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Posted on 07/08/2004 4:58:43 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
Dobson on FMA: Call Senators 'until the switchboard smokes'
Jul 7, 2004
By Michael Foust
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Focus on the Family's James Dobson broke new ground on his radio broadcast July 7, telling where all 100 U.S. Senators stand on the Federal Marriage Amendment and encouraging his listeners to flood the nation's capital with phone calls.
"Call them every day," he said. "Get all your friends to call. Call until the switchboard smokes."
Dobson's plea came on the eve of debate in the Senate on the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would protect the traditional definition of marriage, thus banning same-sex "marriage." Debate is scheduled to begin July 12.
"These are Democrats and Republicans -- some of them conservative -- who will not commit to voting to protect marriage," he said. "... They've been conservative on so many issues, but when it comes to this issue, they are terrified of the homosexual lobby."
According to Dobson only 33 Senators -- 32 Republicans and one Democrat -- have stated they will back the Federal Marriage Amendment. The other 67 Senators either have stated their opposition or remain undecided, he said.
For the amendment to pass it must garner the votes of 67 Senators. But for it to get that far, it must get 60 votes simply to prevent a filibuster. Congressional experts say it is uncertain whether the amendment can reach even the 60-vote threshold.
Phone calls, Dobson said, can make the difference. Senators who support the amendment, he said, have requested that people call Washington.
"Our friends in the Senate are begging us to do what we have done today," he said. [They have said,] 'Please ask the people to call. It's the only way we're going to win this.'"
Dobson and guests on the program answered objections to the amendment. Alan Sears, president of the Alliance Defense Fund, said that contrary to what some believe, the Defense of Marriage Act -- signed into law in 1996 -- is not sufficient protection against the legalization of same-sex "marriage."
"One of these out-of-control sets of courts can strike that down, and we have chaos at the federal level," he said.
A federal amendment, Sears said, "takes it out of the jurisdiction of [the] court."
The irony, Dobson said, is that in June the Senate passed a bill adding sexual orientation to the list of hate crimes. It still must pass the House.
"It tells you a whole lot about the Senate," he said. "The Senate that passed hate crimes legislation with hardly a whimper ... they are not willing to defend marriage. That bothers me a lot."
While Dobson often deals with hot-button issues on his radio program, he rarely if ever goes as far as he did July 7 by naming each individual Senator and requesting action on the part of the audience. In fact, before he read the list he said he was doing something he's "never done before and never been able to do before."
Because of tax laws the broadcast was not paid for with Focus on the Family funds but instead by a separate organization, Focus on the Family Action, which was started to fund pro-family political efforts.
The Senate amendment is SJR 30.
According to Dobson 67 Senators either are opposed to the amendment or are undecided. They are:
Daniel Akaka (D.-Hawaii), Max Baucus (D.-Mont.), Evan Bayh (D.-Ind.), Robert Bennett (R.-Utah), Joseph Biden (D.-Del.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Barbara Boxer (D.-Calif.), John Breaux (D.-La.), Robert Byrd (D.-W.Va.), Ben Campbell (R.-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D.-Wash.), Thomas Carper (D.-Del.), Lincoln Chafee (R.-R.I.), Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R.-Maine), Kent Conrad (D.-N.D.), Jon Corzine (D.-N.J.), Thomas Daschle (D.-S.D.), Mark Dayton (D.-Minn.), Mike DeWine (R.-Ohio), Christopher Dodd (D.-Conn.), Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.), Richard Durbin (D.-Ill.), John Edwards (D.-N.C.), Russell Feingold (D.-Wis.), Dianne Feinstein (D.-Calif.), Bob Graham (D.-Fla.), Judd Gregg (R.-N.H.), Chuck Hagel (R.-Neb.), Tom Harkin (D.-Iowa), Ernest Hollings (D.-S.C.), Daniel Inouye (D.-Hawaii), James Jeffords (I-Vt.), Tim Johnson (D.-S.D.), Edward Kennedy (D.-Mass.), John Kerry (D.-Mass.), Herb Kohl (D.-Wis.), Mary Landrieu (D.-La.), Frank Lautenberg (D.-N.J.), Patrick Leahy (D.-Vt.), Carl Levin (D.-Mich.), Joseph Lieberman (D.-Conn.), Blanche Lincoln (D.-Ark.), Richard Lugar (R.-Ind.), John McCain (R.-Ariz.), Barbara Mikulski (D.-Md.), Lisa Murkowski (R.-Alaska), Patty Murray (D.-Wash.), Bill Nelson (D.-Fla.), Ben Nelson (D.-Neb.), Don Nickles (R.-Okla.), Mark Pryor (D.-Ark.), Jack Reed (D.-R.I.), Harry Reid (D.-Nev.), Pat Roberts (R.-Kan.), John Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.), Paul Sarbanes (D.-Md.), Charles Schumer (D.-N.Y.), Gordon Smith (R.-Ore.), Olympia Snowe (R.-Maine), Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.), Debbie Stabenow (D.-Mich.), John Sununu, R.-N.H., Craig Thomas (R.-Wyo.), George Voinovich (R.-Ohio), John Warner (R.-Va.), Ron Wyden (D.-Ore.).
--30--
For more information about the national debate over same-sex "marriage," visit
http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage
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It is inconcieveable even a single senator would champion gay marraige.
ping
The HRC is pushing their members to oppose the FMA.
You can go to http://www.senate.gov and put in your zip.\
Remember! approval of this ONLY SENDS THIS TO THE STATES FOR APPROVAL.
