Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

TAKING OVER THE CRA/NFRA AND THE CHALCEDON FOUNDATION - ARE WE BEING MANIPULATED?

Posted on 10/08/2003 4:12:18 PM PDT by Chancellor Palpatine

This California recall has enabled us to take a close look at the inner workings of California politics, and of some of the shadowy interests which manipulate teh GOP to serve the interests of a numerically small but very noisily ideological group of malcontents from within the party. I have taken the time to come up with links to articles and excerpts of what is contained within so as to provide FReepers with some of the connections which exist between various individuals and groups within the California Republican Party, as well as the beliefs espoused by each.

When reviewing these excerpts (and they are all fairly lenghty, be forewarned), keep this working set of names and definitions in mind:

Howard Ahmanson, Jr. - Heir to vast savings and loan fortune, a 20 year contributor and former board member of the Chalcedon Institute. Prolific donor to campaigns of CRA members, and a particular patron of Tom McClintock.

Mark Rushdoony - Dead pseudotheologian and proponent of doctrine of Christian Dominionism.

Chalcedon Foundation/Institute - "Think tank" which advances the cause of Christian Dominionism in America.

Christian Dominionism - an ideology that the United States shall be governed under a Christian moral code with heavy emphasis on Old Testament rules as a matter of civil and criminal law.

California Republican Assembly - an organization which claims to consist of grassroots California Republicans

John Stoos - Former Vice President of the California Republican Asssembly, long time Chalcedon contributing writer and staffer and now a political aide to Tom McClintock.

Rod Martin - Eastern Region Vice President of the NFRA, Editor-Director of the Vanguard.

NFRA - National Federation of Republican Assemblies, the umbrella organization set up by the founders of the CRA, which is to give the movement a nationwide focus.

Stoos describes how the Dominionists took over the CRA.

Writing in the February 1997 issue [of Chalcedon Magazine], Stoos described how "a small group of Christians" first began to take over the California Republican Assembly in 1988 and came to dominate the state Republican Party itself. Stoos said what happened with the CRA "may well be a good model" to export "to facilitate the same type of successes across the country."

"In recent issues, Chalcedon writers have considered how those who believe in the Lordship of Christ and dominion mandate should involve themselves in American politics," Stoos wrote. "We agreed that Christians should not approach politics as 'wanting a seat at the table' as if the Creator of the Universe or his vice regents need to ask permission to be involved."

Political involvement in a constitutional republic, he continued, "is a natural obligation" for Christians who want the freedom to "preach the Gospel and further God's Kingdom."

How ordinary Republicans see that takeover, and what it means to them, together with their organizational efforts to combat it. (this consists of several excerpts, if I err in splitting them up, accept my apologies in advance):

The CRP debacle began in 1988 when Pat Robertson challenged President Bush in the Republican Primary. Although Robertson lost, he energized the Christian Coalition nationwide. In California they joined with the large and powerful California Republican Assembly and ran an effective though losing grassroots campaign.

After Robertsons loss to Bush, the leaders of the two groups had a meeting to discuss starting a third party. (Well documented in the Chalcedon Magazine by John Stoos.) They decided that as a third party, they could have a lot to say about philosophy but little or nothing to say about governance. They decided instead to take over the California Republican Party, control the party platform and the $20 million budget during each election cycle. The CRA-dominated coalition ran a stealth campaign in County Central Committee elections and was successful at winning a majority. They elected a Chairman and Board of Directors that was so dominated by the radical-right that they did not invite Governor Wilson to the 1992 convention, would not let him attend and demonstrated against our sitting Republican U.S. Senator when he was the keynote speaker. The CRA continued to consolidate its control of the CRP to such an extent that by 1994, every office and board member of the CRP was a member of the CRA and no one else was allowed to run. During the six years they had absolute control, the party suffered the worst three defeats in its history. During that time, CRA members and even officers of the party attacked Republican candidates in General Elections, costing us several seats. Although there were many such attacks, including the CRP Chairman initiating lawsuits against Republican Assembly candidates, the ones that could be the most costly were the attacks by a CRA Unit President and his associates on Congressman Steve Kuykendall and candidate Jim Cuneen. While Republicans in the rest of the country were trying to save our Speakership in the House, they were trying to hand it to the Democrats.

________________________________________

While the CCR was busy getting started and growing to over 25 Chapters around the state by 1997, the CRA had completed its takeover of the CRP to the extent that they outnumbered Mainstream Republicans by about 1200 to 400, and the counties by about 50 to 8.

