 was not about November. I explain in this piece I posted today.

What was Glenn Beck's “Restoring Honor” rally really about? (Maybe not what you think).

I have to warn you, though. Most of those commenting had trouble getting through it but not all. I am in the process of a rewrite but here it is as is.

[wagglebee]

The house is burning and we’re worried about the broken toilet? Lets get as many people together, both Pro and Anti death to beat back Gov’t to a manageable state.

So, you want to build a "big tent" so we can be just like the 'Rats?

The GOP has LOST every election since Roe v. Wade when abortion was ignored.

John McCain never mentioned abortion, he focused on "earmarks" (e.g. fiscal conservatism) and got his ass handed to him.

If the Pro life message was such a universal winner, why has a grass roots movement of its own not take hold lately?

It has taken hold, the problem is people like you who want to drop the issue.

52 MILLION babies have been killed since 1973, a baby is killed EVERY 24 SECONDS. The REASON that Social Security and Medicare are broke, the REASON the economy isn't growing is because fiscal conservatism is contingent on population growth and it COLLAPSES when an entire generation is MURDERED.

[micmac]

The TEA party does not belong to either the pro-life crowd or the pro-choice crowd. To force it to acknowledge one or the other is a huge mistake.

[fightinJAG]

True, but supporting fiscal conservatives does nothing to “deny” natural rights or Natural Law.

Supporting fiscal conservatives, regardless whether they are also socially conservative, is the only way to restore and preserve liberty. And without liberty, you can guarantee citizens will have no ability whatsoever to advance socially conservative causes.

Removing the cancer (pursuing fiscal conservatism’s goals of limiting government) doesn’t mean you can’t also take treatments to ensure the body becomes healthier (pursuing social conservatism’s goals). It’s just that it’s just plain dumb to give up the opportunity to remove the cancer because those “doctors” don’t necessarily also believe in chemotherapy.

[wagglebee]

Eh, all this tells me is that social conservatives have no interest in reigning in an out of control government, cutting federal spending, and devolving power to the states.

Why because we aren't willing to sacrifice human life?

Anything is good as long as abortion is banned! No, really, ANYTHING! Forced anal goat sex on pain of death, fine... as long as abortion's banned. Turning the citizenry into slaves of the state, that's fine too! Just gimme dat old-time abortion ban!

You are an IDIOT if you believe this is what social conservatives want.

[Repeal The 17th]

“...The founders would never have come together for independence,
or to ratify the Constitution...”
-
Point of trivial input:
They came together for independence and ratified the Articles of Confederation;
which was replaced by the Constitution seven years later.

[Salvation]

**Successful Tea Party Movement Must Include Pro-Life Issues, Not Just Economy**

An absolute!

[rbmillerjr]

I’m extremely Pro Life. My vote will not ever go to an abortion candidate for any office.

However, I don’t think we can demand that an entity that is as spontaneous like the Tea Party be forced to take on social issues.

After being at quite a few local Tea parties, I would imagine that some TeaParties will take on social and abortion issues and others will not.

The coalescing issue though for the Tea Parties seems to be cut spending, cut the deficit, more liberty and Constitutional guidance.

We can’t manufacture issues in a group that was born on other issues. The Reagan coalition was unique in that it forged ties between both economic and social conservatives.

The Republican Party is still focused on all 3 legs, econ, social and national security...that is what important.

[wagglebee]

However, I don’t think we can demand that an entity that is as spontaneous like the Tea Party be forced to take on social issues.

I agree, but some have noticed that some in the Tea Party are trying to force social conservatives out.

[Little Ray]

Neah.
The Tea Party is about high taxes and excessive spending. It needs to stay as focused on that as possible.

There might be niche for complaining about “aborting the future prosperity and greatness of this nation,” though.

[BykrBayb]

I’m not willing to sacrifice conservatism of any kind. Avaricious opportunists who call themselves fiscal conservatives are anything but conservative. We do not need to murder the most vulnerable members of society to balance the budget. Conservatism does not exist only on a bank ledger. It encompasses all aspects of life. You’re either conservative or you’re not. If you reject the concept of conservatism, but embrace a few aspects that support your self-centered wants and needs, you’re not a conservative.

[rbmillerjr]

They can’t force us out (and I say us as a econ, social and natsecurity conservative).

Who would even have the power to do this...that is what I love about the TeaParty, there is not true leader, no true lead group.

When Tea Parties are called we come with signs against abortion and big government...nothing anybody can do about that. My local TeaParty would fall apart with social conservatives...many signs with God written on them.

[Le Chien Rouge]

I also respectfully disagree.

Fixing the tax code and then severely shrinking government spending de-funds many left wing organizations who exist mostly through grants, thereby equalizing the battlefield between social conservatives and the lefty monsters.

One battle at a time...