This is just giving the state legislatures a chance to vote on this. (38 states have DMA laws/amendments)
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Post 5 has all the senators websites, just click and sent email.
Some senators are saying they have recieved NOTHING and have not heard from ANYONE supporting the FMA.
Even if you have anti-family senators LET THEM KNOW!!!!
DENY THEM THE ARGUMENT OF OUR SILENCE!!
Anyway...I called one Senator yesterday. The other is a co-sponsor. The one I called said he would vote for the Amendment. I'm proud of him!!!!
According to Dobson only 33 Senators -- 32 Republicans and one Democrat -- have stated they will back the Federal Marriage Amendment. The other 67 Senators either have stated their opposition or remain undecided, he said.
For the amendment to pass it must garner the votes of 67 Senators. But for it to get that far, it must get 60 votes simply to prevent a filibuster. Congressional experts say it is uncertain whether the amendment can reach even the 60-vote threshold.
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33 votes?
This thing is dead....insanely dead.
There is just no way we can get 30 Senators to change their minds.
I will call, but I am not hopeful.
I was shocked to see one of my senators listed since the other is a sponsor. I'll call him.
I like Rick Santorum and appreciate the effort he's putting in on the FMA, but, there's a reason I'm not jamming the phone lines to my Congressmen and Senators.
The Federal Marriage Amendment, despite Mr. Santorum's insistence to the contrary, IS an usurpation of state's rights, in implication if not in fact. If the legislators would like to do something really constructive, give the states BACK the right to keep sodomy criminal -- anything less is a paper tiger. Release us to self-rule--which means far more than casting a ballot for who's on top tonight.
At issue is not the principle of marriage; it is the right to self-governance. In my opinion, Mr. Santorum is going along with the folks that just want to look busy. It's just a lot of noise, and nothing very productive. You want to really help us? Redeem us from the United States Supreme Court and judicial tyranny of the minority. Reign in the judges that are making law, and contradicting justice.
The first, second, and fifth amendments are twisting in the wind; the fourth is gone already. One more law....who cares?
A FMA will have all the usefulness of prohibition.
Bump for a.m. action.
can we revoke 16 and 17 while we're messing with it?
i personally don't know/have-a-solid-opinion on whether this should be a constitutional amendment issue or not.
i can't imagine how the country is supposed to function with different states having (so vastly) different marriage laws (regardless of my position).
and what other truely feasible options are there for reeling the federal courts in?
does the defeat of this amendment equal pro-alternate-lifestyle "marriage" at the federal level? if not, will federal courts rule for or against states with man-woman marriage laws/constitutions?
i think passing this (including the states) ties up all the loose ends and closes the door on the issue for a while. it seems like a clean option as opposed the the chaos that is starting up now.
My guys Lott and Cochran are already onboard. Wonder if Ace and Gary will return to town to vote?
The American Family Association is sending out further alerts today that indicate that there is not a 2/3 majority in favor, and may not even be a simple majority.
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT
Dear Friend of the Family,
Debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment in the U.S. Senate has begun. But I must share with you some information so that when the vote is taken, you will know exactly what it means.
The FMA will probably not get the necessary two-thirds vote required for a constitutional amendment to pass. In fact, there is a possibility that it may not even get a simple majority.
I urge you, DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED! This is only the beginning of a long fight for the very foundation of Western Civilization. One of the primary purposes of this vote is to make public the position of each Senator. There is a general feeling that some Senators will have to be voted out of office before the FMA can pass.
And, despite all the rhetoric by some Senators as to why they voted against the FMA, the bottom line is this: A vote against the FMA is a vote for homosexual marriage. A vote for the FMA is a vote for traditional marriage.
The Democratic leadership in the Senate has made a deal with the homosexual activists that they will kill the bill in return for homosexual financial support and votes. They are working hand in hand to do that. Their desire is to get a federal judge to strike all marriage laws from the books in all 50 states. The ACLU and other groups have already filed suits in several states to strike down marriage laws. Homosexual leaders have promised to “out” homosexual staff members of Senators who vote for the FMA.
Please don’t think that we have lost if the FMA isn’t passed. This will be a long battle and the outcome will determine the kind of society our children and grandchildren will live in. I am greatly encouraged by the growing involvement of God-fearing people that I have seen in the last two weeks. I am hopeful that the “sleeping giant” is waking up.
Friend, I am committed for the long haul. I hope that you are also. Too much is riding on the outcome. Here is what you can do right now:
Take Action
1. Pray
2. If you haven’t already signed the petition in support of the FMA, click here to do so.
3.Call your two Senators if you have not already done so. You can reach both Senators by calling 1-202-224-3121.
After the vote, we will provide a list of those Senators who vote for homosexual marriage (against the FMA) and those who voted for traditional marriage (for the FMA).
Friend, your continued involvement in this battle is very much needed! Please stay active and involved. Thank you and God bless you.
Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association
P.S. Please forward this email to at least one friend
the important thing is to make this such a high profile issue that Kerry and Edwards get in trouble whatever they do
this amendment will likely never pass; but just TALKING about it, will make people more aware of the judicial crisis and help Bush put conservatives on the court. That my friend is the most/second most important issue in the eleciton IMHO.
More cop outs, more damage to the integrity of the nuclear family.
What's truly amazing about that argument - the courts in Massachusetts have already proven that view to be wrong.
bttt
Don't call, write letters (in handwriting).
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