Chalcedon's notion of religious life in its ideal society:

While belief could not be mandatory in a Biblical society, and unbelievers could live and work among the people of God, not all religious practices would be permitted. A Biblical society would have to restrain religions based on murder, aggressive revolution, or other civilization-destroying practices. Exodus 22:18, 20 and Deuteronomy 18:10-12 indicate that the practice of occultist religions or religions involving sacrifice to idols was a capital crime under the civil law given to Moses. I did not mention this fact in my reply because it would invite hysterics over witch trials rather than an understanding of my broader point — that the state, and therefore the idea of "crime," is necessarily religious. My correspondent evidently wants official state toleration for all religions, including outright paganism, Satanism, and witchcraft. I wanted her to see the impossibility of this pluralism.

Pagans and occultists should not be ignored by Christians as fringe groups of little significance. R. J. Rushdoony, in The Institutes of Biblical Law, pointed out the danger posed by such groups in the past:

At the end of the Middle Ages and in the early years of the modern era, a widespread outbreak and revival of pagan and anti-Christian occultism was responsible for a massive assault on Christianity, an attack on tithing, the mainstay of Christian society, a sexual revolution aimed at destroying the family, and a revival of cannibalism, human sacrifice, and related acts.

John Stoos, on Sacramento bargaining:

A conference committee drew up an agreed-on list of reforms, everyone shook on the deal and it appeared that conservatives had won an impressive victory. The conservative leadership still managed, however, to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

First, they sent liberal staff off to draft the details of the reforms, creating over four hundred pages of legal jargon to implement the few simple reforms. The final product actually moved California to the Left of the reforms signed by President Bill Clinton! When this was pointed out to the conservative leadership, they simply said it was the best they could get!

Next came their favorite legislative game: Announcing major reforms, while voting to do just the opposite. There were the obligatory debates, and when the dust had settled, only Senator Dick Mountjoy and Assemblyman Tom McClintock were willing to vote NO, after speaking against the phony reforms in the public debates.

More on Chalcedon's intentions:

Chalcedon and most other orthodox Christian reformers do not undertake to establish a national or state church (and thus do not deny the validity of the separation of church and state, properly understood); rather, we endorse and practice Christian establishmentarianism: the prevalence of historic, Biblical Christianity in all areas of modern life. We advocate a disestablished church but an established Faith.

All consistent Christians are thus intently disestablishmentarian and establishmentarian: To press the claims of Christ in all spheres is necessarily and simultaneously to disestablish Satan’s kingdom and establish Christ’s kingdom.

And it is the establishment of Christ’s kingdom which is destined to prevail.

Lest it be unclear what they believe:

Chalcedon supports only one form of "racism": God blesses, nourishes, and honors the Royal Race of the Redeemed, all of those of whatever physical race that have placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and God curses the race of the First Adam, all of those who live in unbelief, rebellion, and work-righteousness (Rom. 5:12-21). This is the only "racial discrimination" the Bible knows anything about. God discriminates in favor of covenant-keepers, and discriminates against covenant-breakers (Dt. 28). Some may object that He favors the race of Israel in the Old Testament era, but it must be immediately noted that His choice was not fundamentally racial, but religious. For this reason, Gentiles could become a part of the Jewish race, and thus a part of the covenant people of God (Gen. 17:12-13). The non-racial aspect of Biblical Faith is clear from Ephesians 2:11-15:

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace....

All converted Jews and Gentiles stand on the same plane of blessing in God's sight, just as all unconverted Jews and Gentiles stand on the same plane of judgment in God's sight. The race God favors is the race of the Second Adam; the race He disfavors is the race of the First Adam. And this has nothing to do with physical race.

John Stoos allows Mother Jones (!) to interview him:

Plan Ahead

From radical fringe to kingmakers in a decade — how did they do it? "Basically, there's two places you have influence: one is in the nominating process in the primaries, where you can elect people in ideological agreement with your views, and the other is in the party structure," says former CRA vice president John Stoos, a former gun lobbyist, member of the fundamentalist Christian Reconstructionist movement, and senior consultant to the State Assembly. "And who pays attention to this stuff? You literally have to plan months and years ahead to know where the openings are."

Larkin felt the wrath of the CRA when he ran for the California Assembly in 1996. In 1992 he had angered the CRA by launching a campaign to wrest control of the party's Ventura County Central Committee away from the conservatives. In reprisal, the CRA backed conservative Tom McClintock, who defeated Larkin in the 1996 primary and ultimately won the general election.

"They're organized and dedicated," says Larkin, "and mainstream Republicans are neither, so a very small group can take over."