[P-Marlowe]

Fiscal conservatism is the only way to preserve LIBERTY. Without liberty, the government “naturally” will impose all manner of morally nihlistic policies — and have the power to FORCE citizens to comply with them.

I respectfully disagree with your premise. Fiscal conservatism can occur in tyrannies as well as libertarian republics. The whole premise behind our constitutional republic was one of NATURAL LAW, and chief among the rights of men in a Natural Law society is the right to life followed by Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. So I do not believe we can have functioning liberty without a fundamental respect for life and abortion is antithetical to Natural Law since it deprives the most innocent and helpless individual of all liberties.

Therefore unless the people who claim to want to return our Nation to its foundational principles include within those principles the fundamental right to life, then we will never achieve the goal of restoring or preserving Liberty.

[rbmillerjr]

“TeaParty would fall apart WITHOUT social conservatives”...that is.

[BenLurkin]

Agreed. Stick to Taxed Enough Already. It is a message that is a plainly understandable as it is vital.

Let the culture war be fought in other venues.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

Sorry no ... I disagree. Within the Tea Party movement, we have a mission statement and core values. The Tea Party is about Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets. If you want to go fight out the abortion issue, make your own platform, but don't drag this issue up on "our" platform.

Mission Statement

The impetus for the Tea Party movement is excessive government spending and taxation. Our mission is to attract, educate, organize, and mobilize our fellow citizens to secure public policy consistent with our three core values of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets.

Core Values

* Fiscal Responsibility: Fiscal Responsibility by government honors and respects the freedom of the individual to spend the money that is the fruit of their own labor. A constitutionally limited government, designed to protect the blessings of liberty, must be fiscally responsible or it must subject its citizenry to high levels of taxation that unjustly restrict the liberty our Constitution was designed to protect. Such runaway deficit spending as we now see in Washington D.C. compels us to take action as the increasing national debt is a grave threat to our national sovereignty and the personal and economic liberty of future generations.

* Constitutionally Limited Government: We, the members of The Tea Party Patriots, are inspired by our founding documents and regard the Constitution of the United States to be the supreme law of the land. We believe that it is possible to know the original intent of the government our founders set forth, and stand in support of that intent. Like the founders, we support states’ rights for those powers not expressly stated in the Constitution. As the government is of the people, by the people and for the people, in all other matters we support the personal liberty of the individual, within the rule of law.

* Free Markets: A free market is the economic consequence of personal liberty. The founders believed that personal and economic freedom were indivisible, as do we. Our current government’s interference distorts the free market and inhibits the pursuit of individual and economic liberty. Therefore, we support a return to the free market principles on which this nation was founded and oppose government intervention into the operations of private business.

I happen to be PRO LIFE, but I'll fight that battle in a different way. Keep the Tea Party Focused.

[Lurker]

"All persons have a right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness".

The pro-Life movement sqaures perfectly with the principles espoused in the US Constitution.

L

[wagglebee]

he Tea Party is about Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets. If you want to go fight out the abortion issue, make your own platform, but don't drag this issue up on "our" platform.

So, what you're saying is that the Tea Party movement is actually re-branded libertarianism and NOT conservative?

[rabidralph]

The TEA party movement is about fiscal conservatism. Regular republicans are mostly pro-life. We have plenty of conservative coalitions and 99 percent of them are pro-life whether they say so or not. The republican party has drifted from fiscal conservatism and that is the role of the TEA party. I don’t see a problem.

[Lazlo in PA]

The GOP has lost every election since Roe? You may have been in prison or working with the peace corps when Reagan won in 80, Bush I in 88, the 94 landslide, and Bush II in ‘00. I don’t see alot of Life talk this coming landslide either.

Secondly, there is nothing close to a grass roots movement on the Anti-death side. It barely comes up in conversation other than at church. It is only a hot button issue for a few. You can’t even get all Catholics on board.

Finally, McLame lost because he is a tired, burned-out, political hack, professional loser. Not because of his Life bonifides, which he stated on the campaign trail regularly to sell his conservatism.

[wagglebee]

The GOP has lost every election since Roe? You may have been in prison or working with the peace corps when Reagan won in 80, Bush I in 88, the 94 landslide, and Bush II in ‘00.

Learn to read, here is what I wrote:

The GOP has LOST every election since Roe v. Wade when abortion was ignored.

[savagesusie]

You have to have a moral structure for capitalism to be possible and successful. All of the Founders expressed the importance of the moral order for the economic order to succeed. With a moral people, government hardly ever has to step in. That is what we are all about....freedom from government interference.

So, for that freedom, the laws have to be based on Natural Law to be just with the underlying notion that all people have the right to life, and can pursue happiness (The Founders KNEW that without virtue, there could be no happiness). Morality can NOT be separated from government. It is not possible.

