Dateline Sacramento (7/16/2009)
Dateline Sacramento
News with a View from the California Capitol
July 16, 2009
Santa Ana Comes Together To Pray
California Family Council is confident of the power of God through the prayers of His people, and we are excited to share in the rollout of a prayer ministry targeting a specific area of California. Over the past several months, over 70 organizations, churches, outreach ministries, service groups, civic leaders, local businesses and school administrators have graciously shared their hearts, missions and vision for the future of families in Santa Ana. From these conversations, three consistent ideas have emerged as being critical to the work being planned and accomplished as part of the initiatives.
1. Prayer: creating a sustained foundation of prayer for the city of Santa Ana. Specifically, praying for the families who live and work here and praying for ministries, churches, schools, organizations and first-responders who serve these families.
2. Partnership: meeting needs related to volunteerism, funding, and delivery of programs and resources.
3. Priorities: Activate our partnership first in Santa Ana, the community recognized as having the most needs.
On Saturday, August 8, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the community will gather to launch a “season” of prayer for the city. That morning, churches representing an array of denominations and cultures will join together to walk guided routes into the city to pray. Our hope is that a wide spectrum of the community will be represented at this event.
Your church or organization can help make August 8a memorable day in the history of Santa Ana! First, please consider attending the event. Second, assist the community in promoting the event to your congregations, pastors, constituents and the general public. While Focus on the Family and several other partners will promote on a broader scale, nothing will be as effective as creating a grassroots movement to bring the faith-based community together for this time of prayer. Third, commit to participating in a coordinated, sustained prayer initiative following the event for the next year (more details to follow). Fourth, join us in praying for this event. Pray that God’s people will respond to the call of prayer, that God will find favor in this effort and that this event will bring the hope of God’s promises to families in Santa Ana.
Please respond by calling (800) 531-1626 to indicate your intention to become part of this exciting event and movement. When you contact Focus on the Family, they will help answer your questions and put promotional materials into your hands. Also, look for ongoing e-mail updates and/or follow the prayer movement progress on Twitter (PrayerProjectSA). Certainly, amazing work and impact is already being accomplished for families in Santa Ana, yet most will agree that there is much more we could do – especially in the spirit of unity. See you on August 8!
Downgrades, Layoffs and Strikes Spur Budget Discussion
A week of sparring between Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders, including a brief boycott of budget negotiations by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, has brought the State of California to the brink of financial Armageddon. An estimated $35 million is added to the $26.3 billion deficit each day the state fails to balance the budget. This failure has resulted in Moody’s – a national credit rating agency – downgrading California’s debt rating to Baa1 from A2. This is the third time in recent weeks the state debt rating has been lowered. No state has ever received such a low credit rating – which is slightly above junk bond status. The effect of the downgrade means it will cost additional millions of dollars to retire the state’s massive bond debt. Moody’s also stated that the continued failure to balance the budget “could result in further downgrades.”
One of the factors cited by Moody’s for the downgrade in debt rating was the uncertainty involving California’s continual issuance of IOUs. California’s use of IOUs to pay vendors and social service providers was necessary to retain cash, so the state would have funds to make constitutionally required bond payments. However, Moody expressed increasing concern that a prolonged budget impasse would also ultimately jeopardize the ability of the state to meet its debt service obligations.
These financial demands and the need to restrict California’s cash outflow has caused Governor Schwarzenegger to include the cut of an additional 2,000 state jobs in recent proposals. These potential job losses are in addition to the 33,000 layoff notices that have already been sent to state employees. Further, in an effort save money the governor has instituted a third furlough day per month, which equals about a 14 percent pay cut for state employees.
State employee unions, who oppose the governor’s mandatory furloughs, believe the additional five percent pay cut resulting from a third furlough day is unacceptable. Governor Schwarzenegger instituted furlough days when California’s voters rejected the tax increases on the May 19 Special Election ballot . Initially, the governor authorized one furlough day, but as budget matters worsened he has incrementally increased the number of days. In opposition to the furloughs, the Service Employees International Union executive council has decided to request authorization from its members to call a strike.
However, the severity of the budget impasse, the banks’ refusal to honor state-issued IOUs, and the downgrading of the state’s credit rating appears to finally be forcing Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders to act. This week the leaders have met extensively, hopeful that an agreement could be reached by week’s end. In spite of weeks of derisive acrimony and special interest media campaigns, legislative leaders have expressed optimism that a resolution is near. However, as talks broke down Wednesday night over education funding, hope may be fleeting.
Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings Begin
This week, President Barack Obama’s first nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court is undergoing Senate confirmation hearings by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Second District, was nominated on May 26, 2009 by President Obama to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. If she is confirmed, she will become the 111th Justice and the first person of Hispanic heritage.
Judge Sotomayor’s potential confirmation raises serious concerns for many pro-family groups because of her political stance against the sanctity of life and her judicial activist tendencies. While Judge Sotomayor has attempted to assuage Republican Judiciary Committee members’ concerns, she has avoided answering questions regarding life issues. Her 12-year tenure with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (Defense Fund) is quite revealing. While a member of the Defense Fund’s board, she advocated for the expansion of abortion funding to low-income citizens. Further, in their brief to the court, the Defense Fund equated a state’s right not to fund abortion services to low-income woman to subjecting them to a form of slavery.
While Sotomayor’s abortion views should be a concern to those who value human life, the nominee’s apparent belief that “the court…is where policy is made” is also cause for concern. Recent actions by California courts – as demonstrated by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Proposition 22 – illustrate the danger of courts creating law, rather than applying laws created by legislative representatives. Sotomayor’s political activism as a jurist has resulted in several of her court’s decisions being overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
As expected, the Committee proceeding will not provide any further insight into Judge Sotomayor’s judicial philosophy. Repeatedly, Judge Sotomayor declined to respond to questions regarding her personal views, previous cases, or hypothetical cases. Sotomayor’s responses to committee questions have been the question is “in the abstract,” is not specific enough to a specific case, or that she cannot respond to inquiries about cases that may come before the court.
Local Links
SAN FRANCISCO – As the battle over traditional marriage has now moved to federal court, efforts have increased to garner support for same-gender marriage in minority communities. The NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, is now considering a task force's recommendation to support homosexual “rights,” a step that one national board member hopes could move the group toward supporting same-sex marriage. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle.
LOS ANGELES -- Former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is slated to appear at a Republican gala in suburban Los Angeles next month as she moves to broaden her national influence after stepping down as Alaska’s governor. Republican Women Federated of Simi Valley said in a statement Sunday that Palin is scheduled to attend the group's 50th anniversary gala at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Aug. 8. Read more in the Modesto Bee.
SACRAMENTO -- State legislators are scrambling to save the last remaining car plant in California. The Bay Area factory, which makes Toyota Corollas, Toyota Tundras and Pontiac Vibes, would receive sales tax benefits potentially worth millions of dollars under legislation introduced in the Assembly on Wednesday. Another more sweeping bill which would grant a host of incentives is expected to be introduced in the state Senate today. The moves are prompted by the increasing likelihood that the Fremont-based plant, New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) could close permanently. Read more in the Los Angeles Times.
Opportunity “knocks”
RIVERSIDE – California Family Council continues to expand its offerings of the acclaimed Truth Project group leader training seminars. Training in biblical worldview is a prerequisite to living out authentic Christianity in today’s postmodern culture, with its subjective claims of truth.
The Truth Project Group Leader Training Seminars:
Saturday July 18, 2009
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Host Church: Peoples Church
7172 N. Cedar Avenue
Fresno, CA 93720
Saturday, September 12, 2009
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Host Church: Arcadia Presbyterian Church
121 Alice Street
Arcadia, CA 91006
For more information on attending or hosting a seminar call the California Family Council at 951.354.8362 and ask for Trudy. Online registration for seminars at: www.californiafamily.org
