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We alerted you yesterday to an informative Americans For Prosperity tele-town hall about Washington’s attempt to take control of the nation’s health care. It’s important to stay informed on this critical issue as the time approaches on a historic Congressional vote that could transform one-sixth of the U.S. economy into a European, government-run model.

In case you could not catch last night’s event, the Family Research Council is offering an opportunity to participate in another one, on Tuesday, March 16, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. This Webcast town hall also will feature U.S. Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the featured speaker at the AFP tele-town hall last night. Congressman Pence is the third highest ranking member of the Republican House caucus and one of the country’s most principled free-market leaders.

Among the confirmed participants are:

» Tony Perkins, President, FRC Action

» U.S. Representative Tom Price, M.D. (R-Ga.)

» Bryan Fischer, Director of Issue Analysis, American Family Association

» Kristan Hawkins, Executive Director, Students for Life

» Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony List

» Douglas Johnson, Legislative Director, National Right to Life

» Tom McClusky, Senior Vice President, FRC Action

Discussion points will include what we can do to stop this horrendous bill from getting passed (see Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s admission, here) as well as an overviews of what’s in the bill, when the vote might take place, and alternative solutions. To register for this free event, which will take viewer questions, click here.

Last week we announced that we and The Heartland Institute were hosting and sponsoring, respectively, a roundtable discussion on the Future of Health Care In America. It takes place tomorrow from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the 12th floor conference room at One Capitol Square, 830 East Main Street (the corner of 9th and Main Streets), in Richmond. Here’s an update on the topics that will be discussed and the presenters:

The Mega Trend Movement to Consumer-Driven Health Care: Paul L. Kitchen, President and CEO, nHealth, Inc.

Update on Free Market Activities in Virginia: Victoria Cobb, President, The Family Foundation of Virginia

Health Reform at the Federal and State Level: Ben Domenech, Managing Editor, Health Care News

Update from the Commonwealth of Virginia: Dr. Bill Hazel, Secretary of Health and Human Resources; Delegate John M. O’Bannon, M.D. (R-73, Henrico); and Delegate T. Scott Garrett, M.D. (R-23, Lynchburg)

The True Costs of Health Care: Peter Fotos, Director of Government Relations, The Heartland Institute

With the liberal Congress and administration ignoring recent election results and public opinion, and again threatening to ram through nationalized medicine (see U.S. Chamber update), this event is a can’t-miss. It’s complimentary, too, and refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. Those wishing to register should contact Robin Knox at The Heartland Institute at (312) 377-4000 or rknox@heartland.org. We hope you will be able to join us for this informative discussion.

Friday, we posted what several national media now are saying: The Obama administration and its liberal Congressional ideologues will unveil and push through what was thought to be dead — a nationalized health care plan. If this, and the entire federalized health care idea concerns you, then consider attending this very special event.

Thursday, February 25, The Family Foundation and The Heartland Institute are co-hosting a complimentary forum and panel discussion concerning the future of health care in America. The panel consists of our president, Victoria Cobb; Peter Fotos, director-Government Relations, Heartland Institute; Ben Domenech, managing editor-Health Care News; and Peter Ferrara author of The Obama Health Plan: Rationing, Higher Taxes, and Lower-Quality Care. Also confirmed are Delegates (and doctors) Scott Garrett (R-23, Lynchburg) and John O’Bannon (R-73, Henrico).

The Heartland Institute is a natioanlly recognized nonprofit research and education organization. Based in Chicago, it promotes free-market solutions to the issues of health care, school choice, the environment, and government bureaucracy. It is an honor that it has chosen us to partner with on this very informative and important forum. So, we hope you can make it to Richmond to attend; or if you live in the area, make arrangements to spend three hours with us.

The panel discussion will be held in Richmond from 9:00 a.m. until noon in The Family Foundation’s 12th floor conference room located at 830 East Main Street (the corner of 9th Street and Main Street). Refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. Those wishing to register should contact Robin Knox at The Heartland Institute at (312) 377-4000 or rknox@heartland.org. We hope you will be able to join us for this informative discussion.

Later today, we will have another interview with a big name in Virginia politics: Senator Jill Vogel, (R-27, Winchester). She joins Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, who last week participated in a live interview with questions taken from readers (see here); and Dr. Bob Holsworth, Virginia’s nationally known and respected political analyst, which we posted in two parts: Tuesday (here) and Wednesday (here).

If you don’t know Senator Vogel, you should: She’s a rising star in Virginia politics and an effective voice for conservatism in the very liberal Senate. She has quickly risen to one of that chamber’s leaders on a number of issues. She is the only Republican woman in the Senate and has carried important legislation for us in the past, such as safety bills for unregulated abortion centers. This year, she is one of the leaders of the soon-to-be-signed-into-law Health Care Freedom legislation that exempts Virginia and Virginians from individual federal government health care mandates.

We look forward to hosting Senator Vogel and hope you check back later today. We are sure you will find the interview informative and insightful.

Tomorrow is The Family Foundation’s Annual Virtual Lobby Day and we have a great way for you to participate! You may have heard of “Money Bombs,” the latest technique for candidates to raise money quickly — they send an e-mail solicitation asking for a small donation from thousands of people to raise a substantial amount of cash to make a difference in their campaigns. We saw how Senator Scott Brown did this to counter all of the big liberal money raised against him in the special U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts a few weeks ago. What a difference that made — it put the brakes on government-run health care!

We’re not asking your for money. But we are asking you to make a difference by e-mailing your senators and delegates tomorrow (Thursday) with a simple message:

DE-FUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD in the Commonwealth’s new budget!

Tomorrow also happens to be Planned Parenthood’s lobby day. Imagine the difference we can make if thousands of values voters e-mailed their legislators tomorrow with the same message about de-funding Planned Parenthood before the pro-abortion lobbyists even stepped foot in the lawmakers’ offices!

If you attended Family Foundation Day At The Capitol in January, following up with an e-mail tomorrow with your delegates and senators is a great way to leverage the relationship you established with them. If you did not attend, now you have the opportunity, simultaneously, with likeminded, concerned citizens across Virginia, to have an impact with the ease of a few keystrokes.

Planned Parenthood is a billion dollar partisan behemoth that masquerades as a health organization. Inside its abortion center doors over a quarter of all abortions in the United States take place. Over the years it has received tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars from Virginia. Virginia’s taxpayers should never be forced to bail out this radical organization, especially while the Commonwealth faces a spending surplus of billions of dollars. It is time for this funding to stop!

In addition to the “De-funding Bomb,” tomorrow Lt. Governor Bill Bolling will conduct a live interview on our blog starting at 9:00 a.m. Click here to leave a question.

In addition, look for several other very special features we have lined up in the next several days, including interviews with noted political commentator Dr. Bob Holsworth and House Republican Caucus Chairman, Delegate Sam Nixon (R-27, Chesterfield).

Remember, tomorrow, Thursday, February 11, please e-mail your senators (click here for contact list) and delegates (click here for contact list) and urge them to end the taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood! If you don’t know your delegate and senator, click here.

Here’s an update on Health Care Freedom legislation: The three Senate bills — SB 283, SB 311 and SB 417 — passed in historic fashion by the Senate last week, all passed by 16-5 bi-partisan margins in the House Commerce and Labor Committee around 3:30 today. (These bills originally were listed on the committee agenda last week, but were carried over to today. The vote most likely will be 17-5 as one pro-10th Amendment delegate was not there, but delegates are allowed to vote after committee as long as it doesn’t afect the outcome.)

The Senate bills are patroned by Senators Fred Qualye (R-13, Suffolk), Steve Martin (R-11, Chesterfield) and Jill Vogel (R-27, Winchester), respectively. All three bills proceed to the House floor tomorrow and face a projected key vote Thursday. House passage is very much expected, but nothing should be left to chance. Contact your delegate (here) or, to learn who your delegate is, click here. If passed by the House, the bill goes to Governor Bob McDonnell for his signature.

In other words, establishing a 10th Amendment wall around Virginia against the encroachment of federal bureaucrats is within a very short grasp — much quicker and without the huge dust-up most anticipated — making Virginia the first state to do so! The Old Dominion, leading for liberty, again.

That founding principle, ingrained but ignored for so long, that the states and the people, are the sovereigns of this country and commonwealth, may soon have the weight of law in Virginia. Where the central government has no stated role, the people have natural rights to make decisions for themselves. That is the essence of constitutionally guaranteed limited government — government does not grant rights nor issues commands. It secures rights and guards freedom. There’s a rebirth of that now and, as during freedom’s birth at the Founding, it’s finding its bearings in Virginia.

While we battle here at the General Assembly to ensure that our commonwealth’s public policy reflects the eternal values our forefathers enshrined in the constitution, a Richmond church will host a conference to remind folks of exactly that history. This Saturday, February 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., you have the opportunity to attend the In God We Trust Conference at Grove Avenue Baptist Church.

The conference’s speakers include:

» David Barton, Founder and President of Wallbuilders

» Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist’s Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

» Steven McDowell, co-founder of the Providence Foundation and President of its Biblical Worldview University

» Craig Parshall, the Senior Vice President and General Counsel for National Religious Broadcasters

Rarely are all of these great leaders in one place and this conference is not simply to remind you of the Biblical worldview of our Founding Fathers, but also to address the issues facing the church today. To help with this goal, we invite attendees to learn more about The Family Foundation and how to put their worldview to work for their family and their faith. Join us Saturday by purchasing your ticket, then stop by our table and say hello.

We’ve staged a coup. Unfortunately, to the liberal collective’s the sigh of relief, we didn’t stack the Supreme Court with Matt and Victoria Cobb.

However, the four top ranking members of Virginia government, conservatives all — certainly to the chagrin of the liberal collective — Governor Bob McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and House Speaker Bill Howell, all will speak at this year’s Family Foundation Advisory Council Legislative Briefing on Wednesday, February 17.

This is an exclusive annual event for our Advisory Council members. However, it shows how important Virginia’s top officials view The Family Foundation and its most generous donors (click here for the complete benefits of Advisory Council membership).

Our Advisory Council is more than just perks; its instrumental partnership significantly funds the work of the organization during the General Assembly session and year round: The legislative call to action and subsequent victories, The Truth Project training, Pastors For Family Values, local grassroots networks, your voice in the mainstream media, and much more.

For more information about The Family Foundation Advisory Council, The Advisory Council Legislative Briefing, or any of our development activities, contact Dan Thompson at 804-343-0010 or at dan@familyfoundation.org. To donate to The Family Foundation at any level, you may click here.

Here’s part two of Lt. Governor Bill Bolling’s speech January 18 to the hundreds of grassroots activists who attended our annual Family Foundation Day At The Capitol or, in General Assembly parlance, “lobby day.” In part two, you will hear him address education reform, economic development and even Virginia’s plans to become the energy capital of the East Coast, with responsible off-shore drilling for oil and natural gas. You can see part one here.

Remember, Lt. Governor Bolling also will do a live blog interview here for an hour starting at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, February 11, as part of our annual Virtual Lobby Day. To leave a question for him, post it on this thread or click and post it here. We’ll have more information about our activities and ways in which you can participate in the next day or so.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling speaks to hundreds of values voters about the value of The Family Foundation as well as policy goals of the new administration in Richmond.