Tea Partiers have to understand that you can’t separate material, monetary matters from the metaphysical need of mankind. Won’t work. You can’t have a void...it will fill with either immorality, chaos, moral order or whatever—you have to deal with the situtation and can’t HOPE for it to disappear. It can’t go anywhere!!!

The morality is the base that has to be outlined to set up the structure for all economics. It HAS to be from the bottom up, because we have gotten so far away from the Constitution, everything has to be torn down. We should start over....is what the tea party has to do....get back to the Constitution and build from there.

[BykrBayb]

Read what Wagglebee wrote again. You missed part of it, which changes the entire meaning.

[savagesusie]

Free Markets: A free market is the economic consequence of personal liberty.

But the Founders understood the importance of morality from Christian principles that were the necessary foundation of Capitalism. They knew that immorality meant more interference from governments.

So, you have to have as your "core principles" the core that makes free enterprise work. Otherwise, it won't work and it will waste your time.

That core has to be Natural Law Theory as understood by John Locke which includes Natural Rights....like ALL THE DIVISIVE moral issues.....it is common sense. The Right to Life has got to be a part of your core principles. The right for kids to have a biological mother and father HAS GOT to be part of the core principles. Private property rights HAVE GOT TO BE part of your Core principles. THOSE ALL ARE SOCIAL ISSUES.

You CAN NOT separate social from economical. It is not humanly possible. You can NOT pretend to ignore the crucial, fundamental principles of the Constitution that made this country the best ever and possible for free enterprise. Natural Rights should be the core, because without it, your freedom can NOT exist.

[ansel12]

Sometimes trying to go back to the time when forming a union was the goal doesn’t work.

Trying to return to our historical roots on abortion before 1973 is a part of the Republican party platform and the major goal of conservatism, at some point these people that like conservative economic policy and are attending the tea parties, have to be introduced to conservatism itself.

You can argue about the timing, but you have to agree that conservatism will at some point confront a few of the tea partiers in an unpleasant way and some will go back to the Democrat party.

There is no conservative movement without the so called “social issues”, the left has that market and those voters already cornered.

[fightinJAG]

They are crying out for a different change that will honor the integrity of each individual and create an atmosphere where true liberty in all spheres of life – economic, cultural, and spiritual- reigns.

Tom, our liberty is directly proportional to the size and reach of government. Only fiscal conservatism limits the size and reach of government.

Economic issues are a vital concern; as is the growing size of the federal government and its overreaching into the lives of ordinary citizens. The overwhelming burden of excess regulation and taxation upon businesses and individuals is alarming. In the same manner, however, the killing of 1.25 million unborn children annually from abortion must be a grave concern. Accordingly, a failure by the Tea Party to incorporate the serious pro-life concerns of millions of Americans into its agenda will be fatal to achieving success.

I'm sorry, Tom. This is just plain wrong. Why in the world would a failure to make pro-life concerns -- which I support with all my heart -- a top agenda item be "fatal" to the success of the Tea Party movement?

It is quite the opposite. The success of a movement to limit government, based on fiscal conservatism, would be the greatest boon to social conservatism in our lifetime.

If the federal government were pared to its constitutionally intended reach, and, therefore, it had less power and less MONEY to FORCE morally nihlistic policies on the nation, this would allow the positive advancement of every single social cause conservatives care about.

There are three legs to a successful agenda that will change America for the better. Each leg is critical and the current grassroots movement for change in America will collapse if any of these legs is ignored.

First, there's no evidence whatsoever that "the current grassroots movement" will collapse if a pro-life agenda is not EXPLICITLY and DIRECTLY pursued.

Tom, you yourself said in this very article that many, if not most, of the Tea Party participants were committed, or at least sympathetic, to pro-life concerns. Do you really think these people are going to drop out of the movement now because its overarching focus is on limiting the size and scope of government?

Of course they aren't. They are very well aware that without imposing fiscal conservatism on Washington, this country is finished. And if this country ever actually becomes given over to Socialism/Marxism -- which, after all, are primarily economic systems -- the world will see an explosion in America in each and every thing that social conservatism opposes -- including seeing an America that officially bills itself as an atheist nation! And since Americans would be even less free than they are now, citizens would be even more powerless to protest and otherwise work to advance their cause.

Limited government and reduced taxation are at the core and are necessary to bring the nation out of the serious economic recession/depression in which we find ourselves.

Tom, you sold this "leg" short. It is the key to everything. Without limited government, this country eventually (sooner rather than later) will not be able to afford the world's best military, and will not have the political will to secure our nation anyway, since national security costs and there will be the overwhelming need to use all resources to fund entitlements in an attempt to keep civil unrest at bay.

Further, protecting the family unit and respecting life -- from what must these things be protected, Tom? From the GOVERNMENT. It is the government that has the power and authority to break down the family unit. It is the government that has the power and authority to provide abortions, force unwilling citizens to pay for them, and more and more restrict the ways in which those who contend for life can advocate for it.

such as Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, assert that the social issues (and specifically abortion and the right to life) must take a back seat to the other two legs, which are seen as more important.

