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This is an interesting tidbit: Former Governor Jim Gilmore announced Monday that he had been elected the new president and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation, the influential conservative think tank founded by the legendary conservative leader, strategist and grassroots activist Paul Weyrich (see New York Times), who died last December. Weyrich was one of the architects of the conservative renaissance that eventually brought about the Reagan and Gingrich Revolutions.

When the announcement hit my inbox, I was eager to post it. This is big news — a Virginian taking the lead at a conservative hallmark, in the shoes of a true legend (Washington Times). But in his letter, the former governor included a link to a December 10 column by John Gizzi of Human Events in which he explains why he is taking the position and his goals, etc. That was more than two weeks prior to Monday’s e-mailed letter. Figuring it was old news, I ignored it. Yet, the announcement still exploded in the media, new and mainstream. There’s articles everywhere. Interesting how news can still trail real time, no matter how electronic and digital we become. It just goes to show that good reporting still beats all.

So, we join in the congratulations to former Governor Gilmore in his new position. He is a good, hard working, earnest man. He will have a national platform and a well schooled staff to put forth and advance conservative ideas and solutions to problems America faces in the economy, foreign policy and cultural and social issues, of which Weyrich was a determined traditionalist. In the age of Obama, there can be no shortage of limited government conservatives working in the vineyard.

Thanks to the alert by our friend Tea Party Jim, we now know the winner of the Public Option Please propaganda, graffiti, Obama adoration, uhh, “art” contest. As Jim writes us:

The sickness of this kind of thinking is what is destroying this country. The thought that Washington, D.C., is the lifeblood of the nation is simply idiotic, but not surprising.

And apart from the misattribution of the quote, the doublespeak of the supposed Jefferson quote is nearly hilarious. “Without Liberty no happiness can be enjoyed by society” as the money quote to sell government rationed health care is simply Orwellian.

I can’t add much more to that. Well stated, Jim. Gabriel Malor has something to say, too, at Ace of Spades HQ.

The winners are (although we thought liberalism doesn’t have winners and losers, and that it makes everyone equal and happy):

First place and People’s Choice winner, to an Amy Martin, with the perfectly understandable idea that our country is great because of Washington, D.C.:

Second Place, to Tatyana Fazlalizadeh (there’s always a Tatyana involved in socialism, isn’t there?), but lacking nothing in staged propaganda heart strings, and a bone to underappreciated photographers out there:

Finally, a disappointing, I’m sure, third place to the POTUS, represented by a Michael Cuffe, but it’s my personal favorite, as well, and takes second to nothing in human adoration, if that’s any consolation to him. After all, the bronze here is better than what he got at got at on his Olympics bid:

Probably not too many of you have heard the name of Erroll Southers, but he is President Barack Obama’s nominee to head up the Transporation Safety Administration (see Federal Times). As it turns out, once upon a time, Southers used his access to government records to spy on his ex-wife’s boyfriend (see Washington Post). Unfortunately, that makes him a natural fit for the Obama administration. Not only does he have the Obama requisites of cheating and government Big Brother control, but he’s not committing to rule out unionization at the TSA. So he has the radical ideological pedigree, too. That issue alone flipped the U.S. Senate to Republican control in the unprecedented 2002 mid-term election.

It’s not surprising that in an era when the treasury secretary cheated on his taxes (and a sycophant Senate cowed) and the president hired an avowed communist for his White House staff (Van Jones), among the many Maoists (Anita Dunn) and other controversial appointments, that this incident from Southers’ past practically fails to register. After all, the only thing at stake is national security and individual liberty. Maybe if the administration cared more about real security threats than about appointing people with dubious backgrounds, President Obama’s government would be less dysfunctional.

We’re accustomed to liberal attempts to redefine the natural order of life. However, in the Age of Obama, those attempts no longer come through persuasion, but through power accumulated from corruption and incompetence purported to be the “best and brightest.” 