Ahmanson's tentacles:

Ahmanson's patronage benefits several nonprofit think tanks, including the Claremont Institute, where McClintock worked for two years after losing his 1994 run for state controller, and the Chalcedon Foundation, which promotes a brand of Christianity known as Christian Reconstructionism. Chalcedon produces journals for which McClintock political aide John Stoos routinely writes.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Ahmanson served on Chalcedon's board of directors and was its largest benefactor, giving it at least $733,000. He remains a donor to the nonprofit organization, which was founded by Rousas John Rushdoony. Often called theologian to the religious right, Rushdoony, who died in 2001, advocated a nation ruled by Biblical law, a vision that assigned the death penalty for 18 sins, including murder, rape of a betrothed virgin, adultery and sodomy.

[hang on, this is my favorite part]

Ahmanson could not be reached for comment. But at a news conference this week, McClintock said he knew nothing about Ahmanson's theology, other than that he is a Christian. [compiler's note - take from that what you will]

An extract from a statement of the NFRA:

Our Founding Fathers firmly held to the conviction that religious freedom was fundamental to a free society. We also express the conviction that we are a God-fearing people, according one another the equal right of religious freedom and acknowledging with reverence the duty of obedience to the will of God.

Parents bear the final responsibility before God in the rearing of their children. Parents have been commanded by God to love their children and lead them in the paths of truth. Parents must be free to discipline their children in love and direct their education without government intrusion.

The CRA speaks:

We believe with the framers of that document when President Adams stated, "This Constitution will not work except with a religious people."

An official of the NFRA in a candid gleeful boast:

Even these numbers understate the case. In California, for instance, where the study rightly noted reverses, Christian conservatives in the powerful California Republican Assembly were nevertheless able to overturn the “foreordained” outcome of their party’s gubernatorial primary, badly upsetting left-wing Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan with conservative underdog Bill Simon. A Simon win in November would guarantee their dominance in the party, and dramatically increase their influence in both state and nation.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: cali; chalcedon; christiandominionism; mcclintock; palpatinecra; reconstructionism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 241-260261-280281-300 ... 621-631 next last
To: Poohbah
Let's say you are involved in your county's party. You decide to run for office. You are elected, thanks to the help and advice of someone else in your county's party. You worked well with him.

You serve, and then run for a higher office. Since you worked well with him and found him trustworthy, you use him again.

You have no idea that he writes for some fringe group. Why would you? You never had any reason to suspect.

Should you have known? I am skeptical. I could very easily see how he wouldn't have known.

So the guy says something stupid, some of his views come out. McClintock distances himself from those views. Maybe he should have fired the guy. I don't know. But I sure don't see what Chancellor is trying to paint.

261 posted on 10/08/2003 7:25:33 PM PDT by William McKinley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 252 | View Replies]

To: Miss Marple
The NFRA site has links to chapters in other states. I think Indiana is on it.
262 posted on 10/08/2003 7:27:10 PM PDT by Chancellor Palpatine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 258 | View Replies]

To: Miss Marple
The NFRA was mentioned at the top of the post as being a national organization, so there could be a state chapter in Indiana, so try contacting the GOP in your state to see if they know about them?
263 posted on 10/08/2003 7:28:02 PM PDT by habs4ever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 258 | View Replies]

To: William McKinley
And I'd bet dollars to donuts that Stoos is still doing his same job, and hasn't been fired.
264 posted on 10/08/2003 7:28:21 PM PDT by Chancellor Palpatine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 261 | View Replies]

To: Chancellor Palpatine
If you are going to say that Claremont is a bit player, then you can't say that McClintock should have known about Ahmanson because of his involvement with Claremont.

Once again, you have demonstrated to me that Ahmanson is not someone I would be comfortable with. You have yet to give me a reason to be uncomfortable with Claremont, nor a reason to be uncomfortable with those who worked for Claremont.

Frankly, if we are going to demonize Claremont, then you have to also demonize Heritage (since they work together often), and so forth. After all, by your logic they should all know about everything, including that they are just a tool for this Ahmanson character.

So, what percentage of Claremont's funding comes from Ahmanson?

265 posted on 10/08/2003 7:30:22 PM PDT by William McKinley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 259 | View Replies]

To: Chancellor Palpatine
Should he be fired for his religious beliefs?
266 posted on 10/08/2003 7:31:06 PM PDT by William McKinley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 264 | View Replies]

To: george wythe
John Stoos on Buddhists - When asked whether their planned government would have a place for Jews, Buddhists, Moslems and Atheists) "Well, Rush would say that it is better to obey God's 600 laws than man's 6000 laws. No, there would be room for Buddhists, I just don't know how much."

John Stoos--Christian Reconstructionist and "one of the most astute Republican political strategists in California"--when speaking to Jerry Sloan, co-founder of the Tocsin Foundation.