NO. It is not that the right to life is less important than limiting government. It is simply that limiting government is the best, most efficient, and most potentially permanent way to allow for the advancement of social causes. Again, because limiting government increases our freedom and freedom is critical to advancing social causes and IMPLEMENTING social change.

Gov. Sarah Palin, a committed pro-life leader, was asked to name the top five issues facing the country today and the deaths of 1.25 million unborn annually from abortion was not on her list. If, indeed, this is the approach a new Congress takes after the November mid-term elections, then the agenda of the Tea Party movement will fail.

Again, where's the evidence, Tom, for your conclusion that the Tea Party movement will fail if it doesn't explicitly and directly focus on the pro-life agenda?

Are you saying God will strike it dead somehow? Are you saying that the millions of pro-lifers already participating in the Tea Party movement will drop out if the "only" results they see are dramatic limits on the power of the federal government to get in our business at every level?

Are you saying that, for example, if on the grounds of fiscal conservatism Obamacare is repealed -- and, therefore, its push for federal abortion programs and funding is scuppered -- that's not good enough because the scuppering didn't come about based on explicit pro-life concerns?

Unless this trend is stopped then, notwithstanding the impact of the Tea Party movement, our culture and nation will have effectively committed suicide.

You may well be right about that, Tom. However, that is a far cry from your claim that the Tea Party movement will fail if it makes (your view) the "fatal" mistake of not explicitly supporting the pro-life agenda.

Sir, you are conflating the ultimate fate of the nation -- which is based on some rather complex factors, I believe, not just political agendas -- with the imminent political success or failure of the Tea Party movement in its overarching push to impose fiscal conservatism on Washington and, therefore, to limit government.

These are two very different things. Whether the Tea Party movement succeeds or fails in its push for limited government determines the next chapter in our nation's history -- including the next chapter in whether we, as a people, are even FREE enough to fight for life and implement policy changes. But that is just one, and a relatively small, piece of the puzzle that makes up how long our nation stands. Simply put, it's a little over-the-top, my friend, to equate the success or failure of the Tea Party movement with the ultimate fate of the nation.

The Tea Party movement is like the surgeon whose job it is to remove the cancer (here, to limit government by reducing spending and restoring constitutionalism). That has nothing to do with the right or responsibility of other doctors to continue to care for the overall health of the patient (the nation, by advancing morally right social causes) -- including being BETTER able to help the patient become healthier because, yes, the surgeon was able to remove the cancer.

[Lazlo in PA]

I read exactly what was written and in all of those elections I site, Abortion was far from the main issue except for Reagan possibly. It coalesced the religious right and the fiscal hawks, but Iran and the economy were first, and all that came of that election was the Mexico City policy. As for the rest of my screed, where is the problem.

[fightinJAG]

The GOP has LOST every election since Roe v. Wade when abortion was ignored.

I'd like to see some data on that. I'm not aware of any election in which "abortion was ignored."

Are you saying that pro-lifers are responsible for the election of every Rat administration since 1972?

[DreamingWest]

No, you add that and it will fail. Right now it has support of independents, libertarians,and democrats, fiscal conservatives who worry more about their wallets than what you do with your body.

[ansel12]

The TEA party does not belong to either the pro-life crowd or the pro-choice crowd. To force it to acknowledge one or the other is a huge mistake.

The divide is conservative/liberal, the tea party movement belongs to the conservatives, therefore, pro-life.

[A Strict Constructionist]

“The GOP has LOST every election since Roe v. Wade when abortion was ignored.”

I guess that means we know who gave us BO.

[usconservative]

But Glenn Beck did a brilliant thing at the Lincoln Monument, bringing social conservatives into the tent through honorable government.

You and I must not have seen the same event, I missed that part. Can you help me out and tell me where he did that? What part of his speech or the event? I have the entire thing on my DVR, @ what time did this happen?

The event I saw was about restoring our personal honor and returning to God, starting with ourselves. This IMO was a great message, many needed to hear it. I was elated someone like Glenn Beck with the resources to do so, said it in the public forum.

I'm not being a wise-guy here, I saw the same event you did and didn't walk away with the message your espousing above. I'm also a born-again Christian, pro-Life, pro-Family, pro-marriage between a man and a woman, and a mother and father in the home raising the children together. But I'll tell you this: If the Tea Party movement loses its focus on the very narrow fiscal issues that are absolutely destroying this country and our children's future, you can kiss any chance of restoring the dignity and sanctity of human life goodbye in this country as well.

There just won't be anything left, period.

[ansel12]

Are you saying that pro-lifers are responsible for the election of every Rat administration since 1972?

Democrats are the party of the non-religious, atheists, and the anti-social conservatives.