Banner displayed during the 2008 election in Mt. Lebanon, PA

I was hesitant to overstate the significance of tomorrow's healthcare vote, but I do believe it is true. The left has scoffed those of us who consider socialized medicine the gateway to Socialism, but nonetheless, the healthcare bill before Congress this weekend is dangerous and will fundamentally change our government. I considered going to D.C. to join the crowd there, protesting the healthcare bill, but a bad cold has kept me house-bound. A few of the "low-lights" of this bill include:

• Taxpayer funded abortions (about 1/2 of Americans are opposed to abortion and even more opposed to taxpayer funded abortions)
• It fails to compensate doctors appropriately for Medicare patients (the Medicare fix) and that is expected to be added later, raising the cost of the bill
• The cost to businesses and individuals. Caterpillar claimed yesterday the bill would cost them $100 million in the first year alone. The middles class can expect at least an 11% increase in taxes, and premiums are certain increase and likely double in cost.
• Both the size and power of the IRS increases dramatically (16,000 more employees)
• It does not actually lower the cost of healthcare by addressing the reasons causing higher costs
• It is dependent upon fixing Medicare fraud - when have you ever seen government fraud fixed?
• It is will increase our already out of control debt.
• Despite all of the white coats that appeared with the President, most healthcare professionals do not support it. Ask your doctor, chiropractor, or other regular healthcare provider what he or she thinks about it.
• Both the President and Nancy Pelosi have indicated that they will let us know what is in the bill after they pass it. You see, they are wise enough to know what we need, but we are not.

The fact that most of these Democrats are willing to do the opposite of what their constituents desire and that polls have consistently shown that it will cost them their seats is an amazement, since for decades most of these people have cared about one thing: getting reflected. This is the culmination of leftist, elitist thought. They know what is better for us than we do, and that is a sure sign of the tyranny often associated with socialism. This bill isn't about reforming healthcare, it's about changing our government.

Popularity: 58% [?]

I have recently had several discussions on the topic of being single and John Piper's message on the topic, so I have decided to repost the link. I apologize for those of you who have heard my sopabox on this issue before. However, I don't believe the issue is dead. The church has been busy, "fighting the culture" in terms of its lack of support of marriage. Let me point out that the Bible  address those who remain single as well, and the church gives little attention to the battle for a godly single life. I do not think that a conflict between the culture and the  Bible  should surprise us. As long there are people who are not Christians, there will be people attacking biblical values.  I don't think the battle for marriage or battle for singles are  battles for the church to fight.  I think the battle for the church to fight is the battle for souls. Winning a man or woman's soul is the sure way to win any other battle.  I am not really convinced that this battle is really about the battle against the culture as much as it is a bias towards marriage that lacks an informed biblical understanding of a godly single life. I do not point this out to draw more attention to singles' ministry, rather to draw more attention to what married and singles have in common, our mission to expand and build the Kingdom of God together.

John Piper - Singles in Christ: A Name Better Than Sons and Daughters *

Eric Grover: A Name Better Than Sons and Daughters

* I recommend listening to or watching John Piper's message rather than reading it because he elaborates more in the actual message.

Popularity: 49% [?]

John Piper has called out the Tea Party movement, and I agree with John Piper. He references this article in the NY Times that discusses how the Tea Party purposefully avoid social issues.

This article identifies an issues symptomatic of a bigger problem aloft in the Conservative movement, it is a movement that centers around economics and avoids social issues. The are known by different names, "Fiscal Conservatives", "Moderates", but they attempt to marginalize Conservatives who stand firm in their social values, even to the point of falsely representing them as not being conservative enough from a fiscal standpoint. This part of the Conservative movement has little patience for the pro-life part of the movement, and almost act embarrassed by them. It's part of the reason Christian Conservatives were willing to embrace someone with an iffy pro-life record, like Mitt Romney, and through a clearly strong pro-life candidate like Mike Huckabee under the bus.  In other words, it is fiscal value that define what is Conservative to this group, not social values.

We need to continue to push the Conservative social issues agenda as well. Anyone who knows history knows that a nation's economic stability is closely connected to its moral compass.

Popularity: 43% [?]

We are enjoying something we haven't had in a long time in Pittsburgh, dry sidewalks, surrounded by snow.  The landscape is stunning with the snow. Next on the agenda...a possible late weekend storm.

Popularity: 18% [?]

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Popularity: 10% [?]