267 posted on 10/08/2003 7:31:31 PM PDT by Chancellor Palpatine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 251 | View Replies]

To: Chancellor Palpatine
I don't have the donor data except one excerpt from the Recall funding [Roberta wife of Howard jr]:

Recall campaigns (for and against)
The following donors were found using the search term 'Ahmanson.'
Contributor Employer Amount Date Recipient Committee
ROBERTA AHMANSON  SAME $21,200 09.25.2003 McClintock for Governor
The recall committee database includes the petition-gathering groups, yes and no campaigns, and candidate committees. Contributions to the Governor Gray Davis Committee after July 1, 2003 are also included.

Region funds Episcopalians' move to divide

Roberta Ahmanson

268 posted on 10/08/2003 7:32:36 PM PDT by deport (The Many, The Proud, The Winners)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 241 | View Replies]

To: William McKinley
The last thing I would want, particularly if I'm in a higher office than before and thinking of going higher (such as having run TWICE for statewide office already) is to walk into an ambush because of not asking.

I would, long before it had a chance to become an issue, make sure that (a) I knew who ALL of my close advisors and assistants hung around with, and (b) that any article that they DID seek to publish went past my desk before going to the journal in question.
269 posted on 10/08/2003 7:34:26 PM PDT by Poohbah ("[Expletive deleted] 'em if they can't take a joke!" -- Major Vic Deakins, USAF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 261 | View Replies]

To: george wythe
OK, and?

Why on earth should anyone assume that McClintock had read what he wrote? Was it in the USA Today? Was it reported in the local papers? Was it in National Review? Or was it on some fringe group's newsletter that hardly anyone had ever read?

This is the jump that many seem to be making that I am having a hard time understanding why it should be made.

270 posted on 10/08/2003 7:34:57 PM PDT by William McKinley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 251 | View Replies]

To: billbears
They did not intend the U.S. Constitution to be a legal construct which reflects only the Judeo-Christian code.. -- They intended to guarantee a ~new~ republican form of government, based on the individual rights to life, liberty, & property of every person, under the supreme rule of our ~new~ constitutional law..

Wholly agree. However they did not intend for the Constitution to be a legal document from which religion and morality were deconstructed from the states either.

See Art.VI.. -- The states were bound to the supreme Law of the Land, -- which includes our religious freedoms..

I would not approve of any moral national code to be put in place. However I also do not approve of the state laws that these men and their peers passed be overturned to give more 'freedom' for illicit and immoral actions.

Your vision of what is to be deemed 'illicit/immoral' must meet constitutional tests to become law.

You want sodomy? Fine, go find a state that has no sodomy laws. Want to do drugs? Fine, go find a state that has no drug laws.

Sorry, I am not obligated to follow your versions of 'shape up or ship out'.. This is a united republic of states bound by constitutional law..

Considering what California offers up for the most part as conservatives, I'd suggest starting there. Or do you suggest the laws these men passed at the state level stood for decades based on misunderstanding of a document they wrote?

The 'states rightists' position is not a "misunderstanding"..

It is a cynical authoritarian effort to in effect, 'end around' our constitutions BOR's.. Always has been, imo..

271 posted on 10/08/2003 7:36:16 PM PDT by tpaine (I'm trying to be 'Mr Nice Guy', but Arnie won, & politics as usual lost. Yo!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 235 | View Replies]

To: William McKinley
I don't care about Claremont, nor was it the focus of my research. The only reason it came up was because Ahmanson was a donor, and McC worked there a time. The simple fact of the matter is that there is no way that McClintock didn't know what Ahmanson was about - and that is my focus right now.
272 posted on 10/08/2003 7:37:09 PM PDT by Chancellor Palpatine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 265 | View Replies]

To: Poohbah
I guess we just look at things differently. It would never cross my mind to ask someone if they belong to a group like this, since I know how small a percentage of the population they are and as such would never anticipate someone being involved with them, even if someone seemed particularly devout.
273 posted on 10/08/2003 7:38:51 PM PDT by William McKinley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 269 | View Replies]

To: William McKinley
Why on earth should anyone assume that McClintock had read what he wrote?

Anything that comes out from any of Tom's staffers will reflect on Tom. It may not be fair, but it's the way things are. A prudent officeholder will ask to see anything that comes out from anyone in the office, if for no other reason than being ready for controversy or message deconfliction.

Was it in the USA Today? Was it reported in the local papers? Was it in National Review? Or was it on some fringe group's newsletter that hardly anyone had ever read?

