November 2009     11/1/2009
By Anne Downey

Welcome

Please sign up for our 2010 Encourage-A-Legislator program (see below). We have had a good response so far and look forward to a great year of prayer.

This free monthly newsletter is designed to provide information to our Prayer/Action Chapter Leaders (PALs), Home Team Captains (HTCs), and all others who are concerned about the moral and political issues of our day. If you received this newsletter from a friend and wish to subscribe directly, please send me an e-mail saying SUBSCRIBE. By subscribing, you will also receive occasional e-mail alerts about pending legislation. To unsubscribe, simply e-mail me.

Anne F. Downey, New York State Director, Concerned Women for America

P.O. Box 97, N. Boston NY 14110,
Ph 716-359-3226,
director@newyork.cwfa.org

website: ny.cwfa.org

New York Legislature

In late October Gov. Paterson met with leaders of the New York Legislature to discuss budget issues. They agreed to cut $500 million from state agencies but did not reach agreement about the governor’s proposed cuts to schools and health care. The Legislature is likely to return soon, and the governor continues to state that he wants the state senate to vote on a same-sex marriage bill this fall. Please pray and let your state senator know that you oppose the bill.

Encourage-A-Legislator: SIGN UP NOW

Last year, for the first time, CWA of NY achieved 100 percent prayer coverage of our governor and the 200+ members of the New York Legislature. We want to repeat this success in 2010! Our governor and legislators need our prayers now more than ever. I invite you to join us in the Encourage-A-Legislator program for 2010. Each month during the New York legislative session (January to June 2010), our participants will send a CWA of NY pre-printed postcard to the legislator(s) they sign up to encourage. The postcard has a Scripture verse or quotation from a famous American and a note of encouragement that the CWA member is praying for the legislator and his or her family. No lobbying is done with these cards; they are for encouragement only. CWA of NY will provide you with the postcards and related materials. All you do is sign your name, address the postcard and pray. Please contact me by phone, e-mail or regular mail by December 1 to sign up.

Prayer/Action Chapters

Join our Prayer/Action Chapters across the state! We have Prayer/Action Chapters in various locations across the state. The chapters are holding their fall meetings, and we would love for you to join us. Please contact me for information on the chapter nearest you or to discuss forming a new chapter in another region.

Other Developments

Senator Hiram Monserrate (D-Jackson Heights): In October, Senator Monserrate was convicted of a misdemeanor for slashing his girlfriend’s face with a piece of glass, and he awaits sentencing. Many have called for the senator to resign. His resignation would complicate the situation in the state senate, where Democrats have a slim majority. A bipartisan nine-member panel of senators, with subpoena power, is determining what action should be taken by the senate.

23rd Congressional District Race: On November 3 there will be a special election to fill the vacancy in the 23rd Congressional District created when Republican John McHugh became U.S. Secretary of the Army. The race has generated national interest because the Republican candidate, Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, is pro-choice and supports same-sex marriage. Many conservatives have endorsed Doug Hoffman, who is running on the Conservative Party line. The Democratic candidate is Bill Owens.

Mandatory Flu Vaccine: New York became the first state to mandate the regular flu vaccine and the swine flu vaccine for all health care workers with direct patient contact. An open letter from New York State Commissioner of Health Richard Daines to all health care workers in New York State stated in part that “on August 13th the New York State Hospital Review and Planning Council adopted a regulation recommended by the New York State Health Department making approved annual influenza vaccinations mandatory, unless medically contraindicated, for health care workers in hospitals, outpatient clinics and home care services. Legislation applying the same standards to nursing home workers has also been proposed. The new regulation will apply first to the routine annual seasonal influenza vaccine now available. With the recent FDA approval of the vaccine for novel H1N1 flu ("swine flu"), the regulation will also apply to that vaccine.” According to a Washington Post article, the New York regulation promulgated by the NYS Dept. of Health affects about 522,000 employees. While some groups like Christian Scientists have long enjoyed a religious exemption from vaccines, no religious exemption will be allowed under the new law. Workers who refuse the vaccine will be assigned to duties that do not involve patient contact (if such positions are available!), and they could face “further disciplinary action.” While CWA of NY supports measures that preserve life, we have many questions about this particular program, including the following: Is the vaccine safe? Since the pandemic involves the swine flu, why must health care workers also receive the regular flu shot? If health care workers must receive the vaccine, why not schoolteachers, daycare workers and others? Will the mandatory flu vaccine open the door to mandating the HPV vaccine and other measures? Is this program motivated by health concerns or an opportunity to increase government control? Why was the program adopted as an “emergency regulation” of the New York State Hospital Review and Planning Council? Since vaccine manufacturers will undoubtedly make a lot of money from a mandatory vaccine, is anyone investigating the money trail? There are many questions and few answers so far. LATEST NEWS: A temporary restraining order was issued by Judge Thomas McNamara in Supreme Court, Albany County, blocking the mandate. Then, in mid-October, Gov. Paterson suspended the mandate due to limited availability of the H1N1 vaccine.

Lawsuit challenges abortion picketing ban: The Times Herald-Record reported on October 5 that in August an Orange County pro-life leader brought a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a Village of Goshen law banning picketing in front of the residence of an abortion provider. The article quotes the pro-life leader, Ella Mae Hedgepeth, as saying “Nobody in this country should need a permit to walk on a sidewalk with a sign.”

Bible Club Lawsuit Settled: The Associated Press reported on October 6 that the Lindenhurst School District on Long Island settled a lawsuit filed by a student who was denied the right to form a Bible club. A month after the suit was filed, the District recognized the Club. In the settlement, the District paid $1 nominal damages to the student and paid $2,500 in attorneys’ fees to the Alliance Defense Fund.

Help for Sexual and Porn Issues: In response to a request in the October 1 newsletter, we are grateful to have received information about a ministry in the Albany area that can assist men struggling with a porn addiction or other sexual issues. The website is at www.GoodFightGroups.org. We also received information about two national websites that assist men and women struggling with such issues: www.purelifeministries.org and www.regenerationministries.org.

Same-sex marriage case before NY’s highest court: Please continue in prayer as the New York Court of Appeals decides two cases involving whether out-of-state same-sex marriages should be recognized in New York. Arguments were heard on October 13.

Atheism promoted: Ads promoting atheism appeared in a dozen Manhattan subway stations starting October 26. The ads feature the slogan “A Million New Yorkers Are Good without God. Are You?” A similar unrelated ad campaign ran on New York City buses in July.

Choose Life License Plate Petition: The Children First Foundation is asking New Yorkers to sign a petition urging Gov. Paterson to allow the “Choose Life” license plate in our state. http://charityadvantage.com/TheChildrenFirstFoundation/SignOurPetition.asp

(NOTE: Referrals to Web sites not created by CWA are for informational purposes and do not necessarily imply an endorsement by CWA of the contents of those sites.)

Prayer Requests

As always, please let me know your needs and prayer requests.

Membership

Please consider making a gift so that we can continue our work in this state. Are you a member of Concerned Women for America? If not, please sign up and send a suggested donation of $25 or more to:

CWA of NY
P.O. Box 97
North Boston NY 14110

Donations sent to this address go 100 percent to our state budget, enabling us to continue the work in New York State. Donations can be also be made by credit card at our website: ny.cwfa.org. Concerned Women for America is a 501(c)(3) organization, and contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law. A copy of CWA’s latest annual report is available from us or from the following:

New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau
Attn: FOIL Officer
120 Broadway
New York NY 10271

Thank you for your support.

On a Lighter Note

Depressed by the health care reform debate and need a chuckle? Check out the funny YouTube videos from the creative folks at CWA national: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kAlFk5MO4o

Printer Friendly Version