Question: What’s funnier than an Al Franken joke?

Answer: Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee!

Of course, it doesn’t take much to be funnier than an Al Franken joke,  but a comedian instead of an attorney on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee? (See the Fort Worth Star-Telegram— “art” eventually imitated life as Franken once played a senator on that committee during a Saturday Night Live skit about the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas.)

Come to think of it, the bizarre is the new normal in the Age of Obama.

(If you haven’t, vote in our Al Franken poll by clicking here.)

Today is the 58th annual National Day of Prayer. The theme for this year’s observance is “Prayer: America’s Hope” and the Scripture verse is:

“May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.” (Psalm 33:22)

We ask you to join with our nation and with The Family Foundation as we pray for God’s grace and His healing of our land.

The National Day of Prayer has a storied history. In 1952, President Harry Truman signed into law a declaration that every president must proclaim a National Day of Prayer on the day of his choosing. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan codified the first Thursday of May as the official National Day of Prayer. Since then, Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush have marked this day with a White House observance. All presidents have issued commemorative proclamations. For many years, a special prayer service has been held in the East Room.

Of course, now we are in a era of “change,” the “Age of Obama.” As this day approached, many pondered what, if anything, new or otherwise, the president might do. After all, he did state that America is “no longer a Christian nation” and his recent address at Georgetown University came with the insistence that it cover Jesus’ name.   

It turns out that President Obama, in lockstep with his previous hostile decisions, decided not to schedule a public ceremony in the White House, and may not send a representative to the National Day of Prayer Task Force event on Capitol Hill. Instead, he opted for a private proclamation signing. All are actions that indicate a desire to squelch the public expression of faith.

An Archbishop of Canterbury once said, “Lex orandi, lex credendi,” which translates to, “the manner in which we pray shapes the manner in which we believe.” President Obama’s actions appear to show that he, unlike pro-family Virginians, does not respect the importance of prayer and belief. Given what we see from the White House, now more than ever, it’s important that we protect our religious liberty.

However, we at The Family Foundation, continue to lead the battle in Virginia. In the past decade, we have championed several efforts on behalf of preserving religious liberty in the Commonwealth:

» A bill requiring that every school division conduct a moment of silence so each student can pray, meditate, or reflect (passed into law in 2000)

» A bill authorizing the posting of the national motto, “In God We Trust,” in public buildings (passed into law in 2002)

» A bill requiring a higher legal standard for government to intrude on an individual’s religious liberty (passed into law in 2007)

» A bill further protecting the rights of students in Virginia public schools to express their faith within classroom work (passed into law in 2008)

» A bill to restore the rights of state police chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus (passed the House in 2009, but failed in  Senate Courts of Justice Committee)

At first sight, it seems the last bill is an anomaly. Not necessarily so. It can take one, two or several sessions to get a bill passed and signed into law. Religious liberty is fragile and in danger from intrusion, or neglect, by the state. So, we will continue to fight to protect our religious heritage, even during an era where, to some, not prayer, but the cult of personality is paramount.

(We can always use help in carrying out our mission: To do so, visit our Action Center, sign up for our e-mail alerts here, sign up to volunteer here, or make a donation here.)

Topping the news today is the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision to void that state’s same-sex marriage ban. We’ll have a little more to say in a subsequent post. Topping the political news is the confirmation by Senator Ken Stolle (R-8, Virginia Beach) of the speculation that he will run for Virginia Beach sheriff this year. What came as a surprise was his announcement that he suffers from Parkinson’s Disease. We’ll also comment on his political decision in a subsequent post.

We can’t go too far without tooting our horn: Two national news organizations mention us and our role in the successful effort to get the benefits of marriage taught as part of Virginia public schools’ Family Life Education curriculum (see here). Those stories top the news section.  

A few interesting others to point out: The commentary on “spineless” pastors who won’t speak out on the major cultural issues of the day; and articles about a bill in Congress that would prohibit abortion based on sex and race; how churches are doing more charitable work now than ever — for non-parishioners; and how financial supporters to the California Marriage Amendment campaign are getting targeted . . . ah, yes . . . yet more tolerance in the Age of Obama. 

News:

*Virginia Gov. Approves Law Requiring Schools to Teach Benefits of Marriage (The Christian Post.com)

*Virginia To Teach Students Benefits of Marriage (OneNewsNow.com Blog)

Stolle confirms he’ll run for sheriff, says he has Parkinson’s (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

VDOT bonuses, salary increases assailed, defended (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

‘More toll roads,’ says Va. House speaker (Washington Times)

State’s Economic Problems Emerge as Major Force in Campaign(Washington Post)

Huckabee and McAuliffe in war of words (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Gubernatorial hopeful McAuliffe calls for a payday-lending ban; other Democrats follow suit (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

State GOP chairman faces crucial party showdown (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

National News:

Iowa court: Ban on same-sex ‘marriage’ unconstitutional(OneNewsNow.com)

Prop. 8 supporters persecuted for donations (OneNewsNow.com)

Abortion based on race, gender labeled ‘barbaric’ (OneNewsNow.com)

Churches Do More Good Now Than Ever (OneNewsNow.com Blog)

Bill Lets Moms-To-Be Kill To Save Baby (KOCO-TV)

Opinion:

The silent, spineless clergy (OneNewsNow.com)

The News Stand doesn’t have a large inventory today, but what we have is interesting as usual. The gubernatorial campaign is rolling along with Bob McDonnell and Terry McAuliffe continuing to get the headlines. Where are Creigh Deeds and Brian Moran? It’s enough to prompt House Republican Whip Eric Cantor to call it for T-Mac already.

Meanwhile, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich sounds the warning on President Obama’s war on churches and charities, squeezing them out in favor of a care-for-all, omnipresent government. Speaking of McDonnell, he’s promised to run the most technologically savvy campaign in Virginia history. It’s a hard lesson Republicans have learned from Democrats who have outpaced them by far in use of the Internet via social networking and the like. But according to Rachel Alexander, there is a conservative tech revolution going on.

Speaking of revolutions, do they have tea or corn parties in Iowa? For all those gearing up for the various Virginia tea parties on April 15, you might want to read and view what went on in Iowa’s legislature recently, where the Democrat House Speaker, Pat Murphy, tossed out taxpayers opposed to his tax increase plan. Ah, yes. Freedom of speech in the Age of Obama!

News:

McDonnell pledges support for business during campaign stop (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

McDonnell’s gubernatorial campaign makes local stop (Winchester Star)

McAuliffe’s Fundraising: High-Dollar, High-Mileage (Washington Post)

Does Cantor Really Think McAuliffe Wins? (TertiumQuids.com)

Ex-Lobbyist, Kaine Brother-in-Law, Among 4 Proposed For U.S. Attorney(Washington Post)

Analysis:

Web 2.0 and the New Conservative Revolution (GOPUSA.com)

National News:

Obama’s ‘war against churches and charities’ (OneNewsNow.com)

When the American Tax Payer Becomes a Nuissance (GetLiberty.org)

Video:

Taxpayers Kicked Out Of Capitol During Tax Debate — Iowa (YouTube.com/KCCI-TV)

Last Month, Chris Freund, vice president of policy and communications for The Family Foundation of Virginia, addressed the Tuesday Morning Group Coalition’s monthly meeting in Richmond. He was part of a panel which discussed everything from the environment to economics. It’s not a pretty picture. Scary, actually: card check, FOCA, partial-birth abortion on demand, liberal judges, God out of the public square entirely, “fairness doctrine,” high taxes, cap and trade us into rationing energy, no drilling nowhere. You get the idea.

So, while the media is sucking everyone into the new Era of Good Feeling ushered in by the “messiah,” a little dose of reality (to find the entire panel and the topics discussed, click here):