In a Yahoo-Google-Infoseek-Lycos world, it doesn't matter if it was published in USA Today or somewhere else...it WILL be found if someone bothers to look.

274 posted on 10/08/2003 7:39:18 PM PDT by Poohbah ("[Expletive deleted] 'em if they can't take a joke!" -- Major Vic Deakins, USAF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 270 | View Replies]

To: Chancellor Palpatine
Yep. Just did a Google as well. I think I will ask someone in the Indiana party what they know. It also could be that the Indiana branch is just grass roots. It will be interesting to find out.
275 posted on 10/08/2003 7:39:46 PM PDT by Miss Marple
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 262 | View Replies]

To: William McKinley
I guess we just look at things differently. It would never cross my mind to ask someone if they belong to a group like this, since I know how small a percentage of the population they are and as such would never anticipate someone being involved with them, even if someone seemed particularly devout.

When I was in South Carolina, I knew a guy who was a legislative staffer and a World War II airplane buff. He wrote a few articles for magazines like Air Classics and Wings. His articles were completely noncontroversial--but he still had to get clearance from his boss (an assemblywoman) to send them to the publisher.

276 posted on 10/08/2003 7:41:57 PM PDT by Poohbah ("[Expletive deleted] 'em if they can't take a joke!" -- Major Vic Deakins, USAF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 273 | View Replies]

.

If famine, drought, pestilence, earthquake or any other public calamity threatened, the cry was raised "the Christians to the lions".

277 posted on 10/08/2003 7:44:17 PM PDT by mrsmith
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

To: Chancellor Palpatine
The simple fact of the matter is that there is no way that McClintock didn't know what Ahmanson was about
I completely understand that you believe this to the bottom of your soul.

I, on the other hand, have seen nothing to indicate to me that he would have ever even heard of the guy.

You provided two pieces of evidence.

One: McClintock worked for Claremont, which Ahmanson donated to. To me, this shows nothing. Obviously, to you it does because you included it. I am trying to get at what you think it shows, and in doing I want to see what other implications it would hold.

Two: McClintock has an aide who knows very well who Ahmanson is and what he's about. It has been proven to me that he has such an aide who does know this. But how this means McClintock had to know who Ahmanson is, I do not see. I do not assume that because two people know each other and work with (or for) each other, that they share all experiences and knowledge.

278 posted on 10/08/2003 7:44:51 PM PDT by William McKinley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 272 | View Replies]

To: Miss Marple
You might warn them about these folks - don't let them get a toehold.
279 posted on 10/08/2003 7:45:24 PM PDT by Chancellor Palpatine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 275 | View Replies]

To: Chancellor Palpatine; strela
I did a google, and this post of strela's came up:
____________________________________________

I find it even funnier that you attack Arnold Schwarzenegger for merely attending a meeting with Ken Lay while at the same time ignoring some of Tom McClintock's more ... er, "interesting" donors:

Here are the top 10 donors or lenders to major party candidates for state controller:

TOM MCCLINTOCK (Republican)

2. Fieldstead & Co., which is headed by Orange County financier Howard Ahmanson Jr.: $190,000

One of Mr. Ahmanson's more ... interesting ... quotes :

"My purpose is total integration of biblical law into our lives."

Ahmanson inherited his money from his father, owner of Home Savings & Loan ... during the S&L scandal of the Reagan years, Home's investors, mostly small family investments, lost over $150 million dollars. No one went to jail."

More information about Mr. Ahmanson:

"Howard Ahmanson was a board member of the Chalcedon Institute for 23 years. This organization wants the government to adhere to biblical law, which, includes among other things, the killing of all gays and lesbians."

Want more?

"The group's biggest bankroller (both to campaigns and major conservative organizations) is Howard Ahmanson, who with his wife Roberta contributed nearly $2 million to various causes and candidates in 1992 alone. This is significant in part because Ahmanson is a longtime director of a theocratic think tank, the Chalcedon Foundation. The Chalcedon Foundation and its founder, R.J. Rushdoony, call for the abolition of democracy and the installation of a theocratic republic under "Biblical Law." The Chalcedon Foundation's theocratic agenda includes, among other things, capital punishment for such religious offenses as blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy, as well as abortion, adultery, and homosexuality."

And they say there is no American Taliban.


91 posted on 09/24/2003 8:04 AM EDT by strela (I wonder if Tom McClintock will have to "make a reservation" to pay back all that money?)

____________________________________________
Post 91 on this thread:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/988275/posts?page=77
280 posted on 10/08/2003 7:50:31 PM PDT by EllaMinnow (Life is too important to be taken seriously.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 279 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 241-260261-280281-300 ... 621-631 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson